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junosswans · 9 months

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Entry to RoyEd Week 2023 August 2nd Day 2 - Soulmate AU

(Edited: Long fic ahead! Also I posted this on ao3 too :> thank you everyone for all the wonderful comments!! I am all giddy over them)

It was already late when they arrived at the Rockbell’s house, where villagers said they could find the Elric brothers if they were not home. The cottage was dim inside, only allowing the faintest trace of dusk to put shape to the helpless boy in the wheelchair, and the enormous suit of armour towering over him.

In the literal blink of an eye, Roy Mustang’s life was turned upside down.

Despite the darkness, Roy saw the boy in foreign vividness that he had never witnessed; colours exploded in front of his eyes like fireworks, rendering him speechless. The boy’s shade was accentuated by a distinct warmth— Roy would later learn the name of the colour that was gold, a pigment that he would come to associate with justice, passion, and everything that was pure and magnificent.

Before arriving at Resembool, Roy had rehearsed his recruitment speech for five different situations, but none of which took the current one into account. For the first time in a long while, he had no idea what to say.

At that moment, assaulted by colours he had yet to know, he only knew one thing— that destiny had cursed this little boy to be attached to him, Roy Mustang. A man who had far more enemies than allies, more nightmares than sleep— more dead than alive.

The boy did not give any visible reaction to Roy’s loud entry into the house, and his aimless eyes had already betrayed his state to Roy.

He could not afford to have a soulmate. Not when his soulmate sat defencelessly like this, deaf to the entire world. Being his soulmate meant putting a target on their back, meant always sleeping with an eye open, meant never finding peace till the day of his death.

He could not, in good conscience— with what little he had remained of it— put his soulmate through what his life entailed. Anyone sane enough would be able to see him from a distance and turn around immediately. Nobody deserved to be Roy’s soulmate to experience what he would inevitably put them through. No one would be tough and yet foolish enough to stay.

Ignoring the nausea this revelation has caused him, Roy bit his tongue and demanded an explanation for the situation instead. He listened, in slowly freezing horror, to the younger brother of the Elrics– Alphonse Elric– explaining how they ended up in their current bodies.

Roy looked at Edward Elric who was missing two limbs, and reminded himself that this young boy in front of him had committed the greatest taboo in alchemy and survived. Then, as if it was not enough, did it again to bargain his brother’s soul back. An improbable, stupid, and lethal decision—yet it was undeniable that he had done the unthinkable and survived the consequences. At such a young age nonetheless, when most alchemists' apprentices were still struggling with the most basic of elements.

Perhaps given time, this boy could grow into someone beyond Roy’s imagination. Perhaps given time, Roy could grow into someone strong enough to shield his soulmate from harm.

And so Roy told him, in an earnestness that surprised even himself, that when he was ready, he could find Roy in East City and Roy would provide him with resources that could put him back on his feet. That it would be a road filled with thorns and danger, but the rewards were worth the risk.

Against his better judgement, Roy had provided his soulmate a choice. Edward could choose to run after him into the shower of bullets and webs of lies, or he could choose to stay in the quiet countryside and never let their paths cross again.

Secretly, Roy wished that his soulmate would choose the latter, wiser option. But he also knew acutely that the world had a morbid sense of humour, and whoever that was tied with him could never have any good sense in them. If fate had decided that they were meant to be, then his soulmate must have been as much of a stubborn fool as him, if not more.

Roy bid the family goodbye, and walked out of the dark shadows of the cottage. He was greeted with an entirely new world, now coloured in radiant hues he could not put words to.

He examined his palm under the flickering street light. He could see his veins faintly under his skin, pumping blood into every corner of his body. It was purple and flesh and red and human. It was warm and colourful and alive.

Remember it, remember what I’ve said, and catch up to me. Roy thought. Those who cannot keep up with me cannot be my soulmate.

