#i love these so much i mean who wouldn’t want frog onesies

[buttertrait-old]

frognsies ~ a basegame recolour

if ea won’t give us frog onesies i guess i’ll have to do it myself. if there’s any issues please let me know!

base game compatible (bgc)

4 swatches

found under full body

no custom thumbnail (sorry!)

DOWNLOAD (always free) SFS | (alt) mediafire

#i love these so much i mean who wouldn’t want frog onesies #ts4 #ts4 cas #ts4 infants #ts4 cc #ts4 cc clothing #ts4 recolor #the sims 4 #sims 4 #sims 4 clothes #sims 4 clothing cc #sims 4 infants #maxis match #maxis match custom content #alwaysfreecc #my cc

[averykedavra]

alright, you asked. Cue Sanders Sides Swap AU number Five Billion! (original post here)

Morality!Remus:

He is...chaos.

Always has a huge smile on his face.

Changes his outfit every other week, but it always has a lot of flower prints and loud color schemes.

Pure energy.

Owns the room whenever he’s in it.

Has very little self-control and can sometimes come off as rude.

Makes a lot of snap judgments.

Lowkey willing to fuck up anyone who messes with his best buds.

LOVES disney

Pretends to be innocent, but makes a lot of dirty jokes while batting his eyes.

Misleading compliments for days!

“Boy, what an ass...et to your personality, am I right?” is completely him.

He’s actually really afraid of being hurt and takes things really personally.

The breakup hit him hard. He tried his best to move on but he still blamed himself for being Too Much and ruining things.

He’s more self-aware than people give him credit for. He knows sometimes he’s overbearing and hurts his friends but he doesn’t know how to stop.

On the morality side of things, he’s really loose about it. Always asking what Thomas thinks. He’s kind of afraid to be too harsh.

Best friends with Creativity!Logan and Anxiety!Roman. Argues with Logic!Janus a lot.

Intrusive Thoughts!Virgil kind of scares him from a morality perspective. And a personal perspective. He sees a lot of himself in Virgil’s exuberance and wonders if he’s really as rude and insensitive as Virgil is.

As for Deceit!Patton...things are complicated.

Creativity!Logan

Cue engineering montage from Big Hero Six.

Wears a science lab coat, his fingers are always stained with grease, his hair is ruffled from running his fingers through it.

Builds stuff. Loves robots and exploding beakers.

Gets very passionate about everything he creates.

Is lowkey the mechanic of the friendgroup and always fixes broken fridges or washing machines.

If you get him talking, he will NOT shut up. He’ll just jump from tangent to tangent for hours.

Owns a million bajillion books.

Has trouble making a good balance between his friendships and his work

Can come off as cold or disinterested when he’s really just thinking through a problem

Is a huge perfectionist.

Always tries to please everyone and reach their expectations for him. He wants everything to be nice enough for Morality!Remus, safe enough for Roman!Anxiety, and make enough sense for Logic!Janus.

Plus it has to meet his OWN standards, which means it has to be original and flawless and the best it can possibly be. And if it’s bad, then he’s failed as a person and Thomas will lose his job and die in the streets.

He may be a little OCD.

But he tears himself apart trying to meet these standards, sacrificing sleep and food, and it’s only after he finally cracks that his friends catch on.

He’s on good terms with Logic!Janus, although sometimes they argue. He’s best friends with Morality!Remus and is warming to Anxiety!Roman, though they sometimes argue. (Logan argues with a lot of people, he has a temper, especially if he hasn’t slept.)

His relationship with Intrusive Thoughts!Virgil is not great. Virgil represents all the chaos and unhinged energy he tries to avoid, and he feels that if he lets Virgil win, it’ll destroy the rules and boundaries he created. And without the limitations and expectations he’s surrounded in, he doesn’t really know who he is.

Kind of likes Deceit!Patton, though. His jokes are funny.

Anxiety!Roman

Ohhh boy.

Always has two hooked silver swords in his cloak.

‘Cause he’s ready for a fight at the slightest provocation.

Has absolutely almost taken Morality!Remus’ whole face out when he was startled.

Thomas probably has a severe anxiety disorder bc Roman has absolutely no chill.

Thinks up really imaginative scenarios in which Thomas dies or is hated by the entire world.

Insomniac.

Focuses a lot on Thomas being a Terrible Person and Hated By Everyone and Should Just Hide Before He Ruins Everything Else.

He’s accepted now, which is cool, but he’s still kinda insecure about his place in the group.

And before he was accepted? He made Thomas’ life a living nightmare.

Thomas still hasn’t fully recovered from some of the stuff Roman did.

Roman has apologized, and Thomas forgave him, but nobody can forget.

Roman has regular panic attacks. He tries not to let them affect Thomas, but it’s hard. Logic!Janus is the best at calming him down and Morality!Remus is the worst, just because he’s so overwhelming.

Jumps to all of the conclusion. He’s like a freaking frog with all the jumping he does.

Still a huge Disney nerd. Loves all the hero songs and wishes he was a hero, instead of the person born to be the villain.

Lowkey hates himself on a daily basis.

Nickname king.

He’s pretty good friends with Logic!Janus. Morality!Remus would die for him without hesitation and Roman thinks he’s a lot of fun. Him and Creativity!Logan have reached a tentative truce, but Roman always finds himself snapping at Logan. It doesn’t help that he just increases Logan’s perfectionist tendencies.

Thoughts on the Dark Sides are complicated for him. They used to be his best friends.

Now Intrusive Thoughts!Virgil is okay, kind of funny. Deceit!Patton? Can die in a fire for all he cares.

Logic!Janus.

You know that ‘um, actually’ friend? That’s Janus.

He will deliver all the knowledge with the most sass and panache possible.

Always looking for an opportunity to make the others look stupid.

Sarcasm central over here.

Can and will throw down with a bitch.

Self-care is his priority, because it’s logical to take care of yourself. This puts him in direct opposition with the others a lot, but he can handle it.

(No he can’t.)

Gladly plays devil’s advocate at every opportunity.

Debates. For. Days.

Don’t bring up paradoxes or his brain short-circuits.

Makes a million puns with a deadpan expression. No one’s quite sure how to respond to it.

Inside, he is a huge, massive dork. (And not the penis kind, Virgil.)

He really loves Disney, onesies, and fun turns of phrase.

Is really select with what he says. Always poised and ready to roll.

The few times he’s been caught off guard, nobody mentions again.

When he told his name after Morality!Remus did, Thomas laughed, and Janus is still salty about it.

He’s not that concerned with morality, so sometimes his logical suggestions include murder, arson, theft, or blackmail. They’re mostly jokes.

He’s not joking when he actually sides with Deceit!Patton on multiple occasions. Morality!Remus forgives him for it, but Janus thinks he hasn’t actually done anything wrong, and they have yet to actually talk through the growing resentment between them.

He can be a real asshole sometimes, blunt and straightforward. This makes friendship...hard.

But it’s fine. He doesn’t need friends anyway. All he needs is to keep Thomas and the others alive and successful.

He gets listened to--he wouldn’t allow anyone to ignore him--but they discount his advice more often than not.

It’s three against one, after all.

And Janus is the one nobody can stand.

(Even though he counts none of them as friends, he’s actually quite close with Anxiety!Roman and Morality!Remus. Even Creativity!Logan thinks he’s funny.)

As for the Dark Sides? They tolerate him, listen to him (especially Patton) and sometimes he wonders if he’d be better off with them instead.

Intrusive Thoughts!Virgil

Just vibing, let’s be real.

The epitome of Style (tm.) Piercings for days and always rocking killer eyeshadow.

Quotes memes on a daily basis.

Appears on top of the fridge randomly.

Way more relaxed than canon Virgil. Just having fun and living his life.

Loves conspiracies and cold cases, and reminds Thomas of them at one in the morning.

A force of chaos and does whatever he wants.

Can and will drink milk straight from the container, sit on whatever surface he wants, and respond to any complaints with “It do be like that sometimes.”

Societal conventions can go fuck themselves. If he wants to dress in fishnets and commit arson, no one can stop him.

“Vibe check,” he says and knocks Creativity!Logan out with a baseball bat.

Feral goblin child.

Wishes Logan would lighten up and give him more creative control.

His ideas are actually good! Just...not conventional. And kind of creepy sometimes. He likes horror stories.

And he does wreak havoc with intrusive thoughts, mostly the anxious and/or nihilistic kind, so Thomas isn’t inclined to let him stick around.

Deadpan and will slice into peoples’ insecurities with a glare if they try to threaten him.

“Big talk from the guy no one likes,” he says to Logic!Janus after Janus dismantles his claim that reality is an illusion.

“Why don’t you do everyone a favor and think for a fucking second about what you’re saying?” he asks Morality!Remus after Remus condemns Virgil’s ideas as mean.

“Nice to see you again,” he says with a smirk when Anxiety!Roman tries to get him to leave. “But knowing you, you’ll be back soon.”

Basically he tears into anyone who tries to force him into a mold or shut him up.

Except for Creativity!Logan. He’s always begging Logan for more power and Logan always shuts him down. Because he’s afraid of what Virgil means, afraid of how boundless creativity could affect his friends, afraid of the way Virgil can easily smash his carefully constructed standards.

Virgil really just wants the freedom to create what he wants.

And deep down, he kind of wants his brother back.

But he’s got Deceit!Patton, who thinks he’s the best thing since sliced bread, so he’s alright.

Deceit!Patton

Okay so...this is not unsympathetic Patton. But this is maybe morally grey Patton. Fair warning here. I get it if you’re uncomfortable with that. He cares deeply about the people in his life but advocates some harmful coping mechanisms and...yeah.

He’s sunny. He’s bouncy. He’s always smiling and makes the best jokes.

He’s also fucking terrifying.

He’ll silence someone with a smile. He’ll say the most terrible things in the sweetest voice. He’s outwardly kind and supportive of everyone, but there’s steel underneath that.

He can impersonate people, although he doesn’t do it very often. He prefers to simply state his objective and convince Thomas.

And Thomas isn’t used to a Side that is so nice. That takes what he says into account. That doesn’t argue with the others or call anyone names. He loves his main Sides, but Patton makes him feel heard.

So he ends up almost giving Patton way more control than he should have.

‘Cause yeah, Patton is self-preservation. But he takes that in an, um, different direction than Janus would?

He’s the lies you tell yourself to make yourself feel better.

Small stuff. “It’ll be fine. Everything’s okay. It’s not a big problem. It’ll solve itself. I don’t need to study.”

Well, it seems like small stuff. Until it piles up.

Patton creates a facade around Thomas. He doesn’t want to solve problems. He doesn’t even think himself capable of that. Instead, if he hides the problems they have to go away, right?

He’s basically King of Repression.

He’s less about preserving Thomas’ health than preserving Thomas’ happiness.

And preserving happiness isn’t helpful when someone actually needs to work through their feelings.

Patton’s pretty damn terrified of negative emotions. And although he kind of knows that Thomas can’t hide from stuff forever, he’d scraped out a fragile status quo. This stuff gets worse before it gets better, and the kind of painful honesty that Thomas would need to confront this stuff...he’s scared of that.

He doesn’t want Thomas to get hurt. He doesn’t understand that hurt is natural and a part of life. He doesn’t understand that sometimes you need to hurt in order to grow.

He’s deceptively good, kind, and alluring. It’s only after you’ve taken his route that you realize how poisonous his ideas are.

He’s working on being better. And he’s got people inclined to help. Logic!Janus disagrees with him, but enjoys his company. (Patton’s the only one who never insults him.) Creativity!Logan tolerates him. Morality!Remus disagrees with him vocally, though. And Anxiety!Roman would gladly run him through.

Thomas admits that Patton is a valid part of him. However, Patton still needs to understand the difference between protection and suffocation. Repression is bad for you, and right now, so is Patton.

However, everyone’s growing and learning. So maybe Patton has a chance to be...better.

If anyone’s interested, I could write what I think the episodes would be and how they would play out!

#tw caps #tw cursing #sanders sides #sanders sides swap #swap au #morality!remus #deceit!patton #intrusivethoughts!virgil #creativity!logan #anxiety!roman #logic!janus #janus sanders #patton sanders #virgil sanders #logan sanders #roman sanders #remus sanders #sympathetic remus sanders #sympathetic janus sanders #morally grey patton #tw self-hatred #tw repression #tw ocd #tw anxiety #tw panic attack mention #bullet fic

[missnmikaelson-main]

A Year to Eternity? - Chapter 2

AN: I do not own TVD, TO or Legacies

He cast his eyes upwards and blinked, counting the logs on the building’s exterior; forty beams stacked horizontally created the house’s height.

A few centuries ago the home would have been moderately luxurious, and by twenty-first century standards of vacation homes it held a certain rustic charm.

Were he human he wouldn’t have minded living out his days inside, especially if he could do so with the woman who owned it.

He could see it: a charming home, a compassionate woman, and hellion or two running amok to remind him fondly of rambunctious younger siblings. An entire life he might have had in another world.

He didn’t anticipate much of a life beyond the full moon; only the promise of the dreaded black horizon remained.

He could live with that. He would live with that… for her.

The half baked idea formed in his mind long before bearing witness to his niece’s lapsed judgement; it wasn’t her fault, and he had a plan to deal with it, but there remained one single piece of unfinished business.

Conscious suddenly of the passage of time he allowed his eyes one final glance at the red convertible before he knocked.

“It’s open.” The familiar voice called from upstairs in obvious invitation; he made a mental not to scold her for it as he stepped inside.

Beyond the open patio doors water lapped against the deck, bringing with it the fresh air and damp earth.

He passed the cozy dining room table, caught the sweet smell from the vase of tulips, pausing at the foot of the stairs where he tilted his head minutely and met the guarded blue eyes of his sister.

She came down the steps until they were at an equal height and stopped. With a jolt he realized the guarded expression was a reflection of his own eyes.

“You’re going to do something foolish, aren’t you?” His stiff neck proved answer enough and she released a defeated sigh. “My idiotic, self-sacrificing, noble brother.”

She looked at him, tears shimmering in her eyes that she refused to let fall.

“Please don’t do this.”

“What makes you think I plan on doing anything?” He straightened his shoulders.

“You’re here,” she tossed up her hands, but kept her voice low so it didn’t carry to mortal ears, “you’re stepping into her human life because you think this is your final chance to see her.”

“I’m just here to catch up with an old friend,” he denied, unsure why he bothered; Rebekah could always see through him when it came to her. He attempted deflection instead. “What are you doing here?”

“You know exactly what I’m doing here,” she scoffed, “just like she knows why I waltzed back into her life, but I’ve waited a thousand years. I can wait a few more weeks.”

“What do you mean?” His brows drew together.

Rebekah hesitated, glancing up the stairs when Elena called down.

“My brain’s not addled, right?” Her laugh sounded strained, as if she worried that were really the case. “I heard someone at the door?”

“You’re not mad yet, love,” she called.

“Rebekah?” He reached for her elbow.

“You’ll see,” she shook off his hand. “Tell her she’s missing necessitates and I’ve gone in town to fetch them.”

He stared after her a moment beyond the closing of the door and then walked up the stairs, following the steady sound of her heart to a room overlooking the lake.

He tried not to do it, but when he found her on her knees, up to her elbows in a blue tote, he couldn’t keep her name from rolling off his tongue in revered tones.

“Elena.”

She inhaled a short breath and looked up. The soft smile he liked to fantasize as being just for him bloomed, warming his soul.

“Elijah.”

His name from her lips welcomed him home with whispers of a life they would never have.

