#hey guys crucify me if you must

[gremlins-hotel]

From the notes of Capt. Alfred Jones: "Davie was a bus and the 'Flying Fortress' moniker seemed to pass her by, but it was a ship with a brave crew. The trudge of getting back to England from enemy territory is a story for another day. I miss her and sometimes I miss the boys we lost that day."

-✪- -✪- -✪-

B-17F "Dear Davie": *U.S. Army Model B-17F-65-BO Air Corps Serial No. 42-29670 Delivered Cheyenne 31/1/43; Pueblo 18/2/43; Salina 15/2/43; Brookley 19/3/43; Smoky Hill 23/3/43; Dow Field 18/4/43. Assigned to the 333rd Bomb Squadron/94th Bomb Group [TS-L] "DEAR DAVIE" 22/4/43; Missing in Action near Hamburg 25/7/43 with Alfred "Comet" Jones, **Co-Pilot: Daryl "Speed" Reed, Navigator: Richard Reed, Bombardier: Charlie Marstaller; Radio Operator: Johnathan Graves, Flight Engineer/Top Turret Gunner: Clyde "Pepsi" Ray, Ball Turret Gunner: William Ortlieb, Waist Gunner: Leslie Lipsey, Waist Gunner: Paul Rapoport, Tail Gunner: Thomas Pugh (6 Killed in Action); "DEAR DAVIE" lost to flak/anti-aircraft fire, crashing near Uetersen, 15 miles NW of Hamburg, Germany.

-✪- -✪- -✪-

[nerd things & acknowledgements below cut]

Notes on the B-17F... The B-17F was an upgrade of the previous E model, with several notable changes: A one- or two-piece plexiglas nose cone, as opposed to the ten-paneled cone of previous versions. Reinforced landing gear allowed for a greater maximum payload, from 4,200 lb (1,900 kg) of ordnance to 8,000 lb (3,600 kg). Flight and combat range of the F model was improved by 900 mi (1,400 km) with the addition of nine self-sealing rubber fuel cells in the wing root, aka, "Tokyo tanks". The F model was generally characterized by being tail-heavy - which lead to part failure - and woefully undefended from the front; the early F models had no front-facing armament, leaving a 60° blind spot to the direct front of the aircraft - a flaw which was exploited by German pilots, who held air superiority. Later F models would see a list of possible available modifications (factory and field) such as inserting two .50 caliber machine guns into the nose cone to solve the blind spot. Other modifications to later F models were bulged cheek turrets, as opposed to the window-mounted guns of earlier iterations, and the available addition of the iconic "Bendix" chin turret. The chin turret is far more common on the subsequent G "gunship" variant. ("Dear Davie" is an early F model without the nose mount, bulged cheeks, or chin turret.)

*This model production block, serial no., and fate are borrowed from real-life B-17F #42-29670, "Thundermug." "Thundermug" was an aircraft that originally served in the 333rd Bomb Squadron/94th Bomb Group alongside my great-grandfather and his usual steed, "The Gremlins Hotel." It was transferred to the 544th BS/384th BG, at which point it went Missing in Action over Hamburg from flak/aa-fire; 8 of its crew became POWs while 2 were KIA. I have had the honor to speak to descendants of both of its crews and help them research "Thundermug"; I wish to voice a mere glimpse of their stories in a unique way.

**All names of Alfred's crew are either cobbled-together family names throughout our history here or entirely fictitious - though some were inspired by real people whom I grew up with stories of. All inspirations were individuals that lived good lives post-war.

#alpha romeo tango #gremlin's things with wings #alfred f. jones // daring to fly #hetalia #historical hetalia #hetalia headcanons #aph america #hws america #alfred f jones #hey guys crucify me if you must #i'm really proud of this drawing #but i also understand it's pretty nerdy and the headcanon does deal with something a little tragic #but i'm hurling this to tumblr motherless and fatherless for your judgment #this took a few hours haha #love you guys for real #i really love bombers guys sorry for being autistic on main

[atyd1960]

Marauders era characters and ships as TTPD lyrics (pt.1)

“And for a fortnight there, we were forever, run into you sometimes, ask about the weather. Now you're in my backyard, turned into good neighbours. Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her.”- this so Regulus to James because for a 00.0007 secs they were truly happy but then Regulus broke it off to become a DE and he had to watch James build a life with Lily.

“I'll build you a fort on some planet, where they can all understand it. How dare you think it's romantic, Leaving me safe and stranded? 'Cause fuck it, I was in love, so fuck you if I can't have us.”- James after Regulus left him because “their relationship is too complicated and dangerous and they’re better off separated.”

“I stopped trying to make him laugh, stopped trying to drill the safe. Thinking how much sad did you think I had, did you think I had in me?”- Mary falling for all the wrong guys and losing all her friends and feeling so alone and desperately clinging to lovers who can’t save her until she is forced to just let it go because she can’t go on like this.

“Now I'm running with my dress unbuttoned, Screaming, "But Daddy, I love him! I'm having his baby.” No, I'm not, but you should see your faces.”- These lyrics are so chaotic and I think the only person who’s capable of living up to them is Sirius Black.

“You can beat the heat, If you beat the charges too. They said I was a cheat, I guess it must be true.”- it’s giving the 7 husbands of Louise Zabini.

“What if I roll the stone away? They're gonna crucify me anyway. What if the way you hold me is actually what's holy? If long-suffering propriety is what they want from me, they don't know how you've haunted me so stunningly. I choose you and me religiously.”- every gay ship in the fandom like ever. But also DORLENE.

“You shit-talked me under the table, talking rings and talking cradles. I wish I could un-recall how we almost had it all. Dancing phantoms on the terrace, are they second-hand embarrassed, That I can't get out of bed 'cause something counterfeit's dead?”- Remus after Sirius got into Azkaban.

“I can read your mind, "She's having the time of her life". There in her glittering prime, the lights refract sequin stars off her silhouette every night. I can show you lies.”- no explanation just Mary McDonald.

“'Cause once your queen had come, you'd treat her like an also-ran. You didn't measure up, in any measure of a man.”- Snape🥰

“Hey, you, what if I told you we're cool? That child's play back in school is forgiven under my rule.I haven't come around in so long, but I'm making a comeback to where I belong.”- JILYJILYJILYJILYJILYJILY.

“I am someone who, until recent events, you shared your secrets with. And your location, you forgot to turn it off, and so I watch as you walk into some bar called The Black Dog, and pierce new holes in my heart. You forgot to turn it off, and it hits me, I just don't understand... How you don't miss me in The Black Dog.”- Mary watching Lily move on and being unable to do so herself.

#gonna put it the rest of the songs too #but it’s like 30 songs so #another time #marauders #Taylor Swift #the tortured poets department #TTPD #tv

[taiteilija]

Die if you want to, you innocent papaya!

I’ve just watched Jesus Christ Superstar (2000). I’m on my marry way to check all versions of this musical and since I’ve been a little bit down today (and as of late, in general) I thought that watching what is apparently considered to be the most ridiculous version would be a good idea. It was. There’s a reason why I keep reading that this fandom thinks of it as something so bad that it’s actually good. It’s absolutely horrible... I LOVED IT! 

My spontaneous remarks:

I honestly think that they simply decided that 2000 fashion was great enough to be left as it is so most of Jesus’ fam looks like 2000 fashion trademarks with Simon being the peak of ‘00s with his bleached sticky hair and dot-like beard-thing under his bottom lip

Jesus in baggy ‘00s cargo trousers... XD

Why are there like tons of graffiti from all possible times, like hippie signs, antifascist slogans, slogan of french revolution... it’s just too much, it’s an absurd, like they could not decide which one should it be so they put them all there

CAMP is everywhere!

overacting is strong with this one... Oh, so strong!

Judas and Herod are just the worst singers I’ve ever heard in JCS... THE WORST... I mean, I keep thinking that Jesus has the blank, leave-me-alone-Judas face not cause Judas complains all the time, but because it hurts his ears to hear him singing like... for Someone’s sake, shut up, already! And it's the same way with Herod who, btw, reminds me of some Tim Burton's villain from 90s.

BTW, Judas is weird mix of being Very Gay & Jealous and being Violent & Pervy Little Shit... What the hell was that about when Mary kissed Jesus while he was sleeping (btw, consent, no?) and she looked up and there he was: the Pervy Stalker Judas and he tried to kiss her to be a Mean Shit (consent, again? Come on, guys!)? I don’t actually like the way he treats Mary in this version. Really, he gets handsy and violent and I hate it

And also... like in the last song, the Superstar, he’s like devil-style and looks far too happy making it hard for Jesus to carry that cross... and also why is he still there after Jesus is crucified? Dude, you are dead, I get the Superstar cause that’s the narrative thingy, but this? 

Gethsemane was not half as bad as I expected

Jesus singing that Judas would be sorry when he’s gone and then fainting dramatically like a golden diva he is 🤣

Why the Temple is full of the Orientalism shit? 

Pilate was so damn weird with his... camp Nazi clothes and gay dreams (yeah, that dream, dear ppl, was played out pretty gay here)

Pilate: Die if you want to, you innocent papaya! - I LOVED IT! Hahahaha! 😅

the creators really do love the slow motion, don’t they?

Caiaphas, Annas and the Gang are in... the Death Star?

Caiaphas voice is frighteningly low... and so damn slow? And then he has a vision I think cause he overacts wildly to my utter amusement!

And this one guy during Jesus Must Die who realised he had left his stove on...

The emphasis they put on Jesus loosing control over his fam is quite interesting to watch, like in the Simon song, Simon is giving people guns and Jesus is really confused and angry about it all. Usually the loosing control thing is a little bit less obvious... Actually, I don’t know if it’s a good or a bad thing in JCS 2000... too literal, perhaps?

Jesus face when they sing Hey, J.C., J.C., won’t you die for me?’ being like: O.O A whaaaaaaaaat?

Jesus and Judas chasing one another around the table during the Last Supper made me laugh so hard... and then after this: Look at all my trials <sob> and <sob_sob> tribulations <sob>... They really ruined the family dinner, didn’t they?

Judas crawling across the table to get Caiaphas and the Gang and they are all like... <panicking> Back off, gentleman, Judas went bonkers! 

I’m out of quick remarks, I think? Head empty. But even though it was so odd and just badly done it was campy, funny and made me laugh so hard I almost forgot I’m feeling down so, yeah, as weird as it sounds, this musical can be an odd ‘00 comedy. Probably it shouldn’t, but well... I’m not complaining. 

#jesus christ superstar #jcs #jesus christ superstar 2000 #musicals #andrew lloyd webber #tai comments

[secondhand-trash]

Voicemail

A/N: oh hello, bet you never saw this coming. This is my part of the bnharem angst collab! Took a bit of an experimental approach with the format and things like that so fingers cross that it works qwq You can find the masterlist here if you are in the mood to break your own heart!uwu (I kinda cheated and twisted the prompt around for a bit but shhh)

The collab prompt:

“It’s 2 am, I know that, but I need you...”

“I’m sorry, but I can’t go to you anymore, you know that.”

Pairing: Shinsou HItoshi x reader

Description: “You have 1 new message”

Word count: 2193

-

*you have 1 new message*

*beep*

Hey, um, it’s me.

I know that this is stupid and literally everyone around me will crucify me if they know I’m doing this right now... but I miss you. I miss you so much. People are saying that I should move on, that I need to forget you but I just... They don’t get that you simply don’t forget someone you loved with your whole being as easy as a few shots and drunken night outs. I know what you would say, that you are probably furrowing your bows in disapproval if you are listening to this right now. If you will ever hear this, that is. You would shake your head while twirling the phone wire like you always did when I used to tell you all the reckless things I had done while I was away from you, your hands gesturing wildly even though I couldn’t see any of it. *chuckles* *sniffs* I wish I could see all of that, all of your little motions and the way you frown now that I don’t have that chance to anymore. I should have... I should have cherished you more, maybe then you wouldn’t have left me.

God, I sound so sad... 

I... I, uh... 

I’m sorry. I’ll... I’ll try not to call again.

*end of message*

*you have 2 new messages*

*beep*

It’s me again.

I know I said that I won’t call but I just can’t help myself. I keep telling myself that I shouldn’t, that it will only hurt me more because you are never coming back to me no matter how many times I call your number. But some nights when I’m in bed, trying to go to sleep without you by my side when I’m tossing and turning, I always come back to you. 

Sometimes it’s easier to not think of you, but sometimes I feel like crying just from being alone. You used to use all kinds of ways to bribe me to just get some sleep, just stay in bed with you for a little longer. It’s always your voice that did the trick for me. You could just... say things in my ear and suddenly the entire world melted away, it was just you and me. It gets harder when it’s raining outside, we used to cuddle with piles of blankets whenever it rains. You like listening to the sound of it, said it calms you down. 

But now it’s just me, trying to get some comfort out of the voice note you recorded one day out of boredom and had been using ever since. You did so many takes for those few lines because I kept trying to mess with you, *chuckles* can’t believe that the thing I used to tease you about is now the only thing that can make me fall asleep at night. 

But I guess this is no good for me huh? That I’m doing so much to hold onto something that will never be mine again...

I...

Nevermind.

*end of message*

*you have 7 new messages*

*beep*

So Kaminari found out that I’ve been calling you. I don’t even know how he found out but that doesn’t matter, is it? He called me the other day, saying that I need to stop doing this and that all this attachment is just going to make it harder for me to ever accept the reality that you aren’t coming back to me. Deep down I know that he is right, I really do, but at that point I just felt angry that he was talking to me like he knew what I was going through, like he knew what it feels like. 

I snapped when he said that you are never going to call back.

I slammed the phone down, shutting him off completely like if I didn’t hear it, I could pretend that what he said was not the truth. I broke down crying like a child after that. I know, throwing a tantrum then cry because someone told me the truth as it is, you would have hated me if you saw me like that. 

I remember how you hated me so much when we just met. You thought that I was an egotistic jerk who only cared about what I wanted and nothing else, and I thought that you were just poking your nose into my life that you had no business in. I guess I just didn’t want to admit that I wanted you to be my friend but you hated my guts. I still can’t believe that we ended up together after so many arguments and people betting whether we would actually get over ourselves and admit that we had a spark or not, and now we are back to phase one. I still want you to be with me as much as ever, and you are out of my life, for real this time.

I called him back when I finally calmed down and apologised for lashing out on him like that, but I couldn’t say anything when he asked me to stop calling. He said that it would be better for the both of us, that you would want me to move on from you, but I just... I’m so scared that one day, I’ll forget about you. I’ll forget the way you smile, how the pitch of your voice is higher when you are on the phone, that... that...

It’s just... I don’t know... I don’t know what I’m gonna do without you... and I... I...

*sighs* I’ll stop here today.

*end of message*

*you have 11 new messages*

*beep*

*inaudible sniffling*

(y/n)... (y/n)? Can you hear me? It’s 2 am, I know that, but I need you... *burps* 

Where are you? I miss you... Was it something I’ve done? Is this why you aren’t talking to me?

Please answer the phone... please.. please- *chokes*

*muffled sobbing* 

*end of message*

*you have 12 new messages*

*beep*

Sorry for last night, I don’t know what got into me.

The guys took me out drinking, again, said it will help me take my mind off things. I didn’t actually want to go but... but they were doing this because they were worried about me and I felt guilty.

I ended up having a great time, actually. I felt like I was in another world compared to everyone else at first but after a few shots, it was like I was finally back in the real world. I laughed, I talked, and for a while I didn’t think about you.

*chuckles* Really, you didn’t come up in my mind at all, not even for a second, and I thought that I had finally moved on as they told me to.

But then I came back. No friends, no laughter, only me in a place that you used to call home, and I just... I just...

I felt so lonely. I guess it must be the alcohol messing with me, but for a second I forget that you are never coming back. When I was drunk out of my mind, crying on floor and clutching the phone to my ear with shaking hands, I really did thought that maybe you would hear all that nonsense I was babbling, and you were really on the other end of the call. I kept thinking that you were so cruel, seeing all these messages I left you but still ignored me. It was so silly, because you won’t come to me anymore, I know that so well, but.. but I...

I just want to hear your voice again, for one last time, you know? *sniffs* Just once, and that’s enough for me....

...

...

Oh, what am I even doing.

*end of message*

Shinsou let out a shaky breath as his finger hoovered above the glowing digits. He did not even need to think to punch out the right string of numbers, he laughed at the realisation that this was where he got to. He took a deep breath, looking up to stop the tears that were threatening to form. 

If he was going to leave one last voice mail, the least he could do was make it audible.

The last time, he smiled bitterly to himself with no one there to see, he would move on after today. He clutched his hands at the thought of leaving the memories of you behind, knuckles nearly turning white at how nervous he was to carry out a plan that he knew he should have done ages ago. He could already feel the lump forming at the back of his throat and he didn’t even start talking.

This wouldn’t be easy, but my god he would try. He would try for you.

*Hello, this is (y/n).*

He let out a choked sob the moment the familiar line rang by his ear, covering it up with an ugly laugh. He wasn’t even sure what this emotion that was bubbling up inside of him was anymore. Your voice was so close but so far, and even though he wanted nothing more than to just clutch onto whatever fragment of you he had left through the recording, he knew that he couldn’t dwell on you any longer.

But was it really that easy when your voice was carved into the back of his head?

*I can’t pick up your call right now but if there is something urgent, please leave a message after the beep.*

*beep*

“Hey, this is Hitoshi and I- I...” he tried to ignore how tight his throat felt and kept going on, “I’m calling to say good bye.”

Yes, good bye. He smiled at the thought, ignoring how dry his eyes were. 

Something he never really got to say to you.

“I still can’t believe that it has only been a month without you, it feels far longer for me. For a while, waking up every morning was agony. At least in my sleep, I won’t think about it but when I wake up to an empty bed, it was like getting slapped by reality. But really, if you think about it, our whole relationship is just plot twist after plot twist, isn’t it? If I told you when we first met that we would end up in love and I would be crying over you for countless nights, there was no way you would believe me."

He thought of how far you two had gone from wanting to tear each other’s face off at every turn to being near inseparable in the span of years. He nodded his head, almost like an encouragement for himself to keep going on.

He didn’t even notice that he was crying until he taste the saltiness at the tip of his tongue.

“You are probably laughing at me right now, saying that I would not be able to live without you like you always did whenever you had to clean up after my mess. You would roll your eyes, but there wasn’t once when you didn’t come running whenever I need you. I had no idea that you were right until I really have to start living without you. 

“Sometimes I think it’s my fault that you are not hear right now. That maybe, maybe if I had stopped you from leaving the door that morning, you would still be alive. But I guess there’s really no point thinking about what might have been anymore, isn’t it?” 

He tried to force a chuckle out of his throat that was aching from how hard he tried to contain his sobs, but it only came out as a hiccup. Running his hand across his face, he sucked in a deep breath and regained his voice, determined to make it through.

“So...” no matter how painful it was for him to let you go, he would pull through this time. Tears ran down his face as he clenched his jaw, “I guess what I’m trying to say is that I’m not gonna call again. Really this time.”

His voice was on the verge of breaking but he did not stop. He could almost hear you telling him to go on, to say what he had to say, and he smiled.

You were always there for him when he needed you, but now he would have to learn to live without you.

“I’m moving on,” he said, more to himself than to the empty end of the call, “yes, I’m gonna... I’m gonna move on.”

There were so many things he wanted to say. So many times he had played in his head what he would do if some power above took pity on him and granted his wish of speaking to you one last time.

But he decided that he was not going to say any of it.

I love you. 

No, he shook his head, there was no point saying something that you knew all along but there was something that he wished he had told you. 

He smiled as if you were there to see it.

“Good bye.”

#shinsou x reader #shinsou imagine #bnha imagines #bnha imagine #bnha x reader #shinsou hitoshi x reader #shinsou hitoshi imagine #shinsou hitoshi

[chayacat]

Devil’s Sweet Star (41)

Fandom: Dead by Daylight

Ghostface x Female Reader  

Rated M for Violence, Language and Smut  

***

My kingdom for something. It is a fairly well-known and old sentence that is used very little today. But... for you it would be: My kingdom for something that relaxes me. What for? Let's say your awakening was... Disturbed. Jed was still sleeping for once; it was quite surprising considering that he is always the first awake to go to work. But you have to believe that his evening was... Exhausting. So, you are the first one standing. And on your nightstand, you found a piece of paper. What is written on it leaves you in no doubt about the identity of the author.

*Hoggins is dead. We see each other tonight, Honey. Be ready. *

That's it. It's done. And now it's up to you to honor your share of the deal. An entire evening with Ghostface. But it is far too early. You wish you had a little more time, just to find an excuse for Jed to not be there. What can you do? How are you going to do? If Jed sees Ghostface... And if Ghostface sees Jed... God only knows what could happen. This is why you are stressed today. But you found the excuse of the festival and the journalists to not worry everyone. Although in itself this is not really an excuse, because you also tense for this reason.

What do journalists in other cities think of you? of your pastries? of the festival in general? Were they satisfied? or disappointed? What will they write about you? So many unanswered questions... For now. Several options are jostling in your head: The first is that they loved everything. They will write a very good review about you, about the festival, about the city. People from other cities would come, even tourists, to visit the city and take the opportunity to go to your café. And if they also appreciate... they could come and live there! So, the city would get a little bigger, and your coffee would be better and better known throughout Ohio.

The second option? It’s that they are... neutral. They didn't hate it but didn't like it either. As a result, they will write a fairly neutral article, which will not change much. Or it will attract a few tourists, who will make Roseville a city where spend your holidays quietly... but nothing more.

And the last... it's that they hated it. After all, and without wanting to offend Jed, journalists are quite particular. They are quite snobby; they have tastes...how to say... Let's say they enjoy luxurious places at poor little country festivals. So, when you send them to this kind of place, they're not necessarily cheerful. So just to annoy everyone, and especially the city, they write negative articles, where they criticize everything, invent fake stories and fake anecdotes just to get revenge. And so, they could do the same with the Roseville festival. They could write an article in which they would criticize everything, tell anything. It wouldn't really benefit the city, just like it would be for your coffee. Because if you want to expand, you need good reviews. But also, good reviews of the city. And unfortunately, it’s not with the Roseville Gazette that this can be done. It has to come from the outside world.

But let's remain optimistic! there's no reason they hated it, right? You were working in the back of the shop. At least you try because with all this stress in you... it’s difficult to concentrate. Amy who saw you from the counter, because she turned to you from time to time, brought you a cup of tea, a smile on her lips.

“I thought it would relax you. Do not worry! I'm sure that everything went well and that we will read good returns in the days!” she said cheerfully.  

“Thanks Amy, I guess you’re right. I should relax and hope for the best. How is it in the café? we have a lot of customers?” you respond with a smile.

“Oh yeah! As usual I want to say. Corey runs everywhere but hey, I feel like it doesn't mind him more than that... quite the contrary.”

“Hahaha It's true. You know, there are people who can't stay in place. They have to move, do something all the time otherwise they get bored and find everything boring. Corey is surely that kind of person who doesn't like to stand by and do nothing, just like me.”

“AMY! New orders are here! Hurry up!” Shouts Corey from the counter.  

“I'M COMING! I have to go back to work! Don't forget boss, breathe and relax. Everything's fine. We had the hardest time. Everything will be fine now.” said Amy before going back to the counter.  

You smile as you watch Amy go back to work. She’s right, you have to relax. But... unfortunately for you, the hardest part has not yet passed. The hardest part is coming tonight. And you don't know what to do with Jed. How to convince him to not be at the apartment tonight? Without offending him? Unless there is a miracle, unless he has to leave on his own to find another scoop or go to the scene of a murder, it’s impossible. But hey... so far, you've been lucky. You could have been killed by Ghostface, and he decided to leave you alive. You could have been the victim of an assassination, and Jed protected you. You could have been there when this guy ransacked your coffee, and yet you were already at home when it happened. So, what could go wrong tonight?

It's better to not think about it anymore. It will happen... what will happen. For now, you need to focus on your job and nothing else. Tonight... it will be a different story. The day went off without a hitch. Customers came and went, some with a smile, others a little grumpy, some were stressed, others confident. There was everything, and everything was needed in this world.

Melina and Mattew arrived laughing, and sat down at a table. Amy took their order and Melina asked her if you were there. Amy told them you were in the back of the shop baking March cakes. You gave them a small greeting with your hand, which they returned to you with a smile. You put down your tea towel and leave the room to go see them. And as usual, they were making fun of each other.

“Only 3 slices of cake? I don't believe you. You are a little glutton, OUR little glutton Mattew. 3 parts is only the aperitif for you.” Said Melina laughing.  

“Hey! I swear to you that I am telling the truth! I didn't want the boss to give me an eternal sermon! You know how he is when you don't respect his instructions... I have often been paying the price...” responds Mattew.  

“That’s true.”  

“My poor Mattew... I hope at least you were able to enjoy it when you got back.” you said smiling.

“Nah, I left my shares to Chris. He must also take advantage of it. With work it's hard right now." responds Mattew

“Awn it’s too cute. He's really lucky to have you.”

“Oh! I almost forgot! Jed asked us to warn you that tonight he will be coming home very late. He must apparently go to the scene of a new murder committed by Ghostface. Another innocent inhabitant who died by his cold and heartless blade.” Said Melina.  

“Oh. O-okay. Poor guy...or girl.” You simply respond.

When I was talking about miracles... here is one. It saddens you to learn that Ghostface is being killed again, but it suits you for tonight. Jed will return very late, until he comes back, Ghostface will surely be gone. Luck is still on your side for now. You talk for a little while with Mattew and Melina before they go back to work, and so do you. The rest of the day was quiet, although towards the end you received the call from Mr. Parkson and your Aunt Marnie.

The first one informed you that everything was finally settled for the succession and that the inheritance had been divided at your request between your uncles and aunts. Nevertheless, they have asked that you receive a share of this inheritance as well, so you should expect an upcoming transfer to your bank account. Mr. Parkson greeted you and wished you good luck for the future, hoping that time will heal your wounds. He also informed you that if he learns something about your parents' death, you will be the first to know.

As for your discussion with Aunt Marnie, it was simple. She was taking news, knowing how you were doing, if you needed anything and if everything was okay with Jed. You couldn't help but laugh at her mother hen attitude, it was so adorable coming from her. Your uncle Joey had finally decided to talk to you on the phone. And just by his voice, you felt that it made him feel better to hear you and chat with you. He was fine, some back problems, but nothing very bad according to him. You still tell him to pay attention to him and to not force too much if he does not want to end up stuck in bed for days. He laughed, saying that you reminded him of his sister, your mother, when she was still of this world. He hung up saying that he loved you and hoped to see you soon. You answer him the same thing before hanging up in your turn.

You walk home, without a hitch, and once in the apartment, you sigh with relief. It feels good to finally be at home. And you'll get even better after a good shower. In any case, you will have to prepare. Ghostface is coming. And welcome him in work clothes... is not really a good idea. So, you take clean things, go to the bathroom and take a shower. You leave the room after a few minutes and decide to prepare food. Since you are not very hungry, because of the stress of Ghostface, a simple salad of tomatoes and cucumbers will be enough. You were doing the dishes, when you heard footsteps that you would recognize between a thousand.

“Well... I really hoped you weren't going to come tonight. I thought maybe you'd be lenient and give me an evening off.” you said without turning your back, hearing HIM chuckling.  

“Sorry Honey, but unfortunately, a deal is a deal. And then... spend an entire evening by your side... I will certainly not refuse.” said Ghostface.  

“Is he really dead? Are you sure?”

“Given the state in which I left him, I can tell you that he is indeed dead. He ended up... like his creator. On a nice wooden cross, crucify by me. If you could have been there... you would have been amazed by my art.”

“You’re a twisted devil.”

“And you’re guardian angel. I am both. Then... Where do we start?” Ghostface replied.

“What if you finally told me who you are? Remember? it was part of the deal. A whole evening with you in exchange for your true identity.” you respond, facing him.  

He sneered before approaching you slowly, but with a determined step. He gently pressed you against the worktop and you could guess through his mask that he was devouring you with his eyes.

“Do you REALLY want to start with that? This is just a small detail... we can deal with that... later in the evening.” he said with a softly voice.  

“Deal is a deal. That’s what you said. No true identity, no evening with me. And anyway... Jed will return sooner or later.” You respond with a provocative look.  

“... Fine. As you wish. But regarding Jed... I don't think... that he will bother us tonight. In fact, he will no longer bother us.”

“What do you mean? What did you do to him??? ANSWER ME!”

Ghostface sneered before exploding with laughter before backing up and closing the curtains properly so that no one outside could see what was going to happen. He went back in front of you, now standing in the center of the room and gently removing his mask. And the face that was underneath... No... That's impossible... you didn't want to believe it.

“J... Jed?” you said shocked.

“Hi...Honey. I’m home.” He responds with a sneaky smile.

You couldn't believe it... you didn't want to believe it. Since all this time... he lied to you. Since all this time... the man you loved, was the one who at night came to see you under this mask.  

Since all this time... your guardian angel... was also the devil you are trying to drive away.

***

(My right arm finally doesn't make me suffer anymore! what a pleasure! Gone is the horrible feeling of being hit in the arm! I will be able to write fully! But I also can't wait to go back to bars, restaurants and more... but for that I have to have the sanitary pass. And it won't be until September. What a hell! The next chapter will be the continuation of this one, but from the point of view of our dear Danny! I hope you’ll like this chapter like the others ones! Well, it's time for my brain to rest! Have a great weekend to you all!  See ya!)

#dbd fanfic #dbd #dead by daylight #ghostface #danny johnson #jed olsen

[maybankiara]

PHONE SWAP (DREW STARKEY)

15: ALCOHOLISM IN HOLLYWOOD

summary: Addie Mallory is just your average economics student when she meets Drew Starkey at her local Target in Atlanta. This is where the story is supposed to end – a short meeting and a picture to go – except Drew accidentally leaves with the wrong phone, and the story begins, instead.

w/c: 500

a/n: ok so this is a couple of hours late bc i forgot about it (oops)

read on wattpad

previous part | series masterlist

Me | 5:19pm Does Patty need these papers today or can we just give them to her tomorrow?

Holden Bradfield | 5:21pm Today Holden Bradfield | 5:21pm But if we finish them before she comes to work we can chuck it on her desk and hope for the best ahahah

Me | 5:22pm Oh fuck I forgot she’s in on Sundays 😭 Me | 5:22pm Rip Me | 5:23pm How bad is the punishment if she doesn’t get it on time

Holden Bradfield | 5:24pm ...I’ve heard rumours of a cauldron and green smoke and sizzling Holden Bradfield | 5:25pm Are you sure you won’t manage to finish it today? Holden Bradfield | 5:26pm I’ll cover for you dw

Me | 5:28pm NO!!! Me | 5:28pm I’ll just take the blame on myself Me | 5:28pm You’ve got that other case to do

Holden Bradfield | 5:31pm It’s fine hahaha Harrington won’t eat me alive if I’m a day late

Me | 5:32pm No I don’t want you to be late bc of me Me | 5:32pm I’ll try to get my essay done, I ended up meeting a friend today and I’m so fucking behind rn

Holden Bradfield | 5:34pm You just work on your essay Holden Bradfield | 5:34pm You’re the one out of the two of us doing a full-time Master’s and a full-time job!! Holden Bradfield | 5:35pm I’ll finish up with our case and then you can pay me off next weekend, yeah?

Me | 5:38pm Are you sure you’re okay with that?

Holden Bradfield | 5:39pm You know Patty has a soft spot for me 😉

Me | 5:40pm No comment 😂 Me | 5:44pm Ok so I definitely won’t be able to finish the case today Me | 5:45pm I’ll buy you a bigass candy cane or that fluffy sweet thing that melts on your tongue Me | 5:56pm Just to see it all over your face again 😂

Holden Bradfield | 6:01pm That honest to god sounds like heaven!! Holden Bradfield | 6:02pm Although, I’d say this warrants more than just that...

Me | 6:04pm You’re saving my ass from being burnt in a witch’s cauldron. Name your price big boy 😂

Holden Bradfield | 6:02pm Let me take you out for dinner Holden Bradfield | 6:02pm Just the two of us, whenever you’re available

Me | 6:06pm Does Saturday work?

Holden Bradfield | 6:07pm You’re gonna keep me waiting a whole week? 😯

Me | 6:08pm In between work, classes, studying, and prescheduled plans, you’re lucky it’s just a week 😂

Holden Bradfield | 5:09pm Don’t look a gift horse in the mouth I guess hahah Holden Bradfield | 5:10pm 7pm?

Me | 5:10pm Probably, but I’ll have to let you know on the day 😊

Holden Bradfield | 5:11pm It’s a date, then!

◇

Me | 7:48pm Drewdrew Me | 7:48pm How’s LA?

Drew | 8:22pm Hot as always Drew | 8:22pm Come think of it, I’m pretty sure underneath hell there’s LA Drew | 8:23pm So I meant hell under LA but hey same shit!!