I’m putting my faith in you that, no matter which way you end up choosing, our paths will converge, and we shall meet again at a time when you and I are wiser and stronger and unmovable in the face of danger. I’m putting my faith in you that, regardless of the dangers on my journey, you will find me and stay beside me and not be frightened.

I’m choosing to believe, if fate has decided that I’m still worthy of a soulmate despite my sins, then there must still be something redeemable in me, and you must be someone with enough love to love me for the monster I am.

Please find me soon.

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And then Ed surprised him after a year when Roy expected to wait at least 5 more years lmfao

I wanted to play on the idea of “you only begin to see colour once you’ve met your soulmate” and thought VERY hard about how to visualise it without turning it into a long comic. My very stupid, no good brain came up with the idea of putting a colour wheel in the background :> in hindsight it’s very cringe but at that point it was already too late to give up or change it lmaooooo

I also put paint and paint brushes around as decoration which i think is kind of cute ^^ and special thanks to my sister who helped me fix the colouring because my usual way of doing it just… lacks the vibrancy this prompt asks for. She’s a goddess and 192729% better at this drawing business than me.

@royedweek2023

#royedweek2023 #royed #sorry for the wacky fic! haven’t written any thing fiction in ages #I wish I can join for more days but my brain is failing me so probably only one more #I want to emphasise the idea that roy wants someone strong enough to be his pillar #and so he puts a blind trust on Ed believing that no matter his choices Ed will come up on top and surprise him #letting Ed do whatever he wants knowing he will come back #regardless of dangers and temptations #because they are starcrossed lovers and they are meant to be in the very end #kind of like a /of course my soulmate is strong af they’re MY soulmate/ situation #but more like /my life is so dangerous that if you can’t survive hell there’s no way you could be my soulmate/#and /I don’t want to lose you so please be strong and invincible/#it’s the right amount of faith and DELUSION <3 #fma #lia’s art #fmab #fullmetal Alchemist #fullmetal alchemist brotherhood #edward elric #Roy Mustang #fanart

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choices-binglebonkus · 8 months

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10-year old child written by PB: Omg you big meanie!!! Hmph!!! I hate you! 😡😭

4-year old child written by PB: Sir, it is lamentable that mass agricultural development is not speeded by fuller use of your marvelous mechanisms. Would it not be easily possible to employ some of them in quick laboratory experiments to indicate the influence of various types of fertilizers on plant growth? You are right. Countless uses of Bose instruments will be made by future generations. The scientist seldom knows contemporaneous reward; it is enough to possess the joy of creative service.

#yes this is an overexaggeration #but pb does not write children well 😭#except for luz and lia #and Elliot but he’s a teenager #also YES this is autobiography of a yogi #choices stories you play #playchoices #choices stories we play #pixelberry #pixelberry studios #playchoices fandom #choices stories you play fandom #choices stories we play fandom #choices meme #choices memes

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griffinsabina · 5 months

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#playchoices #my choices #blades mc #blades of light and shadow 2 #mal volari #tyril starfury #nia ellarious #imtura tal kaelen #tintalle nightbloom #amara nightbloom #shera lort #lia nivrim #paralells

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spicy-rainbow-pizza · 2 months

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btw here's my icon in full :3333 I love smooching him!!!

#♥︎ | doodles from lia!#<- that'll be my art tag now! pretty simple but I couldn't think of anything more creative -_-">#I swear I'm working on those writers game asks I just got distracted with irl stuff it was a busy day >_<#also erm I just realized I gave levi three fingers instead of four uhmmm let's pretend that's a totally intentional stylistic choice okie??#also he's in just a plain t-shirt and the headphones are messed up because I didn't have a good outfit reference on hand #like I've said before this was pretty rushed but I still kinda like it...levi with heart eyes is cuteeee

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farizrz · 12 days

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SSBU loading screen 8 player customize characters.

