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blobbyclouds · 3 years

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Hello I love stuff! So I remember that you headcanons about the main 6 realizing that they're in a game. Can you do headcanons for the main 6 actually appearing in the real world and meeting the player? Imagine the chaos that would ensue when they come into contact with modern technology.

But like... really imagine it. Really just think about playing the game one day and POOF your fav LI is sitting beside you, completely real and a little messy as they look at you with wide eyes

Also, for the sake of these headcanons we’re going to say the LI is aware that they were in a game :) (because I don’t feel like dealing with any existential crises)

Warnings: none!

-Asra Alzanar-

Definitely the most chill about popping into another world. Pretty normal stuff for him when spells go backwards

You on the other hand backed up against the wall like a blushing mess while he calmed you down as quickly as he could. He was calmer than you simply because he’s always sensed that there was more to the mc in the game than what met the eye

Asra was a fast learner as you taught him all about Earth

It was interesting, to say the least, having to explain Asra’s presence for the few weeks he was with you before the spell wore off. Luckily, by saying he was an exchange student and using a few deception spells, it was no problem

Sorting out his fashion sense was interesting too

“No, Asra, you can’t wear mystical robes or magical amulets to the cafe.”

“But… magic is my thing.”

“But magic isn’t a thing here.”

He ended up playing with a lot of different styles of our world and unfairly looked amazing in all of them??? He’s aesthetic in everything??

Always sweet and affectionate, touching you in some way because he can’t really believe he gets to the meet the real you <3

Whenever you went out, he liked to hold your hand

He really liked getting to learn about your life outside the game, like your hobbies, school/work, and other such interests

He was really happy to meet your friends and family, sizing them up to decide if he completely trusted them to take care of his darling apprentice

If you come from a bad home or anything, it’d break Asra’s heart and he’d do literally everything in his power to help you. And with any other problems in your life, he’d put his heart and soul into helping you too

When he had to leave, he taught you a special way to make the game glitch so he’ll know that something is really wrong and he’ll come to the real world asap

-Nadia Satrinava-

More than a little surprised that Asra’s spell landed her here

You two made eye contact and it took you both a second to process what was going on

“Oh. Good evening, Nadia. What brings you here?”

“Good evening. It seems Asra’s spell has landed me in your home world.”

And then the “??!!?!!?!?” feeling hit both of you and you went into extreme planning mode

In a few minutes, you two had figured out when Asra’s spell would wear off and bring her home, a cover story for Nadia’s stay, and had everything planned perfectly because y’all are a power couple

Nadia had a bit of a rough first day with technology and no servants to help her figure all this new stuff out

The first time she saw a car was when you were walking outside your house, and she yanked you behind a bush because she thought it was some sort of monster

She was super flustered when you explained it was just a car, but you insisted you thought it was sweet of her to “protect” you

Nadia felt really bad about not being able to pay you back for your kindness and tried to make up for it by being helpful around the house

No matter what type of wardrobe you have, Nadia helped plan your outfits for the few weeks she was there

You two went shopping once and she managed to get a bunch of deals

Yeah, she’s better at sweet talking and bartering than you’ll ever be :(

She wanted to know all about your interests and hobbies, they’re all fascinating to her

She gives the best advice and listens attentively to any of your problems

Have any toxic friends? Rude family members? Teachers or bosses making your life miserable? Nadia will verbally demolish them and make sure you’ll be treated well after she’s gone

When she eventually had to leave, she left you a sweet letter to read whenever you’re sad

-Julian Devorak-

Pure utter chaos when he first pops in

You’re yelling, he’s yelling, everything is a mess

Eventually, you both calm down though and manage to talk things out, Julian rambling so quickly you can barely understand him

The two of you manage to figure out that Asra’s spell will last a few weeks. So, in the meantime, Julian is stuck with you

At first he acted all confident as he tried to convince both himself and you that he had this entire situation under control

That is, until he stepped into the kitchen and nearly caused three disasters in five seconds

You gave him a crash course on Earth and he literally took notes and made flashcards that he would randomly look at as you showed him around

When friends and family began to question his presence, the both of you had this elaborate story about how Julian was a childhood friend who was stopping in town to meet up with his family. There were character names and everything, y’all really got into it

He’s fascinated by the medical advances in the real world and loves all those hospital shows like Grey’s Anatomy. You two are definitely going to spend some time cuddled up on the couch watching those shows

He was so excited about seeing everything and kind of frustrated he couldn’t get you anything as a way to repay you for taking care of him and being such a good teacher in general

He actually picked a bunch of flowers for you, and while you’re certain he stole some of them, it was a very kind gesture

If you got sick at all during his stay, he’d go into doctor mode and nurse you back to health

He was constantly making plans to spend every single second he could with the real world version of you, so that he could return to his world knowing as much about you as he could

-Muriel-

When he simply appeared in your room you two silently stared at one another for a very long time and then began to panic

Muriel was more flustered than you because it took him a second to realize he was right in front of the real mc, the real version of you

You managed to calm him down though, and after that it was pretty smooth sailing

Muriel was not a fan of the attention he got for his height whenever you two went out to malls or other such public spaces

It was just a lot to process. You both knew each other, but Muriel’s mind couldn’t quite process the real world version of the mc he knew so well and you couldn’t quite believe that Muriel was here in real, 3-D form

It was even harder for you because everyone wanted to know all about him and kept asking all these questions him

That’s why you spent the majority of your time in less public spaces or just stayed home and enjoyed things like baking, video games, and movies

Muriel really enjoys farming games like Stardew Valley and Animal Crossing and he’s really good at them too

Is 100% down to be a listening ear for all your real world problems

He feels a little guilty that he’s known you for so long, yet this is the first time he’s been able to help you with your real life problems

So he plans on being as helpful as he can be for the few weeks he’s with you and insists on helping with any chores around the house

When he had to leave, he tried to stay calm, but the moment you started getting upset, he’d get upset too

He left you a wood carving of one of your favorite things, like a favorite animal, favorite character, favorite something that would mean a lot to you and show you there’s always of part of him with you

-Portia Devorak-

When Portia suddenly popped into existence beside you, you were both surprised, but like, too shocked to properly freak out?

