#oh and my eyes are suffering because the bright colors so y'all had to suffer too

[verdita-toons]

BLITZOOOOOO!!

#my art #helluva boss #hb #helluva boss fanart #blitzo #blitzo helluva boss #helluva boss blitzo #cartoon #digital #digital art #imp #this is my first time drawing that bastard and BOI i'm not gonna draw him ever again #like blitzo sweetie i love you but your design is complicated as fuck sorry #oh and my eyes are suffering because the bright colors so y'all had to suffer too

[slytherbun]

wildflower

pairing: cedric diggory x hufflepuff!reader

summary: you weren't too sure what to think when a new eye candy transfers to hogwarts and becomes the new seeker of the hufflepuff's quidditch team but you realize in time that he is all of what you hoped for.

word count: 3.7k

tags: @specialagentsoftie

note: so this is all just a bunch fluff. i'm not sure how i feel about it in terms of cringey and hope y'all like it! figured i'd post this anyways either way though lol. i made up the way reader and cedric met at hogwarts so, it's non-canon from the movie.

another note: italics are flashbacks! :)

it was cold.

you could see everybody’s breath in the air outside and knew it was a crime to be out and about now with freezing and chilly weather.

the snow outside coated the ground by inches and the black coats zippered up and wrapped around you only helped so much. you were the type to freeze easily and the climate at hogwarts didn't help your situation at all.

minutes ago before you walked outside, you knocked on the door to his dorm after surveying the hufflepuff’s common room and noticed there weren't very many people around. and when cedric opened the door after you rapped on it a few times—he took in the view of your body wrapped around your blanket before pulling you into his room.

pathetically enough, you were shivering in the halls even with your mitten covered hands stuffed in the pockets of your coat. you weren't about to admit the doubled up socks on each of your feet either underneath the knee-length boots you wore today.

"are you cold?" cedric successfully taunted you when you reached your arm out of the pocket of your jacket and then under the blanket to slap his arm. he hissed and glared your way playfully while rubbing his arm dramatically.

you shrugged with a smirk on your lips and he plopped down onto his soft bed. “don’t get too comfortable.” he suggested when noticing you trying to sneakily get underneath his covers. 

“what i’d do for one of those thermal blankets the muggles use.” you sighed dreamingly while watching him walk towards his closet.

“imagine having a postal company deliver the package to hogwarts? dumbledore would have an aneurysm.” cedric replied and you couldn’t help yourself when imagining the scenario playing out in your mind. 

he turned to the side to admire your smile while you were a little distracted while pulling out a coat. then he closed the closet up and walked back over, holding it in your direction to offer an extra to put over your body. you gladly took it with a smile. "thanks ced."

cedric backed up a few steps and brushed a hand through his brunette hair. not being able to help himself he joked, “can’t have you walking around with your blanket wrapped around you. your height already makes you look so adorable.”

you got off from the bed when he exaggerated with your blanket in hand and scoffed. cedric bit his lip nervously while continuing to back up before he felt the wall pressed against him.

he rubbed the back of his nervously while you held the blanket up to his height and above your own head. “i’m just kidding.” he gulped before you took it and put it over his face.

when he tugged it down from his face he spotted you innocently standing by the door with his jacket around you. “i was going to leave it here anyway. just put it on the bed and i’ll come get it later after we get back.”

while you zippered it up you noticed this particular jacket was the one that you often saw him wearing before he ended up buying a new one for the upcoming winter that you were suffering in now.

and it was longer than the one you had previously put on about twenty minutes ago so, you couldn't argue with him on that steal.

"alright.” he laughed and added with a more serious tone. “oh and by the way—you don't need to thank me. you're my best friend, wildflower."

today was the first quidditch match of the season and you were sitting at the edge of your seat in anticipation. the hufflepuffs didn't score well last season and you were hoping they wouldn't come out with last place again for the year.

y/g/b/f (your girl best friend) sat down on the stands next to you with an umbrella in her hands. you turned and looked at it with a confused face. but she just smiled at your contemplating thoughts and looked up at the sky once before supplying you with an answer.

“well it looks bright now but i have a feeling it’ll rain later.” she always had a suspicion for when it was going to rain or snow and you never second guessed her because every single time she was right.

“did you know we’re having a new seeker play on the team today? i believe he’s going to be captain too if he plays his cards right this game.” she asked. you didn’t know that.

“wait is he the new guy everybody is talking about? i heard the rumors but you know how they are. i didn’t want to take it seriously until i saw it with my own eyes.” you stated and she nodded. 

“yeah he’s a transfer i think but i’m not too sure. his name is cedric diggory though.” after her reply, you glanced around the stands to see if anybody had diggory signs for the game but with no avail you sighed. before you could respond you felt a few droplets on your shoulder. 

your friend gave you a smart-ass grin and popped out the umbrella to hold it over the both of you. “guess we’ll see how good he is.” you mumbled before seeing the players come up to the playing area with their brooms.

butterbeer was pretty popular during the winter season. many students from school usually went and got some to help regulate their body temperature and keep warm.

everybody else must have gotten the same memo because you were inside the three broomsticks now for some butterbeer and it was crowded.

almost every table was filled with peers and that’s probably why you didn’t see many people in the school. with just one glance around the area, you could already tell the divided area’s of where each school was seated right away. 

your tables were to the left area, the slytherins must have come earlier because they grabbed the back ones, some of the ravenclaw’s were off to the right, while harry and the other gryffindor’s had the middle area.

cedric nudged your side to grab your attention and nodded towards the hufflepuff area. “want to grab us some seats and i’ll get the drinks?” he asked and you nodded. “sure, could you get me a snack too if you don’t mind?” 

he smiled and tucked his hands into the pockets of his jeans. “i suppose i could.” cedric walked away with a wink and you shook your head knowing he was just humoring you.

little did you know he already had planned to get you something else even before the two of you left the dorms. it had gotten to the point where asking him for little things hadn’t bothered you because you reciprocated all of the time.

but sometimes cedric would give you little excuses when it was your turn to pay, just so he could end up paying for whatever you guys were having or getting. he always spoiled you.

"ah the golden girl is here." hermione scoffed and watched you walk towards the hufflepuff area. your other best friend was seated already and started talking to you when you sat.

the brunette from the red colored house didn't particularly dislike you since you were always nice. sometimes you chatted with her while working on a project that you were paired for. then other times you gave her a soft smile when catching her eye while walking in the halls towards your next class.

she definitely couldn’t help but respect and admire you.

but the reason she didn’t put herself out there and try to befriend you was because you were one of the girls known in school for your smartness, quick reflexes, and witty attitude. 

when people from school talked about you and referred to you as the golden girl instead of your name most of the time—it wasn’t that you were golden per-say but the fact that it matched up perfectly with the school’s color that you sorted it.

hufflepuff was known for its represented yellow color.

and there’s no doubt about it that hermione was also known around the school. but, she felt it was for all of the wrong reasons. despite not having it any other way as one of harry's best friends, she wondered if not for him that in an alternate lifetime that she would be you. 

“why is she wearing cedrics jacket?” ron asked after following hermione’s stare. harry thumped him on the back of his head and then shook his own. “why does it matter?” the one with a thunderbolt on his forehead replied.

“well it is interesting, isn’t it?” the brunette said in defense of ron’s question. the one who didn’t seem curious at all took a sip of the butterbeer in front of him.

he licked his lips, thinking then replied to them with a response. “i mean it’s not our business but it is an odd find now that you pointed it out. maybe he’s just being friendly?”

“as if! cedric has had a crush on y/n since he met her. she’s just oblivious to it all,” she paused and tapped her chin. “—or is she?” ron gasped at her accusation but took a sip of his own drink before she could hear his outburst.

harry noticed her getting riled up once again and sighed. “well i don’t know what else to say. maybe you should just introduce yourself already and ask her instead of me.” he shrugged and hoped to end the conversation there.

you knew exactly who cedric diggory was when he swiftly passed by the hufflepuff area during the game. of course, he was wearing yellow. 

the game has been going on for a decent amount of time now and he was stacking up the scores on the quidditch board—easily passing by the score of the gryffindor’s team.

cedric was undoubtedly the new eye candy for the whole school with the gasps and ‘awes’ from the other girls sitting in the stand. your friend was so busy watching harry that she didn’t catch the commotion.

you didn’t really pay attention to him to get a good glance at his face so, you thought he was just another arrogant rich boy and rolled your eyes.

what you didn’t notice was the way it was like a slow-motion love at first sight situation for him when he went by. since it stopped raining through the middle of the game he was able to catch a quick view of you. 

the week wasn’t done yet so it was possible he’d be seeing more of you in another class he hadn’t had yet. and cedric hoped you were because he couldn’t help but look over in your direction throughout the game to catch another glimpse of your face.

it was still humid outside and you tried wiping your makeup a few minutes ago since it was under your eyes now, but you only smudged it further. your robe was drenched with your wavy and half-dried hair now lying down the back of it. 

but he didn’t care what you thought about yourself because he knew without a doubt that you were the prettiest girl there.

“cedric’s looking pretty good today.” y/g/b/f voiced for the first time today. you played with the napkin in your hand while trying to get a glimpse of cedric. 

“i don’t think you would know even if he was—since you spend all your time looking at harry.” cedric was up to the counter now waiting for your butterbeer and food.

“uh huh. don’t think i haven’t admired cedric before from afar though.” after a moment of not answering her, y/g/b/f noticed that you weren’t paying attention. you knew exactly what she was hinting towards.

cedric did look good.

his hair had that ‘just woken up’ style to it and he always managed to look even more attractive then he should have. the yellow scarf wrapped around his neck was the one that came with every hufflepuff’s supplied uniform clothing.

he usually wore it when you sat with him in potions on a chilly morning and you caught yourself wanting to take it off of him and wear it sometimes.

he always smelled good and it comforted you in ways a best friend shouldn’t have the ability to.

you seemed to have let your guard down and stared longer then you should have which confirmed what y/g/b/f already knew. “i knew it!” she chuckled and stated more loudly than the last comment to snap you out of the zoned out state you were in. 

“know what?” you asked while placing the napkin back down on your table.

cedric was reaching the table and you wanted the conversation to end quickly. you usually dragged out conversation topics like this so you had time to think of another one to distract her with. but, she always found a way to circle it back around again. 

you had to shut it down before he could hear, already knowing exactly what she wanted to talk about again.

“i’ll tell you later before our curfew.” y/g/b/f smirked and you sighed knowing she would in fact take the time out of her night to find you before bed. lucky you.

“hey y/g/b/f. how has your day been?” he asked your other friend while sitting down and placing your refreshments in front of you and then doing the same with his. 

she grinned at you then glanced over at him, “pretty good i guess if it wasn’t for this weather i would say great. how about you? and how’d you manage to get this one out?” she gestured towards you, causing you to roll your eyes. 

here we go again.

you were walking down the path back to the hogwarts dorms with y/g/b/f and some others. there was going to be a small celebration in the hufflepuff’s common room and other students were trying to hurry back without raising suspicions with any professors nearby.

“hey, i’ll be right back y/n/n. i see luna and i’m going to go ask her if she has a hair tie.” she said and pointed to the curly knots that she had on her shoulders.

you nodded and continued along the path while she walked over to the other side. it was quiet for a moment and you surveyed the peaceful area, a few feet over in the grass was a small patch of flowers.

you were about to take a quick look at them before feeling someone tap your shoulder. it was sudden and you couldn’t help but quickly move to the side and form a fist. you were about to throw it but stopped when you stared wide-eyed at the person who scared you.

cedric felt awful and only after he startled you did he realize that you were looking off in the distance of the area. the way you jumped though seemed that you were quick on your feet and he couldn’t help but smirk at the new name he had for you. 

“hey i’m sorry for startling you wildflower but i just wanted to introduce myself. i’m cedric diggory.” he introduced with a panty-dropping smile.

you weren’t sure if it was some kind of joke so you treaded carefully. “uh it’s okay, it’s my fault really for not paying attention but i’m y/n y/l/n. nice to meet you ced.”

cedric held out his hand for you to shake and you took it, giving him a firm shake. after you let go he smirked and questioned. “ced, huh?”

he crouched down to pick up a flower that you were looking at earlier and it reminded you to ask, “wildflower, huh?” you met his statement equally and folded your arms together so they were across your chest to look more tough.

his cheeks tinted a minor shade of pink and tried to hide his embarrassment by ducking down and ignoring your question. instead he glanced back up to tuck a hair behind your ear and then placed the flower there.

“yes, wildflower.” 

and how could you argue with him when he was being so sweet?

the two of you made it back to the common room after an hour of eating, then chatting with cedric and your other best friend. he was sitting on the bed with you sitting next to him.

you’ve been sitting for only about a minute or so—only enough time to shrug off your jackets and place them on the desk chair between that time after walking back to his dorm.

“would you like to lay down for a few minutes?” cedric asked when he noticed the tiredness shown clear as day on your face.

“sure” you agreed and you laid down while he shook your blanket out for the two of you to use. his eyebrows scrunched together when he realized it wouldn’t make much of a difference in comfort with how small it was.

you chuckled watching him trying to maneuver it around and he glanced your way with a smirk of defeat. “hmm, seems this blanket is a little small. would you like to go under the covers?”

cedric was giving into what you wanted earlier before the two of you left and he knew that too. the three broomsticks' food was delicious as always and you just wanted to relax for a few minutes after getting teased by your friend.

he grinned watching you get comfortable after the both of you were situated under the sheets and yellow comforter. there was a hufflepuff patch ironed onto it and you rubbed your thumb over it while laying down.

it wasn’t that awkward since you’ve fallen asleep in his arms a couple of times before already. class exams were frustrating and took a lot out of the students so he took comfort in you and vice versa when there was some down time during the weekends throughout the school year.

with an arm around you—he pulled you close to the point where you could feel his warm breath along your neck. “i don’t think you realize how much i treasure these moments y/n/n.”

he spoke breathlessly and you gulped slowly. you were dumbfounded with how seriously he said that. as if it had some kind of hidden meaning behind it. “me too.” you agreed and wondered if he would leave it at that.

but you knew better and cedric never left well alone when he wanted to get a point across. he turned your body slowly with the arm he had around your middle and you faced him with confusion.

he glanced down once before looking back up and continued on with his confession while staring into your doe eyes—a color he deemed his favorite the day that he met you.

“i’ve been fighting myself for a while on whether or not i should tell you this because i didn’t want my feelings to ruin our friendship. i’d rather be your friend than not be a part of your life at all. and i always look forward to seeing you e-everyday.” he paused when his voice cracked.

after cedric cleared his throat he continued, “and i totally understand if you don’t share the same feelings with me but i just couldn’t go on another day without telling you how i—” you cut him off by leaning in and brushing your lips against his.

he moved closer on the bed, so his skin was touching yours. cedric wanted to get as close to you as he possibly could. your hand swept through his brunette curls and you surprised him by tugging it.

he never knew what you were going to do and his friends teased him that you were a wildcard, to which he’d correct them and say you were his wildflower.

cedric smirked into the kiss and you groaned knowing he was being a smart-ass. but in return, he shocked you when he placed a hand delicately on your cheek to cup it rather softly.

he rubbed your cheek while your hand massaged his curls and then moved them downwards to the nape of his neck.

cedric pushed the hair back from your neck with his hand and then placed it back so his thumb splayed across on your cheek in a loving gesture. and you only wanted him closer after feeling sensitive about the whole astonishment that still had you stunned to the core.

you tugged the collar of his shirt and he pulled away with puffy, red lips and a smile. “what’s wrong?”

“i don’t know, i’m just emotional.” you voiced squeakily and full of embarrassment about it. cedric shook his head and before patting his chest, he held up the comforter over the both of you and let the minimal cold air in.

“oh, baby it’s okay. come here and let's cuddle a little before curfew.”

you bit the bottom of your lip and nodded, giving him a smile in return to the one he gave you and then crawled onto him. “i think i like baby better.” you voiced and laid on his chest with your head over his heartbeat.

he let go of the comforter when he noticed you were settled and tugged it firmly around both of your bodies. “better then what?” he asked.

“wildflower.” you admitted and hummed nervously while awaiting his response. you felt cedric shake his head and he put his arms around your body so you were pressed firmly against him before he kissed your forehead.

“you’ll always be my wildflower.” you closed your eyes after giving him a quick kiss on the cheek in response.

after a moment of laying back down you could feel his chest rising up and down in an odd pattern so, you put your head up to see him laughing again at you.

“what now?” you questioned trying to keep a serious facial expression but failing when he grinned.

“guess you got what you wanted, hmm?” cedric said—referring to the fact that you were finally under the comforters and you smirked.

“of course i always do. including finally getting you, ced.”

#cedric diggory x hufflepuff!reader #cedric x hufflepuff!reader #cedric diggory x female reader #cedric diggory x reader #cedric diggory x you #cedric diggory #cedric diggory x reader #cedric diggory imagine #cedric diggory one shot #cedric diggory fluff #the wizarding world of harry potter #hogwarts #wizarding world #wizard #quidditch #robert pattinson #cedric x reader #diggory x reader #cedric imagine #harry potter #hp #imagine #fluff #one shot #cedric deserved better #quidditch team #friends to lovers #best friends to lovers #hufflepuff #hufflepuff x hufflepuff

[kkeidawrites]

Lost Light

Whew, let me tell y'all writing this one shot was killing me...having to re-watch and relive the experience from this made me have a broken heart again like all those years ago. But, here we are.

Loki Laufeyson x black!reader

Disclaimer: The story you are about to read is full of spoilers from the Avengers: Infinity War movie, I do not own any of the quotes or the gifs that are displayed on this fanfic, that all belongs to Disney, Marvel Studios which is a subsidiary of Walt Disney Studios and its proper companies and I would suggest you not read this if you have not seen the movie yet. This story is both fictional and all the characters that are mentioned are all my personal, made up ocs that I wanted to share. So, just you know, prepare yourselves. Thank you.

The stench.

The falling ash.

The haunting distress call, pleading for any help that was close by, didn't reach a willing ear.

Pieces of the ship, that once held all of the surviving members of Asgard, were scattered astray and skewed in space.

Asgardians young and old littered the remaining floating, functioning part of the ship, dead and being stabbed again by the ones who created the carnage to ensure they stayed dead.

Mawu watched helplessly as Thor laid on the bay of the ship, defeated and critically wounded, his breathing was becoming labored but the Moon Goddess couldn't do anything as she was restrained by the large behemoth that had its foot on her back.

They had fought valiantly and fearlessly, but in the end it didn't matter, Thanos had took them down without breaking a sweat. His lackeys went to work to kill the rest of the innocent Asgardians, claiming he was doing them a favor.

"Your people are nothing now...you have no world to occupy." he had said after he broke our spirits. He spoke to us like we were his captured kill from a glorious hunt.

"Your people are powerless, tired, it would be best to end your suffering."

"I know what it's like to lose," the titan turns his back to stare at Loki who shifted his gaze from his wife back to Thanos. The last thing he needed was the titan to know that he was a married man and Loki refused to allow anymore harm come to her.

He had done so in the past and he vowed to protect her since then. Mawu watched powerless as the feeling of the creature's foot pressed a bit more on her back, making Mawu grunt in pain.

"Feels so desperately that you are right, yet to fail none the less."

Thanos approaches Thor and picks him up by the neck dragging him over to Loki's stiff form.

"Turns the legs to jelly. I ask you to what end? Dread it, run from it. Destiny arrives all the same. Now it's here, should I say 'I am..'"

Thor makes a clipped comment and Loki quickly gazes at his brother fearfully then back to the menacing titan's glare.

"The Tesseract or your brother's head." His large fist began to squeeze the new king's head.

"I assume you have a preference?" Thanos asked smug.

"Oh, I do. Kill away." Loki's statement lifts the titan's chin smugly and Mawu's jaw drops in disbelief; the large brute then takes the power infinity stone and presses it against the side of Thor's head. Thor screams from the immense pain that was coming from the stone and Mawu squirmed under the beast's foot.

"Stop it! Leave him alone!" Mawu yells as she struggled. More pressure was applied to her back and the Goddess gasps in pain going limp, and had no choice but to listen to the agonizing screams of the king of Asgard. Tears were running down her cheeks, as a sob left her lips.

After all they had been through, Loki would pull something like this. Mawu believed that her husband had changed for the better and here he was allowing this monster to kill his own brother. She struggled to turn her head and out of the corner of her eye she watched her husband. He was looking conflicted to what was happening. Thor let out another excruciating cry of pain and Loki balled his fists at his sides.

"Alright, stop!" Loki yells.

The power stone was removed from his brother's head and Thor panted helplessly at Thano's side. Loki sighs in relief.

"We don't have the Tesseract. It was destroyed on Asgard." Thor wheezes.

Low and behold, Loki materializes the Tesseract in his right hand, raised to Thano's eye and the titan gives a chilling grin.

"You..you really are the worst brother." Thor says and Loki comes closer to Thanos as if to hand over the sacred item to him.

"I assure you brother , the sun will shine on us again." Loki tells him and that makes Thanos chuckle.

"Your optimism is misplaced Asgardian."

"Well for one thing, I'm not Asgardian. And for another, we have a Hulk." Just as he said that, the green gamma fused hero came barreling through and punches Thanos giving Loki enough time to move Thor out of harm's way.

"Let him have his fun." Ebony Maw tells Black Dwarf who moved to help their master.

Mawu was shocked at the quick turn of events and the pressure on her back was lifted long enough for her to roll out from under Black Dwarf and use her cosmic beam emission to blast him away from her. Sending another beam at Corvus Glaive, Mawu floated over to Thanos to help Hulk.

This brought Proxima Midnight attention to Mawu's sudden escape and she steps in Mawu's way to halt her assault. Spins her three-pronged spear to ready her stance. Mawu readies herself and her hands and eyes begin to glow a bright blue color.

"You won't leave here alive." she taunts with a smirk.

"We will see, bitch." Mawu sends beams her way and Proxima dodges them, moving close to unleash swings from her spear. Mawu dodges them and blocks the ones that reached her face.

Hulk began with having the upperhand on Thanos but, the titan quickly unbalanced him and took his down within seconds, hauling his large body over his head then slamming it on the ground of the ship's bay. Hulk lays there defeated and not moving.

Thor comes up behind Thanos and hits him with a lead pipe that bounces off his armor and the titan turns around and pushes him away. Ebony Maw takes this time to use his psychokinesis and trap Thor's body with the iron from the ship.

Mawu manages to scratch Proxima's right cheek and the woman grunts in pain touching her cheek to feel the blue blood running down to her lip. She gives a battlecry and sweeps her spear under Mawu's feet but she was quicker to jump back and uses her right leg to come down and snaps the spear in half.

Proxima uses one end of her spear to throw at the Moon Goddess and Mawu dodges it.

Elbowing her in the face, Mawu is quick to get onto her hands and spin her straightened feet in a kick combo on her face. Proxima dodges the first spin but was hit by the second one, along with an uppercut Mawu sent once she returned to her feet.

.As she stumbles back from the attack, Mawu grabs Proxima by the neck and throws her down into the ground, raising her leg to bring it down on her head as a final blow when she was suddenly grabbed by the back of her neck and pulled away from her opponent. Black Dwarf had grabbed her threw her but, Mawu was stopped by an invisible force.

The Goddess squirmed from the invisible force holding her and turned her head to see Ebony Maw holding her against her will.

She cursed him in her native tongue as she was left floating at his side.

However, the thing Mawu saw was Heimdall as he prayed softly to his ancestors and her eyes widened at what he was doing.

"Forefathers, let the dark magic flow through me one last...time." his soft prayer was heard and the Bifrost was opened and immediately took Hulk away. Thanos approaches Heimdall and grabs Corvus Glaive's double-sided polearm as he looks down at the struggling man.

"That was a mistake." Thanos tells the watchman of the gods and stabs the polearm through his heart. Heimdall stares defiantly at Thanos until his last breath of life left his body and he fell limp against the piece of metal he was propped up against. Thor cries in anguish as he watched his friend die and glares hatefully at the titan.

"You going to die for that." Thor swears to Thanos then his lips are bound when Ebony Maw seals his lips with metal.

Ebony Maw then presents the Tesseract to Thanos, as he kneels before the titan and the purple brute removes his armor, and plucks the cube from his lackey's hand. He crushes it and inside his hand sits the space stone. He places the stone on his gauntlet and hums in pleasure of the new power flowing through him.

Mawu suddenly feels weak and lethargic, her head begins to pound severely. You see, when the space stone is disrupted, it effects those who helped create the universe, Mawu is beginning to lose her powers because, the space stone is what keeps the balance of all the nine realms in harmony. With a dark heart like Thanos, the space stone could easily kill the creator gods of the universe.

"There are two more stones on Earth," Thanos marvels at the stones on his gauntlet, he then turns his attention to his 'children'.

"Find them my children, and bring them to me on Titan." he orders and his 'children' kneel down in front of him in respect.

"Father we will not fail you." Proxima Midnight says. Mawu glares at the woman.

"Karachi ẹnu kẹtẹkẹtẹ bishi (Stupid kissing ass bitch)." Mawu cursed and Proxima gives her a menacing glare as if she understood what the Goddess said.