“This is Mystic Falls,” the corner of his mouth quirked up, “you need to be more careful about who you invite inside.”

“I felt pretty safe with Rebekah here,” she shrugged, “besides, with the exception of Caroline, I make a point of avoiding vampires these days.”

“Do you want me to leave?” He motioned over his shoulder.

“I think I can make another exception,” her half smile returned. “And it’s only partially because your sister seems to have abandoned me and I definitely need help to stand up.”

His eyes flickered down to her stomach as she leaned back on her knees. The rest of the room came into focus, making sense of Rebekah’s comment.

“That I can do,” he chuckled. Placing a hand on her elbow, he helped her stand and guided her into the grey rocking chair before kneeling and putting the rest of the clothes in the dresser.

“Don’t get me wrong,” she picked up a stuffed whale, “because it is nice to see you, but if I ask what you’re doing here will you give me a straight answer, or dodge my question like your sister?”

A thousand responses filtered through his mind: ‘I miss you’, ‘I wanted to see you’, ‘I needed to hear your voice one more time’.

“I thought it was time we caught up,” he said instead. “The last I heard you were in a magically induced coma after becoming human again.”

“Then you’re definitely behind on the times,” she chewed her bottom lip.

“Yes, well,” he shut the drawer filled with onesies he felt certain once belonged to Hope, “when you were awakened I had no idea who I was.”

“Sounds like I missed a lot too,” she blew out a rush of air. “Tea?”

“Tea?” He frowned, snapping the tote’s lid back in place.

“I’d offer coffee, but Caroline and Bonnie purged the kitchen when I proved incapable of not drinking it,” she stood up carefully. “The other option is water or a decent whiskey that’s been collecting dust for twenty-plus years.”

“Tea would be lovely,” he smiled, watching her place the whale in the crib.

She walked out of the room faster than he thought she should have been capable of in her current condition. He caught up with ease, finding her at the top of the stairs holding tight to the railing.

In the kitchen she put the kettle on to boil and reached into a cupboard.

He stretched an arm above her head, retrieving the blue mugs beyond her grasp.

“Thanks,” she murmured.

Elena busied her hands preparing the tea and Elijah allowed himself a moment, one glistening moment, to bask in domesticity; they worked well together, gliding around each other. And when his hand brushed her elbow or grazed the small of her back her heart skipped just as it had all those years ago in Willoughby when he felt the jump beneath his finger tips.

The taste of her lips had haunted him since.

“Where did Rebekah go?” She asked when they sat on the back deck.

He forced his gaze up, halting his study of her mouth’s movement. Sunlight filtered through the sparse trees, casting her warm eyes half in shadow.

“She mentioned something about fetching missing necessities,” he sipped his tea and tilted the mug, glancing at the dark liquid.

“Necessities,” she tasted the word, feeling the weight of each syllable on her tongue. “I didn’t realize I lacked necessities.”

“Have you run out of milk?” He smirked.

“I just bought groceries and even if I hadn’t I don’t know when she would have gotten the chance to look in the fridge and find a lack of milk.”

“I’m surprised you didn’t attempt to purchase coffee,” he chuckled.

“Tried in the second trimester and got caught by Caroline,” she sipped, shrugging one shoulder. Her tongue darted out to catch a drop from her lip. “She compelled everyone who might have supplied it and now I have to drive to Richmond, which is just too much work for a cup of mediocre coffee. And Rebekah was only in the nursery.”

“Maybe she noticed something missing.”

“She wouldn’t be the first one,” Elena stared out across the sparkling water. “I wish I still had her number so I can tell her it’s not necessary; she did enough.”

“What do you mean?” He set his mug on the table and reached into his jacket for his phone.

“Well, she carried everything inside, put the crib together and recycled the boxes.” She drummed her fingers along her stomach. “She doesn’t have to suck up to get the cure. All she had to do was ask.”

“So you do still have it,” he leaned across the table, setting down his phone and catching her cup before it could tumble into her lap.

“What happened to you Elena? When word reached me I expected you to sleep for decades, yet Bonnie Bennett lives and you’re awake.”

“You want to know how I woke up,” she laid her hands on the table, feeling the warmth from his arm across the inch of space, “when it was made clear to all of us that any interference from anyone would result in a joint, grisly death.”

“It is my understanding that you were to sleep until Bonnie passed.” He tilted his head, narrowing his eyes thoughtfully.

“There is a very simple explanation for that,” she turned over her palm and traced her lifeline with her eyes. “Kai lied about the curse. He told Damon it was tied to Bonnie’s life, but actually he tied it to Damon’s.”

She lapsed into silence a moment; a symphony of crickets and frogs filled the quiet. When she opened her mouth again a mixture of nostalgia and sorrow laced her tone, nearly drowning out the touch of exasperation.

“Care and Bonnie filled me in since I was ‘sleeping’ at the time,” she exhaled, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

“About eight years ago Katherine clawed her way out of hell, and no, I’m not joking. She came with a rather solid plan to get rid of me. Mystic Falls came this close to being consumed in literal hellfire,” she held her thumb and forefinger together.

“Obviously that didn’t happen,” he inclined his head.

“They dug up her bones and carved a knife that would kill her once and for all,” she cringed and swallowed her urge to apologize. Once upon a time Elijah had loved her, and she spoke of her ancestor’s death with no hint of remorse, but for whatever reason he didn’t seem bothered, merely curious.

“What happened?”

“Nobody knows for sure,” she shrugged. “The running theory is that Stefan did what he always did and played the hero because someone had to drag Katherine down so she wouldn’t get away. Stefan killed Katherine and saved the town, and Damon tried to save Stefan, or vice versa. All anyone really knows is that all three of them went down in the caves and all three of them died.”

“I’m sorry.” His sudden admission made her heart skip. “You two were together,” he answered the silent question.

“I don’t know that we were at that point,” her brows narrowed. “I told him to live his life which was as close to a break up as I could get without actually saying it. Should I have said: ‘wait for me’ instead?”

“What are a handful of decades to a vampire?”

“Arguably nothing,” she shrugged. “I think I still had a human’s perspective of time where everything can change in the blink of an eye. I still think that regardless of immortality.”

He thought of his niece. The turning point for all of them. Their hope brought forth by what should have been a single act fuelled by bourbon and bad decisions that brought mother and child into their lives.

“You think that because it’s true, and any immortal who says otherwise is lying through their teeth.”

“How do I know you’re not lying now?” She said, a teasing light in her eyes.

“I have never lied to you Elena, and I never will.”

Her eyes flickered to his mouth and back up.

“Never?” She tasted scepticism on her tongue.

“Never,” he confirmed. “I might have withheld information, but I have never lied. Not to you.”

“You withheld information?” She cocked a curious eyebrow. “What didn’t you tell me?”

Objectively she knew the amount of things he hadn’t told her were innumerable; there had to be countless things he had kept quiet for the simple reason that the information was none of her business.

“I never told you that even on your emotionless bottom I could never mistake you for anyone else.” He reached for his mug, taking a sip of lukewarm tea.

Colour kissed her collarbones.

“Could have fooled me,” she murmured.

“I never got the chance to tell you, and for that I’m sorry.”

“So am I,” she licked her bottom lip, “for what I said in Willoughby, for…”

“That’s not necessary, Elena.”

“Yeah, it is,” she sighed. The flicker of hurt in his eyes that day had urged her to turn it back on; she nearly listened to the whisper.

“I lied,” she ran her finger around the rim of her mug, “it didn’t feel good watching the letter burn, or anything else.”

Her stomach twisted with despair.

Her covered her hand, gently squeezing her fingers. Warmth spread up her arm.

“Can I ask you something?”

She swallowed and sucked in a shallow breath, glancing up through her lashes.

“You can ask me anything,” she gave him her soft half smile.

“Why did Rebekah put that nursery together?” He nodded to the house.

“Because I put it off until I physically couldn’t put things together.” She shrugged.

“And when you left the nursery you practically ran.”

“Is there a question in there?” She took in a shaking breath.

“A couple questions,” he nodded. “Why hadn’t anyone helped you before now?”

“Caroline and Bonnie have been helping, but they have their own lives.”

“Is there nobody else who could offer aid?” He frowned in concern, mentally calculating the distance from the lake to the hospital.

“Jeremy pops by from time to time, but he wouldn’t have a clue how to do half of this stuff,” amusement flickered through her eyes. “Ric does know, but after one too many grandpa jokes he’s hesitant to step into more teasing. And then there’s the fact that everyone thinks I already did all of this stuff except for Bonnie; she was with me when I picked up the crib today and saw the trunk of my car.”

“She didn’t offer to help?” He quickly questioned the wisdom in lecturing the Bennett witch.

“Kol was on her doorstep, Caroline wanted her to help him. I didn’t hear the message though,” her teeth sank into her bottom lip, “since my brain was hurtling full speed towards a freak out. You didn’t know Kol was at Bonnie’s?”

“No,” he leaned forward, reflexively squeezing her hand. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” she smiled sadly, “Rebekah showed up and calmed me down.”

“And where is your child’s father in all of this?” Unsurprisingly he felt a stab of jealousy.

“Non-existent,” she shivered in a blast of cold wind.

He stood, offering her a hand up. “Non-existent?”

She carried the empty mugs inside, nodding as he shut the patio door.

“I mean, obviously he exists somewhere, but I have no idea where.” She slammed the mugs down with more force than necessary. One shattered, sending half a dozen shards to the floor.

Before she could blink Elijah knelt at her feet. He picked up the sharp pieces with one hand and grasped her hip with the other to help her keep her balance.

“Shall I hunt the bastard down and murder him for you?” He attempted to joke.

“If only it were that simple,” she breathed. A blush crept up her cheeks when she saw the mess she had made. “Caroline already made that offer.”

“And you didn’t take her up on it?” He stood, disposing of glass.

“I’d have to know where to start looking,” she shook her head. The weight settled on her chest again.

“If I ask what happened, will you tell me?” His hands curled around her elbows.

“I don’t know,” she stepped out of his hold, spinning to pace into the living room.

“Elena?”

She grasped the back of a leather armchair and sucked in quick bursts of air, forcing herself to even her breathing.

“I don’t know, Elijah,” she shook her head. “I… I literally don’t know.”

And then her procrastination, desire to be anywhere else but the nursery, and her apparent lack of excitement, made sense; and it seemed unlikely that the possibility of eventually bringing another doppelgänger into the world was the root of the problem.

“Walk me through it,” he placed his palm on the small of her back. “Tell me?”

“I haven’t told anybody,” a hysterical giggle, closer to a sob, broke in her chest. Two breakdowns in one day. Nice Elena.

“Not Bonnie or Caroline?”

She shook her head. “They would have burned that town down for answers, so I told them it was a one night thing and when I told him he basically told me to go to hell.”

“Will you tell me the truth?” He wanted to scold himself for daring to physically comfort her, but he was a selfish man; he would take every possible form of contact he could get.

“I suppose I’ll have to, won’t I?” She sighed, rolling her eyes. “You’ll know if I lie.”

“You don’t have to tell me anything.” His fingers worked a knot from her back. The level of tension in her body worried him.

Her legs shook, exhausted from hauling around the extra weight.

He guided her to the sofa and perched beside her, resisting the urge to wrap an arm around her shoulders. He doubted she would like that with the subject he suspected invaded her mind; he wanted to kick himself for bringing it up and forcing her to relive it.

A fire crackled to life in the hearth.

He filed the knowledge away for later.

“You know about the twins?” She took controlled breaths, watching him nod. “They’re gonna have to merge and Caroline’s been looking for a solution since they were little. I go with her sometimes; the promise of channeling the last doppelgänger tends to loosen tongues.”

“I can understand that.” He shifted, accidentally brushing her knee.

“She got a lead, turned out to be a bust,” she tilted her head, “about a witch near Almeirim, so about nine months ago I went with her to Brazil. She went to meet the witch and I hung back in case she needed me.”

She stared at the coffee table without seeing it.

“I got a little bored, so around midnight I went for a walk near the river.”

“Alone?” His brows shut up.

“I know the danger of walking along, and I thought I could handle myself.” She waved one hand towards the fire. “After everything I thought learning a bit of magic would be a good idea.”

“Did your gypsy heritage help?” He listened to her erratic heart.

“No.” Her eyes took on a far away look again. “I walked along the river. I heard something break the surface. I turned to look, and then… then I was fifteen feet downstream, soaked through and my phone was on the ground with two missed calls from Caroline and a bunch of text messages.”

“How much time had passed?” His mind scrambled for possibilities.

“At least three hours,” she worried her bottom lip. “A couple weeks later I got a positive pregnancy test.”

“You didn’t consider the possibility before that?”

“I felt physically fine.” She placed her palms on her thighs. “Everything was in place, nothing hurt, so no, my mind didn’t go to that possibility. I didn’t even think I could be pregnant until Caroline gently steered me in that direction.”

“Where did your mind go?”

“Witches,” she shrugged. “I figured witches saw me, recognized me, and used me for a spell before making me forget it.”

“Not vampires?” He smirked.

“I was on vervain.”

“And you’ve told nobody,” his eyes noted the shift in light, signifying the sinking sun.

“Nobody,” she exhaled.

“I see,” he glanced towards the ceiling. Then studied her profile.

“Elena…” he hesitated, but ultimately reached for her hand. “Do you want this?”

“I…” her mouth opened and closed a few times. “I have mixed feelings.”

She loved Bonnie, but she could be judgemental at times, and she loved Caroline; they were family, sisters, but neither could ever understand. She suspected Katherine to be the only one who could have, and even then she couldn’t get all of it. Katherine would have understood half. Caroline would have understood half, but nobody would understand it all, not completely.

Elijah would listen though - listen and not judge.

“I’m a doppelgänger,” she closed her eyes, “I never wanted there to be another; that was going to be my giant ‘fuck you’ to Klaus.”

He chuckled, she smiled, and neither mentioned the way their fingers slipped together.

“But now there is a baby, so that’s out the window,” she tilted her head, laughing softly. “And I don’t know how it got in there. I don’t know if I consented and then was forced to forget, or maybe I didn’t consent; maybe someone forced me because they wanted my bloodline to continue. And I don’t know if I’m supposed to find the mermaid theme a cute reminder of getting knocked up somewhere near the water, or if I’m supposed to be horrified, but…” she trailed off, feeling the sting of tears behind her eyes.

Elijah pressed a smooth navy handkerchief into her hand, nodding encouragingly as she opened and dried her eyes.

“But,” her fingers crumpled the fabric against her belly. “There’s going to be a baby. And she’s real, and she’s mine,” her voice trembled, “and I put everything off. Then today I had to confront it.

“I told Rebekah I was terrified of being a single mother, which is true,” she sniffed, clearing her throat, “and that’s why I had the anxiety attack.”

“You’re conflicted,” he smoothed his thumb along her finger, “and after what you told me I’m not surprised. I am surprised that you’re not sobbing right now.”

She groaned, dropping her head into her hands. “I just totally unloaded on you. I’m sorry.”

“It’s alright Elena,” he smoothed a hand across her shoulders.

“No, it’s not,” she pressed her lips together. “You came here to catch up and I…”

“I did catch up,” he swept her hair over her shoulder and pulled her hands away from her face. His thumbs rubbed over her knuckles. “I arguably know more than your friends.”

“No arguing about it because you do know more,” her nose wrinkled as her lips parted slightly. “Why are you really here? I might have bought catching up if you hadn’t looked like you wanted to say a million other things.”

“Am I that easily read?”