“Oh. Hello, Portia.”

“Oh. Hello to you too. You look a little different… where are we?”

You managed to get in a pretty calm explanation about where she was and a bit of info about the modern world before she started freaking out

She was stuck here for two weeks and neither of you knew any way to get her back to her own world, so you decided to just go with it

Portia was mystified by all parts of modern life

Her favorite things are always the clothes and the food

Technology low key scared her for the first few days, but you helped her adjust

Her favorite thing is ordering stuff online because there’s so much cool stuff!!! And she can get it all in the click of a few buttons!!! So cool!!!

She always links your arm with hers when you’re showing her parts of town so that the two of you can’t get separated

She’s pretending to be a good friend of yours who is coming from out of the country and will be staying for a few weeks

You two do a lot of baking and Portia only starts one, little fire by using the microwave wrong :)

If you have any big problems in your life Portia is an absolute sweetheart about them. She listens perfectly and will give you all the advice and comfort you need

She’s such a cheerleader and gives you a bunch of compliments and support that she can’t give to you in the game

When the time came for her to leave, she wrapped you in her arms and wouldn’t let go until Asra’s spell pulled her back into the game

After she left, you realized she had secretly made you a cute stuffed animal version of Pepi just for you <3

-Lucio-

S c r e a m i n g

He got really defensive really fast because he was so confused

You confused him because you look a lot like the mc in the game but, since this is the real world you, you look recognizable but different

You had to carefully pry the make-shift weapon he had grabbed and explain who you were and what you thought had happened

After that Lucio chilled out but was still a little on edge

With all the technology you showed him he either loved it or hated it

Itty bitty phone screens that don’t respond to his metal hands, somewhat larger tv screens that are as confusing as Asra’s magic, and dumb people called Siri who can’t understand him? Stupid

Super fast cars and speakers that blare music? Very cool

He wasn’t the best at hiding the fact that he’s from a game and almost let it slip a few times

So you have to dive into the conversation to assure this random stranger that no, your exchange student is only joking about being a count, isn’t he hilarious???

Give him a sharp elbow in the ribs to shut him up, works 9/10

He loves movie theaters so much and will beg to go there all the time while he’s with you

He’s always very touchy because this is probably the only time he’ll get with the real version of you, and he wants to savor every bit of it

He’s an extremely picky eater and seems to only like the food you make

While spending time with the version of you in the game is always fun, it was always wonderful to get to meet the real you. A few weeks didn’t feel like nearly enough time to get to know you

He acted like going back to the his world wasn’t a big deal up until the last second when the spell started pulling him back. Then, blinking away tears, he wrapped you in a far too tight hug that was surprisingly comforting

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cheesygrayson-blog · 6 years

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That’s What They All Say

I don't even know what this is other than not good ok read at your own risk

Summary: When you get bored at your friends’ house and start looking for ways to occupy yourself on your phone, your innocent texting gives Grayson an idea.

Word Count: 2,566

Warnings: it’s not like full on smut but its kinda saucy; not good

"I'm so bored," Grayson said as you sat with him on their living room couch, watching Ethan play Fortnite.

"Same," you sighed. When the twins had asked you to hang out, you didn't envision lazing around all day watching them play video games.

"Don't worry guys, I'm almost done," Ethan said for the third time since you'd gotten to their house over an hour ago, craning his neck to look at the two of you over his shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah," you shook your head and waved him off while pulling out your phone, trying to find some way to occupy yourself. You remembered that you had downloaded Tinder a few days before, so you opened the app to see if you had any new messages.

From: Tyler Hey ;)

You rolled your eyes at the winky face but decided to message him back anyway, just to see how much you could tease him before he got mad.

To: Tyler Sup

From: Tyler Not much, laying in bed wishing I had someone here with me

To: Tyler Is that right

From: Tyler Yeah :/ what u up to

To: Tyler Hanging out with a couple of my friends but they're being boring

From: Tyler Hmm. I could keep you entertained ;)

To: Tyler You think so?

From: Tyler Oh yeah. You'd be having a ton of fun if you were here now ;)

To: Tyler What would we be doing

From: Tyler Whatever you want

To: Tyler Monopoly

You laughed lightly at your response, thinking that the conversation was probably over after that, so you locked your phone and turned your attention back to the boys. Grayson was on his phone and Ethan was still playing Fortnite. You sighed and picked your phone back up, surprised to see that Tyler had messaged you back.

From: Tyler I think I can think of something even more fun

To: Tyler Like what

From: Tyler Like burying my dick so far inside you that you feel it in your throat

To: Tyler Eh

From: Tyler Eh?

To: Tyler No guy has ever given me an orgasm so your offer doesn't really thrill me

From: Tyler I could give you multiple

You let out a loud snort as you typed out your response.

To: Tyler That's what they all say

"What?"

"Huh?" you whipped your head in the direction the sound came from.

"What are you laughing at?" Grayson asked.

"Oh," you chuckled and handed him your phone. "Some guy on tinder."

Grayson was silent for a few moments while he read through your conversation on tinder. You watched him as his eyes moved back and forth across the screen, cracking a smile when he saw your Monopoly comment. His expression quickly changed, however, his jaw clenching and a stormy look settling in his eyes. He slowly turned his gaze to you, his eyes dark and pupils dilated.

"Are you serious?" Grayson asked.