"If I might interject," Loki makes his appearance and slowly moves closer to Thanos.

"If you are going to Earth, you might want a guide. I do have experience in that arena." he gives a dry chuckle.

"If you call failure experience.

"I consider experience, experience."

"Oh mighty Thanos," he grew closer now as he sneakily summoned a knife in his left hand.

"I, Loki, prince of Asgard...Odin's son, the rightful king of the Jotunheim, God of Mischief...do hereby pledge to you..." he gives his wife a look. Just one look to show that he loved her and Mawu's eyes widened. Mawu watched in horror as her husband approached the titan and began shaking her head.

"...my undying infidelity." Loki moves to strike Thanos through the throat but, the space stone possesses his arm to stop him. Loki pants in disbelief and Mawu struggles in her metal bindings, trying desperately to get out to help her husband.

"Loki! Get out of there! Loki!" she screams to her lover, whom even if he wanted to, could not move.

"Undying? You should use your words more carefully." Thanos scolds Loki and pushes back his arm, making the God of Mischief grunt in pain as he was quickly disarmed and Thanos gripped him by the throat. Mawu struggled harder as the titan raised her lover higher to get a better look at him. Loki's choking gargles alerted both her and Thor.

"Let him go you alainiye lori (son of a bitch)! Loki!" Mawu grunts as her metal prison squeezed around her body. She watched pitifully as her husband squirmed in Thano's squeezing grip and her tears rolled down her cheeks.

"Don't...Do not do this! Please don't do this!" she cries as the sound of Loki's bones began rattling.

As he struggled, Loki had the gal to look in Thanos in the eyes as he whimpered out one last statement. "You...will never be...a god." Loki then shifts his wavering gaze to his wife and gave her a painful smile then mouthing his love to her before the crack of his neck resounded in the tense atmosphere.

"Noooooooooooo!" Mawu yells.

Thor's muffled cry of anguish is a haunting one as Thanos brings his dead brother's body over to his bound form, dropping him at his feet.

"No resurrections this time." Thanos taunts. The titan then raises his gauntlet and activates the power stone, all around them what's left of the Statesmen began to explode and Thanos uses the space stone to open a portal and the Black Order leave the blowing up ship.

The metal around Thor disintegrated and he quickly crawled over to Loki's body. He looked over his brother's face and sobs left his lips as he hugged him to his chest.

"Loki..." he whimpers solmenly.

Mawu however, had another agenda, once she was released from the metal prison her eyes had coated over to a dark blue color and her hands glowed a illuminated white color. Her adrenaline was high as hell and so was her anger which gave her more of a boost as she flew up from the Statesmen and aimed her glowing hands at Thanos' ship.

"O gba ọkọ mi, ẹbi mi, lẹhinna o ro pe o kan le sá? Iwọ yoo ku loni, aderubaniyan(You take my husband, my family, and then you think you can just run away? You will die today, monster)! " Mawu beams up her hands and begins throwing concentrated cosmic energy balls at the ship.

Two of the engines on the ship went up in flames, and Mawu flew closer to punch a side of the ship but, her assault was cut short when a canon blasted her away. This gave the ship enough time to portal out of there.

Mawu regained her balance mid-flight and her brows furrowed in anger as she watched the ship disappear through the portal. Her tears returned and her adrenaline wore off, as the Statesmen blew up in a purple flash behind her. Mawu welcomed the force of the blast as her eyes returned to its original brown color.

She simply floated in outer space as the debris of both the ship and deceased Asgardians coasted past her. Mawu's eyes caught Loki's departed form and moved closer to him, grabbing his cold hand and pulling him to her chest. Mawu cried in his chest as she wrapped his arms around her body, wanting to once again feel his loving embrace.

The moon has a dark side and it has a bright side but, with how her emotions played out, the moon has been cased in a dark grey hue that stirs the gravity on the Earth.

Mawu didn't care about any of that right now...her husband was dead, her heart has been torn in two, and there was nothing she could do to change it. Mawu's eyes filmed over a grey color and she fell limply against her deceased husband's chest as her body shut down into a vegetative state.