Me | 8:25pm Lol both are probably true

Drew | 8:26pm Yeah I wouldn’t be surprised 😂 Drew | 8:26pm How’s Atlanta? Drew | 8:27pm I can’t believe it’s Wednesday already

Me | 8:27pm Boring as fuck honestly Me | 8:28pm I’ve been focusing on my studies for a bit and I’ve barely left the house, Marianne wants to crucify me lol

Drew | 8:31pm Hey at least you’re not roommates with Austin Drew | 8:32PM I love the guy but we never get anything done when we’re together 😂

Me | 8:33pm Oh Marianne and I are the same Me | 8:33pm That’s why we came up with the rule of not spending a lot of time if we’ve got things to do hahaha

Drew | 8:35pm That’s smart Drew | 8:35pm Hanging out with Austin makes me lazy and it only gets worse when the others come over Drew | 8:36pm All we do is drink 😂

Me | 8:37pm Well that sounds like your dream job!! Me | 8:37pm Mr. White Claw Basic Bitch must enjoy himself!!

Drew | 8:38pm Addie............ Drew | 8:38pm I don’t drink ONLY white Claw

Me | 8:39pm Mhm Me | 8:39pm hey at least WC hangovers aren’t that bad!!! Me | 8:40pm I mean if babies can drink WC then so can you

Drew | 8:40pm you WISH you could drink as much as I do

Me | 8:42pm oh no tyvm Me | 8:42pm I drink just enough 😌✌ Me | 8:42pm my hangovers are !! nonexistent!! except that time we met lmao

Drew | 8:43pm you were hungover?? Drew | 8:43pm Couldn’t tell 😂 Drew | 8:43pm you should always drink in the morning and hangovers are bye bye

Me | 8:44pm Marianne’s been trying to get me to do it forever Me | 8:45pm But now at least I got a topic for my next essay

Drew | 8:45pm how to cure hangovers?

Me | 8:46pm Close enough! Me | 8:46pm Alcoholism in hollywood 🥰

Drew | 8:45pm Hmmm sure sure Drew | 8:45pm How does that relate to either politics or economics? 🤔

Me | 8:46pm I’ll figure it out Me | 8:46pm Just you watch

Drew | 8:47pm Sure Drew | 8:47pm 👀

Me | 8:48pm 😂😂

◇

16: A LITTLE BIRDIE

tagging. @jjmaybanksbaby​​​​​​​​ @taiter-tots​​​​​​​​ @sacredto​​​​​​​​ @snkkat​​​​​​​​ @drewswannabegirl​​​​​​​​ @yeslifeofateen​​​​​​​​ @rudypnkw​​​​​​​​ @stfukie​​​​​​​​ @x-lulu​​​​​​​​ ​​​​​ @drewstarkey​​​​​​​​ @butgilinsky​​​​​​​​ @solllaris​​​​​​​​ @hyperactive2411​​​​​​​​ @chasefreakinstokes​​​​​​​​ @surferkie​​​​​​​​ @jroseron​​​​​​​​ @k-k0129​​​​​​​​ @starlightstories​​

#drew starkey #outer banks #obx #drew starkey x oc #drew starkey fanfiction #phone swap series

[imagination-is-key-in-my-world]

Chime

Authors Note: I am 100% a big fan of A Cinderella Story which is what had inspired me to write this piece. I know it has been a long time since I had written anything but a lot has been going on in my life. This story is inspired by my own mental health issues as well as my ultimate dream that Tom Holland would sweep me off my feet. [Do not tell my Fiancé that I told you guys that!] Also, I got a brand-new laptop that has made writing so much more efficient than my iPad. Hopefully, I will be more active on my page. Please feel free to contact me to share your thoughts.

Summary: So, you are currently struggling with anxiety which is not easy as a high school student. Things are not getting easier now that your best friend is leaving to go to another school, leaving you behind to deal with your senior year alone. That is how you feel every day – alone. But your life suddenly changes when you stumble across an app that allows people to chat anonymously with people who share similar interests without sharing too much. Only you did not expect that this new app would take over your life and provide you with someone who you no longer think you could cope without. But who is on the other end of the phone?

Warning: Possible swearing and mental health triggers.

Pairing: Reader x Tom Holland 

Word Count: 6,758

Counting the dew drops on the window was getting completely tedious at this point. There you sat in complete silence for what must have been a couple of minutes. But to you, it had felt like hours, if not days. Not that you were being dramatic at all.

You are not exactly the type of person who many people would typically associate with the nature of popularity. You did not have that many followers on your social media accounts. Therefore, it should not have been that surprising that your phone was not “blowing” up with notifications at this time of day.

Your best friend Cleo always told you that if you wanted to make something of your life, you needed to leave the house for more than just school.

“But!” You would always protest, “everything I need is right here.” Cleo was one member of a small social group that you bothered with both in and outside of school. When it came to forming groups in class, all your teachers knew that you needed to be put with a friend or you would be catastrophically unresponsive with a slight hint of a mini meltdown beginning to form.

The thing is you suffer with a high level of anxiety when it comes to meeting and conversing with people outside of your friendship circle. To make matters worse, the whole school was aware of this problem and would constantly tease and mimic the blubbering mess you turned into when you had to answer a question in the middle of class. There would be pointing as well as laughing as you would literally shake and break a sweat in front of everyone. Let us just say, this may have been one of the many reasons that your group only had 5 members and that includes you and queen Cleo.

The phone chimed and it shook you from your thoughts. When you finally unlocked it, you noticed that it was only Cleo cancelling on you yet again. Earlier that evening you had asked Cleo to come over and discuss the nature of Cleo moving schools in the fall. Both of you were meant to discuss how you personally were going to cope with the everyday torment and painful endeavours that was a big part of school life. But from that disappointed look on your face, it was obvious that Cleo was only blowing you off to spend more time with her new boyfriend.

“Knock knock” Your mother stated as she blatantly barged into your room. “Hey baby, I’m going to the store do you need anything at all?” As per usual you would shake your head and try not to make any eye contact with your mother at all. “Okay, well make sure that you feed the dog for me while I am gone and try and get some sun, you’re looking a little pale, baby.”

It was typical of your mother to attempt to force you out of your comfort zone. It was getting quite embarrassing for her at the teacher/parent evenings when she was called in to discuss another “issue.” It is not like you do not want to make more of an effort in class and with people, it just does not come as easy to you as it may for everyone else. The idea of people hearing you call out an answer in class and have it been wrong is absolutely devastating and crucifying for you.

You picked up your phone and decided that Facebook was worth one last scroll through before you decide that it was worthless and throw your phone back onto the bed for the 14th time that day. You were scrolling away half-heartedly, not really reading through the posts that people had shared as it was probably the same drama that it always was. It was as you thought, but suddenly your mind decided to switch back on when it reached a pop up that you would typically ignore. “Attention all Introverts.” Obviously, this caught your attention, it was in freaking bold print. You cannot ignore anything when it is in bold print! Clicking on the link, you decided to curiously read on.

“Attention all Introverts,

Have you ever felt lonely and isolated? Well this is the app for you. Become anyone you want to be, talk to anyone you would like – with total anonymity.

[This app gives you the confidence to express yourself to total strangers without the fear of judgements. If you are terrified of being vulnerable around other people while being your true self, then this is the app for you]”

Of course, you were sceptical at first but that was when you remembered how difficult it was to be your friend, relative and even teacher. Then before you could even stop yourself, you clicked onto the app and the download began. Nothing happened at all, other than the app appearing onto your phone’s home screen amongst other apps like Tumblr and Facebook. But you just thought there was going to be a sudden flash of lightning and you would be overwhelmed with confidence like you see in the movies. However, this was not the movies, this was your life and there you sat on the edge of your bed still shaking like a leaf.

It took you about half an hour to install all of your relevant information into the app. Mostly because you were trying to convince yourself that it was a stupid idea and that you should just delete it straight away. Although there was a faint voice in the back of your head telling you to do it. Part of it sounded like Cleo, while another part of the voice sounded like a stranger to you.

Once you had finished setting up the app, you left your phone on your dresser and walked into the lounge to watch that new episode of Ru Paul’s drag race that you had missed on Netflix. You managed to get through two episodes, a giant bag of Cheetos and a litre of Dr Pepper before crashing out on the sofa.

A loud chime from the bedroom woke you from your slumber. Your mother was sat on the edge of the sofa watching one of her true crime documentaries when she noticed you becoming startled.

“You okay honey?” You wipe your eyes and nod. “Do you want anything to eat or are you all set for bed?”

“Bed.” You mumble as you pick up the rubbish that had surrounded you on your makeshift bed for the afternoon.

“Okay, love you honey.” She called back as you threw away the rubbish into the trash and made your way into your bedroom. You practically fell onto your bed before you remembered the chime that had woken you in the first place. Grasping your phone, you unlocked it hesitantly, shielding your eyes from the brightness behind it to reveal a message from an unknown number. One word, one syllable and one emotion, fear.

‘Hey’

In your head these words kept rolling through your mind. What do I do now? Do I message back or do I leave it alone? Will they think I am ignoring them if I do not reply? Well of course they would, the app has probably notified them that it has been read. You started pacing in your bedroom chanting the words over and over in your head ‘What do I do? What do I do?’

It was almost like a reflex after a while as your fingers typed away.

‘HEY’ Too eager

‘Hiya’ Too girly

‘Hi’ Too blunt

Sup’ Too weird

Each message you typed your anxiety took over and criticised it, controlling your fingers to delete and retype.

‘Hey’ Was the message that you had settled for. It had been almost an hour and a half since you had received the message from Lonerboy101 and you had not even pressed send yet. The message was still sitting in your text box with the curser bouncing away at the end of the sentence.

There was a knock at your door which startled you, causing your fingers to slide across the phone’s screen. “I’m going to bed now Hun, goodnight.”

“Night.” You tried hard to sound cheery but as per usual failed to do so as your mother closed your bedroom door. ‘No, no, no’ you repeated in a small murmur. Fear washed over you as you regretted every minute that it took to write that message and the one milli second that it took to get sent out through the universe to reach this Lonerboy101.

You dropped the phone into your duvet and grabbed the pillow next to you. Bringing the plush cushion up to your face, burying it to let out a light scream.

*Chime*

Lonerboy101 - ‘How long did it take you to write that message. Mine took about 2 hours.’

You reread the message a couple of times because you couldn’t believe that although this person knew you were somewhat ignoring him off when you had initially received his message, he still replied to yours. Not only that but he had made a joke about how long it had taken to send a reply.

It took you a couple of minutes to decide whether you were going to go through with it and message this person back. Or whether you should just back out now and forget that this ever happened.

But that was your phone in your hand and those were your fingers typing a reply.

Hidingintheshadows - ‘About an hour and a half.’

You sent the reply off and almost felt a sudden pang of relief. That this was not as bad as you had originally perceived it to be. That it was almost the same as talking to Cleo or any of the other girls.

*Chime*

Lonerboy101 - ‘So, this is weird right?’

Before you knew it, the delays between the messages decreased quite significantly. There was the standard 3 minutes to think of a response and then another 5 to send the message but the conversation had felt a little less risky compared to how it did at the very start.

Hidingintheshadows - ‘It is a bit weird, I guess.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘So, are you an old creepy guy like me?

Hidingintheshadows - ‘That is a joke, right?’

Lonerboy101 - ‘Yeah it is a joke, sorry very dry sense of humour. Don’t have that many people to try my jokes out on.’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘That’s a relief.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘It’s a relief that I do not have many friends?’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘No! I did not mean that! I am so sorry.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘Another joke. Sorry when I am nervous, I tell bad jokes. I forget that I am not really good at them and text form is really hard to tell tone.’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘Sorry for not being able to tell when you’re joking.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘Don’t worry, you wouldn’t be the first. Although you probably are, I only just downloaded this app today.’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘Same.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘You don’t say [type] much do you?’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘Not really, sorry.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘You know you don’t have to keep apologising to me all the time, right?’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘Oh sorry.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘[insert face palm emoji]’

The last message made you smile. Cleo had always been telling you that you apologise way too much and that it can get annoying. It would get to the point where you would apologise for things you did not do just because it sounded like the right thing to say.

Hidingintheshadows - ‘I will work on it.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘So what brings you to Introverted Conversions?’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘Fear of the world and everyone in it, basically.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘Oh my gosh same!’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘Really?’

Lonerboy101 - ‘No, but I am touched that you still cannot sense my sarcasm.’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘I’ll work on that too.’

Lonerboy101 - ‘Promise?’

Hidingintheshadows - ‘Promise!’

It had almost become a routine for you and Lonerboy101 to talk during the late afternoon and evening. Occasionally, you would get notified in the middle of the day, but he knew that you were not ignoring him and that you had school obligations. No one really knows about him at all, you have done well at keeping this away from Cleo as you knew she would only judge you for it.

‘You’re talking to a stranger online who had admitted he was an old creepy man.’ Even the thought made you laugh. Since the first night, you had discovered a lot about Lonerboy101. Nothing like names and addresses. But more personal stuff like how it feels having crippling anxiety and not having someone who really understands.

***

It was the last day before Cleo left for her new school and you woke up feeling quite comfortable for the first time in a long time. It was almost as if your body has finally gotten used to the idea that the day was going to come that you would need to stand up on your own. It was not a good feeling per say, but it was slightly empowering to know that you could become your own person, instead of being Cleo’s weird friend.

*Chime*

Your heart began to beat rapidly in your chest as you practically dove for the phone on your bed. Only to have it violently shoot back down when the name on your lock screen did not read Lonerboy101.

Cleo – ‘Hey, I am downstairs! Snag me a piece of toast considering you are not exactly going to eat it!’

Every morning your mum would make pancakes, French toast, and scrambled eggs that you could choose from to snack on during your walk to school. Only you are not exactly a French toast and scrambled eggs kind of person and she knows that. It is just her way of trying to make a connection with you early in the day.

You – ‘Be right down, pancakes or French toast?’

You replied as you waved to your mum who was sliding through her emails while nursing a hot mug of coffee. “Hey, Baby! Have a great day at school, okay?” The last part of this routine she does every morning always feels like she is questioning you, making sure that you are aware that a ‘great day at school’ depends 100% on you alone.

*Chime*

Lonerboy101 – ‘Pancakes please. Although, I don’t think they will be any good by the time I receive them!’

‘Oh no!’ You thought. You did not think really think to check the contact that you were on when you sent the message out. You had simply read the lock screen and the most recent person you were chatting to was the person that appeared on the screen.

Quickly you grabbed a pancake and your bags and sulked out the door.

Hidingintheshadows – ‘I am so sorry, that was meant for my friend.’

Lonerboy101 – ‘Are we not friends? I am offended’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘Wait no I mean yes you are, but I do not really know you. God I am sorry…’

Lonerboy101 – ‘Wow! What did I say about the apologising? And what about the whole sarcasm thing? You should now know when I am pulling your chain.’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘Sorry’

Lonerboy101 – ‘No. More. Sorry.’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘Damn, I didn’t mean to I swear.’

Lonerboy101 – ‘Calm, it is okay. Chain. Pulling. But going back to this pancake…’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘What about it?’

Lonerboy101 – ‘You have made me hungry. And now I need to go out and find me a pancake to soothe this carb craving I have going on.’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘Good luck with that.’

Lonerboy101 – ‘Good Luck with school today! Speak to you later! X’

What the heck is that? Fear washed over your face as you met Cleo at the bottom of the stairs to your apartment building.

“Y/N? Are you okay? You look a little pale?” It took everything you had to not blurt out every little secret that you had been keeping about Lonerboy101 to Cleo. To almost get some advice on how to handle this newfound “boy drama” in your life. You open your mouth to begin to spill the beans. “Oh, I know!” Cleo interrupted, “it is because today is my last day and you have no idea how you will survive without me!”

Not quite on the nose but nice to see that your friend really does care about you, while she makes every drama about herself. This was just another typical response from Cleo. One you have put up with for an exceptionally long time. Instead of arguing with your best friend on the beginning of her last day, you decide to just bite your lip and nod.

“It will be okay, sunshine!” A little nickname she gave you when you were both little and in Kindergarten. “We will still have Facetime and we can still meet up during the holidays.” Suddenly you were pulled into a tight embrace as an overexaggerated sigh left her lips. “Now come on mopey.” Yet another nickname that you were given because of your constant state of enthusiasm caused by your mental condition. “Let’s get to school before people forget that they will never see this face walk those halls again.”

Meanwhile in your head the little “X” at the end of Lonerboy101’s latest reply repeatedly flashed across your mind as Cleo droned on about how annoying packing up her extensive collection of shoes and makeup has been for her.

***

It did not matter what lesson you were in, if you were having “a moment” as your mother likes to call it, everything just seems to become pointless. Science was one of your favourite subjects mainly because of the unpredictable experiments that you can perform. But today it just seemed as though someone had placed a weighted scarf on top of your shoulders and told you to “deal with it.”

“Can anyone tell me their findings from their group’s chemical reaction?” All eyes went to you as everyone in the class knew that you were Mr King’s favourite pupil. Mr King was the only teacher that managed to get a response out of you in class. But today, he might as well have been talking to a brick wall.

“Y/N?” This would later be explained to you after class that it was the fifth attempt Mr King had made to pry your attention away from your notebook where you had been filling in the margins with your pen.

When you looked up, there were people gossiping and snickering about what they had just witnessed. “Can I see you after class?” Mr King had asked once he regained the focus of the class.

This was not the first time that a teacher had asked to speak with you after class. Especially Mr King. Not that he made a habit to discipline you outside of lesson, but because he was always concerned about how you were feeling after you had one of you “moments.”

“What is going on, Y/N? Do I need to call your mother?” He did not say it in a stern way that other teachers would have. But for him, it was more of a genuine question for your own personal well-being. “Some of the other teacher’s approached me today in the teacher’s lounge to discuss you. They said that you have been unresponsive all day. I heard that Cleo is leaving today, does that have anything to do with how you’re coping with today?”

You shook your head. “Cleo has nothing to do with it!” You snapped, and you never snap which startled Mr King. “I’m sorry.” You whispered when you saw how set back, he was from your reply. “I just do not know what to do anymore.”

“With what?” He perched on the edge of his desk. Holding his hand up to stop the next class from entering the classroom. “What is getting to you? I can see if I can help?” While most teachers would just shrug you off, Mr King tried to get down to the root problem to help you resolve any issue that you may be having during the day. This was because Mr King had made you aware that his daughter too suffers from major anxiety issues as well.

“It’s stupid, I should not have said anything. I will be okay, Mr King.” You gathered your books from the table and stuffed them into the oversized backpack that was now slung over your shoulder. “Can you quickly write me a note for Mrs Bateman? I do not want the teachers to have more of a reason to talk about me.”

Mr King picked up a pad and pen and began to write a note excusing you for your lateness. “It will get better, Y/N. I am here whenever you need a chat, okay?” He handed you the note and you basically bolted out of the room.

Although you felt bad for being short with Mr King, you could not quite help it. It was not as if you could simply come out and tell him that you were not upset because your best friend for 16 years was now leaving you behind. But it was all down to an “X” placed on the end of a text message from a boy you have not met but have been talking to for 3 weeks non-stop!

***

You slowly approached the lunch table that you and your friends sat at during every lunch since you had started at the school. They were all laughing and joking which did slightly lift your spirits. Cleo had turned to look over her shoulder and noticed your arrival. The smile on her face had sank and the laughing at the table had died along with it.

“Hey Y/N!” Cleo tried to sound pleased to see you but you knew something was up. Since when was Cleo being false with you? She normally reserved that type of “hey” for the girls that talk about how amazing they are.

Sinking down into the spare chair that has been yours for years at the table you tried to force a smile. “So, we were all thinking…” Instantly you hated where this was going. “That it would be really fun to all go to the dance tonight as a final farewell to Cleo!” The girls shrieked as Hannah finished her sentence. A dance was the last place you wanted to be. Today of all days.

The girls all looked at you for your response. “A dance?” The girls all squealed again in unison, practically bouncing in their seats.

“Don’t you think it would be fun.” Hannah stated rather than asked.

“Dances aren’t really my thing.” You said hesitantly. The last thing you wanted to do was to annoy any of the friends that you had left. Especially considering how they were going to be the ones you would now have to rely on once Cleo had left.

“Nothing is really your thing!” Elizabeth snickered. Cleo’s death stare shot over to Liz and her head instantly fell. So that’s why Cleo was so weird when you came over. It was because she knew that you were not exactly going to be over the moon with the new plan for Cleo’s last day celebration. Before lunch, the plan was to go bowling and then get pizza. A less daunting but still hard to stomach plan. This new plan involved dressing up and trying to socialise with people who were not exactly the nicest to you.

“Y/N, it is completely up to you. We can go to the dance and party it up like it is the last day we are going to be alive. Or we can just go and get pizza and knock over a couple of pins with an over weighted bowling ball.” When Cleo said it like that, neither sounded appealing. But it was obvious the way that she laid it out that the dance was the one event she was going to be happy attending tonight.

“Can I think about it?” The girls all sighed and Callum shook you by the shoulders. Literally shook you as if physically moving your body was somehow going to make you change your mind. “Ow!”

“Callum! Do not do that!” Cleo yelled at her boyfriend. At least she was still defending you even if she was trying to push you to do something that made you uncomfortable. It was almost as if she defended you to make you reconsider. “Just one little dance? We can go whenever you want and stay however long you want.” Her puppy dog eyes were out and her hands were clasped in front of her.

Along with your crippling fear of being around other people, your anxiety also made you hate disappointing those that you care about. “Fine.” Was all you managed to say before all the girls and Callum began to cheer. At least he did not try to shake you again otherwise you thought you may physically puke from excessive unwanted physical contact.  

While all the others were discussing what they were going to wear, you reached for your phone and began to contact the only person on the planet who didn’t make you feel like you were wrong for feeling this type of way.

Hidingintheshadows – ‘Have you ever been forced to do something you don’t really want do because your friends want you to?’

You debated for a couple of seconds before adding your own “X” onto the end of your text.

Your phone vibrated in your hand. Thank God you had turned the volume off when you got to school. Cleo would not have left you alone for one second if she knew you were texting a guy.

Lonerboy101 – ‘Who is making you do something? What something? Is it illegal? X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘1. Nothing illegal. 2. Friends and 3. Go to a stupid high school dance where I will be uncomfortable for the entire evening. X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘That wasn’t the order that I put my questions in. X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘I thought I would start with the one that could get me in a jail cell! X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘I’ve got this feeling that you’d rock an orange jumpsuit so you would be fine. Although the lack of our communication would be quite unsettling. X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘I think I will cope. X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘I was talking about me! I look forward to my Chime every day. X’

You could not help but blush when you read that last part of his message. You could not bring yourself to message him back stating that it was also your highlight of the day too. Lonerboy101 has become a big part of your life and that was quite hard to admit considering you did not know his name or what he even looked like. You barely even knew the boy and yet it felt as though you knew everything there was to know about him.

Lonerboy101 – ‘Sorry was that weird? Let us get back to the problem at hand… A party was not it? X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘No and my friend is leaving and I do not want to be mean and not turn up to her “leaving do” but I do not think I will be able to cope with that many people. Especially because they all think that I am a freak. X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘When is the party? You are not a freak by the way. Might I just add that is the longest text you have ever sent. X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘Tonight, at school. I do not want to go and be the joke of the party. X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘This is a tough one. I can be there if you want. For moral support. X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘You can’t obviously turn up to a school that you don’t go to just to attend a stupid dance. X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘I’ll be a virtual guest. You can text me whenever you think that it is getting too much and I will use my powers of persuasion to lift those spirits and put a smile on your beautiful face. X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘How can you say I am beautiful. You have never even seen me? X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘I see the beauty in everything. But you, you are something much more. X’

***

“You cannot wear that!” Cleo snapped when she saw the outdated and over worn outfit that you were wearing on your body. “No this will not do.” Lucky enough for her, your mother and Cleo are quite close. Closer than you are to your own mother. “Leanne! Come and tell your daughter that this is terrible and that she cannot wear this to a school dance.”

Within seconds your mother was in your room judging the clothes that she paid for that you were wearing. “No baby girl, this is your first dance. There is no way in hell I am going to let you leave this apartment building wearing that.”

Your mother’s hand was now grasped around your wrist and you were being dragged into your mother’s bedroom. “Now try this on.” In her hand she was holding a long black dress with a sequin detail at the top of the bust. She could tell that you were resistant so she pulled you in front of the wall length mirror and placed the garment up to your neck.

You could not deny that it was a very pretty dress. One that you would love to wear in a different circumstance. The whole idea of you attending a dance had still not sunk in yet. “Mum I couldn’t pull this off!” You exclaimed. Jeans and a tea shirt were more your speed.

“No Sunshine, you are most definitely wearing this now that I have seen it.” Cleo was practically foaming at the mouth the minute she saw this dress. You were sure that if your mother had not offered it to you first that she would have snagged the dress up for herself. “Right now, hair and makeup.” She slapped her hands together and both your mother and best friend stared at you with excitement in their eyes. Which only put the fear of God into yours.

***

The dance was as horrible as you thought it was going to be. There was loads of people staring at you. One of the girls from your English class even asked a friend of hers if you were a new student at the school. Shows how invisible you were before your boobs were pushed up to your neck and eyeliner was thickly applied to your eyes.

Although this was a new experience for you, to have all eyes on you for a different reason that being the weird girl from school. It was not an experience that you enjoyed at all. High school was nothing but a gossip forum where girls pick on other girls for being themselves or for being slightly different than them. For caring less about how much their bag cost and caring more about why their grade in English was lower than French.

Your friends were all on the dance floor which sadly left you on your lonesome at the back of the decked-out gym.

*Chime*

Lonerboy101 – ‘Please tell me you are having fun now? X’

You smiled. Seeing his name pop up on your screen was possibly the only thing that made you smile tonight.

Hidingintheshadows – ‘Nope. Everyone is staring at me. X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘They are only staring because they are jealous. X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘What could they possibly be jealous of? X’

Lonerboy101 – ‘Well I bet you look absolutely beautiful tonight. X’

Hidingintheshadows – ‘You couldn’t possibly know that? X’

There had been a couple of minutes since Lonerboy101 had messaged back and that smile you had previously been wearing was starting to fade. You glanced down to look at the time on your phone, 22:14. You let out a relieved sigh, at least you stuck around for over 2 hours.

Grabbing your bag, you began to sculk about the dance floor to try and find Cleo and the other girls to deliver the “bad news.” Cleo was locked onto Callum as they shared a slow dance to one of the most upbeat songs you have ever heard. This immediately made finding Cleo a hell of a lot easier.

“I am going to head off now.” You detached Cleo from her boyfriend which left him both grumpy and a little annoyed at you. Cleo gave you a less than enthusiastic hug before quickly turning back to Callum. “Bye then.” You said when she did not say anything back to you.

It was cold outside which instantly made you regret the dress and the heels made the idea of walking all the way home even more thrilling than you could imagine. Glancing down to check the time once again, you noticed a message featuring on your lock screen. You must have not heard it with all the music when you were saying goodbye to Cleo and the girls.

Lonerboy101 – ‘Wanna bet? X’

Everyone outside the gym began to suddenly gasp. All of them were looking in a similar direction. For once all the eyes were off you and that made you feel a hell of a lot better than you had all night.

Hidingintheshadows – ‘I will take that bet. You cannot comment on something you cannot see. X’

“Then maybe you should step out of the shadows and see what I can see right now.” This voice was strangely familiar but not familiar in a way that you had heard Mr King’s voice almost every day. It was familiar because you had heard it from somewhere, but you were unsure of where. “Because what I see is 100% beautiful just like I had predicted.”

The crowd of people started to open as the voice got nearer and nearer. There were girls practically peeing their pants with excitement. Cleo had appeared with the girls and practically everyone from whom were inside the gym. Suddenly, this voice had become the talk of the whole dance and now all the attention was right back on you again.

There was now a stunning familiar face to match the familiar voice standing right in front of you. One that you would never have believed to have been stood there. It was his smile that you caught first when he looked at you in that long black dress. His eyes lingered on you for a while before you both realised that it had been quite some time that slipped away since either one of you had spoken. 

“Lonerboy101?” You asked quietly. Not really wanting anyone to hear how speechless you really were.

“Guilty.” There in front of you stood the one and only Tom Holland. The freaking man who brought you Spiderman, Ian Lightfoot, and Lucas in the movie The Impossible. He was Lonerboy101, how was that even possible?

It suddenly dawned on you that everyone and that honestly was everyone was now staring at the pair of you who were staring at one another. “Maybe we should go over there?” Tom had suggested to get away from prying eyes.

Once you were both certain that there were not any lingering eyes, your protection walls started to drop ever so slightly. “You’re the person I have been talking to for 3 weeks? You’re Lonerboy101?”

“Yes. I am Lonerboy101, but if I am being quite honest, Tom will do fine.” He joked which did make you feel only a small degree better. For all this time you had been talking to Tom Holland and you had no inclination that it was happening. “I wanted to tell you who I was, but it was so amazing to have someone to talk to who didn’t see me as this guy who acts for a living and attends red carpet events, you know?”

You did not know of course. “I am not mad. But why would you tell me you have anxiety issues when you do not?” You sighed and started to look at the shine from the diamonds reflecting from your heels. “Was it a way to make fun of me?”

Quickly Tom grasped your hands without thinking. “No!” He spoke urgently but delicately as if he did not want to put his foot in his mouth and make the situation worse. Truth be told Tom was expecting this whole revelation to go a little differently. The sombre look on your face was not the result that he had wanted from showing up at your school. “I never did it to make fun of you or anyone who suffers with anxiety. Truth be told I do suffer with it. Not as bad as most people, but I have days where I wonder if my friends are my true friends because they like me or because they like what I can give them.”

“I want you to know that every message that I ever sent you, I was being the real me. None of it was an act or fake for me.” Tom’s head was not facing down, almost defeated. “From talking to you I knew that you were the most honest and kindest person that I could possibly ever get to know.”

“Can I ask you something?” Your voice was soft and shaky as if you were afraid of the response that you were going to receive.

“Anything.” He was almost pleading. His voice as shaky as your own.

“How did you know who I was and what I looked like?” Tom looked you dead in the eyes. You could see the sincerity in his eyes and how much he wanted this to go right. “You knew to come right up to me, out of all the girls in the world. You knew to come to my school and then up to me, how?”

Tom let out a little smile. “Well, you know that section on the app right at the beginning?” You nod keeping eye contact as he continued to speak. “Well when it asks you for a name, you can keep it blank and then put in a username instead. You actually put in all of your details and made them public.”

“Oh!” You stated feeling stupid for doing so. This entire time he knew exactly who you were while you had no clue that you were talking to a celebrity.

“No, it was a good thing.”

“How?” You question. Doubting that knowing who you were was ever a “good thing.”

“Because, I felt really lucky to be talking to you. I saw how beautiful you were and how smart you are as well as how kind you can be.” You were quiet. You were not used to guys calling you beautiful, and here he was saying it for what must have been the 3rd time since you met him. “If it makes you feel any better, I only looked you up yesterday. I was worried when you did not answer my message and temptation got the best of me and I peaked. Are you mad?”

“No. I am not mad.”

“Would it help if I said sorry?”

“What did you say about saying sorry?” You smiled which made the flash of panic rush from his face. The corners of his mouth started to turn up and his eyes sparkled.

“Yeah but on me it looks cute.” Both of you allow yourselves to laugh at the situation. Remembering some of your earlier messages. “Would it be too much to ask for a hug?” He looked down at your hands which were no longer scrunched into fists which proved that you were no longer as uncomfortable as you may have been from the first encounter.

You allow yourself to smile as he pulls you into his arms. “It is exactly how I imagined it.” Tom said into your hair as he held you close to him.

“What is?” You questioned

“That I would be only just taller than you when you’re wearing heels.” Both of you let out a controlled laugh at his terrible attempt at a joke. “You don’t actually want to go back in there do you?” Tom gestured towards the gym that probably did not hold any students inside due to his arrival.

“I am not going back inside there! But thanks for wearing a suit for me.” You pull away slightly to admire the suit that Tom was pulling off handsomely.

“Anything for my girl.”

#tom holland #tom holland fanfiction #tom holland imagine #tom holland fanfic #spiderman #spiderman fanfiction #fanfiction #imagination is key in my world #tom holland au #tom au #tom fanfiction #tom fanfic #peter parker #peter parker au #peter parker fanfiction #peter parker gif #peter parker photos #spiderman au #spiderman imagine #imagination is key in my world fanfiction

[nyahsaqueen]

Task 001: Character Playlist.