“I’m getting better at it,” she twisted in place, releasing his hands as she readjusted. “What’s going on? Why today? And what did you mean you didn’t know who you were? You said you’d never lie to me,” she reminded with a watery smile.

“I did say that,” he lowered his eyes, nodding. “I had my memory removed so I wouldn’t be a danger to my family and I came here today because it’s the last chance I’ll get to speak with you.”

The teasing sparkle left her eyes.

“What do you mean?” She swallowed.

“A darkness has taken hold of my niece,” he sighed, watching the shift of her stomach. A lump rose beneath her shirt as the baby stretched in the cramped space. “It’s killing her; she won’t survive the full moon tonight.”

“Th-that’s horrible,” she gently touched his arm, “but I don’t understand the connection.”

“I took her to lunch today and overheard a conversation I wasn’t meant to.”

“Eavesdropper,” she accused, attempting to lift the dread from her shoulders.

“Niklaus plans to have Caroline’s girls move the Hollow - that’s the darkness my siblings and I took into ourselves years ago, and the reason I forgot everything - into him. Then he wants her to subdue him and drop him at the bottom of the ocean. I can’t let him do that.”

She couldn’t see Caroline being onboard with the plan, and she wouldn’t have wished that fate on Klaus anymore, but if it came to a choice between brothers she knew who she would pick.

“Don’t do this Elijah,” fresh tears welled in her eyes. She lost too many people to martyrdom; he was meant to be there, always somewhere.

“You don’t even know what I’m planning,” his rueful smile failed to reach his eyes.

“Like hell I don’t,” she cried, digging her nails into his soft jacket. “You do things you abhor to protect your family all the time, and now you’re thinking you’ll take Klaus’ place. I get that you want to protect them; I understand it, but not like this. Find another way.”

“There is no other way,” he shook his head, catching the crunch of tires over gravel.

The speed she utilized to stand shocked them almost as much as the vehemence in her voice.

“There’s always another way!” Heat flashed in her eyes; it dissipated a bit when her front door swung open. Her brows rose, shooting towards her hairline. “Care?”

“Hey,” she grinned, striding into the living room. She took in Elijah’s presence, but made no comment on her best friend’s company. “Did you pick up popcorn?”

“Yeah,” she crossed her arms over her stomach, “why?”

“Because this is going to be seriously amusing,” her eyes glittered, jumping from green to blue and back.

Elena opened her mouth to ask, but a clipped accent cut off her voice.

“You’re taking far too much pleasure in this, love.”

“Not yet,” Caroline smirked, “but I guarantee that I will.”

++++

“You need to relax,” Kol scolded, lightly clapping a hand on her knee. “Lighten up.”

“How am I supposed to do that?” She scoffed through a bemused smile.

He never wanted to see such a forlorn expression on her face; she was meant to be protected and kept far from the horrific company their family made a habit of keeping. His dead heart broke to see so much cynicism in one so young.

“My life hangs on my dad’s ability to convince a woman who hates him, whose aunt he murdered in a ritual that should have killed her too, to help him.”

“Don’t count him out yet, bunny.”

“I’m going to die in a few hours,” she rolled her eyes, staring out over the town square. “She’s not going to want to help him.”

He tapped his fingers against the bench and watched the revelry of the teenagers along with the rest of the town. It still surprised him, though it probably shouldn’t have, how little the town had changed. He half expected the quarterback to materialize on his periphery in a letterman jacket, but of course he now held the office of Sheriff.

“She might hate Nik.” He ran his tongue over his teeth. “She might deny Nik. She could hear it out from Rebekah. Her guilt may sway her to say yes to me, though I doubt it. There is, however, one person she will say yes to.”

Hope’s eyes narrowed as she tilted her head and gripped the underside of the bench, driving a splinter into her index finger. “Caroline?”

Caroline Forbes possessed a single minded determination that led them to the breakthrough, and as Elena’s best friend she held the doppelgängers ear, but he doubted even Caroline could turn her set mind.

The hatred for Klaus ran deep.

“Sure,” the corner of his mouth quirked up.

From the edge of the square, on the fringe of the concert crowd, a teenage boy stole a glance in their direction; his fifth since they sat down, not that Kol deliberately kept count. The boy simply proved impossible to miss for anyone whose attention was not consumed by her impending death.

“Don’t look now, darling,” he teased, “but there is a kicked puppy that keeps looking at you.” The statement succeeded in distracting her. He watched her face pop up and flood with heat and a tiny smile. “Is this possibly a puppy you didn’t mean to kick?”

“He’s not a puppy,” she murmured.

“Oh, you like him,” he leaned forward, bracing his elbows on his knees. “Shall I inquire as to his intentions? Perhaps discuss a dowry?”

“You’re not half as funny as you think you are,” she told her shoes.

“I’m hilarious and you know it.” An idea took shape in his mind; he hoped it would be a fitting distraction. “Why don’t you go and talk to him? He doesn’t look like he bites. Go on and have some fun.”

“What’s the point?” She shook her head, but her muscles bunched, ready to stand and approach.

“The point, little witch, is that you’re fifteen years old and you’re alive and you deserve to have some fun with a boy you like while your beloved uncle makes him uncomfortable with threatening stares.” He chuckled and smoothed out his features. “I do a wonderful imitation of a deranged psychopath.”

“Is that because you are one?” She cocked an eyebrow, increasing her resemblance to her father.

“Less so these days,” he smirked and brought one hand around to the small of her back, “go on. Have some fun.”

Hope got to her feet rather than let him shove her to the ground. Her nails picked at her finger, pulling the splinter out; it stung, burning in the evening air. She glanced over her shoulder and received a shooing motion for the effort.

With her heart in her throat she sucked in a shallow breath and left, skirting around the people listening to the music.

Landon glanced around as she approached him, tearing his poor concentration from the dancing couples. His shock morphed into a shy smile.

Butterflies swarmed in her belly, making her steps falter. She sensed if she looked back she would find one uncle resembling a cat with a canary.

“Hey.” She cringed at the breathlessness of her voice. Fuel for the teasing fire, but then again, she’d be dead in a few hours so it didn’t matter.

“Hey.” His voice matched hers and that brought a modicum of comfort.

“I thought you had to be somewhere tonight.”

“Yeah, well,” she shrugged, slipping her hands into her pockets, “it turns out that somewhere was the town square with my uncle.”

“You’re uncle?” His eyes widened when she nodded. “He’s young.”

“He’s older than he looks,” she snickered, considering turning to give him a quick smirk. “I’m here for a little while, but I do have a curfew soon.”

“Private school doesn’t want you hanging out with the town riffraff too late?” He teased. “Shocking.”

“Trust me,” she laughed, “there’s plenty of riffraff behind the gates.”

He laughed, ducking his head.

“So, uh,” he spoke to his shoes, “you know that jerk from the Grille?”

He looked up and she nodded.

“Apparently he wrecked his car today.”

She had to bite her lip to hide her grin she knew matched Kol’s.

“And now you’re here, and the music’s good, so before my luck runs out, which it will…”

He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you… uh… want to dance or something?”

“You want to dance with me?” Her brows shot up. Nobody had ever asked her to dance outside of family, and she hadn’t felt inclined to do much dancing at the wedding.

“Fair warning,” he started babbling, “I might suck at it, and I haven’t really thought this whole thing through. Kind of living in the moment here,” he shrugged his shoulders.

“I…” she hesitated, biting her lip. “You know I should probably do more of that myself.”

She held out her hand, nodding as they moved into a simple form and swayed. When they turned she half expected to find Kol glaring at Landon like he promised. Instead she found his nodding head bent over a sheet of paper and Bonnie Bennett beside him, turning over the bone knife between her hands.

++++

“I wish we had more time,” Bonnie murmured, running her finger over the dark object. A vial burned a hole in her pocket.

“You can seal it in the knife with Elena’s blood,” he made minute adjustments with a pencil.

“I know, and I know it’ll work,” she sighed. “I just wish we could have found something less… pointy.”

“Pointy?” He laughed, turning to face her.

“Don’t mock me,” she elbowed him lightly, “this is still going to be a dangerous thing. Made all the worse by the evil spirit we’re going to stick inside it.”

“I know, love,” he sobered. “I wish we had a little more time too, but Elena’s blood will seal it and we can lock the knife up. Given more time we could have broken down the components and forged a box of sorts, but,” his eyes found his niece, “we’re short on time.”

“I know,” she reached into her pocket for her buzzing phone. “It’s Caroline.”

@elejahforever @elejah-wonderland @naughtynecromancer @ethanjwillis @cry-btch@geekofmanyfandoms @morsmornte @xanderling @bellemorte180 @iw1shiknew @blndbandt@petrova-banz @bulldozed88 @njeancastro316

#Elena gilbert #Elijah mikaelson #elejah #klaroline #Klaus mikaelson #Caroline forbes #bonnie bennett #kol mikaelson #kennett #Rebekah mikaelson #hope mikaelson #Landon kirby #handon #legacies #the vampire diaries #the originals

[doctor243]

The Girl Who Cried Wolf Chapter 6

Summary: 5 times MJ says ‘I love you’ and 1 time Peter says it back.

Characters: Michelle Jones, Peter Parker, Ned Leeds

AO3: Here

MJ knew she had a crush on Peter. Ned knew that she had a crush on Peter. In fact, the only person that seemed to be oblivious that she liked Peter, was Peter himself. But she was fine with that, because she didn’t need him to know. She was more than content to be his best friend, the girl who kept him on his toes and support him from the sidelines. Becoming an independent self-made woman wasn’t easy, and having a boyfriend would change the image that she’d worked so hard to build for herself. If only his damned smile from his damned frog-concealing mouth on his damned face weren’t so goddamned cute, she wouldn’t have a hard time holding herself back.

“What’s up, Loser?” she greeted, bumping into his shoulder affectionately on her way to her locker, and he turned around with a grin (goddammit Parker) on his face.

“MJ!” he squeaked, closing his locker and slinging his backpack over his shoulder. “How was the protest?”

“It was good,” she drawled as they walked together. “Nothing much has changed, but at least we got our voices heard.” Over the weekend, she’d participated in a protest against Big Pharma and it’s ridiculously unfair and sexist prices of everyday medicines. She hadn’t told him that she was going, but of course he knew – he was Peter frickin’ Parker.

“I wanted to go too,” he sighed. “But Mr Stark wanted me upstate to work on some stuff.” She snorted at that. Stuff.

“Why would you even go?” She asked, stopping in front of her locker and picking out her books. “Don’t you burn through normal medicines cuz of your crazy metabolism?”

“Well yeah!” He huffed, eyebrows scrunched up in frustration (goddammit Parker). “But that doesn’t make what they’re doing right, y’know?” And this. This, ladies and gentlemen, was why MJ was in love with the resident DorkTM who spent his free time parading New York in a red and blue onesie. Now she had to kill him before she kissed him.

“Guys!” The duo turned their heads.

“Ned!” Peter brightened, rushing over as the two exchanged their secret handshake while MJ silently took another guess at how long it must have taken them to perfect it.

“‘sup Nerd?” She reached over and gave him a hug.

“Oh my god,” Ned groaned. “I slept so late cuz of the freakin’ History essay.”

MJ froze. Oh no. “The History Essay?” She asked slowly. Oh no. Please don’t be due today. Please. Don’t. Be. Due. Today.

“Yeah!” Ned continued, oblivious to the colour draining from her face. “How is it fair to give us a weekend to do 6 pages?”

Fuck.

She’d been so preoccupied prepping for the protest and writing her speech (that went flawlessly, if she could say so herself) that she’d forgotten freaking homework.

“MJ?” She turned her head to see Peter looking at her with concern. “You ok there?”

“Um…” She stammered. “I… I might have forgotten to do it…”

“WHAT?!” Ned screeched, his cheeks wobbling slightly as his hands flew to his hair.

“I was busy prepping for the protest okay??” She argued. Think, MJ, she counselled herself. You could probably bribe Mr I-don’t-know-how-to-teach-History. What do you have to offer? Okay maybe murder would be better. No, no, no. Too far.  

Ned was still freaking out, bless the Mother Hen. “But this is 40 per cent of our grade!”

“Gee, thanks for the reminder, Nerd!” She loved him, but God she needed to think.  

“Um…” A small, forgotten voice belonging to a small Peter Parker spoke up. “You can use my outline.”

Her heart stopped as she slowly turned to look at Peter. And then it returned with a vengeance, slamming against her ribcage. Sweet, sweet Peter Parker. No one deserved him. Why did he make it so difficult for her to deny or depress her feelings for him? Stop being so goddamn perfect for crying our loud. However, the silence must have been making him self-conscious, because he started rambling.  

“WELL, I mean I’ve got some extra quotes that I didn’t use, and I know that you’re a genius so you’ll be able to write it so it doesn’t come out as plagiarism. Not that you, of all people, would plagiarise, but I’ve pretty much outlined the arguments and the necessary facts and highlighted the quotes that I used so you can use the others.” His face was growing pinker by the second, and MJ was relishing in every single one. “I know you probably have a back-up plan, and don’t need my help, so I’m gonna shut up n-”

“I love you.”

She froze. She’d spat the words out before her brain had even processed what her heart had longed to say for years. This was not part of the plan. This was never going to be part of the plan. She was sure Ned was gaping like a fish in the background, but her mind was ferociously working to fix the damage done by her traitorous lips. Should she knock him out? No, Ned was a witness as well. Run? Then he would know that she meant it. Wait for him to react and plan from there. Now you’re talking.

“Wh-what?” Well, that wasn’t exactly what she’d expected. “Really?”

She looked at his wide eyes and stiffness, as though he couldn’t believe what he’d heard. As she observed his fist clenched tightly on his backpack strap, and his jaw muscles working overtime, the first conclusion that her mind came to was the one she chose – he doesn’t like me back; not like that.

“Dude, don’t get an aneurism, it was a joke.”  

Immediately the hope in his eyes shattered like a glass window, and the impact nearly forced the breath out of her lungs. Hold your front, she counselled herself.

“Uh-um. Right. Haha,” he laughed awkwardly. “Of course! Ha…Ha!” The way his eyes darted around, looking at anything but her face unsettled her and she sighed inwardly. Sometimes she wished she wasn’t such a brilliant actor.

She rolled her eyes, carefully blinking away the stinging in her eyes. “Outline? You were saying?”  

“Right! Right! Here you go!” Before she knew it, the outline was in her hand and she was alone, Peter having hurried off with Ned hot on his heels.

“This is bad,” she whispered to no one. “This is very bad.”

Previous Chapter: Here

Next Chapter: Here

Masterlist: Here

Tags: @you-guys--are-losers​ @spideychelleforever​ @spideychelleee​ @spidermaninlove​ @tonystarkissist​ @spideychellefics​

#spideychelle #fanfiction #tgwcw #spider-man #homecoming #far from home #marvel #mcu #peter parker #michelle jones #mj

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Dragon Dancer IV: Breaking Point

Two Executive department officers sat in front of me. The agent, a man who had a substantial bald spot despite his apparent youth, placed a tablet on the table. “This is the video we’re about to show to the School Board who are meeting as we speak.”

Anjou was still hanging on to life by a thread, but in this video he was healthy and strong as ever in a corridor of the library three days ago. The video was time stamped 2:42 am. 

Anjou was alone walking towards the elevator to the ice cellar at the end of the hall holding the black card that would give him access. I never saw the attack or the attacker. I only saw Anjou stop in his tracks. He asked. “Is that you?”

By then, the black card had disappeared from his hand. 