The light was lost from the moon that day and the end of the universe was closer.

``````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````````

I hope you all had a good cry like I did when I wrote this story. This had been sitting in my brain for weeks, yall. WEEKS. And I finally sat my ass down and wrote it. So, enjoy, like, comment and reblog. Also make sure to head over to my inbox for any requests. Peace y'all.

#black reader #black oc #mawu oc #loki x black!reader #loki laufeyson #fanfiction #black fanfiction #my writing #loki layfeyson x reader #loki layfeyson x black!reader #marvel #marvel x oc

[lokiarsene]

More PQ2 liveblog thoughts–this time with no salt!

Ryuji acknowledging that what Kamoshida did wasn’t just physical abuse, and that what he put Ann through was even worse than that, was really refreshing to see, especially since the base game did very little to actually show Ryuji understand and acknowledge and care about Ann’s feelings and what she suffered. Any hope of development he had once Kamoshida was apprehended just went out the window, so kudos, PQ2.

Akechi telling Ryuji and Ann, who are particularly vocal about how much they hate Kamoshida (with good reason!) that he understands how they feel is…. painful. Very painful. Especially since what set them off is how absurd it is to think of a whole city built around the idea that Kamoshida is a hero. Of course Akechi would understand how that feels: the entire country of Japan thinks his piece of shit father is a good man.

I painted a tile red by accident, and Ann chimed in by saying it was a nice color. Of COURSE she’d like the color red. ;_;

I can’t believe I forgot this, but the contrast of Akechi having Bless/Light skills, and Joker having Curse/Dark? I love it. I love it a LOT. To me this is the most clear sign that Akechi really did have the capacity for goodness in him, that if he hadn’t been mistreated and deprived, he’d be the true hero his childhood self clearly wished he could be (see also: Robin Hood). And with that line of thinking, I find it equally fascinating that Ren’s innate talent is Curse/Dark.

I don’t pay much attention to the P5 fandom, but from what little I’ve glimpsed, people seem to have this misconception that Ren is some uwu cinnamon roll, when this is so damn far from the truth I really wonder if these people like,,, actually,,, paid attention to the game they were playing. Ren’s ultimate persona is Satanael. It shoots the Demiurge in the fucking face. His whole shtick is a gentleman rebel intent on purging corruption and impurity from society, and he does this while being affiliated with Dark himself. I think a lot of people, even some Akeshu shippers, may overlook Ren’s own capacity for darkness and controlled viciousness in the name of justice. People who evade the law must be dragged screaming back to the rule of law. There’s a reason why his dynamic with Akechi is as compelling as it is, and it’s because they are absolute equals, cordial rivals with similar powers, motivations, and yes, even inclinations.

I’m just saying, if people are able to see Akechi’s potential for being different/better than what he was, then the same can be said for Ren in the reverse. And by some accounts he really is quite questionable, though I’ve previously discussed the moral ambiguity of forcing a conscience onto the minds/hearts of people instead of allowing them to go to it willingly. Personally I stand with Akechi on the matter–FORCING change on someone, no matter how corrupt they are, is a problem unto itself. But I also agree with Akechi in that some people are so corrupt they just need a good killin’ though, so… y'know. Grain of salt and all.

All-Out Attacks in this are ALSO adorable. God I’m enjoying the look/style of this so much more than I did Q1, weirdly enough.

Boy I did not in any way at all miss Justine and… what’s the other one. Christine? Something? Oh no, it’s Caroline. Whatever. I didn’t miss them, and they are by far the lamest of the Velvet Room attendants. Anyone have any ideas as to why Ren’s VR attendants would be children? Because as far as I know in the other games, except for 2, the VR attendants were some reflection of the Wild Card user themselves. The VR attendant was either someone who would be their peer, someone they could learn from, or, with Yu and Margaret, a guiding figure, stern but helpful. And then Marie showed up so… whatever, I guess. I guess Yu learned how to listen to terrible poetry from a tsundere goth or something? Not sure.

I haven’t quite figured out how/why Justine and Caroline–and then Lavenza–can in any way relate to Ren, and part of me wants to say they were actually meant to be Akechi’s VR attendants if he were a true Wild Card user. Children with two different personalities with a strong sense of justice that doesn’t yield no matter what? That fits Akechi quite well. Those attendants then merging into a gentle but determined, soft-spoken girl who only wishes to find the truth and reveal it? That fits Akechi too. It reflects a gentleness/softness, a purity that he lost too soon.

When I put it that way, I can kinda see how they would fit with Ren, who is also seeking the truth because of his muddled memories (which is so convoluted, oh my god, don’t get me started), but they make so much more sense if I think of them as leftovers that were meant to go to Akechi first. But since Akechi isn’t a Wild Card user…. womp womp.

Mona’s outburst that Ryuji should respect Justine and Caroline, then backpedaling to say no, he doesn’t know them, but [respecting them] “just feels right” is………….. really interesting. He says they have something “unwavering” within them, and when they look at him, he gets the feeling he just has to listen to them–“there’s something deep in my core, this feeling that screams ‘I have to do what they say!’ wells up inside me.” IN TER EST ING.

And FINALLY your whole crew can join you in the Velvet Room! Takes me back to P2 days.

Akechi: “Still, two Personas at the same time? I’m impressed. My hat’s off to you, Ren.” FDJSKLFDSLK AKECHI YOU BRILLIANT MOTHERFUCKER

!!!

AND NOW MY BUDDIES CAN HAVE MULTIPLE PERSONA

FUCK YEAH FUN TIME

And Justine/Caroline speculate that the power of the Wild Card is changing to adapt, since “another with the power of the wild card is here as well.” I’m guessing that refers to the P3 or P4 protag?

After playing other JRPGs, I realized something about the Persona series that stands out and that I really enjoy: how talkative your teammates are. They encourage you, cheer you on, compliment you for an attack, express fear if you’re hurt; they thank you for the help you give them, they comment on how much health or SP they lose–it all feels that much more engaging and exciting.  Plus it’s a small but really special way to show off their personalities and just how they work together as a team.

OH MY GOD

MY GAL MINAKO MAKING THE BEST FUCKING ENTRANCE

THAT’S MY GAL DSJKLAFJSDKL LET ME PUT HER IN MY PARTY DFJSKLFDaaa AND THE BATTLE MUSIC CHANGES TO P3-STYLED MUSIC WHEN SHE’S HERE JKFDSAJKLFSDAJFLSDJFKLSD OH MY GOD I WANT TO CRY

This is the kinda fanservice I live for, idc. The kind of fanservice that is fun and harmless, that just makes the story exciting. Because who doesn’t love a good crossover?

Oh my god hearing the P3 music again makes me want to tear up. Y'all don’t know how special P3 is to me ;_; It means so… so so so much. And seeing her again, and hearing this music, just fills my heart with so much painjoy that I want to cry.

I GET TO NAME HER? DFJSLAKFDSKL I JUST BURST INTO TEARS. I KNOW THIS IS RIDICULOUS BTIA FKJDSL SHE’S JSUT SO SPECIAL AND!! ATLUS IS FINALLY ACKNOWLEDGING HER!!!a

As a side note, I’m really touched to see Akechi interacting with others that aren’t in the PT. He is genuinely kind to them–a pleasant boy indeed.

“I watch the news pretty regularly, too.” Considering how many times you can check the TV in the dorm in P3, and that SEES would keep an eye on the Apathy Syndrome cases, she’s not lying. Good on Atlus for putting that in there.

Watching Minako bond with Futaba over headphones, and be so kind and friendly, just… warms my heart. THAT’S the P3 protag I know and love.

//THE POPCORN MAKER IS A TRANSPOSITION KILN, LIKE FROM DARK SOULS 3 FADSJKLFDS// THIS IS THE GREATEST GAME EVER MADE

Justine and Caroline confirm that the other Wild Card user they sensed was Minako, which I suppose makes it canon (sorta?) that Akechi is not a Wild Card user, and that his two Persona are likely a special case, caused by the severe split in his motives and in his heart thanks to Shido.

Persona fusion in this is really cute! Justine and Caroline slowly merge the film, do a dance, and butterfly wings sprout from their backs!

“But nothing’s certain in this world, and this problem isn’t going to solve itself.” I FUCKING LOVE YOU, MINAKO.

Watching Futaba struggle but still go through with trying to reach out to Hikari, to explain how difficult it was for her to socialize and share her time with others, also makes me look at P5 in a nicer light. I really did think Futaba had one of the better S-Links, it’s just that pedophilia bullshit that was a GIANT RED FLAG distracting me from the rest of it. If her S-Link had something like this instead–Futaba finds a girl who is like her, and wants to help her since she understands exactly how she feels, but she wants Ren’s help/advice with it–I would have been much happier.

YOU CAN PUT MINAKO IN YOUR PARTY OH MY GODDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

Her Japanese voice is adorable by the way–so bright and friendly and warm.

#this is the ask tag #pq2 liveblog #pq2 spoilers

[silkkpopbonnet]

Dilemma

“So, basically he’s like get your ass home now, you’ve played around enough in the US.” Yeon, sat back rubbing her eyes, wondering why she just didn’t tell her dad no.

He paid for her college that’s why.

“Basically. I have to go home, and finish there and who knows.” She sighed, looking out the window to the city of Atlanta.

“But, do you want to go, that’s the thing.” Her friend, reached across the table taking her hand.

“No, but my dad is Korean.” She laughed softly. “So, I kinda have no choice, and my mom agrees with him.” She finished her coffee, and rolled her eyes, wishing her mother would have pushed for her to stay in the states.

She loved Korea, she loved the States; but she always felt a bit freer here. Standing up, her 5′5″ frame was lithe, but she had hips and an ass. That she got from her mother, she tossed her mid-back length 3B curls behind her and donned a pair of Gucci shades.

“I leave in three days, he didn’t give me time to do shit. Movers will be here tomorrow, I get on the plane, and go. So, there go all my summer plans. Good thing is though, he’s letting you come with me. Two weeks in Seoul, what do you think?”

Her friend, jumped up from her spot, clapping her hands excitedly. “YES! Oh my god, what do I pack? What should I wear?”

Yeon smiled. “We’ll figure that out later.”

Yeon washed her hands in the bathroom aboard the airplane. She made the water as hot as she could stand it, needing something to take her mind off the fact that they had been flying for 8 hours already. She wanted to run and jump, she needed to stretch her legs. Her hair in a messy bun on her head, she looked at herself in the half steamed mirror and sighed. How was she going to fit back in Korea? She had sometimes unruly curly hair that wasn’t a very common sight on a Korean woman, her copper skin, held two very Asian eyes Most people told her, her eyes looked like Kimora Lee Simmons. Plump lips, brown eyes, her figure was slightly curvy, she pushed together her 34B breasts and wondered if her breasts were also too large? Probably not. She was going to be…different. That much was certain.

“Are you ok?” A soft voice at the door asked her in Korean.

“Yes, thank you.”She answered, almost bowing before she remembered she couldn’t be seen.

Speaking in strictly Korean, unless she was around her parents, something else, she was going to have to get used to again. She hated being different, she hated people looking at her like she had a third eyeball. Grunting, she opened the bathroom door, walking back to her seat.

“You ok, Yeon?” Her friend asked her, barely waking up from her nap.

“I’m ready to get off this damn plane. My legs are killing me.” She signaled for the waitress.

“Girl, your short ass is fine, I’m 5′8″ I’m the one suffering.” Her buddy, turned in her seat, snuggling in the cushions of first class, sleeping again.

Would she be fine? She wasn’t so sure.

As soon as the plane landed, both girls stretched and yawned. It was afternoon in Seoul, South Korea, and all Yeon thought about now was sleep. A sign was posted for her, Ms. Hyo Park Yeon as they came down the elevator, and she rolled her eyes, thinking to herself. ‘Wow, thanks parents, don’t even come to the airport.’

“You have an escort? What a driver too?” Her friend chuckled and Yeon bit her lip and tried to figure out, what she hadn’t told her friend already.

“Ms. Hyo.” He already knew her face, and she gave a slight bow saying hello, giving him their bags.

“This is it, the rest, was delivered here already.” With a nod of his head, the man leads the way outside, and out into the bright sunshine. The girls donned their shades, and Marcella looked around, looking quite the tourist, while Yeon ignored the urge.

He leads them both to a car, a sleek black Audi A8 L. Opening the door for them, the girls slid into the cool, cream-colored interior, chilled water bottles waiting for them.

“This car is nice, man did your dad spare any expenses?” Marcella, rubbed a hand along the seats, watching as the driver got in the front seat.

“This isn’t a Bentley, so I’m going to say, yes.” Yeon laid her head back against the seat, getting ready mentally for her best friend to choke her. “I have to tell you something, Marcella.”

The car pulled away, and Marcella was looking out the window. “Mhm.”

“So, my dad is a CEO…you know that.”

“Yea.”

“My mother is an interpreter for his company now. His interpreter. My grandfather, my mother’s father was a doctor.”

Marcella’s eyes turned to slits as she looked at Yeon. “You parents are loaded aren’t they?”

“I don’t really know about all that. I’ve had to work for anything, I’ve ever received, and maintain a strict GPA, you know I don’t flaunt a bunch of shit.”

“Just say it! Why didn’t you tell me!” Marcella punched her arm lightly. “I’m actually kind of hurt. I’m your best friend.”

Yeon let her head fall. “I learned the hard way, about friends who are friends because of money. Not that you're one of them! I just prefer not to be like that. I’m not stuck up and snobby, and Paris Hilton like.”

“Don’t you think I know that dummy? I know who you are. TBH, I kind always knew I think. Tell me more about your parents though.”

Yeon smiled, thanking god that was easier than she thought it would be. She explained that her father always had money, he inherited the company from his father. Her mother had to scrape and earn every penny, her grandfather believed in a hard day's work. He came from nothing, her parents were polar opposites. Her mother was gifted when it came to languages, she spoke 6 fluently, but Korean was not one of them. Her mother was working as an interpreter for another company when she met her father. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her.

“Still makes me gag a little when he says, my mom had the brownest skin he ever saw, and all he thought about doing was rubbing his face against her legs.” She said playfully, she knew her father worshiped her mother.

Her mother didn’t speak Korean, and her father didn’t speak English, however, they both spoke Chinese. They went out on a few dates, and he made a decision to marry her, boom there she was.

“They should write a book about that,” Marcella answered, taking a sip of her water.

“Probably.” Yeon looked out the window. “This is my house.”

Marcella gasped as the gate opened to a large black and cream colored home, The gate opened to a yard, the glass front of the home, showed into the living room, around the side, there was a cement driveway, and a garage for the cars. The door was opened for them, and Marcella and Yeon walked up the pathway leading from the driveway to the front of the house. It was arched, with large dark wooden doors, and Yeon rung the bell, waiting.

“Of course, you remember how to say hello in Korean. My father’s English is still a bit rough.”

“Who do you think you’re talking to?” Marcella asked, rolling her eyes.

Yeon smiled, and the door opened up, her mother standing there in her apron smiling wide. “My baby is home!” She threw her arms around Yeon, hugging her tight before grabbing Marcella hugging her as well.

“Marcella, I’m happy to have you in our home.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Hyo.” She bowed at her.

“Oh please, call me Jasmine.” She ushered the girls into the house. “I know, Y'all are probably tired, but I have been cooking for Y'all. A mix of southern food and Korean.”

Her mother yelled in Korean, for her father, smiling back at the girls. “He’s going to play all tough baby, but you know he missed you. That’s why he wasted no time.” Her mother hugged her again, and this time Yeon held on tight.

She forgot how her mother smelled like cloves and her favorite Prada perfume. Her mother’s tight 4a coils tickled her nose. “I missed you, Ma.”

“I have too, we haven’t seen you in a year.” Letting her, go her mother turned towards the stairs, as her father came down them. The foyer of the home, had dark hardwood floors, contrasting against the light gray of the walls, and the cream of the carpet that lined the stairs.

“Park Yeon.” He said her name, standing at the bottom of the stairs.

Yeon walked over, bowing deeply, saying hello to her father in Korean. “Abeoji, I missed you.”

Her father’s wrinkled forehead smoothed over and he broke into a smile, hugging his little girl tightly. “My family is whole again.” He kissed her face several times, before letting go, and he also grabbed Marcella into a hug.

“Marcella, I’m glad you could join us for a while.” Marcella smiled, looking shy.

“Thank you for the vacation, Mr. Hyo.” He waved a hand dismissively at her.

“You are like a sister to my baby, call me abeoji.” Marcella tested the word on her tongue, grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Her father, shooed both girls upstairs, informing Yeon that her things would be there, in 3-4 days. Yeon showed Marcella the guest room, and how to use the shower. “Just come in my room when you're done.”

Yeon walked into her room, it was almost the same way she left it. Old EXO posters on the wall, on a cork board. A few American bands on the other side, she had a new computer, new bed, new bedding. Her vanity in front of her bay window. She could decorate as she wanted later, she supposed, but she didn’t even want to live in her parents' house. For goodness sake, she was 20 years old, but her father probably didn’t want her living on her own either. This was going to be hard. She showered, conditioning her hair, and finger de-tangling as she let the water run down her back. She washed her face free of the makeup she wore. She had forgotten to put on a primer, and setting powder so she knew she skin probably looked oily. After she was finished, she wrapped her head in a towel, sitting down at her vanity. She didn’t feel like dealing with her hair, so she set to start doing large twists.

Marcella knocked once, letting herself inside. “I’m glad I got my hair done, before coming because I would not be in the doing it now.”

She looked up at Marcella in the mirror, her friend's shoulder length box braids now held secure in a wrap on her head. “Help me then, I ain’t trying to be here all day.”

Marcella set to rubbing olive oil into the strands, before twisting them with twist cream on her fingers. Both girls finished, Yeon stood u, grabbing a scarf from the hook near her door, and wrapped her hair into a pineapple, before she set out to get dressed.

“Another struggle is finding good hair care products.” Yeon pulled on a purple V-neck shirt that said ‘J’adore’ on the front over her head.

“Your mama is natural, what do you mean?” Marcella looked at her posters. “Chanyeol was still fine as hell in these pics.”

“That’s like right after their debut. She is but she goes into Seoul, to get her hair done. You know I’m picky.” Marcella nodded, still looking over the pictures.

The girls made their way downstairs, where Mrs. Hyo was setting the table. The girls settled themselves on cushions on the floor, as her father made his way in, sitting down at the head of the table.

“How was the flight?” He asked in Korean.

Her mother came in with a gallon of juice, and cups. “English please, we have a guest.” Just as her father was about to protest, she held up a hand sitting down. “Your English is fine, you just never really try. I refuse to translate.”

“Yes, yes, umma.” He replied taking some rice from a large bowl.

“It was long. Fine though.” Yeon answered, Marcella, agreeing with her.

They ate and talked, laughing about what had happened lately in Atlanta or Korea. Inside, Yeon smiled this was good, she had forgotten how much she missed home. How much she missed really good kimchi and her mothers fried chicken. Her mother rolled her eyes at her fathers bad jokes.

“You can have the summer to do as you will, school starts back in September, everything is taken care of Yeon.” Her father spoke, looking at her stuff more kimchi into her mouth.

Thanks, dad, I’m just wondering how I will fit in.” He shrugged at her, chewing his rice.

“You will be fine, you are my daughter. Besides, concentrate on school, not a social life.” Yeon took a sip of her juice, sighing.

“I’m a young dad, I have to have a social life.” She put another piece of chicken on Marcella’s plate as she spoke.

Her father put his chopsticks down on his plate. “I have a remedy for that soon enough. For now, don’t worry, so much, you’ll get wrinkles.”

Her mother shook her head at the two. After lunch, Yeon and Marcella went to their rooms to nap, while her mother cleared dishes with her father.

He stood in the kitchen watching his wife. “Friday then?”

“I actually don’t think this is a good idea at all right now.” She washed the last of the plates, putting them in them in the dish drainer.

“Why not?” He came to stand behind his wife, her short frame nestling against his.

“It’s sneaky. You bring her here, to finish school, but you have an ulterior motive.” Her mother turned in her father’s arms to look at him.

“I’m making sure, our daughter is secure in life.” Sighing, Mrs. Hyo, moved from her husband’s grasp.

“I know. I just…let her see if she likes him or not. I wasn’t forced with you.” Mr. Hyo crossed to where his wife now stood, and took her chin in his hand.

“She will like him, trust me. Choi Jun-Seo is a good man, he is already making me very proud in the company.”

“If you say so.” Her mother leaned her head up, to give her father a gentle kiss.

He grinned, kissing her once more. “I’m always right, trust me.”

The next few days were spent shopping and sight-seeing. Marcella and Yeon kicked back and relaxed most days. “We should go clubbing,” Marcella said, as Yeon sat at her computer looking at places to live near the college.

“Clubs? Yea, we can go. When?” Yeon brought up another tab, to look for good clubs when her mother walked in after knocking once.

“Can’t go tonight, I’m sorry girls. Yeon.” Her mother laid a traditional Korean dress, on her bed. “Your father has a dinner guest, and you have to wear this. I have one for you as well Marcella.”

Yeon rolled her eyes, earning a scowl on her mother’s face. “Stop. You look beautiful in them.”

The golden color of the dress was offset by the red of the tank top, and red flowers, twined with their vibrant green leaves. The black, sheer covering had a white collar. The fabric was thick and heavy. She picked up the dress, holding it close to her body.

“It is pretty, dad is going all out, who is the guest?” Her mother grinned slightly, turning to Marcella.

“Yours will be delivered before tonight. You can take it home if you like, it’s pink and black. I thought the colors would compliment you.”

“Ma.” Yeon put the dress down, looking back at her mother. “Why are you ignoring me?”

“I’m not. He’s a work partner of your fathers. He’s someone your father thinks highly of. So he wants you to look your best.” Her mother turned from the room. “You guys can club tomorrow.”

As the door closed behind her, Marcella chuckled softly but steadily it became louder. “If you don’t have this figured out by now, I’m gonna be pissed.”

Yeon balled her hands into fists. “Stay here.” She grumbled. Her father’s office was downstairs, near the parlor. She quickly jumped down the stairs, running down the hall, her bare feet pattering gently on the hardwood. The large oak doors in front of her, she was never to enter as a child, unless invited. She knew her father would be in there, while her mother gave her the dress.

She knocked once hard, then twice more. “Yes?”

“Dad, you know it's me.” She wanted to yell, but yelling would get her nowhere with him.

He cleared his throat. “Come in.”

Yeon opened the door, closing it behind her, keenly aware of how close it seemed in there. He had many small statues and vases lining the walls. The dark walls and light carpet on the floor, everything was exactly as it had been. Traditional, clean cut. She walked towards her fathers' desk where he sat looking over some papers, his glasses low on his nose.

“Who is this guy.” She pulled a chair from the desk sitting down, she was letting him know she wasn’t going anywhere.

“His name is Choi Jun Seo. He runs the international side of the company, fluent in 3 languages, learning a fourth. He graduated top if his class-”

Yeon cut her father off, tapping on his desk. “I didn’t ask for his resume abeoji.”

Her father slowly lifted his head, pushing his glasses on his nose. The wrinkles around his eyes, deepening as he sighed. “I think, he would be a good match for you.”

“I knew something was up!” Yeon stood up in her chair, pointing at her father. “Is this why I came back? Don’t lie to me.”

Her father removed his glasses, rubbing the area between his eye. “Yeon, do not raise your voice at me.”

She ignored him. “Is it! Tell me! I don’t want to be set up, with some guy who you think is ok for me. That’s not fair!” She pushed away from his desk, throwing her hands into the air. “You can’t do this!”

“I can do as I please, I am your father!” Mr. Hyo stood up, his balled fist slamming down on his desk.

The air was hot between them. Yeon heard her breathing, she was frustrated and angry. She closed her eyes, willing back the tears that threatened. “Did you even miss me? Or did you just want me back as some shiny little pawn to entice your co-workers with?”

Her fathers face softened. “Why would you say that? Of course, I missed you. Your mother missed you. You belong here at home. It is not safe in Atlanta, we cannot protect you.”

Yeon sniffled. “You don’t have to protect me, I’m a grown woman.” She wiped her eyes, turning her back on her father like a child.

“You are my child. My only child. He will be here tonight to introduce himself to you in a formal setting, that is all. I am pushing, however, that you two will date.” Mr. Hyo came from around his desk, at 5′9″ he towered over his daughter, lifting her chin to look at him. “Give him a chance.”

She tugged her chin from her fathers grasp. “If he’s ugly, I’m not doing anything.”

“Park Yeon..” He said quietly.

“I don’t like this, and I don’t agree to it. I will be cordial though.” Her father chuckled, hugging his daughter tight.

“You’re like your mother, I suppose that is all I can ask for now.”

Chapter Two

#dilemma #jay park #aomg jay park #kpop for POC #black female lead #black female characters

[ununniliad]

Writer's Block Person #40: "Too Much Time Inside My Own Skull" Part Two

Last time:

From within the helmet came a voice, swallowing, struggling to get the word out. "Skull..." They threw their head back and howled. "SKULL WRITER'S BLOCK PERSON!"

Now [still early March 2018]:

"Oh, heck." Whisperion pushed herself up with her staff and got to her feet. Something not-so-nice had actually come out of Writer's Block Person's psyche. What should she do?

Keep her word. Fight alongside it. She pointed her staff, and energy flowed into her friend's distorted form; she could feel it distorting along the way, but they shook themselves out and howled again, replenished.

The monstrous man rose up, tilting forward as if pulled by strings, and stared into Skull Writer's Block Person's burning gaze. "Ohhh, I see." The sneer came through. "You think your anger is special--"

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" With two long steps, Skull Writer's Block Person crossed the distance between them, ramming their shoulder into the monstrous man and knocking him askew. "I DON'T CARE!"

The monstrous man staggered back. He laughed, but it had a haggard, stressed edge. "Yeah you do. Yeah you do."

Skull Writer's Block Person ROARED! Their claws lashed out, and sparks burst from the monstrous man's chest. "People like you just keep fucking with us and making things hard for no goddamn reason and I can't stand your bullshit anymore! I! Don't! Know! Why! You! Just! Don't! Be! GOOD!"

The monstrous man let out a grunt of pain, but it turned into a sardonic chuckle. Shadows surrounded his fist and he took a swing at Skull Writer's Block Person, who blocked it with a solid arm, then swung that arm out in a powerful, spark-flaring attack.

Holy cow. If nothing else, this transformation was having an impact. Whisperion focused on the battle, channeling the different flavors of darkness curling around Skull Writer's Block Person into light and life. Maaaaybe this was okay?

  In Writer's Block Person's head, it was not okay, and at the same time, it was glorious. It was fire and rage and righteousness and truth and helpless shouting at the void. And then they heard the void whispering back.

  There's so much pain to this, it whispered. The pain of people's suffering. If you let go of it, you could have this fire, this strength, without the pain... you could be strong... I made this one strong, but you could be stronger... get it?

For a moment, Skull Block Person stood, smoldering in place.

"Yeah," they said. "I get it."

With both hands, they grabbed the monstrous man, gripping the plates of hardened material on his chest, and ripped them away! "I GET that you want to FUCKING use me like you USED everyone in the FUCKING WORLD, you ASSHOLE!"

The man shouted in pain, real pain, sounding helpless, stumbling back. The unprotected-- material? flesh? was red-gray, and shadow streamed from it.  Skull Writer's Block Person lashed out along the unprotected flesh, and it bled bright, bursting in lines of blazing sparks. "You want to turn us all into your pathetic machines to make money or what-the-fuck-EVER and for WHAT? NOTHING!"

No... whispered a voice.

Whisperion's head jerked up - she heard the voice - recognized it, or rather, the way it threaded through the wrinkles of her brain - this was a demon.

For everything... For power... all the power in all the worlds... you could have it... could be mine... ours...

"Get. The fuck. OUT OF MY SKULL!" Skull Writer's Block Person grabbed the monstrous head, stared into its glowing green eyes, and blazed. Their eyes burned a red whose color went beyond the physical operation of rods and cones, an impossible hyperbolic ultrascarlet that burst right through the electromagnetic spectrum and into the metaphysical.

There was a sound that didn't exist, sheet metal being ripped apart overlaid with heavy static. The demon was screaming. The man's body was frozen in a rictus of shock, his face tight, without the glee, without the power.

Skull Writer's Block Person let go of his head, and he fell, boneless, to the pavement and the grass. They spread their arms and screamed at the sky. "STOP DOING THIS TO ME!"

"Drew, it's okay!" Whisperion tossed her staff to the side and raised her hands. "It's done, you can stop--"