#katekyo hitman reborn #ryohei sasagawa #choices stories you play #crimes of passion #trystan thorne #tekken #jun kazama #persona 3 #junpei iori #rival schools #batsu ichimonji #romance club #rc lia #fatal fury #joe higashi #kaiju no. 8 #kafka hibino #super smash bros #super smash bros ultimate

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fqvoritism · 1 year

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i think ch 17 made me an amalia stan 🧍🏻‍♀️

ilw - no running (ch 1)

#it lives within #amalia de león #amalia de leon #amalia x mc #play choices #joss is still my girl but lia…#its a scene from ch1 cause im starting a new one w her as my li 🫶#choices edit #*

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writers-ex · 1 year

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𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓻𝓮 𝓲𝓷𝓿𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓽𝓸 𝓪𝓽𝓽𝓮𝓷𝓭 𝓽𝓱𝓮 ‘𝓬𝓸𝓸𝓵𝓮𝓼𝓽 𝓹𝓪𝓻𝓽𝔂’ 𝓸𝓯 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝔂𝓮𝓪𝓻! 𝔀𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓪𝓬𝓬𝓮𝓹𝓽 𝓸𝓻 𝓷𝓸𝓽?

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ💌ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

fem!reader x classmate!itzy

warnings: pure fluff with some suggestive language

“did you get the invite?” hannie asks you as you start packing your things from class.

“…invite? invite to what?” looking down at the floor, hannie hands you the fallen invitation beside your feet. examining it closely, you notice that tonight there’s going to be a winter party at jihyo’s house with your name on it.

you were invited to attend the coolest party of the year.

holding the red paper close to her chest lia blushes a shade as red as the paper. “a-are you coming? i’ll be there…” ryujin and yuna follow behind her, nodding in agreement.

“me too.” ryujin quickly adds winking at you.

“we’ll all be there if you want to join us~” yeji and chaeryeong shake their heads annoyed at yuna’s playful tone.

“not everyone will be going yuna…i still need to find my secret santa and give them their gift.” yeji announces mumbling the last part while avoiding your curious gaze.

“i plan on waiting for the first snowfall to play around in the snow a bit. plus there will always be other parties.” chaeryeong says, glancing at you briefly before looking out the window.

the school bell rings signaling students to go home and begin their break. the five girls get their things ready and walk out the door together heading their separate ways. hannie nudges your shoulder and taps the invitation in your hands.

“so….what are you going to do now? go to the party or stay home?”

stay home

go to the party

⊹₊┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ💌ㆍ┈ㆍ┈ㆍ┈₊⊹

stop! guess what? hannie here~ welcome to my december pet project, let’s end the year with itzy by going on an adventure depending on the choices you make!

whenever i have time before the end of december two routes will be available and the girl you’ll be spending your winter with is just a click away ^^ any clues as to who you’ll get are hidden in this intro story unless you want to be surprised then just choose with your gut

thank you for your patience with me and for reading things in my blog. you make me stay midzy, be sure to check come the first week of december for the first installment of ‘cold choices: an icy itzy story’

＊*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　stay frosty :]　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊

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aces-and-angels · 1 year

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final thoughts on the ilw finale: matthias edition (ch 23 spoilers below) @itlivesproject

First, I would like to applaud everyone on the @itlivesproject team for creating such a wonderful gaming experience ♥ The storyline, visuals, music- all of it would not have been possible (or as freaking amazing) without your tireless efforts. To the kings, queens, and rulers of the ILW crew: please accept these flowers 💐💐💐

my betrayal route:

edit: I know we were told to keep the sound on for the finale, but I think this WHOLE route needs to be played over clown music, anyways back to me trying to empathize w Boo Boo the Clown Rowan (dumb, evil edition)

ILW has variants- this is known. Matthias’ route has variants galore. Why try to change him when you can join him and change the entire narrative instead? I can’t think of any villains from past Choices books that have captivated my attention the way Matthias has. And with the sheer amount of options I could choose from to see how his story would end- I had to explore them all.