"W-what?" you asked, his sudden mood shift making you a little nervous.

"You've never had an orgasm?"

"I didn't say I've never had one," you could feel yourself blushing with embarrassment. "Just that no guy has ever given me one," you mumbled.

"Didn't you date that one guy for like, six months?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Six months and he couldn't figure out how to make you cum?"

You just shrugged, feeling a little embarrassed even though you really had no reason to. It wasn't your fault that your ex had no knowledge of the female anatomy.

"You don't have to be embarrassed," Grayson said, as if he could read your mind. "It's not your fault you've been fucking scrubs... well, actually, maybe it is," Grayson laughed.

You huffed and looked to Ethan to defend you, only to find that he was still completely engrossed in his video game, his headset drowning out the conversation between you and Grayson. You took your phone back from him and crossed your arms, slumping against the couch.

"Don't pout," Grayson said, a smile clear in his voice.

"I'm not," you insisted, even though you knew you were.

"Hmm," Grayson hummed and rubbed his chin. "Maybe you should keep talking to that guy and see what happens. Maybe if you got some dick you wouldn't be so moody," he teased.

You turned to face him and gave him the best glare you could manage. He was already looking at you with an annoying smirk on his face. Grayson loved to tease you, and even though you knew it was all in good fun, sometimes you wished he'd just shut up.

"Probably wouldn't matter anyway," he said without breaking eye contact. You rolled your eyes and focused back on what Ethan was doing. Ethan, who was frantically punching buttons on his controller and occasionally yelling at the TV, was still completely unaware of your exchange with Grayson.

You sat and watched Ethan for a while, and you were just about to complain about your boredom again when Grayson's hand landed on your inner thigh, dangerously close to the hem of your shorts. You turned to look at him, your eyes as wide as saucers. Grayson's eyes were trained on the TV, but his mouth held a tiny smirk.

"What are you doing?" you whisper-yelled at him.

"Don't worry about it," he grumbled while pushing his fingertips just under the edge of your shorts.

"I'm serious Grayson," you said quietly with a slight tremble in your voice.

"Just tell me if you want me to stop," he finally looked over and met your gaze with his hooded eyes. He kept eye contact as he pushed his fingers further under your shorts, so they were grazing the edge of your cotton panties.

"S-s..." Grayson raised his eyebrows, but continued to slowly inch forward towards where you couldn't decide if you wanted him or not.

"Stop?" he asked in a low voice. You mulled it over in your head for a moment. You turned away from him, closed your eyes, and took a deep breath. You decided to throw caution to the wind, and when you turned to look at him again, there was fire in your eyes.

"You really think you'd be able to get me there, Grayson?" you challenged.

"I know I can," he said, a cocky look on his face.

"Mmm," you hummed, giving him a smug smile. "That's what they all say."

Grayson's eyes darkened and the cocky smile vanished from his face. He pushed his fingers the rest of the way under your shorts and ran his index finger between your folds. He bit the inside of his cheek in frustration upon realizing that you were bone fuckin' dry.

He pulled his hand away from you and inserted his index and middle fingers into his mouth to add a little lubrication, since you weren't giving him any, and quickly shoved his hand back beneath the leg of your shorts. Grayson began rubbing tight circles on your clit, and you did your best to react as little as possible. However, you couldn't stop the tiny gasp that escaped your lips, allowing Grayson's smirk to reappear.

"Don't get cocky on me, hun," you quietly chided. "I want you to succeed."

"I will," he mumbled. He brought a finger down to run between your folds again, pleased to find a little more moisture there than the first time.

Grayson suddenly pulled his hand away from you, and you were about to ask why when he pushed his hand under the waistband of your shorts in order to get a better angle. His fingers went back to working on your clit, faster and with more pressure this time. You bit hard on your lip and glanced at Ethan, who's attention was still completely focused on his game.

You were starting to get bored with the rubbing, and you were just about to tell Grayson to do something else when he started teasing your entrance with his middle finger.

"Do it," you whispered. Satisfied with your permission, Grayson slowly eased his finger inside you. It burned for a second, but that soon gave way to pleasure when he quickly found your G spot. Your muscles involuntarily tensed when he curled his finger, and your legs clamped shut around his hand. Grayson reached over and gripped your knee with his free hand so he could keep your legs open. He hooked your leg over his own so that it was trapped between his thighs, and he continued his work on your now fairly wet pussy.

"Wish you weren't wearing these shorts," Grayson rasped. "It would be a whole lot easier."

"Mmm," was the only response you could manage. You were enjoying what Grayson was doing, but you could feel your body quickly getting used to it, so you needed him to switch things up.

"Another," you breathed. Grayson looked at you as he did what you asked. He liked watching how you reacted to the new feeling, how your mouth fell open and your eyes rolled back and your body slightly convulsed. It gave him a feeling of confidence and power, and he'd be lying if he said it didn't turn him on, seeing what he could do to you.

Even though your body reacted a bit dramatically at first, you quickly composed yourself as your eyes focused on Ethan. You couldn't deny that you liked the rush, the dangerous feeling you got from knowing that you could be caught with Grayson's hand down your pants at any moment. Your hands involuntarily drifted up to your chest and you started playing with your nipples over your shirt, all while continuing to watch Ethan play Fortnite.

Grayson noticed you watching his brother, and he didn't like it. He was the one that was knuckle deep in your pussy, all of your attention should be on him.

"Don't look at him," Grayson's gruff voice pulled your focus away from the older twin. "Eyes on me."

You slowly turned your head to face Grayson, your heavy lidded eyes connecting with his. His lips were parted and his tongue was poking out slightly, and you couldn't help but imagine how it would feel if his tongue was doing the work that his fingers currently were. Before your mind got too off track, Grayson curled his fingers so that they scraped against your front wall, causing a gasp to fall from your lips.