Death Becomes Her - a Nyah Queen playlist

Snippets of Lyrics below:

1. tipsy - Chloe x Halle

man just this entire song is her vibe, k bye

I've been crucified, darling Ghosts haunt me like New Orleans I've been charged with murder Need someone to push me further I'll hit you where it hurts, yeah If you don't put me first, yeah And I don't give no apologies If you lose a life, that's not on me, yeah

[Pre-Chorus] Better, baby, better treat me better Better than those other guys who change up like the weather, yeah It is such a shame that they went missing, they can't find 'em now Oh, I wonder how I accidentally put them in the ground, yeah

[Chorus] I might be a little tipsy on your love Makes me a little crazy, but so what? You're strumming on my heartstrings, don't be dumb If you love your little life, then don't fuck up

[Verse 2] I'll take you to the afterlife Boy, if you ain't actin' right Key your car and crash the lights Hit your head, I'm not polite Then I'll hunt down your family Let 'em know 'bout the tragedy Who did it? A mystery But you know that it, it was me, yeah

2. scream - Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson

 Tired of injustice Tired of the schemes The lies are disgusting So what does it mean, damn it? Kicking me down I got to get up As jacked as it sounds The whole system sucks, damn it

Peek in the shadow Come into the light You tell me I'm wrong Then you better prove you're right! You're selling out souls but I I care about mine I've got to get stronger And I won't give up the fight

3. girls like us - Zoe Wees

 It's hard for girls like us We don't know who we trust Not even the ones we love 'Cause they don't know

4. motive - Ariana Grande & Doja Cat

'Cause I see you tryin', subliminally tryin' To see if I'm gon' be the one that's in your arms I admit it's exciting, parts of me kinda like it But before I lead you on

Baby, tell me, what's your motive? (Motive)

You treat me like gold, baby Now you wanna spoil me Did you want a trophy or you wanna sport me, baby? Want me on your neck 'cause you wanted respect 'Cause you fightin' some war, baby Well, I had to bring the fists out, had to put a wall up But don't trust phonies, baby (Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah) You gotta tell me, what's your motive, baby?

5. boss bitch - Doja Cat

Yeah, ain't tryna be cool like you Wobblin' around in your high heel shoes I'm clumsy, made friends with the floor Two for one, you know a bitch buy four And two left feet, you know I always drop First thing a girl did was a bop I'm the whole damn cake and the cherry on top Shook up the bottle, made a good girl pop

I'm a bitch, I'm a boss I'm a bitch and a boss, I'ma shine like gloss

6. nightmare - Halsey

"Come on, little lady, give us a smile" No, I ain't got nothin' to smile about I got no one to smile for, I waited a while for A moment to say I don't owe you a goddamn thing

7. all the stars - Kendrick Lamar, SZA

Tell me what you gon' do to me Confrontation ain't nothin' new to me You can bring a bullet, bring a sword, bring a morgue But you can't bring the truth to me Fuck you and all your expectations I don't even want your congratulations I recognize your false confidence And calculated promises all in your conversation I hate people that feel entitled Look at me crazy 'cause I ain't invite you Oh, you important? You the moral to the story? You endorsin'? Mothafucka, I don't even like you Corrupted man's heart with a gift That's how you find out who you dealin' with A small percentage who I'm buildin' with I want the credit if I'm losin' or I'm winnin' On my momma, that's the realest shit

8. needed me - Rihanna

But baby, don't get it twisted You was just another n**** on the hit list Tryna fix your inner issues with a bad bitch Didn't they tell you that I was a savage? Fuck ya white horse and ya carriage Bet you never could imagine Never told you you could have it

You needed me Ooh, you needed me To feel a little more, and give a little less Know you hate to confess But baby ooh, you needed me 9. checklist - Normani, Calvin Harris feat. Wizkid

Come show me what the neck ’bout Might show you what the check ’bout Might show you what that net 'bout Give it all to you if you check out Way you moving it around me Make me feel like you wan’ drown me Make me feel like you wan' wet me Only you know how to get me up

10. truth hurts - Lizzo

You tried to break my heart? Oh, that breaks my heart That you thought you ever had it No, you ain't from the start Hey, I'm glad you're back with your bitch I mean, who would wanna hide this? I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever be your side chick I put the sing in single Ain't worried 'bout a ring on my finger So you can tell your friend, "Shoot your shot" when you see him It's okay, he already in my DMs

I'ma hit you back in a minute (Yeah, yeah) I don't play tag, bitch, I been it (One time) We don't fuck with lies (Two times), we don't do goodbyes (Woo) We just keep it pushing like ay-ay-ay

11. juice - Lizzo

If I'm shinin', everybody gonna shine (Yeah, I'm goals) I was born like this, don't even gotta try (Now you know) I'm like chardonnay, get better over time (So you know) Heard you say I’m not the baddest, bitch, you lie (Haha)

It ain’t my fault that I'm out here gettin’ loose Gotta blame it on the Goose Gotta blame it on my juice, baby It ain't my fault that I'm out here makin' news I’m the pudding in the proof Gotta blame it on my juice Ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee, ya-ya-ee Blame it on my juice, blame it, blame it on my juice

12. motivation - normani

 Fallin'  into the bed Why would we ever do somethin' instead of Fallin' into the bed right now? Yeah

I'ma break you off, let me be your motivation To stay and give it tonight And, baby, turn around, let me give you innovation Hey, 'cause I do it so right Think about it, ooh, I think about it Think about it, ooh, take a look at me now Hey, a little motivation, alright

13. mi gente - J Balvin, Willy William

Esquina a esquina, de ahí no' vamo' El mundo es grande, pero lo tengo en mi' manos Estoy muy duro, sí, ok, ahí vamos Y con el tiempo nos seguimos elevando

English: i’m rusty, i had to get some google help

Corner on the corner, that’s where we go The world is big, but I have it in my hands I’m very tough, yes, okay, there we go And over time we keep going up

14. sorry not sorry - Demi Lovato

Now, I'm out here lookin' like revenge Feelin' like a ten, the best I've ever been And, yeah, I know how bad it must hurt to see me like this But it gets worse (Wait a minute) Now, you're out here lookin' like regret, ain't too proud to beg Second chance, you'll never get And, yeah, I know how bad it must hurt to see me like this But it gets worse (Wait a minute)

Now, payback is a bad bitch And baby, I'm the baddest You fuckin' with a savage Can't have this, can't have this (Ah) And it'd be nice of me to take it easy on ya, but nah

Baby, I'm sorry (I'm not sorry)

15. django jane - Janelle Monáe

And hit the mute button, let the vagina have a monologue Mansplaining, I fold 'em like origami What's a wave, baby? This a tsunami For the culture, I kamikaze, I put my life on a life line If she the G.O.A.T. now, would anybody doubt it?

16. perfect illusion - Lady Gaga

Tryin' to get control Pressure's takin' its toll Stuck in the middle zone I just want you alone My guessing game is strong Way too real to be wrong Caught up in your show Yeah, at least now I know

It wasn't love, it wasn't love It was a perfect illusion (Perfect illusion) Mistaken for love, it wasn't love It was a perfect illusion (Perfect illusion) You were a perfect illusion

17. formation - Beyoncé

I see it, I want it, I stunt; yellow bone-it I dream it, I work hard, I grind 'til I own it I twirl on them haters, albino alligators El Camino with the seat low, sippin' Cuervo with no chaser Sometimes I go off (I go off), I go hard (I go hard) Get what's mine (Take what's mine), I'm a star (I'm a star) 'Cause I slay (Slay), I slay (Hey), I slay (Okay), I slay (Okay) All day (Okay), I slay (Okay), I slay (Okay), I slay (Okay) We gon' slay (Slay), gon' slay (Okay), we slay (Okay), I slay (Okay) I slay (Okay), okay (Okay), I slay (Okay), okay, okay, okay, okay Okay, okay, ladies, now let's get in formation, 'cause I slay Okay, ladies, now let's get in formation, 'cause I slay Prove to me you got some coordination, 'cause I slay Slay trick, or you get eliminated

18. be careful - Cardi B

Be careful with me, do you know what you doin'? Whose feelings that you're hurtin' and bruisin'? You gon' gain the whole world But is it worth the girl that you're losin'? Be careful with me Yeah, it's not a threat, it's a warnin' Be careful with me Yeah, my heart is like a package with a fragile label on it Be careful with me

19. i like that - Janelle Monáe

I remember when you called me weird We was in math class, third row, I was sitting by you Right before Mr. Ammond’s class 'Cause my mama couldn’t afford new Js Polos, thrift store, thrift clothes that was all I knew Do you remember? Uh, I remember when you laughed when I cut my perm off And you rated me a six I was like, “Damn” But even back then with the tears in my eyes I always knew I was the shit 20. W - Koffee feat. Gunna

Everything we do, we give thanks, tell dem wah we do Lowe di L, take di W (Ayy, ayy) One thing deh out deh fi you (Ayy, ayy) And it nah come if you no go

#darkesttask1 #( dossier. ) #( tasks. )

[fairydust-stuff]

Banana Fish Buffy the vampire Slayer crossover Special!  Instead of Fox ,Dino hires a different predator to bring him Ash a decision him and everyone involved quickly come to regret.

Angelus walks into Lee Manor whistling still covered in blood he’s wearing a green neck scarf. the hushed voices of the two teenage boys seated on the sofa fade to silence.

“ Now you boys wouldn’t happen to be plotting would you, I wouldn't want to wake up tied to the bed with someone holding lighter fluid over me. Though it was a good effort, Yue. Even you did just exceed at pissing me off” Angelus added cheerfully.

“ You know what they say, third times the charm” Yut Lung’s tone is deceptively pleasant. “ I’m guessing by your new accessory Papa Dino is no more”

“ The old man was so annoying, Capture Ash Lynx blah blah blah I understand being obsessed with a blond superhero but if your not good at breaking people hand the whip to someone who knows how to use it,” Angelus said with annoyance. “ Don’t get me wrong some of his ideas were good but the execution D minus for effort.”

They’ve been holding each other he can smell it on them how adorable he’s glad he decided to keep Sing around after all. The two of them are much more fun as a set.

“ Shit you‘re in a good mood that’s never good” Sing looks uneasy.

Angelus plants himself between the two of them and stretches himself out one hand by each of their shoulders. “ Go to channel eight” this is directed at Sing The fourteen-year-old picks up the remote and flips the tv on.

Yut Lung has already started on the wine like a good little sixteen-year-old alcoholic. Angelus has contemplated getting rid of every bottle in the mansion just to see him go through withdrawal symptoms but has decided it’s not worth the risk of the kid possibly dying. Besides he’s got a million other ways to make him suffer. “ The Christen killer seems to have struck again the body of a blond eighteen-year-old boy crucified and turned upside down as a clear mockery of the Christen Faith”

Yut Lung scoffs “ What does this have to do with anything?”

“ Keep watching Yuey,” Angelus says in a cheerful voice.

“ the boy has been identified as Ash Lynx former gang leader”

Angelus looks over Sing’s face pales and Yut Lung’s face is clouded disbelief. The vampire shuts the tv off. “ Guess who finally bagged a Lynx” he gloats.

“ No, he’s not really dead…..he’s just playing a trick” Yut Lung mumbles standing up “ That’s just some random boy you picked up off the streets”

Angelus fixes a look of false sympathy on his face “ No I’m afraid it’s not” He grabs Yut Lung’s elbow and turns him so he’s forced to meet his eyes. “ Cinderella is never going to the ball again” then he pulls out one green eye from his pocket.

The head of the Lee family crumples to the floor a high-pitched anguished sound emerges from his throat. Angelus drinks the sight in deeply its hard to get a satisfying reaction from the kid. So when he hits that sweet spot it is euphoric.

“ Kill me” it’s not even screamed just a weak plea for mercy from a severely depressed teenage boy.

“ Nah! you don’t get to die” Angelus tilts his chin up so he’s looking up at him like some sort of God. Its fitting Angelus does control his fate. “ I don’t get why your so eager to go, you’d just burn in Hell for an eternity” truthfully Angelus isn’t sure of that considering the Chinese have a different belief system someone up there might decide reincarnation is more fitting for this wreck of a boy which would undo all his hard work. Now to deliver the finishing blow “ Like, Ash is”

Yut Lung runs out of the room chocking back sobs with anyone else Angelus would think he broke them but the boy had surprised him before. Even posing Blanca’s dead body in a reenactment of Judas’s suicide and offering his actual bloody heart to Yut Lung hadn’t been the devastating blow he thought it would be. Sure the kid was upset judging by his attempted seduce and burn him alive attempt but Angelus had aimed for curl up and whimper, not revenge.

“Just leave him alone you shit!” Sing lost his temper

“I normally don’t finish other’s art projects but his face is poetry and that body is an unfinished canvas. I’m going to craft the sloppy mess they left behind into something agonizingly beautiful” Angelus gloats “ A little side project while I wait to start working on my passion project”

“ Who’s your passion project” Sing asks

Ah, Sing hitting on what truly matters, Angelus thinks with some fondness. “Let’s have some fun, you're going to introduce me to Ash’s group,” the vampire says instead.

“ What the hell makes you think I’d do that?” Sing demands

Angelus just turns and walks up the stairs and up to the bedroom.” Oh Yuey come out and play!” he says in a sing-song voice Sing shot out dragon fang honestly what a ridiculously childish name, Angelus dodged his weapon with a laugh. He can hear Yut lung’s sharp breaths on the other side of the door before he opens it the kids hugging his knees in the middle of that big bed. Hair half out of his braid. Angelus stalks over and runs a hand over the boy’s leg feeling a slight tremble. Angelus contemplates Does he want to feel him up just to show he can or leave burns on the tender skin of those legs?

“ Haven’t you tormented me enough?” it's almost a whisper

“ Hey blame Sing, for choosing Eiji over you again”

“ You bastard! That’s not what’s happening!” Sing protested he’s caught up and he lands a punch on Angelus the vampire blocks and tosses him to the floor. Angulus slides a hand into his pocket. “ I’ll do it, I’ll do it just leave him alone!” the younger boy pleads.

“Really, Sing I had the lighter ready and everything. He’s so fickle” Angelus complained to Yut Lung “ Ah well we’ll play another day” he promises. The vampire blows the boy on the bed a kiss as he leaves with Sing he turns to Yut Lung’s bodyguards “ Watch him make sure he doesn’t die” they nod their human faces vamping out…

“I kinda miss how he was before, trying not to be clingy while wanting to grab onto me, so desperate” Angelus smirks. The two of them are standing on the New York subway.

“ You love the sound of your own voice” Sing observes.

“I was trapped by that nauseating soul, for years. It had me rescuing puppies, puppies! I used to nail those to people’s doors. Think Yut Lung would be upset if I nailed a dog to his door?” Angelus asked “ You are asking me for ways to torment my leader?” Sing demanded incredulously “ Oh right you have a crush don’t you” Angelus laughed. “ I keep forgetting that cause of the whole betrayal thing” “ He was the one working with Dino my cousin’s murderer” Sing argued

“ You think Yue wasn’t plotting against him?” Angelus chuckled “ Maybe that’s why I like you two. Years of do-gooder pep rallies and the constant we help the helpless rah rah rah. And your all hell with it! Your still both gooey in the middle but I’m going to fix that” he promises, vamping out and advancing on one of the homeless people near the back. He had after all missed breakfast.

Sing was looking rather pale by the time he got off the subway Angelus fixed his leather jacket “ I look good right, no blood on the mouth?” he asked “ Now remember only good things or I’ll be paying your pretty cousin Nadia a visit. Maybe I’ll grab of a few your guys as a midday snack” ...

“ We don’t talk to the police” they’ve been incredibly unhelpful,” says the handsome blond man before him who must be Max Lobo. He looks haggard and worn Angelus is pleased with how big an effect his actions have had on the group.

“ I’m a private detective” Angelus pulls out one of the Angel Investigations business cards he’d stolen. “ Sing told me you might need some help catching this mad artist”

“ You mean sicko with a god complex” Ibe retorts.

Sing laughs, he'll pay for that later Angelus thinks. He’s about to draw on some of his Angel speeches the soul makes him act like such a….His thoughts are frozen at the sight of a baby faced nineteen years old with an athletic build and big eyes. This must be Ash’s, Eiji the one he was sorry for not being able to protect. “ I’m sorry, I’m not usually up this late” his voice is hoarse and his eyes are red-rimmed.

“ This is detective Angel he’s a friend of Sing’s,” Ibe says. “ Oh, I’ll make you some tea,” The boy says quickly hurrying to the kitchen and starting up the pot. “ Its the least, I can do for a friend of Sings”

“ Some tea would be nice” Angelus comments. Eiji prepares tea for all three of them.

“ My condolences about your lover” the vampire lies.

“ Thank you, Ash had his flaws but...he didn’t deserve” Eiji pauses

“ I want to bring this man to justice but I need your help. Can you describe everything you saw that night every detail?” Angelus says in a smooth professional voice.

Eiji recites in a dull tone how he found Ash’s body its secretly quite fun for Angelus pretending he was unclear and asking for him to repeat himself, demanding more gory details.

“ that’s enough Ibe,” says harshly noting Eiji’s face.

“ Its necessary for the investigation” Angelus replies “ Its best to pry while every detail is fresh in his mind” he wants to laugh at how easily Eiji defends him as he continues tugging at the fraying threads of the boy’s grief. After the questioning Angelus leaves them the card and promises to keep in touch.

Eiji is sickeningly good, putting his feels on the backburner for the sake of others. He reeks of insecurity and doubt and despite his grief, there’s still a sparkle of naive hope in him. Also, something tells him the boys never been touched, considering Ash’s hang-ups about sex. Angelus normally finds these things not so appealing in boys but there’s such a girlish feel to this boy despite his athleticism that Angelus finds himself wanting to ruin and consume him. The way he would Drucilla or Buffy and the way the gangs in New York latch onto him like lost puppies. Angelus likes the idea of snuffing out the little light they’ve found in the dark world they live in. “ Wait here, Sing I’ve got to get something from the store”...

“ You shouldn’t get too attached to that” Sing comments as Yut Lung snuggles the kitten on his lap. the boy’s laughing at the little licks from the sandpaper tongue Angelus scoops up the kitten which cries out in terror and snaps its little neck. “ Why did you?” the boy yells

“ Present for your enemy Eiji” Angelus commented. “ But it didn’t have anything to do with it!” Yut Lung argues “ Neither did your brother’s children” Angelus returned. “It’s fun to kill defenseless things that can’t fight back right Yue?” he taunts stroking the dead kitten…

Angelus shoves Yut Lung down and receives a dark look “ Your not still mad about the little furball” he taunts. The boy remains silent

“ I’m sure you’ll add it to your list of things to avenge. Angelus runs his tongue along the boy’s wrist contemplatively. “ That’s the problem with you Eastern type everything has to be avenged or its dishonor” the vampire mocks brushing the boy’s neck lightly with his mouth.

“ If your smart you’ll kill me now” Yut Lung warns.

“ But your so cute and helpless” Angelus lifts the quipo slowly and runs his tongue along Yut Lung’s thigh he vamps out and bites down a cry escapes the boy under him. He licks the blood savoring the taste god its been too long. Yut Lung’s silent hatred makes it sweeter. Then the phone rings “ Yes!” he snaps “ Angel I….m... sorry….for…” the shaky voice on the other end is music to his ears. “ Eji what’s wrong?” he fakes concern “ Someone nailed a...a kitten to my door” the Japanese boy managed to get out.

“ Where are you” Angelus clamps a hand on Yut Lung’s ankle just missing as the boy rolls off the bed and makes a break for it. “ I’m staying with a friend,” Eiji says. “ Alright, I’ll be there first thing tomorrow night at eight” Angelus slams down the phone. “ So you're in the mood to play tonight are you Yuey?” the vampire walks into the hall scenting the air “ Alright, let's play hide and seek” he starts walking the halls “ 1, 2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9” he stops in front of the bathroom door the scent of blood and fear so strong he can almost taste it “ 10” he whisks the door open only to get shoved backward by a long-haired boy into a bathtub of holy water!...

It took Angelous a whole day to heal with the damage a whole day. He had to reschedule with his masterpiece and by that time Yut Lung was long gone. How the hell he managed to slip by his former vampiric bodyguards the former Scourge of Europe had no clue. Sing seemed to have not come back as well which meant those two had planned this. Angelus bet his little boyfriend smuggled him the holy water. When he got his hands on them both ...

“ So you think it’s the same guy who killed your boyfriend?” Angelus asked

“ What other fucker could it be!” Eiji snapped “ Sorry”

“It’s ok you’ve had a bad night. Eiji, I get the impression you're not telling me everything. Do you others to get hurt because you failed to cooperate?” Angelus asked

“ Papa Dino, he didn’t like Ash. We think he may have hired someone to get rid of all of us” Eiji interjects.

Yes me, Angelus thinks to himself not that it went well for the Godfather wannabe or his cohorts. “ Is there anyone else who may wish you harm?” Angelus asked “ Yut Lung Lee,” Eiji says.

“ Isn’t Hau Lee the current head of the Lee clan?” Angelus asked with phony surprise

“ They have a secret seventh brother” Eiji makes a face.

“ I take it your not fond of him” So the feud goes both ways.

“ Even so he’s been silent for weeks” Eiji comments “ And what happened last night. He’s cruel but even he wouldn’t do something like that” Angelus asks a few more questions “ Dam is it nine already” he commented.

“ How about I make you some dinner? It's the least I can do” Eiji offers.

“ You are not looking to break any stereotypes ” Angelus teased.

“ I can still spit in your meal” Eiji jokes. While dining on fish and vegetables the two converse.

“ So what you do besides catch scary serial killers?” Eiji asked “ I like ballet, I draw, I read, love the classics” Angelus admits. “ You” though he already knows photography and pole vaulting. He’s done his research or rather Yut Lung did and was always ready to complain about Eiji Okumura.

Eiji’s face crumples and he starts crying right there on the table. Angelus pulls him into a hug “ Thank….you…..I’m sorry...i” Eiji breaks off. “ Ash, he also loved the classics ”

“ its, fine let it all out’ The vampire soothing I can't believe I’m saying this cheesy crap, you better be worth it Angelus thought. “ I understand what you’re going through…..I lost my whole family to a killer” Yes, me I ripped their throats out.

Eiji’s horrified expression makes Angelus struggle to control himself. “ I’m so sorry, is that why you became a detective?” Eiji asked

“ I’m not a good person Eiji, I’ve done terrible things to deal with my grief” Angelus channels the soul and broods.

“ You're not a bad person,” Eiji tells him softly but with conviction. “ You should stay away from me” Angelus gets up and leaves the house smirking when he’s out of view…

The vampire sits across from the round-faced Japanese boy. The boy has circles under his eyes and the expression on his face resembles that of a lost puppy rather than that of a human. After weeks of ghosting him, dodging his calls Angelus has pulled I don’t want to but now I’m going to tell you the absolute truth ruse. He agreed to meet with Eiji to clear things up and damn he should win an Oscar.

In the meantime, he’s been trying to find his slippery teenage duo. He knows Yut Lung has safe houses all over New York due to his family’s activities well-stocked with weapons, medical and most likely staff furthermore absolutely no invitation inside. Last time he had the advantage of being invited in while attending a meeting with Golzine. Yut Lung had been low key furious when he found out about the vampire thing and how Dino had knowingly let one into his home. He can’t even use Sings guys because they appear to have disappeared as well.

“ First mafia and trafficking now demons! The worlds turning darker every time I turn around” there’s bitterness in his young voice. “ And without Ash….” he gulps and tears start to pour from his eyes. “ I’m so….r...r..y i” “ He meant a lot to you it's understandable you miss him” Angelus takes his hand “ And I’m going to help find whoever killed Ash” he vowed. “ For now I hear the gooseberry pie is to die for”

Eiji opens his mouth but the two of them are interrupted by two Asian men wheeling in a dinner cart. They were young clean-cut and wearing waiter uniforms. “ Order of flaymonyong?” one of them asked “ I’m sorry you have the wrong table, we haven’t even ordered yet,” Eiji says. One of the men reaches for the silver dish lid the vampire feels annoyed “ Look he said you had the wrong table so why…….”

The guys whisked the lid off to reveal a flamethrower. Eiji knocks the vampire out of the way the blast just misses them. The other waiters rush forward also Chinese he notices. Two of them tackle Eiji pinning him to the ground he trashes and bucks. The guy with the flamethrower fires it up again but this time the vampire is ready throwing his shoulder against the fragile human as hard as possible. The sound of something snapping makes him grin. The other Chinese men advance the vampire beckons them forward. “ So how much were you Bruce Lee wannabees paid to die?” he taunts

Two of them pull out their super soaker guns and aim holy water! Angelus snarls with rage and pain his shoulder sizzling. “ Angel, Eiji’s managed to get free and takes the other blasts for him getting utterly soaked. The vampire reaches past him for the hand which he crashes then grabbing the pained man uses him to smack into the other guy knocking them both down. Then he swipes a knife from the table and does three quick slices and two neck snaps. “ Why doesn’t that bastard leave me alone? Ash is gone! What does he want?” Eiji yells “ Go in the kitchen and call Ibe and Max to come and get you” The vampire orders. “ I’m going to make sure that’s all of them” he added. Eiji opens his mouth “ Go!” Angelus snarls. Once Eiji is gone the vampire pulls one of the dead men’s cell phones out of his pocket. He calms and puts Eijji in a taxi promising to continue this tomorrow...

The phone starts ringing, just as he arrives outside his fancy new apartment.

“ Gao?” a soft-spoken young voice comes through.

“ Hello, Angel investigations home of the no fun do-gooders” The vampire smirks.

The sharp exhale on the other end was worth it “ You survived” the boy says calmly. Angelus hears Sings outraged cry in the background.

“ Yut Lung Lee, I’m not gay but that voice of yours does things to me,” the vampire said obnoxiously. “ The rest of you isn’t too far from my fantasies either”

“ Funny, you appear in my fantasies most often as a charred corpse or a stain on the street” Yut Lung said with false sweetness. “ That bastard better keep you out of his fantasies!” Sing again. “ Yue, I’m glad you called” the vampire exclaims “ I need some of your venom spewing cynicism” he pauses “ Three hours with the Japanese boy scout. I swear, I saved Ash from picket fence purgatory!” he complained “You don’t get to say his name, Angelus!” Yut Lung spat

“ Go back to LA to Sunny whatever or even go pillage in the Caribbean Islands. Leave Ash’s Japanese boy alone and leave New York, this is your last warning” Yut Lung’s voice is cold.

Angelus laughs “ Your so obsessed with him you’d try to protect someone you can't stand because he’s the last piece of Ash you have left. God you're delightfully pathetic” “ Maybe but I will average Ash Lynx” Yut Lungs tone is ice “ Yuey you got damseled by the New York underworld's favorite hostage.” the vampire said with contempt. “ By all means take your best shot, I love a good Comedy.” “ How are your burns?” Yut Lung taunts

“ I’ll let you know as I’m slowly taking my revenge,” Angelus says smoothly.

“ You think you can do anything to me that hasn’t already been done,” Yut Lung says sardonically.

“It’s not the act, its all in the performance.” He pauses “I could trail burns down those wanton thighs of yours or maybe I’ll be nice enough to respect the ancient Chinese tradition of footbinding. I like the idea of mutilating those pretty feet of yours.”

Then he hung up and reaches for a pile of rough sketches he’d been working on. “ Your leading man is dead so your mine for the taking, the both of you” he pauses “ First which one of your friends do I kill next” he closes his eyes and selects one of his pictures. Then he hears footsteps turning around he sees a dark-haired woman. “ Hello, Dru” Angelus grinned. “ Do it, Daddy! Make the envious Moon weep until he no longer glows. He’ll taste of fresh lemons and pomegranates” Drucilla says excitedly.

“ Oh i’ll get to our succulent femmefatale eventually now I’m focused on another. Now let’s see who I can nab for dinner” his face vamps out...

“ Another dead end,” Eiji says looking exhausted The two of them combing through the crime photos. It’s not his finest work Angelus admits but he’s still proud of it. Then there’s a knock on the door Angel opens to reveal a man with red hair. “ Charlie?” Eiji says then the color drains from his face at the man’s expression “ No no not anymore I can’t take it!” he insists. “ I’m sorry Eiji,” Charlie says...

“ He always believed in me he used to say I could be a little more selfish,” Eiji says in a dry whisper. “ I was never the type to go for things but Ibe always…..how many more”

The boy doesn’t talk much after that during their outing which suits Angelus fine he’s not after the boy for his stimulating conversation skills. The excuse was he wanted to cheer Eiji up but honestly, its because Drucilla told him “the Moon was angry and stick and straw houses would fall” So Angelus is not surprised to see his house blown to rubble in a fiery explosion nor is he surprised to see three of Yut Lung’s men armed with stakes in case his vampire healing spared him said fiery death. They were here to finish the job. They took one look at healthy alive smiling Angelus and ran for it, unfortunately, he’s with Eiji so he can't rip off their limbs and mail them back to their leaders.

Eiji looks at him after a long thoughtful moment of silence“ I’m sorry you got dragged into this, I’m dropping the case” “ What?” Angelus demanded “It’s too dangerous for you to be around me, here’s some money for a hotel I’m sorry!” Eiji leaves. Dam it that brat ruined his plans Angelus is furious. He’s interrupted by humming he turns to see Drucilla “ Shhhh Miss Edith Daddy is very cross” the vampire chides her doll. “ Come on Dru let's grab a bite in Chinatown ” Angelus vamps out…

Angelus gets a call from Eiji two days later “ Angel, Yut Lung contacted me he says he’s got evidence on who killed Ash. He wants to meet in Central Park”

Angelus grins “ You think it's a trap?” Well, it is but not for Eiji. The little whore is using himself as bait, but if Angelus plays his cards right then he should be able to grab Yut Lung and use him as a hostage to get an invite from Sing. Of course, there’s still Eiji to worry about. Then Angelus comes up with a solution.

“ I need you to come with me just in case, please” Eiji pleads.

“ Of course” Angelus hangs up the phone and turns to Drucilla “ What do you say Dru ready to go to the park?”...

“ You made it,” Yut Lung says standing there.

If Eiji is soft cuddles in the morning Yut Lung is the dirty polaroid stashed secretly in a man’s drawer Angelus muses. Ash may not have been drawn to him like Eiji but the vampire bets he still a small hold on the boy. Yut Lung is all dressed up when they meet him makeup applied, hair done up its like he wants to be taken. It's like he’s living breathing art even his movements are fluid, every step a light tease.

Still, Angelus is going to bind those feet, the air of challenge in those delicate movements gets under his skin.

“ I was worried I’d have to draw you a map” a taunt on those red lips.

“ No tricks Yut Lung where’s the evidence?” Eiji asks

“ Right here” Yut Lung takes out a gun and puts bullet after bullet into Angelus. The vampire crazed with pain doesn’t realize he’s backing up into a tree until he hits it a familiar sharp object sails towards him and the vampire finds himself wrapped up in strings a familiar sharp object penetrating his stomach. Sing swings down from the branches.

“ You think you got me, oh Dru!” he calls the vampiress bursts from her four hours ago hiding spot and grabs Yut Lung pressing her nails to his throat. “ Aaand he doesn’t make it to first base” Angelus taunts. " Though he has been around the field a few times"

“Another one!” Sing exclaims

“ Sing kill him!” Yut Lung ordered.

Drucilla smiled “ Shhhh you used to be a dolly made of sugar to hide the taste of arsenic when you kissed the lizards. You burned the wicked Dragons. Even though you were too late to save the princess before they made her all red.”

Yut Lung gapes at her “ How do you know?”

Drucilla strokes his hair softly and for a moment she seems almost lucid“ My mummy is dead too, daddy name with his teeth like needles. The wolf came to the door but he dressed in the skin of a priest.” she laughs “ We’ll make you all red too. You don’t have to smile when Daddy makes you part you’re legs. We’ll be brides together, I'll carry you under the stars” She promises.

“ Like hell, you will!” Sing exclaimed

Drucilla looks at him and laughs “ Hades and Persephone will ride off with the Moon. The mountain Lion crushed beneath their feet.” she taunts.

“ Isn’t she wonderful? this is Drucilla my masterpiece” Angelus brags.

“ You mean she used to be human” Sing said in horror.

“ And sane and pure and oh so good. She was going to be a nun and declare her vows to God” Angelus said mockingly.

“ You hurt her, you broke her, you took her dam sanity” Yut Lung looks like he wants to rip the vampires’ eyes out with his bare nails.

“ I was going to do the same to you both” Angelus croons.

“ I won’t let that happen,” says Eiji pointing a gun at Drucilla.

“ Daddy who is this?” Drucilla asked in confusion

“ Just Eiji he was the other one I was focused on” Angelus wants to get on with things. “ I can’t see you ” Then Drucilla had a look of realization and lunges for Eiji. the boy fires a gun straight through her head which doesn’t kill her but causes her to scream. Sing moves and shoves a stake through her heart.

“ Not supposed to be here …..” then she turns to dust.

Angelus feels her loss not the loss of a man for his lover but an artist for his greatest work. Angelus breaks through Sing’s flimsy strings furiously. Yut Lung attacks Angelus pins his wrists “ Tonight doesn’t seem to be working out for you Yuey maybe if I give you a rousing cheer!” then he groans as a bullet pieces his chest. Yut Lung slips a needle under his skin and Angelus feels his body flop to the ground.