As a reader, I was giving his character some major side-eye throughout the series. But taking myself out of the equation, the way he is written makes it perfectly believable that Rowan could fall for his deception. A master manipulator, through and through. Prepare to make a lot of enemies with this route, because no matter what, everyone will hate you with every fiber of their being. Here’s the proof:

*wipes single tear from eye, sniffling* look at all those consequences. As everyone who has ever played ILW would say, PB could nevaahhhh 😗💅

In my main Matthias x Rowan route (where Ro is loyal to Matty to a fault), my attempt at betrayal didn’t give me the two evil lovers sipping cocktails by the pool epilogue that I was anticipating. Instead, my Rowan was dealt a more tragic (albeit karmically hilarious) conclusion that fits this portion of my analysis that I’d written on Grandpa Matty for ch 21:

Matthias’ cruel nature is no secret to MC, regardless of their relationship status with him. Romancing him, however, allows MC to justify it. But that doesn’t stop that bit of doubt from creeping up. What happens when they’re no longer enough? Deep down, they already know the answer. But as of right now, Matthias loves them. Wants them. Ironically, they voice out this hidden fear to Adrian: “It’ll never be enough. No matter how much you get, you’ll always want more.”

If we’re defining a happy ending as getting everything you want, then yes, it is possible for Matthias to have one. In fact, it is guaranteed. MC’s happily-ever-after with him, however, will always come with strings.

Humanity and Matthias do not mix. Period. His flashback scene to when he was still a mortal confirms that he has always been a man that wanted more. More than what the fates allowed. And if that wasn’t convincing enough, Mama Loha comes in and reads him to filth. Rowan’s ties with Matthias are severed the instant they become human. It was a messy divorce lmaoo

Rowan, the failed villain. This ending leaves them the most at odds with themselves, in my opinion.

From this:

To that:

Imagine feeling completely whole for the first time in your life, only to think of yourself as useless seconds later. Every iteration of Rowan grapples with their identity- their connection to the Power, and what that means to them. The tragedy of the blood!matthias route is Ro falling victim to Matthias predatory nature- the same one he used to manipulate Jocelyn, and countless others, to his will. He filled their ears with sweet nothings that they were more than eager to receive. Except, Matthias never accepted Rowan. Not completely, at least.

Matthias (to Rowan): “My darling, how anyone could think you were something so trivial as human is beyond me. You, my dear creature, are something the likes of which the world has never seen. A rose would pale in comparison to your beauty, and a lion would cower against your power. You are beyond extraordinary, and now you are all mine.”

Matthias builds Ro up to be what he wanted, not to what they were meant to/wished to become (in this route): human. Every other LI (unless you utterly fuck them over) will love Ro regardless of their fate. Matthias, on the other hand, proves that his love was always conditional. To the best of my knowledge, the only way you are able to achieve a successful Matthias x MC romance is if Rowan casts aside their humanity completely. Not even staying as they are, a mix between human and the Power, will work. While Matthias doesn’t flat out reject Rowan if they refuse to merge with their other half, it is impossible to be with him as they are. What happens when they’re no longer enough? Turns out, they were never enough to begin with.

There is something especially cathartic of having Ro kill Matthias after he betrays them. Justice for all the lies he’d woven over the years. But even in death, the scars that Matthias left on Rowan remained. Seeing the relief Ro has after regaining their power is sad to witness because it shows just how little they valued themselves. Grandpa Matty really did a number on them: made them think their worth was solely tied to their Power half. The only thing that made them special to him. The only thing that could make Rowan feel special now.