"NO I CAN'T!" They covered their face with their claws, panting, great ragged breaths. She could see the tension in their arms, the little twitches that accompanied every movement. "It's not done, I, Whisperion-- you can feel it, right-- I--" Their shoulders went up and a series of shudders wracked their body. "Min-young, I gotta-- they're so awful and maybe I can fix it and maybe I can fight it because they're all out there and they're HURTING us and I HAVE TO STOP THEM!" They threw their head back and screamed, and leapt into the air, and out of sight.

Shit, thought Whisperion, this has officially gone Too Far. Someone had to snap them out of this. ...unfortunately, she didn't know how. Maybe if the demon--

She looked and nope. The monstrous man was gone. Well, double shit!

Okay, keep it together. Her staff blazed with light and she cleared the last of the darkness out of her system, clearing her head. They had a lot of allies; who among them would be best to stop a Writer's Block Person who had gone off and--

Oh, duh. Whisperion looked around. Which one of these was Distraction Damsel's house?

...well, probably the one with the lawn gnomes in hot pink and banana yellow, the snow sculpture of humanity swordfighting God, and the big sign that said "NOT THE HOUSE OF DISTRACTION DAMSEL, THAT'S FOR SURE" on the roof. Must be nice to live in a neighborhood without a homeowner's association.

Whisperion picked her way across the crazy-paving walk and knock-knock-knocked on the door with the window painted on it. "Hoy! Alarums! Calls to action! Distraction Damsel, I need your help!"

The intercom (disguised as a fake rock with a fake key under it) crackled. "Look," said Distraction Damsel, "I told y'all. I don't fight bad guys, I just fight heroes when they need fightin'."

"No, no, no," said Whisperion. "It's Writer's Block Person! They've gone berserk!"

A loud squee came out of the intercom, and then it went silent. Whisperion heard a door open and slam shut on the other side of the house, and Distraction Damsel ran out from behind a stand of rainbow flamingos. "Eee!" she said. "Kismessitude! :D"

Hey, wait, has Distraction Damsel been described yet? Wow, no. Okay, I'll do that now: She's a lanky black girl, speckled with vitiligo, with foofy pink hair, wearing purple glasses, a holofoil bodysuit, and oversized golden gloves and boots like in anime or Mickey Mouse. She wears a purple cargo utiliskirt with oversized pockets full of distractions; glitter, confetti, inflatable dolls, just one more episode, ponderings on the ineffability of existence, and so on. Right now she is very happy so let's continue with that.

The two of them got on Whisperion's moped and sped over to where all the yelling was coming from. Skull Writer's Block Person was standing outside a (thankfully closed) restaurant, yelling at a "NO LOITERING" sign.

"...trying to make it illegal for people to EXIST, or just to be POOR!?" In a single blow, they slashed the sign to ribbons, scoring the brick beneath with clawmarks. The one janitor who had been in the place exited quietly out the back door because they sure as hell weren't dealing with this today.

"Yikes." Distraction Damsel flipped off the moped and ran her hands thru her hair, making it extra foofy. "This is gonna be easy, tho."

"Seriously?" said Whisperion, raising an eyebrow. "They look pretty focused."

"Watch and learn." Distraction Damsel pirouetted up to Skull Writer's Block Person. "Hey, nerd!"

They spun, claws at the ready. "Viv! Nrrrrgh--" Their hands went to their head. "Keep back, I gotta-- gotta focus, I can't--"

Before Skull Writer's Block Person could finish their thought, Distraction Damsel pointed at them and said, "Why don't you just put the whole world in a bottle??"

"Er..." Skull Writer's Block Person lowered their hands, and their burning crimson eyes blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Whoops, wrong one." Distraction Damsel pulled a stack of index cards out of her pocket and leafed thru them. "Here we go..." She tossed them over her shoulder and pointed at Skull Writer's Block Person again. "If you're fighting the bad guys with your new powers, when are you going to have time to write?"

"Uh... well, I guess I'm gonna have to rest sometime, so--"

"And if you're doing that when are you gonna have time to hang out with people?"

"Er, well, if they want to fight evil with me--"

"And if you're doing that what about those books you wanna read,"

"Um--"

"and what about going to those community meetings you're always talking about,"

"Uh--"

"Or organizing your stuff better, or learning to draw, or having a sexy time, or--"

POP-hwoosh! In a burst of crimson light, Skull Writer's Block Person de-transformed, and Drew tumbled to the sidewalk. "...ow..."

Distraction Damsel mimed blowing off a pair of six-shooters and stuck them in her belt. "My job here... is done!"

"Oh, right," said Whisperion. "They de-transform when they can't figure out what to do. I forgot it worked that way."

[Half an hour later...]

Writer's Block Person finished their turkey on rye and drank their glass of water. "Thanks." They leaned back. "I feel a lot better."

Whisperion nodded, clearing away the plates. "Good!" She deposited them in the kitchen, then came back and stood in the doorway, arms crossed. "You gotta take care of yourself, you nerd, or else shit like this happens."

"Ehe..." Writer's Block Person rubbed the back of their head and smiled. "You're right."

"Seriously, I was really worried about you." She took a step forward. "You really can't do shit like that. You're going to really hurt yourself and... and..." She ran across the room and swept them up in her arms, one around their back, one around the back of their head. "And you're too important for that. You're too good."

Writer's Block Person made a "mrhf!" noise as she embraced them, surprised but welcoming, and put their arms around her as best they could. She pressed their head into her shoulder, and they nuzzled in, standing there for a few minutes, cuddling, breathing.

Eventually, she let go. They gave her a little kiss on the neck, and took a step back, though their hands were still on her sides. "Sorry for worrying you, hon."

She chucked, smiled down at them. "It's okay."

"I dunno if I'm actually important, tho. Like, Comic Book Resources would probably call me a C-lister."

Whisperion snerked. "You're important to me, nerd."

Writer's Block Person smiled. "Fair fair. Then I guess, since I love you and all, I gotta take care of what's important to you. Which means..." They let go of her, spinning to point into the distance melodramatically. "It's time to activate... The Zero Closet!!"

Whisperion gasped, then clenched her fist. "Good luck!"

"Thank you!" Writer's Block Person leapt over to the closet, tossed the door open, then spun dramatically to look at her. "I'll need it!"

Whisperion held up her fist for a moment, trembling... then broke out in guffaws. "Heeheeheehee. Okay, weirdo." She blew them a kiss. "Have fun, I'll hang out and finally get some reading done."

Writer's Block Person giggled. "Thanks, hon, you're a peach~" They stepped into the closet and closed the door behind them.

This had originally been a hallway, back when this building was a set of deluxe luxury apartments for the robber-baron-era Pittsburgh elite. Now, it was a big-ass closet with several smaller closets along the walls. It was also an excellent space to be alone with one's thoughts.

With one flip of a switch, the closet was bathed in light from several full-spectrum lamps. Writer's Block Person sat on the floor, leaning against the wall, letting the light fill them.

Slowly, the wisps of seasonal depression rose out of their mind. They inhaled slowly, exhaled slowly, letting the random activity of their mind settle down. When it felt like they'd reached some kind of equilibrium, they reached up and turned off the lights.

The darkness was a closet, a close, confined space. And Writer's Block Person took their mental model of the space, and made the walls fall away. It stretched off, now, in all directions, their surroundings one part of a vast space.

In the space, a door rose up - not like the one on the depths, but familiar, solid, the door that you can open and say "I'm home!" And with a little creak and a jingle, the door opened. Two figures stepped through.

One was an anthropomorphic bull, long-horned with orange, shaggy fur. She was six feet tall, muscular, and wearing a flannel shirt and magenta-pink denim overalls. Through her nose was a ring in the shape of a Venus symbol.

[Bedelia Dunaidh. Highland Cattle bullwoman. Strong and warm and proud of you. Playful and powerful. Horn-y on main.]

The other was a woman whose paleness was the hard-earned result of many days spent inside. She wore a black crop top, a holofoil skirt and wraparound reflective shades, plus dark blue glittery lipstick.

[Nyx. The ultimate '90s hacker. Sparkles and neon and scrolling green letters. Snarky as hell. Loves to not give a fuck.]

Bedelia closed the door behind her, and with a wave of her hand, it slipped down into the endless mindscape. She stood, relaxed and confident, a pillar of strength.

"Well!" said Nyx, leaning back against the wall with a smirk. "That didn't go well."

"Now, now," said Bedelia. She knelt down and put her hand on Writer's Block Person's shoulder. "How are you doing, love?"

They sighed. "Well, not as bad, but..." They shook their head. "God, I could've really hurt someone. I mean, I did hurt someone, but someone who, y'know, wasn't physically attacking me. ...which I still feel guilty about, anyway."

Nyx rolled her eyes. "You were halfway to burning yourself out as it was. You would've taken a swipe at an innocent rando and keeled over from anxiety."

"Well, maybe." Writer's Block Person rubbed their upper arms, looking oddly comforted by the idea. "Still... ugh." They shook their head again, looking down at their feet. "I was so hungry to do things, so hungry to unleash my anger on a deserving target..." A lonely howl sounded from far away. "I still am."

"That anger's still in you," said Bedelia, "though it's cooled, now that you've released it. And that's no bad thing; there is much in this world to be angry about. The trick, of course, is keeping your own will and compassion in the face of it."

Writer's Block Person sighed. "Yeah... mnnnngh... bleh. I just want to be effective." They ran their fingers thru their hair. "It's so hard to feel like I'm really doing anything. Like, people are suffering in ways I can't help them with, because of what somebody did to them, or what somebody's doing to them now. Even inside my cute little bubble, sometimes." They sighed, looking up at the invisible ceiling.

Bedelia stepped behind them and sank her fingers into their hair, rubbing their scalp. "You are being effective. You're supporting people, every day. You don't always see the results immediately. Sometimes they seem unaffected, sometimes they just get frustrated at themselves or the world, end up screaming or burned out. But that doesn't mean they are unaffected. Every little gesture of support matters. It creates a pattern of support; it becomes part of people's lives, a feeling like there is support out there, even if it isn't available right now."

They sighed. "I know. It's just hard when I can't see it."

She smiled. "You're a dandelion."

They tilted their head back, looking up at her. "...thank you?"

Bedelia laughed, rich and husky. "You want to plant the seeds of people's stability and goodness, but you don't realize you already are. You're just planting them willy-nilly, like dandelion seeds blown by the wind, letting kindness float out into the world. Your reckless love lands and grows all over the land. And you really don't need to worry that any one gesture of support falls flat, because there's a dozen more growing tall and strong and nigh-impossible to root out."

"...awh." Writer's Block Person took a deep breath, let it out. "That's... really good to hear."

"Excellent, you deserve good things."

They sighed. "Still don't really know how to deal with this anger, tho."

"That's my cue." Nyx stepped forward... and flopped down lazily over Writer's Block Person's lap, making them oof. "So nerd, one question." She snuggled into place, relaxing. "Why you gotta be so angry?"

"Well, 'cause of all of this awful stuff, I thought I said."

"Nah nah nah." Nyx stuck out a finger and booped them on the nose. "You're not listenin'. Why do you have to be angry? Izzit fixin' the problem?"

"I mean... not really. But I just am angry."

"Yeah, but that's the thing." She sat up, putting an arm around their shoulders. "You've got those feelings, but you don't gotta feel them all the time."

"That's true," said Bedelia. "You're trying to deal with every bit of it at once."

"Yeah, but..." Writer's Block Person slumped back, boneless. "I worry that, if I don't make sure I feel all of the bad things as they come up, I'm going to fall back into a place where I can't feel them, where they're just lurking below the surface, fucking with me unpredictably." They sighed. "I've worked so hard to get outta that place..."

Nyx sat up in their lap. "First off, yeah, yeah, fair." She wrapped an arm around their shoulders. "Second... you're an idiot." She pressed her fist down and gave them a noogie.

"l;fgljkfd!" They flailed!

"You did work stupid hard, and you're not gonna undo all that work just by takin' a break from feeling it!" A-noogienoogienoogie and Nyx let go.

"I, bu, I..." Writer's Block Person attempted to words and failed.

"It's true," said Bedelia. "Distancing yourself from your feelings in the moment can absolutely be healthy, as long as you let yourself work through those feelings when you have the time and the focus."

Nyx nodded firmly. "I know you hate all that '90s ironic distance bullshit, but there's a reason people liked it." She mussed up Writer's Block Person's hair and they wiggled. "It's okay to fuckin' enjoy it, nerd. 'S not going to ruin your precious emotional vulnerability."

"Yeah... I guess so." Writer's Block Person ran their hand thru their hair and smiled.

Bedelia grinned. "Well then." She leaned down, picked both of them up in her arms together, and squeezed them in a tight hug. Nyx acked and flailed. Writer's Block Person was squished between them, and for a moment, was crushed in comforting self-love.

Nyx managed to wriggle out and hop down, and Bedelia put Writer's Block Person back down on the floor, and smoothed out their hair. "We'd best let you take care of things now."

Writer's Block Person shook themself out and nodded. "All right."

Bedelia waved her hand and the door rose back up out of the darkness.

Nyx hopped up. "Remember when this series was all about getting an issue done in a day? Hah!"

Bedelia opened the door, releasing a breath of summer. "Take care, dear," she said. "Remember, we're always with you."

"I know." They smiled. "I can feel you cheering me on."

"Right, 'n just so you don't forget." Nyx pulled off her sunglasses and gave them a toss, with a spin that landed them directly in Writer's Block Person's lap. "Catch ya on the flipside~"

The door closed. Writer's Block Person sighed, and opened their eyes. The darkness was just darkness again. They flipped on the the light - not the sun lamps, just the regular lightbulb. The closet was just a closet again.

But the sunglasses were still in their lap.

Whisperion looked up from her book as the door to the Zero Closet creaked open and Writer's Block Person stepped out. "How'd it go?"

"I feel better," they said, looking down at the sunglasses. "But... I'm not sure what my next step is."

"That's fair. Wanna hang out and chew it over?" Whisperion patted the couch next to her.

"Yes please." They sat down on the couch, their legs over her lap, and relaxed. They got out their phone and started checking their messages. Ah, Edwina was on another ramble about proofreading on the Discord server.

| ...and, as no messaging client as yet supports the "new paragraph" symbol, I propose that it be created as a transparent image and included in our server's list of custom emoji.

Thank you for your time. - Ed. (UE) |

"...THAT'S IT!"

"Please don't scream in my ear," said Whisperion mildly.

[A couple days later]

Whisperion and Distraction Damsel were having a nice picnic. It was a bit chilly for it, but the sun had come out and most of the snow had melted, so they didn't care. They sat on a blanket in the park, and snacked on sammiches and chips.

Writer's Block Person stood in front of them, bouncing from foot to foot. They were already transformed, and holding their sparkly purple transformation pen in one hand. "So, I had to practice this a lot, but I think I got it down. You ready? Um..." They bounced a bit, caught between excitement and politeness. "Need any more food, or... anything?"

Whisperion laughed and shook her head. "We're ready!" She gave them a thumbs-up.

"One hundred percent up for learning your strategies so I can take advantage of it later!" Distraction Damsel gave two thumbs up.

Writer's Block Person giggled. "Okay, then..." They held the pen out at arm's length. They took a deep breath and...

  ...reached down inside, down deep, it was easier this time, finding that door. They took the knob and they didn't have to fling it open, they could open it just a crack, hold their position and just feel what they wanted, what they could handle...

Click! "EMOTICONVERSION! CUSTOM CODE POINT! SKULL WITH COOL SUNGLASSES!"

A flat CGI image appeared in front of them, of a cartoony skull wearing sunglasses. It flew into their form and exploded in CGI flames, and when the flames died down, they'd transformed.

Their armor was shining white with bright red accents and a simple black bodysuit. Along the sides and back of their chestpiece were vents. Their cape was red, with a line of white fire running along the bottom. On their head, atop their helmet, was a white trilby hat with a black band, held in a rakishly tilted position, and their visor was shaped like sunglasses as well. In place of their belt buckle was a bright red lever, and In the center of their chest was a ruby with the silhouette of a skull wearing sunglasses.

"Yessss!" They pumped their fist. "Okay, and now..." They held out their pen again. "PEN IS MIGHTIER! BONE OF MY SWORD!" Click!

In a fiery flash, the pen transformed into a curving white sword with a sparkly purple grip. Bony protrusions curved out of the pommel, and in the middle, a skull-with-sunglasses-shaped ruby was mounted.

"Ooooh!" "Ahhhh!" Whisperion and Distraction Damsel applauded.

Writer's Block Person grinned under their mask. "Right, and..." They started going through basic sword exercises, stepping back and forth, the blade slicing through the air, fighting against an imaginary opponent.

As they practiced, memories floated into their mind, and they let them come. Memories of the monstrous man, and the things he'd said. Memories of the times they hadn't been able to help. Memories of the people who seemed to sit, apathetic, in the face of suffering. They held their position, letting the anger through as a natural flow, not an explosion of pain...

And as the anger rose in them, the bone-white blade began to glow. Gradually, it heated up, turning a lurid red. Writer's Block Person's movements became more forceful, more decisive, the sword swings accompanied by plumes of steam. They spun and danced, the anger rising and rising, and they used it, and they used it, and it became almost too big to use and...

Their off-hand went to the lever at their belt. They raised their sword for a decisive strike, and pulled the lever; and the anger in their body exploded out into the world, and steam burst from their vents, and the sword flashed a brilliant crimson, and they brought it down in a burst of blinding light.

When the light faded, Writer's Block Person was kneeling on the ground. The sword was white again, wisps of steam rising from the blade and from their vents. For a moment, all that was audible was the wind...

Then they bounced up and shook themselves out. "Whew!" They de-transformed, put the pen away, and ran their hands thru their hair, grinning. "That's better. Sometimes ya just gotta let off some steam."

Whisperion laughed, standing up and pulling them into a hug. "That's great!"

"Good job!" said Distraction Damsel, munching on chips. "Lots of color, ten outta ten."

Writer's Block Person laughed and hugged. "God. I feel so much better."

"Yeah?" said Whisperion.

"Yeah! I can live in this world, face its awfulness, without freaking out. And..." They turned, and looked off into the distance, fist clenched. "When that guy comes back for a rematch-- I'm ready!"

[June 2018, over three months later]

"...REALLY, CAPTION BOX?" Writer's Block Person, in a Squirrel Girl T-shirt and a light summer skirt, flopped over Whisperion's lap. "Uuuugh. I'm worried about that guy."

"He did try to kill you," said Whisperion, petting their hair.

"Yeah and probably I killed him. Probably I straight-up killed him gaaaaaaah." They rolled over, mooshing their face into a pillow.

Whisperion rubbed their back. "Hon, he disappeared straight away. Probably went off to recover."

Writer's Block Person propped themself up on their elbows. "I guess, but why's it been so long? Ugh, I also hate the idea of him just lurking out there, doing shit..."

"He also seemed to be pretty focused on you, as an enemy." Whisperion pet their hair. "I'm sure you'll get that rematch."

"I guess..." They sighed. "I just don't want someone else to suffer for my personal development. Even if it's a demon guy."

"That's fair. But you can't affect it right now. The worry's not useful right now, so put it away and live your life."

"Yeah, you're right." Writer's Block Person sat up, and stretched out, and looked out the window. "For now, it's a new day, and we keep moving forward."

"That's right." Whisperion handed Writer's Block Person a roll of paper towels and a bottle of spray. "And you can move forward by cleaning the bathroom grout."

Writer's Block Person blinked in surprise, then snerkgiggled. "Awwww, but I'm having an emotional moment!"

"Look," she grinned, "you *told* me to make you do it, so I'm makin' you~"

"And what are you gonna do if I don't? Spank me?" They stuck out their tongue.

"No, I'm gonna TICKLE YOU!" She leapt on them and began the torment.

"EEEEEheeheeheeheenoooo..."

On the corner of the dresser, a pair of sunglasses glinted as the sun began to set. Life went on.

----

Author's Note: "Min-young" is a Korean given name. Whisperion's is specifically spelled with the hanja pronounced "min" that means "clever" and the one pronounced "young" that means both "flower petals" and "heroic". Distraction Damsel's first name is Viviana. It doesn't have any especially relevant meaning, I just liked it - which seems perfect for her.

#Original Fiction #Superheroes #Adventure #Silliness #Legion of Net.Heroes #LNH20 #Writer's Block Person

[antiracistkaren]

Post Hysterectomy Thoughts

CW/TW: Mentions of eating disorder, surgery, suicide, sexual assault/rape of trans people

I am at home with my family--meaning, I can hear every cry my girls make, every short answer from Jon, and every minute that goes by that I'm not studying. I feel it all.

I was at Dylan's this weekend for the first couple of days. I just went into a room and really didn't come out except to use the bathroom and have small talk when I was too restless to stay upstairs. I ate Oreos whenever I wanted and eggs scrambled up by Dylan in the mornings. I had one cup of coffee while I was there.

I watched all of The Crown, and have that fullness of feeling caught up on something. I finished Becoming right before my surgery, which has also extinguished my desire to read in general. It was my "easy" read, while The People's History of the United States is dense and must be read slowly. It's hard to speed read through history. It takes time to digest. And then there's This Little Light of Mine about Fannie Lou Hammer. Another dense biography with close writing and thick pages. I know the outcome of this one is not nearly as bright as Mrs. Obama's, so I am loathe to really get into it. However, I know that once I get going, I am able to polish off books rather quickly. It just takes me time to reach the halfway point--which is usually where I start to get invested in the rest of the book. I always have to fight to get to that "halfway" mark, where I bend the book and it no longer wants to snap shut on my hands, but falls beautifully open, having been appropriately used and doted on enough to break the spine.

So I just let my eyes enjoy some historical fiction. The quiet dialogue of The Crown would help me drift off the sleep when I became tired from my medication, and would be there when I woke with gentle British accents and sweet "arguments" occurring on screen.

It's hard watching Diana's eating disorder. It is not something that I personally struggle with--bulimia, but I do strictly control what I eat and when. You can always tell when I am super stressed out because I simply stop eating because I am too nervous or overwhelmed. The times when I have dropped weight suddenly are times in my life when I was at my worst, emotionally and relationally.

So I understand the Bulimia, the desire to have control at least, over what goes in and out your body. Especially when you have no control over how your mind feels, how your emotions are responded to, and even your every day movements are stilled and controlled. Post-surgery is a box, but it is one I do not mind inhabiting at the moment, because I know that once I emerge from this particular box, I will be free of cyclical pain and will be free to live as a man does: without concern or thought to when my period is coming and when I will be in pain.

Although it may sound small to most people... or to men especially, it is hard to describe the depth of thought and concern one's period brings. You hear about it a lot as a kid growing toward puberty, and then comparing severity among your peers becomes normal. Women talk about their periods to each other all the time: ways to avoid it, to skip it, to make it lighter, shorter, less painful. We use all of the strategies and tricks to attempt to act "normally" like a man does while we are mercilessly bleeding from a major organ.

It's really strange: how we treat women and their periods. Something that afflicts over half of the population on a roughly a monthly basis, and we're not even allowed to discuss it.

I want to talk about something that happened the day before my surgery, which still has me stewing and fuming a bit, and that was a Pregnancy Test.

I have not been sexually active with Jon in a way that would produce a baby since June. June, y'all. I know my life and I know my marriage, and we are hanging on by a thread, but I know this fact: I am not pregnant. I have gotten my period, often and heavily.

However, thanks to Texas state law, prior to my hysterectomy I had to prove that I'm not pregnant.

Basically, the law prevented me from "lying." And I can't help but think about... well, "what if?"

What if, after having three children and taking every single precaution I could, I was pregnant? It means I would either have to cross state lines to get an abortion and then have a hysterectomy, or carry that unwanted baby to term, furthering the pain and trauma on my body.

My body has been through enough at this point, y'all. That's what I was in the office to get this organ removed. Pregnancy is literally toxic to my body. Getting rid of my uterus was the last recourse I had, since birth control makes me suicidal and absolutely bonkers prior to my period. I'm not talking about PMS, I'm talking heavy mood swings that put me into suicidally sad places. I'm talking fits of rage that felt like explosions from my body. In short, birth control really aggravates by ability to manage my emotions at all levels. Which means, as an autistic woman that struggles to manage emotions anyway, I was absolutely psychopathic. I would come out from the fog and look backwards and see how irrational I was, how irritated I was. I found myself apologizing every few weeks for having huge breakdowns emotionally, physically around ovulation and then again around my period.

So I am telling the nurse that there is no way that I can be pregnant, and I'm mostly shrugging this off, but it really bothers me when I get to the paperwork: I must either consent to have this test, or risk not having the surgery if I won't take it. Classic catch-22: submit in order to get the thing I need to have a better quality of life, or stand up for my rights as a woman and risk being denied this surgery.

So I submitted, with great resentment. I stood up after my blood draws and asked if I needed to pee on a stick, and that I could leave a sample. The nurse informed me that no, they would run a blood test.

A blood test. Something far more accurate, detailed, and expensive. I am lucky enough to have hit my deductible, and so I will not personally pay for this bloodwork and this pregnancy test, but if I didn't have health insurance, I would have been required to do something because of my gender, and then been required to pay for it myself.

That's fucked up, y'all. Never mind that I was taking birth control. Never mind that my husband and I are basically abstinent right now. Never mind that I have three children already and if I don't want to have another one, that should be my RIGHT as a human being, I was required to take a test AND pay for it at the same time.

Smacked by two laws: one in which I do not have the right to free healthcare and pregnancy tests, and one in which I do not have the right to evacuate a toxic organ if it happens to house a mass of cells (because I just had my period, there's literally... no way that it could have been more than a mass of cells that that point), because my husband happened to catch an egg right before my procedure?

I was heartsick thinking about it. The amount of women who may try their best to get away from an endless cycle of pain or pregnancy being turned away because they caught an egg this month. Pregnancy is like being in prison for some of us. It is toxic to my body: I would get gestational diabetes without fail. That's my body telling me something: This isn't healthy for you. And yet I did it three times.

And I don't get to say when it's over without taking a test? Without proving to the medical community, to law-makers, that I am not pregnant?

What is the reasoning here? Do we somehow believe that women will, knowingly pregnant, go in for a hysterectomy? Really?

It's three days later, I still cannot get over it. I also think about Trans people, who want to have their uterus removed and are denied if they are under 30. That leaves Trans people open for getting pregnant via rape: trans people are far more likely to be sexually assaulted and raped (Source). If we refuse to allow trans people to remove their own uteruses when they deem fit, we are damning them to having to take hormones to suppress ovulation, or other chemicals that will fundamentally alter their mental state for the worse.

This isn't about oh poor suburban me--I am LUCKY I can do this. Luckily, I'm not pregnant. Luckily, we have paid out of pocket all damn year and got this surgery for free. It makes me angry that I have to feel like this is a damn gift that I got--this major abdominal surgery is a privilege that many do not have, simply because they are not a white, suburban mother whose husband has decent (not great!) healthcare through his employer.

I'm thinking about all of the women under 30 with endometriosis, cysts on their ovaries, and other conditions that make having this monthly cycle a NIGHTMARE. I'm thinking about trans people who want desperately to evacuate an organ that does not feel like part of their bodies. I'm thinking about homeless women who want to be rid of their pain on a monthly basis, who are just trying to survive and who have to make money just to be a part of society, to have money to buy sanitary supplies.

We are treating people with uteruses in this country as criminals if they want to alter their bodies. We have brought a Christian, white supremacist, doctrine into the patient/doctor relationship, and it is humiliating to women, especially those AFAB, and those women of color who cannot get access to this surgery at all.