"Come on, baby," he muttered. "Cum for me."

"Not there yet," you whispered, your eyes drifting back towards Ethan. Before you could fully focus on him, though, Grayson's free hand gripped your jaw and forced you to face him again.

"I told you to keep your eyes on me, sweetheart," Grayson chided.

"Sorry," you cooed. The corner of Grayson's mouth ticked up in a tiny smirk when you apologized, and without warning, he shoved a third finger into your wet cunt and started rubbing hard circles on your clit again with his thumb. You let out a strangled gasp and gripped his wrist to still his motions and allow your body a moment to adjust.

"You okay?" Grayson asked with a hint of concern in his voice.

"Yeah," you slowly loosened your grip on his wrist. "Yeah, I'm good, continue."

"You sure?" he asked, wiggling his fingers ever so slightly. That tiny movement alone was enough to make you eyes roll back in your head.

"Yes I'm sure, please Grayson keep going," your hands travelled back up to your chest as Grayson continued his assault on your dripping core. You gasped loudly when you felt the telltale tightening in your lower abdomen, shocking you by letting you know that your orgasm was close.

"Oh my God, oh my God Grayson, I'm almost there," you whined as quietly as you could, briefly glancing at Ethan to make sure he was still unaware of what was going on behind him. Grayson, of course, didn't like your attention being turned away from him, even for a moment, so his firm grip returned to your jaw and wrenched your face back to look at him.

"You look at me when you cum," he softly demanded. You clung to the last ounce of attitude you had in your body and quirked an eyebrow at him.

"Yes sir."

Grayson's eyes darkened and his fingers curled inside you, almost as if he was clenching his fist, and his thumb rubbed hard against your clit. Before another thought had time to enter your mind, you felt your walls tighten around Grayson's fingers as your orgasm took over your body. Your jaw dropped open but no sound left your mouth save for a few soft gasps, all of your noises trapped in your throat. Grayson moved his thumb from your jaw and hooked it in the corner of your open mouth, pushing it forward to run over your tongue. You closed your mouth around it and bit down lightly before swirling your tongue around his digit, causing a short huff to fall past Grayson's lips.

Grayson let you grind on his hand, riding out your orgasm. You couldn't believe how much better it felt compared to when you got yourself off. By the time your release had run its course, you were out of breath and a thin layer of sweat covered your body. Grayson pulled his hand from your shorts and immediately brought his wet fingers to his mouth so he could taste you.

"Oh my God, Gray-"

"Victory Royale!" Ethan's voice rang out, cutting you off. Your eyes darted back to him to see that he was celebrating his win on Fortnite, spinning in circles in his chair with his hands thrown in the air.

"Victory royale indeed," Grayson mumbled beside you, trying to hold back his shit eating grin. You nudged his shoulder and gave him a look, warning him to keep his mouth shut.

"Okay guys, what do you wanna do?" Ethan asked, his gaze finally settling on the two of you. "Is it hot in here?" he asked, furrowing his brow. "You look a little flushed, (Y/N)."

"Uh, yeah, no, I'm fine, maybe a little warm, but I'm fine," you rambled.

"Okay," he gave you a look and turned back to Grayson. "What do you wanna do?"

"Would you mind going and getting us food? I don't really feel like leaving," Grayson said as he stretched out on the couch.

"Uh, yeah, I guess," Ethan agreed. "What do you want?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. "Just get whatever you want."

"Alright, fine. (Y/N), want anything specific?"

"I'm fine with whatever," you answered, mind still spinning too much from everything that had happened in the last few minutes to even think of a food that existed.

"Okay, cool, I'll be back soon," Ethan called over his shoulder as he exited the room. You and Grayson sat in silence until Ethan's car was heard leaving the driveway. Once he was sure that Ethan was gone, Grayson stood from his seat on the couch and positioned himself directly in front of you.

"Yes?" you asked, mentally preparing yourself for the inevitable I told you so that was coming your way.

"I lied," he said simply.

"What?" you asked, genuine confusion painting your face. "When?"

"Just now. To Ethan," he said as he sunk to his knees in front of you.

"I know what I want to eat."

#ew #I'm sorry #grayson dolan #grayson dolan imagine #grayson dolan smut #dolan twins #dolan twins imagine #dolan twins smut #dolan #grayson #stella writes things

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evedaye · 6 years

Text

Traditions

This is for @abbygriffindaily ‘s fall fest Day 3: Pumpkins

Pairing: Abby Griffin/Marcus Kane

Set in season 2. Sometime in October before Mt. Weather.

He’d found them at a tiny stall in a traveling marketplace and felt absolutely awestruck. Of all the things that had used to grow on earth, they were the most fascinating. Deep orange in color (something they almost never saw on the Ark), and giant, at least compared to most of the other produce, they seemed almost magical.

He remembered being intrigued by the stories of their use in History, everything from desserts to a fancy container for candles on All Hallows Eve. He’d loved to comb through the archives, gleaning information about long lost traditions from Earth.

So when he’d seen them resting with several types of squash, he knew he needed them. They weren’t as big or round as the ones he’d seen in their digital books on the ark, but they were just as beautiful, their rich orange skin a color Marcus still wasn’t used to seeing in person. He was amazed, and determined all at once. The people of the Ark deserved at least one nice thing on this Earth, and he now knew how to give it to them.