At the very end of the chapter, when Rowan is surrounded by wealth, Power flowing through their veins, they long to go back home. Back to Westchester. Despite having everything they thought they wanted, they yearn for the one thing they can’t have. The thing that they were told didn’t matter- the thing that made them useless. The same thing that, in the end, was all they truly desired. And that friends, is a sad way to send our Rowan off.

but on the other hand girl how could you be THAT blind he MURDERED PEOPLE and wanted to do it AGAIN- always trust Lincoln you dumb hoe

ILW refusing to let Ro stay human in a blood/betrayal route is just screaming: you really think??? you can just go back to being a mortal??? after doing all of that???? How Rowan came to denying their humanity is tragic under the lens of Matthias’ manipulation. But their descent to the dark side- their willingness to go against everyone who has ever really loved them? Yeah, that part earns them a special place in clown school with a big helping of consequences. Alone, wandering the Earth, never truly at peace- a fitting end for a fallen villain

---

Quickly touching on the other variants of Matthias’ route:

I am HYPE that we get to win as the villain. If I’m fully committing to Ro’s evil era- I’m playing to win- and I wON BITCHES

Also I guess being an all powerful being makes wearing clothes seem trivial are they really just doing each other raw and walking around in the the nude 24/7????

DOUBLE CROSSING IS EVEN WILDER

I was POSITIVE that if Ro didn’t cross Matthias, he would end up killing them in the epilogue. Esp since they both had the thought of killing each other to achieve their ultimate, final form

This option is just a big middle finger to every relationship Ro has ever had. They really said I choose ✨me, myself, and I ✨

Also killing Matty will forever be so satisfying. The sinister smile they have right before they do it: chills.

There is also the option to play as the villain and lose (Ro and Matty die) but who would wanna put themselves through that??? hahaha.... definitely not coming from someone who decided to read all the BAD endings first

If you made it this far down the post, heyyyy thanks for sticking with me😄 I’m curious on y’alls thoughts on Matthias’ fate in ILW. How’d his story end for you? Feel free to share below/in the tags!

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naivesilver · 8 months

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One of those Eliana plot moments I was dying to reach, deliberately sprinkled with some family angst 💗

✍️(◔◡◔)

There are days where Emma thinks the world must be out to make things as difficult as possible for her.

This should not be one of those days, and yet, predictably, here they are. In a way it was almost easier at the beginning of this ordeal - Gold showed up with some new cronies, sure, but that's on par with the course. It's arguably part of their town's routine, by this point.

Then those cronies took August. That, Emma suspects, was where everything started picking up speed as it went to hell.

She spares a glance at Eliana, who is pacing around like a caged tiger, her movements jerky and impatient. Emma can't exactly blame her - even if her brother hadn't been the one who got taken, she must be still riding the high of his rescue, full of adrenaline and pent up energy - but it is an unnerving sight, muddy footprints tracking across the hospital floor notwithstanding.

Emma sighs, forcibly returning her attention to the book pages that have given them all so much trouble lately. In the brief bout of lucidity he had at her house, August casually informed her that that is where their mysterious Author is, so now she's on her own trying to puzzle out how to get him out - her friend lost consciousness shortly afterwards, which made him of little help, with the addition of having to figure out where to go to get him checked out.

In Emma's defense, she did propose the convent right off the bat, and she still wagers it would have been the better choice; magically sturdy and magically knowledgeable, it’d have been the perfect place for their needs, so they could continue worrying about pretty much everything else. Eliana, however, fought against that option so strongly that it was impossible to make her change her mind, and, as Emma has learned the hard way in the past few hours, most people will capitulate rather than arguing with someone whose face is deliberately spattered with Cruella De Vil's drying blood.

The sound of approaching footsteps invades her train of thought. The sheriff looks up, expecting Whale or one of the members of his staff, but is instead met with Regina's flat expression.

The mayor is still playing double agent, technically, but the only other supposed ally of Gold is on the opposite wing of the hospital, bound to her bed and with enough gauze wrapped around her neck to satisfy a mummy. Even if she were to spot Regina, which is unlikely, it would simply look like another attempt to swipe the illustration of the door from Emma’s hands, albeit in a more crowded environment than usual.