Then he sees the smoking gun. “ Eiji how could you, I thought we were friends” Eiji flashes him, his middle finger.

“ Congratulations you finally caught on after what a month” Angelus sneered.

“ Why couldn’t you have paralyzed his mouth too Yue?” Sing groans

“ He needed to have some awareness, for personal satisfaction,” Yut Lung says. “ I’ve contacted the Council we have a few minutes”

“ Even when taking out someone for the safety of the community you can’t stop being a sadistic bastard” Eiji complained.

“ He was going to give me locus feet” Yut Lung argued.

“ You fucking bastard!” Sing raged.

“ I’m going to do even more until those feet are completely useless” Angelus vows.

Both Sing and Yut Lung shiver. “ I’ll teach Sing all the wonderful things I learned in Tibet”

“ How could I have thought you were here to help me?” Eiji says with disgust

“Because Eiji if there was a first place for the biggest idiot you’d win the grand prize. I’d rather be back in Hell then continue to hang out with you” Angelus informs him.

“ Why did you?” Eiji asked

“ Because I wanted to taint, and corrupt you in every way,” the vampire says. “ I wanted you spread out on my sheets but you were so hung up on Ash, you friend-zoned me, me!” “ Clearly a bad choice on his part,” said Yut Lung sarcastically

“ You killed Ibe and Ash as a part of some sick game to hurt me” Eiji spat.

“ You were going to be my comeback piece,” Angelus said.

“ This pretentious fuck thinks he’s an artist,” said Sing with an eye roll.

“ So what did finally light a red dot in your empty noggin?” Angelus taunted

“ Yut Lung I realized he wasn’t trying to kill me but you. He wouldn’t do that unless. I went to Max and we did some investigating of our own. Three people saw you the night of Ibe’s murder with red hands. They were just too scared. I contacted Sing and Yut Lung and the three of us made this plan” Eiji said.

“ Enough talk” Yut Lung says with a nod

Sing goes up the tree to retrieve something.

“ You think the Watchers council can hold me?” Angelus laughs

“ They won’t have a chance to try” Yut Lung pulls out a stake and Sing comes back with a Jar. “ You want to do the honors Eiji chan, he wronged you the most” Angelus doesn’t register until seconds before Eiji holds the stake over his heart “ This is for Ash and everyone you ever raped, tortured or killed” Yut Lung holds the jar under him and Eiji drives the stake deep...

Angelus looks at the familiar fiery cubicle “ You know you guys could have redecorated since last I was here” the door opens and a familiar blond boy with green eyes walks through the door.

“ Are you a demonic projection or the real thing?” Angelus asked

Bastard!” a punch sails directly into his gut.

“ Hi, Ash got the guys upstairs really give you a reprieve to torment me.?” Angelus asked curiously “ I’m flattered”

“ This is my torment every sick thing I did for Dino I have to do for them. He’s a fan of my dam work!” Ash sounds beyond self-loathing

“ Yep definitely in Hell! I work my undead ass off sticking it God and humanity in general only to get passed over for some seventeen-year-old hack!” Angelus complained, “ So what Whips, chains, crabs ?”

“ Time to explain why you fucked up” Ash smirked. “ Drucilla never saw Eiji”

“ Come on your telling me your damsel was the difference between me winning or dying him?” Angelus exclaimed incredulously

“ Yut Lung was a mixed bag among the powers that be. Half the people upstairs wanted to put him on Hell’s legislator and be done with it especially after the Lee family slaughter. The other half debated he deserved a chance. In the end, it was love that saved him, Lang Lui his mom caught word and advocated on her little boy's behalf. She’s quite the pistole over on the other side and was smart enough to drum up enough favors for this day” Ash laughed.

“ We got it wrong Angelus, Eiji wasn’t meant to be saved he was meant to guide and protect others.”

Angelus processes this “ Those goodie two shoes used me!” he raged

“ Yut Lung and Eiji hated each other. Worse Sing was left torn between them. You were the nudge all three of them needed to become a united front. It was what the powers hoped for.” Ash grins “ There going to save so many people and its all because of you”

Angelus feels utterly horrified.

“ And it gets better you see Angelus just because you choose evil doesn’t mean good was done with you. You had more chances than any of us and you blew them!” Ash spits

“ I have no soul,” Angelus said in a well duh voice.

“ Neither did Darla or Spike heck Drucilla could've gotten redemption maybe if you hadn’t used her one last time. You robbed that girl of so much! Even with a soul, You were never serious about helping anyone; it was always about Buffy or the Shanshu prophecy or appeasing your own guilt. That’s why when you lost that guilt it was fucking party time” Ash hissed.

“ Are you torturing me or yourself?” Angelus mocks

“ I’m just getting to the good part,” the blond says sweetly “ See every act of evil you did brought out some good”

“How?” Angelus demands

“It’s funny you did so much good as a murderous psychopath because the face of your inhumanity brought out the compassion, kindness, strength of those who didn’t even know they had it” Ash finished.

“ Oh god no please no more just no more!” Angelus’s mind is reeling all that work, all that planning.

“ And guess what? we have an eternity to go over all of the ripples you created in the lives of others while souled and not. I’m talking about every sinner and saint and all of the good they did throughout their lives and how they influenced others. Welcome back to Hell you piece of shit. I’m the new management. I'm here to make sure your stay is as unpleasant as possible. So today lets start with all the nice laws that got passed because of you and Darla’s rampages!” Ash says in a cutesy voice.

Angelus lets out a wail of anguished despair that echoes throughout all of hell. The end

#banana fish #buffy the vampire slayer #Eiji Okumura #ash lynx #sing soo ling #yut lung lee #asheiji #yuesing #angelus #drucillia #Angelus/Eiji one sided #Angelus/Yut Lung implications #yut lung/sing #Yut/Sing/Eiji team up #angelus needs to kill instead of tormenting

[talesofphantombandits]

Zero to Six ~ Chapter Seven

Hello my dudes, I want to start off by saying am sorry you’ve had to wait. Just know that am glad I waited because am actually really happy how this turned out and where am going to take it. Am so excited to write the next bit. Remember if you want to be tagged let me know <3

Warnings: Swearing. 

Tags:  @i-am-sarah , @whothefuckstolemykeds , @drowsyrrog , @culturefiendtrashqueen , @rogue-barnes-16--main-account​ , @alliwantfromyouistomakelovetome​ , @valerie-weasley​ , @sueeatstheworld​ , @bleona2808​ , @pippin248​ , @myfatbottomedgirls​ , @httpfandxms​ , @cooliosmosh​ , @speckles-s​ , @walking-disgrace​ , @itsmeaudrieee​ , @fight-the-freaking-fairies​ , @irrelevant-pumpkin​ 

Gif credit: warriorteam1924

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“Will it work?”

“Do you have that little faith in me?” I said half paying attention to One, half trying to cross wires that connected the buildings systems.

I was crouched down outside the massive tower block in Tokyo, I’d managed to opened the electrical box to fiddle with the wires that controlled the security systems. Easy enough to break yet a little bit more complicated to fix which would make me look busy when I was feeding the guys information.

“Done.”

“She’s amazing.” I heard Four say a little dazed.

“No flirting, it’s go time.” I just laughed at Ones stern fatherly tone, if you could call it that.

I stood up closing the box again, shutting the gate to the metal cage as I entered into the alley way. When I rounded the front of the building, Five was getting out of the car. I mused at her bright green dress, then frowned down at my electrician uniform.

"Next time I get to dress up fancy." I mumbled to myself

I winked at her then walked through the front entrance.

There stood a tall Japanese guy in what looked like a security uniform. Bingo.

“Hey, am here to fix the security systems that are down.” I told the guard, hoping to god he spoke English. But judging by his employer he would, I held up my fake Id, which he obviously thought was the real deal.

“They are?” He said confused.

"Yah, why would I be here otherwise?" He just shrugged and led me to the back room.

He sat down in front of the monitors, clicking the mouse a few times.

"So they are." He got up offering me the chair.

“Thanks.” He walk round to the back of my chair and proceeded to looking over my shoulder.

“You afraid?” I heard One say to Four over coms.

“Nope.”

“Good luck.”

“Saying good luck is bad luck.” Four sassed back.

“I take it back.”

“Taking it back is even worse luck!”

I went to giggle but then remembered where I was.

“Erm it’s gonna take a while so you can go back to work.” I turned to the security guard giving him my sweetest smile.

“Sure, just shout if you need anything.” With that he took his leave shutting the door softly.

I turned back to the monitors fiddling for about 5 minutes with the wires then flipped a red switch. The screens jumped back into life.

“Kay we’re all set here guys, Five make your move.”

I looked towards the top camera that was placed outside of the building to see the grey sports car skid into view, stopping just short in front of the valet. As One moved the crane into place so Seven would be able to get a clean shot inside the apartment, Three was revving the car outside to make a grand entrance.

“The eagle has landed, love that movie line.” Seven announced.

This was it, it was either going to all go smoothly or it was going to be a disaster. I closed my eyes saying a short prayer that everyone would come out of this mission safely.

As I opened my eyes I saw Five get up from her seat, pulling the plug out of the laughing gas canasta then threw it onto the floor so the smoke could spread.

It billowed out as people tried to frantically cover their mouths but it would do no good.

“One, the laughing gas is working.” Two said.

Suddenly the door flew open, I saw the security guard reaching for the phone.

“Oh no you don’t.” By the time I’d reached him and knocked him unconscious the button had been pressed.

“Shit One the police have been called, we have thirteen minutes.”

“The zip line is secure.” Five breathed through the mic, well at least something was going well.

I sat there monitoring everything while listening to the conversation coming from the rooftop. To say I was anxious was an understatement, this could go sideways and fast.

Two and Three finally entered the lift to go up to the apartment.

“Underwater, thirty seconds.” I heard Seven say, knowing he was talking about Four.

My anxiety peaked, there were most definitely guards stalking around him causing him to get into the pool, to go under the water to avoid been seen. But that also meant that he might have to stay hidden for as long as possible.

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat, frustrated that I couldn’t see what was happening up there. All I could do was wait for the instructions that Seven was giving out.

“Freeze Four he’s above you.” I in turn froze, getting a little breathless.

“60 seconds, One he’s going to drown.” I gasped, lunging forward getting ready to run up there myself but stopping short for I knew it wouldn’t help the situation.

I took a deep breath and sat back down again.

“I’ve got 4 guys up top, want me to drop them.”

Yes I murmured to myself quietly enough that it wouldn’t be picked up on coms.

“No, we’ll be comprised.” One said in heavy puffs.

I wanted to give some encouragement but I also didn’t want to interrupt Sevens instructions so I kept myself silent. Instead focusing on the pain of my nails biting into my hand that I was clenching way too tight.

“He’s been under 1:20, he’s going to drown!” Seven said in a more pleading tone.

I had to stand up again, this was getting way too much. I started to pace the little room trying to focus on my own breathing.

“Four move right.” Seven said a little more sure of himself.

I moved to lean down with my palms flat on the freezing cold desk just in front of the monitors.

“In coming round.” What was Seven going to do?

I heard a shot go off, then it clicked. He must have shot a tiny hole in the glass at the front of the pool to make a little air pocket. I let out the breath I didn’t even know I was holding, closing my eyes for a bit.

Once I felt myself again, I sat down and started to do what I was here for. Monitoring the outside camera to warn the others when the police were arriving.

Two and Three decided to have a moment in the lift, or rather should I say Three decided to be an idiot. I loved Three to death but he was even starting to get on my nerves, no doubt One would rip into him later about almost jeopardising the mission by losing one of the seals on his mask and there for becoming high on laughing gas.

“How you doing over there? Having fun yet.”

“Anyone ask you dumb questions when you’re 90 stories up.” One and Four were really going at it tonight.

“No need to climb angry.”

“Yeah well if you’d stop teasing him.” I mused.

“Mate you’re really ruining my flow right now you know that, and thank you Zero. Normally you’re the one annoying me.” I could hear the smirk.

“I mean I could start being an ass to you if you like?” I scoffed.

“No. No more flirting tonight, just get those devices in place.” One said

“Hey, have you ever been to an American movie theatre, between 1983 and 2015.” One decided to ask such a random ass question.

“No I just pirate them on my phone. Actually Zero I was thinking, when we get back to the hotel. IF we get back safely tonight I was wondering if you wanted to watch one with me.”

There was silence for a second while I tried to compute what he’d said to me.

“You’re really asking me this now? Four you just said it yourself. You’re 90 stories up and you’re asking me out?” I said In disbelief.

“I asked you to watch a movie with me to distress after the mission, but if you want I can make a move on you tonight as well.” He laughed smugly.

“1 that’s a ass hole move pirating, and 2 no one will be making any moves on anyone tonight. I already have enough to worry about with Two and Three fucking.��� One said sternly.

“Now concentrate! Get ready to pull that trigger Seven.”

“Till my fingers hurts.” Seven announced.

Just then a loud screeching noise started up slowly, gradually building while the vibrations shock the whole tower. A feign voice started coming over the phone in the security room, probably someone upstairs trying to get a man to turn off the music.

“No can do big boy.” I said to myself without bothering to answer it.

I watched as Two and Three entered the top level, positing themselves to start shooting.

“Hit it, now.” And so it began.

It was constant shots ringing out over coms, part of me wished I could be up there with them. But I knew One would crucify me if I got in the middle of it.

“One, Fours got the target.” Few okay half way there.

“Four move.” Seven said.

“Got the target, moving out.” Four declared.

I started to get more anxious the more the silence went on, I’d never realised how nerve racking it would be to be on field. But honestly I wouldn’t have changed it for the world.

“OUCH.” I heard Three exclaim.

“Three speak to me what happened?!” I said panicked.

Looking at the monitor to my left to see Three laying on the floor.

“Please tell me I did not just kill three.” Seven said

“Seven what the hell.” What was he playing at.

“The hell you picking up a bad guys gun for Three?!” Seven said angrily.

Idiots. Am surrounded by absolute idiots.

“Am so mad at everyone right now.” Two spoke.

“You and me both Two, you and me both.” I chimed in.

“What’s new I like you mad.” Shut up One that’s going to make her more angry.

I suddenly monitored more and more men exiting the elevator, where the hell were they all coming from? I saw no indicators of where, or how these men were getting here so fast.

“One minute left guys, make it count.” I informed them.

I saw Five move through the lobby to the main entrance, this was my chance to leave as well. But a niggling feel ticked at the back of my head, I couldn’t just leave.

Not when I could have been of use to everyone upstairs, so I decided to risk it and hang back a little longer.

“Two, Three clear up the stairs.” I heard seven said in amidst a load of gunfire.

Just then I heard the sirens, standing I saw the police cars stationing themselves outside. “Shit.”

I ran out to the lobby, I could either go outside and wait with Five for the others to arrive back at the car or I could go upstairs to help.

“Screw it.” I picked up the guys arm who was still lying at the bottom of the elevator and pressed his finger into the button.

“Zero were are you?” Five said frantically.

“What do you mean where is she, she’s supposed to be with you?!” One shouted.

“I thought she was right behind me, but am at the car and she isn’t here.”

I got my gun out of it’s holster, checking it was loaded, the safety was off. “Chill guys am in the elevator, am coming up to help. You’re out numbered.”

“NO.” Four Said firmly. “One stop her.”

“Zero you get your ass back down and out of this building right now.” One sounded angry.

“Listen if I go down now I’ll be arrested, so what am going to do. Instead I can be useful and come up to help you guys.” I said a bit too calmly.

“I don’t care if you get arrested, at least you won’t be dead. Which is what you’ll be if you come up here.”

I just laughed at one. “You’re not my dad one, besides. I can handle myself.”

Just then the doors to the elevator opened.

Chapter Eight

#ben hardy #ben hardy fanfic #ben hardy fanfiction #ben hardy four #6 underground #6 underground four #6 underground billy #6 underground fanfic #billy #billy fanfiction #four #four fanfic #four fanfiction

[my-brothers-corrupted]

My Brothers, Corrupted

Chapter Three : Section Eleven : Reunion

Chapter One l Chapter Two l Chapter Three

Trigger warnings for character death, graphic violence, guns and gunshot wounds, abuse, and suicidal ideation.

Everyone is back together again - and Anti doesn’t like what he finds.

Red’s still fussing over Dapper by the time they make it to a hotel that night, but Dapper’s gone so tired and quiet he doesn’t seem to have the strength to reassure him, asking Red increasingly confused questions as the day goes by, nose bleeding at random.

“Where are we?”

“Headed back to Peru, Dap, to see Dok.”

“What do you mean, Dok?”

“Dok’s waiting for us, buddy. Your big brother.”

“How many big brothers do I have?”

“Are you sure you’re feeling okay?”

“Who’s in the seat in front of me? His face is all shadowed.”

“There’s no one in the seat in front of you.”

“There’s someone in the seat in front of me. He’s not supposed to be here and neither am I. Where are we going, Anti?”

“It’s me, it’s me…”

He doesn’t resent Dapper for having another confused episode, or for hallucinating, but he kind of wishes they could just go back to the first half of the day, where it was just him and Max talking for hours in the front seat. He’s so easy to talk to.

They get two adjoined hotel rooms and leave the door open between them as Dapper curls up on the windowsill of his room, holding his new sketchbook to his chest but staring out at the world around him. Red sinks onto the bed beside Max and looks up at him.

“Whew,” he says.

“Whew,” agrees Max. “Some day, huh?”

“Some day. But tomorrow we’ll have Dok and he’ll help us get Dap’s medicine and everything will be okay.”

He sits back with a satisfied smile. His eyes and Max’s meet more easily these days. Dapper stares at them from the opposite room.

Anonymous asked: Sorry you're so confused Dapper. If it helps any, I don't think much will have changed for you guys, just Marv, Trick, and Anti. Results were a bit mixed but we did save a life and that's what matters so thank you.

“That is good,” says Dapper, managing a smile at the news. “It’s really weird that they’re not here with us. Tomorrow, though, we’ll be back with Anti and everything will settle down again.”

He puts his chin in his hands and glances over at his brother again. “I hope Red is saying goodbye to Max. He’s getting much too attached and they haven’t even talked about important things.”

Anonymous asked: Would you be upset if Max stayed? Not Anti. YOU.

Dapper stares down at his hands, at his sketchbook.

“It’s not… an option. If he’s still here when Anti finds us, he’s dead.”

He looks up again, over at them chatting in the other room, their bodies turned towards each other.

“But I was glad to meet him. He gave us a nice week. I will be able to hold onto it. Like Christmas. Or the day Trick and Dok took me to get groceries and fish. And everything was okay. You have to have days to hold onto.”

Anonymous asked: Hey Red, how are you guys doing? What's the plan, if there is one?

“Yeah,” breathes out Max. “I think, uh. I think we should talk about that.”

Ro sits up from his place beside him. “What do you mean?”

“Like… what are we planning to do after we find Henrik? What are we planning to do if Anti comes?”

Ro’s mouth twists. His face falls. Uncertain hands tangle together in his lap.

“Do you… do you want to go back to Anti, still?” asks Max.

Red looks down. Ro looks up. He covers his face for a second, letting out a deep breath.

No.

He doesn’t.

Oh, fuck.

How to admit it? Even to himself? He laughs softly, tugging at his hair.

“It’s okay,” whispers Max, his hand drifting closer on the bed.

“Max,” whispers back Ro, and Red, and Jackie, as one. “I don’t think I can go back to Anti.”

bupine asked: anti doesn't have to find you, dap. you can find dok and run. anti's still weak, and he got his ass kicked pretty good the other day by the magician you helped us save, so you'll have a fighting chance. blue and trick will be ok for now, i think

Dapper laughs, his whole chest shaking with it, pulling you closer happily. “That’s funny! You’re all trying to cheer me up.”

bupine asked: which part of it is funny?

“Running away from Anti? You think he’d ever let me get away?”

Anonymous asked: You deserve more than just days to hold onto. You deserve people to hold onto to make every day the best it can be.

Dapper shrugs.

“Well. Maybe. But that’s not what my life is.”

Anonymous asked: That's okay, bud. Knowing you don't want to go back to Anti, or that you can't, it's a step. We can try to figure out what to do from there.

“Yeah.” Max is quick to affirm it, leaning forward, trying not to let his face be too hopeful. “Yeah, yeah. It can just be - we can figure it out from here. That’s great, that’s great news. I was really hoping you would say that.”

“He won’t just let me go, Max.” Ro puts his head down, tugging at his hair. “And I don’t know how I could not feel guilty if I left the others behind…”

“Jackie, sometimes the best thing you can do in a situation like yours is have time to get your own life sorted and your head straight. You have to take care of yourself first.” Max’s hand is on his shoulder, his thumb rubbing soothingly across the muscle. “That’s not selfish. Just because you’re the oldest brother, that doesn’t mean you have to always be crucifying yourself for everybody else. You’re important, Jackie.”

It’s almost too much to hear someone other than Blue say it with so much conviction, and Red turns his head away, flushed and trying not to smile.

“Well… I just… I really wish I could just talk to Anti about this.”

He sighs and covers his face again. “I know he’s been bad to us in the past. But if I could just explain to him that I still love him, I just need some time away, and I can’t watch him lock up Dap anymore… I don’t know how to just betray him like this.”

“You don’t owe him anything,” says Max, and this time he must struggle to keep the heat out of his voice, the hatred. “He lost his right to keep you around every time he hurt and manipulated the two of you. He tore your memories to shreds just to ensure you didn’t want anyone but him.”

“He must have had good reason,” mumbles Red. “I’ve loved him this long.”

Max smiles sadly, but doesn’t contradict him.

“Listen, um. I’ve thought about this a lot, Ro. You know how I was planning to help Dapper hide from Anti? To save him if he ever got in trouble and you weren’t there to protect him?”

“Yeah?”

Max reaches for his wallet and pulls out a stack of fake IDs all with their shared face on it. There’s different names, nationalities, birthdates, everything. Ro stares at it, eyes wide.

“We could get on a plane,” says Max. “I’ll get all four of us tickets and we could go somewhere. I’ll forge anything you need. We’ll work together to cover our tracks. I’ve been hiding from Anti for years and you’re the best hacker I know. We could go, Jackie. We could go.”

pixie-in-trebleland asked: What is your life then, Dap??

His fingers drum along the paper of his book.

“When I was born, I was stolen.”

He runs the pads of his thumb along the image of a boy in chains.

“I didn’t know anything but Anti. I was unhappy. But then I settled in. And it wasn’t so bad.”

Flips to a sketch of Ro, smiling at him.

“Eventually, someone saved me, and stole me. And I was unhappy. But then I settled in. And I was happy, for a little while. And things were good, and kind to me. But I still hurt. I was still haunted. And then he stole me again.”

Dozens of drawings of Anti. Again and again. You know it is him without knowing how you know it is him. Dapper, loving, traces his image.

“I was scared. Someone came to save me. They failed. We tried to run. We failed. Red forgot. He was unhappy for a while. But then he settled in. Trick and Dok tried to stay away. Anti caught them. Blue tried to run. He didn’t get away. He was unhappy, then happy, then unhappy. He’ll be happy again at some point. He’ll settle back in. Because you know something?”

He tears a picture of Anti out of his sketchbook and lets it flutter to the floor.

“Everyone else gets to forget. Everyone else does it once, fights, forgets. But Anti washes my brain out again - and again - and again - ”

He tears pictures of himself from his notebook. Pictures of his brothers. Pictures of Anti.

“And I never, ever get to forget. Not really. Not fully. Every day I’m disoriented, struggling with the memory loss and the psychosis and the time travel and the abuse. And every day, I wake up unhappy, and then - I settle.”

He puts his head down against the glass.

Crying soft and silent.

“Cause that’s what life is. It’s not happy. It’s settling. It’s getting caught again - and again - and again - and again…”

Anonymous asked: What do you think, Red? Do you want to go?

Red feels a dozen things, a hundred things, a thousand things all at once.

Joy. Yes! Yes! Let me go with you! Guilt. Anti would be so upset… Vindication. Well, fuck him, he’s been horrible to me. Fear. He’d kill us for this. Relief. The thought of being fucking free of it all!

And then -

Disbelief.

He pulls back from Max’s hand on the bed.

Staring at him.

Shaking his head.

“This is… a trick,” he says, mouth taut. “You - what do you want?”

Max stares at him, his eyes grieving.

“Please. Nothing. I don’t want anything but to see that you’re okay.”

“That’s not how life works,” spits Ro, on his feet, turned away from him, eyes burning. “What do you want? If you just told me… maybe I could give it to you. And we could go. I just need to know what you want.”

“Just you,” croaks Max. “Please. I don’t want you to be in pain anymore. Just you, Jackie. Ro. My - my - just you.”

Anonymous asked: Max doesn't want anything from you. It's not a trick. He doesn't work like that; has he ever tried to trick you before? He just wants you, and dap, to be safe, or at least as safe as possible.

“I get that you’re paranoid,” says Max gently. “It’s okay. Let’s just take a moment and breathe.”

Everything he says is gentle unless he’s shouting for joy, and he’s so pretty the sun should be ashamed, and how is Red supposed to put faith in someone like that? Why would Max give a fuck about him? What does he want?

Just you. Just you.

Red’s heart picks up in his chest.

He’s been pretending he doesn’t notice, but he does - even he couldn’t miss it. The way Max looks at him.

The way he looks back at Max sometimes.

He sits down on the bed, exhausted, staring at Max.

“Jackie?” says Max.

“Yeah,” mumbles Ro. “Just… just give me a second.”

He stares at him. Examines the strong curves of him. The warm lines of his brown hands. The eyes like a big cat’s. He thinks even if Max were ugly he’d still probably be beautiful. He moves like he’s in love with the world. His eyes are in love. Yeah, he’d be beautiful anyway.

“You’ve been really, really kind to us,” mumbles Ro, and he gets up again, and shuts the door between his and Dapper’s room. “If you wanted me, you just… you just had to say so, I - I’m grateful to you, and maybe, yeah, maybe I’d like to go away… and I could be what you wanted me to be.”

And then, before Max can answer, Ro is beside him.

Close beside him.

Max’s breath hitches as Red’s weight sinks into the bed beside him. A hand caresses the back of his head. A second grips his lapel and gently tugs.

“True or false,” says Ro. “You loved me once.”

Max’s eyes well. He closes them, biting down hard on his lip.

“Jackie… you’ve been through a lot, we don’t have to - ”

“Please,” says Ro, putting his head down against his shoulder. “Please, I - I want to hear you say it. I know.”

“You don’t have to - ”

“I just - I just - ”

“I loved you, yes, but you don’t owe me - ”

“Did I love you back?”

“You - I - yes, fuck, Jackie, my h-heart…”

It is Max’s turn to put his head down on Ro’s shoulder. You see, from your place in the corner, Ro’s face light up and flush, his mouth beaming as he buries his face against Max’s neck, and then they are hugging so tight they both might burst, tumbling down onto the bed, wrapped up in each other, holding on to each other, and Max weeps in silence against his chest.

“We were in love?”

“We were, we were, yeah, I loved you, you loved me…”

“You’re still in love with me?”

“I am,” sobs Max. “I never stopped being in love with you. You’re my family, Ro, you’re my heart. Please, we can’t talk about this anymore. You’ve been through so much - ”

“All you had to say was that you wanted me again,” says Ro, triumphant, and then Max freezes stiff as a warm mouth presses against his mouth. “I can give you that.”

He’s a little nervous, sure, but this? This is nothing for as much as Max has done for him! Max took care of him! Max took care of Dapper!

“Let me pay you back,” whispers Ro, sitting up slightly in his lap, mouthing another kiss against his neck. “Max, I can’t believe… I love you, too, I - ”

“Jackie,” croaks Max, no longer hugging him back. “No.”

He can be anything Max needs him to be. Max is kind and good and wonderful, a far cry better than Anti, and he’s always been able to be anything Anti asked him to be. He can be anything Max asks him to be too. He can get him to keep taking care of him and Dapper and Dok, too, and then all of them can go away, and everything will be wonderful, if he can just give Max what he wants.

“I’ll turn the camera off,” whispers Ro.

“No, don’t turn the camera off.”

“Just real quick, I’ll get up and turn the camera off. And it can just be you and me. It can just be you and me. Just - ”

“Ro,” shouts Max. “I don’t want you to do this! Get the hell off me!”

Ro -

Ro stares at him, disbelief in his face.

“M-Max, I - ”

“Please get off me,” whispers Max.

Ro gets off him, trembling, his face only getting redder, his mouth shaking with hurt. He turns away from Max, standing in the corner of the room, trying to breathe.

“I’m going to go check on Dapper,” he says after a moment.

“No,” says Max. “Please. Let’s talk about this. It’s not that I don’t… Ro. I don’t know where to start… I’m not… I’m not… you’ve been through so much and I don’t want this to be… this isn’t how I wanted this to… fuck.”

Max buries his face in his hand. Ro stands in silence, turned away from him.

Anonymous asked: Life can be happy, dap. It's not just settling, for everyone. It's not fair that it had to be settling for you, and for your brothers. But life can be happy. And we're trying to make it that way for you and your brothers.

There’s a faint sob from Dapper’s room. Max and Ro stop short, staring at each other.

“Maybe we should check on him after all,” says Max.

Ro wipes swiftly at hot tears, feeling humiliated and stupid, but Max’s hand comes down on his shoulder again.

“Let me,” says Max. “You’re all worked up. Just take a moment to breathe. I’m not mad, okay? I’m not mad. We just need to talk. I’ll be right back.”

He opens the door to Dapper’s room carefully, stepping inside.

“Hey,” he says to the figure pressed against the window. “Is everything okay?”

Dapper’s still more interested in talking to you. “I want my brothers to be happy,” he says. “But that’s not something that’s ever going to happen for me and pretending otherwise just makes it all worse.”

Anonymous asked: Change is hard, but we need it for the better. It can be adjusted to and it can stay and work and unfortunately we're going to have to fight for it. "Settling" is a refusal of that change. ANTI is a refusal of change.

“Change never happens,” says Dapper bitterly.

Max sits down on the windowsill beside him. “Looks like this night got dramatic for everyone pretty fast, huh?”

Dapper doesn’t look at him. Head against the glass. Eyes closed.

“I think they’re right,” says Max softly. “I think you have to keep hoping for change.”

“I’m not like the others,” answers Dapper coldly, to you, to him. “I wasn’t made for anyone but Anti. You know why it doesn’t matter if Anti gives me a hundred nicknames? It’s because he’s the one who picked my name. The others all got to be Chase, Henrik, Jackie, Marv. Me? I’ve always been Dapper. And that will never change.”

“Hey,” protests Max, worried, leaning forward. “Hey, come on. Don’t say that. Change never happens, that’s not true. You still have free will. You still change. Hey, you picked this shirt out, right?” He reaches out as if to touch the soft rhino t-shirt, but a warning look from Dapper wards him off.

“A fucking shirt isn’t the same as not living my entire life centered around making Anti happy.”

“It can be a start.”

“It’s only ever a ‘start.’ In the past six months alone, Marvin tried to escape with Henrik, willing gave in to Anti instead, then a whole fucking herd of magicians came to help us and we still couldn’t get away. When we were still twins, Jackie broke us out of our room and carried me two fucking countries away trying to escape with me while I was running a 40-degree fever. Couldn’t make it. I lived with my family for what – a year, two? Then Anti stole me again. I tried to escape twice before he wormed into my head, Henrik and Chase once attacked him head-on trying to get away, again and again we’ve fought, and you still don’t get it. We are never getting free of him. Soon, he’ll be here, and then? You’ll be dead, Max. Just like everyone else I’ve ever loved.”

Max stares at him.

“What?” snaps Dapper. “Are you afraid?”

“That was my sign name,” says Max. “You remember me.”

Dapper blinks. Glances at his hands. Glares again and turns back to the window, eyes burning.

“You should go be with Jackie,” he signs wearily. “While you still can. He deserves to know how much you’ve always loved him.”

Anonymous asked: Maybe it won't be happy for you. But it can be better than it is. It can be better than it is, and someday it will be.

Dapper breathes out a long, low sigh.

“If there’s one thing that might be worth fighting for, it’s the thought that maybe the others could be happy. I remember when I was first captured - when was that, who was I then? - I consoled myself by saying that since he had me, he wouldn’t need the rest of my family. But then he brought someone else to me. And more and more. And I couldn’t do anything but sit in my room, alone, watching him erase their love for me.”

“The others still love you,” murmur Max. “I still - ”

“You don’t have to pretend we’re friends,” Dapper cuts him off.

“We are,” protests Max, hurt. “We were.”

“You love me because you love Jackie and Jackie thinks he loves me. Sometimes when people love each other enough, they start to love the people that other person cares about. Just because they love that one person. We’re not friends, Max. We don’t know each other. Maybe we did once, but we certainly don’t now. But you still love me because you love my brother. So I think it’s enough. It’s enough that you should tell him you love him and mean it. You should go back to that room and tell him you still want - well, it’s not my business to talk about.”