Anjou looked down at his jacket. A thin line of blood was slowly spreading over his fine bespoke suit before breaking open and covering the front of his shirt in red. He fell to his knees, then face down, where the blood continued outward, staining the carpet.

I turned away from the images. “What do you want me to say? This means nothing to me. I told you. I don’t know where Mingfei is, and I don’t think he did it.”

I’d been imprisoned in a home that wasn’t mine, in a world that had vanished the love of my life, pursued my best friend like a criminal, and now turned its greedy, hungry eyes on me.

“Mingfei sacrificed for you. He sacrificed his life!” I hissed at them. He had killed Dragon Lords, Dragon Lords who’s human forms he knew personally as friends, by sacrificing his own life in exchange for the power to do so. And he’d kept it all a secret, letting others have the credit.

And this is how they repay him.

The other man spoke. “Lu Mingfei’s Soul Skill is unknown. We have no idea what he’s capable of. You established the Club known as Club - S... and it’s byline is “The S is for Secrets”. There are only two members of Club S... you and Mingfei.”

“We gave a thorough search of the entire premises. But it appears you never kept any records of what these secrets are. There’s not so much as a file cabinet in Norton Hall.” 

I glowered at them. “So?”

He gave an incredulous laugh. “What do you mean ‘so’? By your own admission you’re withholding information from this investigation!”

“This isn’t an investigation. This is a witch hunt!” I shot back. “I told you again and again. I don’t know where he is, he would never kill the principal or steal the dragon skeleton and he doesn’t work with dragons!”

“Mrs. Lu...”

“Don’t call me, Mrs. Lu! My name is Mrs. Meixiu Chu! Which I’ve told you more than once!”

“Okay...” The Executive Agents stood up. “Then I’m afraid there won’t be much we can do for either of you. What the School Board decides, it decides.” They walked out of the the apartment, shutting the door and locking it.

I sat on the couch, trembling uncontrollably. “Johann... I’m so scared...”

I stood up, pacing, rocking back and forth. They always wanted to get ahold of me from day one. They would probably take Ru’Yi away, imprison me and only let me out if I agreed to their genetic tampering. I would be completely at their mercy.

From the start, no one wanted Johann and I together. We’d gone behind their backs and gotten married. Then we’d had a child. The only one standing between me and them was Anjou.

Now Anjou was gone.

They were going to take my daughter... and they were going to take me.

Unless I ran.

I was under constant surveillance. The Restriction on Soul Skills was still in place. I wouldn’t be able to physically outrun them but there was one thing I still had: Mingfei’s Bugatti Veyron. He kept the keys under the front seat. He never drove the car and occasionally he would need to turn it on for a few minutes to maintain the engine and the battery. Plus, I knew he was activated by voice, so long as the keys were in range.

I walked into the kitchen and I started eating and drinking. I would need my strength. Sugar for fast reserves. I grabbed apples on the counter and ate three of them. It was cold outside. I would have to think of somewhere to run.

Paris... no, there were many agents in Paris. Japan? I knew people in Japan. I’d fought alongside them. Chisei was no longer the Patriarch, but I had his swords. Would they have mercy on me? I shook my head. “No.”

I couldn’t trust anyone. They were all part of the same massive monster that was the Secret Society of Dragonslayers.

I swallowed hard, feeling what I just ate try to rise up again in my throat. I took a deep breath.

I heard Johann’s voice in my mind. “ Enemies will read your eyes. When faced with danger, don’t rehearse what you’re going to do, adapt to the circumstances as they come.”

I had to calm down. I took a deep breath and let it out. 

I looked at the dishes in the sink. I turned and began setting them in the dishwasher.

Then I started to clean the refrigerator. I kept my mind firmly in the present, cleaning. About a half an hour passed and my panic somewhat subsided.

And then the door opened again. I turned to look. “Gosh will you learn to kno-”

Executive Department officers walked through the door one after another. I counted. Six. Seven. Eight.

“Carli Lu.” The one at the head of them addressed me, a  muscular woman armed with two pistols.

“That’s not my name.” I whispered weakly.

She ignored me. 

“Your Husband Mingfei Lu is under suspicion of attacking Principal Anjou, stealing the skeleton of Constantine, and  kidnapping the Gattuso lady Chen Moutong.”

“What?!”

“And just now, in the past few minutes, the skeleton of Norton was stolen from the Vault watched over by the Gattuso Family. The theft resulted in the death of Frost Gattuso.”

My chest rose and fell in rapid whistling breaths.

“He is accused of treason against the Secret Society. As a result, we were ordered to take you into custody... however... The new acting head of the Gattuso, Caesar Gattuso is showing you consideration as a mother.”

“He’s asked us to put you on a plane to his estate in Italy. He promises to treat you kindly until this affair is sorted out.”

I willed myself to be calm. “Sorted out? You’re going to kill him.”

“He’s wanted for questioning.” She corrected me. “There is a lot of evidence pointing to him. But at this point, we only want to talk to him.”

They were lying. Even if they weren’t, they wouldn’t believe a word he said because they didn’t believe me.

“May I... have a moment to calm down?”

The woman turned to the other officers some of whom left the apartment, but most only moved further into the apartment one going to the door, another moving to the living room window.

They were cutting off my escape. 

She smiled at me, but there was no warmth or kindness there. “Take all the time you need.”

“I’ll... I’ll go get my daughter.”

I turned and walked out of the kitchen. The woman followed me close behind as I walked into Ru’Yi’s room. The baby was lying in her crib in her little frog onesie. I looked down at her and then at the hilt of Spider Fang that was lying just behind the crib beyond the mattress.

I thrust my hand down, gripped the smooth leather and whirled, slamming the scabbard against the woman’s temple. She staggered back, hand reaching for her pistol. I swept the scabbard again, this time striking her throat. Gagging, her hand instinctively left the pistol to clutch her neck. I reached down for her gun and grabbed it. Firing, once! Twice!

As she fell against the wall instantly unconscious. The footsteps of the other agents pounded toward the door.

I kicked it closed. A frigg bullet whizzed by my face and I pressed against the wall in time to avoid a hail of them coming through the door, shattering the window on the far side of the room. I rushed over to Ru’Yi, who was wailing now, startled by the noise. I scooped her up, tucking Spiderfang and Tongzi into my belt and fired round after round at the door. 

There was a tree just outside the window.

I tucked Ru’Yi tight against me, ran diving out the shattered glass. Hot pain ran  a long line down my back and I cried out even as I reached for the nearest limb and hung there just long enough to break my fall. Then I fell down to the landscaping.

Blood was running down my back in a hot stream as men came around the corner, pointing their pistols until they saw Ru’Yi in my arms. They didn’t fire. I turned and ran toward the garage.

“Cut her off! Cut her off!” They were yelling, drawing closer. But I had the advantage of surprise.

I slammed my shoulder into the door, knocking it open. I shouted. “Carli Lu!” The Bugatti, one of the fastest cars in the world, roared to life like a demon. I slammed my hand against garage door opener and swung open the driver’s side door as it began to rise, agonizingly slowly.

The agents rushed into the garage, saw me go for the car and fired at the tires. But frigg bullets were not equipped to puncture tires. 

The Veyron peeled out of the garage, nearly flattening a foolish agent who tried to shoot me through the windshield.

My back hurt so much but I couldn’t stop. I had to get out of the range of the Soul Skill Restriction.

Cassell sat on top of high hills. The alchemy matrix extending the Soul Skill that suppressed draconic speech could only go out so far from the ground. I pushed the pedal to the floor, reaching 100 mph, then 125, going up to where the hill peaked.

“Hold on baby.” I clutched Ru’Yi to myself, crying as we approached a sheer drop off, going 150 mph.

I opened the door as the car flew straight off the cliff. It soared horizontally for several yards until its nose tipped downward.

At that moment, I jumped, reaching out, hoping that the last few feet I could get away from the College would be the last few feet I needed.

I squeezed my eyes shut and visualized the trees of Chizuru in full bloom of March, willing myself there.

#Dragon Dancer #Mingfei Lu #Johann Chu #Caesar Gattuso #Nono #anjou #Dragon Raja #Fanfiction #Writing

[obviouslyelementary]

To Have and To Hold

Ship: Moceit

Warnings: None

Ao3 link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24021697

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

All the sides were already in their rooms when he summoned the courage to leave his own. Janus stood up from his bed slowly, unable to sleep after everything that had happened, guilt consuming him whole. He hurt Thomas, Patton, Roman, Logan... when was he ever going to stop hurting everyone? When would he finally... become good?

Was that even possible?

As he stood, his snake Vanda hissed at him, not liking his sudden movement, and he sighed softly before petting her head and covering her up with his heated up blankets, knowing she would be comfortable like that. Then he looked around, second guessing his decision for the millionth time before he took a deep breath and nodded to himself. He needed to talk to someone at least, he couldn’t leave it like that when... it was affecting him so much.

He didn't change from his pajamas to leave his room, mainly because if he did, it would show discomfort and doubt, and those were the last things he wanted to show to the others. He had to pretend that everything was fine, 'fake it 'till he made it', or whatever. So there he went, on his puffy yellow pajamas, walking through the mindspace quietly as to not awake the others.

He could hear Remus' loud snores coming from his room, before he went upstairs to the 'light side', making his way to their bedrooms and sighing as he walked past the purple, indigo and red doors. He would apologize to them eventually, but he needed to build up trust first.

So he stopped in front of the light blue door, and gently knocked, as quietly as he could. The room remained silent, and Janus almost pulled away and went back to his room, regretting his decision almost immediately. But as soon as he gave a step back, the door opened and Patton showed face, looking confused but not sleepy, which was weird.

"Janus?" he whispered in the dark hallway, and Janus felt his human side burning in embarrassment, his throat tightening suddenly. He opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out, so Patton opened the door further. "Everything okay?"

"I..." Janus mumbled, finally finding his voice, and took a deep breath to clean it. "I need to talk to you... can I come inside?"

"Yes of course" Patton said, his worried and sweet tone always present. He let Janus through and as he walked inside, he felt a calming, peaceful aura surround him. He looked around, finding the golden decorations to be quite unlike he ever imagined the moral's side to admire, and a small smile showed up on his face as he saw a little glass cage with two frogs inside.

Surely not what he expected, but he quite liked it.

"Do you want to sit?" Patton asked after closing the door, following Janus inside, his voice above a whisper but not too loud. "Don't worry, no one can hear us from within here in case you don't want to whisper" he added, smiling at Janus and sitting on his own bed.

Janus then noticed the small lamp that was turned on next to the side's bed, with a book opened almost to the end. He narrowed his eyes to see better, finding that Patton was reading "The Book Thief", which wasn't what Janus would immediately believe he would read, but it was a very good book. He also noticed that the blankets were blue with cloud patterns on them, and Patton had many pictures hanging on his walls and over his dresser, of the sides and of Thomas as a kid and teenager, together with a few toys and decorations.

His room was... something.

"Thank you for... letting me in so late" Janus said, finally able to speak, pulling the chair next to Patton's little desk and sitting down on it. Patton didn't seem to mind, wrapping himself around the blankets and humming.

"No problem. I wasn't catching any Zs anyway, although it would be very much easier to catch them if I had a net" Patton said, smiling, and Janus forced himself to smile so he wouldn’t upset the side. "Anyway, why aren't you asleep? Do snakes sleep during the day?"

"... honestly I have no idea, and neither does Thomas, so I can't answer you that" Janus said, and Patton let out a soft giggle. "You could ask Logan tomorrow, but I normally sleep at night. I just have been... feeling a little feisty after today's events. That is absolutely not the reason I can't sleep."

"Do you always have to speak in lies or is it just like a... defense mechanical ism?" Patton asked, and Janus almost rolled his eyes.

"First, it is defense mechanism, and no it isn't that, it's just the way I speak. I will try to avoid lies during this conversation, even if they are... very obvious sometimes" he said, and Patton nodded.

"Okay good! So what do you want to talk about?"

Janus looked at Patton as he asked, pressing his lips together in a thinking expression. Truth was he didn't have anything to talk about, anything to say. He wanted to express his feelings of guilt over what he had said and done, but Patton and he had already solve their issues so why was he here?

Well, he knew exactly why he was there, and it had nothing to do, directly, with what had happened between them that night.

"I..."

'I miss you?'

'I love you?'

'I never knew how much you really meant to me?'

'I never want to fight again?'

'Please tell me you feel the same?'

How... did he start that conversation?

Suddenly a hand was touching his cheek, his scaly cheek, and he gasped softly because he did not see that coming, eyes shifting to look up at Patton, who had a very worried expression on his face. Janus was confused for a moment, but as soon as he felt the moral side's thumb underneath his eye, he knew he was crying, and that was humiliation enough.

"E-excuse me" Janus said, quickly, pushing the chair away and standing up, wiping his eyes angrily with his hands as he headed to the door. "I shouldn't have ever come here, I'm going back."

"Janus..."

"I'm sorry I didn't mean to-"

"Janus!"

He was stopped by a hand on his own, and his heart squeezed so tight he thought it was about to explode. Patton pulled him, gently but firm, but Janus couldn't look at him, eyes snapping down at the floor as Patton approached.

"Janus look at me" he whispered, and Janus closed his eyes for a second before slowly, shakily lifting his head to look at Patton. He was worried again, but there was something else... something so warm and kind in his eyes. He lifted his free hand to cup Janus' human side now, brushing his thumb over his cheek as another tear made its way down his face, stopping by Patton's hand.

They were silent for a moment, and Janus knew he would never make a move. So he did the best he could, removing his defenses and relaxing his body, eyelids closing and lips parting like a quiet invitation, but nothing that Patton couldn't move away from. His hands were shaking on his sides and he wanted to leave, but he also wanted to stay, and so many feelings filled him up that he didn't know how to react.

But the hand on his cheek didn't move, and suddenly, there was a warm press of lips against his own, a touch he craved for so long, that he had pushed to the back of his mind and never addressed, something that made him feel warm and alive, so gentle and sweet, with a nice cookie smell.

Patton.

The hand on his hand let go, and moved to Janus' waist, pulling him closer. Janus himself did not know what to do, so his hands moved to grip on Patton's onesie, holding him close, their heads tilting enough so Janus could feel the press of the dad side's glasses against his cheek and nose, and it was perfect. Oh, perfect wasn't a good enough word for it, but it was the best Janus had in his mind at that moment.

He finally felt like he could breathe after years of being underwater, and he never wanted to let go. Never.

He wouldn't, not again.

Never in a million years.

#moceit #my fanfic #to have and to hold #patton sanders #janus sanders #no warnings #soft #light angst #after SVS redux

[robbiekaysfavoritelostgirl]

Robbie Christmas Prompt

Prompts: 13  “Your hands are freezing!” , 

               41, “If you don’t go to sleep right now, Santa’s not coming.” 

               55, “You want to go to the mall now? ARE YOU CRAZY?”

               68 winter proposal 

              and 75.  “Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays, love.”

Requested: Yes! And thank you for letting me know which prompt list you were talking about! Made this whole thing a lot easier lol 

  “Your hands are freezing!” I moaned as my four year old nephew placed my hands around my neck, giggling at the look on my face. “What happened to your mittens?” I demanded, pulling his hands away from my neck in order to inspect the pockets of his thick winter coat. 

    “Gone!” He cried, giggling as he leaned forward so his nose, which too was freezing, was pressed against my cheek. I groaned, shaking my head as he began to happily chant about having no mittens. 