“Still no word from Gold,” Regina announces, her gaze moving between the other two women. “He’s probably huddling somewhere with Maleficent until he gets another bright idea, since this one worked so well.”

Emma sighs, stashing away the pages again. The less people see them, the better, even at this point. “I don’t know if that’s better or worse, honestly,” she says, her voice terse and unamused. “Did you come all the way up here just to tell me there was no news?”

“I wish. No, Gold’s off the radar, but you’ve got another visitor.”

“Really? Who?”

“The Mother Superior. She’s come to check up on August, since they used some…unusual magic on him.”

For a brief, surprisingly lucid second, Emma feels a stab of regret about not having asked Regina to speak in private. She doesn’t get much more time than that, anyway; a second seems to be enough for Eliana to register what she’s just heard, freezing on the spot halfway through her brooding - her head swivels around, looking at the mayor with her purple-ish eyes as wide as saucers, but her face is completely expression-less, a waxen mask stained with red from the chin down.

Then, what feels like just another second later, she rushes past them both, stomping out of the door without looking back.

“Crap.” Emma stands up so abruptly the rickety hospital chair almost falls backwards, cursing more under her breath as she grabs Regina and sets out on Eliana’s trail. “Did you really have to say it where she could hear? Where is the Mother Superior, anyway?”

Her friend all but glares at her, though mercifully she falls in line with Emma pretty easily, as if picking up on the urgency of the matter. “At the entrance. I told her to wait until I asked if August could have visitors. But what-”

“That girl went for Cruella’s jugular only a few hours ago, do you think it’s safe for Blue of all people to be around her?”

“Well, if Blue couldn’t guess that her kid would be here, that’s on her, not me,” Regina scoffs moodily. “Personally I’m on Eliana’s side- that dog lady wanted Henry, Emma. If she’d gotten to him like she planned, I wouldn’t have stopped at the jugular, and neither would you.”

The problem is, she’s right. Emma has nothing against Eliana. Eliana is, by and large, a nice enough person - she grew up with Ruby, and Henry likes her, and August, who despite everything is still one of Emma’s closest friends, thinks the world of her, like the besotted younger brother he is. She might have a penchant for butting heads with her mother and Emma’s, sure, but she doesn’t look the type to go for unwarranted violence, and besides, what Regina said is true: without her, Cruella De Vil would have tried to take Henry instead, in the hope of luring his family out for good.

But Emma’s personal opinion matters little and less, right now. She is still the sheriff, and she is still the Savior: while babysitting a young woman who’s barely gotten off the adrenaline rush of biting a chunk off a villain is not her top priority, she’d rather avoid having a matricide in her hands anyway, in the midst of all that chaos.

Thankfully, the Mother Superior is still relatively in one piece when they stumble into the hospital's hall, though she looks far from pleased. She and her daughter are both small women, nearly of an height, but where the fairy's wearing sensible shoes and exuding her customary air of authority, Eliana has turned into a looming, haunting presence, as though her wild hair and the way she's standing up ramrod straight were making her appear larger than life.

"Nobody asked you to come," Emma catches her hissing as they draw closer to the pair. "You're not welcome here."

Blue scoffs, with the same look of annoyance one might have after stepping on a chewed gum. "This is not the time for your childish games, Eliana. I need to make sure your brother is in good shape, and- oh, God, what happened to you?"

"You did." Eliana leans forward so that she's almost nose to nose with her mother, her voice lowering so much it's almost inaudible over the din around them.

"You're what happened to me, and to August. So many of the things Gold did to him, they were because of what you did to him first - look at yourself, Mother. You're a fucking disease. I'm not letting you get close enough to poison my baby brother again."

"I'd thank you to avoid that kind of language when you speak to me-"

"Or what?" The question is delivered with a sort of hysterical giddiness, but none of that shows up on the young woman's face, save perhaps for a brief glint in her eyes, a sharp, pestering flash.