It IS a gift, but I wish it weren't. I wish that women could take comfort in knowing that when they feel "done" with having children, they can choose to be done. Whenever they want. Empower women to take control over their own bodies and reproductive lives. You don't need to imprison us to make children--many of us want to, and will suffer in order to have children. But it shouldn't be forced on anyone simply because they have a uterus.

#trans rights #hysterectomy #lgbtq #actually autistic #autistic adult #autistic women

[isisparker]

The Lonely & Great Gaston

words: 21,000 [yes you read that correctly] summary: Gaston died. Apparently death was not a fitting punishment for he was brought back to the world of the living. Three hundred odd years later, a practically immortal Gaston still wishes for death's peaceful reward... He never imagined that the key to his death would appear, or that it'd be in the form of the one soul he found was worth living for. note: So briefly; yes this is the Gaston redemption/Gafou AU no one asked for, yes this is also a fusion of BatB and one of my fave kdramas, Goblin [so good, and if you end up liking this PLEASE I IMPLORE YOU to watch the kdrama], and yes you did read that word count correctly, it IS that many words. BUT the good thing is that this beast of a fanfic is TOTALLY AND UTTERLY COMPLETE. There is no sequel, no To Be Continued, no having to wait for its end. Whether or not I'll return to play around with this universe is another story, but highly unlikely at the moment because this bad-boy has drained me. Please enjoy and I hope it's a worthy enough contribution to the gafou fandom [because goddamn y'all have a bunch of talented people in it].

*

[Prologue]

Gaston dies. That's a fact. A few of the villagers actually do shed a tear for him.

Once upon a time he was a war hero. As a young man he eagerly volunteered during war time. Once upon a time he was their hero. He did save the village from marauders and in doing so earned many awes and respect. He was a decent and revered sort.

Gaston died. That's a fact. Tears were shed by quite a few. The people of Villeneuve did mourn him.

But he was not particularly missed.

In the end he became more villain than hero; for under his bravado lied a weakness, the type of weak that succumbed to one's vanity and listened to their inner demons rather than their better angels [or in his case, a singular angel manifested in a devoted, long-suffering companion].

Gaston died. That's a fact. Tears were shed, but no one truly missed or mourned the wicked.

[Well, that's not exactly true either.]

No one in the village missed him, except for one. But that feeling was fleeting and often appeared to the man on random and seldom occurrences through the first year or two of Gaston's death.

[Like when he'd see a scrawny child in the square being bullied before he was rescued by his friend, who ended up being the bigger kid in the group of juveniles. Or when he'd be at the tavern and he'd overhear a braggart boasting over their latest kill. Or he'd be in the middle of a conversation with his lover when he'd hear the piercing TING from a spittoon somewhere in the room.]

Gaston had died. That was a fact. He was mourned over, but not particularly missed.

For life continued on for the people of Villeneuve...

And one day, Someone decided that the same could be gifted for Gaston.

[or cursed, however you want to see it]

*

[Part I]

He awoke in the middle of a field of daffodils.

If he were a smarter man that should have clued him in that something was truly amiss.

Never mind the fact that he was, you know, alive.

Contrary to what others had speculated, Gaston was not granted the mercy of a swift death by the fall from the decaying parapet. As his eyes took in his new surroundings [because should he focus on the fact that his heart was beating, he feared his brain would overload], he recalled his last breath on earth. He recalled feeling cold [whether the cold had to do with death or the slow realization of what he had done to get to this point, apparently time wouldn't allow him to figure which was which]. He was dying and right before he succumbed to the darkness, he allowed himself one final thought: "I'm sorry, Leol. I hope to see you again, dear friend."

Now as he took in his newly breathing form, the thought of possibly seeing his oldest friend caused his heart to quicken in anticipation.

But first, where the hell was he?

It wasn't an area around Villeneuve he recognized, that he was sure of. Frequent hunting trips with LeFou [no, no it's Leol now, he deserves that much after I betrayed him] had made Gaston quite familiar to the surrounding land. Not even the discovery of a hidden castle in the middle of a French countryside could deter Gaston's surveying expertise.

There were no signs of civilization, no mountains, no seaside... just a grand expansion of land [filled with flowers] for what seemed like miles everywhere.

It was also nightfall. He blinked his eyes and gazed up at the moon, its glow ever bright and encompassing himself and the area around him. The whites of the daffodil petals seemed to soak in and bask against the moonlight. And there seemed to be millions of them spread throughout the land. If he were the type to appreciate nature, he would probably be falling over on how ethereal everything seemed to be.

Instead he wondered why? Why here? And why was he still very much alive?

'The use of daffodils seems to be both ironic and humorous. Times like these I never dare to question Him on the little details.'

Gaston spun around at the sudden voice that filled the air. His brain had processed that the voice belonged to a female and he had half expected her to be old with how strong and unforgiving her tone was. His eyes, however, took in a woman that looked a decade or two younger than he. She was dressed in a strange red garb, almost like a robe, that screamed of regality. Her long black hair was fashioned up in a bun, strings of pearls cascading around it. To call her beautiful, he found, would probably do her a disservice.

But what struck Gaston most as he regarded her was the fact that she wore red not because she looked fetching in that particular color; but the look in her eyes said she wore it for the exact same reason he constantly wore his military jacket-- to command respect. And maybe a little bit of fear too.

Though there was something odd about that additional assessment as he found himself squirming under her piercing gaze. He hated himself for being terrified enough to refrain from asking her who she was and why, despite the fact that he could literally tower over her small frame, did she make him feel like he was two inches tall?

Her gaze seemed to soften, though her eyes still held firm and oh too seeking. 'I never did enjoy seeing the fear in the eyes of my children...'

Gaston couldn't help the scoff that escaped his lips. Besides the fact that he had come across her people in his limited travels, this woman was practically a child compared to him!

Her eyes narrowed, almost as though she had read his thoughts, as she continued, 'Though you may not believe me, you certainly will have the time now to come to that belief all on your own.'

Gaston never did have the patience for riddles. "I still don't understand! Why am I here? I thought I died! Am I still dead? It doesn't feel like I am... And where am I? And who are you?"

He paused for a second, eyes blinking in realization that "I understood that! You spoke differently than I and yet I understood it so clearly!" Gaston momentarily thought back to when she first spoke to him and nodded his head when he realized that she had been speaking to him as such from the start. "What is going on?!"

Her eyes briefly flickered down before returning to stare back at him. He quickly recognized sympathy in her eyes as she said, 'Who I am is not why I am here. I'm here as a Mother wanting to help her son. Even as little as giving him the answers he needs to accept and continue on.' 

She stepped within his proximity and placed a comforting hand on his arm. 'I am sorry, child.'

Sorry? Gaston sighed and opened his mouth to argue when a bolt of light danced across the sky, followed by an ominous thunder as it rolled and crashed in the distance.

But neither of those occurrences were what caused Gaston to jump in surprise.

It was the sudden appearance of his sword sticking right through the middle of his chest.

Too stunned was he of its existence that he didn't even notice the lack of physical suffering that mortals associated with one's body being pierced by a weapon.

He didn't even allow himself to scream or shout in terror and confusion before he reached up and tried to remove the blade himself.

... and that's when he finally felt the pain of the blade.

During his early military training [and subsequently during the war and then the invasion at Villeneuve], Gaston associated himself with the physical danger caused by a sword's blade. In his entire career he'd been stabbed by various weaponries.

But none seemed to inflict the type of pain his entire being was suffocating under. It felt like fire, yet in its impossibility it was the closest he could to describe it. And not just the scorching heat of a flame... no, it was cold. It was the type of cold fire that continued to course and grip on through his body.

Yet still he continued to fight with, pull on, and tear at the hilt of his sword. And regardless of the fact that his entire being felt aflame, Gaston fought desperately to pull the sword out of his chest.

He screamed. He cursed. He howled in agony and anger.

Soon the frustrated and enraged screams turned into sobs. Desperate, heartbreaking sobs.

But still he fought with the weapon.

Though his mind and body felt like he was struggling with it for days, mere minutes passed until he fell to his knees in defeat. He was not aware of the hot tears streaming down his face until he felt a soft hand, and a compassionate presence, gently wiping them away.

Gaston was completely immersed in the dread of his new existence that he didn't realize the pain he had felt earlier slowly fade away as he removed his hands from the sword's hilt.

He bowed his head and pleaded with a voice so weak that even he was surprised by its frailty. "Please," he begged with such sorrow and fear, "please help me."

She moved closer to envelope him in an embrace. Gaston was startled at the familiarity; from her comforting grasp to the way she smelled so much like his mother... Fresh tears escaped him and he found himself scrambling to hold on tighter. Inwardly he still felt the heat of the sword's presence despite the fact that it seemed to have visually disappeared, but so consumed by this woman's... no, no this deity's love for him, he was willing to momentarily suppress his anxiety.

When She felt that Gaston had calmed down enough to listen to what She needed to say, She pulled back and met his watery gaze.  

'Gaston, I mostly protect and guide the young ones, the children of this world,' She started. At his dejected look, She gave him a soft smile and added, 'Although I do recall that you were once a little boy too. And you still are one of my children so... small miracles in loopholes.'

Gaston felt a small pressure ease off his chest as he laughed at Her jest.

Still looking at him with motherly fondness, She said, 'I need you to heed my words, Gaston. Yes, you are alive.' She paused briefly, expecting him to interrupt with more questions, but She was surprised to see that he remained quiet, practically docile, as he waited for Her to finish. It must be a small feat on his part, but it gave Her a small flare of hope for him.

'When an object that held a powerful desire merges with a mortal soul, that being becomes immortal. In your case, a warrior's blade once smeared with blood from its master, and enchanted with a beloved's desire. Only the person whose love matches the desire that bewitched your immortality will be able to draw the blade. Only then once drawn, you will turn to ash and peace will be granted.'

Gaston nodded at Her words, quietly processing them. He looked pained, warring thoughts and a strong desire to ask yet afraid of angering anymore gods than the one that obviously did this to him.

He heard a laugh coming from Her direction. He quirked an offended brow as She shook Her head and explained, 'This isn't just a punishment, my child. This is also a gift. Another chance at life. At peace...' She reached over and gently fixed his hair much in the way his mother used to when he came home from running around town with his friends. Gaston tried desperately not to lean in and sigh at Her touch. At the sight of Her amused smile, he realized he had failed in that endeavor. Still combing Her fingers through his hair, 'You may have prayed for death with your final breath, but consider that you were loved by someone to desire peace for you.'

He didn't know what to say to that. He knew that he was highly regarded by many in life, but so much so that they not only loved him but wanted him to have something even he didn't feel that he deserved?

As he struggled to understand it all, he felt a feathery kiss on the crown of his head and heard gentle laughter escaping Her lips. He looked up and felt a mixture of sadness and calm as only Her voice remained.

'Live well, my lonely and great Gaston...'  

*

His first grave marker rests in a little town in the French countryside.

The first time his first [and true] name was engraved, it was on a marker in a cemetery plot in a small French inhabited colony that was practically an ocean away from Paris, France. That plot of land belonged to a man named George Guest, the First.

It was neither here nor there that records will state of a M. Guest having arrived in the Colonies to start anew just days after the deity had kissed Gaston farewell.

When George Guest, the First, passed away, he had left his estate in the capable hands of his nephew, a Frederick Leol Ashman. Frederick Ashman wasn't just M. Guest's nephew, nor was he solely in charge of his growing finances. Frederick was the only son of Stanley Ashman, an old friend of Gaston's.

Stanly Ashman was the first [and only] person from Gaston's old life that remained. Due to some strange circumstances [and upon Gaston's further inquiry he's come to realize that just means his goddess discovered another loophole], the two crossed paths in Paris and found a need for each other: Stanley needed a second chance at life away from his heartache at Villeneuve and Gaston needed a friend who was mortal.

[There was also another reason the two men had connected, but until Stanley's final days, neither breathed his name in the other's company... save for one drunken and emotionally charged night under the bright lights of Paris.]

When his father had passed (his mother having gone during his birth), Frederick accompanied his "brother" Gaston on a voyage to the Colonies.

He tells people that by the time he's made it to the Colonies, his brother Gaston had passed away. Thankfully he had met up with his mother's youngest cousin, an uncle named George Guest, the First. His uncle George helped Frederick financially before traversing north for new possibilities.

When Frederick's youngest child was saying his first words, he decided to relocate his family and join his uncle up north. He sent word up to his uncle, expecting the approval when a few weeks later he had received an answer in the form of George's "son," George the Second [who, if anyone looked closely, bared a striking resemblance to his father]. Frederick, who had just started to groom his middle child into keeping their family's greatest secret, embraced his "younger" cousin and joked how they could surely pass for father and son, or (at the very least) uncle and nephew.

By the time George had helped the entire Ashman family traverse to their new home, he had already started to drop hints of leaving this new world to travel abroad. When Frederick's middle child, Thomas, was just accepting that his purpose in life wasn't as mundane as he had feared, he had to say good-bye to his newly discovered uncle and that next time he may see him, he would probably address him as brother or son.

When a mail arrived to inform the family of George the Second's death, despite the fact that there was no body for Thomas and his father to bury, a tombstone was set up in a corner of the Guest's plot of land.

Years passed and Thomas was in the middle of grooming the only child he trusted with the family secret, his only daughter, Clarissa, when a young man (old enough to be his son) that looked strikingly like his uncle George had arrived in town.

After he had introduced himself to the Ashman family, the young man followed Thomas (and young Clarissa) into his private study. Once Thomas had made sure that it was just the three of them, the young man stared at Clarissa, as if seeking something he had forgotten.

He then got close enough to, without spooking, her and dropped his voice to a quiet awe as he said, "My word, you have your great-grandfather's smile."

Clarissa gave a fond eye-roll and replied, "Yes, yes. Father reminds me of that every time he brings out the old picture of you and grandfather. How you had teased grandfather Frederick about how much he looked like great-grandpa Stanley."

The young man raised a brow, "So you know who I truly am?"

"Of course, uncle Gaston," she beamed, "you are the man who is currently my uncle, but will one day become my nephew and if I'm lucky to live long enough, you'll be my grandson."

Gaston gave a hearty laugh at that and for the first time in the first hundred years of his life, he felt a warmth and a hope that he didn't have that long ago night in the middle of a field of daffodils.

Thus the great [and somewhat lonely] life of Gaston continued on as such...

Until a Grim Reaper and a Missing Soul came into his life.

*

[Part II]

Gaston continued to live.

Had those who hated him realized as such, it might seem like an unfair assessment. Why must someone so vain, so shallow, so cold be blessed with an everlasting life? To never die, to be as close to godlike as possible and have the chance to live and witness the many wonders and improvements upon this civilized world?

Gaston continued to live... but every day, often during a particular time between dusk and nightfall as he kneeled on the floor, struggling with the sword impaled on his being and the agony incomparable to his desire for eternal rest, did he wish for death.

For those that seek immortality as if it were a gift do not realize its true value: to practically be a god, you live a lonely existence.

Gaston continued to live... to see the world, to participate in society's benchmark events, to build upon small enterprises of his own.

His most sacred [and treasured if he were honest with himself] accomplishment is found on the outskirts of a bustling Canadian city. There's a special plot of land, a cemetery, dedicated not just for the members of the Ashman family that he's trusted [loved] enough with his secret, but half of it is filled with shallow, empty graves of the men he's had to be [though if he thought about it too much, he supposed it's symbolic of the piece of himself that died alongside Stanley, Frederick, Thomas, Clarissa, Noah, Stanford, Roberta, Richard, Andrew... and eventually dear Joanna].

Gaston continued to live... but oh, what a great and lonely life.

*

Somewhere in a provincial town, at the mouth of a stone bridge and over a table of fresh garden vegetables, a young woman was having a lovely conversation with an elderly woman.

"Grand-mère," the young woman addressed the elder, not because of kinship but more out of respect, "please, I insist you take my scarf. It's too cold for just that one jacket."

The older woman scoffed and teased this woman, practically a child compared to her, that she's trekked through snow in far less than this sole red coat.

The young woman laughed a beautiful melody against the quiet dusk sky. "If you won't let me offer this to you," she absently lifted the hand that was near her hips to stroke against the thick wool scarf, "even though the color matches perfectly with your jacket... at least let me buy you a hot beverage? I fear at your age--"

The older woman rolled her eyes, though there was no heat for she knew this woman's kind heart, and thus gently scolded her for assuming that just because she's old, she was not frail.

"Okay, okay," the young woman held her hands up in mock surrender, "Promise me, though, that you'll pack up your vegetable stand early tonight. I heard that snow will be arriving earlier than we anticipated this year."

She started to gather her recently purchased items of potatoes and greenery, grunting a bit at the weight in her arms, never mind the additional pounds she gladly gained, when she felt a weathered and warm hand on her own. She looked up and nearly startled at the hard and imploring gaze coming from her older friend. "Grand-mère..."

'Child, before you depart, I have one more story to tell you.'

"Does it have a far happier ending than the Prince who could never rid himself of the Beast within? Even despite the curse being lifted?"

'No... But it does involve another beast of a man and a gift, or a curse depending on such, given by the gods. Because sometimes, and you must remember this, child; sometimes at the moment of life and death, a wish fueled by strong desire can not only be heard by a soft-hearted god, but it could also be answered.'

*

Gaston had not been near these parts of his home country in... Well, not since the early 1900s and he'd promised a young Richard Ashman a trip across Europe as a graduation gift from Columbia University, New York.

As he took in the sights against the backdrop of yet another new century, faces from different eras of his life [both pre-curse and post] started to flood his senses. It got too overwhelming for him [to the point where even the face of his departed Stanley began to blend with that of his once living name sake, Stanford] that Gaston needed to drown himself in liquor before the memories did it for him.

He supposed that he could blame it on the alcohol that lead him to what will probably be his greatest success [or most idiotic act, depending on his mood] as a supernatural being.

... please. Help... Oh God, please.

Throughout his long years as a somewhat god-like creature, Gaston had been privy to overhearing many prayers. One of the few gifts he'd been given alongside his immortality (such as his weirdly profitable power to create gemstones, manipulate elements, and travel to different places just by simply stepping through a door's threshold) included the ability to hear the whispered pleas of the humans around him. It became a curse in that though he could hear the abundant amount of prayers, he did not have the full power to grant all of their wishes. Gaston quickly realized that with his newly found compassion came the punishment that he could do next to nothing for a lot of these helpless souls.

As he reached to down another bottle of beer, somewhere he heard that same strained plea... but there was something different about it. It wasn't the strength of the desperation he felt that began to pull him towards the troubled presence, but how it sounded so achingly familiar in tone to someone he knew practically lifetimes ago.

When Gaston found the soul whose prayers begged to be heard, his heart lurched and he found himself kneeling in front of the poor woman's broken body. He was also careful not to step on the thick pool of blood forming around her.

Though her eyes seemed to dim further into the death's darkness, she suddenly found herself staring up at Gaston... and smiled.

If Gaston hadn't felt his heart breaking at the sight of this dying woman, he would have been bowled over by her smile. There was something so goddamn familiar about it that he couldn't help himself as he reached to gently stroke her face.

His apologetic words started to form on the tip of his tongue [oh how he wished he could save her, but he did not have the power to do so] when he felt... it...

His eyes widened, stunned. To further confirm his suspicions, the young woman attempted to curl herself further into a ball, almost as if that act alone would prevent their looming deaths.

"Your prayers weren't for yourself..." he gasped, truly in awe of the power of this young mother's love for her unborn child.

Gaston regarded her dismal state before he looked at their surroundings. At the sight of faint car tracks, he had to look away least his vision turned red. What was this woman doing out here? Here and all alone in the middle of a country road?

He felt a slight tug on his arm and was once more struck at how achingly familiar she was as she began to plead for help.

Gaston didn't need to question the situation any further, especially as he started to feel the closing presence of death. Gently, he placed a comforting hand on her stomach and met her gaze with a hopefully soft one of his own. Even if this were to one day bite him in the ass [and boy had he lived long enough to know there was going to be a price to pay], Gaston knew he was doing the right thing when he felt the faint movement coming from her stomach.

As the woman's eyes fluttered close, Gaston marveled at what he was about to do. "Well... it's hero time..."

*

He had two cards, one with a name and another without [for it is common for a card to be nameless for the unborn]... but no body.

The Grim Reaper glanced around the snow fallen area and there was no mistaking that he was at the right place. Especially if he had to go by the thick pool of blood that laid before him.

"This..." He tipped his wide-brim hat in confusion as he continued to survey the scene, "this is most troubling."

A flutter of movement caught his eye, causing him to snap his attention towards... a newly blossomed daffodil? He walked towards it, startled at its own bright white petals that stood out amongst the snowy ground.

A thought occurred to him and he growled in annoyance.

"Not like I needed more paperwork..."

*

In a small clinic, farther than where she lived, a young woman held tight to her miracle. Most would argue that her being alive at all was also an act of God, but the bundle in her arms was truly the real deal.

Oh how she wished their savior could have stayed. She would no doubt have allowed him to be the first to hold her son. But he had left soon after he had made sure the doctors had her in the delivery room.

A mixture of sadness and gratefulness washed over her, for she didn't even get his name!

As she cooed over her child, she smiled and decided that she'll be a bit more creative and honor him in a different way.

"You're very lucky... he's strong, like a lion... like his mother."

She held her baby tight, recalling her savior's parting words as she watched her son squirm in blissful sleep. She placed a gentle kiss on his crown and said, "My little Leo. So brave, so true..."

*

Long ago, when Grand-mère had visited her in the hospital, the old woman had gently held Leo and began to retell the story of a great and lonely immortal that walked the earth, looking for the one who will break his lonely and cursed existence.

She never quite understood the purpose of the old woman's lovely [and often melancholy] tales, but since that night when her savior appeared and saved her son's life, she stopped questioning Grand-mère's words and simply accepted them as truths.

Even those truths that made her stomach churn -- like the one about how even miracles have a price to pay.

But the years passed and the young woman slowly began to fool herself into thinking that maybe, just maybe, she had nothing to fear. Thus on the eve of her son's ninth birthday, after she tucked him into bed, kissed his crown, and whispered for the sweetest of dreams, the young woman slipped out to purchase the grandest of birthday cakes for little Leo.

*

About decade later, Leo found himself being asked when he had last celebrated his birthday.

His reply would be when he was nine years old.

He had left the empty house [a not so uncommon thing considering that he was a son of a single mother that worked two jobs just to support their livelihood] in the morning and for most of the day was eager to return home when he knew his mom had requested the night off.

As the dusk started to settle, Leo had practically burst in through the backdoor and grinned in joy at the sight of his mother sitting at the kitchen table, a big grand birthday cake taking center stage.

"I remember laughing. I was surprised and... so happy... I never wanted for much. But she always managed to at least pick up the most decadent of cakes, just for us. She said that her little miracle deserved at least that much..."

Leo's eyes started to mist. It was a sight that instantly brought out the guilt in Gaston's eyes, who was the one that had made the inquiry about his birthday. The young man gulped and continued, "I should have known something was wrong when she insisted that I was big enough to light my own candles. She was always so protective of me. One time I nearly caused a heart attack just because I scrapped my knee on the tire swing at school! Why would she allow a nine year old to use matches?" He fought down the hysterical laugh that threatened to turn into a sob as the memories came crashing over him.

Leo rubbed his eyes, angry and oh so haunted, "She said that I was too smart and observant for my own good. I knew the second I placed the first candle on the cake that the woman before me wasn't my mother, but her spirit."

"Leo..." Gaston started to reach out, but his hand was pushed aside. Gaston tried to mask the hurt and thankfully didn't try again, for he seemed to realize that the last thing Leo needed was his pity.

"You asked, so please..." Leo begged with what dignity he held onto, "Please let me do this."

At Gaston's nod, Leo continued. "I started to cry. More so when I saw how heartbroken and helpless she was, unable to do the one thing the both of us wanted most: to hold me in her warm embrace. When I was able to calm down, she began to tell me that soon the phone will ring. That it will be the hospital where she was taken to. She told me to go straight to grand-mère, this old lady my mother knew since she was orphaned in her late teens. That I had to take grand-mère with me, so that I wasn't completely alone when they showed me... when I had to see..."

Leo couldn't say it. He couldn't do it. Though it had been ten years ago, the pain of that night still gripped his soul.

He felt Gaston grabbed hold of his hand and gave it a strong squeeze. It was solid, it was warm, it was encouraging, it was thankfully fleeting and it grounded him in a way he never could have imagined. Leo had huff a watery laugh and prayed that his eyes shone with the fondness he had for this man. If Leo wasn't careful, he knew he could fall hard and deep for this immortal [and it would not end well for either of them].

"Was that the last time you saw her? At the morgue? I did not think they'd allow children to..."

Leo nodded, though stopped short as he amended, "Well, no. I... I actually didn't have the chance to."

Gaston tilted his head, curious. Before he could ask, Leo continued, "Just when I left the house, I ran into..." He stumbled a bit, unsure how to go on, especially considering certain circumstances...

"Ran into?"

Leo sighed and bit the bullet. "I had just left the house when I came across him... the Grim Reaper. I didn't know who he was at the time, although I could feel that he was death, but apparently he had been trying to find me and my mom for years now. My mom's name finally showed up on his list and just when he arrived to collect her, he ran into me." Leo met Gaston's stunned expression and hurried, "It's okay! Obviously since, you know, I'm here. With you." The young man squirmed, already feeling uncomfortable, "Grand-mère showed up and managed to outsmart him. Saying that he couldn't collect me as well because at the time the second soul had no name, but because I had one now, he'd have to go through the proper channels or something... Realizing that she was right, the Grim Reaper let me go."

Gaston laughed and said, "Honestly, it doesn't take much to prove that idiot wrong."

"Are you two done talking about me?"

Leo bit his lip while Gaston failed at hiding his startled jump. The immortal allowed a curse and a glare towards the intruder of their private conversation.

"What are you doing here?!" Gaston hissed towards the open living room area, at the Grim Reaper himself.