“Are you sure you’re not just pushing me away because you stopped believing that anybody could love you but Anti?”

Max is surprised by the volume of his own voice. He covers his mouth with his fingers for a second, taking a deep breath.

JJ’s gone tense beside him. He doesn’t move.

“I’m sorry,” whispers Max. “Is that how you feel, Jameson? That that’s the reason everybody loves you? Because they love the people who love you, so you get the leftovers of everybody else’s love? Because, fuck, I… it’s not true. And I know you’re going through shit, and I’m sorry, but you owe it to your brothers to start trying to believe that, you owe it to Jackie – ”

“Jackie isn’t always kind to me,” Dapper interrupts him fiercely, though there’s no condemnation in his face. It’s just facts to him now. “Neither is Trick. They love me because their brothers love me. And Blue and Dok love me because Anti loves me and told them to, and Anti loves me because he needs me, and I am – I am – I am a weapon and that’s it, that’s all. A weapon and a pet and a child. Tired, that’s what I am. So… so unbearably exhausted, you wouldn’t believe… tired enough that the weight of it could sink boats, tired enough to kill men God offers more mercy to… Nobody can love me because nobody gets a chance to. Anti wants me in my room and I can’t get away from him. Maybe this week, for a little bit, Jackie’s loved me, but soon he’ll be taken away from me again, and I’ll be alone.”

“Jameson – ”

“Don’t call me that. Please. I’m not like Jackie. There’s no Jameson to go back to because there was never a Jameson to begin with. I was born in Anti’s grip and I will die in Anti’s grip. I have always been Dapper. Leave me alone. Be with Jackie while you still can.”

But Max isn’t done. Max can’t see him like this.

“You know something?” he’s choking out, getting on his feet before he can even finish signing. “I used to think you were the most wonderfully fierce person I’d ever met. You were so bitingly funny and so bitter but so kind to everyone around you. Like you had taken everything horrible that had happened to you and looked it directly in its face and then turned around to spite it by your love for everybody around you. Like you had taken all that hurt and you were deciding, every single fucking day, to use it to be a fucking beam of light to everybody around you.”

JJ grips at his hair. His head is bowed down against his knees. He cries into yellow shorts with suns on the pockets.

“Please leave me alone.”

“And fuck, it’s not your fault, and I know you’ve been stolen back to him a half-dozen times now, but goddamn, goddamn, Jameson, it fucking kills me to see you made into something passive and trapped when you used to fight every single day to get free of the hatred he tried to teach you. The worst part is, I see moments where you choose to go back to the person he taught you to be just because you know it’s safer there, not because you had to, not even because you were triggered, just because it’s easier for you. I get it, bud, it’s survival, it’s abuse, but I can’t pretend I don’t see it. I can’t pretend that you couldn’t have realized I was there to help that day you opened the motel room door and saw me, because, Jameson, I saw the recognition in your eyes, and then you realized, I think, that I was against the fucking rules, and you attacked me instead. And I think now you’re attacking me again because it’s easier to feel bad than it is to feel good for a moment and then feel left out again a minute later, because you’ve let him tell you that nobody gives a fuck about you, and it’s not fucking true! It’s not fucking true! You have to stop! Don’t you dare say Jameson wasn’t real, he was the truest person I ever fucking met.”

“I can’t help what I had to become!”

 “I know,” says Max. “I know. But that doesn’t mean I will ever accept that you have to stay as that person forever. Especially since he’s fucking miserable, and will barely even admit it to himself.”

bupine asked: i know how ridiculous it sounds, but it is possible to kill him. you told us that anti was defeated once, forced to possess an animal. a magician got him to that point the other day. he was close to death, from what we saw, or as close as he could be. he was given a lot of electric shocks that hurt his body. if he died, blue could get his magic back. you could be a family again. a real, loving family, dapper. do you remember what that's like?

“Kill him?” Dapper’s hands shake slightly. “Is that what we’ve come to? Sometimes I dream about killing him, but I don’t think I could ever do it. No matter what I think of him… Anti has been my entire life. And there have been moments I loved him so deeply I - I - ”

Torn between grief and his own hopeless anger, Dapper wraps his arms around himself and sets his head back against the wall, closing his eyes. There are pictures of his family scattered around the floor around him. With a sinking of his gut, Max sees that Anti is the only one ever depicted as smiling. Red is a hollow, despairing shadow chained by the ankle to a doorway. Blue is sick with shaking, bleeding palms. Trick and Dok are separated by doors, one chained up by the throat, the other holding a bottle of pills and a thin-looking cat.

“I can’t let myself wake up again,” whisper his hands. “I can’t become aware. Can’t let myself remember. Can’t let myself leave this headspace. If I do, this numb world all becomes a nightmare again…”

Anonymous asked: I think I get what you're saying, Dap. But the thing is, at some point you have to leave the numbness. To me, it's like fog. And past it is scary, and painful, but it's just a storm. It's just a storm, and you will come out on the other side. The fog is safe, and known, but it's no way to live, not forever.

“They’re right,” says Max. “And you deserve better than to be stuck in that fog forever, JJ.”

“Ha,” signs JJ wearily. “That’s a whole different issue.” “Well, in my opinion, you’ve always stressed way too much about your own morality,” says Max with a small smile. “Even while doing good shit, you’d feel guilty for tricking the people around you into thinking you were a nice person, when really you believed you were a bad one. Just because of the things Anti made you do.”

“I could have fought harder against the things I’ve done,” grieves JJ, his eyes downcast. “I could have tried harder, I - I’ve killed people, tortured people, helped Anti capture my family… and the worst part is, it’s not that I feel guilty for the sake of the things I’ve done, I’m just scared to go to hell…”

“Jameson,” soothes Max, and he reaches out to try and touch him again, but JJ draws sharply away, shaking his head.

“You don’t know how bad of a trigger strangers are for me,” he warns. “I could kill you.”

“I’m sorry, I keep forgetting. Forgive me. I just want to be here for you. I want you to know that I think you fought as hard as I could and you still deserve forgiveness.”

Tears flow down Dapper’s cheeks. He brushes at his face, sniffing.

“You still deserve to get away from Anti,” says Max. “You still deserve to be loved by other people. You’re important too, James. You’re not just somebody’s tool. You’re a human being.”

“Not quite,” sighs Dapper. “But I understand what you mean. Max, listen. Even if I am as important than my brothers, you should know that I’m more important to Anti than they are. So if it comes down to it, and you can take Henrik and Jackie and run… leave me behind. Please.”

Max’s eyes are wide.

“What? No. I can’t do that.”

Dapper puts his head down against the window and sighs.

Anonymous asked: But Dap, this might be your only chance to get away, don’t you think you should take it?

“I’m sorry,” says JJ. “I just… really am having a hard time believing we could get away. But maybe you could take Jackie at least. And you could be happy like you always deserved to be.”

“Don’t just give up on yourself,” says Max. “Please.”

bupine asked: dap, you deserve saving too, you know. you don't have to be who anti made you. you said you were with your brothers for a year after anti - who were you then? everyone can change if they want to. and you do. you might not be able to be the jameson jackson that we knew. but you can be someone that isn't anti's.

“I could tell you anything you want about who you were,” murmurs Max. “If that helps.”

“No,” says JJ softly. “They’re right. I can’t get that person back, but he was… he deserved better than what he got. Maybe I could still be someone who would make him proud someday. All he wanted was to live without being haunted by Anti.”

He stares down at his own hands. Scarred and worn.

“I’m sorry,” he says.

Anonymous asked: No maybe not, but sometimes we have to fight for the things we want. Do you want to go back to Anti?

“I… I don’t believe I can get away from Anti,” admits Dapper quietly. “So there’s no point in hoping for anything else.”

“Listen to me,” begs Max. “They’re right about fighting. And you, Jameson - you’re a fighter. You are a fighter. You’re ferocious. Don’t forget that. Here’s what I’m asking, JJ, here’s what I’m begging you for - ”

JJ looks up at him with his endless silver-blue eyes. And maybe it’s true that when they met at first all those years ago, Max had only loved him because he loved Jackie. But time went on and Max loved JJ too - creative, talented JJ, wild, fierce JJ, sincere, warm JJ, and the others too, his friends, the only family he had left after his father died, the people who comforted him and held him through the worst time in his life. Sarcastic, intelligent Henrik, loving, boisterous Chase, and Jackie’s best friend Marvin, beautiful and loyal.

“If we get a chance to fight,” says Max. “If you get a chance to fight for your brothers to be happier than they are - take it, JJ. Take it. Don’t give up. They still love you. They still need you. Fight for the things that you want for your family.”

JJ looks at him. Tiger eyes. An old friend. Mostly forgotten. Family.

“Alright,” he says, very soft. “I’ll try.”

Max smiles at him, his eyes gleaming. JJ tries to smile back.

“Now stop worrying about me so much and get back in there with my brother,” says JJ, giving him a slight smack with his sketchpad. “If I have to watch you two making out with your eyes for five more minutes I’ll stab you both.”

“I don’t even know what to say to him now.”

“Well, you’re going to have to figure it out, aren’t you? I have many talents but romancing my own brothers is not one of them.”

“Thanks, JJ.”

“Don’t thank me. Max, I… just… get back in there. Thank you.”

He gives him one more smile and turns to return to Jackie.

Max closes the door behind him.

Red is sitting on the bed, turned away from him, his hands in his lap. His head downcast.

Max sits down beside him.

The light is getting low. Footsteps echo from the rooms above them.

Max puts his hand on Red’s.

“Is this okay?” he asks.

Ro shrugs, but doesn’t push him away.

“You remember how I said Dermot Kennedy was the only artist we could ever agree on?”

“Yeah?”

“Can I put on some music?”

“That’s fine, I guess.”

Max pulls out his phone and then a man is singing, and they’re sitting in the twilight together, hands together.

“Look, Ro,” he says. “I’ve been acting really friendly, really comfortable and familiar around you. I think I wanted you to just remember. That was what I kept hoping. The more we acted like we used to be, the more you would remember. So I offered to hold your hand, and I joked around with you about everything, and I made you big promises and offers without thinking about how it would sound to you. I’m sorry.”

“No,” whispers Ro. “Please don’t ever be sorry. I just… really thought you liked me. I’m sorry.”

“I do like you,” says Max.

“But you’re not attracted to me anymore. I’m damaged goods.”

“No, it’s not that either,” cries Max, with a perhaps a little too much intensity, and it sits awkwardly in the air for a moment, and then Red snorts and they’re both giggling, faces red, turned towards each other in the twilight.

“You think I’m hot shit, don’t you?”

“I’m sorry, Jackie, you’re gorgeous.”

“I am? Look at you! Besides, I’m coated in all these fucking scars and I’m just kind of a disaster all around.”

“You look incredible. You’re so fucking beautiful.”

“Please,” murmurs Red, turning away, a little embarrassed now. “But then I don’t understand why you didn’t - ”

“Jackie,” says Max, exasperated. “You can’t have thought that was healthy.”

“I just wanted - I want you to know I - I appreciate what you’ve done, and I - ”

“I don’t want you to sleep with me as payment. You don’t owe me anything at all. And you should never feel like you owe anyone your body, no matter what they do or say to you.”

Ro’s eyes are swimming with tears. At last, he’s looking up at Max. His fingers enclose around Max’s own.

“I just don’t… want you to leave.”

“You don’t have to have sex with me to make me stay. You’ve been through a lot, Jackie. Not to tell you what to do, but I don’t think it’s a good time for either of us to be doing something like that. You shouldn’t have to feel like you belong to somebody, and honestly it scares me that I feel like you would have let me do just about anything to you whether you liked it or not. You deserve better. I won’t go. I’m here, Jackie. I’m here. This - ” He squeezes their joint hands. “This is more than enough for me. I’d be here if you just wanted to be friends. If you just wanted to go real slow. And that’s what I wanted to tell you. Here, come on.”

Ro allows Max to lead him to his feet.

“Dance with me?” he asks.

Ro blushes, but he can’t keep back a smile. “You cute bastard,” he grumbles, taking Max’s hand, and Max laughs and puts his free hand on his waist, and comes close to him, and then they’re swaying, quiet, in the twilight.

“I don’t need you to remember me and then suddenly have everything go back to what it was,” whispers Max, setting his head down against his shoulder. “It was wrong of me to just expect things to be the same. You don’t have to be the same as you were. We don’t have to be the same. In fact, if you never want to be with me again, that’s okay. We can just be friends and I will never hold it against you. But if you want to try something, someday, when you’ve had more time to recover…”

Red cannot remember the last time he listened to music casually. Certainly he cannot remember the last time he listened to music that made his heart swell like this. He can’t remember dancing, and he can’t remember dancing with someone he likes as much as Max, and he can’t remember the last time someone held him so gently and just rocked with him. Max’s warm waist beneath his fingers. Max’s warm hand in his own.

aether-mae asked: Hey Jackie, antis possessed blue and it’s given him access to blues powers without the physical damage on him, even though blues already very sick and stressed to say the least. Best thing is get to doc and prepare for his inevitable attack (and likely massacre of many more magicians, as he did just earlier).

The beep of the camera startles them both and they laugh, drawing away from each other, or trying to, though their hands seem to keep coming back together, and their eyes keep meeting and darkening, and they seem to move like they’re on the same pathway, both reaching out for you. But the laughter dissipates. Reality comes back.

“Oh, no,” breathes Ro, touching his hair. “No, not that.”

Max stares down at him, horrified. “Can he do that? Posses someone?”

Ro bites down hard on his lip, his eyes closing. He nods.

Max sits down on the bed. Ro sets you gently down on the desk and turns away.

“I’m sorry,” says Max shakily. “If I had known how badly off Marv was…”

Ro looks back at him, his eyes red, and Max already knows what he will say before he says it.

“I’m not sure I can leave them behind,” he croaks.

“So they’ll come with us,” says Max. “We’ll get Henrik tomorrow and we’ll talk. We’ll find a way. We have to.”

But this - this seems a thing impossible.

Then again, Max being in love with him seemed impossible too.

“I don’t know what to do,” whispers Ro. “I feel torn between two parts of myself. I still love Anti. But I know he will never let us all go. And if he stays… he’ll keep hurting us. It’s who he is. We can’t be with him anymore, but I don’t know how to go. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”

Max gets up and holds his hand. “Well,” he says. “Whatever happens, I’m with you. Okay? I’m here. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what it takes.”

Red means to go back to Dapper. To tell him the news. To look after him.

He ends up falling asleep in Max’s arms. His dark head is buried against Jackie’s collarbone. They hold each other. Dermot Kennedy plays on repeat.

He doesn’t know what will happen.

But there are things worth hoping for.

And, likewise, there are things worth going to war.

…………..

All too soon - all too soon - Dapper is shaking him awake.

“Wha - Dap?”

“Jackie,” signs Dapper, his hands trembling. “I can feel him. Anti. Coming to get me. He’s not far now. He’s not far.”

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

cest-mellow asked: hey magicians!! anti may not be far away now, and he’s possessed marvin so he’s at FULL capacity power right now!! and marvin could be seriously hurt in this!!

“You should stay here,” says Nina. “If Anti is close.”

“No,” says Henrik gently.

He’s made up his mind.

“Or we could go with you.” Genesis moves forward to grab his shoulder, squeezing tight, imploring him to listen to her. “You don’t have to be alone.”

“I won’t be.”

He’s going to go to Red and Dapper. From there, what happens will happen. But in the end, they’re the only ones who are going to be able to choose whether they stay with Anti or some day go, and he isn’t willing to watch more magicians die for him to feel safer for ten more minutes than he would otherwise.

He went to the mountain one more time to pick flowers and bring them to Christofer. To Jose. Blessed their memory. Thank you for everything.

“I just want to see my brothers again,” he says honestly. “Blue is hurt. I need to be with them.”

“Henrik,” protests Hermann, but before he can say anything more, Emmanuela is there.

“He’s decided,” she cuts him off. “It’s time to let him go.”

Hermann lets out a full-blown groan, pacing in the garden in front of the chapel, plucking at his cross, and Henrik can only smile at him.

He didn’t sleep last night. Too much to think about. Too much future ahead of him.

“Can’t I at least take you to the market?” asks Hermann miserably.

“Ask your mom,” answers Henrik, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. He has all of his things and everything retrieved from their car. He’s ready to go.

“Yes, I think he should go with you if he comes right back,” agrees Emmanuela.

Henrik grins and hefts you up, holding you firmly in his weary hands.

“Any last words for the magicians?” he asks. “It’s about time to go.”

cest-mellow asked: magicians, trick has been hypnotized to the point of being endlessly loyal to anti so he won’t be afraid to use his gun on you guys! i’m so sorry henrik :( also we’ll miss you !!

“He wouldn’t ever shoot you, would he?” asks JP.

“I don’t… think so.”

Nina puts a protective hand on her stomach and looks around at her friends, who look back with worry. Emmanuela, however, remains calm, remains sure.

“We know the fights we step up to,” she says. “If you called on us, we would not stay away. We would come to protect you, Henrik.”

He turns away, closing his eyes for a moment. It isn’t what he wants. He thinks to see one of them die would near kill him.

“Alright,” says Emmanuela. “Alright. Then you must have your presents, come.”

He blinks. “My presents?”

“I told you I’d get you weapons, right?” she says. “Protection?”

She holds up a trio of identical necklaces.

Strong brown bands hold one shining black stone each, carved into the image of a raven. Astonished, Henrik reaches out to touch one of the tiny black bodies, and finds it warm to the touch.

“Talismans,” says Emmanuela. “For you. One from three of us.”

“Wait,” he protests. “I thought magic power could only be transferred if you were dying.”

She chuckles. “You did do your reading while you were here. Permanently, yes, theft and Gift of Being can only happen if someone is dying or willing to die to hand the power over. Hermann’s necklace, for example.”

Hermann grips his crucifix. “My father gave it to me in his last days,” he says. “His power of invisibility is with me as long as I wear it.”

“But these are talismans, not relics,” says Emmanuela. “They’re only little pieces of power, and only borrowed. When you use them, the power will come back to us.”

“Three of you were willing to give that up for me?” asks Henrik, still stuck staring at them. You see his fingers curling tentatively in and out, as though afraid to touch them. It’s too much of a gift.

“More of us wanted to!” cries Genesis. “Emmanuela said I couldn’t because transportation magic is too fickle…”

“And apparently I’m ‘too recently stabbed,’” grumbles Hermann.

“If I had power, it would be yours,” says Nina.

“And if you weren’t seven months pregnant,” protests JP.

“Oh, yeah, that.”

“But JP,” says Henrik. “You…?”

JP grins back at him.

“Figured you should have a little piece of me to take with you,” he says. “Do you remember what my power is?”

Anonymous asked: Can you destroy the gun with your magic?

“There’s an idea,” says Henrik.

“That’s a small thing for gifts like this!” says Nina. “They’re only for emergencies. So maybe, yes, but this magic isn’t really… well, JP, go ahead and explain! He’s so dramatic.”

“Haha, fine!” JP beams up at Henrik and takes one of the necklaces from Emmanuela when she offers it to him. “I can turn people into animals. I was reluctant to give it - not because I don’t think you should have it - but because this power has always frightened me. The first person I turned… I never found a way to turn back.”

There’s a small, tense silence.

“But he deserved it,” adds Nina bitterly, putting her hand down on her husband’s shoulder. JP smiles gently.

“As much as a person can. But this talisman won’t do that, or at least not permanently. Here, maybe I can - ”

He begins to push himself out of his wheelchair on trembling limbs, but Henrik shakes his head quickly and, without hesitation, falls to his knees in front of his friend. JP smiles at him and reaches out to touch the side of his head fondly.

“Do you want this?” he asks. “You won’t be able to take it off until you need it.”

“I need all the help I can get, I think,” says Henrik. “And I trust you. Entirely.”

JP beams and unclasps the necklace gently, reaching out to clasp it around Henrik’s neck. It falls to the middle of his chest.

“When you need this power,” says JP. “You can unclasp it and you will turn into… something. I don’t know what, I’m sorry. It changes for every person. Or, if you want to use it for someone else, you take it off and - as quick as you can - you put it on them instead. Do you understand?”

“It will really turn me or someone into an animal?”

“Should last for… well. I really don’t know. Not longer than a day. Not shorter than an hour. It might depend on the animal.”

Henrik touches the black bird on his chest. “Thank you, JP. For everything.”

“Of course, amigo, of course.”

Henrik gets up on one knee to embrace him. JP hugs him back firmly, throwing his arms around him.

Anonymous asked: Can you destroy the gun with your magic?

“There’s an idea,” says Henrik.

“That’s a small thing for gifts like this!” says Nina. “They’re only for emergencies. So maybe, yes, but this magic isn’t really… well, JP, go ahead and explain! He’s so dramatic.”

“Haha, fine!” JP beams up at Henrik and takes one of the necklaces from Emmanuela when she offers it to him. “I can turn people into animals. I was reluctant to give it - not because I don’t think you should have it - but because this power has always frightened me. The first person I turned… I never found a way to turn back.”

There’s a small, tense silence.

“But he deserved it,” adds Nina bitterly, putting her hand down on her husband’s shoulder. JP smiles gently.

“As much as a person can. But this talisman won’t do that, or at least not permanently. Here, maybe I can - ”

He begins to push himself out of his wheelchair on trembling limbs, but Henrik shakes his head quickly and, without hesitation, falls to his knees in front of his friend. JP smiles at him and reaches out to touch the side of his head fondly.

“Do you want this?” he asks. “You won’t be able to take it off until you need it.”

“I need all the help I can get, I think,” says Henrik. “And I trust you. Entirely.”

JP beams and unclasps the necklace gently, reaching out to clasp it around Henrik’s neck. It falls to the middle of his chest.

“When you need this power,” says JP. “You can unclasp it and you will turn into… something. I don’t know what, I’m sorry. It changes for every person. Or, if you want to use it for someone else, you take it off and - as quick as you can - you put it on them instead. Do you understand?”

“It will really turn me or someone into an animal?”

“Should last for… well. I really don’t know. Not longer than a day. Not shorter than an hour. It might depend on the animal.”

Henrik touches the black bird on his chest. “Thank you, JP. For everything.”

“Of course, amigo, of course.”

Henrik gets up on one knee to embrace him. JP hugs him back firmly, throwing his arms around him.

hurricael asked: Wait!! So!! With the necklace thing!! You can put it on Blue/Anti!!! 'Cause I think I remember that he absolutely hates being an animal, so he'd probably leave Blue, and then you can get Blue away so Anti can't possess him again!!

“That… that could work,” says Henrik. “Though, hell, I can only assume that would be momentarily terrifying for Blue.”

“There’s something I want to say first,” interrupts Emmanuela, reaching out a hand to beckon him closer. “Henrik, come here for a moment.”

He moves towards her obediently and she draws him and you gently in, putting a hand on his shoulder.

“Henrik,” she says. “Are you ready to fight when you go?”

“Yes,” he says, very soft.

“Are you ready to kill the monster?”

His eyes fall to the ground. His mouth goes still. He says nothing.

“You’re not,” she says. “But I fear that is what you will have to be ready to do before you are permanently free of him. Yes?”

He can’t look up at her. She presses down gently on his shoulder.

“Henrik,” she says, again his name, the secret name, the name like a promise of the person he was once and could be again. “You may use JP’s present however you like and whenever you like. To keep yourself safe. To keep your family safe. To punish the monster. But this one - from me - ”

She holds up a second black bird necklace.

“You use this,” she says, her dark eyes gleaming like the shine on her long, thick hair. “The day you are ready to watch Anti die.”

She puts it around his neck. Henrik swallows and accepts it, nodding.

“Yes, Emmanuela,” he says.

“A gift of light,” she says. “You will be able to wield it or give it to one of your warrior brothers to wield. It will burn him terribly - or perhaps serve as a purifier for someone with enough of his shadow inside of them. Do not take it off until you are ready to use it. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” he says again. “Yes, Emmanuela.”

He trusts her too.

bupine asked: henrik, do you remember anti's dislike for animals? that magic could be useful for something, hopefully. also, goodbye, magicians! we can't thank you enough for all you've done. and no matter what happens next, i don't think any of us will forget this.

“He would really hate that, wouldn’t he?” mumbles Henrik, picking at Emmanuela’s necklace, dropping down to hang between his breasts. “I could stop him from hurting one of the others… I could blackmail him, I could… I could really affect him. For once in my life. I have more than just words and a handgun.”

He blinks and then registers the rest of the message, straightening up to look around. Scattered throughout the little garden where he has made music, played games, read so many books looking for help, talked about everything that scares him and everything that makes him hope, found friends and peace and health and safety, if only for a little while - scattered throughout the garden are people who have been his family when he needed them.

“I,” he begins uncertainly. “I. I am not a sentimental man.”

JP smiles at him. Genesis tries to appear unaffected. Nina stares up at the sky and Hermann bites a trembling lip.

“Nor have I felt close to my religion in a long time,” he laughs, pulling at his necklaces. “But I feel I was like Jonah in the stomach of the whale, and you were what God sent to drag me out of the depths.”

Genesis takes a step closer to him.

Wraps her arms around him.

He feels the soft scars of her arms. Smells the flowered scent of her.

“Bitch,” she grumbles.

“Motherfucker,” he whispers back.

“Who’s going to teach me swears in different languages now?” she says sadly.

“You’ll figure it out, my friend.”

She buries her face in his hair for a second. “Bye, Henrik.”

“Bye, Genesis. Thank you.”

“You’ll tell us when you get free?” asks Nina, stepping up to him. “Won’t you?”

“Yes, of course,” he says. “Maybe someday I can come see you again. Bring Trick. Chase.”

“Meet the baby,” she says, patting her stomach.

“You’re going to name it after me, right?”

“I’d die first.”

He laughs and embraces her too.

Hermann stands away from the rest of them, sniffling, but Henrik only smiles. He’ll have a chance to say goodbye to him too when he reaches the market. There’s time. There’s time. There has to be.

Anonymous asked: What's the plan, Henrik? Are you and them going to meet up today?

“Yes,” says Henrik. “I’ve been texting with Red. He doesn’t sound quite like himself, but… in a good way. I’ll meet him and Dapper at the marketplace. From there, we figure it out. He talks about going somewhere safe. I think he has money, food, such and such. He must because he seems so happy. Hermann will walk with me to the market and then… I’ll go.”

He turns to smile at the younger man.

“Hold on, though, hold on,” says Genesis. “You got one necklace is left! Who that’s from, mama?”

“Well,” says Emmanuela, holding the last necklace. “That might be something of an issue.”

“What do you mean?” asks Henrik.

“Henrik,” she says. “I think this necklace is the most important one we can give you. It is not for one-time use. It is your shield. Your protection. Let me explain first.”

“What does it do?”

“It will stop the monster,” she says. “From getting in your head again.”

Henrik’s eyes widen.

He - he has to have that.

That changes everything.

If Anti can’t get in his head - if Anti can’t make him doubt himself - if Anti can’t possess or hypnotize or mind control him -

He has to have that.

Maybe he could win, with that. Everything feels much more real and certain all of a sudden. He’s stepping towards Emmanuela, fixed on that necklace, his heart pounding.

“It can do all that?”

“It should last you for more than a month, maybe two,” she says softly. “I fear that if you are not free by then, he will worm back into your head and erase all your progress, and then… I don’t know. This could be your only chance, Henrik. Do you understand? Within two months, Henrik - Anti must be dead. For you and all your brothers. Within two months, be free.”

His fingers tremble as he touches the talisman.

Within two months -

Freedom.

Anonymous asked: Red, Dap, what's going on on your end?

Anxiety.

“Dap. Dapper, look at me. You have to calm down.”

Paranoia.

“Should we not take him? He’s so freaked out. Buddy, are you sure it’s not a delusion?”

Anti is coming. Anti is close. Anti is going to put him back in his room.

Dapper leans over to vomit for the third time today, his whole body shaking. Red holds up a plastic bag for him and rubs his back as he’s sick, sitting with him in the shade of a cathedral not far from the marketplace. Max comes back from a vendor with a cool Inca Cola and Red presses it to Dapper’s reddened cheeks and forehead, shielding him from view until he’s ready to lean back, panting.

“Are you hallucinating? Delusional?” asks Red.

“Yes,” groan Dapper’s hands. “But I can tell the difference. Red. Please just leave me behind and get Dok and go. I can’t take this. I just want to go back to my master.”

“He’s the one making you so scared!”

“He can make it stop, too. Please… you might be able to get away if Anti at least had me.”

“Don’t say that,” murmurs Ro. He and Max exchange helpless glances over his head. “Let’s just get to Dok, okay? I bet you’ll feel better when you see him.”

aether-mae asked: I’m sorry JJ but killing Anti is your only way out of this. He may have been your whole life, but it’s a miserable life that’s choking you, and killing that life is the only way to create a new one that you can make for yourself. No one to hunt you down, no one to run from. You can’t hide from this anymore, or be passive any longer. Anti taught you to wield that knife, now show him what it’s for

“No, please,” sobs Dapper, curling in on himself. “No, no, don’t say that, I don’t want him dead, I need to see him, he raised me, I have to - I have to - ”

“Breathe, breathe,” begs Red. “Dapper, please, bud.”

“Kill Anti? I’d be so lost, I can’t, I can’t… took me apart, put me back together, puppets, my little puppet box, my toys, just playthings, we’re always playing games but not the kind I like to play, Max played with me - ”

“He’s getting manic,” warns Max.

“Dap, buddy, listen, you don’t have to think about Anti right now. Let’s just - fuck’s sake, where the hell is Henrik? I hope he comes soon.”

cest-mellow asked: take a deep breath, dapper. focus on red and dok, are you excited to see him again? you can show him your bear and henrik can show you the pretty things hes gotten while visiting the magicians. he’s got things from the car, too!

Dapper pauses, rubbing at his face.

“Things from the car? My old clothes from the car? So Anti will be less mad at me?”

He combs gently at his over-grown hair, trying to push it back into some semblance of neatness. “Yes, I want my bear, too, oh. Where did I put him?”

Red gets off his backpack and pulls the bear out, handing it over. Dapper stares down at it on his lap, calming a little.

“Its eyes are the wrong color.”

“Think you’re seeing things, lil bro,” says Red gently.

“Oh. Yes. You know, I would like Dok, but also Blue, I would like.”

“He’s not quite himself right now.”

“We rarely are,” agrees Dapper, reaching down to brush his hands over the alpaca fur of his bear.

Anonymous asked: Dapper? It's okay buddy, you don't need to think about that right at this moment if you don't want to. Dok's gonna be here soon, if you need something good to focus on.

“Come on,” suggests Max, reaching out to help Red to his feet, who pulls Dap up after them. “We can walk around the market and look for him. We’ll be ready when he gets here.”

“You can look at the other bears, too.”

“Oh, is this where you got that?” grins Max.

“Yeah, haha, we got most of our Christmas shopping done here this year. Neat little place. Come on, buddy, we’ll wander around for a while. Distract ourselves.”

Dapper takes his hand and follows after him.

Anonymous asked: Hey Ro! Are you excited to see Dok?

Ro breathes out a soft, shaky sigh. “I am, yeah. It’s just… I was kind of being a jerk last time we saw each other. I hope he’s not angry or scared of me or something. I think I owe him an apology.

“You guys are helping him make his way over here, right? Tying up any loose ends and ready to go?”

Anonymous asked: I don't think he's mad at you, or scared of you. He didn't seem that way; from what I can tell, he just wants to see you and Dapper again.

Red relaxes, looking down at you gratefully.

“People… are way too nice to me,” he laughs, rubbing at the back of his neck. “No one seems to care about all the times I’ve fucked up. I kind of want someone to just beat me to hell, punish me for it. Like that would make it right. I know it wouldn’t, it’s just… ha. I don’t know. I don’t really deserve anyone’s forgiveness.”

Anonymous asked: Sometimes we need to be loved rather than hurt to learn our lesson y’know? It’ll be okay, Ro :)

“Yeah,” laughs Ro softly. “Yeah… weird how that can be harder than just taking the punishment, huh?”

Anonymous asked: I'm not going to say you haven't made mistakes, even bad ones. But I heard somewhere that one of the biggest indicators of whether you can really forgive someone is whether they're trying to change. And from what I've seen of you, you are.

Red looks at Dapper beside him, his little brother’s eyes watching the stalls and people as they pass, and Max ahead of them, guarding them, his hair glowing gold in the sunlight.

“Yeah,” he says. “Yeah, I am. There are things worth changing for. And people who make me feel like I can.”

spicydanhowell asked: are you bringing the stuff from the car, hen? heading out?

“Right, right,” says Henrik. “Yes, I… I have to get going, don’t I? Thank you. Yes, I have all the stuff from the car in my backpack.”

If you don’t question who’s giving him the third necklace, he isn’t going to bother to either. He doesn’t want to think about it anyway, as he has an inkling of who it might be from. Emmanuela places it around his throat and it falls down to his clavicle, so the necklaces make a three-star constellation from his collarbone to his breasts. The design of the raven is lean and

“Thank you,” he says. “For everything. For the things you did do. And for the things you would have done if you could have. If I had asked you.”