"What will you do to punish me? Will you make me stand in the corner? Will you let August get hurt again? I am tired of having to chase away his monsters myself just because you can't be arsed to do your duty. And you didn't pass anything useful down to me, otherwise I'd have needed less time to burn that cursed island to the ground, back then."

Eliana points at the crusted blood with surprising ferocity, all but livid with anger. "But this? This is yours alright, Mother. This is how you would have solved things, too, if you weren't too proud to get your own hands dirty, so don't tell me you're here to help, now. You already did more than enough when you gave us both life."

She spits the word out so venomously that it catches even Emma off guard, though the sheriff still takes the split second the Mother Superior spends faltering to cut between them, wary of possible escalations. "Okay, ladies, that's enough. Blue, thanks for checking in, but I think we're managing just fine for now. We’ll call if we need anything. Eliana- you need to get some sleep. August will be fine. He's in good hands."

"He is," the younger woman agrees readily - except she doesn't look that much younger, at present. She is still fresh-faced and minute, at a first glance, but when her eyes raise to meet Emma's there's a fury in them that feels ancient, burning blue and purple like gas fire.

"I trust you with him, Emma Swan, and I trust the mayor, but I do not trust her. She already let him die once; she might do it again if you don't keep an eye on her."

There's a sharp intake of breath from Blue, and suddenly the nun is struggling against Emma's flimsy separation, face contorted in anger. "You're going too far, child," she says, her proverbial calm straining. "You don't know what you're talking about."

"Call me child one more time, I'll choose some new names for you as well. What do you say about liar, uh? Murderer and liar, maybe?"

"You dare-"

"Yes, I dare, Mother!" Eliana explodes, clutching at the sides of her head as though her skull were splitting in two, fingers twisting in her tangled curls in a way that must be at least a bit painful and yet shows no sign of stopping.

"You have no idea of what you've passed down to me, of what- what I've heard in that forest, and you still judge me for how I've acted all these years, but this is on you, Mother. Gold hates you. That's why he tricked me and why he hurt August. None of us would be here right now, if you'd just done your job with him. You should be ashamed. You-"

"What's going on here?"

There’s a beat where Emma almost thanks whatever divine intervention might have just saved her arm from being torn apart by the mother and daughter barking on either side of it. It only lasts a beat, however, as when she raises her eyes she finds out the new voice belongs only to Marco, standing in the hospital hall with his hat in his hands and a concerned look on his face.

“Great, it’s a family reunion,” Regina mutters, acidly, as Blue takes the chance to compose herself and turns around to address the man directly, as though she hadn’t just come out of an hysterical catfight in a public place.

“Geppetto, please, control your daughter better- she’s in a state, right now. She’s not fit to look after anyone.”

She probably expects Marco to side with her, just as Emma’s own father has gone along with some of her mother’s worst ideas; judging by the way her expression freezes, however, she must not be expecting him to stiffen and say, evenly: “She is your daughter, too. Not just when it suits you.”

He walks past them to reach Eliana, then, and only hesitates a moment before stepping to her side and wrapping an arm around her chest, at once protection and holding. He is not an extraordinarily tall man, Marco, but the girl looks pretty much dwarfed by his grip, even if anger is still dripping from her every pore - Emma feels safe enough to step away, then, though she keeps her guard up, just in case.

“My girl,” the carpenter says frettingly, scanning his daughter’s features up and down. “What happened? I thought it was your brother that- Is that blood? Are you hurt?”

Eliana doesn’t respond immediately, eyes still staring vacantly in her mother’s direction, so it’s Regina who steps in once again, her tone dry but not devoid of any admiration. “She is what happened to some old friends of mine. Your girl got August out- without her we’d still be running in circles.”

“And that was very brave of her,” Blue interjects, somewhat irritated, “but no one knows for sure what Rumpelstiltskin did to August yet. Emma, you know it better than I do- if it’s dark magic, then the sooner we get rid of it, the better. We’re only wasting time with this farce.”