Luckily, he’d brought a cart from the camp, as it was his job on this particular supply run to barter for a variety of food. They’d begun to grow what they could in the new climate, and of course had some seedlings from farm station on each of the stations that fell to the ground, but they were limited by timing and knowledge. So far, he’d managed some apples, beets, brussel sprouts, cabbage, squash and berries that looked like grapes. And now, the pumpkins. He made the deal, grabbing one other special treat. He traded some of his own supplies, and headed back toward camp Jaha,

As he made his way along the road to camp, he thought about some of the traditions he’d found the most interesting. All Hallows’ Eve or Halloween as the people of Earth had commonly referred to it before the bombs, was celebrated on the last day of October, only about two weeks away. He thought maybe he could convince Raven to plan some sort of celebration. Throw in a little moonshine, the pumpkins carved into Jack-o-lanterns for decoration and it might even feel like a real holiday.

Raven immediately agreed, hurrying off while saying something about accessing the Ark’s old database of music, and the plan was in motion. Now all he had to do was figure out how to carve these things.

Cutting open the top and scooping out the insides (saving the seeds for planting and as much flesh as he could for eating of course) was the easy part, he soon discovered as he attempted to carve the first Jack-o-lantern face. He managed a couple of rough triangle shapes for eyes, and a fairly crooked mouth with his large knife, realizing he could really benefit from a some smaller carving implements. But aside from a small hunting knife, the only thing he could think of for more intricate details in the camp was a scalpel, and he wasn’t quite sure how to get this idea past Abby.

He tried to look nonchalant as he wandered into the medical tent looking for supplies, but Abby noticed him almost immediately.

“Marcus, do you need something? Is someone hurt?” She questioned quickly.

“No, no, nothing like that. I, uh...just needed to ask you if I could borrow something.” He reassured, trying to seem like he wasn’t up to anything, but Abby was at once suspicious.

“What exactly do you need from Medical?” She asked, eyebrows raised.

Well, the jig was up. He might as well come clean with her now.

“I found some pumpkins on my supply run, and I, ah...thought maybe since Halloween, you know, that Earth holiday in October was coming up, we should maybe have a celebration.” He stumbled through the words, feeling foolish, but Abby smiled.

“Are you planning on making Jack-O-Lanterns, Marcus?” She replied with a slight sparkle in her eyes, and Marcus remembered the conversation they’d had as teenagers on the Ark.

___________

Abby had always been just as proficient in History as Marcus, although slightly less fascinated by it, favoring anatomy and biology studies. Since they were evenly matched in the subject, they often studied together. They’d once had a test where they’d had to memorize three beliefs or traditions from cultures about each Holiday, and he’d traded some old radio parts and a couple of extra rations for two pieces of chocolate and invited her to his family’s quarters to study.

When they came to the Halloween section of the test, they’d agreed that the Samhain beliefs about the veil thinning between the earthly realm and the spirit world, prompting the idea that by dressing as a spirit, humans would be passed over by any creatures released from the underworld, and the long standing tradition of carving pumpkins into faces to represent soul lights, were the most fantastical and interesting, so that left only one. He knew that the tradition of trading sweets to prevent misdeeds had mostly been adopted during the commercialization of the holiday, but he found it the most fun, and he hoped Abby would too.

“Before we decide on the last one, I have something I think you’ll like,” Marcus nervously mumbled as he and Abby sat cross-legged on his bed. “I uh, want you to close your eyes though, and open your mouth.”

She looked at him like he’d grown a third eye, her eyebrows raised. “What? Why Marcus? What are you planning on doing? This isn’t about that stupid tradition of tricks is it?”

“No, I promise, no tricks. Just, please, it’s really not anything bad.” He replied, more nervous than when she’d first walked through the door, smelling of Jasmine, smiling shyly and making his heart race.

“I don’t know.” She drawled, looking like she might be considering it.

“I would never hurt you, Abby. Never.” He replied, taking her hand in his and looking into her eyes.

“Ok, but if it’s something gross, I’m leaving.” She pronounced, narrowing her eyes slightly.

“Deal.” He nodded, a silent promise that she could trust him.

She closed her eyes, and opened her mouth, and he placed the chocolate on her tongue.

“This is my favorite tradition, I thought maybe it could be ours.” He spoke gently, feeling as though he was jumping off a cliff.

“Chocolate!” She squealed, “where did you find this?” She opened her eyes and threw her arms around him.

“Oh you know, around. Mess hall,” he joked, smiling. Her giddy excitement was contagious.

“This is perfect.” She said quietly, still smiling. “Thank you, Marcus.”

“You’re welcome Abby.” He replied, wishing they could stay in this moment forever.

__________

“Actually, yes, Jack-O-Lanterns are exactly what I’m planning.” he replied, smiling. “I thought it might be fun. And that’s certainly something we could use around here.”

“I think it’s a great idea, Marcus.” Abby replied, on one condition. “I get to carve some too.”

“Absolutely.” He agreed readily, grinning.

Some time later, they were elbows deep in pumpkin guts, laughing like they hadn’t in years, if ever. They had both been successful with their small hunting knives, and the additional help of the scalpel. They all had very different faces, some quite intricate, and Marcus and Abby were both pleased with the results.

Raven soon came looking for Marcus, telling him that she’d planned everything for the next night, and almost immediately rushed off to gather more supplies.

“I’d better go check on Medical,” Abby said, brushing some loose hair out of her face, leaving a few strings of pumpkin on her temple.

“Yeah, we’ve been at this for a while,” Marcus replied, unconsciously reaching to pick the pumpkin from her face. She sucked in a quick breath at his touch, and he pulled his hand away.

“Sorry, you just had some pumpkin on your face,” he supplied, attempting to smooth over the tension that had surfaced.

“Oh, thanks,” she answered quietly. “And thanks for this Marcus. I haven’t laughed like this in years.”

“Yeah, me neither,” Marcus said sadly, remembering the cold, unfeeling front he’d had to construct to keep their people alive on the Ark.

“Goodnight Marcus.” Her voice sounded almost conflicted, as if she really wanted to stay.

“Goodnight Abby.” He smiled, watching her as she walked away.