“If you ever need anything,” she answers.

“Yes.” He knows what she means.

“Goodbye, Henrik.”

He takes her out-stretched hand and shakes it. Takes in one more look of the Raven Queen.

“Goodbye, Emmanuela.”

He turns back to Hermann, staring sadly at him from the corner.

“Come on,” he laughs, reaching out for him, and Hermann takes his hand. “Stop sulking. It’s time to go.”

“Okay,” says Hermann wearily. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to the marketplace.”

“Thank you.”

The old convent looks down at him one more time in return. In his mind, he says goodbye to the little room with the open windows, goodbye to the garden and the cool dark chapel, goodbye to the dining room and the piano and the forest where he remembered his name.

Hermann whispers a spell to move them through the convent’s protection, and they reflect through the mirror and re-appear into the world. Cars rush around them. Buildings tower above and chatter with noise. The streets are swarmed with people.

Time to see his family again.

Henrik and Hermann head towards the market by way of the cathedral.

“Leave me here,” says Henrik softly, stopping by the gate. “Go say a prayer for me. Same God.”

Hermann’s eyes water and overflow. He stares at him, not letting go of his hand.

“I don’t want you to have to go,” he says, holding on to his crucifix. “Stay with us. We can keep you safe.”

“I have to go,” answers Henrik. “I have to be with my brothers.”

“Amigo,” mumbles Hermann, and leans in to hug him, close, close. “Hermano.”

Henrik laughs softly, trying to diffuse his own grief. His hands come up to wrap around Hermann’s back and they hold each other there in front of the church. The bells are ringing. Six in the evening.

You can barely make out the last words they offer each other before parting, but they’re there, soft in the evening light.

“Be safe, medico. Take care of your brothers. I’m sorry I couldn’t do enough to save them.”

“You did everything. More than you know. Thank you for making me believe there were kind people in the world.”

He was nothing but a strange man following them home from the shops, once. Henrik laughs and squeezes him closer for a moment more. Hermann kisses both his cheeks.

“Goodbye,” says Henrik. “Get home before Anti comes.”

Hermann nods and waves at you too with a soft, fond, sad smile. And then he disappears.

“Gone without a trace,” whispers Hermann, and Henrik laughs, his hands falling away from the invisible body of his friend, turning to go find his brothers.

—————

Red and Dapper and Max make patient circles around the marketplace. The crowds are dying down now as the tourists move off to dinner and evening entertainment, swarming out of the stalls and down the busy streets.

“You could get me another bear,” suggests Dapper, examining a stand full of alpaca-fur stuffies.

Ro laughs, but he’s considering it.

“We’ll see how much time we have,” he chuckles. “We - oh. Oh.”

Dok.

Standing in the entryway of the marketplace, holding to the straps of his backpack. Staring around through new glasses.

Red has never seen him looking so… calm. Healthy. Peaceful.

“Dok,” signs Dapper. “Dok!”

Max’s hand brushes across Red’s back. “I’ll give you three a minute,” he smiles, turning to disappear into the dispersing crowd, finding another stall to look at. Red is already racing forward.

“Dok!” he shouts.

His brother looks up.

Red comes to a halt before him, panting.

“Dok,” he repeats lamely, suddenly unsure of himself, and Dok stares back, his mouth slightly open, his eyes wide and delighted.

“Red,” he says. “I - ”

Dapper crashes into his brother and engulfs him in a hug. Dok lets out a deep laugh, his whole chest shaking with it, and swings Dapper in a circle, clutching him to his body. Dok murmurs love and reassurances at him, fussing over him as Dapper nuzzles forcefully into his cheek and neck and chest, hugging him tight, tight, breathing in the smell of him, his feet lifted off the ground by Dok’s grip.

“My poor darling, my poor love,” breathes Dok, rocking him. “You have been without your medication, you have been without so much. I can fix one problem at least. Here. I went back up to the mountain where we were living. The medication was still there, here…”

From his backpack, he pulls a little bottle of pills. Dapper sobs, his hands wrapping desperately around his Haldol at last, and Dok helps him take just a half pill to begin with, hugging him again as he swallows it and cries.

“It will take some days before it starts helping,” murmurs Dok.

“I needed you as much as the medicine,” cry Dapper’s hands, clinging to Dok. “Big brother looks after me.”

“Red was kind to you, wasn’t he?”

The question lances through Red’s chest, but he knows he deserves it. He swallows nervously, shifting on his feet.

“He figured it out,” answers Dapper benevolently, stepping slightly back from Dok at last.

Red and Dok stare at each other.

“We should, uh. Get off to the side a little, I suppose.” Red steps back and forth, back and forth. “Have a little privacy and we can talk - ”

Henrik hugs him.

“Little brother,” whispers Jackie, and hugs him back.

“It’s so good to see you… I didn’t know if anyone was dead or alive, I didn’t know if you were safe or had money, I didn’t know if you were being taken care of…”

“I was so scared those magicians would hurt you.”

“And you and Dapper hand-cuffed and fleeing, and all of us apart, and I didn’t know if they were enemies or friends at first.”

“I just wanted all of us to be back together, even now I can’t help but think… Dok, listen, I - I was being a terrible brother, last time we saw each other. Forgive me.”

Dok touches his beard, drawing back to look at him.

“It’s forgotten,” he answers, soft and earnest. “It’s forgiven. We’re together. That’s all that matters. I was so worried.”

Ro’s eyes water, his heart aching, but in a good way. He pulls Henrik back into a hug. “We’re okay, Dok. We’re okay.”

“You must have stolen and stolen,” he worries, brushing at his beard. “Red, do we need to hide?”

“We might yet. But I didn’t have to steal nearly as much as I would have. There’s someone you should meet.”

Red turns around, looking for Max in the crowd.

“Where did he go?” he murmurs.

“To give us some privacy,” answers Dapper. “Probably looking at shops or something. He must be - ”

A woman screams aloud.

Red is turning, looking for him, and the crowd parts like a Red Sea, and a wave of commotion leaves Red feeling numb and distant, people rushing past him, a second scream, a third, calls for the police, the market emptying, vendors leaping their stalls to escape, and Red in the middle of it, too suddenly over-stimulated to meltdown, stepping back towards the place where he last saw him.

And there is Max, in the dirt, bleeding from the heart.

Black-crimson ink from his chest.

Open, blinded tiger eyes.

Red hears Dok give a cry and Dapper a shrill warning whistle. Just meters away, standing over the corpse, Red’s twin stands tilted on a cane, his eyes, green and blue, shining coldly in the evening light.

“My brothers,” says Anti, dropping the bloodied knife to hold out a hand instead, tears welling in his eyes. “Oh, oh, my brothers. I was so, so worried. But here we are again. Here we are again. I will make everything right.”

Ro hears himself screaming.

cest-mellow asked: jj can you turn it back??? are you healthy enough???? we can’t lose max!!!!

Red turns to him.

“Jameson,” he croaks. “Jameson. Please. Oh, God. Please.”

Dapper is clinging to Dok’s shirt, standing in front of him, protecting him. You can hear Dapper’s breath hiccuping, his eyes fixed, with pupils blown, on Anti.

But even now he cannot stand to watch this happen.

Too many innocent lives. Too many innocent lives.

Dapper takes his clock from his pocket.

You see Anti’s eyes widen furiously. “Dapper!” he calls. “Don’t you d

The post where Hermann and Henrik say goodbye was reblogged with this addition:

Dapper is in the marketplace.

Clinging to Red with one hand.

To Max’s backpack with the other.

He leans forward to throw up for the fourth time that day, his eyes flickering with silver light, crying as Max and Ro converge on him in worried murmurs and cool drinks pressed to his head, feeling their heartbeats through his hands.

Anonymous asked: Turn back time Dapper do it now!!!

“What did you have to turn back?” Red and Max hurry him towards a shaded corner of the markets, Red holding him close to his chest. “Dap, are you okay, is everything okay? It was just for something on the other side of the world like last time, right? We’re okay?”

Dapper tries to breathe, shivering. He feels terribly dizzy.

Max’s corpse is in front of him again and he jumps, terrified -

No, no, just a hallucination. Just a hallucination. Keep it together, Dap! They’re okay for now.

“Have to run, or fight, or convince him not to hurt him, or, or… I don’t know what to do,” stammer Dapper’s hands. “Dok is coming. Near the entrance.”

Anonymous asked: Trick and Anti are here, Ro! Keep Max close at hand and don’t let him go alone! Trick has a gun and he’s been hypnotized and he is willing to shoot anyone who will take his brothers away!

“He’ll hurt Max,” warns Dapper, clinging to Ro’s sleeve. “I told you if he was here when Anti came, he would die. Leave me, I’ll be enough to distract Anti. Go.”

“No,” cries Red viciously, though you can see a new terror in his eyes, his head swiveling around the marketplace. “No. Max, stay here, stay with us.”

“I’m here,” answers Max softly, trying to calm Red’s hands as they paw desperately at him, as though trying to reassure him that Max is still there. “I’m with you. We have to keep each other safe. Watch out for Anti. I think we should probably get Dok and run.”

“Do we even have time for that?” asks Red. “He’s already here. I don’t know how close.”

Anonymous asked: Henrik, where's the closest entrance to the marketplace? Do you know what cardinal direction it is from the center? Wait there, we'll get the others to come to you

Henrik pauses, blinking at you. “I’m almost to the south entrance,” he says. “Did the pigs find us or something? I’m ready to run.”

Anonymous asked: Red, Anti is here, he’s going to kill max, that’s why Dap turned back time!!

“I can’t - I can’t - ”

If Red didn’t panic when he saw Max’s body, he is beginning to now.

“Can’t watch you die. I can’t watch you die. Max, I - ”

“I’m here,” repeats Max, steady as a seafarer, clutching his hands when they reach out to touch him. “Jackie, I am right here. I’m with you. Let’s worry about what will be, not what was.”

Red settles slightly, letting out a slow breath, summoning ferocity to replace the fear. He has to protect them both. All of them. His little brothers. His… whatever Max is. His Max. That’s his job. That’s all that matters.

“I don’t want to lose you again,” says Red, and Max looks back at him, and his eyes are deep and endless, and his mouth is soft and -

“Can we fucking focus?” asks Dapper.

“Right, right. Okay, let me think.”

Anonymous asked: All of you, Anti is coming to the market. He'll be here in maybe five minutes, probably a lot sooner. He will kill you first, Max. You all need to decide right now: are you running? Or are you going back to him?

“Leave me with Anti,” repeats Dapper, stepping forward.

“No!” Ro repeats right back. “No, you’re coming with us! We’ll go away. We can try reconnecting with Anti when we’ve had some time and we know he’s not going to fucking murder us!”

“I don’t want to go.” Dapper’s eyes are pained and wet but so determined it stops Ro in his tracks. “I want to want to go, but I don’t want to go.”

You can see Max trying to understand what he’s saying, with limited success.

“Dapper,” signs back Ro. “I need to take care of you. That’s my job. I have to make sure you don’t faint too much upstairs and that you get enough food and that Anti lets you have the right dose of medicine and - ”

“You don’t always have to be my suffering savior, my love.”

“He will hurt you. He has always hurt you. And I have so often, just - just let it happen.”

“I can’t get away today, Red. I just can’t. He won’t let me. If you two could go, at least you would be free. Or if you won’t let me go entirely, just let me go to Anti this time around and I’ll reverse it when I know what the best option is.”

“You’re not well,” protests Red. “You can’t reverse so much, Dapper, you’re going to make yourself snap or have a psychotic break or get really ill or something. I can’t put you on the line like that.”

“I will do what I have to to protect you,” answers Dapper fiercely. “You and the person you love.”

Red’s breath hitches and he shakes his head, turning to you and Max.

“What do you think? Should I just… fuck. Should I leave him behind? Just for one test run? Maybe? Or run off with him? Don’t look at me like that, Dapper, I’m making this decision executively. Don’t argue.”

Anonymous asked: Dapper, no. Anti has Blue's magic and can use it fully; the only option is to run. With them. I don't think you should risk the possibility that he controls, or partially controls, your time powers again. It might do more harm than good.

“Come on,” says Ro, immediately convinced - really, he just needed the reassurance. “They’re definitely right. I’m playing the big brother card. Come on.”

Dapper squeezes his eyes shut, but doesn’t protest. In the end, however, if Max and Ro find a way to get away, he has no intention of going with them.

immabethehero asked: Henrik, Anti is here. He'll kill a good friend and ally of Jackie and Jameson. Keep a look out.

Henrik swears vehemently, his pupils shrinking with fear. He stands nervously outside the market entrance, plucking at his necklaces.

“That ‘friend’ should just go,” grumbles Henrik. “Anti will not kill the three of us, but an intruder… they should run while they can.”

But at least… if Anti is here, then Trick must be two.

Dok swallows and forces his hands to still, calming himself.

They’ll figure this out. Together. They have to.

Anonymous asked: Dapper, what is your plan? If you stay behind, what do you plan to have happen?

“What always happens,” says Dapper wearily.

“Settling?” mumbles Max.

“At least this way, I could be a distraction for the rest of you. And I could find out where Anti is and what he plans to do. He’ll catch me if I run.”

“Let’s just try,” pleads Max, already moving forward with Red. “Come on.”

spicydanhowell asked: jamie, you need to keep fighting to get away your brothers will never really be free if they have to live with the guilt of leaving you behind. besides.... henrik found out that nobody will ever be able to get anti out of their head until everyone does- if i remember correctly -so!! please? do what jackie says?

This seems to interrupt Dapper’s thoughts entirely. He stares at you and has to be grabbed by Red to keep heading through the marketplace.

“Everyone does?” he signs, bewildered. “They can never be free… if I’m still in Anti’s power?”

His eyes are watering. His hands shake.

“But… I’m never getting out of Anti’s power…”

cest-mellow asked: be on the lookout guys, keep max as close as you can!

“Yeah, keep me close as you can. I wish this were in a sexier context,” sighs Max.

Anonymous asked: Max, Ro, Dap, Henrik is waiting for you outside the South entrance to the market.

“You, uh… you look like you’re waiting for someone.”

Dok blinks.

Turns around.

Anti’s there, yes, waiting in a different place than where you saw him last time, but Dok barely even sees him. He’s background noise. Everything is.

“Trick,” he whispers.

His twin gives him the smallest, shakiest smile he’s ever seen.

Tears in his eyes.

“I - I - ”

Trick can’t speak. Dok can’t seem to manage a single word. They’re staring at each other, meters apart.

“Dok!” cries Red. “We need to go! We - oh. Oh.”

Anti is no longer background noise. Dok feels his heart tremble as Blue’s body steps past him, sifting through the crowd, smiling coldly up at the trio of them.

“What’s this?” he purrs, his cane striking the ground as he walks, one, two, three, one, two, three. “My loving older brother… my loving little brother… and oh, look. A slinking whore.”

Max’s eyes are shining black in the evening light. He tries to step forward but Ro snatches his hand, breathing hard.

“You’re Anti,” says Max, and despite the fear there is a horrible, agonized victory in his eyes, to have found him at last, to see him face-to-face. “I’m - ”

“I know who you are,” says Anti irritably, dismissively, picking at Blue’s nails. “The lucky fucking porkchop that managed to hide from me. Jackie’s little heart, oh! So romantic. I’d like to see yours, now, Mr. Deshmukh, seeing as you’ve bared my brother’s. Your heart, that is. In the palm of my hand.”

“Run,” signs Dapper.

“Dok,” croaks Red. “Trick. Blue.”

“Run!” repeats Dapper, shoving him forward. “Now!”

hurricael asked: You can. You were never as fully in his power as the others, it's just that instead of covering you it got tangled up. But you can come out of that, it'll just take work and time. And, also, everyone else; please hurry, we don't want you to get hurt

Dapper doesn’t know how to start believing that, but he does know that they need to go, now, or Max will die. And if that means running with him, then Dapper will run with him. He grabs Red’s head. Red is still holding Max. And then, through the crowd, they are racing away.

Anti rolls his eyes, flushed from the heat and the fatigue of his injuries and Blue’s body. He turns around and grabs Henrik, making him yelp with surprise. Anti turns his eyes to Trick.

“Get after them,” says Anti. “I’ll watch where they’re going through the cameras and catch up. As soon as you have them in your sights, you kill that stupid fucker trying to steal them away from us. Am I understood?”

Trick has Dok’s gun in the pocket of his coat.

“Yes, Anti. I understand.”

Anonymous asked: Henrik, remember what they gave you, you are protected and now it is your turn to fight back. Think smart and be careful!

Henrik is panting. He stares down at you for a second before Anti draws his attention back with a soft tug on his arm.

“Dok,” says Anti, stepping into his space.

Henrik stills as he knocks their heads gently together.

“Anti,” he pants back, staring up at his brother.

The abysses of Anti’s eyes darken and swirl slightly, boring into his own. Anti wraps him gently into a hug. Fuck, but he’s warm, and the slight electric touch of him is familiar, nostalgic - maybe even homey.

His little brother.

He wants to hold him, yes.

But not because of hypnosis.

“I was so worried,” whispers Anti, and goddamn, he sounds it. His eyes close for a moment and he lets Blue’s head sink down onto Henrik’s shoulder, his arms wrapped around his waist. “After what I did to that girl - what I had Red do to that man - Henrik, I thought they’d kill you… I couldn’t find you… I missed you. I’m glad you’re safe.”

“Anti,” Henrik repeats numbly, his chest aching. He remembers Emmanuela’s warning. The day you’re ready to kill him. The day you’re ready to see Anti die.

How is he ever going to be ready for that?

“You’re going to help me, aren’t you, love?” breathes Anti, looking up at him again, his eyes getting darker, darker. “You’ll go after Trick and help him catch that intruder, won’t you? Forget about whatever happened these last two weeks. My bruder. Still my good boy, aren’t you? Or you want to be, right? Prove yourself to me. Go fetch your brothers for me and let’s all be a family again.”

“Actually,” says Henrik, his voice stammering. “I think you should… not kill Red’s friend like a crazy person with no regards for human life.”

Anti blinks.

Henrik blinks back.

Anti stares at him.

“What,” he says, voice flat. “In the actual motherfuck.”

hurricael asked: Red Dapper Max turn around now. Anti is where Dok is and he's sending Trick after you. Trick is completely gone, you have to go. I'm sorry, I don't know if you can get Dok

“Fuck’s sake,” cries Red, pausing to look back. “He can’t use my little brother like that. Trick - I can’t - I can’t go, I can’t leave them, I - ”

“It’s a little late for that sort of deliberation,” spits Dapper. “Max is here! You have to find a way to protect him whether or not we’re going back to Anti.”

“What do we do?”

“I don’t know! I never make choices like this! I just press rewind on my powers until someone tells me the day turned out fine!”

“We could hide somewhere,” suggests Max.

Dapper clutches the camera protectively to his heart. “Anti can see us through these and I’m not letting them go.”

“I’ll stop Trick,” snaps Red, turning back into the crowd. “I’ve always been the better fighter. Keep going.”

“He has a gun!” cries Max, but Red isn’t listening, stalking forward for a sight of his brother. He won’t let Trick get the drop on them. He can’t protect Max from what he can’t see.

Anonymous asked: Trick, Trick, can you hear us? You intend to follow Anti's orders to kill the person who's Red's friend, is that correct?

“Yeah, I got it handled,” he promises, patting the place where a tiny camera is clipped to his collar. “I just want to get my family back. Don’t worry.”

Anonymous asked: Amazing how a few weeks of basic human rights can allow people to do things like form opinions and develop relationships.

“You cut that shit out,” spits Anti. “Forming opinions and developing relationships is disgusting.”

And then -

Oh, fuck’s sake.

Dok can’t help it. He’s laughing.

“You’re so stupid,” he laughs.

He’s laughing hard. He’s laughing hard. There’s tears in his eyes. He’s crying.

“You’re so stupid!” he repeats, slamming his fist down against Anti’s chest, once, twice, all but collapsing into him, sobs tearing from his throat. “Why can’t you just be my brother? Why are you doing this? Red’s only going to hate you more! Why are you so horrible to me? I’ve been so, so good. I’ve always been so good. Even when my head was clear! And you still just treat me like a puppet.”

Anti lets him crash against his shoulder, nearly toppling them both. He wraps his arms uncertainly around Dok.

And then spots the necklaces hanging from his throat.

“Oh, is that the problem?”

He reaches out to tear them off, but as soon as his fingers touch the talismans, he’s jerking back with a cry on his lips, clutching at his burned hands.

“Fuck it!” shouts Anti, drawing attention now, people glancing over to see what all the English yelling is about. “Take those off right now!”

“No,” says Henrik softly.

“Dok, I swear on all that you once thought was holy - ”

“You wouldn’t like it if I did anyway,” says Henrik. “There’s a curse inside them. I won’t unclasp them til I need them.”

Anti swears aloud, rolling his eyes, panting from working Blue’s body too hard.

“Just shut up and come on, then,” he hisses, grabbing Dok’s hand and yanking him to his side. “We’ve got more important things to deal with right now.”

Anonymous asked: Trick I don’t think killing him will get your family back....I don’t think Ro would ever forgive you if you did that. Come on Trick don’t do this please? It’s wrong to kill him just because Anti said so and you know it!

Trick bites down hard on his lip for a moment, panting as he runs. He shakes his head like he’s trying to get you off him.

“I - I didn’t kill that girl when Anti asked me to,” he says. “It seemed wrong then, but it wasn’t! If I had killed her, she never would have taken Dok away from me! Anti knows what’s best.”

“Trick,” comes a commanding, familiar voice. “Stop, don’t come closer.”

Trick sees Red’s face in the crowd and a pained gasp tears out of his throat, his eyes watering as, after all this time, he realizes he must greet his brother in a battle. Red and Trick collide, Dok’s gun steady in the space between them.

“I’ll fucking shoot you, Red,” warns Trick, burying it against his stomach even as Red gets a grip on his hair. “Don’t be stupid.”

“Why the hell do you sound Irish?”

“Just shut up and move!”

cest-mellow asked: max, be careful, trick was ordered to kill you this time!

Max is ignoring Dapper’s hand yanking at him, trying to get him to run, his eyes fixed back on Ro in the crowd.

“Trick - Chase would never really… and especially in a crowd like this! He would never kill me, he would never shoot someone, he - ”

A gunshot goes off and Max screams even as Dapper pushes him back into an alley to hide. You hear Red holler in tandem, collapsing on the other screen, wailing as blood runs from his leg. Trick steps over him, heading back towards Max and Dapper.

Anonymous asked: UH max play dead??? Dap can you pretend you already killed him?? Trick will not stop coming and dap can't keep rewinding, anti already knows about max and wants him dead, so just make trick think he doesn't have to shoot him, job already done?

“Uh,” begins Max.

“Sure,” answers Dapper, desperate for anything to do, and he cuts a line of blood into Max’s stomach. Max yelps, startled, and crimson seeps into his white dress shirt.

“But Anti can see through the cameras!” protests Max.

“Well, Trick can’t,” hisses Dapper, shoving him to the ground. “Maybe it will buy us a couple minutes, and trust me, a couple minutes can mean a lot. Look more like I stabbed you!”

“Fuck,” hisses Max, and closes his eyes.

bupine asked: trick, don't. the man anti wants you to kill? red loves him, a lot. so, so much. he'd be fucking devastated if you killed him. i don't think he'd ever be able to forgive you after that. do you understand? this could cost your brothers love. and don't you dare say anti is the only brother who matters, because he's not. you know he's not. you know you love the others. don't throw it all away.

“Trick!” Red is screaming, the crowds clearing hurriedly away from the gunman. “Trick, please! Don’t hurt him! Don’t!”

Trick glances back at him, a touch of trepidation in his step, uncomfortable with disobeying an older brother, though he knows Anti’s orders trump his.

“Red loves him?”

And it’s true - Anti isn’t the only brother that matters. Is he? There was someone else. Trick blinks, his head aching a little.

pixie-in-trebleland asked: Trick! He didn't do anything! Don't shoot him! Your big brother LOVES HIM

“Look,” sighs Trick. “It sucks that he’s confused right now… I can only imagine how much it would sting to realize someone you thought you loved was bad for you. But soon Anti will clear his head up and then, well. He won’t need anybody but us. We’ll be enough for him. And that - that’s how it has to be! He can’t just leave!”

Trick’s voice shudders. “He wants someone else? What, we’re not good enough for him? I’m not good enough for him? Anti says we’re enough and we shouldn’t want anything more. Anti will make it right again. He’ll forget all about this guy soon.”

hurricael asked: Trick. Stop, please. You just hurt your brother. Are you now going to kill a person who they've come to consider family? That could damage your relationship with them permanently. Please, hold on for a minute. See if we can figure out a solution that works better, okay?

Trick rounds the corner of the alleyway, blinking at the sight of his little brother kneeling beside Max’s body, playing peacefully with his bear and his bloodied golden knife.

“Dap?”

Dapper looks up at him, blinking.

“Did he try and hurt you?”

“No,” says Dapper, tossing the knife up and down in his hand. “But he was talking about taking Red away from Anti so they could go be happy somewhere without anybody chaining them in their rooms or forcing them to beat the shit out of me. And we don’t approve of that, do we, big brother? Who cares what Red will say?”

Trick’s gut twists uncomfortably.

Anonymous asked: Yes baby, I think you’re thinking about Dok. You remember him don’t you? You just saw him a second ago and he’s with Anti now. He’s your twin, the one that took care of you when you were sad? You bought him coffee for Christmas and he bought you that sweater. He’s here and he matters to you, maybe more than Anti ever did.

Trick touches his skull, blinking.

I love you.

Yeah? Even more than Anti?

Even more than Anti.

Shhh. I love you too.

Five seconds. The thought blinks away again. Trick shivers and tries to hold steady his gun.

“Let me check if he’s alive,” he sighs. “Poor little Dap, all covered in blood.”

“I’ve killed more people than you,” snips Dapper.

“Alright, just move.”

“No, he’s my kill! Anti’s going to be pleased with me! Get off or I’ll tell him you hit me!”

Trick draws back, shaking his head. “Don’t tell him that.”

Dapper scowls and curls slightly over Max’s body.

Anonymous asked: No, Trick, it's not at all that you're not good enough. He loves you a lot. It's just that sometimes different people fill different holes, and it's not possible for one person to be everything someone needs. Sometimes even multiple people aren't.

Trick shakes his head, his eyes stinging.

“No - no. That’s not true. I don’t want it to be. Dok and I, and Anti and I - we’re enough for each other. Nobody else wants me. If they’re not everything, then I’m never going to… to find anyone, I’m never… the fact that two people put up with me is already a fucking miracle. If it takes more than that, I’m lost.”

Tears well up in his eyes. He tugs anxiously on his fervently green hair.

“I have to be enough. I have to be everything or no one will want me around. They’ll find someone better.”

A sudden flash of fury strikes his eyes and he shakes his head hard, grinding his teeth.

“Move, Dapper! You’re not better than me! Anti already fucking replaced you with me so just move!”

Anonymous asked: Trick! Listen! Is these really something you want to do? Forget Anti you’ll have to live with your actions for the rest of your life! Can you really live with the guilt when you knew you have the chance to change it? Do you really want to kill a man for taking care and loving your brothers when they had nothing? Stop and think about this Trick!

Trick’s expression darkens wearily.

“I’ve killed people before,” he mumbles. “And they weren’t even threatening my family. I can live with it.”

Anonymous asked: He hasn't been threatening your family; in fact, he's even been helping them. Would you really kill someone who was kind to your brothers, when he could have just as easily not been?

“That’s true,” says Dapper coolly. “He did feed me and Red, and get us clothes and everything we needed and protect us from the police instead of turning us in.”

“I don’t care,” sighs Trick.

“Liar.”

cest-mellow asked: trick, you have to calm down. all of your brothers love you to pieces and want whats best for you, EXCEPT anti. the sooner you realize this, the easier this will be.

“I’d agree,” says Dapper. “But honestly the fact that you’re turning your self-esteem issues into a reason to kill a man is rather off-putting. Also, you are sprouting horns. Are you Anti?”

“No.” Trick rubs his face and slides to the earth, looking exhausted, hiding his face from you. “You’re off your meds.”

“Right.”

For a moment, they’re still.

“Can I have a hug?” mumbles Trick.

Dapper blinks.

“What?”

Trick looks up at him, red-eyed.

“I… really missed you all,” he whispers.

Dapper sinks slightly in on himself. He’s tired too.

“I missed you too, Trick.”

They move gently together there in the dirt. Dapper lets Trick press him to his chest. He puts a hand on his brother’s chest and feels his heartbeat.

He should have been the one who was there to take the brunt of Anti’s affection. It’s not a blessing. Trick shouldn’t have to be the one dealing with this.

“It’s going to be okay,” soothes Dapper. “Just don’t hurt this guy. Red really likes him, Trick.”

Trick hides in his chest.

“I’m going to do what I have to,” he says eventually.

“Me too,” warns Dapper.

hollenka99 asked: You love Dok too. And he wouldn't want you to kill this guy either. How about you make sure (through NON VIOLENT means) Red's friend understands he is not to follow you or your family anymore?

“Why can’t we just do that?” asks Dapper.

“You know Anti wouldn’t let us,” whispers Trick.

“Some things are more important than what Anti wants.”

“You really are delusional.”

Anonymous asked: Trick, I wouldn't risk provoking him. You never know if he'll want to prove why he should reclaim his spot as Anti's twin.

“Yes.” Dapper crosses his arms over his chest. “Wouldn’t want to risk it.”

“Babe, I know you’re, like, covered in blood, but you’re not really intimidating.”

“That’s the point! I’m disarmingly cute! It works better when Anti is here to counteract me.”

Trick just sighs. “At this point, whatever happens is going to suck, isn’t it?”

Dapper’s eyes close. “Trick. It’s my job to make sure we get the least sucking option available. Please just cooperate with me.”

Anonymous asked: Hey, Trick. It's okay. Your brothers want you, they love you. You are one hundred percent good enough. I should've said it's not always possible, that was my bad. They won't just find someone better; they love you in part because you're you.

“They’re right,” comes a voice behind them.

Trick whirls.

Doktor’s there. In the alley mouth. Helping Red to stay on his feet.

Trick can’t move. Frozen by the sight of him.

“I do love you,” says Dok. “We all do. Or at least we all will when we’ve recovered from the gunshot wounds you may or may not have given us.”

“Get the fuck away from him!” shouts Red, and Dok helps him limp desperately forward to collapse at Max’s side, pulling him into his lap, tears running down his face. Max looks up at him for a moment before his eyes close again.

Trick is just staring. Trick is just staring. Trick is just staring.

Five seconds and the image of him does not clear away.

Dok is still there.

Five seconds and Dok is still there.

Five seconds and Dok still say he loves him.

I do love you. I do love you. I love you. Better than Anti.

“Dok?” croaks Trick, his voice shaking. His chest shaking. His heart shaking.

Dok kneels down beside him.

“We didn’t get a proper hello,” says Dok. “But I’m here now.”

“Dok,” repeats Trick desperately. “Dok. Dok. I… I… what have I… what has happened to me?”

“Stay with me,” murmurs Dok, taking his face in his hands. “Here I am.”

bupine asked: trick, chase, fucks sake, will you listen to us? jackie loves that man and he has for a long time. he just didn't remember him. he knew you too, you know. all of you. he's been so good to jackie and jameson, he's bought them food and clothes and kept them safe and made them happy. they'd be dead without him. and jackie or red or whatever name he chooses - he loves him. and he is good for him. don't take away your big brother's best chance at happiness.

“They’re all right if you would just listen,” cries Ro. “And I - I do love him. You aren’t my brother if you hurt him. Max…”

He runs his hands across his face. Figuring they’ve given up the ghost a little, Max opens his eyes and smiles at him. Ro sniffles and smiles back even as pain courses through him.

“Trick, the fucking cops are coming, seeing as you shot me,” snaps Red. “We need to all get out of here now.”

“Red,” warns Dok, staring at the deep, bone-shattering wound in his leg. “Don’t get up. You’ve lost a lot of blood. You could lose the leg.”

“I’m fine,” mumbles Red, swaying slightly. Max rises up to grab him.

“Where’s Anti?” signs Dapper.

“Close behind,” grimaces Dok. “I kind of just dropped him.”

Dapper’s eyes flicker, an emergency plan forming in his head. For now, he’ll focus on the present, but maybe he can get Max out of this if something goes wrong.

Anonymous asked: Trick you are enough just the way you are. Your brothers love you for who you are and there are people that you’ve forgotten about or haven’t even met yet that have or will love you. You should never have to change your opinions or appearance to be accepted or loved by someone. That kind of mentality is abusive and wrong. You know this is wrong, you don’t have to conform. You are worth so much more than to be treated like dirt by someone like Anti.