   “Get inside you crazy kid.” I sighed, standing up and directing him off towards the living room. Moments later the sounds of “Blue Clues” reached me, followed quickly by his screaming out answers to every silly question that Steve asked. Knowing that I would not be needed anytime soon, I began to search the basket of mittens. I knew my nephew and knew that the moment Robbie arrived home, he was off visiting his sister and his own nephew, that he would drag Robbie outside to play in the snow and would need mittens. When I failed to any mittens there, I quickly searched the “Lion King” bag my brother had sent with Noah cursing when I failed to find any. Another quick search of the rest of my brothers overnight bags turned up no signs of mittens for Noah, which caused me to let out a loud groan.

    “Great.” I huffed, running a hand over my face as I turned towards the living room. “Now I have to go to the damn mall on Christmas Eve.” I could, of course, call my brother and tell him that Noah needed mits but Carter was nervous enough as it was. Since April had left he was afraid of leaving Noah alone, for fear that the little boy would think he was being abandoned by both of his parents and calling him now would only panic him for no reason. 

    “Auntie can I have a cookie?” Noah screamed, his voice barely audible over the sounds of Blue Clues. 

    “Of course.” I answered, smiling as I headed off towards the kitchen. “I am made sugar cookies did you want to decorate them now or wait until Robbie gets here?”

    “Now!” He screamed, turning the TV off as suddenly as he had turned it on and raced out of the living room, nearly crashing into my legs in process. “Do you have sprinkles?” He inquired, only “sprinkles” sound much more like “sprwinles” since he was still have difficulty with his “r”s  

   “Well of course I do, you can make sugar cookies without sprinkles!” I giggled, ruffling his hair as I followed him into the kitchen, his little feet padding against the ilumnu flooring. 

     We had just finished decorating the last cookie, or I should I just finished as he stopped half way through and decided eating the icing and cookies was the best option, when Robbie arrived. 

   “Love?” He screamed out, laughing as Noah let out a cry of pure joy and began racing off towards him, myself hot on his heels. I had turned the corner just in time to see Noah throw himself at Robbie, who was ready for the four year old and was kneeling down with his arms wide open. 

   “We just finished cookies!” I laughed, my smile growing as I watched the two of them.I loved watching them together and couldn’t help but picture what he would look like with our own child. 

   “Perfect! I could use a cookie!” Robbie laughed, untangling himself from Noah and heading towards me. He paused, pressing a quick kiss to my lips before allowing Noah to drag him off to the kitchen. 

   “When your finished your cookie could you maybe go to the mall with me? Little man needs mittens.” I asked, watching as he accepted a cookie, that was more icing and sprinkles than cookie since Noah made it, only to have him pause halfway to his mouth. 

    “You want to go to the mall now? ARE YOU CRAZY!” He demanded, staring at me as if I already was crazy and I may be just that. Going to the mall, which was the only large shopping center in our small town, on Christmas Eve was certainly a crazy idea. However it was the only one I had at the moment, despite forcing an overly excited three year old to stay inside while there was snow outside. 

    “He needs mittens.” I repeated, watching as Noah began to grow impatient with us both. 

   “Who said he can’t just wear a pair that is too big. It’s just for now right?” Robbie laughed, biting into the cookie Noah had prepared and instantly declaring it the best cookie he had ever tasted. “We will just tuck the sleeves of his coat into the mits with him and call it done. No need to go to the mall love, unless you really want to.” 

   “Do I want to go to the mall?” I inquired with a laugh. “Hell no, we will do it your way then. Besides it’s late out already we won’t be out there too long so it should be fine.” Knowing that I no longer had to face the overly crowded mall, I allowed myself to relax. 

    “Robbie outside!” Noah screamed, laughing happily when Robbie nodded. 

    “Let’s go get ready then lil man.” With that Noah was gone, nothing more than a brown haired little streak in a Batman onesie. “Are you going to come outside with us?” 

   “No you two men are going to need hot chocolate for when your done.” 

   “Are you going to make your famous homemade hot chocolate?” When I nodded, giggling at how excited he was. 

   “Yes and I will also get dinner started while I am at it. How does something simple sound, I’m thinking finger foods.” 

   “Sounds perfect to me my love.” He cooed, bending down to press a kiss against to my lips. “Whatever you make is good to me.”

     Robbie and Noah had been playing out in the snow for over an hour, their laughter reaching me through the windows, when my brother arrived home, grunting as Noah no doubt threw himself at his father. Minutes later the three men in my life had made their way inside, all of them covered in snow and cold to the bone. 

    “Take your things off, dinner is ready. We having chinese.” I announced, laughing at the three overly excited cries of approval from the three men in my life. I barely had time to place the full plates out on the table when they were rushing towards it, sitting down and digging in. “Hot chocolate anyone?” It was a rhetorical question but I was answered with grunts nonetheless. I shook my head as I began to pour out the hot chocolate, pausing to kiss each man on my way by before finally settling down at the table beside Robbie and helping myself. 

    “When Santa coming?” Noah demanded between bites of food. Though it came out more as “When Santa woming.” While he could say all three words perfectly, it was growing late and he was getting sleepy, which meant that he was slurring his words. It wouldn’t be much longer until he passed out.  

  “Late tonight when you are asleep. Just like every Christmas.” Carson answered, smiling down at his son. “So that means after dinner and Rudolph it’s time for bed.” Watching Rudolph after dinner Christmas eve was a tradition my mother had started and Noah adored it. 

   “No bed.” Noah cried, the word bed waking him up enough to glare at his father. 

    “Whatever you say little man.” Carson laughed, ruffling Noah’s hair before he turned back to his meal. As dinner went on however, it became clear that Noah was not able to stay awake much longer, especially when he began to doze over his mug of hot chocolate. However when Carson picked him up for bed, he began to protest, sleepy little cries of no bed, ringing throughout the house. 

   “If you don’t go to be right now, Santa’s not coming!” Carson warned, Robbie and I stifling our laughter when Noah instantly fell silent. 

    “Why don’t you come for a walk with me.” Robbie suggested, chuckling softly at my raised brow. “Come on it won’t be to bad now, plus it will be beautiful.”

   “I never said no, I just don’t understand why you suddenly want to go for a walk.”

   “Sudden whims.” He chuckled, smiling as I pushed myself away from the table and headed out to the front hall. 

   “Your lucky I have mittens.” I chuckled, smiling at him as I began to get into hat and mitts. He followed my lead and in less than a minute we were out in the cold, the bitter December wind biting at our faces. “So where to?”

    “Just around is all.” He replied with a shrug, reaching out to wrap my arm around his own. I hummed, taking a step closer to him, leaning my head on his shoulder. We walked in silence, each of us taking turns to pick a direction. We came to a stop when we reached the river. It was covered in ice and had the moonlight was reflecting of the lake. It was here that I met Robbie for the first time. I taken Noah down to swim in the lake two summers before and ran into him. We started talking and that was the end of it. 

   “Did you know when I first met you I didn’t think love was real. I honestly thought it was just a fairytale. All I had knew of love was that people got hurt. They took advantage of you and left you to mend your trust issues and heart. Then you came along and suddenly I could see why people put so much into it. I knew the moment that I saw you running around trying to collect frogs, while clearly terrified, that you were the type of person that would do anything for the people you love. I also knew then, when you turned to smile widely at me, that you were it. I didn’t even try to fight it you know. As stupid as it sounds you make that cheesy line from twilight real. You know the when where Edward is like, when you came into my life you were like the sun or whatever. You were my sun and it wasn’t until I saw your smile that I noticed I was living in the dark and that I never wanted to return to that. I need you in my life, you make me a better man. So will you please do me the honour of becoming my wife.” As he spoke he fell to one knee, pulling a simple ring from his pocket. Despite being a simple golden band with single diamond in the center, it was the most beautiful ring I had ever seen. 

    “Oh Robbie, please get up it’s freezing and yes I will marry you.” I cried, laughing as he instantly jumped to his feet. Before pulling me into a kiss, he slipped the ring on my finger, both of us grinning when it was the perfect fit. As his lips touched mine, it felt like everything was falling to place. 

    “Merry Christmas love.” He whispered as he pulled away, grinning widely at me. 

    “Merry Christmas darling.” I answered, smiling again as I leaned in for another kiss. 

#robbiekaysfavouritelostgirl #christmas imagines #24 days of christmas #robbie kay imagines #robbie kay

[dragonsaphirareads]

The Selfish Protector - Disney and Deceit (Chapter 1)

Crossposted to AO3

Link to Masterlist

Deceit joins the other sides for Friday movie night for a new game Roman creates, but Virgil and Patton aren't exactly thrilled with his presence.

“I’m so glad you two have come around! This is going to be so much fun, I’ve even devised a new game for us to play so we can get to know Deceit a little more!” Roman was smiling widely as Virgil and Patton told him they’d decided to come to family movie night like normal.

Virgil shrugged, and Patton felt a pang of guilt in his heart. Roman was so happy, happier than Patton had seen him in a while, now that he thought about it. Even now he had a spring in his step, bouncing between the kitchen and the living room, preparing food and drinks and changing around the common room to seat everyone comfortably.

It was for the best, he reassured himself. Roman was just blind with the praise Deceit always laid on him. They would save him before the snake could turn on him like Virgil told him he would.

“Of course! Is there anything I can help with, kiddo?” Patton offered, and Roman shook his head.

“Nope! I’ve got everything under control! You and Virgil can just hang out in the living room while I go get Logan!” The prince practically skipped past them and down the hall towards Logan’s room. Virgil and Patton sat down on the sectional, glancing at each other for a moment to reassure themselves.

“Virgil... this is... good, right?” Patton whispered, his throat tight. Virgil put his hand on top of Patton’s, squeezing it softly.

“You’re not sure?” The anxious side tried to hide his surprise - since when did Patton not know? He was Morality, that was his purpose.

“I mean... I just...what if they get angry at us for this?”

Virgil sighed. That thought had crossed his mind too, and it didn’t make him feel good. “As long as they’re safe, it doesn’t matter, right? It’s that, or they get sucked into whatever game Deceit is playing and we lose them completely.”

Patton nodded slowly. “Right... we won’t let that happen.”

The emotional side didn’t know if he would be able to handle Logan or Roman being angry at him, but Virgil was right - they had to keep them safe from Deceit.

“I’ve got him!” Roman called out as he entered the room, dragging Logan behind him. “Our resident nerd was once again planning on skipping on movie night!”

Logan rolled his eyes, pulling his arm from Roman’s grip. “I was planning no such thing, I simply lost track of the time. I’d appreciate you not implying otherwise.”

“Aww, so you do like spending time with us! I thought you thought Disney movies were annoying and childish?” Roman teased.

“They are overly optimistic and fanciful, not to mention unrealistic. However, they are a suitable way to pass the time if you enjoy not having to think for two hours.” It was both a compliment and an insult, but Roman took it in stride.

“Sure, whatever, you know you love it! Anyways, let’s get comfortable!” Roman waved his hand and his clothes shifted from his normal princely attire to his Christmas sweater and red sweatpants. Logan followed suit as he took a seat on the other side of the sectional, curling up in his sweater and pants and opening the book that he’d taken from his room.

Patton grinned and shifted as well, but instead of the Christmas sweater he shifted into his cat onesie, he had very few chances to wear it anymore and it was just so warm and cuddly!

Virgil on the other hand didn’t change. When Roman came into the room and set the snacks down he pouted, but Virgil shrugged.

“I’m already comfy enough, Princey.”

“But...”

Virgil raised his eyebrows, but Roman didn’t finish the thought, instead rolling his eyes at Logan. “Really, Matilda? Did you take that with you so you could ignore us?”

Logan didn’t look up. “No, I’m only reading until all of us are here. There’s no point in starting any activity you have planned until Deceit arrives.”

“If that’s the case, let’s get the party started.” The four of them looked up at Deceit, who’d entered the room while Roman and Logan were squabbling. The snakelike side took a look at the four of them and smirked slightly. “Looks like I didn’t get the memo about the dress code.” Deceit teased. Roman gasped.

“Oh, I’m sorry, I totally forgot to tell you! Ah, if you like, I can design a sweater for you too!”

Deceit’s mouth twitched for a moment into a genuine smile. “Really? You’d do that for me? Well, I suppose I can accept, on one condition.” He purred, and Roman nodded heartily.

“What’s that?”

“You design a sweater, but I get to change the rest. I’m rather creative too, you know~” Deceit winked, and Virgil could feel his chest burning when he heard the flattered giggle that came from Roman. The creative side thought for a moment before flourishing his hand towards Deceit, who snapped at the same time.

The result was a yellow and black sweater divided right down the middle. There were two snakes curled back and forth across the color divide, one black and one yellow. The yellow half was on the left and had black lines indicating scales all down the half of his chest and left arm. The collar, bottom edge and arm cuffs were the opposite color of the main sweater. The way the sweater was cut, it hung lower on his neck than Deceit’s normal outfit, and the others could see how his scales trailed down his neck, disappearing into his collar.

Aside from Roman’s very fitting sweater design, Deceit now wore black sweatpants, thick fuzzy yellow socks, and a yellow beanie with black stitching. He had, however, kept his signature yellow gloves.

Patton couldn’t help but admire the sweater design - Roman had clearly put just as much thought into this one as he had into the others, which either meant he was incredibly good at thinking up designs on the fly, or that when he designed the sweaters, he’d designed them for all of the sides.

Virgil on the other hand was not impressed. “Do you two always have to be so extra?”

Roman spun to spit some retort at him but Deceit stepped forward and patted Roman’s shoulder, grinning. “He’s just jealous that my sweater looks better than his. Incredible work as always, Roman.”

The prince glowed at the praise. “Why thank you! I was hoping you’d like it!”

Deceit nodded, then turned to the side and noticed Logan was watching him with curious eyes. The lying side smirked and put a hand on his hip, striking a natural pose. “Like what you see, Logan?”

“I’m certainly curious about your scales. Do they extend down the entirety of your body?”

Deceit could physically feel the anger coming from the other side of the couch and decided this was too good an opportunity to pass up. He licked his lips and wiggled his eyebrows. “I’d be happy to show you sometime, Logan~” Deceit purred low, and Virgil slammed his hands down hard on the coffee table, rattling everything.

“That’s enough of that! Roman, can we just start now? Deceit’s here now, unfortunately.” Virgil sneered as Deceit snickered at his outburst and sat down in the corner of the sectional. Patton cast a sideways glance at him, watching him with careful consideration as Deceit turned his attention to Roman, standing in front of them all, ready to explain his game.

“Ok! So, I was thinking about it, and I realized that we may all ‘know’ Deceit, but we don’t really ‘know’ him! So I’ve created a brilliant game, Disney themed of course, to help us get to know each other!” Roman waved his hand and conjured five patches, each a side’s logo. He shuffled them around like cards in his hands while he talked.

“I’ll hand out these badges blindly and once you have one, we’ll go around and you have to pick a Disney character that you think represents the person best!”

“What if we pick ourselves?” Patton asked.

“Then you choose someone to compare yourself to! Oh, and this is just Disney! No Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars, nothing like that! We’re staying classic!”

“Sounds fun~” Deceit hummed. Roman beamed.

“We’ll do a couple rounds. Once we finish one, we’ll pass to our right and go again! Now close your eyes and pick a logo!” Roman fanned them out and Logan humored him, closing his eyes and picking blindly. He drew a purple storm cloud which he fiddled with absently as Roman moved on.

Deceit drew a red and gold crest, Patton drew a brain with glasses, and Virgil drew a two headed snake. It left Roman with a heart with glasses, and he grinned.

“Alright, everyone’s got one, who wants to start?”