The Grim Reaper, clearly out of his normal business attire of a black suit and black wide-brim hat and dressed in a casual tee and jeans, rolled his eyes and said with a dismissive wave of his hand, "Trying to read in my home but having to contend with you two love sick fools."

"You mean my home," Gaston corrected.

"I signed the lease. Legally it is mine."

"Don't you have someone to kill?"

A resounding slam of a book hitting the coffee table echoed throughout the house. Leo warily watched as the Grim Reaper stalked over to their table and gave an imposing stare down. Gaston himself met the gaze with a lazy, even mocking, grin.

Grim [as Leo started to mentally address him as, never ever vocally though] pointed an angry finger at the immortal and growled, "That is an ugly stereotype perpetuated by the media and I will not stand for it!"

Gaston feigned hurt as he braced his hands over his chest, "Oh, your anger has wounded me! I'm dying over a broken heart here!"

Hurt flickered in Grim's eyes before he quickly masked them with indignation. He turned and stormed away. Soon a distant slam of a bedroom door shook the house.

Though Leo will always have a constant fear of death [no matter how used to seeing spirits everywhere], he has slowly come to consider Grim as a gentile sort despite his... existence.

"Gaston," Leo admonished, "I think you've hurt his feelings."

Guilt and concern washed over his features before he hid them behind [false] bravado. The immortal stood up, citing that he needed to pick up something from the grocery store, and quickly eased out of sight. Leo rolled his eyes, a small smile on his face as he heard a door opening at the top of the stairs.

Though his life had forever altered when he was nine years old, ten years later Someone realized it was ready for another change... and whether or not it was a good thing remained to be seen.

*

It's not that Gaston hated that Grim Reaper... Hate was such a strong emotion he hadn't felt in, well, a lifetime or so ago.

No, the problem was that no matter how many days within each other's company would eventually pass, and no matter that with each day he found himself sort of growing a little fond of that reaper, there was still something about him that tickled at Gaston's core. Almost like an itch he could not reach. There was just something utterly annoying about the being's existence.

It started from the first moment they saw each other; at a normal city intersection to the human eye. But since Gaston was no less mortal than the harbinger of Death himself, naturally the immortal saw right through the supernatural curtains and spotted one of many tea houses that served as doorways to the afterlife.

While the Grim Reaper was diligently drying his tea cups, he looked up and met eyes with Gaston, who was passing through the city. The two stared at each other with various expressions on their faces; the Grim Reaper was puzzled for it had been a while since he'd come across an immortal, and Gaston was instantly filled with... annoyance?

So Gaston did what felt scarily natural to him-- He smirked and said, "What an offensive hat."

Though he felt the guilt later on, he was oddly proud at himself for causing such an affronted look to grace that reaper's face. Plus, at the time, he figured that he would not cross paths with him [or his terribly floppish hat] until another lifetime has passed.

How was he to know that his nephew, Charles ["Please, uncle, call me Chip. Charles is a name for ugly rich dudes"], would attempt to lease out his home before he even had a chance to pack and leave the country [again]?

If Gaston was honest with himself, he should wonder what it was exactly about that particular Grim Reaper that bothered him [again, he's lived long enough to know that coincidences aren't as clear cut as they seem].

*

Now Leo on the other hand... that was a different experience altogether.

When Gaston first met him, it was on a rooftop in the middle of the city... a city that was a literally ocean's away from where he had currently been occupied in [see: that field of daffodils was apparently some Higher Power's gift of sanctuary for Gaston, kind of like an earthly manifestation of limbo].

At first Gaston was lying down on a spread blanket, absently fiddling with a plucked daffodil while star gazing and trying his best not to fall into [another] depression over his prolonged life. While softly humming he started to hear a faint whisper coming from... well, all around him. He started to sit up, ears alert and trying to figure out not only where it was coming from but also what was being said.

"... I don't ask for much. Never did," the voice pleaded. Gaston distinguished it as male and sad, even desperate, if he had to pinpoint a tone. And young too, maybe a teenager? "I haven't done this since... It's been too long! But I have no one and y'know, I suppose it doesn't hurt? Okay, I can do this... I need to do this... I wish to find a job. I need the money so I can finally get away from my uncle and his family. But if I don't have the money, I wish that something could be done about them. I know they're the only family I have left, but I... I can't stay with them anymore... So, yeah, I wish for a job and a way to not be with them anymore. Oh and if you could squeeze in a boyfriend too? Not that it's important, I mean I am still young... like eighteen- I mean nineteen now, huh? But anyway, yeah... I wouldn't mind a boyfriend either..."

Gaston had heard many prayers over the years, but there was something about this one that managed to pull at his core. He'd laugh if he didn't find it so disconcerting at how something childish [at least the latter part, the former parts he could probably grant easily] had reached him immensely...

Or maybe it was the voice itself?  

Before he could contemplate further, within the blink of an eye, Gaston found himself standing on a roof top in the middle of a city, and facing a very startled, wide-eyed young man, who flailed spectacularly off a bench.

Gaston will be the first to admit that he's imagined a scenario like this before [he's lived long enough to allow his imagination to run wild], which is why he's more calm and collected than the young lad before him. He watched as the young man [he would not had guessed that he was nineteen if Gaston had to judge by the baby fat on his youthful face] scrambled off the ground and amble his way back onto the bench.  

The young man fixed his black-framed glasses (that were momentarily askew because of the fall) before he stared owlishly up at Gaston, a mixture of awe and confusion gracing his [admittedly to Gaston, much to his chagrin] adorable face. He tilted his head to the side, gaze still focus on Gaston, as if trying to figure out what to say to make sense out of what just happened.

It was a sight that nearly bowled Gaston over, for he'd seen this particular expression on a very familiar face before and in all the centuries that have passed he never fathomed that he'd see it again.

[In remorseful dreams, yes, but in reality? Never.]

Gaston schooled his features and prayed his voice didn't betray how utterly shook his was at the moment as he said, "You."

The young man gaped, "Me?"

"Was it you?" Gaston tried to hold back any emotions, especially annoyance because, really?, wasn't he just commiserating in his private ethereal space? "Did you just summon me?"

He'd heard of such an occurrence. Read up on it, actually. Live for a couple hundred years and even the most biblio-phobic individual would go through a reading phase. Turns out that Gaston would consider collecting books a lot more fun than collecting animal kills [also a lot cleaner and less work]. But he's come across such an act and at the time he wouldn't have put it passed the deities to allow it to happen to him.

Especially by a being that looked remarkably like a ghost from another lifetime ago.

"I..." the young man looked genuinely perplexed, "I don't think so?"

Gaston looked at the space next to the young man, at a lone cupcake and a wisp of smoke trailing off a single candle. He quirked a brow and gave the kid an amused grin, "I think you did." He crossed his arms, though kept his stance unguarded so as not to spook him. "And as such, I think I should at least know the name of the lad who sought out my service."

"No," the young man shook his head, "no, I did no such thing. Besides, I don't even know you! Much less know how to- to-" he waved his hand around, "whatever you just said!"

"Summon." Gaston said with a wry grin. "And yes, yes you did. I'm assuming," he walked over and plucked the candle off the cupcake, licking off the frosting before he said, "Hmm, orange crème, nice..." He handed the candle to the young man, "anyway, I'm assuming this is what you used to summon me. I heard your wishes and you must have desired them quite fervently because once you blew out the flame, well," Gaston flourished a little spin, grinned cheekily and concluded with, "here I am, at your service."

Gaston eyed the young man, who was currently more flummoxed than impressed at his diatribe. Realizing he wasn't going to get the answer he wanted, he got as close as he could without spooking him and extended a hand as he quietly said, "I lived by many names, but I wish for you to know me as Gaston."

He watched the young man stare at his offered palm and just when Gaston started to lower it, he felt a soft calloused hand grip into his own.

"I'm called Lefou..." He said, quiet and hesitant, and refusing to meet Gaston's gaze. The poor boy's form was tense and guarded, as if waiting for the expectant mocking. Almost as if to delay it, he started rambling as he added, "I know it's a stupid name. Not even my real one, but it's pretty much what everyone calls me. Le fou. Calling the immigrant French boy a fool in his mother tongue. Ha. Ha. Totally original. Never mind that I haven’t... spoken... Uh, are you okay?" He trailed off when he finally raised his head he was surprised to see Gaston with an unreadable expression on his face. To say that was a new one would be an understatement for him.

Gaston himself clamped down on the emotions that fought within; confusion, denial, regret, sadness... and [most prevalent in fighting for control] hope. It raged and sang within his blood so fiercely that his mind started reminding him that if he wasn't careful, he just might scare the young man before he even had a chance.

Gaston smiled at the young man, gentle as he asked, "What do you wish for me to call you?"

"What? I don't--"

"I do not wish to refer to you as a buffoon." Gaston sniffed in disgust before shifting his expression to that of a compassionate one, "And I have a feeling you'd rather me address you as someone worth admiration and respect than what those idiots assume of you."

The young man blinked up at Gaston, still so very confused and yet something in his eyes betrayed that he was a little enchanted by the older man. He removed his hand from Gaston's, looked away as if to contemplate whether or not to trust him with one of his most guarded secrets. Finally he shrugged, playing indifference as he uttered quite softly, "Leo... Honestly it makes no difference to me which name you use, but my real name's Leo."

Gaston positively beamed at that response. "Well, Leo, I am honored to meet you." He glanced over at the sad little cupcake, tried hard not to allow a pitying sigh, before he clapped his hands and declared, "So, let's talk about those wishes of yours."

*

Later that night, Gaston breezed through the door of his brownstone in a tremendous mood. He could not believe his good fortune! Having lived for centuries and exposed to supernatural elements, the notion of reincarnation was certainly a reality. But Gaston never could have dreamed that in a world-wide population in the billions, he'd quite possibly come across the reincarnation of his long-lost friend!

He'd consider it a joke from the cosmos that the one person he'd been desperate to see again was the one person he wished would never discover what he became, but Gaston was just so happy to have Leol back in his life [even if he was much younger, a bit closed off, and okay maybe Leo wasn't his Leol but he'll take any version of his friend that he can] that he didn't want to question why or how.

"You look like you're up to no good."

Gaston paused in the middle of the staircase, a flare of irritation spiked and threatened to ruin his good mood. He took a breath, steeled himself, and said, "And you look like you should be anywhere but here!"

"Your old age must be showing, immortal. Remember? I paid your nephew a down-payment and signed the proper paperwork so technically I can be here."

Gaston glared at the Grim Reaper, who was leaning against the threshold of the kitchen area with a steaming mug in hand. He was dressed in his business attire, minus that ridiculous hat. "First of all, Chip had no right to lease out my home for various reasons, one of them being that I've yet to give him control of my estates. Oh and thank you for reminding me that I need to speak to Joanna about that. Secondly, you are the last person to mock my age... or having a hard time remembering things."

He turned to ascend towards his room when the sharp sound of something shattering on the ground and a sudden chill pierced through the air. Most people would be freaking out at the temperature drop caused by pissing off a Grim Reaper, but Gaston was no mere person. He rolled his eyes, "That better had been one of your mugs or so help me, Reaper..."

The Grim Reaper stalked over to the staircase, fire in his eyes while his hands were literally emitting cold vapors. He snarled as he said, "There's a difference between constant forgetfulness due to old age and having no memory of one's former life!"

"And that concerns me how?" Gaston asked, raising a brow and trying to sound indifferent despite the fact that he was already starting to feel guilty over pushing on the one sore spot this particular Grim Reaper seemed to have.

Looking so utterly forlorn, like a very sad puppy [and damn did Gaston feel like the jerk that kicked the creature], the Grim Reaper said dejectedly, "Reaper is the closest thing to a name that I have. And that's only because you seem content on sneering that at me every chance you get."

Gaston sighed and sat himself down on one of the steps. Gone were any negative feelings he had for the supernatural being before him [at least temporarily, he wasn't a monster that liked to kick depressed puppies]. He leaned forward and patted the stoop below him. When the Grim Reaper picked up the hint and joined him on the stairs, Gaston said, "Look, more often than not that's how I address every reaper I come across. Your title is all I know because that's all you yourself can identify as! I don't need to tell you the history of Grim Reapers. It's just how the gods set up your system. So if I call you Reaper it's of no offense."

The Grim Reaper nodded sullenly, briefly recalling that yes, reapers were once humans that (right after their death) were given a chance to have their former life's memories wiped clean. The Higher Powers considered it an act of mercy for those souls because prior to dying they had committed what They considered a most heinous of act. Once they had their memories removed, the Higher Powers sentenced them to an undetermined lifetime as guides for the recently deceased. It was a system that no one except the Higher Powers had control over, so the Grim Reaper did realize there was truth to Gaston's words.

Gaston placed a consoling hand on the Grim Reaper's shoulder, "And as for my sneering at you, I'm truly sorry if it happens more often than I mean to. It's no excuse but I have to tell you, my friend, that there's just something about you that always... well, as the kids today say 'pisses me off.'"

The Grim Reaper stared up at Gaston, genuinely surprised and curious, "Did you know me in my former life? Do you think that's why you can't stand me?" He paused and nodded as a new thought occurred, "Now that you mentioned it, I do seem to know exactly what you're talking about! Every time I look at you, there seems to be something about you that rubs me the wrong way."

Gaston regarded him and tried to place the Grim Reaper's face. He looked about the same age as Gaston, maybe a little younger if he didn't have that scrappy beard covering half of his face. His eyes were also so startling blue and beautiful that if Gaston didn't feel like clawing them out, he'd admittedly find himself attracted to the Grim Reaper. After a while he shook his head, "Nope. And unfortunately a part of my curse is to remember those I've known and loss. I don't believe we've met."

"I suppose it's best that you didn't know me. After all, I'm a Grim Reaper. I'm afraid to even imagine what I did to have earned such a position."

Gaston couldn't help but feel pity as he said, "I can't imagine it being any worse than what I did before I became immortal. I was an absolute beast!"

To Gaston's surprise, the reaper seemed to flinch under those words. When Gaston asked him what was wrong, a haunted look came and went in the reaper's blue eyes before he shook it off and said, "Nothing. I just..." He looked up at Gaston and gave him a shrug, "I doubt that."

Gaston was about to ask what he meant by that when suddenly he felt a familiar sensation and a yelp from the reaper. "Gaston! You're smoking! That's incredible... I don't see any fire or anything but there's smoke. You have smoke coming off of you!"

He didn't have the chance to ask him what he meant when he looked at his own hands and realized that, "Why yes, it certainly looks as such..." before within a blink of an eye he found himself facing the young man he had only left not too long ago.

Leo stood before him, eyes dancing and grinning so brilliantly that Gaston momentarily forgot to breathe, much less ask what had just transpired. The young man waved a pack of matches and a used up matchstick before he proudly said, "I guess I don't have to use up a wish or a candle after all!"

[And that was when Gaston began to suspect that there was more to his connection to Leo beyond a second chance at a long-lost friendship.]

*

[Part III]

Life wasn't so unfair to Gaston [and the company he kept] that it only gave them moments of heaviness and drama. Often times, life [and the affiliated Higher Powers] liked to throw out a few lighthearted moments. Sometimes even at the beginning of a new chapter.

There's usual a beautiful sunset before a storm rages throughout the long arduous night...

A week after Gaston and Leo met; the younger man found himself working at an indie bookstore-slash-café. Leo was so eager and excited to have finally found a job, especially where it seemed that the boss was extremely chill and more than willing to give him [a practical novice] a chance, that he didn't think to question how easy it was to have stumbled into the job.

[Leo would come to discover that life with Gaston was always worth questioning, regardless of the fact that he would never trade it for anything.]

It was while working at the café that he first encountered Gaston's nephew, Chip.

Leo had to admit that upon first sight Chip was a looker. Well, if one were into k-pop boy bands. He had purple streaked dark hair that he kept short around the ears and styled with side-way swept bangs over his hazel eyes. His diamond earrings looked like they'd cost more than Leo's rent if it were multiplied by two lifetimes and if the fashionable ensemble that screamed Private Labels wasn't enough of an indication that Chip was an spoiled heir, then the way he walked right up to the counter and proceeded to flirt with Leo was a dead giveaway.

Before Leo could give the customer spiel that Isabelle, his boss and owner of the establishment, taught him, Chip winked and said, "I'll take the sweetest and most expensive drink you got."

Leo blinked and found himself instantly put off. Mentally he thought that this guy was lucky that he had his looks going for him because he seemed to lack everything else.

Chip, however, misinterpreted Leo's stunned silence. "I know. This body doesn't seem the type to welcome unhealthy crap. But I was blessed with awesome metabolism! You can thank my Euro-Asian heritage there, God knows I do. Anyway, yes I have the bod, but unfortunately I have one of the biggest sweet-tooth's you'll come across! Heck, I got my nickname, Chip, because when I was younger, I used to have a chipped tooth right here!" He pointed towards the middle part of his front row of teeth before smacking his lips and adding, "Hard to tell, huh? That's what thousands of dollars' worth of dental can get you; perfect pearly whites!"

Leo tried desperately to hide an eye-roll at this point.

"Anyway enough about me," Chip smirked, clapped his hands, and said, "I'm ready to communicate with you now."

That last line pretty much broke Leo's resolve. He stared in disbelief at Chip before he started giggling and said, "Did you seriously use an M. Night Shyamalan quote to flirt with me?" Leo gripped the counter to keep from falling over, his eyes already misting with unshed tears of laughter. "That's no better than using Disney songs! And trust me, I've seen it tried and failed spectacularly so don't even think that crap would work." More or less muttering to himself he added, "Can't believe he used a quote from my favorite movie as a pick-up line..."

For a brief moment Chip looked like he'd been slap. Leo would have started to worry had Chip not suddenly shook his head and cracked a smile himself. With a mirthful grin that looked more sincere than his previous player persona, he said, "Okay, note to self, cancel the seventy-five golden camels and the fifty-three purple peacocks."

Leo softened at that and decided that maybe this guy wasn't so bad after all. He nodded his head, yet softly suggested, "No to the animals... but I wouldn't be opposed to a magic carpet ride." Leo turned to grab the biggest size cup that they served before adding "I've always wanted to see the world."

He distracted himself with preparing the drink, especially since he was met with silence from Chip. Maybe he misinterpreted his flirty nature?

When Leo finished the drink and dared to look up, he was startled to find Chip staring at him as if he was finally seeing him for the first time. Leo started to squirm uncomfortably from the gaze when Chip snapped out of it and formed a wide toothy grin. He approached the counter, took a sip of the offered drink while simultaneously placing down a $100 bill. Chip hummed his approval before turning to exit and parting with, "Uncle Gaston's got good taste. I approve! Keep the change and I'll see you later!"

*

"You saw him?! When? Where? Why?!"

"Calm down, uncle Gaston. It's disturbing to see you like this."

"You weren't supposed to approach him."

"But he was working in the building that I technically own."

"That I bought. With my money. And for someone else!"

"Gee, does Leo know that?"

"You wouldn't!"

"Wouldn’t what?"

"... the ones who came before you were never that mouthy to me. What happened to this generation?"

"Why are you so worried about that? One day when I'm old enough to say that I'm your older, hotter brother and I'm running the family company--"

"Out of my pockets..."

"We can bitch about the younger generation together!"

"You're doing a terrible job at trying to get your credit card back."

*

Although Leo hadn't been in the supernatural game as long as Gaston has, he felt that he should have at least been warned that life wasn't going to make it easy for them just because he could see ghosts or that Gaston was an immortal.

However, life would probably argue that it did so multiple times, especially with its biggest Danger sign so far appearing nearly a month after the two had met.

Gaston had managed to talk Leo into going out for some ice cream. He knew that the young man had been busy at settling into his new job [among other things] and Gaston tried not to appear too eager to spend time with Leo.

In addition to life getting in the way, though both were admittedly attracted to the other, they each had their own emotional hang-ups that kept them apart. Gaston was torn between keeping his distance and staying close without coming off like a stalker. Leo was torn between his own curiosity for Gaston every time Chip came into the café and pointedly ignoring his desire because his already complicated life was safer without getting an immortal involved.  

It was closing in on a month since Leo had turned 19 and inadvertently summoned Gaston and, at most, they spent a total of four days together.

[One involved Gaston accompanying Leo on his job search around the city, which unfortunately led to Leo's first run-in with the Grim Reaper in over ten years and boy was that a fun day in general for Gaston! Another involved Leo summoning Gaston right before he was to leave on a trip but then accidentally following him through the door, which incidentally caused Leo to cross international borders via magic and thus they made a day out of it. Third day there was an unfortunate incident involving Leo's uncle's bookies that thought Leo would make great collateral... not realizing that in abducting Leo they managed to piss off an immortal and a Grim Reaper. The fourth involved Gaston trying to convince Leo to move into his house, but failing because now that Leo's relatives had been arrested, their apartment became his and thankfully with his new job, and the savings he had secretly stashed for years, Leo could afford it.]

It was after Leo's closing shift and the weather was oddly warm enough for it to be "perfect ice cream weather." Leo had teased Gaston that that wasn't a thing, but still willing followed.

After picking up their treats, and walking around the city in companionable silence, Gaston finally asked Leo a question that's been bothering him for weeks now...

"So... and not that I care that Chip knows your favorite movie... But what I want to know is why did he know it before I did?"

Leo paused in his steps to turn and quirk an incredulous brow at Gaston. He started to lick his lips to wipe stray drops of ice cream off [and pointedly ignoring the butterflies in his stomach as he noticed Gaston's eyes watching that exact movement] before he replied, "You asked me out for ice cream... and the first real conversation we're going to have is why your nephew knew that I liked The Sixth Sense before you did?"

Gaston looked a little offended by Leo's question. "Not if you're making it sound like I'm some jealous fool."

A little too amused by this, Leo grinned and said, "Well if you're going to be putting labels on it..."

Pouting, "It's a little unfair, isn't it? I'm the one that granted your wishes--"

"Wow," Leo laughed, surprising Gaston by looking affronted at his words. "I wasn't too far off with the Disney fairy-tales..."

"What?"

A little indignant now, Leo glared, "And wishes indicate plural! Meaning more than one! And you, who I can magically summon with a matchstick, barely even granted one!"

Now it was Gaston's turn to look offended, "Who was the one that turned your criminal guardians into the police?"

Leo licked his cone and said off-handedly, "I recall that they turned themselves in." He paused for a second before adding, "Although now that you mention it, I didn’t think they had it in them to steal gold bars. Motivation, yes. Smarts? Not so much..."

"Yes, well, they're lucky that's all they're serving their time over. With the abuse you suffered, they should have been punished far worse than a mere Felony C..."

Leo gaped, "How did you--"

"And who was the one that got you that job at that cute bookstore café?"

An angry gasp escaped Leo's lips. "I found that on my own!"

Gaston startled at Leo's seething. He took a step back; both literally and figuratively, and quickly realized the bad road he was heading towards. Holding up a submissive palm, "No, no, you're correct. You did find that on your own."

Leo searched Gaston's face for any insincerity... and found something much worst. A little slack-jawed he cried "You didn't!"

Gaston prayed that both his nephew and Joanna never discovered that they were proven correct. They had forewarned him that what he had done would not go over well with Leo. "To be fair, darling, you did make a wish and you can't just expect a god... like... me... to... I'm making this a lot worst, aren't I?" He finished with a grimace as he regarded the anger radiating off of Leo.

Gaston considered himself a terrible person for finding Leo's rage highly attractive.

"I am thisclose to shoving what's left of this ice cream down that- your- that- ridiculously tight shirt..." Leo stumbled because damn it! What he was threatening could do more harm to himself than Gaston. "How do you even breathe in that?!"

Gaston looked down at his unbuttoned red three-quarter sleeved Henley in confusion before realization formed a seductive smirk on his face. He took a step closer before he felt Leo gently shove him back as he took a step away himself.

"No!" Leo held up a finger in warning, "I am mad at you right now and you can't just flash that 'I'm hot and I know it' look you do so well on me. I'm not some weak-willed bimbette that sighs and fawns over men flexing their guns and whatnot!"

Whether it was the infliction or the words itself, but Gaston immediately dropped the act and took a step back from Leo. He nodded in agreement, his voice soft and filled with something that Leo couldn't describe. "I know, Leo. I never took you to be a rabbit."

"Rabbit?"

"You're right."

"I'm... what?"

"I may have had a hand in your job search..."

Leo glared, "Explain."

"I know the owner of the building," Gaston started, nervously rubbing the back of his neck, "And I may have mentioned to Isabelle that I knew someone who was seeking employment..." He tried desperately not to look Leo in the eyes, for fear of releasing a tidbit or two that he was omitting from his admission [like though the title of the building where the bookstore-slash-café was housed said that Chip was the owner, Gaston himself was the one that bought the building... and he had bought it for Isabelle, the shop's owner... and possibly the reincarnation of someone he wronged long ago. He purchased the building not out of a sense of obligation but as an overdue apology. He liked to consider it progress on his part when he sought out that particular favor from Isabelle instead of a 'Thank you'].

Leo waited for Gaston to finish, and when he offered no more of an explanation, he regarded the immortal. His gaze softened as he realized that though Gaston still seemed to be hiding something, there was sincerity and a tinge of remorse in his voice. With a hint of warning, "I don't like being lied to..."

"I don't like lying to you," Gaston admitted.

"I did wish for a job," Leo said begrudgingly.

Gaston took a chance and approached Leo, making his movements known that he wanted to place an arm around the smaller man but will only do so with his consent. When Leo leaned his frame towards Gaston, the bigger man smiled and said, "The only real hand I had in this entire job endeavor was giving Isabelle my word that you were worth taking a chance on."

Leo grinned shyly at that. "You told her that?"

"Of course! It's the truth."

Leo stared up at Gaston, utterly transfixed by his conviction. Not since his mother has anyone had such faith in him. It nearly brought the young man to tears. Leo took a moment, contemplating on how he could repay Gaston for his belief in him... and realized the answer was there all along.

As they continued walking, Leo shyly asked, "Gaston?"

"Hmm?"

"Chip may know what my favorite movie was, but he does not know why..." Leo took a deep breath before diving in, "Would you like to know it?"

Gaston returned Leo's soft smile. "I would be honored."

"So... you know that I can, y'know, see... them... right?" Leo said nervously, to which Gaston took a moment before nodding understandingly.

"The souls of the deceased? Yes." Gaston regarded Leo, "You've yet to talk with me about this ability of yours, but yes I am aware of your sight."

Leo hummed, "I suspected as much. That day we spent in Canada and I saw the spirit of that little girl, you didn't act out of the ordinary, nor asked why I suddenly behaved, y'know, odd."

Gaston shrugged, "I suspected you would have discussed it with me one day."