“Yes,” murmurs Henrik, stroking his fingers through Trick’s hair. “I like the person you really are. I love him, in fact. More than myself. More than anyone. Trick… Chase…”

Trick grips desperately at his white coat, taking comfort in the soft fabric as his breaths come faster and faster, his head filling up with a terrible pain. He isn’t supposed to be thinking about this - but why? - but how can he not? - but Anti told him - but he needs to kill him - but why? - because he’s Red’s partner? because Anti hates - Xin Yi. Xin Yi.

“What’s happening?” screams Trick, tears coursing down his cheeks. “No, no, no, I can’t - I can’t - ”

“Your thoughts have been repressed for a couple weeks,” says Henrik softly, stroking his hair, his back, his beard. “The dam’s burst. This is normal, as far as I’ve ever seen. Just try and breathe with me through it.”

“I didn’t even think of you,” gasps Trick. “And I just forgot - she kissed me, she - and B-blue?”

He buries himself in Dok’s arms, gasping for air, and Dok chants reassurances at him while Trick rambles desperately. Red stares at them for a second. Dapper waits for him to speak.

Instead he faints.

Max gasps and catches him, helping lie him down, calling his name as blood seeps all too rapidly from his leg.

“You’re all disasters,” growls Anti’s voice from the head of the alley, and Dok, Max, and Dapper turn as one to see Blue’s body standing there on the cane, mismatched eyes flickering hatefully. “Dapper. Dok. Move.”

“No,” says Dapper, shaking his head, pushing himself in front of Max. “No.”

Anti’s eyes narrow.

“I can tell you’re slipping in and out, Dapper. You’re psychotic. Delusional. This boy treated you kindly for two weeks and you forgot the unity between us, my brother, my twin, the only one who really knows me… and I, the only one who knows you at all. I know what you really want is to come back to me. I know you don’t care about Max. Just about Red. I’ll make it right for him.”

Dapper closes his eyes. Opens them again.

“No.”

“Such a hypocrite,” Anti hisses, in a voice like a snake rearing, stalking forward. “Have you forgotten what you are so easily? Suddenly you care about this one? Out of all the people you’ve murdered… You’ve done a lot worse things than this, Dapper. Or did you finally manage to blot out the day you helped me kill all three of the men Marvin had in rotation?”

Dapper’s heart stutters in his chest. So hard it hurts.

“Or Henrik’s queer-platonic partner?”

Blood drips down his knife. Max’s blood down his knife. He does not move.

“Or your own fucking girlfriend?”

“Stop,” whisper Dapper’s hands. “Stop.”

Anti grabs his youngest by the hair. “Get up,” he says. “My perfect darling. Don’t go losing your mind on me now. I’ve missed you, my love. Get up.”

Dapper rises slowly to his feet.

Anonymous asked: Henrik, do you think it's a good idea to try and drop Anti with the animal necklace? If it works, you could get Blue back, but if it doesn't it might go badly.

“I don’t know,” chokes Henrik.

Anti turns glowing eyes to him and Henrik pulls Trick away from him. He can feel the heat rising off of Anti’s flesh as Blue’s magic pools. Max gives a sudden choke, eyes widening at a strange sensation in the middle of his chest.

But he won’t let go of Red, and he doesn’t run.

Anonymous asked: Fight it, Dapper. You're stronger than him!

“Shut up like a good little murderer and stay out of this,” sneers Anti. The trunks of trees burst up from the ground and Dapper sucks in a gasp as he is pinned back against the wall of the alley.

A rose bush blooms in Max’s chest. You watch him struggle frailly, eyes huge, choking for air as the thorns pierce him from the inside out. Dapper writhes, howling, tearing an arm free and scrambling for his knife.

“Aww,” mocks Anti. “You going to stab big brother Blue? Going to watch him die just to kill me? Not like you’ve ever cared about anyone but yourself before.”

Dapper’s eyes water and overflow, his teeth gritted tight in his mouth. No. He can’t stab Blue. He can’t kill him. No more innocent people.

“Please!” he begs, writhing. “Don’t hurt him! I won’t let you do this!”

“You’re a little late,” says Anti. “But don’t worry. I’ll make it better soon.”

“What if we gave ourselves back to you for him? Our loyalty again for his life?”

“Would you really? I… well. Not necessary now.”

“But you might? You might let him live?”

“I’ve got this handled as is. Red is unconscious and you’re bound. You’ll both settle down.”

“I.” Dapper struggles to get his hands free, signing around the knife. “I. I. I am the most ferocious creature you have ever met. I do not. Settle.”

Anti laughs.

And Max drowns, quiet, lying against the alley wall with Jackie in his arms.

Dapper stills in the arms of the tree. Slowly, they recede, and leave him on the ground again.

Anti wants him to be his little murderer, is that it?

“That was well over-due,” sighs Anti. “Now don’t even think about going for your stupid little clock. I can smell that you’ve already reversed once. My poor Dapper. I’m really going to have to put you back in your place. But if you reverse again without the password, I’ll be able to tell, and I’ll punish you and every single one of your brothers until you’re all screaming for mercy. You’re stuck, Dapper. Don’t worry, darling. I’ll fix it again soon and it’ll all make sense. But there is nothing you can do to save Jackie’s little - ”

Dapper picks up his knife and sends it spinning across the alley, where, in one neat blow, it impales Trick’s pounding heart and sends him into his death throes.

Henrik starts screaming like he’s being murdered, clutching desperately at his twin. Trick grabs the dagger, too astonished to be frightened, blinking dopily at Dapper as the life flows out of him in splurting streams of blood. And Anti?

It’s Anti’s turn to just stare.

Mouth dry. Heart pounding.

Trick.

Trick’s corpse on the earth beneath him.

He looks back to Dapper. He has never seen Anti’s eyes so terrified.

“Want to tell me that fucking password?” he signs.

He’ll reverse again. Max will not die. No one else will be punished.

He doesn’t care what it does to him.

“Athanasius. That’s the password. Now bring Trick back.”

The post where Red turned around to fight Trick was reblogged with this addition:

Dapper grabs Red by the hood, dragging him back to him.

“Dapper! Cut it out, I - oh, fuck!”

Red catches his little brother as he crumples against his chest, his legs shaking hard and blood running from his nose - and his mouth, too, Red realizes belatedly, tilting his face up at him. Silver eyes bore into his own, and Red tugs desperately at Max, pulling him close as his eyes rove the crowd for Trick, armed and determined, coming towards them.

“Dap,” breathes Red. “How many times?”

“Third,” sign Dapper’s weary hands. “So you do what I tell you. No questions. Take Max. Run.”

“I am not leaving you here with - ”

“He will not shoot me. I checked - he’s still scared to cross me. Keep running. If you can, hide. Give me the camera, give. If Anti catches you - Red, pay attention - if Anti catches you, you can trade loyalty for Max’s life.”

“I can’t just give up my mind again,” whispers Red. “Or my… or Max. Even if I think maybe I should stay with the rest of you and help you stay safe, I can’t just - ”

“Then you better be fast!” interrupts Dapper, shoving him away and straightening as best he can, gripping you in his palms, leaving Red and Max without a camera. You see them exchange one more glance, Red’s hands open like he might just snatch Dapper and bring him with them anyway, but then they are gone, their hands clasped, racing away together.

Dapper collapses for a moment. You go down with him, striking the pavement hard enough that a crack splits the middle of his screen. You can hear his shuddering breaths - or maybe they’re sobs as his head spins and his thoughts begin to unravel like cut-up threads, groaning out a breath as images replay in his head.

He really killed Trick. He laughs breathily, tears sliding down his face. It was like the games Anti used to play to test him, back when he didn’t plan to keep Jackie around. Killing him over and over again in front of Dapper, leashed to the bed they shared, knees drawn to his chest, replaying his murder until he lost count of how many times he had died in front of him…

“That’s a new memory for today,” he signs at you as he manages to drag himself up. “You might have to help keep me focused.”

“Dapper?” calls a concerned voice, stopping in front of him.

Dapper grabs Trick’s wrists and drags him into the alley, pinning his arms to the wall. He has to tell him something, stop him from something, get someone to… Dok to… hell, his head aches. He had a plan! Something touches his ankle and he gasps, but when he turns around to look, there’s nothing there. He is unraveling. Trick catches him when he crumples for a third time. This time, he faints away completely and you slide out of his hand, back onto the pavement.

cest-mellow asked: boys, the only way you can beat anti and get blue back is if you all work together. max that probably includes you since blue is possessed....

“Goddammit, Dap,” you hear Trick hiss, sinking to the pavement with Dapper limp in his arms, clutching his little brother’s head. “You better have the fucking password or Anti’ll goddamn kill you. Shit.”

He looks around, torn and frightened by whatever convinced Dapper to turn back. He needs to keep running after Red and the stranger, but he doesn’t want to get in trouble for leaving Dapper alone and unconscious either. He slaps Dapper’s face lightly and is relieved to see him stir, blinking his silver eyes dopily up at the sky. Trick shades him from the sun and lets out a nervous groan, holding him in his lap.

Work together. Dap tries to think, rubbing at his aching head.

hurricael asked: I think you should go for it. He seems like he's about to use Blue's magic, and that is powerful. Maybe- maybe act you're happy to see him, or something, and get close to him, and then use the necklace?

Henrik is pulled along by Anti’s hand, staring at his brother before him. He’s scared and he doesn’t know what’s happening, but if you ask him to, he’ll use JP’s necklace on Blue before Anti reaches Dapper and Trick. Or he can do what he did last time, and tug out of his grip, and run to find his twin and little brother.

pixie-in-trebleland asked: You do have the password now, right Dap? You remember it?

“Athana - I don’t know how to spell it. Z? S? Something. We’re fine. Trick, change in plans. Do what I tell you.”

“But I - ”

“Anti told me to change time! You do what I tell you when we’re playing with time!”

Trick bites on his lip but doesn’t protest.

“You need to get to Dok.”

Trick smiles faintly. “I… I could, but Dap, Anti gave me an order, I need to - ”

“I gave the order so I’ll worry about the punishment.” Dapper pushes on his chest, dragging himself back to his knees. “You and Dok need each other.”

“And you don’t need me?” protests Trick, holding his shoulders.

“What?”

“And you don’t - ?”

“Not you,” protests Dapper, whirling around. “What are you saying?”

“Dapper, no one else is talking.”

“I do know the password,” insists Dapper, staring at the wall. “I do!”

“Bud, stay with me.”

“I need to protect my family.”

pixie-in-trebleland asked: You do have the password now, right Dap? You remember it?

“Athana - I don’t know how to spell it. Z? S? Something. We’re fine. Trick, change in plans. Do what I tell you.”

“But I - ”

“Anti told me to change time! You do what I tell you when we’re playing with time!”

Trick bites on his lip but doesn’t protest.

“You need to get to Dok.”

Trick smiles faintly. “I… I could, but Dap, Anti gave me an order, I need to - ”

“I gave the order so I’ll worry about the punishment.” Dapper pushes on his chest, dragging himself back to his knees. “You and Dok need each other.”

“And you don’t need me?” protests Trick, holding his shoulders.

“What?”

“And you don’t - ?”

“Not you,” protests Dapper, whirling around. “What are you saying?”

“Dapper, no one else is talking.”

“I do know the password,” insists Dapper, staring at the wall. “I do!”

“Bud, stay with me.”

“I need to protect my family.”

pixie-in-trebleland asked: You get to make the decision now, Trick. You got this. Do what feels right to YOU, not anyone else.

“I do not want to get in trouble with Anti,” says Trick clearly. “I’m trying to be good. But I don’t think he would want me to leave Dapper behind, so let’s just take a second. Anti will be able to find Red soon, or maybe Dapper can rewind again when we have a clearer picture. Here, buddy, I got you. C’mere, I didn’t really get to say hi to you.”

Trick pulls Dapper back into his lap and Dapper sinks into a hug, distracted.

“Maybe… get Anti for me and he’ll stop and check on me. And I’ll have the password and he’ll listen to what I tell him.”

“Okay, soon as he comes.”

Anonymous asked: He's not kidnapping Red, Trick, don't worry. Red's okay, he's relatively safe at the moment.

“Okay, Red’s okay,” Trick murmurs to the both of them. “I mean, much as we can trust the cameras.”

He gives you a slightly dirty look. There are still things he hasn’t forgiven you for.

pixie-in-trebleland asked: It might not be helpful right now, Trick, but... we're sorry.

“Don’t apologize to him,” protests Dap. “He’s being a baby.”

“Hey!”

Anonymous asked: Here are the outcomes I can see for each option, Henrik. Just Anti: his attention might be drawn to you too much to succeed, but dap and trick won't be there to interfere. In front of them: Dap and trick won't be much help, trick might actively harm chances, but Anti will be distracted. With them, after reuniting: Trick will likely be out of it, probably dapper too, so you might end up with three people out of it and Anti right there. I would recommend the first option, but it's up to you

“I think you’re suggesting I put the necklace on him right now?” mumbles Henrik discreetly, a little confused. “I… I could.”

Anonymous asked: Henrik, dapper keeps having to rewind, I think you should put the necklace on blue. This could be your last chance.

Henrik shifts, uncomfortable with the dissidence, but he’s independent enough to make the choice for himself. He’ll wait to talk to his brothers, but if you suggest it again, he’ll do it without question.

He tears out of Anti’s hand and goes racing towards Trick and Dapper, ignoring an irritated shout from a limping Anti.

“What do I need to do?” he asks.

Anonymous asked: If you can give JJ his Haldol, please do!! I think he'd appreciate it. After that, just talk to Chase, comfort him when the memories start coming back. And follow JJ's lead.

“He’s had his dose for the day, but medicine like this takes time to kick in - days, maybe longer, with how long he’s been off it. Time travel makes his confusion worse. Don’t let him reverse again.”

Henrik races down the road. He can hear Dapper whistling for him, calling for his help with Trick. He finds them in an alleyway, sitting together, their arms around each other and Trick’s cupped hand full of Dapper’s blood. Dapper spits the copper from his mouth, looking, in Henrik’s medical opinion, ridiculous levels of fucked up.

“Take Trick,” signs Dapper. Trick’s eyes are already enormous and fixed on Dok as his memories rush back to him. “He’ll snap out of some of Anti’s hypnosis soon, but he’ll still listen to him if he’s given a command. Take him far away to hide.”

“Where?”

“Doesn’t matter. You have a camera. We’ll be able to find you again. Go. I’ll intercept Anti.”

“He’s not far. Come here, Trick.”

“What’s - ?”

“Just come on!”

And it’s Dok and Trick’s turn to race off, Trick still casting nervous glances back at Dapper and the alleyway.

Dapper pulls himself to his feet, breathing out. Breathing in. Breathing out.

Okay. Let’s face him again. He can do this.

Anti appears there in the alley on that cane.

They stare at each other for a second. Antiques and petrichor.

“Password?” says Anti.

“A-T-H-A-N-A-Z-I-U-S.”

Relief floods through Blue’s face. Anti moves forward.

“Close enough,” he laughs, and he pulls Dapper into a hug. Tight, tight.

“My - my little brother,” Anti whispers, and then he’s burying his face in his shoulder, holding him close, and Dapper is holding him right back, his chest aching, his head pounding, a wave of confusion rushing through his head.

“Anti,” he answers softly against his brother’s throat.

“I can’t remember the last time I was that scared,” laughs Anti, his voice shaking, letting himself be raw with Dapper, be open with Dapper, be himself with Dapper. “I never thought I’d see you again, for a while there. Dap, fuck. I love you… I’m glad you’re still mine. Always so good for me…”

Dapper pulls back, exhausted, his eyes dark. Anti kisses his cheek.

“What do I need to do, love?” asks Anti.

“Please,” says Dapper. “Let Jackie’s Max go.”

“Don’t you say that name. What’s gotten into you? You know I can’t do that.”

“Well, I don’t know where they won’t. But you’ll lose Red if you hurt Max.”

“I’ll figure it out. I have to have Red back. Our big brother…”

“Fine. Come on, I know which way they went.”

“Oh, no, darling, you can’t come with.”

Dapper’s eyes widen and his stomach drops.

That was not part of the plan. No. He has to go with, he has to make sure he can stop this -

“You’re confused and sick. You could reverse when I don’t want you to.”

“No, no, won’t!”

Anti handcuffs his right wrist. Dapper chokes, grabbing Blue’s arm, desperate.

“No!” he cries with his one hand. “No, I need to come, I had a plan, I just needed to remember it!”

“If I need you to reverse again, I’ll tell you through the cameras.” Anti places it carefully at his feet and handcuffs the left hand, making Dapper gasp, leaving him trapped and muted against the dumpster, shaking his head wildly.

“I’ll be back in just a few,” promises Anti. “Just go find Red and Max. Don’t worry, I have a signal on his phone. He’s been easy to track. I’ll bring Red back for you. If I’m not back in a half-hour, you reverse again. There’s my good boy. Goodbye.”

And that’s where Anti leaves him, sinking to the ground, his silver eyes wild, wild, wild and fixed on you.

pixie-in-trebleland asked: Red, you need to move faster. Ditch your phone! Anti is tracking you guys. BOTH OF YOU DITCH YOUR PHONES AND RUN LIKE HELL

A

They ditched the camera, but Anti can hear them, Anti can hear them through the phone. He digs into the frequency and it buzzes onto your screens, showing you the darkness of the inside of Max’s pocket. Luckily for them, Max has been hiding from Anti for a long time. They already realized the problem.

“Give me the phone,” Ro is panting. “Go to the airport. I know you got tickets. Go back to England. I should never have let you come back with us. I just didn’t want to admit what he was. I didn’t want to admit that my little brother would hurt you.”

“I’m not leaving you. Not losing you again.”

“You heard the messages,” whispers back Red. “My brothers and I - we have to be together to get free of him. We have to work together and we’re not ready. Trick is completely in his head, Dapper can’t convince himself, and Blue is possessed and sick and hurting. We have to do this alone.”

“That’s stupid,” spits Max, and you can hear the brush of their clothes together. “That’s stupid. Let me help.”

“He’ll just kill you. I know the way Dapper thinks, at least in regards to reversals. He’s protecting us and you have to run. Max.”

“No… no. I can’t… I love you. I finally found you again.”

Air between them. Breathing between them. They are holding on to each other. Max will not let go of him. He can’t.

“Yeah, you can,” says Red. “You can and trust that I’ll come back to you.”

“You’ll forget me again.”

“No. No. Never.”

He can’t. He can’t. Can he? He can’t.

Anonymous asked: Max, you’ve given Jackie a reason to fight again. Your safety is the most important thing right now so please go back home! He’ll come back to you, but if you do not leave now you will die and loose everything that you’ve worked for. Stay alive for Jackie’s sake.

“I just want to know you’re safe, somewhere in the world,” mumbles Jackie, running his fingers through Max’s hair. Holding his waist. “If I forget… Dapper remembers, moment to moment. He’ll remind me. But you will die if you - ”

“Maybe I’d rather die than lose you again,” spits Max, suddenly venomous. “Maybe I’d die for a chance to shoot Anti in his fucking head.”

“He’s wearing Blue anyway. You can’t.”

“Chase is out of his mind and Marvin is sick as fuck and Jameson is always lost and you want me to - ”

“Max.”

“That’s my family, you, all of you, Juice Box, Jackie, you are my family. I’ll stay with you.”

Red sighs, very long and very deep. Touches Max’s face. His gloved hand.

And then he draws back and strikes him so hard you hear Max crash to the ground, his head slamming into the pavement, and that’s where he stays, unconscious, as Red turns, and takes his phone, and leaves him there in their hiding place.

Red does not show you where.

Does not show Anti where.

Max will stay there in his memory alone.

He doesn’t say “I love you.” Feels too much like a betrayal. He can hear Max’s song in his head.

“Bye, Max.”

spicydanhowell asked: henrik i think you should put the amulet on anti

“He’s away from us now,” says Henrik, struggling to orient a sobbing Trickshot. “I can go after him if you know where he is.”

“Don’t hurt Anti,” protests Trick desperately, trying to breathe. “Dok, Dok, what’s happening to me?”

pixie-in-trebleland asked: Hen, Max and Jackie split up. Anti's tracking their phone.

“Shit,” hisses Henrik. “Is Jackie in danger?”

And on your other screen, at the exact same time, with the thumping of the cane:

“Would you fuckers stop trying to thwart me? Bastards. Red! Red, come here! I see you, big brother! Come on, we can be nice about this…”

Anonymous asked: Henrik, I think you should find Red first before using it, because Blue will be out of it and I don't think you can get them both away alone. And Trick, it won't hurt Anti. Do what Dok says, okay? He knows what he's doing.

“You’re going to listen to me, yeah, my Trickster?”

“Yeah, okay, yeah, Dok, you know I t-trust you, I love you, I’m sorry.”

“Just stay with me. Guys, I’ll go after Anti, but I have no idea where he or Red are!”

Anonymous asked: dap, are you doing okay? what do you need/want from us? max is safe, he and red split up for a little bit to stay safe. anti is catching up to red. dok and trick are still together, they might be looking for anti but it's kind of unclear, they might not have a plan yet.

You can find Dapper sitting there, head low.

The slow dripping of tears in front of the camera.

He hears your beeping and sniffles, reaching out his feet, trying to drag you closer to him, but all he ends up doing is accidentally kicking you, and you drop away from him, so he can just barely touch you with the tight, black dress shoes he put back on knowing his master was coming to steal him again, again, always. He sighs and closes his eyes, letting his head fall back.

He doesn’t want to do this anymore.

Everybody’s got to fight together to get free, but he’s never going to be able to. He’s always going to end up right here. Right here, chained and exhausted, in Anti’s captivity.

Wait.

But… Max gave him one present before all the rest.

Anonymous asked: We. Don't really know where they are either?? Jackie's being smart, not showing Anti anything, but he's still tracking his phone. It looked like Anti's getting kind of close now. You two should probably also be careful not to show anything, like,,, incriminating? We'll update you if we can.

“I see you, baby,” calls Anti again, stepping forward, stepping forward. People and pigeons part as he steps. Thud, thud, thud says the cane. “Come here. Come here. It’s okay. You brought the phone, so I know you wanted me to come after you. I know you’re going to stay here with little brother. Come here. Come here, my brother, my guard dog.”

“Don’t call me brother,” rasps Jackie, without much strength left. “You told me family was an illusion. A trick.”

“And I stand by that. But here you are. Planning to stay. Come. Sit down.”

A dark plaza. Outside a church. Always a church in Peru. A dark plaza and a dark bench. Late enough now that there are few tourists, just people moving, moving, moving, moving to go to their homes, to their families.

“They still think there’s a fight to fight,” coos Anti. “But you know better, my love. Sit down. I’m going to get you a drink.”

“What?” stammers Red.

“Yeah. I’m going to get you a drink. Sit.”

And he sits.

Confused, on the black bench.

“Know where we are?” asks Anti. He’s buying an Inca Cola from a nine-year-old vendor. “They want to know. Tell them.”

Ro stares around them. His eyes are watering.

Anti points up at a surveillance camera and connects it to you so easily you can tell he’s done it before.

“Outside the police station,” whispers Ro. “Where they held me after I killed that man.”

Jose.

Anti comes back and sits beside him, handing him the drink. Cracking it for him.

“Drink,” he says.

“I’m not thirsty.”

“Drink,” repeats Anti. “Because if you are not mine, then I have no need for you, and I can put you back in that police station right now.”

Red stares down at the yellow soda, bubbling happily at him.

His shaking hands pull it back to drink. Sweet. Bubblegum sweet. Taunting him. Anti, more than anything else, loves to taunt all of you.

“Give me the phone,” says Anti.

Red hands it to him.

“Guess what his password is?”

“I don’t know, Anti.”

“1007. Mean anything to you?”

“No, Anti.”

“I know it doesn’t,” he says.

He is enormously pleased with himself. Unlocking the phone, he holds it between himself and Ro.

“Look,” he commands, opening the camera app.

Mostly, it’s just pictures of Jackie being stupid.

Laughing and cooking pancakes. Holding Chase over his shoulders like he weights two pounds. Clinging to Max at the top of the Brighton Tower. Making superhero poses. Frowning exaggeratedly over a cake he burned the shit out of. Asleep on the couch, with Max’s arm slung around him. The two of them grinning side-by-side.

But there are the rest of them too. Henrik flips the camera off, sipping his coffee. Marvin and Jameson are motion blurred as they run away from halfway-finished graffiti, hand in hand and laughing. There’s a video of Chase and Jackie throwing a pair of shrieking children back and forth.

“So cute,” says Anti. “He adored you.”

He blinks at the camera and it sparks and smokes, the images disappearing into pixels. Ro blinks tears away and refuses to look at Anti, closing his eyes and clinging to his soft blue hoodie.

“That’s what I would have done to that boy if I found him,” growls Anti, dropping the phone to the ground. “Still could. But you were smart, weren’t you, Red? You knew what would happen. So you made the right choice. You’re giving yourself back to me. That’s what’s happening, right? Or should I keep searching for your little fiance and throw you back in jail?”

Jackie’s eyes snap open.

“My… my…”

There’s the word he’s been looking for. There.

“My fiance?”

Anti hands - Blue��s hands, his twin’s hand - are on his face, cupping his cheeks, and Jackie shivers at the sensation. He hates skin on his skin. Anti knows.

“You give yourself back to me right now,” says Anti. “And we will let all of this - all of this - go. Like it never happened. And I’ll take you somewhere new. And you’ll be happy again.”

“For how long, Anti?” cries Red, his eyes sunken, tears running down his face. “How many times will we do this? How many times have we done this? Why does Dapper talk about escape attempts I don’t remember? Why is it more painful every time we do this?”

Anti’s eyes flicker.

“Anti,” whispers Red. “Promise me this is the last time.”

Anti stares at him. Green and blue. But still Blue’s eyes. Still Blue’s face. Red touches his hair.

“If you lose me again, kill me or throw me in jail. None of us can keep playing this game. It’s too much. You’re killing us, Anti. You’re killing yourself. Promise me this is the last time.”

And Anti remembers promises broken, and heartache, and his own regret, bitter in his mouth.

If he promises, he means it.

He learned his lesson.

He means it.

“Okay,” he says.

If he can’t be happy with them, he can’t be happy. If he can’t control them this time - if they start to get loose - he’ll end it. He’ll end all of it. Okay.

“I promise.”

“And one more thing,” says Red.

“I’m not really a bargain-maker,” Anti.

“You love bargaining,” answers Red. “You told me it makes you feel like a crossroads demon and that that was probably your true calling.”

“Okay, fine,” he says. “I do. And it is. Aren’t we talking about your soul anyway?”

“Leave me with the memory of him,” says Jackie, very soft. “Leave me with one thing that doesn’t always hurt.”

Anti sighs and looks down at the broken phone on the earth, a distorted image of Max and Jackie smiling back at him. All too bright. All too beautiful. All too happy.

“Don’t change my memories of him. Don’t delete him. Don’t try to hunt him down. Just… leave him. And I’m yours. I’m yours.”

“Okay,” says Anti. “Okay.”

A flood of pigeons leaps up from the earth, darkening the sun and the steep tower of the church.

“As long as you’re mine.”

And he grabs Jackie’s head, and remembers the first time he killed the man in front of him, and he makes of himself a flood.

Jackie can hear himself cry out.

And then, Jackie can hear nothing at all.

Red still hears Max’s song, playing in his head, and Anti’s voice, soothing him.

“It’s over now. It’s over. It’s done.”

He always thinks he alone is enough for finality.

Anonymous asked: Hey Ro! You need to find Henrik! He’s got a plan but he needs your help first so you can grab Blue. Also! Anti handcuffed Dap to the dumpster where y’all split up first, at some point you need go back and get him!

“Fuck’s sake! Hand-cuffing my little brother during a psychotic episode! I’ll eviscerate him.”

Henrik hears his own words and laughs a little wildly, clutching to his necklaces. He wishes he could threaten to kill Anti as easily as think about actually doing it.

“Okay, my Trick, my twin, let’s go back and get our little brother out of those cuffs, and then we go find big brothers and Anti, yes?”

“Okay,” groans Trick, wiping at his face. He’s a right mess, snotty and red-faced, tucked like a kid against Dok’s chest and clinging to his coat. “Yeah, my little brother.”

Dok helps him up and they hurry back to the alleyway, looking around.

“Um, here?” asks Dok. “Or where? Carver is not here.”

Trick sniffles and points to the dumpster, where a pair of handcuffs lie open and abandoned in the dirt.

Anonymous asked: Dap, hey, Dap, where are you? Do you have a plan? Dok and Trick are where you were

“You know something?” says Anti, leaning on Red for support now, his big brother exhausted and completely dazed, holding a tissue to his nose to stem the blood that came down as Anti poured once more into his head.

“What?” mumbles Red, clinging to somebody. He can’t tell if it’s Blue or Anti.

“That wasn’t even that hard. I can’t believe I was that stressed. Like, sure, that stupid fucking asshole found you again, but I didn’t have to break you out of prison or anything. Dapper’s a little sick, but he had the password, he followed the rules. You just took a little convincing. Trick will have a quick breakdown, but Dok’s there for him. And Blue can suck me off cause he’s been such a fucking bastard lately. I’ll let him go when we get to a new country. Guess I gotta find a way to deal with Dok… goddamn magicians. Almost want to stay and kill them, but honestly, we’ve been causing so much trouble lately. At least I didn’t have to shoot anyone. You’ll help me put Dok back together, right?”

Red nods wearily, nearly tripping over stone.

“There’s my good boy,” purrs Anti, nuzzling against his shoulder. “I love it, I love having you back, I feel so much better. And Blue fits so nice. Lately I’ve been getting sick everyday at this time, throwing up blood, feeling so mortal. But it’s all okay now. I’ll have to use Blue more often.”

The cameras are beeping insistently and no one seems to be answering them. He frowns down at you as it continues.

“What are you talking to Dapper for? Which alley is it?”

He pulls Red to the side and Dok and Trick turn back to look at them. But no Dapper. You feel Anti still.

“Where’s Dap?” he says, very stiff.

Trick and Dok exchange glances. Trick offers Anti the handcuffs uncertainly.

“Dapper?” calls Anti, letting Red go. He stumbles and Dok hurries forward to catch him. “Dapper? Where are you, baby? He can’t be running around while he’s confused and having an episode. Where’d he go? How’d he get loose? Why isn’t he answering the cameras?”

“Anti, it’s okay, it’s okay,” Trick tries to soothe, hearing the rising panic in his voice. “We’ll find him, we’ll find him.”

Anti limps back towards the street, eyes wide. Dapper is not there. Blue’s hands shake on the cane.

Anonymous asked: Hen, you probably noticed, but Red's under Anti's control again, so be warned. He might not be able to help you with Blue

Henrik draws slightly back, touching the back of Red’s head gently, frowning at him, grieving the news. But when Red looks back, it hardly even looks like him. His eyes are red and so miserable Henrik can’t imagine him falling back into the person he was, hitting them and ordering them around and carrying out Anti’s orders. If this is Red, he is not the same.

“Dok,” he whispers.

Henrik strokes his hands through his hair. “Bruder,” he answers softly. “Come here.”

Red slips into his arms. Henrik hugs him as tight as he can, giving him his favorite form of pressure, holding his head to his shoulder, and Red cries into his white heart surgeon’s coat.

“It’s going to be okay,” whispers Henrik, wrapping his fingers around his talismans. “One month, two at most. Two months and be free. I won’t go under. He won’t take me over again.”

“We’ll only do it one more time,” mumbles Red, almost delirious. “Only one more time and then, one way or another, it’s done.”

And then Anti is checking his other cameras, and they hear him start to scream.

Anonymous asked: What is it, Dap? Do you think it could help?

Max gave him the lockpick the day the first day Dapper saw him again, when they both hand-cuffed him to the chair in their motel room.

It was a good thing to give him. He’s grateful. That’s all he’ll need it, so he lets it fall.

And it falls, and falls, and falls, and falls, and falls.

Down onto the street far below. Your view is fixed on it. It’s all you can see - the highway, dark in the evening, and the ocean, glowing beneath artificial lights, and the people like raindrops babbling in the heat far below you. The pavement and the river and the people like raindrops and Dapper’s tight, hot, black, dirtied little dress shoes, standing on the ledge of a building.

Softly, above you, Dapper is laughing.

#writers of jack #chapter three

[bigskydreaming]

Why does nobody talk about Tim being sexist in Robin and literally kicking Steph in the stomach in Red Robin? I see so many Ohh but this One thing a poc Robin did that majes them the Worst of the Worst but for him it's silence? I really don't like the fandom's biases, it's very blatantly elitist and racist, willful ignorance isn't easy to hide.

Yeah, I mean, tbh the reason I don’t mention stuff like that is just like....at the end of the day, ALL the issues that are ever raised about these characters essentially just come from writer bias.....they’re inserted into the narrative or a characterization by canon writers who just flat out don’t even realize that what they’re depicting is gross fucking behavior. So its like, never there because it HAS to be, y’know? These characters don’t HAVE to be portrayed these ways. And that’s pretty much WHY I focus so much on the fandom side of things - because none of us have any influence on canon writers and where or when they insert these things into the narrative or fail to recognize the problem....but when it comes to fandom, there is really no excuse for why that stuff can’t be pointed out and acknowledged for the problem that it is.