They were quiet for a moment as everyone thought, and Roman fidgeted as he started to worry that maybe the others wouldn’t play along with this game, wouldn’t enjoy it as much as he thought they would. Was this a bad idea?

Deceit saw the distress building on Roman’s face out of the corner of his eye and opened his mouth to start, but Virgil beat him to it.

“Easy. Deceit is the villain from Princess and the Frog.”

The lying side in question raised an eyebrow. “Dr. Facilier? Wow, Virgil, I’m so surprised you chose a villain to compare me to.”

“You’ve got a stupid hat, weird glowing powers and a look that puts everyone on edge. I think it fits you perfectly.” Virgil snarled, but to his annoyance Deceit just grinned.

“Aww, I’m honored you think so highly of me! However, it does give my suggestion an unwanted connotation. I was going to suggest that you, Roman, were just like Prince Naveen.”

Roman blinked. “Oh yeah?”

“A dashing prince who gets in a little over his head, who falls in love and spends his time trying to woo the person he’s been on the journey with, not to mention willing to sacrifice being with the person he loves to make sure that they’re happy? Oh, and fluent in a love language as well~” Deceit counted off on his fingers as Roman grew more and more red. Hearing Deceit explain his choice made his heart nearly burst from the praise, but he cleared his throat and tried to hide just how good it felt to hear his words.

“You make a compelling argument...”

“Oh, and his singing voice is rather divine as well, we can’t forget that!” Deceit added, and Roman nearly burst into flames. He coughed awkwardly, taking the opportunity to hide his wide grin behind his hand.

“Well, I, uh... I think Patton’s just like Cinderella’s fairy godmother.” He sputtered, moving the focus away from him. The side in question lit up, bouncing slightly in his seat.

“Ah, that’s sweet Roman!”

“W-Well, you’re sweet and you’d do anything to help someone like Cinderella achieve her dream, and you would totally make a pumpkin into a carriage!”

Patton giggled. “True! Bibbity boopity boop!” He sung, tapping Virgil’s nose to the other’s confusion. “Well, I got Logan and I thought of Mary Poppins!”

Logan pursed his lips. “Really?”

“Yes! She’s organized, and knows exactly what to do to make sure the kids get their work done!”

“She’s also calculated enough to realize when she needs to leave and detach from the situation to move on to the next problem.” Deceit added, and Logan blinked, considering it.

“I... suppose. Although I cannot imagine singing the songs in that movie, they’re somehow more ridiculous than any other Disney film.”

“Says the guy who spent almost ten minutes singing about a jelly brand...” Deceit muttered and Roman snickered. Logan kept his face neutral, though the tips of his ears did turn pink. He cleared his throat.

Logan looked at Virgil. “Well then, I believe that just leaves me. I believe Jack Skellington from The Nightmare Before Christmas is a good fit for you.”

“Is this just because I’ve got a poster of the movie in my room?” Virgil asked.

“Partially, yes. I know you enjoy the movie. However, I believe you do share some traits with the protagonist.”

Roman tilted his head. “Really? I would have put him as Sally, if I had to pick someone from that one.”

“Yes, well, I find it an accurate metaphor for your joining our little group.” Everyone’s attention was on Virgil, so nobody caught how Deceit’s jaw tightened ever so slightly at Logan’s words. “You were stuck in your own world, feeling isolated until you came across something new and exciting. However, your entry into this new world was... rocky, one might say. The details of the movie muddle the metaphor, and perhaps the ending isn’t truly reflective of our truth, but regardless, I feel it’s suitable.”

“Wow Logan, that was a... detailed analysis...” Virgil said slowly, glancing quickly at Deceit but seeing only his trademark grin on his face.

“I thought that was the point of this game?” Logan asked, confused.

“You did wonderfully, Logan. In fact, I think your choice was the most accurate out of all of us.” Deceit complimented him, and the logical side adjusted his glasses quickly.

“That’s kind of you, Deceit.”

Beside him, Patton could feel Virgil tense up, and he subtly nudged his leg up against the anxious side’s, trying to convey some encouragement through the touch.

“Well then, let’s pass to the right! This time, let’s put a new rule in place! You have to name a princess that the person is like! Or a female main character, even if they don’t have the title of princess technically. For this, characters like Pocahontas and Moana are princesses, even if that’s not technically their title.” Roman explained eagerly. That hadn’t gone horribly! And forcing them into a narrower focus, hopefully he could avoid a spat between Virgil and Deceit.

The sides all passed their badges to the right, and Deceit immediately smirked and held up his brain logo, leaning forward. “Well, this one is just too easy. Belle, Beauty and the Beast.”

Logan narrowed his eyes. “Too easy?”

“She’s the only one in town who reads, and also seems to be the only one with a smidge of common sense.”

The logical side groaned. “Yes, but she also fell in love with a monster who essentially kidnapped her and held her captive.”

Roman threw his head back and rubbed at his eyes. “We’re not starting the Stockholm Syndrome argument again! Not tonight!”

Logan shut his mouth, clearly he’d been about to argue that very point. “Fine then. Regardless of that, the very fact that she fell in love with him--”

“Oh, that’s right, I forgot you’re an emotionless robot who doesn’t feel anything. Unfortunately, there’s not many Disney princesses who are like that, so I had to make due with the princess who forces the prince to respect her as a person before she starts falling for him.” Deceit’s tone was more forceful than the others expected, and it startled them a bit. Logan especially leaned back, unsure to why he sounded so frustrated.

“I didn’t mean-- Belle is fine, I just...” Deceit waited, but Logan trailed off. “Nevermind.”

“Anyways, I have myself this round, and I just have one thing to say - Merida. That is all!”

The others rolled their eyes but let it be. It was a pretty decent fit.

“I’ve got myself too, but how am I supposed to pick a princess? They’re all way too... fluffy for my taste.” Virgil mumbled, flipping the patch over and over between his fingers.

“What’s wrong with being fluffy?” Patton asked, pouting.

“Nothing, it’s just not me.”

“Megara!” Roman exclaimed.

“Ooh, that’s a good one Roman.” Deceit hummed, and Virgil considered it as Roman explained.

“She’s smart, sassy, doesn’t take any crap from Hades, and she only does what she does because she made a deal with Hades to save and protect the one she loved. It maybe didn’t turn out well... but she got a happy ending!”

Virgil considered it, and seemed to accept it with a shrug. “Sure, whatever.”

“Patton, I have you, and I think Princess Jasmine from Aladdin fits you rather nicely.” Logan spoke, and Patton turned to him.

“Really? I love her, she’s so pretty!”

“Yes, well, one of her defining characteristics is her intense hatred for being lied to and treated like an object rather than a person.” Patton tensed up at the mention of lying, and he intentionally avoided looking at Deceit, who he could feel was staring at him. “Considering your own moral compass, it seemed like an accurate fit.”

“A-Ah, well, I guess so... I don’t know if I could be as brave as she is though...” Patton tried to deflect, then he looked down at the patch in his hands and realized he was the last one in this round. “Um, I’m sorry, I tried but I couldn’t really think of a princess for you, Deceit...”

Deceit’s slitted eye twitched.

“That’s alright, Patton! Let’s all think of something together!” Roman was quick to reassure him, then tapped his chin as he thought. “What about... Mulan? She lied about her gender so that she could join the army and protect her father. And even when she was revealed, she still did everything she could to fulfill her duty!” Roman looked down and saw Deceit was smiling softly at him, and felt heat rush to his cheeks. The lying side quickly schooled his features into a more neutral expression as the others looked to him.

“That works for me. ‘Hero of China’ is a title I would be more than willing to hold.” Deceit leaned back, throwing his arm across the back of the couch.

Roman sighed in relief - he’d felt the tension in the room rise when Patton didn’t have an answer, but thankfully he’d resolved it. “OK! Let’s go again! This time - Disney princes!”

They all passed and thought for a moment. Roman spoke up first, showing Logan his badge. “I’ve got one! You, Logan, are the spitting image of Milo Thatch from Atlantis!”

Logan adjusted his glasses. “Explain your thought process, please.”

“Easy! You’re a nerd, awkward and obsessed with learning! Plus, he has glasses!”

“You’re underselling him a bit, Roman. Milo is the hero of the story, all because he studied dead languages and a civilization that most people considered unimportant. If he hadn’t dedicated his life to it despite people telling him his study was pointless, Atlantis’ entire culture would have died out without anyone knowing.” Deceit added, and the other sides all stared at him in surprise. “What? I agree with Roman, but he wasn’t hitting on the important parts of his character.” He explained nonchalantly.

Logan blinked. Did Deceit just indirectly call him important for the work he does? “I, er, well... thank you.” He stuttered, cursing himself for his lack of coherency.

Virgil watched this exchange with clenched teeth. It made his blood boil, how smoothly Deceit could wrap the two of them around his little finger. One word that could remotely be construed as praise and they were practically falling all over him.

He wouldn’t fall for it. He could only hope Patton wouldn’t either.

“Well, Roman, I have you this round, and I know how much would you love to be compared to a strong, daring prince, so I’m not going to do that.” Roman gasped, a hand over his heart in mock surprise, and Logan smirked. “Instead, I’m going to say Roger from 101 Dalmations.”

Roman tilted his head. “Really? Wouldn’t Patton fit that better? He loves dogs!”

“You’re musical and you would absolutely compose a song about a villain, and if you were given the chance you would completely change the course of your life to take care of dogs.” Logan explained.

The creative side let out a huff. “Ok, I can’t argue on the song thing, but Patton would do the same thing if he had a hundred dogs suddenly show up on his doorstep.”

Logan rolled his eyes. “I’m just playing by the rules of the game you created. I don’t have Patton this round, I have you. And that’s my choice.”

“Fine! Virgil, go, you’ve got Patton!”

“Prince Eric.”

Roman gasped for real this time. “What?!” He screeched.

Virgil shrugged. “Patton’s the kind of person who would pick up some random stranger off the beach and invite her to stay in his castle as an honored guest. And then fall in love with her in three days.”

Patton squealed and tackled Virgil in a side hug. “Aww, you think so? Virgil, that’s so sweet!”

Deceit raised an eyebrow - that was an interesting way to react to that explanation. Beside him, Roman was huffing in annoyance.

“I could be Prince Eric! Patton, can’t we switch?”

Patton just giggled. “I don’t think that’s part of the game, kiddo! Anyways, this is funny, I have Virgil this round! And I’ve got the perfect one. Bambi!”

Deceit stifled a laugh, not attempting to hide how widely he was grinning. Virgil whipped around and stared daggers at him. “What’re you laughing at, snakeface?”

“Absolutely nothing. Go ahead, I’m dying to hear your reasoning, Patton!”

Virgil sneered but Deceit stayed quiet as Patton explained, putting his hand over Virgil’s to draw his attention back to him. “When you first started really joining us in videos, you didn’t exactly know what you were doing. A lot of stuff was new and you didn’t know how to deal with it so you didn’t at first. Not until you made friends who could help you!”

“I mean I guess...” It felt wrong, but he just wanted to move on rather than argue against it. “Alright, well, that’s it then, let’s pass and go again.”

“Hold on just a moment Virgil, Deceit hasn’t given his answer yet. This game won’t be as effective unless everyone takes part.” Logan pointed out, and Virgil inwardly cursed Logan a thousand different ways.

“I can understand your mistake, Virgil, we all know how forgettable I am.” The anxious side resisted the urge to hiss at him. He was trying to piss him off - Virgil wouldn’t fall for it.

“Aladdin.” Deceit answered.

“Ah right, the prince who lies and steals to get what he wants.” Virgil rolled his eyes.

Deceit turned to him, eyes narrowed. “A ‘street rat’ who’s been looked down on his whole life for who he is, something he was born as and has no control over, who was forced to steal and lie to stay alive in a society that treats him like dirt. Someone who is given a chance of a lifetime to turn himself around, but is forced to hide a big part of himself in order to integrate into that society and finally be accepted by someone who will love him regardless of his past or who he is.” Deceit met Virgil’s eyes evenly, his face a mask. Beside him, Patton was shifting uncomfortably, staring at his feet. It was an unexpectedly candid answer and he could feel the guilt stirring in his chest. The room slowly got colder as they stared at each other, the tension hanging like a thick fog in the air.

“How is it that you manage to be even more edgy than me?” Virgil quipped, and the room’s temperature rose again as Deceit laughed, a sharp noise breaking the awkward silence.

“I can only dream of being as edgy as you, my dear Virgil.” Deceit purred, and Virgil was glad Patton was between them because otherwise he would take a swing and knock that smug look right off his face.

“Ok, let’s move on!” Roman broke in, passing his badge over. They all swapped, though Virgil was grumbling the whole way that this whole idea was stupid.

“This time let’s do side characters! Comic relief, background characters, anyone but the main characters!”

Deceit smirked and held up the badge he’d received, and Virgil braved himself. Great, what horrible character would Deceit compare him to to piss him off now?

“Eeyore.” What? Virgil glanced at him - that was tame. What was he playing at?

“Why?” The anxious side ventured cautiously.

The lying side smirked. “Always looks on the dark side and brings up the negatives to every decision--”

“And he’s still loved by his friends despite that!” Patton interrupted Deceit, putting his arm around Virgil and pulling him into a tight hug.

“And he’s still loved by his friends despite that.” Deceit parroted quietly, and while Virgil and Patton missed it as Virgil struggled to get out of Patton’s grip, Logan and Roman caught it and shared a look.

If Deceit was upset or angry, he didn’t show it as he looked over to Roman and grinned widely. “Your turn~”

Roman, who’d been debating, hit his fist against his palm and grinned. “That’s it! The Cheshire cat!”

“That’s a rather surface observation, Roman. Are you just referring to his smile?” Logan asked, and Roman shook his head.

“No! Well, yes, that’s part of it, you have a very unique smile, but it’s more than that! In the movie, the cat appears just to confuse Alice and say things that make sense to him, but nobody else.” Roman grinned a little like a cheshire himself. “You always keep things to yourself and get us to run around in circles trying to understand you!”

“Oh but it’s much more fun that way!” Deceit snickered.

“See? That’s what I mean!” Roman gestured, and Deceit took it in stride.

“You’ve got me all figured out, don’t you~” The lying side humored him, and Roman shrugged, happy with himself.

“Tinkerbell.”

The three of them turned to look at Virgil, who was staring at Roman intently. “I beg your pardon?” Logan asked.

“Roman. I choose Tinkerbell.”

“Because I’m magical and wonderous? Why thank you Virgil!”

“Because you’re only pleased with yourself when someone pays attention to you. Otherwise you sulk or throw a tantrum.” Roman’s eyes widened, and he leaned back, trying to play it off with a laugh.

“I only wish for the world to recognize my talents!”

Deceit’s eye twitched again.

“Yeah right princey.”

“I have myself this round! And I think I’m like Mrs. Potts from Beauty and the Beast!” Patton broke in, holding up his heart patch joyfully. “She’s kind and a mother and she always looks on the bright side and tries to cheer up Belle when she stays in the castle!” He said all in one breath, and the others nodded along. If any of them would be able to comfort someone in the situation Belle found herself in, it would be him. The irony wasn’t lost on Deceit that he’d compared Logan to Belle not half an hour earlier.

“That leaves you, Logan! You have yourself, right?” Patton asked, and Logan nodded, holding up the brain patch.

“Yes. I think I’ll choose Sebastian, from The Little Mermaid. He’s organized, task-oriented, and his plans are always ruined by someone who decides to go running of on an adventure.” He glared pointedly at Roman, who just rolled his eyes.