A laugh escaped Leo's lips, "You're incredible, you know that? You respect my supernatural boundaries and yet every other aspect of my life you feel the need to butt in." When Gaston gave another shrug but didn't say anything to contradict it, Leo decided to let it go and continue with his story.

"Anyway, the reason that movie is my favorite is because I could relate to Cole. I mean, I'm not a scared little kid, not anymore, but I know what that fear was like. That fear is also a reminder of how lucky I was that, unlike Cole in the beginning of the movie, I had a mother who knew what I was." Leo gave a wistful smile, "My mother, who was the most beautiful person I'll ever know, knew from the start what I was. And still she loved me so much and still called me 'her little miracle.'" Leo took a breath, trying his best not to let the sadness overwhelm him. "I did more than relate to that movie. It served as a reminder of how blessed I was to have had my mom..."

He paused and turned away from Gaston. Leo braced himself for the usual response he'd receive from those who discovered the truth. Though he rarely went into details like he did with Gaston, the thought process was always the same. And the results? People realized just how much of an oddball he was.

"I would have loved to meet her."

Leo looked back at Gaston, surprise evident on his young face. "What?"

Gaston's eyes were honest and his smile small as he repeated himself and added that "Your mother sounded like a wonderful woman."

Leo refused to cry. He also refused to let himself swoon. Instead he stared in shock before he slipped into an old M.O.; self-deprecation. "She was... Especially to have given birth to a freak of a son."

Gaston snorted and rolled his eyes, "Why must you sell yourself short, darling?"

"You're right," Leo snarked right back, "I'm that sort of special."

As if missing the sarcastic barb, Gaston nodded his head sincerely as he proclaimed, "You're more than that! You're extraordinary, Leo."

"Okay, you need to, y'know, not do that..." Leo blushed. "I'm not normal--"

Gaston grinned toothily, "I'm immortal and you've met my flat-mate, the Grim Reaper. Why should you settle for normal?"

Leo started to glare, ready to argue with Gaston over his flippancy, when the young man found himself struck by the way the older man's eyes danced and how his smile was all too fondly directed at him. Leo felt his breath hitched as he realized how beautiful this man was... and what's even more amazing is that Gaston seemed to see something equally wonderful in him too, if he had to gauge by the look in his eyes.

Without really thinking about it, Leo decided to work on the one wish Gaston had yet to answer for him. Before he lost courage, Leo stepped into Gaston's space and leaned up to kiss him.

Leo felt the immortal kiss him back before gasping and pulling away. The young man started to chase Gaston's lips but froze when he realized that Gaston hadn't gasped in surprise but pain!

For in the middle of Gaston's chest was a sword engulfed in blue flames.

There must have been something about Leo's reaction that caused Gaston, who started to sweat in agony just a second ago but was now trying to compose himself, to hold his hand out as if to keep the young man away. "Leo..." Stress was evident in his voice, "It's... I'm..."

"You're in pain," Leo spat out, angry at himself for standing there like an idiot than the fact that Gaston was under some horrendous curse.

Unable to help himself, Gaston gave a weak chuckle, "Just a flesh wound, love."

Leo felt tears prickle his eyes just as he rolled them, "Of course you're the type of moron to quote The Princess Bride while you got some big ass sword sticking out of you!"

Gaston blinked, stunned, "You- you can see it?"

"Yes! It's hard to miss, Gaston."

"I- I can't believe," Gaston wheezed a little out of breath, "that you can see it!"

"We need to remove it. It's hurting you!"

Gaston smiled weakly, "If only I could, darling. But that's part of the curse..."

Leo stared at the hilt for a second before he looked up and met Gaston's scared eyes. Without prompting, Leo reached out and placed both hands on the handle. His focus was completely on the sword that he nearly missed the terrified gasp coming from Gaston. "I think... I think I can help you, Gaston." Leo sent a quick prayer that the motion wouldn't hurt the immortal any more than he already was before he began to pull at the sword. The young man didn't know what he was expecting; maybe a little resistance, maybe the handle burning his hands because, y'know, it was engulfed in blue flames, but whatever it was he surely wasn't expecting the sword to slide out of Gaston's chest quite so easily.

"I- I think it's working!" Leo's laugh was a mixture of relief and hysteria, "Gaston! Hold on, okay? Let me help pull this out, alright?"

"... No."

Leo startled at the immortal's ragged growl. "Gaston?"

"S-s-stop," Gaston stuttered in pain, "P-please!"

Leo's grip on the sword's handle loosened a bit before he resumed his hold, "Stop?!" His vision started to blur as he strangled out, "You're hurting! Gaston, please, let me..."

"'m sorry, love." Gaston hissed.

"Sorry? What--"

It was a blur. One moment Leo had such a strong grip on the hilt that all it would have taken was one brute tug for Gaston to be free of the cursed sword... and the next Leo was staring at Gaston in shock as his body was flying backwards and quick. His brain had just processed that Gaston had intentionally pushed Leo away when he felt strong arms wrap themselves around him, his back colliding with a muscled chest as an invisible force vibrated around his entire being.

Before he blacked out, Leo tried to see where Gaston had gone to before the young man slowly realized whose arms had caught and been shielding him safe the whole time.

*

[knock, knock]

"Uncle Tenant?"

[knock, knock, knock]

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I hope you're still awake."

[knockknockknock]

The Grim Reaper was grateful that he hadn't even changed into his pajamas or else Gaston would have been short one nephew. He finished undoing the knot off his tie before he walked to the bedroom door and threw it open. He gave the young mortal an unimpressed look, "Yes?"

Chip shot his arm up and held his phone out. "Here."

The Grim Reaper hated technology despite the fact that he begrudgingly admits it has its usefulness. It still didn't stop him from flinching the moment Chip had shoved the phone in his face and had to watch a clip of an accident up close.

"What the--?" The Grim Reaper tentatively took the offered phone, confused as to 1. Why was the same accident being played over and over? And 2. Why was Chip showing it to him?

Chip rubbed his forehead as he said in a strained voice, "It's uncle Gaston. And I'm the idiot in the family? Does he not know that nothing can be hidden from any moron with a smartphone and internet access? Especially a parking lot full of cars being slaughtered due to a billboard crashing on them when you, I don't know, flung yourself right into it?!"

Upon closer inspection of the clip, the Grim Reaper did note that was a spectacular sight of massacred machineries. From the start of the video it looked like a big blurry mass collided into a billboard sign, followed by a mini-explosion of sparks and glass as the bulbs on the sign shattered upon impact. Seconds later the billboard itself toppled onto a semi-packed parking lot, upon which a half dozen or so cars became casualties in the fall's wake. The soundtrack of the video consisted of quite a bit of people freaking out.

"Aunt Jo has her people handling things online, but we need to clear up the mess from ground zero."

Grim Reaper snapped his head up, "Excuse me? Why do I need to be there?"

Something flickered in the young mortal's eyes before he seemed to straighten up and snark with a wave of his hand at himself, "Duh, I'm human! I don't have a Grim Reaper's ability to modify someone's memory." Chip snatched his phone back and turned heel. At the bedroom door he called back, "Now come on! The sooner we fix this, the sooner we can hold this over uncle Gaston's head!"

The Grim Reaper opened his mouth, about to argue, when a new thought occurred, causing him to follow and shout, "Wait! How do you know who I am?!"

*

Leo was the first between himself and Gaston to wake up.

The young man was startled awake by what he thought was a bad dream involving a daggered Gaston and lots of flashing lights. He had sat up, blinking wearily at his surroundings when he realized that the comforter he was on wasn't his own [his bed was tiny compared to the huge Queen he'd woken up in]. Realizing that the night stand was to his right, he fumbled around in hopes that whoever had taken him in remembered to consider his glasses. Sighing in relief when he felt and placed them on, Leo finally took note of his environment.

It was daylight out if he had to guess by the sunlight streaming in through the windows... and okay, he was in a room that had a skylight. Leo chanced a glance at his body and was relieved to see that he was wearing the same clothes from--

And that's when he realized that the bad dream he'd woken up from wasn't a nightmare after all. Especially as the events of that night began replaying like a highlight reel of the most tripped out dream ever.

Leo started to scramble out of bed, but nearly toppled back over on the comforter as sharp muscle pains on his right side screamed out and halted his efforts.

"Bet that hurt," a familiar voice called out from the doorway. Chip was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed and clucking his disapproval. "You do realize that if you get hurt even further--"

"Your uncle will kill you?" Leo asked before he groaned as another stab of pain shot through, this time from his left side.

Chip snorted as he walked in and towards Leo. He stood next to the nightstand and proceeded to attend to the contents that Leo had completely missed seeing when he woke up. Making work of opening the water bottle and aspirin, he shuddered as he said, "Worst: he'll take away my credit card."

"Oh the woes of the Pampered and the Spoiled..." Leo teased his friend.

Rattling the pill bottle, Chip mock-threatened, "Now, now, has no one warned you about making fun of your caregiver? I can make an 'oogie mess' of things for you." He handed the pills and water bottle to Leo, who shook his head and grinned good and naturally.

"You're such a nerd. Besides, you know what they say about misery and company... Cheers!" Leo downed the aspirin and water.

"Speaking of miserable," Chip gently sat down at the foot of the bed, his playful demeanor pushed aside as he fiddled with the hem of his pants, "no one would blame you, least of all uncle Gaston, if you wanted to leave and never see any of us again. Last night was... intense. Besides the footage, uncle Gaston sort of filled us in and... Okay, normally I would say screw them and still see you myself, but then I'd have to put up with a mopey immortal bothering me with questions about you and... Well, I think you're awesome, but short of him threatening to take away from my wallet, I'd rather not?"

"How do you manage to sound like the sincerest guy ever and the biggest asshole all in one monologue?" He was torn between hugging and shoving Chip off the bed. Instead Leo reached over and whacked Chip's arm with a now half empty water bottle.

Chip laughed and faked injured, "Uncle Gaston has that effect on people..."

At the mention of the immortal, Leo's gaze was downcast as he fiddled with the label of the bottle. He decided to finish off the remaining water before he asked, "How is he?" Leo winced as he said, "I don't remember much after he... before I blacked out..."

Softly, "Even Superman bleeds."

Leo blanched at that, "What?"

"Uncle Gaston can't die, but that doesn't mean he's incapable of getting hurt. I doubt he'll show any physical signs of trauma, but he wasn't in the best of condition when he carried you here; that dumb bull-headed ass. Speaking of which, it took about enough painkillers to tranq a bull just to knock him out and rest for a couple hours. He's passed out downstairs if you want to see him... Or not, up to you. Even though uncle Gaston caught you mid-flight and took on most of the impact, he was still the one that pushed you. So..."

Leo refused to think about that part of the incident, instead choosing to focus on what pretty much started it. "So you know about..." Leo waved his hand around his chest. He didn't understand it all, but from he remembered of that night and Gaston's reaction, he had a feeling that this infliction wasn't public knowledge.

Chip blinked, "You mean Excalibur?" At Leo's nod, Chip coughed and avoided eye-contact, "Maybe?"

Leo sat up, alert, "What do you know about it?"

He quickly schooled his features, "Not much... probably nothing..." Chip slipped into his default playboy persona, "Besides, history was never my best subject."

"For someone that apparently likes to play the Spoiled Rich Idiot card, you sure know a lot about Gaston's secrets..."

Chip groused at that. "Well I'm probably the last person you should hear about those things, that's for sure."

It took a moment, but Leo decided that he needed answers, even if he ended up bothering a sore and possibly bed-ridden immortal. His intentions must have been written all over his face for Chip jumped up and held his hands out.

"I may be a Spoiled Rich Idiot, but even I know that's a bad idea!"

As Leo struggled to get up, his arms flailing the empty space between the two of them before grasping onto Chip's hands, he rolled his eyes and insisted that "You're not going to tell me anything, so I'm going to the source!"

Chip winced as his body adjusted to take on most of Leo's weight. He sighed and tried not to whine as they made their way downstairs.

"He's going to take away my Amex. You know that, right?"

Leo cooed, "You poor baby. What will you do with one less credit card in your billion dollar inheritance? Y'know, I'm sure I can talk into Isabelle into hiring you. We always have room for a part-time cleaner."

"Ha! That's funny! My pinkie's net worth would probably cover the cost of the building you work in..."

"I will slap you. I may be in pain now, but I can still knock the privilege right out of you."

"Shoving helpless mortals into billboards, threatening helpless billionaires with violence... You two are perfect for each other..."

"What is the Missing Soul doing out of bed?" The Grim Reaper piped up from his place on the living room couch. This was the first time Leo had seen the Grim Reaper in an attire that wasn't the trademark black suit, and needless to say that he found it a little disconcerting. His feet were up on the coffee table, a book placed on his lap, and a sleeping immortal resting on the floor beside him.

Leo gently shoved himself off of Chip when he spotted Gaston asleep on the floor. He eased towards where the immortal was laying and eventually sat down right next to him. Leo reached out to caress his cheek and tried not to gasp at the fact that even unconscious Gaston was aware enough to shift his head into Leo's touch. "What is he doing down here?"

"Sleeping," Grim's monotone response earned a glare from Leo.

"I meant why?" He hissed, careful to keep his voice down as he continued to gently stroke Gaston's face. "There's a couch literally right there. Not to mention his own bed."

Grim glanced at Chip before looking back at Leo. "We don't have any guest rooms. And I refuse to give up my bed to you." Nodding at Gaston, "The man's insufferable enough about his house. I shudder to think when it involves you."

"Oh," Leo fought the blush at what Grim had just revealed. Collecting himself, he coughed and said, "Well... fine. But the least you morons could have done was set a pillow and a blanket down for him!"

Grim jumped from his seat and gave an offended look at Leo before pointing an accusing finger at Chip, "Did you not tell the Missing Soul what we did all night for the two of them? And he dares call us morons on top of insinuating that we're useless?"

Chip rubbed his temple, mumbling about credit cards before he sighed and said, "Not any time between making sure he wasn't in pain and avoiding an interrogation about that thing--" Chip frantically waved around his chest area, "that we're not allowed to talk to Leo about."

Grim looked genuinely confused at that part, which Leo found interesting and mentally stored that observation away for a later date. Grim started to ask why that was so, but Chip quickly changed the subject by insisting that they grab a pillow and blanket for Leo. Before Grim could argue against it, Chip reached out and tugged them towards the staircase.

Leo soon zoned out on their bickering and instead decided to focus on Gaston.

"I'm glad you're okay," Leo whispered while running his hands through Gaston's hair. Almost as if he could sense Leo's presence, Gaston breathed out a content sigh. "However, I'm still angry. Why did you stop me? Why didn't you let me help you?"

Leo removed his glasses and set it down on the coffee table. While rubbing his eyes, whether from weariness or the tears that threatened to escape remained to be seen, "I have so many questions, Gaston. But I think I might have to wait for those answers, huh? Just..." He eased his body down right next to Gaston, their faces mere inches away from the other. Facing the sleeping immortal, Leo placed a hand on Gaston's cheek and prayed, "Please don't scare me like that again."

The young man watched Gaston's serene form for a few minutes more until the sense of comfort and intimacy lulled Leo into sleep himself. He was vaguely aware of a soft cover falling on his person or a pillow placed under his head, much less the hushed conversation that took place in front of them: the long-suffering immortal and the beloved that could put a permanent end to his lonely existence.

*

If Leo was expecting Gaston to be upfront about that incident, he found himself bitterly disappointed.

The first few days after Gaston had woken with his body healed much faster than a normal mortal, he proceeded to act as if nothing significant had happened. Sure he continued to be charming and actively seek out to court Leo, but anytime it seemed the conversation might venture towards that night, Gaston would play dumb and refocus on something else.

[Leo never had to wonder where Chip learned that attractive quality from.]

Admittedly it was cute the first week or two... but it had gotten downright aggravating, especially three months after the infamous incident. Granted Leo had to take some blame for that because he didn't pursue the answers that plagued him. Between work, consoling a ghost or two, hanging out with Chip, befriending the Grim Reaper, and dating an immortal, Leo was surprised he still had time to tackle the book list that Isabelle threatened his employment over unless he read at least one title from it!

And just when he started to think that maybe he had dreamed up that entire incident, Leo was reminded of it once more.

Leo had just completed his opening shift and Gaston had arrived at the store to escort the young man home. On the leisurely walk to his apartment, Leo was talking Gaston's ear off about the newest development between his boss and the Grim Reaper.

"I should have kept my mouth shut about working in a bookstore," Leo complained, unaware that Gaston had threaded their fingers together and that they were now walking hand-in-hand. With his free hand, Leo waved it around wildly in frustration, "I get that Grim was already socially inept before he met Isabelle, but you'd have thought with the insane amount of books he's read in his life he'd at least pick up cues and conversation pieces!"

Leo glanced up at Gaston, noting the immortal's shrug and genuine smile as he said, "Maybe Isabelle's beauty has struck our reaper dumb?"

The young man couldn't stop the little green monster in him as he sniffed, "She's not that beautiful... I love her, but she's as much a recluse and nerd as Grim."

Leo felt Gaston's warm gaze before he saw it. With a teasing grin on the immortal's face, "Her beauty is nothing compared to yours, sweetheart."

Though Leo rolled his eyes, he returned Gaston's fondness by gently tugging his hand and tip-toeing to give him a kiss on the cheek. "If you say so, dear."

Leo turned to resume their walk when Gaston yanked him back, their bodies close and the immortal's face mere inches from his own. The young man leaned in, half expecting to be kissed by him when he heard Gaston speak with a hushed reverence, "For centuries I've seen sights that would make blind men weep; a regal goddess, stunning Princes, sunsets and bold innovations concocted out of man's imagination..." With a gentle caress to Leo's cheek, Gaston proclaimed, "But your soul, your one of a kind compassionate soul, outshines them all. You cannot imagine how dark the world was until I saw you."

Gaston leaned in and placed a soft kiss on Leo's forehead. He breathed him in and whispered, "I'm afraid to go back to that darkness..."

Leo closed his eyes, breathing Gaston in as well. He started to raise his arms to embrace the immortal when he heard a sharp hiss of pain. His eyes flew open, for he recognized that sound and prayed that he wouldn't be met with the same sight that haunted his nightmares for months now.

To his shock he saw Gaston's hurried form retreating towards the nearest building. Leo wanted to shout after him, but knew he was too late when he watched Gaston nearly rip the closest door open and disappear from his sight.

Leo tried to ignore the sting of hurt. He knew he probably looked more heartbroken than he felt. If nothing else, he was angry at being left behind. Again.

[Which was weird because Gaston has never abandoned him before. And yet...]

*

Gaston knew he was a coward. He knew that Leo deserved the truth. Hell, Leo deserved the love of someone greater than a lowly, selfish immortal like himself.

But how was he expected to give up on the one thing on this planet that finally gave his pathetic immortal existence worth living?

‘Because his life depends on it,’ said a familiar voice out of the darkness.

Reminiscent of when they first met, on this exact same field of daffodils and during this exact time of day, Gaston sat up and faced the motherly deity he hadn't seen in practically centuries.

He was about to inquiry what She was doing here, regal in red as always, when her words came rushing back to him.

"What do you mean? Whose life depends on what?"

She swept down and plucked a flower, delicately playing with it as She spoke. 'Just so you know; I'm not happy with you right now, Gaston.’

Gaston rolled his eyes, though kept a sincere smile as he said, "I'm not afraid of a pissed off goddess. Not when I have to contend with a pissed off Leo..."

‘Funny you should bring that darling child up...’ She pointed accusingly at him, ‘Considering that's the reason why I'm angry.’

He scowled, confused, "You're a god! Since when do the affairs of lesser beings matter to You?"

She caressed the petals before She plucked one of them out in such a precise movement that Gaston winced for the flower. ‘Since his existence is connected to yours.’ She gave him a cold stare, ‘You know better that coincidences are a mortal's way of understanding how We work. Or worst yet, did you not think there was a consequence to your action when you played god that night on an empty provincial countryside road?’

None of this was new to Gaston. In spending time with both Leo and the reaper, he'd pretty much put the pieces together and concluded that they truly lived in a small world. If he was expecting the goddess to surprise him (let alone guilt him) that night, She'd have to try harder.

A lack of response on his part only seemed to aggravate Her more. Plucking each petal one by one, each swift pull more harsh than the next, She continued, ‘Leo was never meant to live this life. You were meant to see your Leol again, that has always been the plan, but because of your interference, stubbornness, and downright selfishness, you condemned Leo's soul to a short life and violent death!’

Gaston blanched in horror. He found it hard to breathe as he shook his head in denial, "No... I would never..."

‘Granted I was against the idea, but He thought it'd be poetic justice, a sort of balance, to bring Leol back in the form of a life that was never meant to be. That because of your actions, it seemed fair that the same hands that unexpectedly cursed you with immortality would unexpectedly be the same ones that saved you from this cursed existence.’ She threw the stem down, all sadness from her previous tirade gone as her anger returned, ‘Leo was never meant to live this life, but now that he is, he was only brought back for the purpose of ending your suffering! But because you've been selfish and refused to let him help you, you've pretty much negated his sole reason for being born! Do you understand now?’

Gaston understood. He glowered at the goddess before looking away from her because he'll be damned if he had to like it.

But She wasn't done with him yet. Her eyes raged as she proceeded to bring her point across loud and clear. ‘It's already happening.’

Gaston's head snapped at attention, fear in his eyes. "What?"

With a sneer that made Her unfairly more beautiful than it should, ‘Death has been watching him from day one, Gaston, and waiting for a chance to balance the scales. Death's kept a closer eye even more so when you two finally met. That incident with the bookies... then that incident with the billboard, which, was it not by your hand? Gaston, in order for Leo to continue existing in this life, he needs to do what he was born to do. And the more you deny Death the chance,’ She dropped her anger and gave a forlorn sigh, ‘the more vengeful Death will be.’

She walked up to Gaston, whose entire body started to shake with agony and rage. She placed a comforting hand on his shoulder, making sure he looked at Her as she softly pleaded, ‘Do you understand now?’

He didn't say a word, just nodded numbly and tried to suppress the need to strike out at the goddess.

She squeezed his shoulder, ‘Gaston, I love him too.’

He shook his head as he finally stared Her in the eyes, his own wet and haunted, "Not as I do."

‘Then say good-bye and let him bring you peace.’

*

Days later it was the Grim Reaper that told Leo the truth.

"She's running errands," Leo called out from his place behind the café counter. At his downtrodden look, Leo sighed and began concocting the Grim Reaper's usual drink. The young man was grateful that the entire store was momentarily empty. He honestly didn't know how to console a being known for causing literal cold spells when he was depressed while simultaneously dealing with customers.

"I think Isabelle's avoiding me," Grim sighed after the two shared a brief silence. He sat down at the table closest to the café counter and looking every bit like a kicked puppy that Leo silently cursed Gaston for telling him that analogy.

Once the drink was done, Leo came around and joined him at the table. He watched the Grim Reaper nod his thanks before sipping forlornly on the blended drink. "What makes you say that?"

Leo knew exactly why, but he wasn't going to let the harbinger of death know that.

"I have no name!" Grim pouted, "Since when does a name hold more weight than an actual connection between two people?" At Leo's nod, Grim continued, "She also wants to know my job occupation. I couldn't very well lie to her and tell her that I deal with collecting the souls of the recently deceased, now could I."

"No," Leo agreed, "that would probably not go over well. No matter how quirky of a person Isabelle can be."

Grim thunked his head against the table, much to Leo's dismay, before he groaned and said, "You know we're not supposed to do this: form a connection with mortals. It's against the rule book. The Department of Codes and Ethics would motion a strike in my files!"

Leo didn't think to stop himself from saying, "Oh you wouldn't want that..."

"No, I wouldn't!" Grim took another gulp of his drink before he glared at Leo, "I already have one thanks to you and your mother."

"I can't imagine why Isabelle wanted more out of you and your brutal honesty..." Leo scowled.

It was then that a thought occurred to Leo. He knew that it was a stretch, but he had learned what happened if he just waited and depended on Gaston to be honest with him.

"Hey, so..." Leo absently played with his name tag, "If I can help you out with Isabelle," Grim's head shot up, interest gleaming in his eyes, "do you think you can help me out with something too?"

The Grim Reaper frowned in contemplation. "Does it involve the immortal?" He grimaced at a new thought, "Oh, not anything perverse or--"

Leo waved his hands frantically, his eyes wide in horror, "No! No, no, no... No."

Grim cocked his head to the side, searching, "But it does involve him."

"Yes..." Leo fiddled with his tag even more. "It's about... Well, it's about that thing..." He indicated to his chest and hoped that he didn't have to spell it out.

Luckily understanding, and was that sympathy?, dawned in the Grim Reaper's eyes. "You wish to know about the sword in his chest."

"Have you seen it?"

Grim shook his head, "No. I'm not the one fated to remove it."

Hope flared in Leo's chest, "So it can be removed?"

Grim took a sip of his drink and nodded, "Yes." He paused, staring at the cup before he looked back up at Leo. The younger man was nearly bowled over by how beautiful and sad the Grim Reaper's eyes were. "You can."

Those two words had never sounded more prophetic, much less ominous, to Leo.

"What isn't Gaston telling me?" Leo started to reach out to Grim, but upon the reaper's sudden shift in his chair, he remembered that the being had a rule about contact and touching. He sighed and implored with his honest plea instead. "And don't try to spare me or insist that I should hear it from Gaston himself! He'd rather run away than face the truth. Ha! He actually did!"

"I know," Grim said sympathetically.

"So he's talked to you but not to me," Leo glared, "That's amazing. I'm in love with a coward that--" He stared at the Grim Reaper, shocked at his own admission. Even the being before him looked stunned. Leo thought about it and when he realized how very true that declaration was, he knew that should be more of a reason to know the truth. Leo turned his gaze back to Grim and knew that he was the right person to ask.

Grim's gaze was soft as he said, "That's exactly why you're the one to break his curse. Your love matches that of the one that gave him his immortality."

... Well that was a new fact about Gaston he knew nothing about. Leo wasn't an idiot to think that an immortal that has lived as long as Gaston did wouldn't have been involved with other people. He just assumed by how Gaston has treated him and from all his speeches that Leo was... special.

It must have been written on his face because Grim shook his head and said, "You’re his first and only love. He's told me so himself. He was absolutely terrified about you, actually. And he has no reason to lie to me."

"I don't understand..."

"Magic, miracles, the likes of higher powers beyond our control are all real. Especially when fueled by love," Grim started, giving Leo a pointed look, "you should know all about that, Missing Soul."

Leo gulped at that and nodded for Grim to continue. "Long ago, Gaston's body had been laid to rest. He was buried with one of his swords, one that apparently he used while he was a decorated captain in the military. That sword in his chest, once covered by his blood and those he's slain, became enchanted by the only person who has ever loved him. I can tell you that much but I fear Gaston should be the one to tell you more about him..." Grim paused to allow Leo to digest what he'd said so far. When Leo nodded again, Grim continued. "When he was brought back to life, a goddess had told him that it was the desire, empowered by a sincere love, in that sword that was responsible for his immortality. Thus it was only at the hands of someone that could match that love that could remove the sword..." Grim struggled for a second, almost as if the next part pained him to say as much as it will be for Leo to hear. "That's why you're the one who could remove the sword... the sword that's keeping him alive..."