And for my part, like, I’m just so focused on pointing out where the fandom narrative has become extremely skewed in regards to Dick because....it really is just all the double standards and hypocrisy that bug me, you know? I honestly do not need Dick to be everyone’s favorite character, or hailed as the best Robin, or anything, I just like....want people to stop writing him as this petty resentful asshole just because they think oh we need to give him flaws to make him more real when like, I honestly can not for the life of me think of another character I ever hear people saying “we need to GIVE him flaws to make him more real” y’know? 

The guy has existed for 80 years, he’s got enough material to be REAL, you’re not giving him flaws or overemphasizing his flaws because he’s just two dimensional without them, like, there’s just no material to write him as a well-rounded character without that....you’re just doing it because you WANT to. Like, that’s all it comes down to, its that simple, but so many people just flat out refuse to own that.....and IMO, it so often is BECAUSE of how quickly we tend to default to using comparisons as our basis for judging how ‘good’ or not a character is, if that makes sense?

So like, for me, I don’t focus on talking about Tim’s flaws or Jason’s flaws beyond the obvious references like “it drives me batshit how people can view Jason TRYING TO KILL TIM as something Tim more easily can forgive than like....Dick giving the mantle he himself created to Damian in an effort to....keep Bruce’s last son from running back to Murderville, Population Him.”

And that’s purely because.....they’re just not my focus characters, and I don’t really feel a need to go into them in depth the same way I do with Dick, and like....at the end of the day.....pointing out things they do that are worse, don’t actually do anything to improve Dick’s standing, you know? Like, to me, it shouldn’t be about oh Dick is a good character because he’s a better person than Tim, see, he’s never done anything like THAT (cites this or this or that)....that’s just not that productive to me, and more importantly, its one of those there but for the grace of God things, you know? With every character who hasn’t ever done something another character has, its usually just....honestly a matter of luck that they never got saddled with a writer who thought “oh this character doing this horrible thing to that one is a brilliant idea, lol,” quoth a dumbfuck who wouldn’t know good characterization if it kicked him in the face.

Again like, I’ll make a big deal about blatant double standards, like....I rant endlessly about making Dick punch Jason or Tim in fic or having Jason or Tim or Bruce punch Dick in fics without it being seen as a big deal, because.....Dick’s been punched in canon by all those characters without it being seen as a big deal and never done the same in return, so that’s a HUGE, glaring double standard where its like “why do so many of you think its cool to paint the one guy who actually RECEIVES this kind of treatment like...flipped entirely around to be the perpetrator”....like, that I’ll never stop being pissed about because its like....a direct one to one comparison, y’know? Its two almost parallel examples of mostly the same situation, so its pretty clear cut when people are regarding one as ‘nothing to be upset about’ and the other as ‘we must write him doing this all the time and never fail to crucify him for it in the comments as though like, this is just who he is.”

And with things like times Bruce has been abusive in canon, I don’t overlook or ignore those and focus on them a lot because like....they happened, I’m not focused on them as a way to make Bruce look bad, I’m focused on them because they HAPPENED, period, and I want to explore that for personal reasons that relate to why I project onto Dick Grayson so much.

But beyond that, when it reaches the point of like.....’people shouldn’t claim Dick is terrible for doing stuff like this, when Tim is over HERE doing stuff like THIS”......that’s when I kinda bow out and circle back around to focusing on more direct comparisons, you know? Because those just feel more productive. At the end of the day ‘good’ and ‘bad’ are pretty subjective (I mean, obviously not talking about the difference between hey this character is genocidal and this character is not), and given how interpretative comics are in general, and how many writers most characters go through....like, ultimately there’s just no real ‘ground’ to be gained by arguing that certain characters are ‘just as bad’ or ‘even worse’ than others, IMO. If that makes sense?

So since I’m not really just...trying to yell just for the sake of yelling and I really do want at least some people to kinda....hopefully end up more aware of stuff like “hey yeah, it IS weird that we’re always talking about Dick’s temper tantrums when its usually everyone AROUND him that’s breaking shit when they’re mad”....aka, that thing where the EXACT SPECIFIC thing held against Dick is actually way more commonly perpetrated by characters nobody blinks twice at for doing that stuff......like, that’s kinda where I start and stop my focus. Specific, done in one examples that are directly comparable to an equivalent thing in another characters’ narratives or trends in how they’re perceived or treated by fandom.

The wider net, while I don’t fault others for being annoyed that fandom so completely glosses over pretty sizable displays of poor behavior in certain other characters, like.....its just not for me, personally.

[relaxedreptile]

Ride

Pairing: Baekhyun X Female Reader

A/N: Here it is, street racer!Baekhyun. I hope I did him justice.

Let us all wish him good luck at his next race.

Stay cool!

-

“You know, when I agreed to go out with you this wasn’t really what I had in mind.”

“Anything is better than you holed up in your room with your depressing music.”

“It’s not depressing! It’s chill, you like most of the stuff on my playlist.”

You were waved off and rolled your eyes at your best friend who had somehow convinced you to come out with her tonight. You got excited when she instructed you to put on your hottest outfit possible as you thought that maybe you two would be going to one of the exclusive parties they always seemed to get into, you weren’t expecting your tight pants and low-cut shirt to be wasted on a parking lot.

“Would you wipe that look off your face! You don’t even know what I’m going to show you yet.”

You raised your arms in surrender and followed after your friend who had a newfound pep in their step.

She led you to a building that reminded you of a scary warehouse a murderer would hide his victims and told you to hang back for a second as she walked up to the overhead door and knocked.

You were a little reluctant to let her walk up and so far away from you by herself, so you kept a close eye on her as you watched her hand’s movement line up with the sound of the pattern reaching your ears.

You heard a shout before the door started to creep upwards, revealing the inside of the warehouse to your friend and you, still disguised by distance.

A boy around you and your friend’s age stepped out into the light, hair slicked back and out of his face with the top few buttons of his shirt undone to reveal his muscular chest. The dim lighting complimented his tanned skin and the big smile that he gave your friend in front of him.

The two of them talked for a moment before they both turned in your general direction. Understanding that this was your time to shine, you took a few steps forward in order to reveal yourself to the handsome boy.

“Y/N! Come over here!” Your friend yelled. “Let me introduce you to Kai!”

You ran over to the two of them, dapping Kai up as the two of you exchanged greetings (without anyone else interfering).

“Sorry for ruining the mystery but… what is this place?”

“You were right, babe, Y/N has no time for bullshit.”

Kai spun around on his heels in a way that probably would’ve made anyone else fall on their face and motioned for the two of you to follow behind him as he began walking deeper into the building.

“Babe?!” You whisper-yelled, completely surprised by how comfortable this guy (whom you never met before) was with the person you thought you knew everything about.

You were answered with a gentle shove and a shy smile and a small chuckle from the man in front of you.

“I know that I don’t get out as much as you do but I didn’t know I was missing out on your super hot-”

“Boys! We have visitors.”

Kai’s deep voice made your head snap up and away from your best friend, successfully ending your one-sided argument and forcing your attention on the seven, very beautiful strangers scattered across the main floor of the building.

Each boy was sprawled out on their own couch, bean bag, fuzzy rug, and gave their own version of a greeting.

One of them, it seems, thought that glaring at you was a proper way to greet a guest.

Everyone seemed to recognize your friend as they all shouted combinations of “hello” and her name, even the one who made a point of staying silent just a moment ago when you were presented to the group.

“This is Y/N,” a finger was pointed in your direction as if his friends wouldn’t already know who Kai was talking about, “she’s never done this before so I want all of you on your best behavior!”

You didn’t miss the way Kai’s gaze seemed to bounce off the others boys and land on the grumpy one in the back corner.

“What will I be doing exactly? My invitation wasn’t exactly informative.”

The same boy from before scoffed at your joke, getting on your last nerve.

“Baekhyun,” a boy with silver hair reached over and slapped him on the shoulder, “stop being an asshole.”

You took a step forward but were stilled by a hand on your lower back, your friend trying to get the night going before you started some kind of fight.

“Lay couldn’t make it?” 

The hand was removed at the successful change of subject.

“Stuck at home again.”

“You know how he is,” Baekhyun offered, “he’s always got something else going on.”

Everyone’s smiles (fake or not) dropped at the mention of the absentee and you felt the need to brighten the mood back up but seeing as how you had just met these people, you had no idea how to do that.

Luckily, one of the boys in the room shared your intentions and clapped to get everyone’s attention.

He was sitting on one of the couches in the room, sitting in a way that was very proper compared to the other boys with his legs bent, feet touching the floor in front of him with his hands on his knees.

His hair, or lack of it, was also something that made him stand out amongst his friends. While everyone else had purposefully tousled hair ranging from one color of the rainbow to another, his was almost nonexistent. What was left after the buzz was his dark, natural color.

The man offered you a small smile, one which you returned as he began speaking.

“We have to get going if we wanna make it to the first race, our rent is relying on the overzealous bets that Minho always places.”

“What, D.O., you’ve never heard of fashionably late?”

“Don’t worry, Baekhyun,” D.O.’s stoic expression returned, “while you’re staring at yourself in a mirror, I’ll be winning next month’s rent.”

The room shared laughter at Baekhyun’s expense, earning you another glare. 

As everyone was grabbing whatever it is they needed for whatever it is that you guys were about to do, you snuck over to where Baekhyun was still hanging out in defiance.

“Hey,” you made him look up from his phone.

He looked you up and down before smirking and turning back away.

“Hey,” you repeated.

“What?” He replied with just as much attitude.

“What’s your problem?”

“My problem? You’re the one who hung back just to talk to me, a guy you just met and know nothing-”

“I know that you’re kind of an asshole and can tell that all your friends agree with me too, crucify me if I thought I should ask you if you were okay.”

“Sorry to waste your time, princess,” you both held eye contact, “but there’s nothing that you can help me with.”

“You don’t know that,” you promised, kneeling to be at his level.

Baekhyun swung his legs over the side of the chair he was reclined on, almost knocking you over onto your ass in the process.

“Please enlighten me on how you’re going to help me stop my losing streak, then. How are you going to make me regain my title as the best fucking street racer this city has ever seen? How are you going to make me win back the respect of my boys and the assholes that keep us from winning?”

You cocked your head and squinted your eyes at the boy in front of you who was obviously very riled up. You knew it wasn’t your place to tell him scripted bullshit disguised as motivation or advice, so you told him what you would want to hear if you were in his position.

“Well, how are you supposed to accomplish any of that if you don’t go out there and try?”

Baekhyun was rendered silent, completely aware that you had a point.

“Come on,” you stood up and motioned for him to join you, “Make this night worth it for me and go win that rent money D.O. was talking about.”

You were rewarded with a smirk and a brush of Baekhyun’s fingertips against your skin as he brushed a piece of hair behind your ear.

“Follow me, princess.”

You forced yourself to get over the initial shock of what Baekhyun had revealed to you before the two of you had caught up the the rest of the group to save yourself any embarrassment. The walk outside was silent and you parted ways with the street racer to join your friend in Kai’s car.

The outside was white and shiny, a stark contrast to the mundane brown (albeit, leather) seats on the inside. Though, you suppose no one really cared what the car looked like at all when it was going too fast for you to get a good look at it.

“You’re surprisingly a very good driver,” you joked.

“Let me guess, Baekhyun let the surprise slip?” Kai caught on fast.

“He… he told me he’s been having trouble winning lately.”

Kai sighs before making the final turn into the parking lot.

“Some guy beat him on a technicality a few weeks ago and he lost all of his motivation. We forced him into a couple of races to try and get him back into it but he lost those too, he’s too stubborn for his own good.”

“That must be horrible for him,” you friend piped in.

“It’s bullshit is what it is. We’ve all lost races but we also all know what’s at stake. This is how we pay for everything and if Baekhyun doesn’t start saving some money up…”

“Will you guys kick him out?” 

“God, no,” Kai made eye contact with you in the rearview mirror, “he’s one of us. But it’s not like we can spare any pennies for him to get anything outside of room and board. I have a niece to look after, D.O. is trying to get through culinary school…”

You friend placed a hand on Kai’s shoulder.

“Baekhyun’s gotta snap out of it.” He declared.

“Hey.”

You found Baekhyun sitting in his car (a matte black exterior with blue detailing inside and out), legs hanging outside the open door while he tapped his feet on the gravel beneath him.

A nod was sent in your direction rather than words, but it was better than nothing.

“You nervous?” The answer was obvious, but couldn’t be left unsaid.

Baekhyun scoffed, “you could say that.”

There was no place for you to sit beside the boy, so you stepped closer until your body was in line with the outside of the driver-side door.

“I bet a lot of money on you, you know. I thought we were going to a club tonight or something so I brought cash for drinks, but I think this is a better cause.”

Baekhyun snorted before looking up at you and smirking, knowing you had more to say.

“Look, Baekhyun, you’re the only person who can drag you out of this funk. You and the rest of the boys are counting on you to… to suck it up and get back up there. You’ve done it before so you can do it again! You can’t let fear rule your life and hold you back from what you want.”

In the blink of an eye Baekhyun had ended up standing in front of you, your gaze locked on his chest as you stood there, frozen in shock.

“I’m not afraid of anything, princess. I always get what I want, one way or another.”

“Are you telling me that you haven’t wanted to win these past few weeks?”

Two fingers were used to push your chin up, your eyes traveling up Baekhyun’s neck with the motion before they landed on his pouty lips so as not to miss a word he was saying to you.

“I know what you’re doing, princess, it’s not going to work. You’re not going to be the reason I win tonight, neither is D.O. and his condescending pep talks or Chanyeol and his stupid smile. I am the one behind the wheel so I am the only one who gets the honor. You can’t take my win away from me.”

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” you whispered into the space between your faces.

Baekhyun’s ran his fingers over your bare arm, starting from your hand before stopping at your shoulder and toying with the strap of your tank top. They slipped underneath the fabric, pulled it away from your skin, and let it snap back gently.

“I think… I think I need to wish you luck before you go out there.”

“Do you now?” 

Your voices were so low they almost escaped the ears they were meant for.

“It’s only fair.”

You took the final step forward and connected your lips with Baekhyun.

Almost instantly his fingers were tangled in your hair, pulling you impossibly closer to the man embracing you. You were holding onto anything you could — his waist, the back of his neck, the orange hair on top of his head — trying to get something more, anything more.

Baekhyun walked the two of you away from the driver’s seat and shuffled you over to the hood of his car, lifting you up by your thighs and laying you down on the cool metal.

You practically ripped Baekhyun’s shirt off of him as he slipped the flimsy straps off of your shoulders and yanked it down around your hips to gain access to the burning skin underneath. While your hands were preoccupied with trying to undo Baekhyun’s jeans, the man before you dipped down to draw a line from the waistband of your pants all the way back to your lips with his tongue, drawing gasps and whines from you as he took a detour and paid extra attention to your breasts that arched into his touch.

Fingers ghosted over the heat between your legs, giving you a chance to stop them. A chance you ignored, however, by pulling Baekhyun in for another kiss that ended with you biting his lip as he pulled away to breathe.

He growled into the next kiss as his hand slipped under your waistband, bypassing your underwear altogether and placing pressure in the most delicious way possible.

The kiss between the two of you soon became a plethora of gasping breaths and the occasional clashing of teeth as Baekhyun worked his fingers in and out of you, making a mess of the wetness between your legs that had spread in a way that was almost uncomfortable.

You felt that the exchange was becoming too one-sided.

You pushed Baekhyun so that he stumbled a few inches away from you before you grabbed onto his shoulders and spun him around, nudging him towards the hood of the car. His eyes stayed glued to your bare chest as he scooted backwards, ultimately resting his upper body against the windshield of his car.

You climbed up as carefully as you could before setting over his waist, straddling Baekhyun’s body as the two of you worked together to pull his pants down below his knees.

You made quick work of his underwear, dying to see him.

Baekhyun’s head fell back and softly clunked against the glass underneath him as you began stroking him, flicking your thumb over the tip of his cock before bringing your hand back down around his base.

You could feel Baekhyun’s eyes on you as you pushed your underwear to the side and positioned his cock where you wanted it most.

You met his gaze, giving the same chance gave you.

He answered with a snap of his hips that completely buried himself inside of you, rendering you speechless as you fell forward onto Baekhyun’s broad chest.

As Baekhyun wrapped his arms around your waist and began pistoning his hips into yours, he decided that he was the complete opposite of lucky.

He got what he wanted because he worked for it and he knew just the way to get it and right now, Baekhyun wanted you to cum all over the hood of his car, regardless of the mess it made.

#byun baekhyun #baekhyun #baekhyun fluff #baekhyun angst #baekhyun smut #exo #exo fluff #exo angst #exo smut #streetracer!au #rr:byun baekhyun

[i-am-the-hero-alfred-jones]

Fairy Tail’s Fairy Tale’s Chapter 8

((Part 8 of my contribution to the fairy tail big bang by @ft-ez-bb ! I hope you enjoy! Please comment/like/reblog/ect. if you did!))

"Gajeel, do you wanna be in the next story?" Wendy asked. "Sure, what is it?" he asked curiously. "Aschenputtel!" Wendy read, happily. "Bless you." Gajeel said. Levy laughed, "Aschenputtel is the German name for Cinderella." she explained, "I think it's very fitting for you." "Really?" Gajeel asked surprised. "Uh-huh. " Levy nodded, "You have a history of holding women against their will." she said, smiling. "When are ya gonna let that go?" Gajeel asked, annoyed. "Never." Levy replied. 

"Hey, we want to be part of the story too!" Jet said determinedly. "Yeah!" Droy agreed, "We wanna act with Levy and Gajeel!" "There's not really any other characters. . ." Wendy said, "I guess you could be the evil stepsisters?" "We're in!" Jet declared. "Yeah! How hard can it be?!" Droy added. Levy opened her mouth to object, but Gajeel quickly covered it, "This'll be great." he whispered to her, grinning. The team headed backstage. 

ASCHENPUTTEL   CINDERELLA

"Once upon a time, the wife of a rich man fell sick. And as she was dying, she told her daughter to be good and kind. After the woman had died, the little girl planted a hazel twig at her mother's grave, and she visited so often and cried so much, that it grew into a large, beautiful tree. And when she sat beneath it, if she made a wish, a bird would grant her it. Her father had remarried to a woman with two daughters of her own. All three were beautiful of face, but vile and black of heart. The step-sisters treated the little girl cruelly. They made her wear rags while they wore fine dresses, made her do all the chores, and instead of a bed, she had to sleep by the fire. Because of this, she was always covered in ash, and so they called her Cinderella." Wendy began. 

Levy walked onstage in rags. Jet and Droy walked behind her in fine suits. "Wait- we have to be mean to Levy?!" Jet exclaimed, "I can't be mean to Levy!" "I can't either!" "Guys, you're called the evil stepsisters." Levy pointed out, "What did you expect?" Gajeel's loud laughter could be heard from backstage. "That jerk. . ." Droy glared. "He knew this would happen!" Jet yelled angrily. "Guys, relax. It's just a play." Levy assured, "I know you're not actually being mean to me." "That doesn't make it any easier!" Droy wailed, tears streaming down his cheeks. Levy couldn't help but laugh, "It's okay, guys. Really. We need to continue with the play." The boys sniffled and wiped their eyes. "Okay. . ." "Fine." They agreed. Chelia leaned towards her friend. "Your guild is weird." she whispered. "I know." Wendy nodded. 

"The King proclaimed that there would be a three day festival to find his son a wife. All of the eligible maids in the kingdom were to come, and Cinderella was told to help her sisters with the preparations to go to the ball. Cinderella helped, but was sad, because she wanted to go to the ball, but her stepmother would not let her. She said Cinderella didn't have nice enough clothes and couldn't dance, Cinderella would embarrass the family. The stepmother and sisters left for the ball, and Cinderella went to her mother's grave." Wendy explained. 

Levy sat on the ground and looked up at the ceiling, "Shiver and quiver, little tree, silver and gold throw down over me." Erza used her magic and in an instant Levy was clothed in a beautiful gold and silver silk dress, and silk slippers. "I'm off to the festival!" Levy dashed offstage. 

Gajeel lounged on a large, iron throne at one end of the stage, he was in a fine suit with a crooked iron crown on his head. His hands were behind his head and his feet were draped over the side of the chair. Jet and Droy stood onstage, a little ways off, as did Pantherlily, now in his large form. Levy walked onstage and looked around before walking past Jet and Droy to Gajeel. "Who's that?!" Droy asked, watching Levy eagerly. "I don't know!" Jet answered, "Must be a foreign princess."

Gajeel whistled as Levy approached. "You clean up nice, Shorty." She gave him a playful pout in reply. Gajeel sat up properly and offered her his hand, "Wanna dance?" "You're a jerk." Levy declared, happily taking the hand. Gajeel stood and rested his other hand on her shoulder, "Your jerk." he reminded smirking. Levy shrugged, "It's not my fault I have bad taste in men." Gajeel laughed and they began dancing. "The prince danced only with her." Wendy narrated.  "Mind if I cut in?" Jet asked politely. "BUZZ OFF, SHE'S MINE!!!!" Gajeel yelled angrily, pulling Levy closer to his chest. Jet sulked over to his 'brother', "This sucks." "Let's get out of here." Droy agreed. The two left and Levy stepped away from Gajeel, "I have to go. I'm sorry." 

Gajeel blinked, "Oh. . . Well, can I walk you home?" "No." Levy ran offstage. ". . . Whaddya mean no?!!!" Gajeel yelled after her, offended. He sat in his throne again and crossed his arms over his chest. "What a bitch!" he snapped angrily, ". . . I hope she comes again tomorrow." 

"She did come again the next night." Wendy continued, "And again the prince danced only with her." Levy came on, this time in a beautiful yellow, lace dress, which Gajeel twirled her in. "And again Cinderella ran away as quickly as she had entered." Wendy continued. Levy ran offstage again. 

Gajeel sat in his throne, glaring at the floor. He and Pantherlily were alone onstage. "If you're trying to burn a hole in the floor, it isn't working." Lily informed his master teasingly. Gajeel slammed his fist on the arm of the chair and whirled on Lily. He leapt to his feet in fury "TWO DAYS!!!" he yelled angrily, "For two days I've fallen in love with the same woman, tried to find out who she is, and failed! I'm marrying her if it's the last thing I do!" he slumped back into the throne. 

"But, Gajeel, tomorrow is the last night of the festival, you have to do it then, or you'll never find her." Lily said worriedly. "I know!" Gajeel suddenly sat up and grinned, "I'll trap her!" Pantherlily stared at his master for a moment, "YOU HAVE A PROBLEM!!!!!" he suddenly yelled. Gajeel was taken aback, Lily rarely raised his voice. "Levy told me what you did to Mirajane!" he scolded, "I know you crucified Levy when you first met!" he added, "WHY IS YOUR FIRST INSTINCT TO HOLD A WOMAN AGAINST HER WILL?!!" Pantherlily sighed and ran a tired hand down his face, "Whatever. Your poor life decisions are your own problem. I'll spread pitch on the stairs. . ." he walked offstage. Gajeel stared after his exceed in shock, then turned his glance towards the audience, ". . . What just happened?"

"The third night, Cinderella returned." Wendy narrated. Levy walked on in a beautiful white ballgown, a veil sat on her head and Gajeel stared at her in awe. ". . . Woah. . ." he breathed. Levy walked up to him, smiling. "Gajeel?" she asked, "Are you okay?" "You look beautiful. . . " Gajeel said. Levy blushed and beamed, "We're supposed to dance." she gently reminded. "Oh, right! We're in a play!" Gajeel remembered and quickly took her hand. They danced a bit and Wendy continued narrating. "That night, Cinderella left again." Levy ran offstage, but left a glass slipper behind. Gajeel picked it up, "I'll marry whoever fits this shoe." he vowed. 

"The prince searched the land and at last came to Cinderella's house." Wendy continued. Jet and Droy stood onstage, as did Levy in her rags. "He tried the shoe on the stepsisters, but finally gave it to Cinderella." Wendy continued. Gajeel carefully eased Levy's foot into the shoe. "They got married and lived happily ever-" "Hang on!" Droy interrupted the little sky slayer, "We're not gonna try on the shoe?" "Yeah! That totally ruins the suspense!" Jet agreed. "Well, in the original version, the stepsisters cut off parts of their feet to fit in the shoe. . ." Wendy explained. Jet and Droy looked horrified. "Well it's a good thing we skipped that part then." Levy said, in an attempt to ease the men's horror. "The end!" Wendy declared. 

She turned back to her book happily. "Next is. . . Tufty Ricky." "Oh, I love that story!" Freed exclaimed, putting a hand on his heart, "It's about how love changes you for the better." "Perfect!" Wendy said, "You and Laxus could do it! You could be the prince- and Laxus could be the princess!" "I'm playing a damn princess?" Laxus asked, glaring. "Well," Freed said , "You can either play a beautiful, dumb, princess, or the hideous, smart, prince." Laxus sighed. He knew Freed was the smartest person in the guild. Laxus wouldn't have made him Captain of the team if he wasn't. "I'll be the pretty princess. . ." Laxus grumbled, heading backstage with Freed. "There's a sentence I never thought I'd hear Laxus say." Bixlow mentioned. 

TUFTY RICKY

"Once upon a time, a little prince was born so ugly that the queen wasn't sure he was even human. But a fairy was there when he was born, and promised that he would be as smart as he was ugly, and blessed him with the power to give intelligence to the person he loved most in the world. The prince was named Tufty Ricky for the small tuft of hair on his head." Wendy began, "In a neighboring kingdom, a queen gave birth to two princesses. The older was beautiful, but the youngest was horribly ugly. The fairy was also present at that birth, and promised that the younger would be so witty, that no one would notice her lack of beauty. But the older would be dumb as can be. The fairy, however, blessed the older that whoever she loved most, would be as beautiful as she." 

"As the daughters grew, the mother praised the younger for her wit, but could not help but reproach the older for her stupidity." Wendy continued. "I don't like my part in this story." Laxus announced as he walked onstage and sat on the ground. "You chose it!" Mirajane reminded from the bar. Laxus flipped her off. 

"One day, the elder princess went into the woods to mourn her cruel fate, and that's where she met Tufty Ricky." Wendy added. Freed walked onstage and knelt at Laxus's side, "My good Sir, I must confess, I can't fathom why one with such beauty as yours could possibly be so unhappy." "That's very kind of you." Laxus said simply. He wouldn't meet the other's eyes. "Beauty," Freed continued, sitting by the slayer, "Is an asset. Why with a beauty like yours, nothing could trouble you so much." Laxus glared at him, " I would rather be as ugly and as smart as you, then as beautiful and stupid as me." he replied, bitterly. "Oh?" Freed asked, smiling fondly, "I happen to think that the greatest mark of intelligence, is believing you don't possess it. It is the very nature of smarts that the more one has- the less they believe they do." Freed declared dramatically, standing up to do so. 

Laxus just stared at the other in confusion. Freed quickly returned to the blonde's side, "If that is all that is troubling you, then I can easily put an end to your suffering." "How?" Laxus asked. "I have the power to give whomever I love most in this world intelligence. If you will marry me, you'll become the most intelligent person on this earth." Freed stood and turned his back to the other, "I'll give you one year to-" "Fuck it. Let's do it." Laxus said. Freed blinked, 'Uh. . . Alright. We'll get married in a year." With that, the two left the stage in opposite directions, and Wendy took over again. 

"The day after she met Tufty Ricky, the older princess was more intelligent. The kingdom loved her, and she had many suitors, but none were as intelligent as her. But one day she found a man that, while he wasn't as smart as Tufty Ricky- would do just fine, and she was debating whether to marry him. She didn't realize that it had been exactly one year since she had made the promise to Tufty Ricky. The princess was in the woods, thinking about what to do, when she found him again." Wendy narrated. 

Laxus walked onstage, staring at the ground thoughtfully as Freed bounded up to him, "Well, my love? Are you ready for the wedding?" the rune mage asked. "I gotta be honest with you- there's another guy I like." Laxus said bluntly, "And I know I promised to marry you- but I was dumb back then! And I'm having a hard time making a choice." he confessed. '"Well, let's make it easier then." Freed offered, "Apart from my ugliness, is there anything about me you do not like? Are you unhappy about my birth, my intelligence, my character, or my manners?" "No." Laxus answered, "I love all of those things about you- more than I love the other guy." "Then we have reason to rejoice." said Freed, "The same fairy that blessed me, blessed you. You can give the gift of beauty to the one you love most." Laxus shrugged, "If it is my gift to give, then I happily give it to you." 

"In that moment, Tufty Ricky appeared the handsomest man in the world." Wendy began again. Laxus opened his arms and Freed eagerly ran to his embrace. "There are some who say that there was no magic at work here and that love alone caused the transformation. The two were married and they all lived happily ever after- the end!" Wendy declared.  Freed was positively giddy as he exited the stage. 

#fairy tail #fairy tail anime #fairy tail manga #fairy tail big bang #fairy tales #manga #anime #gajeel redfox #gajevy #levy mcgarden #jet #droy #shadow gear #fraxus #freed justine #laxus dreyar #bickslow #chendy #chelia blendy #wendy marvel #wendy marvell #fairy tails fairy tales

[fairycosmos]

Sorry this is becoming a Long ask but. Yeah I always tried to be as conscious as possible as I could in the relationships of not being passive aggressive or anything like that but I guess the relationship OCD + long distance and inability to properly communicate a lot of the time is what messed it up and sure they had not great stuff they did sometimes but I feel like it's more on me since I'm older yknow? It was also my first proper relationship and neither of us told family bc LGBT stuff

HEY your recent ask just reminded me that i had a whole answer to this in my head and then got distracted by all of the shit w my mum :( im so sorry for the late response, but please know you didn’t pressure me or stress me out at all. i’m in a calmer mind state rn so i can respond more readily. anyway my first instinct is to say that you were very young. yeah, you were a year older but in this context it doesn’t mean much because you were both kids. even grown adults who don’t have to deal with mental health issues hurt each other (hopefully unintentionally) in relationships because lack of communication and honesty and being that close to someone for so long often leads to a lot of sensitivity and frequent misunderstandings. situations like this are rarely black and white where one person is 100% innocent and the other is 100% the bad guy. there is far too much nuance to judge it so such a standard, so don’t worry about basing your whole judgement of yourself from this singular relationship you had as a teenager. it’s ok to have regrets, in fact it’s perfectly normal and i would argue that it’s a good sign. it means you’ve grown as a person, that you’re able to look back and pin point what you would change about your own behaviour. that’s a skill a LOT of people never develop, and it will serve your future self so well. of course, mental illness doesn’t excuse abusive actions but they can help you understand why you were the way that you were and why getting help should always be a priority, maybe more so than dating if you’re in a really bad place. but as you’ve mentioned, you’ve been going to counseling and figuring things out and you should be so so proud of that fact, seriously. i think that you were both in a rather vulnerable position - not having outside support, doing long distance - and so while it’s alright to acknowledge your own mistakes, it’s not alright to continuously crucify yourself for something that is now beyond your control. i understand that lack of closure is an issue here - you apologized to your ex and they’re still mad at you. that must hurt, and it’s allowed to. because you’re clearly sincere. but one of the hardest parts about growing up is realizing that we don’t get to dictate how other ppl respond to us. we can change and grow all we want, but there are some people who just aren’t ready to forgive. and they don’t necessarily have to. the same can be said for you - you said they treated you badly at times, too. you don’t have to brush that off if you don’t want to, or if you don’t feel able to at this time. but your ex doing this doesn’t mean you’re some terrible, awful person. it’s just how they’re going to heal, and you get to decide how you’re going to, too. it may take a while to work through the guilt and to truly move beyond this, and that’s normal. you can take this all at your own pace. but i’d really urge you to practice some self compassion, even if it feels fake. your mental illness isn’t your fault, alright? and it’s absolutely natural to fuck up sometimes, especially as a 16 yo kid. you’re not even a quarter of the person you’ll grow to be someday, and there is so much room to learn from yourself as the years pass. little everyone has something they wish they’d dealt with differently, and the only productive course of action is to accept what cant be changed and to use it to develop a deeper understanding of what’s appropriate and what isn’t. you’re not a bad person. you’ve apologized and you’ve reflected. under these circumstances, that is good enough. try not to dwell too much while you’re in quarantine. meditate, self soothe, find a gentle distraction, take a bath, breathe and relax. also please call your counselor and let go of some of that nervous energy. it really will help, even if you have to froce yourself to. i’m sending you a lot of warmth and hoping you can let yourself just ‘be’ for a while. if you ever need a friend, feel free to hmy any time. and again im sorry for not getting back sooner and i appreciate how understanding you are

#anon