“Life is so boring the way you live it! I have to keep you on your toes!”

“I could certainly do without it.” The logical side grumbled.

Roman glanced around and realized they’d all gone. “Well, that went faster than I thought! We can start a movie now, if you want--”

“Just a moment, Roman. We still have one more rotation. And I have the perfect idea~” Deceit interrupted him, and his tone put Virgil immediately on edge.

“Oh, yeah? What’s... what’s that?”

“Well, we’ve done princesses, princes and side characters. But we have one more rotation, and one more group. Why don’t we do one last round and pick from Disney villains?”

Roman chewed his lip, looking over at Virgil nervously. “Ah, well, I... I wasn’t going to... I mean, Virgil...”

“Right, right, I understand. You don’t want to compare dear Virgil to a villain, given his history. But if we all do it, then it’s fair, right? We won’t single anyone out.” Deceit’s voice was smooth, convincing, and Roman would be lying if he said he hadn’t thought about the villains in this game.

“W-Well, what do you guys think? We don’t have to if you don’t want to...” Roman turned the question on the rest of them, unsure what result he himself wanted.

“I for one believe it would be a good exercise. Disney villains especially have a wide range of characteristics and motivations, exploring those darker themes could be interesting.” Logan put in, shifting in his seat to get more comfortable.

“And it’s just a thought exercise, after all. We’re not saying anyone in this room is actually a villain, right?” Deceit added, watching Patton’s reactions carefully. He knew Virgil wouldn’t agree with him just on principle, but Roman and Logan were both for the idea. It would be majority vote...

But Roman wouldn’t dare go against his beloved fatherly side. If Patton said no, Roman would change his mind to please him. It made Deceit crazy.

Patton knew he was being watched from all sides, and he bit his lip. On the one hand, he wanted to push Deceit away and just start watching a movie - at least then, he wouldn’t have to talk to him anymore. He could lean against Virgil and try to forget he was there at all, and try to ignore the butterflies in his stomach that just wouldn’t go away.

On the other hand, Roman was looking at him with such raw hope in his eyes that he couldn’t bear to say no. “Well... I guess it is just a game we’re playing.”

Roman lit up - he hadn’t realized that he’d been holding his breath until he felt his lungs burning. “Uh, ok then, let’s do it!”

They passed their badges, and Patton realized as soon as Deceit took hold of his badge what he’d gotten himself into. He felt his heart stop. How had he forgotten who exactly Deceit would be answering for!?

“I suppose I’ll start then.” Logan said after the room fell into a tense silence. “Deceit, I believe you fit Tamatoa from Moana well.”

That actually caught Deceit off guard, though he hid it well enough. “Really? Please, elaborate on that Logan.”

“Certainly. To begin, while Tamatoa is certainly an antagonist in the movie and his actions towards the protagonists aren’t exactly excusable, upon many viewings,” Logan cast a glance at Roman, “I can conclude that the main motivation for his actions is selfish desire. He gathers shiny things and keeps them in his cave, and doesn’t let anyone touch them.”

Deceit resisted the urge to rub at the scratches that were slowly healing on his face. None of them had mentioned it until now, and it wasn’t for lack of noticing, he was sure. He narrowed his eyes curiously. “Interesting. Are you calling me selfish for how I keep my room, Logan?”

Logan wasn’t intimidated, and merely shrugged. “It’s simply a comparison. Am I incorrect?”

There was a pause.

“Not entirely.” Deceit answered, tugging at his hat that had begun to slip down on his head.

“Alright then. Virgil, would you like to go next? You have my badge.”

Virgil shrunk in on himself. “C’mon Teach, I don’t wanna compare you to a villain--”

Logan gave him a soft, rare smile. “It’s quite alright. This is just a thought exercise, Virgil.”

The anxious side took a breath. He damned Logan - if only he could have kept his mouth shut, he wouldn’t need to deal with this! “Uhh... I guess... maybe... Frolo?”

Logan raised an eyebrow. “From Hunchback of Notre Dame? Interesting... why?”

Virgil stared at his shoes. “I dunno... he’s smart, and he doesn’t show his emotions easily.”

“Hmm... Well, I don’t believe I’ve ever displayed the... lust he does, but aside from that I understand where you’re coming from.”

“Yeah.” Virgil shrugged, uncomfortable. Patton nudged him subtly with his elbow, and Virgil turned up a corner of his mouth to show him he was alright.

“Roman, why don’t you go next?” Logan encouraged, taking over the activity since Roman was sitting still, staring at the small storm cloud badge in his hand.

“I, uh... I mean, Virgil...” He’d lost any and all bravado he’d had before, and now he just stared across the sectional with apologetic eyes.

“Just get it over with, princey.”

“Uh... Maleficent. Technically, yes, she’s the villain, but if you look at the original story, it was actually the king and queen who insulted her first. And she even gave them a chance to fix their mistake, and only cursed them when they did it again. Not to mention she gave the princess an out for her curse!” Roman explained quickly, like the very words burned him as he spoke. Virgil shrugged, though inwardly he felt a small prick of warmth. He did everything he could to make his choice a good one for him, and to not offend or scare him.

When had Roman gotten so careful about not offending him?

“Oh, does that make it my turn then?” Deceit hummed as Roman fell silent. The lying side grinned widely, leaning forward into Patton’s personal bubble and twirled the heart patch between his fingers.

“I thought of the perfect one for you, Patton. How about Hans, from Frozen?”

“W-What?!” Patton exclaimed, jerking away from Deceit. “But... he’s horrible! He lies to Anna and tries to kill her!”

“He tells her everything she wants to hear, encourages her to go after her sister, her only living family, and that he can manage her kingdom by himself while she’s gone. All. By. Himself.”

Patton shrunk slightly under the intense gaze from Deceit’s golden eye. “I... don’t understand...”

“What’re you playing at?!” Virgil growled, his voice low. Deceit didn’t spare him a glance.

“He took over, and he did it all under the radar. Nobody ever suspected what a horrible person he was inside. He kept up the facade as long as he needed to to get what he wanted.”

“That’s it you piece of shit!” The anxious side exploded, pushing Patton to the side as he stood up and grabbed Deceit’s collar, pulling him to stand face to face. “You’re not allowed to insult him! You’re saying all this stupid shit about Patton when really, you’re the one you’re talking about!”

“Virgil, please calm down! Violence will not solve anything!” Logan stood as well, trying to step forward but Deceit held up a hand.

“Don’t worry, Logan. Virgil’s just a little too into this game, that’s all. Isn’t that right? Come now Virgil, it’s just an exercise - I already said we aren’t the villains we name. Don’t you think you’re overreacting?”

Virgil hissed, but was suddenly acutely aware that the rest of the sides were staring at him with bated breath, waiting to see if he would really take a swing. Against all his instincts, he didn’t run away nor did he punch the daylights out of Deceit. He forced his hand open and let Deceit fall back into the couch.

“Now then, we only have one more to go, don’t we? Patton, you’re the big finale~”

Patton shied away from Deceit, holding the red and gold badge against his chest. “I... I can’t compare Roman to a villain! He’s a prince, that’s just... wrong!”

“Yeah, why don’t we just call the game here?” Virgil jumped in, but out of the corner of his eye he saw Roman deflate just a little.

Deceit caught it too. “Well that’s not fair, we can’t leave Roman out of this round! But I’ve got an idea, if you need help Patton.” The deceitful side offered sincerely.

“We don’t need--”

“How about Gaston?”

Roman turned his head. “You think-- I mean, I--”

“You’re strong, handsome, and loved by all.”

The prince sucked in a breath. “I... Those aren’t really... what make him a villain...”

“We never said you had to relate to the characteristics that make them a villain, Roman. Are you so upset by that arbitrary label that you don’t want to associate at all with any of the things that make him the character he is?”

Roman stared at him, confused. Where did that come from? “I...”

Deceit smiled. “There’s a bit more to life than pure good and pure evil, Roman.”

Then Deceit stood and stretched, ignoring how the rest of the sides were staring at him. “I’ll be right back, why don’t you all start the movie without me?”

He walked out, into the bathroom down the hall. The four of them sat in stunned silence.

“So, uh... what movie should we watch tonight?”

#ts deceit #thomas sanders #sander sides #sandersides #roman sanders #virgil sanders #patton sanders #logan sanders #saphira writes #saphira writes ts #the selfish protector

[thepatricktreestump]

I Love Her Anyway: Chapter 21

A/N: i’m so fucking sorry this took literal weeks to finish but @loverontheleft sent me a picture of their cat that inspired me and i wrote the most i’ve ever written for this chapter in the past fifteen minutes than i could the past four weeks so yeah thank the cat. anyways this will be the last chapter in this series, yes, and you can bet my ass there ain’t gonna be anymore of that bullshit taglist on my blog anymore so this will be the last time tagging any of y’all in a series so savor it while you can anyways thanks for the love and support you’ve given me through this journey and i’ll shut up now so you can read the damn thing ok

the infamous taglist that took fifteen years off of my life but has now thankfully finally come to its long awaited end: @cupcakesweetness @un-amoosed-padalecki @mtb04308 @dragonqueendany @kitykatnumber @svintsandghosts @greatheromuffinpalace @geekybeauty8793 @galaxy-moon @lugialagia @myaestheticsareshit @yagirlcammmm @wantyoubackpeter @vessyvk @loverontheleft @rupphirerydenphan @uriellybrendon @converse-or-vans @infinityonryro

               By far, the third trimester proves to be the hardest for you. The aches, pains, strange cravings, and constant cranky mood only doubles. Brendon even takes off work a couple days to take care of you, cancelling business meetings and conferences in order to make sure he’s right by your side as you endure all of this. The weekend hits and honestly all you want to do is sleep, but Brendon insists you have to get up. “I know you don’t want to, but it’s important,” he insists. “Please y/n, come on.”

               “I don’t want to,” you whine. “I feel miserable.”

               “I know baby,” he soothes, running a hand up and down your shoulder. “But for me? Please?”

               “If it’s breakfast just bring it to me,” you mumble. “Otherwise I don’t wanna.”

               “What if I told you there were presents involved?” he taunts teasingly.

               “Presents?” you poke your head out of the sheets.

               “Yes,” he giggles. “Lots and lots of presents. All for you.”

               “For real?” you tilt your head to the side.

               “Mhmm,” he grins. “Now come on. You have to get up if you want to see them.”

               He helps you out of bed and leads you carefully down the stairs, and when you see it, you put your hand over your mouth in shock. “Bren-” you can barely breathe. “You didn’t have to, oh my god.”

               “It’s not a third trimester without a baby shower,” Moira gives a soft smile.

               There’s all of the workers are standing there with cheery faces, a plethora of presents, balloons, sweet and salty treats, and a giant sign that reads “Ready for Rhi.” Tears well up in your eyes, it’s almost unreal. The rest of the day follows with opening up pastel colored blankets, pacifiers, bottles, baby carrier, onesies and booties, tiny beanies, rattles, teethers, diapers, and all sorts of other things. Although they’ve reassured you that you’ve thanked them enough, you still can’t seem to stop the praises of gratitude that spill out from your mouth. You’ve never felt so loved or cared for before by a family in your entire life. Brendon holds you in his arms and kisses you, then leads you down a hall, towards a corridor, and towards a door you had always known as the entrance to a guest bedroom.

               “What is this?” you sigh, putting your hands on your hips. “Another surprise?”

               “Perhaps,” he confesses, and you notice the small tug at the corner of his lips that refuse to let him suppress a smile.

               “Better not be anything too surprising,” you narrow your eyes. “I don’t want to go into labor quite yet.”

               “Don’t worry,” he chuckles. “I promise it’s nothing too shocking. In fact, you’ve probably already seen this coming for a while now.”

               You give him a strange glance before turning open the doorknob and having your eyes widen at the sight before you. Baby blue skies with puffy clouds and rays of sunshine paint the walls, little stars dangling from the ceiling, a white crib in one corner and a baby changing station against the wall, wide windows with the perfect view of outside, and a small white noise machine that sits atop a desk. “Oh my god,” you can barely contain your excitement. “Brendon, it’s beautiful. It’s perfect.”

               “I tried,” he shrugs, cheeks showing a tint of red. “I figured we had to put the baby somewhere once it gets out of that stomach of yours.” He crouches down to press a kiss to the bump and then smiles up at you.

               “Oh come here you goof,” you pull him up and kiss his lips, passionate, thankful, soft, sweet. “You know I could never do this without you. And I thank you so much.”

               “Without me you wouldn’t be pregnant in the first place,” he rolls his eyes.

               “Hey,” you pout. “You know what I mean.”

               “I know,” he soothes. “It means a lot. Thank you. I’m glad I can be here for you.”

               As the due date nears, Brendon only becomes tenfold as caring and protective of you. You’re sitting on the couch, binge watching one of your favorite shows on a Saturday afternoon when you feel it. Painful contractions, the fluid running down your legs, and shouting at Brendon that your water had broken was only the beginning of it all.

               “What?” he stares at you, wide eyed, like a deer in headlights, frozen in place as you shouted it to him from the sofa.

               “My water broke, you dumbass!” you scream again, and he blinks twice, then hurriedly rushes towards you, stammering out questions, clearly confused what to do.

               “D-do we call an ambulance? Do I d-drive you there?” he sputters out, staring at you and waving his hands around frantically.

               “Jesus Christ,” you roll your eyes, gritting your teeth as the pain increases. “Well we should probably do something, don’t you think?”

               “Right, right,” he quickly nods, thinking for a moment before scooping you up and carrying you out the door and putting you in the shotgun seat, then rushing towards the driver’s spot and driving to the hospital, holding your hand the entire way there.

               Giving birth was absolute hell, but it was beyond helpful to have Brendon right there beside you as everything took place. Before you knew it, you had a little baby girl in your arms, smiling down at her, tears in your eyes. To see Brendon staring down at his little girl, bright eyes and soft heart, it made you melt. Days passed before you felt well enough and recovered to go home, and even still, Brendon was sure to be right by your side.

               “What about work?” you quip, worried. “You haven’t been in days, Bren.”

               “And miss out on my babygirl being born?” he stares at you as if you’ve asked the dumbest question in the world. “Honey, it’s time I take a vacation for once.”

               She’s got Brendon’s beautiful brown eyes and big lips and your smile and skin. She has small little toes and fingernails and clothes, and being so tiny only makes her even more precious. Watching her grow up is a complete blessing and joy. Rhi is everything you could ever hope she would be. Before you know it, she’s talking and walking and outgrowing diapers. Brendon teaches her to sing nursery rhymes and the alphabet, and you’re sure to do the potty training and manners. Her favorite toy is a little stuffed frog named Ribbit, and you absolutely love when Brendon plays with her, making up silly voices for characters and coming up with creative storylines. Her favorite food is Lucky Charms, but she always picks out the rainbow marshmallows from the box and only eats those ones. Her favorite color is yellow, her favorite Disney movie is Nemo, and she loves to dance. Sometimes Brendon takes both of you into the ballroom and you all dress up and dance to some of her favorite Disney songs, Hakuna Matata ranking as her all time favorite.

               Years pass and Rhi’s about five years old now. Brendon had said he wanted to wait to get married until she was old enough to appreciate and understand her mommy and daddy’s wedding, as well as be the most beautiful flower girl of all time. However, it still came out of the blue to you and you weren’t expecting it at all. To see Brendon get down on one knee, holding out a diamond ring towards you, asking you that four word question that would change your life forever, you couldn’t help but say yes. Both of you decided to tell Rhi together, and when you showed her your ring, she was just as enthralled if not more than you were.