The next day the camp was buzzing, excitement for the celebration that evening lifting the whole camp’s spirits. Almost everyone had pitched in, some making food from the supplies Marcus brought back, some creating makeshift tables and chairs, several collecting wood for a larger fire, and a couple helping Raven run the sound system through the speakers in the Rover.

Marcus and Abby had collected enough torches to light the Jack-O-lanterns and had loaded them into a cart currently hidden from view. Now they just had to wait for nightfall.

As the sun began to sink below the trees, people began moving things into place, lighting the fire and setting out dishes of hot food. They had plenty of moonshine made up, and the engineering team was just connecting the last of the wires. Suddenly, upbeat music streamed across the camp, and a resounding cheer followed.

They danced, drank and ate well into the evening before Marcus and Abby pulled the cart out with the Jack-O-Lanterns already shining light in every direction. One person looked up from the merriment as they walked by, then shouted, “hey guys, look, it’s like Halloween!” Everyone crowded around them, marveling at the pumpkins, exchanging ideas they’d heard about the Holiday, smiling and laughing. It had worked. Marcus turned to look at Abby, and the smile on her face warmed his entire body.

Several people carefully lifted the Jack-O-Lanterns, depositing them in strategic locations so everyone could see. Groups of people moved from one to the others, smirking about the funny ones and inspecting details on the more intricate designs.

Marcus was feeling ridiculously happy. Something had actually turned out right for once, and even if tomorrow brought more heartache and pain, at least they’d remembered what it felt like to have fun. He wanted to ride the wave of contentment while it lasted, so he plucked up the courage, with a little help from the moonshine, and walked over to where Abby was talking with a few of the kids, intent on asking her to dance.

She smiled as she saw him approach, excusing herself from her previous conversation.

“Marcus, this was a wonderful idea,” she hummed, grasping his arm. “I can’t believe how relaxed everyone looks.”

“I know. It’s really something. I didn’t think about how much we all needed it. Just a little time to let go of everything else and enjoy this amazing place.” He sighed, soaking in the moment.

“Abby, will you dance with me?” He asked, his voice unsure. He held out a hand and she took it readily.

“Yes Marcus, I’d love to.” She smiled sweetly, allowing him to guide her gently toward an unoccupied corner.

He put his hands on her waist, but she pulled him closer, wrapping her arms around him, eliciting a gasp. He was certain she could feel his heart rate increase when she rested her ear against his chest. This was near perfect bliss. He never wanted to leave. They danced to the calm, romantic song, and when another one came on after, he couldn’t help but wonder if Raven might be trying to subtly tell them something. He chuckled lightly at the thought.

“I almost forgot, I have something for you,” he whispered in her ear, feeling her shudder slightly against him. He pulled back, gently taking her hand, placing the paper wrapped square of chocolate in her palm.

“Is this what I think it is Marcus?” She gasped, eyes lighting up. “Our tradition?”

“You remember that day?” He questioned, excited.

“Of course I do!” She exclaimed. “That was one of my best memories of the two of us, before...” she trailed off.

“Before I became who I was and pushed you away,” he supplied, his tone lace with bitterness.

“We were different people up there, Marcus. That’s not who you are to me now. You’re...someone new. Well, almost new.” She murmured, taking the chocolate out of the wrapper and breaking it in half.

“I have another piece,” he started, but she cut him off by placing one of the pieces between his lips, smiling.

“I know you do. This way you can surprise me another time.” She replied, wrapping her arms around him for another dance. She wanted to live in this moment as long as time would allow.

#kabby #kabby fic #abbygfall #my fic #abby griffin #marcus kane #the 100 #pumpkins #jack-o-lantern

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you-make-me-wander · 7 years

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The joys of you - Chapter 5

Read on AO3, FF, Wattpad or under the cut.

Five minutes of wandering aimlessly through the St. Mungus’ hallways later, Scorpius finds Rose at one of the Nurses Station, filling in what seems to be a patient’s chart. She’s smiling as she makes small talk with one of the older nurses, and Scorpius hangs back waiting for her to be finished. If someone were to ask him, he’d say it’s obviously out of politeness, not wanting to interrupt Rose as she works; in truth, however, he knows that it’s just so he can look uninterruptedly at her, to confront his memories of Rose and see how well they’ve stayed true to all that she was, all that she now is.

She really doesn’t seem to have grown at all. Having towered over Rose since their Fifth Year, just when they started getting closer (and thank Merlin for that, they'd been about the same height until then), Scorpius was a good foot taller than her by the time he left. He’s always enjoyed their height difference though; the way he used to wrap his arms around her and rest his chin on top of her head, how she had to get up on her tiptoes if she wanted to kiss his cheek or pull him down to snog the life out of him, the way she relished in feeling the slightest bit taller whenever she straddled his lap if they found themselves in privacy.

The older nurse elbows Rose to divert the redhead's attention to Scorpius' presence - which makes him feel a bit like a stalker, great - just when a certain part of him started coming to life for where his wandering thoughts were going - which makes him feel like a deer caught in the headlights, all the better -, and Scorpius is jolted into moving before his embarrassment gets any worse.

Rose seems apprehensive at first but ends up laughing when Scorpius waves awkwardly at her, bidding farewell to her colleague with a "Have a nice weekend, Agnes" that sounds entirely like all the sweetness Scorpius has missed from Rose while he was away. Being back won't be easy by a long shot, but being far was much, much worse.

Rose beckons him over as she continues jotting down notes and Scorpius meets her at the desk. “Fancy meeting you here,” he jokes lightly, remembering all the times they’d said it whenever they wanted some alone time in one of the empty corridors or hidden passageways of Hogwarts.