Leo wasn't aware of the tears that started to fall, or the tightening in his chest that made it hard for him to breathe. It seemed impossible, but here was the truth he'd been seeking... and oh how he wished he never sought it out at all.

[Grim Reapers rarely had regret because they never remembered anything in their life to have remorse over. He, however, knew this would be one of them if he hadn't helped Leo. Watching the helpless mortal cry into his hands, the Grim Reaper winced and thought that maybe the other secret regarding the young man can wait... And that hopefully he'll get to tell Leo before he turned 29.]

*

[Part IV]

Leo Evans Dupain 18th Ave. // 24th E. Lane skull fracture // broken spine d. 20.02.2020 - (00:00 - 05:00) b. 15.10.2000

The Grim Reaper stared at the card for what felt like hours but was actually seconds. He blinked several times. He knew he'd be breaking protocol [just another to add to the file] but he couldn't stop himself. Without a second thought, he bolted out of his room to seek out the immortal.

The date on the calendar read Wednesday, February 19.

*

Isabelle shivered, and it had nothing to do with the cool Spring air. She rolled her eyes at the two young adults, both of whom were sitting precariously on the wall surrounding the rooftop building. "You two are making me nervous!"

"Take a drink then! Calm those nerves!" Leo's friend, Chip, crowed from his place next to Leo himself. Both men were well into their third beers and neither looked like they were stopping. Isabelle wasn't a big drinker herself, but she wasn't a prude. Someone, however, had to keep a clear head.

It had started innocently enough. Both Isabelle and Chip were tired of seeing Leo moping over Gaston. Isabelle didn't know the full story, but she knew a tortured heart when she saw one. She'd read enough stories about heartbreak to see the signs. And though Chip might know more than he'd let on, even he seemed to be helpless as to how to help Leo.

As they were closing up shop later that night, Chip declared that [on his dime, of course] alcohol needed to be picked up and enjoyed at Leo's rooftop abode.

[Leo didn't really live on the roof. His apartment just happened to be on the floor right below the rooftop, and thus because of its proximity he preferred to use that area as an escape.]

Not one to reject free beer, and because it's been nearly a week since Gaston had abandoned him and just days since the Grim Reaper told him the truth, Leo was all too enthused to drink away his sorrows.

And though Isabelle had been invited, she willing joined if only because she knew someone had to keep the two in check.

One never knew what shenanigans could happen as the Wednesday hours crept into Thursday.

*

Gaston stared at the card. A frown creasing on his face as he flipped the card back and forth, "It's blank."

The Grim Reaper rolled his eyes, "You're not a reaper. Of course you won't see his name." He snatched the card back, "But it doesn't matter. What does is the fact that," He pulled the pocket watch out and mentally counted the time, "in a less than an hour it will be the early hours of the 20th. Which is when this card said she's going to die!"

Gaston ripped the card back, looking at it searchingly. He growled, "Damn it, Reaper, does it say where and how?"

The Grim Reaper rolled his eyes and took the card back. He placed a calming hand on his friend's shoulder, "It gives a location, though I'm not sure what's around that area that could cause a fractured skull and spine."

"What's the address?"

The Grim Reaper told him what the card said, and Gaston's eyes widened. "That's Leo's building." He headed towards the door, hoping that he wasn't too late. "When he's upset he likes to go up to the roof. I have to go now!"

Gaston threw the front door open and stepped through. The Grim Reaper was tucking the card in his jacket pocket as he started to follow. The door had just closed when he grabbed the knob. He sighed, gave it a twist and a "Wait for me!" as he threw the door open. His feet came to a halt at the threshold as he stared at an empty front stoop. The Grim Reaper looked around the immediate area and both sides of the street before he frowned.

Where did he go?

*

"Ugh! Come on, Leo! I'm hungry!" Chip shouted out to his friend from the street in front of Leo's apartment building.

The trio had decided to grab a late night bite from Patty's, a 24-hour diner a few blocks from where they were. They had just left the elevator and entered the lobby when Leo realized he'd left his phone behind on the roof... somewhere. He insisted that they go on without him as it'll be quicker if he had gone alone.

They took a few steps away from the building before Chip pulled out of Isabelle's grasp, who had been trying to keep him from falling, just so he could start yelling at their friend.

"Leeeooooooo!!!"

Chip leaned back onto Isabelle's annoyed form, the alcohol fuzzing up his balance. He cupped one of his hands, using it like a megaphone as he tilted his head back and yelled up at the complex, "Fuck your phone! I'll buy you a new one!"

"Shut the fuck up! We're sleeping here!"

"Yeah, shut up!"

Isabelle closed her eyes and prayed that Chip didn't--

"My ass is worth this city block! So unless you want my rich ass to buying out your homes and kicking your ass out, YOU SHUT UP!"

"Damn it, Leo..." Isabelle groaned, "Where are you?"

Suddenly Chip started waving his free arm, a wild grin on his face, "Look! There he is!"

The apartment building had eight floors, not including the lobby area, and even though it wasn't the tallest one in the city, it was a far enough drop from the top to cause some serious damage.

Isabelle's gut twisted at the sight of Leo leaning so far over the wall of the rooftop. She glanced at Chip as he continued to wave frantically at their friend, and swatted his stomach. "Stop that!" she hissed at him before her gaze returned to the roof.

Suddenly Leo seemed to flail a little as his upper half leaned dangerously over the edge, his outreached hands making a failed attempt to catch something that was now plummeting towards them. Isabelle and Chip didn't notice the glasses landing near where they stood, for they were too busy panicking that their friend might fall to his death.

*

If nearly falling off a building didn't sober him right up, maybe the horrifying idea of one's last coherent thought before death was that he'll never get to eat Patty's famous fudge sundae should have done the trick. Because why did his last thought had to be food instead of...

The young man had closed his eyes as he waited for the inevitable kiss of death with the asphalt down below, when suddenly he felt a hard yank on his shirt and his broad frame smacking right into an even broader one. Leo realized his body was headed opposite of the nine story fall, and that it was cushioned by what had to be another human being.

His mind immediately processed that he was safe and not a pancake on the city streets below, but every other part had yet to get the message if he had to judge by his erratic and shallow breathes as a panic attack reared its ugly head.

"You're okay, Leo. You're safe. I got you, sweetheart. You're safe..."

Another reason his mind recognized that he was indeed alive and well was due to the immediate warmth from the strong arms that encircled his being and a familiar scent that he associated concepts like "security" and "strength" and, his favorite and one that he'll fight like hell to keep, "home."

Leo closed his eyes and breathed Gaston in.

*

"Just so we're clear; Gaston, I am still so very angry at you."

"I know."

"We still need to have a talk... y'know... about..."

"I know."

"Because if we're going to have a future together--"

"Leo?"

"We need to be open and honest and--"

"Leo?"

"And- and--"

"And, what, love?"

"... and thank you, Gaston."

"For what?"

"Saving me. Again."

"Always. And Leo?"

"Hmmm?"

"You have my word: I will do whatever it takes to keep death away from you."

"Hmmm... That's nice. Although that'd be hard considering the epic bromance you have with the Grim Reaper."

"I will pretend that you say those words while you're still under the influence of alcohol."

"Leo?! Leo! Oh my God, thank heavens you're alive and- and- you're with Gaston? But how did you? We were just--"

"Ugh! I wish I was still under the influence of alcohol! Just so I can stomach all this lovey dovey crap between you two. So I guess you made up? Finally! Come on, Isa-B. Romeo and Mercutio need their post break-up make out. I haz needs for sushi! Or tacos... oh! Sushi tacos! I know a place..."  

*

"If it's any consolation, I don't wish death on you anymore." Gaston had been nursing a beer at the kitchen table, lost in thought as the Grim Reaper approached and sat right next to him.

The immortal gave the reaper a small smile before sliding an unopened bottle into his hand. The reaper gave the bottle a squeeze, chilling its temperature to his preference before flicking the cap off.

Gaston gave a low chuckle and held his bottle up, "I will certainly miss that parlor trick of yours, my friend."

When the Grim Reaper clinked his bottle against Gaston's, he returned the smile and said, "And I will not miss your drunken sing-alongs at two o'clock in the morning."

A booming laugh escaped Gaston's lip, his eyes dancing, "Admit it that will be the one thing you do end up missing about me!"

The Grim Reaper smiled, "Never."

The two drank in silence. It was a nice moment for them. This wasn't an unusual occurrence because since the Grim Reaper had moved in, what started as a once a week drink together slowly evolved into sharing snacks and alcohol every other day. More so when it seemed they were commiserating over their significant others.

It was Gaston who broke the silence. He looked over at the Grim Reaper and said, "Thank you for telling him. I was too much of a coward to do so."

He shrugged, "He deserved to know the truth."

"I have a favor to ask, Reaper."

The Grim Reaper arched a brow, waiting.

Gaston was playing with the beer bottle's label before he finally looked up. "I don't know exactly what will happen to him once I'm... when I... I need Leo to be okay."

The Grim Reaper nodded, "He'll be fine."

"No," Gaston shook his head, "I mean... Leo deserves the world. He wasn't supposed to exist until I made it so."

"Yes, I am well aware of that," the Grim Reaper said bitterly.

"Leo needs to be okay. He had a life before, and he'll have a glorious one after me. I don't want Leo to stop living just because I'm gone. Please help me make sure of that. By any means necessary."

There was an edge of desperation in Gaston's voice that gave the Grim Reaper pause. He regarded the immortal before he sharply gasped, stunned for surely he wasn't asking him to modify Leo’s memories!

Gaston nodded, glad that he didn't have to voice the one request he had that was also breaking his heart. He watched warring emotions flicker on the face of the Grim Reaper. When the being nodded despite his eyes betraying how he felt about it, Gaston breathed a huge sigh of relief.

The two fell back into companionable silence. Neither of them picked up another beer. They remained side by side for the remaining hours of the day.

*

Gaston knew that his time with Leo [and in essence, his time on this earth] was coming to a close. He could feel it in the air as clearly as he could smell the approaching rainstorm that would hit the city they lived in.

The night was warm. Almost humid. And yet when Gaston felt himself whisked away [Leo had done away with matches and always had a lighter on his person], the immortal could feel the chill of death's approach.

When he looked around, noted the familiar skyline backdrop and rooftop decorations, he realized immediately where he was. Especially as he caught sight of a smiling Leo, looking so bright and beautiful as he tended to a spread out blanket and picnic, that it took his breath away. He absently rubbed his chest, an action he should have avoided when Leo looked his way and his smile faltered. His eyes began to fill with fear and concern as he quickly stood up to greet the immortal.

Gaston started waving it off, tried to come off reassuring. Leo regarded him with a pointed look, one that said tonight he wasn't off the hook.

For the next couple of hours, the two men soaked up the food and the company. They bantered, they argued, they teased, and... Gaston was finally honest.

He told Leo everything. From his life and death in Villeneuve, to his resurrection, to his reward and punishment, and even revealing what the goddess had told him about Leo's true role in this life...

Gaston kept as calm as he could, despite the warring emotions within was close to exhausting him. He observed Leo, noting with awe at how empathetic he was. Leo never said a word, just listened. Every once in a while Gaston would reach over and gently wipe a stray tear or two from Leo's face.

Finally, when it seemed every last secret Gaston has kept was now out, he told him about Leol. He told of his friendship to Leol, of his denial in regards to how he saw Leol, of his betrayal to his oldest and most loyal friend.

"Lefou-- No, Leol... Leol was true. And I knew that... and it took me a long time to admit that I was a horrible human being to both of us. But more to him... and to others who didn't deserve it.

"For a long time, every night I dreamed of regret. My penance was this life. And I tried to live it as best as I could. I hoped one day that I would live long enough and that this sentence would end..."

Gaston reached for Leo, cupping his hands gently on the younger's face. "The brief time you've been in my life was the happiest I've been in centuries since I returned from death. For the first time, I wanted my immortality, if only because I got to be with you." He leaned in and kissed Leo's forehead, his voice hitched as he said, "But I can't be selfish... not with your life. Not again, not anymore."

The immortal met the young man's eyes, noting the pain and love shining through. Gaston released his hold on Leo's face and moved to grasp his hands. He gave each hand a revered kiss, invoking a watery laugh from Leo's lips, before he squeezed them gently and pulled the young man closer.

"I want you to be selfish," Leo cried, looking away with frustration and anguish, "Why can't we both be selfish?"

"Leo, darling, look at me."

When the young man met Gaston's imploring gaze, the immortal gave Leo's hands another reassuring squeeze as he said, "Because there needs to be a balance. I got the chance to live a long life... You've barely begun."

"What's my life without you now that I just found you?"

Gaston gave a brave smile as he squeezed Leo's hands one more time, "Hopefully a full one..."

He heard the wonderful sound of Leo's laugh. Even if it was self-deprecating, it was still beautiful and Gaston couldn't have asked for a better sound to be his last.

"Sure, if you say so-- Gaston? Gaston?! No, wait, what are you doing?! Stop!"

Gaston knew from experience that the struggle to remove the sword, specifically done from his own hands, was the type of anguish and hell the likes of Dante wrote about. Though this time around it physically felt like a cool release, the pure agony of listening and seeing Leo fight against it was more torture than any nights he's spent alone removing the weapon.

"'m sorry, Leo..."

Leo struggled to release his hold, tears streaming from his face as he begged, "Gaston, please! Don't do this! Don't make me do this!"

Gaston shook his head, trying not to break his own resolve as he held onto Leo's shaking hands. "I won't have your death be on my hands."

"Then why must yours be on mine?!" Leo keened.

"My love... is stronger... than my life... Death can never kill it..."

Leo scowled despite the small giggle that escaped him. "That was a horrible Princess Bride knock-off. Don't do that."

"As you wish..."

It was a brief moment of levity before they held gazes, Leo's pleading while Gaston's started to fill with sorrow. The immortal did not fear death, but he was terrified of Leo's beautiful life being snuffed out. But it won’t. It will be full and wonderful. Gaston desired it above all else.

Gaston leaned in and stole one soft kiss. Gently despite his words that held so much strength in them, he said, "Live well, my heart."

Leo took a shuddering breath, as if breathing in Gaston as much as he could. Within seconds a sense of calm seemed to have washed over Leo, especially after he stared searchingly into Gaston's eyes and saw an answer to a question he had not considered before. There was a flash of resignation, but quickly it was replaced with heartbreaking resolve. Gaston released his grip on Leo's hands, for he knew Leo would not fight him on this anymore.  

The young man closed his eyes, whispered a prayer that remarkably sounded like one spoken in another lifetime. 

"Find your peace, Gaston..."

Leo took a long hard breath and pulled.

*

A young woman sat in a bookstore. She opened a letter and marveled at the sight of the newly drafted ownership papers within.

A young heir sat in his parked sports car. He absently played with a black Amex and gazed fondly at its engravings.

A reaper sat at a kitchen table. He had opened a bottle of beer and gave a silent toast.

A goddess in red sat in a field of daffodils. She blew a kiss to the sky and smiled.

A young man sat alone on a rooftop. He hugged himself tight and vowed to live to the fullest... tomorrow, for tonight he would grieve.

*

And Gaston?

He found peace.

*

[Epilogue]

Leo Evans Dupain d. 20.10.2029 b. 15.10.2000

He stared at the formerly blank card in his hands. Moments ago he and another were on assignment together. He had five name cards and his partner had four more; ranging around five to seven years old and one adult.

The two reapers were about to embark when suddenly his partner had gotten a call to discard all of the cards... but for one of them to possibly stand by just as a single blank card appeared.

When the name appeared just seconds after the collision, the Grim Reaper shed a mournful tear.

"I'm glad that it's you," a voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Missing soul... I was hoping that I was wrong."

Twenty-nine year old Leo gave a watery laugh. "You did warn me that around my 29th year, I'd be visited by another reaper. Here I thought it'd be under... different conditions. How are you doing, Adam?"

The Grim Reaper, who had gotten his past memories back as a punishment from his bosses for many strikes, least of all falling in love with the reincarnation of his wife, gave a sad shrug. "Considering that I had an unexpected card delivered to me that has the name of a dear friend, I'm well I suppose..."

"Unexpected card?"

Adam started to escort Leo away from the sight before them; a massive car wreckage of a sedan and a runaway cement mixer.

"Yes. We rarely get a card where someone sacrifices their own life for others. That's why it's unexpected."

Leo briefly glanced over his shoulder, noting the parked van of preschool-aged children. He allowed a sigh of relief that there were no reapers within sight of them.

With a wistful smile, "As someone once told me, I lived my life... they've yet to begun theirs."

Leo had lived. He spent the past ten years after Gaston passed just living his life to the best of his capabilities. He traveled. He went to college. He laughed and kept his loved ones close. 

Sometimes it was hard. And a little lonely. He could never see a candle or a flame and not feel a flicker of sadness. 

But he lived. Because that’s what you do to honor those who left you behind.

Adam nodded at Leo’s statement, "That was a surprisingly wise being."

"Speaking of a wise being... she misses you. I suppose we both will now, huh?"

Adam nearly stumbled, once he found out the truth about his past life and how he became a reaper, he knew that he could never be with Isabelle. But he still ached for her.

"I never deserved her in that lifetime, or in this long one that I'm still serving." Adam said as they entered his tea shop. He sat Leo down and began to prepare the tea; one that every soul is given as an act of mercy to forget the pains of their departed life so they can start anew.

When Adam placed the cup in front of Leo, he stared at it for a while before he asked, "Is it true what they say? That a soul is given four lives?"

Adam nodded gently, "One of planting seeds, one of watering them, one of harvesting, and finally of a life to enjoy the harvest."

Leo toyed with the rim of the tea cup before he pushed it away, silently declining and standing up from his seat.

Adam tried to hide his smile over Leo's decision. He was supposed to be indifferent to such things, as per protocol.

Leo walked over to Adam, who had stood with him and nodded towards a door to his left. With a grateful smile, Leo placed a kind hand on his shoulder, and then turned towards the door.

With a fond smile, he said, "I hope we have two more left. I'd like to see him again."

*

[sometime, somewhere in the future]

... two young children are playing in a field. One of them hands another a daffodil that they just plucked for the other.

They both smile.

 THE END

#gafou #gaston x lefou #lefou x gaston #batb au #I'M CRYING BECAUSE IT'S DONE #goddamn it was so hard to do

[helloelizabethsmithposts]

GLORIFYING GODHEAD THE TRINITY, FOREVER AND EVERMORE, AMEN, AND AMEN....🍒🍒🍒🍒

SHOO, AT LEAST YOU ALL ACROSS SEAS, SHOULD BE QUITE VERY HAPPY Y'ALL COUNTRIES HAVE VERY GOOD SENSE [GODLY FEARING THE LORD GOD ALMIGHTY CREATOR OF HEAVEN AND THE EARTH!!!! I'M TAKING EVERYTHING BY FORCE NOW, THROUGH THE POWER OF GOD RESURRECTION POWER IN ME, YOU DAMN DEVILS FROM HELL, Y'ALL CAN'T TELL ME WHAT TO SAY OR DO NO MORE, THE BALL IS IN MY COURT NOW, THEREFORE EVERY DAMN CRIME Y'ALL HID IN THE DARK I WILL BRING IT INTO JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH MARVELOUS RADIANT LIGHT!!! NO THIEF ON OR UNDER THIS EARTH WILL ESCAPE THE DAMNATION THAT IS ON YAL WICKED ASS!!! A CURSE WORD, IS THE VERY WORDS, Y'ALL SAY ON THOSE DUMBDASS SONGS YES, ESPECIALLY THAT I'M SORRY, NOT SORRY PAY BACK IS A BAD _, THAT'S WHAT THAT HOE SAID!!!! Y'ALL EXCUSE THE WICKED AND OVERTHROW THE RIGHTEOUS!!!! NOW YOU LOW DOWN DIRTY DOGS, HAS REALLY ANGERED ME TOO!!! EVERYBODY WILL FEEL HEAVEN'S RAGE, AND FIERCE ANGER, KNOWING I WENT THROUGH THIS DAMN CRAP ALL THESE YEARS, CAUSE OUR DAMM PRESIDENTS WHERE NOTHING BUT GIRLS AND COWARDS!!! WE WILL END THIS HATRED OF COLOR, UPON THESE INNOCENT SOULS ALL THROUGH THE YEARS!!!! AMERICA YAL ASS IS REALLY DAMNED NOW, SO WE WILL CRUSH EVERYTHING YOU OWN AND EVEN YOUR WICKED ASS!!!! I'M NOT JUST TALKING, BUT YOU ALL WILL FIND OUT VERY SOON, MY FATHER GOD WILL DESTROY Y'ALL FOR ME, PERSONALLY!!! YOU ALL ARE FULL OF CRAP, YOU CAN'T SERVE MAMMOTH, AND WANT THE WEALTH AND RICHES THAT BELONGS TO US THE JUST!!!! THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN SUFFERS VIOLENCE,AND THE VIOLENT TAKE IT BY FORCE!!! Y'ALL DID THIS DAMN STUFF, THOSE REBELLION LAWS AGAINST GODHEAD, YOUR HOUSE YOU ALL ARE IN CONTROL OF, YOU WHERE NEVER SUPPOSE TO OVERRIDE THE HOLY BIBLE, GUIDELINES FOR THIS WORLD, IT'S THE VERY PROTECTION OF A LIVING SOUL!!!! Y'ALL MESSED UP MY DAD'S EARTH, NOW I WILL DEAL WITH EVERYONE ACCORDING TO HIS WORD[THE HOLY BIBLE]!!! YOURS PARENTS NEVER TRAINED Y'ALL, WHEN YOU ARE IN DARKNESS YOU DON'T HAVE NO RIGHT TO TELL A QUEEN OF LIGHT HOW TO TALK, WALK, AND LIVE!!! THIS IS PURE EVIL LIKE ANUBIS ON RONIN WARRIORS STATED!!![ IT'S EMBARRASSING TO US WHO HAS BEEN TRAINED TOTALLY INTO THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM, AND THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE HOLY IS UNDERSTANDING!!!!] LIVING IN A COUNTRY THAT'S PARTLY DAMNED REALLY, YOU CLAIM YOU WALK IN UNITY, WHEN EVERYTHING YOU ALL HAS MADE HAS BEEN ONLY ABOUT YOU!!! AND WHAT'S WORSE IS THE THINGS YOU ALL ARE LAUGH AT= THE DEVILISH THINGS YOU ALL REJOICE IN, BUT NOT THINGS IN THE HOLY BIBLE! YOU BLIND DOGS YOU, YOU DARE MAKE THIS WORLD ABOUT YOU, AND KNOW THAT GODHEAD YAHWEH AND YESHUA, DON'T PLAY THIS CRAP, HE CAN DESTROY EVERYTHING, JUST BECAUSE Y'ALL HAS FORSAKEN HIM[LORD JESUS CHRIST]!!! DANG THIS IS SO DEADLY PEOPLE OF GODHEAD AROUND THE WORLD, I SUGGEST YOU ALL GO TRULY INTO Y'ALL HOME KNEEL DOWN AND SEEK GODHEAD QUICKLY!!!! MONEY WAS NEVER MADE FOR Y'ALL TO STEAL FROM THE RIGHTEOUS, AND TO BECOME MORE WICKED!!!! THEY KNEW THIS MY KING, I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BACK THEN, THEIR LOOKS HAD A HIDDEN MEANING BEHIND IT!! Y'ALL WILL HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS SUDDENLY FOR ME HOST OF HEAVEN, AMERICA EVERYONE IN THESE OFFICE'S THAT'S NOT OF GODHEAD WILL BE DESTROYED OFF THE EARTH NOW, THIS BONDAGE MINDSET HAS GONE TO DAMN FAR!!! I THOUGHT Y'ALL WHERE WICKED, BUT I SAID THEY COULDN'T BE MY KING, YES YOU ALL REALLY DID, MANIPULATE EVERYTHING INTO YOUR FAVOR TO MAKE IT SEEM AS IF YOUR RIGHT, BUT YOUR HEART WAS ALWAYS BLACK AND EMPTY!!! VOID= THAT VOID FAMILY WILL BE JUDGED FOR ALL ETERNITY NOW, BECAUSE I'M SO VERY CERTAIN THIS IS THE CORE OF THE CREW WITH LU, WHO WAS KICKED OUT!!! PSALMS 24:1 SAYS THIS= THE EARTH IS THE LORD'S AND THE FULLNESS THEREOF; THE WORLD AND THEY THAT DWELL THEREIN!!! THIS EARTH AIN"T Y'ALL BASTARDS WE WILL THROUGH MY HUSBAND ALPHA AND OMEGA LORD JESUS CHRIST OF MY HEART, WE ARE CASTING Y'ALL OUT AND DOWN NOW!!! HELL IS READY FOR Y'ALL, AND YOUR ENTIRE LYING FAMILY'S IN THIS WORLD!!!! YOUR STEALING DAYS ARE OVER DUMBASS!!! I'M NOT THAT ONE, I WAS A LONG TIME AGO, I'VE BEEN UPGRADED TO A NEW IMPROVED ME, JUST TO GLORIFY MY HEAVENLY FATHER GOD ELOHIM IN EVERYTHING FOREVERMORE. Y'ALL SHOULD HAVE SHUT UP WHEN WE TOLD Y'ALL ASS TOO, BUT THE TALKING AND RUNNING YOUR MOUTH ALL THROUGH THE YEARS, HEAVEN AMERICA DON'T NEED TALK SHOWS NO MORE, TAKE IT AWAY FROM THEM MY KING OF GLORY ALPHA AND OMEGA, THEY HAVE LEARNED TO BE VERY UNGRATEFUL TO YOU, AND YOU GAVE THEM BREATH.OH I KNOW WHAT ABEOJI I REQUEST OF THEE FATHER GOD ELOHIM, THE DEVILS NEEDS TO BE ON RECALL, SEEING THEY DID THIS TRASH IN THIS WORLD, PAY BACK IS A MUG FOR Y'ALL CLEPTO, CONFUSED DOGS IN HEAT, AND IN THIS EARTH!!! OH YEAH EVERYONE NAMED BILL, LOVES MONEY, SO GO TO HELL. THIS IS THE CONSEQUENCES OF SLANDERING ALL OF THOSE HOLY BIBLE HEIRS, IN HEAVEN WITH FATHER MY GOD NEM.... Y'ALL SUFFERED TOO MUCH, JUST BECAUSE THEIR EVIL ASS, NEVER WANTED TO WALK OUT OF Y'ALL LIVES BUT, ACTED LIKE SOME DAMN LEECHES!!!! I KNEW SOMETHING WAS SHADY THAT'S WHAT HAPPENED TO THOSE DUMBASS KIDS OF SATAN WHO TOOK THEIR ASS, AND JUMPED INTO THAT COLOR OF WATER ONLY TO GET ATE UP BY LEECHES, LOVL! THE CHILDREN OF LIES ALWAYS IS STUPID, THEIR NOT SMART, I TOLD MY TWIN THIS IN 98, PEOPLE ALWAYS PRETENDED TO BE SO SMART, YET SO STUPID!!!! OF COURSE ANYONE SERVING A CREATURE IS STUPID, AND GOING TO HELL, THAT'S JUST REALITY!!! Y'ALL AIN'T GOING TO HEAVEN, WE WILL CRUCIFY Y'ALL ASS BEFORE ABEOJI HAS TO DO ANYTHING, NO LIAR IS WELCOME IN NOTHING WE DO OR OWN!!! Y'ALL WILL BE WIPED OUT AND WIPED OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH, FOR HURTING OUR PARENTS OF LIGHT, AND OUR VERY OWN SIBLINGS OF LIGHT. WE DIDN'T KNOW EACH OTHER AROUND THE WORLD, BUT WE DID PRAY FOR EACH OTHER'S SAFETY AND HAPPINESS IN THE HOLY BIBLE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH OUR LORD AND SAVIOR FOR ALL ETERNITY!!!! THAT AND THIS IS WHY YOU NEVER,BY NO ENEMY MERCHANDISE, THEIR ASS TAKE THE CREDIT FOR EVERYTHING WE REALLY DID, AND HAS DONE!!!! Y'ALL DON'T WANT TO KNOW WHICH MINISTERS WE SOWED INTO THEIR MINISTRIES THROUGH THE YEARS, THEN THEY HAD THE NERVE, TO SEND YOU A LETTER IN THE MAIL, TELLING YOU WHAT YOU CAN'T DO!!!! I'M FATHER GOD ELOHIM CHILD, I'LL HAVE YOUR WICKED ASS OFF THIS EARTH JUST BY A PRAYER!!! I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR NEW DECISION OF THIS EARTH WILL BE MY KING OF GLORY ALPHA AND OMEGA, BUT I'M CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO A NEW TRUE AND INTERESTING CHANGE IN THIS LIFETIME... THEY JUST ARE TOO SELFISH, DAMN THEY REALLY WILL GET YOU TO GO BUY HOLY BIBLE WEAPONS JUST TO SHOW THEIR LYING ASS, SOMETHING!!! I HATE EVERYONE WHO READ THE HOLY BIBLE AND IS UNHOLY TO THE CORE!!! MAY GODHEAD YAHWEH AND YESHUA, PUNISH EVERY WICKED PERSON IN THIS EARTH, WHO IS STEALING ANYTHING FROM THE RIGHTEOUS, IT'S WICKED AND THIS IS NOT ALLOWED ON EARTH NO MORE!!!! YOU BEAUTIFUL, PRECIOUS CHILDREN OF GODHEAD THE TRINITY KINGDOM OF HEAVEN RIGHTEOUS JOINT-HEIRS WITH OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST KING OF GLORY ALPHA AND OMEGA, ENJOY YOUR VERY LOVELY,PEACEFUL, AND JOYFUL WEEKEND IN THE HOLY GHOST DAILY AND ALWAYS IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME WE PRAY, AMEN!!! THANK YOU ABEOJI, YOUR EARTH IS GETTING BACK TO LOOKING VERY BEAUTIFUL, AND VERY LOVELY AGAIN, HELP YOUR KIDS AROUND THE WORLD TO BE CONFIDENT IN THEIR LOVE IN JESUS CHRIST KING OF GLORY, OUR SHELTER FROM THE DUMMIES =DISOBEDIENT CHILDREN. Y'ALL BAD COMPANY CORRUPT, GOOD MORALS, DON'T MAKE THE MISTAKE I MADE IN HANGING AROUND PEOPLE WHO NEVER REALLY LOVED ME, BUT JUST WANTED THE THINGS GODHEAD PROMISED ME IN THIS LIFE!!! TO BE HURT BY PEOPLE WHO NEVER HAD GOOD INTENTIONS TOWARD YOU, IT MAKES YOU VERY ANGRY I ADMITT, AND THIS IS WHY I HAVE TO STAY IN THE SHEKINA GLORY, FOR ALL ETERNITY... ONLY TRUE PRAISE AND WORSHIP IN SPIRIT AND IN TRUTH FOREVERMORE, HELPS YOU TO SEE THE BEAUTY IN EVERYTHING GODHEAD HAS MADE!!! SADLY PEOPLE HAS FORGOTTEN GODHEAD BREATHE INTO MAN, SO IT IS WRONG TO DENY THE VERY POWERFUL OF GODHEAD IN ANYTHING, IT'S THE GIFT OF GOD THAT CONSEALETH A THING! THANK YOU OH HEAVENLY FATHER GOD ELOHIM, TELL OUR LOVED ONES WITH YOU THEIR, THANK YOU ARIGATO,GOSAMANIDA,XIEXIE, THANK YOU ALL FOR EVERYTHING YOU ALL EVER TAUGHT US ABOUT THE HOLY BIBLE, IT'S MORE TREASURED TO ME, THAN ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD, ALSO TELL BOAZ I REALLY DO LOVE HIM WHOLEHEARTEDLY, FOR JUST BEING SPECIALLY DESIGNED FOR ME!!! TO LOVE GOD, YOUR PARTNER AND YOURSELF, YOU LEARN THAT SELFISHNESS IS JUST NOT ALLOWED IN YOUR FAMILY!!! I'M FREE NOW, MY DEAR FAMILY AROUND THE WORLD, YOU ARE ALL SO VERY BEAUTIFUL IN GOD'S EYES, IF ONLY YOU LEARNED WHEN A PERSON HATES GODHEAD YOU KNOW THEY WILL HATE YOU TOO, SO GET AWAY FROM THEM, AND STAY AWAY FROM THAT JEALOUS AND ENVY KIND THEY ARE TOXIC TO YOUR HEALTH!!! YOU ALL IT'S NOT ABOUT RACE ANYMORE, BUT IT'S ALL ABOUT THIS ONE QUESTION [ARE YOU LIVING ON FOR OUR LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST KING OF GLORY, OR JUST FOR YOURSELVES?] BOAZAND I HAVE CHOSEN ELOHIM-OUR ETERNAL GOD FOR ETERNITY, SO WE KNOW WE ARE VERY ENTITLED TO THE GREATEST OF THINGS IN THIS LIFE, JUST FOR OBEDIENCE TO OUR TOUSAN FATHER GOD NEM, YOU ALL DECIDE WHAT ARE YOU REALLY DESIRING TO HAVE IN THIS LIFE AND WHOM??? WOW MR.STRONG MAN, BRIGHT AND SHINNING EYES, BLAZING EYES, BODY AS BRASS, HAIR WHITE AS WOOL, AND THE SWORD IN HIS MOUTH. I HAVE TO BOAST ABOUT YOU MY LOVE, BECAUSE OF COURSE WE HAVE BEEN TOGETHER THIS WHOLE TIME, TELLING ON EVERYONE WHO, TICKED ME OFF THROUGH THESE YEARS!!! I HAVE NO REGRETS OF THOSE THINGS WE SUFFERED THROUGH THESE YEARS, I'M JUST SO VERY GRATEFUL TO YAHWEH AND YESHUA FOR TRAINING ME TO THE BEST PARTNER FOR MY MAN AMONG MEN, VIRTUOUS ONE BOAZ, I MISS YOU MY LOVE💝💖💞💗💎!!!! ONLY GOD ELOHIM KNOWS WHO HIS CHILDREN LIFE PARTNER IS, SO GO PURSUE LOVING JESUS CHRIST OUR KING OF GLORY, WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART, IT MEANS NOTHING(VANITY) IF YOU DON'T HAVE THE LOVE OF GODHEAD, IN YOUR SOULS!!! EVERYTHING WAS WORTH IT, TO BE IN THE PLACE WITH GODHEAD YAHWEH AND YESHUA FOREVERMORE, JUST LIKE I WAS AS A CHILD... LOVING AND THINKING ONLY OF MY ABEOJI FATHER GOD EL ELYON😚😙😗😙😍... TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOREVER AND EVERMORE, AMEN, AND AMEN!!! WELCOME YOU ALL KINGDOM OF HEAVEN IN EVERYTHING, AND FOREVERMORE, OH HALLELUJAH IN THE HIGHEST OF PRAISE, TO THE KING OF KINGS, THE LORD OF LORDS, THE PRINCE OF PEACE, THE EVERLASTING FATHER!!!! ENJOY YOUR KINGDOM OF HEAVEN WEEKEND, OR PRECIOUS FAMILY AROUND THE WORLD, AND JUST IGNORE ANY FOOL THAT'S TRYING TO DISTRACT YOU FROM YOUR HOPE, FAITH, AND CHARITY LIVING LIFESTYLE IN, FROM THE HOLY BIBLE!!! GLORY TO GODHEAD IN THE HIGHEST OF PRAISE, GLORY , AND HONORTHAT'S DUE UNTO YOUR NAME FOREVER AND EVERMORE IN JESUS HOLY, WORTHY, AND MIGHTY NAME WE PRAY, AMEN, AMEN, AND AMEN!!!!🌟🌏🏝🛳💑.