“You’re the only one wasting any time here, Mother.” Eliana speaks softly and haltingly, but her gaze is still hard as steel, despite everything.

“My brother is fine where he is. Touch him again and I will eat you alive. This will be your only warning.”

Marco hums pensively under his breath, his eyes flitting from the girl in his arms to Regina and Emma. “If Eliana says there is no danger, then I trust her. Emma? Have you seen my boy yet?”

“Whale thinks he’ll be okay,” the sheriff replies, picking her words cautiously. “Sort of. He’s going to need some time to rest and recover, but that’s about it.”

“Then we don’t need your help right now, Mother Superior. You can leave my children alone, if you please.”

It’s a low blow, lower than many would expect from a man as mild-mannered as him. It’s easy to guess Blue might be of the same opinion, too - she looks absolutely floored by the remark, enough not to be able to get even the proverbial last word in, and it’s a miracle the whole hospital doesn’t fall onto their heads as she leaves, so enraged she appears to be.

Still, she does leave, and Emma turns back to Eliana, dread pooling in her gut. The girl hasn’t torn her eyes from her departing mother yet, either, but something has changed in her all the same; it’s as if she were being taken by a full body tremor, one that picks up pace when Blue finally walks out of the door and threatens to make her buckle at the knees, with only her father’s presence keeping her upright.

It occurs to the sheriff that she has never seen them so close to each other, before. There is some strain in that relationship, to hear August and Granny tell it, and though they must have exchanged a few words in Emma’s presence at some point, it was nothing like this - Eliana shakes and shakes, run through by shivers as though she’d gotten stuck in a blizzard, and Marco seems at loss of words over her reaction, cradling her cheek with his free hand like an additional point of support.

“Marco,” Emma ventures, ever so carefully, “August’s still sleeping. You can go see him if you want, but she really needs to get some rest too. Everything else can wait.”

“No.” Eliana squirms in her father’s hold, an uncharacteristic pleading note in her words. “I don’t want to. I can’t.”

The man shushes her gently, pulling her even closer. “Of course you can. We’ll go see your brother, and then I’ll take you home. It’s alright.”

She shakes her head brusquely, sagging further on herself. “Papa,” she says, and it’s barely more than a hoarse croak, tears pooling in her eyes and spilling down her cheeks. Gone is the ageless air she was sporting before; now she looks like a child, and she sounds like one, too, a little kid tired out at the end of a sugar rush. “Papa, I think I did something awful. I don’t know what got into me.”

“Oh, my girl.” Marco presses a kiss to the top of her head, in such a tender gesture that Emma feels prompted to look away and give them their privacy.

“I know that’s not true. You’re alright- Eliana, my sun, I’m so proud of you. It’s alright. You’re safe, and so is your brother. Everything will be fine, I promise.”

In the corner of her eye, Emma catches Regina turning around as well, gaze stubbornly fixed on the ceiling. The sheriff imitates her, and then thinks, idly, that she shouldn’t be feeling so gloomy about everything, about this heartwarming scene that’s unfolding behind them even as she tries to pretend she can’t hear anyone sobbing over the buzzing of the neon lights overhead.

She shouldn’t be, and yet she is, because that persistent worry that something’s bound to go wrong still clings to her, and has not left the room with Blue, as they, Eliana included, must all have hoped it would.

#au: appalachian wine #oc: eliana #fanfic #ouat #emma swan #august booth #beloved he's the motor behind everything as usual #but hey you know what he ALSO is? a little brother whose sister has gone to great (and violent) ends to keep safe 🥰#she fought tooth and nail - literally! ahdkjhjkashjkas #marco #he is there too. my explosive guy.#all jokes aside he is a genuinely good dad who in the context of this au fucked up when faced with an impossible choice #he lied to the face of royals and magic users for his son's safety he'll do it again if it keeps his daughter from harm #lia.........she's processing #she'll be fine (eventually)

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