She takes a moment to respond as if she’s taking a moment to herself, and Scorpius likes to think that it’s because Rose’s thoughts went to the same place his did. When a few seconds pass and she says nothing, Scorpius realizes he might have gone too far - she’s with someone, you git! -, but Rose surprises him by replying the same way she always did; a small, shy smile playing at her lips. “We meet again. What can I do for you, Mr. Malfoy?”

Scorpius remembers Rose being far more flirtatious in their day, but he’ll take whatever he can get. “I just wanted to… You know, see you. Talk to you. It’s been a while, if you haven’t noticed.” He’s rambling and he knows it all too well, but Rose has always had that effect on him. “But I can see that you’re busy.”

He leaves it in the open, not really wanting to be the one to suggest that he should leave because she’s working. He doesn’t want to leave at all, and Rose sees right through him, as always. “It’s alright. I’m just finishing up,” she tells him, gesturing for the chart in front of her.

Scorpius puts aside the thought that, according to his mother, Rose will be leaving the hospital in a few minutes as soon as he notices that the patient’s name in the chart is that of Astoria herself. “My mom. Are you her physician?”

His question is laced with both worry and amazement, and Rose is reminded of all the times when Scorpius had found out something about her that he thought was completely extraordinary. “I am, yes.” Feeling her mouth dry suddenly, Rose is assaulted by all the pressure she’s been feeling lately, having known that he’d be back sometime soon and that she’d have to be the one, along with his parents, to catch him up to speed on Astoria’s nefarious condition. “We’ll have to talk about her, Scorpius, but I’d rather not do it today. You just got here and I’m sure you’re tired, and there’s a lot for you to be acquainted with.”

And with that thought, Rose is reminded that she left Astoria without addressing the pregnancy test, even though they’d gone through the - granted, fairly simple - procedure several times in the past week. Guilt pools in Rose’s stomach regardless, despite knowing that Astoria would never hold such a simple thing against her. All of their moments seem important, all the more when they know they are on borrowed time even if Rose refuses to accept it for a second.

She’s grown to love Astoria too much to ever think otherwise.

The weight of Scorpius’ question threatens to suffocate her, and his eyes betray how, deep down, he wants to know everything about his mother’s condition when his apprenticeship has had everyone keeping information from him. Having been undercover in several occasions, and on remote parts of the planet in others, Mr. Ollivander’s instructions had been clear. For Scorpius’ sake, and of his mission, Scorpius was to only be contacted in case of an emergency for reasons that Rose committed to memory the second they first discussed it. When undercover to gather rare ingredients, invaluable knowledge or information, Scorpius could be found out. On the other hand, keeping the mysteries of both who was to be the next wandmaker of a generation and where had Scorpius Malfoy fled to after graduation kept the tabloids going. Thankfully, not many had made that connection, and clues on the truth was so scarce that they ended up not being pursuit. Third, being a Malfoy still had it’s weight, and even though these weren’t the dark days of their parents’ time anymore, enemies still showed their faces at times, and everyone feared the repercussions of an eventual hostile situation.

All in all, Scorpius had been kept in the dark about pretty much everything that happened in the outside world in his years abroad, especially about those he cares for the most, save for the occasional short message that Mr. Ollivander allowed his apprentice to exchange with his parents, and solely to appease all their minds. Trusting the older man to look after their boy, Astoria and Draco had relied on the man’s word for the past few years, knowing that if something bad were to happen they’d know immediately. Looking back on it now that Scorpius is home, Rose understands why it had to be that way; for his safety, and for the complexity and responsibility that the craft demanded from him, a branch of magic too powerful for just anyone to delve into. While he’d been excited and accepted the task bestowed upon him with pride and eagerness, and regardless of how humble he had always been about it, Rose knows that Scorpius will have plenty of changes to adapt to once he finds out all he’s missed on.

It’s part of the reason why, despite trying to keep his imminent return off her mind, Rose has worked on tidying all the information she’s gathered so that she could go through it with him when the time came.

“I-” Scorpius watches Rose struggle for a moment, as if she's trying to find the right words for what she wants to say. “I've put together a file for me to go through with you. I knew you'd be in the blue about most of your mom's condition, and some aspects of it aren't all that easy to understand without the right background knowledge of ancient curses, human anatomy and medical expertise. While I know,” all to well, she added to herself, “how smart you are and how you soak knowledge as if you need it to breathe...” A small smile plays at her lips at that, remembering one of the things she liked most about him. “It’s a lot to take in. I’d rather we do it when you’ve had some rest on you, and have enjoyed being back for a little while.”

Scorpius lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he’d been holding. From the little information he got on his mom’s condition while he was away, he’s never really known just how serious it was or wasn’t. The only assurance he ever got, both from his parents and Mr. Ollivander, was that it wasn’t grave enough for him to come back. From Rose’s speech now, he wonders whether they’ve been keeping the seriousness of it from him.

Answering his silent question, Rose adds with a bittersweet note “Try not to worry, we still have time. You should make the most of being back. I’m sure you’ve missed your parents like crazy.”

That has to be the understatement of the century. He hopes he won’t be so homesick ever again. “My parents, Albus, you… I’ve missed you all a lot,” he confesses unabashed, and Rose ignores the way her heart beats a little faster. “Even the whole Weasley clan, honestly. I’d give anything to never be in such loneliness again. It was hard.”

Rose reacts before she can stop herself, and her hand finds his to hold in comfort. “I can’t imagine,” she murmurs, looking down at their connection, lost in thought. “We all missed you too.”

Scorpius tries hard not to focus on the way the skin between his thumb and forefinger tingles with Rose’s touch, and briefly he wonders if she can see past the incantation to reveal what lies hidden, marked on his skin as a promise to never forget her. “I hope I came in time to catch up. I’m assuming I missed on a lot of things.”