               “Mommy, that makes you a queen!” she grins ear to ear, gazing at the jewel, which Brendon had conveniently picked out as your favorite kind and style.

               “Yeah,” you laugh. “It does.”

               “See? You got an upgrade,” Brendon smiles. “You know Rhi, before you came along, mommy was my princess.”

               “Really?” Rhi tilts her head to the side, curious.

               “Mhmm,” Brendon giggles. “Yeah, we ruled this castle together and then you came along, and we got all excited, and I started making plans to make mommy a queen.”

               “When do I become a queen?” Rhi wonders excitedly. “I wanna be like Elsa!”

               “You’re not going to be a queen for a while as long as I’m around,” Brendon jokes. “Now come on, we gotta find you a dress for the royal wedding.”

               “Ooh!” she hurriedly grabbed Brendon’s hand and tugged him over to the computer.

               That’s was his magic trick. It worked with you, and definitely with Rhi. You watched as he sat her down on his lap and scrolled through the different dresses on an online boutique, blushing to yourself as you remember doing the same many years ago in his office, perusing the different dresses on his computer screen.

               Weeks passed and Brendon had told his friends and you had told yours. That’s when he decided to bring it up. “Uh babe, are you going to invite your parents?” he wonders aloud.

               “Oh,” you pause upon writing out the last wedding invitation. “I mean, I hadn’t really thought of it. I haven’t seen them in years.”

               “But like… who’s going to walk you down the aisle?” he asks. He pauses. “I mean, it’s okay if they don’t, I respect your decision wholeheartedly, and I’d hate to have that conversation with your dad, but I mean, you’re twenty three now, you’re an adult. What has happened has passed. I think it’s time to heal the wound.”

               “I don’t know Bren…” you hesitate, biting on your lower lip. “I do miss them. I’m just scared I guess.”

               “Write them an invitation and we’ll see how it goes. It doesn’t hurt to try,” he offers.

               “Alright,” you give a soft smile. “I’ll make a special one just for them.”

               “Let me see it,” Brendon prods when he walks into the room hours later, noticing that you’ve finished the letter and begun to seal it up. “I want to read it before you put it in.”

               “Okay,” you roll your eyes, smiling, but nervous on the inside.

               “Dear Family,” Brendon begins. “I know it’s been a while since I’ve seen you last, but I miss you, and I hope you feel the same. Years have passed and I’ve had time to think about it, and I am sorry that I have cut you out of my life. If it is alright with you, I’d like to piece myself back in. The baby’s been born, and she’s a beautiful little girl named Rhi, with cheery eyes and a huge heart. I would love for you to meet her. Not only would I like for you to meet her though, but the other love of my life as well. I know that I haven’t been completely honest with you, and I apologize for that. I promise to now on speak from my heart with sincerity and truth. That includes letting you into my life with no more cover ups. Throughout this entire time, there’s been a man that has helped me through thick and thin, taught me to become a woman, and loved every single particle of my being no matter what. He gave me the most precious gift I’ve ever received, that being my daughter Rhi, but most importantly, the relationship that created her in the first place. In order to meet my Prince Charming though, you’ll have to come to the wedding, and personally introduce yourself to the groom, although I have a feeling you might know him already. Please keep an open mind and an open heart. With love, your daughter y/n.”

               “What do you think?” you ask, scared to know his opinion.

               “It’s perfect,” he nods. “Really, love. I think this will work.”

               “I hope so,” you whisper.

               “I know so,” he kisses you on the lips. “It’s time for you to stop hiding in the shadows, to step out into the light and be seen for who you are, for who we are. There’s no more need to be scared, alright? I’m right here. I always have been and I always will be. And you’ve got a ring to hold me accountable to that promise, got it?”

               “I love you, Brendon,” you smile up at him, unbelievably happy. “Thank you. For everything.”

               “Of course, y/n,” he replies. “It’s not exactly how I thought it would go initially, but looking back, I wouldn’t have wanted it to go any other way. We have a beautiful daughter, so many blessings, and now an entire marriage to look forward to. I love you so goddamn much y/n. More than you will ever know.”

               “Oh Brendon,” you mumble against his lips as you kiss him, then pull away, giggling. “You’ve given me the entire world and more. I think I know you love me.”

               “Well in case you ever forget that I love you,” he kisses you once more on the lips. “I’m going to remind you ever single day of your life anyways. Okay?”

               “I’m more than okay with that,” you can’t help but widen your smile.

               “Now come on,” Brendon smirks. “Let’s send out these invitations and let’s get fucking married!”

#i love her anyway #miss jackson #wow i am so fucking glad that is over #no offense but that was like pulling teeth to write #thank the good lord this fic is done #moving onto bigger and better things #cough cough #more smut #anyways #brendon urie fanfiction #brendon urie fanfic #brendon urie fic #brendon urie x reader fanfiction #brendon urie x reader fanfic #brendon urie x reader fic #brendon urie imagines #brendon urie fluff #brendon urie x reader

[mssrprxngs]

&& PROMPT : FOUNDATIONS ;;

just a heads up if i ever act dumb i’m joking. i’m 100% smart and know literally everything

&& GENERAL FACTS ;;

Full Name : James Fleamont Potter

Nickname(s) : Prongs. Potter. Jim Jamathon. Jamie. 

Pronouns : he/him

Height : 5′10″

Left or Right Handed : right-handed

Place of birth : Manchester 

Occupation : Healer-in-training

Hogwarts House : Gryffindor

Affiliation : Order of the Phoenix

Patronus : stag

Pet(s) : James has a horned owl named Scooter

&& APPEARANCE ;;

Long hair or short hair? : James has short hair only because he can’t pull off long hair. 

Hair color, and is it natural or dyed? : Black, and it’s naturally that color. 

Eye color : Hazel.

Plain clothes or colorful clothes : A mix of both. 

Tattoos? : He was specifically banned from getting the tattoo he wanted of antlers in a place where there definitely should not have been antlers, as it would’ve made for an interesting visual. He wants to get a tattoo for each of his boys, though. And one for Lily one day, but he needs to ask her to marry him first, so that’s a solid three years away at least if he can keep his chill that long.

Are their ears pierced? : No.

Any other piercings? : He told Euphemia he was going to get a nose piercing once, and Fleamont yelled at him for almost giving his mother a heart attack. 

Jewelry that they wear regularly : James wears the watch he received for his seventeenth birthday. 

What sort of clothes do they wear in public : James tries to keep his style fun yet classy. He wears a lot of old Gryffindor jumpers, sure, but he’s a kid of the seventies, which means embarrassing seventies fashion. Some outfits he wears ( here ) ( here ) ( here ) ( here ).

What sort of clothes do they wear at home : Casual. Incredibly casual. James wears almost exclusively old Hogwarts sweaters, but it’s mostly anything that he’s comfortable in. Some outfits he wears ( here ) ( here ) ( here ) ( here ).

Favorite outfit : Joke’s on you, boys. James Potter never turns down a joke, and the deer onesie that the boys got him is his favorite outfit ( this is a women’s onesie but it’s the closest I could find to what I pictured ).

Do they paint their nails? : He’s painted them a few times, with Sirius’ help because he’s horrible at painting his own nails. 

Do they need glasses? : More than he needs air to breathe, he’s so blind.

&& FAMILY ;;

Parents : Fleamont and Euphemia Potter.

Siblings : Sirius and the boys are his adopted siblings. 

Children : n/a

Are they close to their family? : Extremely. James has never been distant from his family. He loves being part of a unit like that, and he’ll fight anyone that says anything bad about his family. 

Which family member are they closest to? : Sirius if you’re talking about adoptive family, Fleamont if you’re talking about biological family. 

Rank their immediate family from favorite to least favorite : Sirius, Fleamont, Euphemia, Peter, Remus. 

&& HAVE YOU EVERS ;;

Driven a car? : No. 

Seen a movie? : Yes, and it terrified him. 

Been to a concert? : Yes !

Met someone famous? : He met Celestina Warbeck once and almost gave himself an asthma attack. Which is impressive, really, since he doesn’t even have asthma. 

Stolen something? : Does adopting Sirius count as stealing ?

Broken the law? : He’s an illegal animagus, so yes. 

Killed someone? : No. 

Been in a relationship? : Yes, he’s been in a few. 

Cheated on someone? : No. 

Fallen in love? : Yes.

Had sex? : *finger guns* He’s had The Intercourse.

Failed an exam? : He’s James Potter. Of course he has. 

Been to a funeral? : No.

&& RELATIONSHIPS AND CONNECTIONS ;;

Relationship status : Forever devoted to his lord and savior Lily Evans. Kind of married to Sirius as his platonic soulmate. 

People they admire : McGonagall, Arthur Weasley, Edgar Bones, Peter Pettigrew, and Alastor Moody. 

Someone they’ll talk to about anything : Sirius and Peter.

Someone they couldn’t live without : Any of his boys. They’re his family, his foundation, his rock. The axis that his life spins upon. He’s always been the most terrified of losing Sirius, because Sirius is his brother, and he’s the only one that James has ever been close to losing. He practically attached himself to Sirius at the hip when Sirius first came to live with the Potters, because he was so terrified that if Sirius was unhappy there, he’d go crawling back to the Blacks, and James would’ve been destroyed by that. 

Do they want to get married? : Absolutely. James grew up in a house with two parents that were completely head over heels in love with each other, and he really wants that for himself one day. 

Do they want kids? : James really wants kids. Not now, but when he’s older and the war is hopefully over, James wants to have a bunch of kids. 

Someone they wish things had turned out differently with : Lily, though not in the way you think. James is really embarrassed by his younger self, and how much of a tool he was. It wasn’t until seventh year that he realized that he could charm Lily by being himself. He made her laugh, and that’s what ultimately won her over. He thinks maybe if he hadn’t tried so hard, maybe they wouldn’t’ve had to climb over those six years of baggage to get where they are now. 

Someone that makes them laugh : Peter, Lily, Benjy, and Sirius.

&& MAGICAL AND MUGGLE ;;

Can they fly a broom? : Can he breathe air? James is amazing at flying. 

Can they cast a patronus? : Yes ! 

Have they ever used a telephone? : No, but it rang once while he was at Remus’ and he was so startled he turned into Prongs and dropped like a hot pocket to the floor. 

Preferred method of communication : Enchanted mirror he’s got with Sirius. 

Favorite spell : Repairo. He’s always breaking his glasses. 

Magic they wish they were better at : Honestly James would just be happy if he could remember he was a wizard now and then and keep track of his wand. That would improve his magic abilities significantly. 

&& HABITS AND PREFERENCES ;;

Smoking? : Hell no. 

Drinking? : Socially, though not much even then. 

Exercise regularly? : Sometimes. Usually around full moons, he exercises more, just to prepare himself. But otherwise, not really. 

Messy or organized? : Messy. He tries to be organized, and having Lily around has definitely made him make more of an effort, but he’s still kind of a mess. 

Do they use bookmarks? : Yes.

Cooking or takeaway? : He’s not amazing at cooking, so takeout generally. 

Night out or night in? : A night out in, hanging out with his friends somewhere they can be themselves and have fun. If that’s out on the town, super. If it’s hanging out in his flat, awesome. James can be happy anywhere he isn’t alone. 

Relationships or flings or neither? : Relationships, absolutely. 

Do they have any collections of things? : The love and affection of his friends.

&& FAVORITES ;;

Favorite subject in school : Transfiguration. It was the only subject he was always top of the class in. 

Favorite magical candy : Chocolate frogs. 

Favorite band : Does Celestina Warbeck count ?

Favorite book : Does reading Sirius’ mind count ?

Favorite food : Chocolate chip cookies. 

Favorite animal : Dogs ayyy

&& LITTLE SECRETS ;;

Biggest regret : Fifth year. James is super ashamed about what happened with the Incident, and the fact that he threatened Snape. He’s not ashamed of threatening Snape to keep him quiet, but saying that they’d let Remus finish what he started if Snape said anything? That’s the part he wishes he could take back. 

Someone they fear : He hates to say it, but Remus, a little bit. Not when he’s in human form, but when Remus is a werewolf, he scares James. 

Someone they could kill : James isn’t sure if he could kill if it came down to it. He’d thought for a long time that he could kill Snape, but he knows if he got the chance-- like he did in fifth year-- he wouldn’t be able to. Mulciber, maybe, but even then, James is too softhearted for that. 

Someone they miss : McGonagall. He admires that woman more than probably anyone else in the world, and he misses being able to see her every day. 

Someone they resent : Regulus. How dare he not appreciate how amazing Sirius is. James would never admit it, but he’s kind of happy Regulus is gone. One less person to compete for Sirius’ love. 

Is there a secret they want to share with someone? Who and what? : James wants to tell Peter he knows Peter likes Sirius, just so he can be there to comfort him. He knows it’s going to hurt Peter, and he wants to be there to support Peter, just like he’s always done. 

Something they’re embarrassed about liking : History of Magic. Everyone thinks it’s lame, but James finds it completely fascinating. He actually asked Professor Binns for a couple copies of the exams so he could have one to show to the boys that he failed fantastically on, and the actual exam that he did really well on. 

What did they want to be when they were younger? : A muggle. James’ perception of what reality was was really crap when he was a kid. 

Secret they consider to be their “big secret” : James was happy when Regulus died, because it meant Sirius’ last tie to his previous life was gone, and he didn’t have to worry about Sirius ever looking back after Regulus was gone.

Amortentia : Lily’s shampoo, Sirius’ shampoo, and the Gryffindor common room smell. 

&& ALL ABOUT YOU ;;

Character’s favorite feature : He’s got amazing hair. 

Character’s least favorite feature : His eyes, but only because he needs glasses. 

One thing they’re really good at : Being Cool™

One thing they’re really bad at : Not being hyperactive and bouncing while he talks.

One thing they wish they were good at : He wishes he was a better dueler. James loves being a healer-in-training, but it’s not where he thought he’d end up. He was really planning on being an Auror, and the fact that he failed the entry exam breaks his heart. 

Do they collect chocolate frog cards? : Yes !!

Can they play an instrument? : James can play the oboe. 

Best subject in school : Transfiguration. 

Worst subject in school : Divination. 

Can they cook? : Not very well, but technically yes. 

Nervous ticks? : He bounces. Also brushes his hands through his hair and fiddles with his glasses. 

Allergies? : The absence of love from his friends.

Most valuable possession : His two-way mirror that he and Sirius use.

What animal would they turn into if they were an animagi? : Pfft he’s not an animagus who’s that ? He turns into a stag. Or would, if he could. Which he obviously can’t. 

O.W.L. scores / subjects : Astronomy ( A ) ;; Care of Magical Creatures ( O ) ;; Charms ( E ) ;; Defense Against the Dark Arts ( E ) ;; Divination ( T ) ;; Herbology ( E ) ;; History of Magic ( E ) ;; Muggle Studies ( E ) ;; Potions ( P ) ;; Transfiguration ( O ) ;;

N.E.W.T. scores / subjects : Care of Magical Creatures ( O ) ;; Charms ( E ) ;; Defense Against the Dark Arts ( A ) ;; History of Magic ( E ) ;; Muggle Studies ( O ) ;; Transfiguration ( O )

Can they speak any foreign languages? : James speaks Spanish fluently. And loudly. The Potters often speak Spanish at home, though they cut down on it a little when Sirius moved in so he wouldn’t feel left out or like he was out of place. 

Can they wiggle their ears? : He can !!

#veritas: prompts #veritas: foundations #death tw #( && don't confuse the way i was with the way i am && )