Rose meets his eyes and smiles softly. As she recalls the main revelations that he might find most unexpected, or even shocking, Rose finds herself grinning. “You haven’t a clue. You’re perfectly on time to be taken by surprise by most of it,” she lightly jokes. “Have you had the time to read any magazines?” Rose lets go of his hand and jots down a few words on a small piece of parchment, then proceeds to finish her notes on Astoria’s chart. “The Daily Prophet, perhaps, or any of the other tabloids?”

Scorpius is intrigued as to why Rose prefers to pen her notes instead of just using an enchanted quill, but doesn’t voice it in the moment. Rose has always been a certain way kind of girl, always liked doing things on her own terms. It has him smiling right along with her. “No, I haven’t. Took an International Portkey to one of the Ministry’s safe houses just across the street and came right in. I haven’t even had the time to meet with Mr. Ollivander since being back, even though that was supposed to be my first stop had mom not been here. He understood though, of course, so here I am.”

“Here you are,” Rose repeats to herself, finding that it doesn’t hurt as much to accept that as she thought it would. “Then I would suggest, Mr. Malfoy, that you stay clear of any newspapers you come across if you want to have your mind blown with all the news,” she teases him, predicting that he’ll meet with the brood soon enough and find everything out. “I’m sure you’ll have a rather eventful, flabbergasting weekend.”

“What are you keeping from me, Rose?,” Scorpius asks interestedly, noticing her playful tone. “Did I miss on something good?”

Scorpius has never really been one to gossip, but Merlin, he’ll most likely be stunned. “It would depend on your definition of good, but I think it’s safe to say that’s putting it mildly,” she replies, meaning it about almost everything that concerns every single member of the Weasley clan. “I’m not telling you, though.”

“Now come on, Rosie. You can’t do that,” Scorpius scolds mockingly, leaning forward a little.

“Oh, I can and I will. No amount of sweet Rosies is gonna have me bursting that particular bubble. It’ll be so much better if you find out by yourself.”

His eyes darken, and Rose knows her mistake the second they do. His voice comes out so raspy that she has no choice but to face the reality that not only it still sounds exactly the way she remembered it, but that she brought this upon herself. “Yeah. You always preferred it when things were a bit more formal to get you to do something for me. Isn’t that right, Ms. Weasley? I remember.”

Rose is surprised by how hot his words make her feel. How can it have been so long and he still seems to have the same power over her that he did before he left? It’s the strangest thing, and yet not at all. Pretending her cheeks aren’t the color of her hair, Rose puts down her quill and turns around. Whether just to put the chart away or to escape his burning gaze, Rose would never dare say out loud. Seems they’ll have a hard, hard time walking the fine line between their friendship and something else. Rose hasn’t a clue why she ever thought it would be any other way. Diverting the subject is probably for the best, she decides. “It’s Lily’s birthday this weekend, as I’m sure you remember.”

Scorpius takes a moment to respond, studying her reaction closely. Maybe there’s still hope for him, for them, even if it’ll take patience and effort that Scorpius is no doubt willing to put in.

“I know.” Growing up, Lily had been like a little sister to him, and it had been part of the reason why Scorpius had come home a little early now. Missing everyone has been pure hell, but he’d be damned if he’d miss his second favorite redhead’s 21st birthday. Who’d fend off potential gits who might be interested in getting it on with her? Certainly not James, who’s always been too much of a nutcase to ever care about anything other than his Quidditch career. And definitely not Albus, mooning over Alice Longbottom ever since she gave him the time of day. Now Mrs. Potter, of course, was another case entirely, and yet not so comforting for Scorpius. He’s heard of her days at Hogwarts and has seen Lily want to go down a similar path back in their days at school when boys started to interest her, and despite being away for so long, Scorpius hopes that he can still play the part of her third big brother. Merlin knows he’s missed it. “I was hoping to get here in time to surprise her. I’ve missed her energy a lot.” And that’s downplaying it. Lily has enough energy to lit up a room.

“You’ve missed her craziness, you mean?” Rose asks, feigning shock. She of all people knows how much Scorpius has always cared about Lily, and Rose still finds it as sweet as she did when she first became enamored of him. Not to mention that Lily was one of the main reasons Scorpius and Rose got together in the first place. Details. “In all seriousness, she’ll love knowing you’re back. And for her birthday, no less.”

“It’s not the only reason I’m back,” he says simply, and part of Rose wishes he hadn’t said anything at all. “It’s not even the main one, as you can guess.”

Rose is left wondering whether he means just Astoria’s condition, missing his parents or something - someone - else. “You’ll make her day, regardless. She idolizes you.”

“That little firecracker is something, isn’t she?” Scorpius smiles, reminiscing about all the trouble Lily had gotten herself into growing up, when she made sure to let everyone know just how much Weasley blood she had in her. She was worse than Fred and James together ten times, no doubt.

“We’re getting together tomorrow night at the Burrow, for dinner, before hitting the town. I’m sure Grandma Molly won’t mind to add another plate to the table, if you want to join us.” Realizing that it sounded like all the times she’d invited him to dinner with her family before, and that the circumstances are fairly different from then, Rose clears her throat. “The whole gang is going to be there. Everyone will want to see you, I’m sure. What better way to catch up with us all?,” she says offhandedly, trying to sound nonchalant even if she’s feeling anything but.

Anything to spend more time with you, Scorpius thinks, even if it means facing the madness that is the whole Weasley clan at once. “I’ll take you up on that offer, if you’re sure your grandparents won’t mind. I can’t wait to see everyone.”

“And everyone can’t wait to see you.” More of you, she means but doesn’t say. And she really means it; even her father has fallen for Scorpius Malfoy’s charm, in all impossibility. “Just floo there at around 7. I’ll let Grandma Molly know you’re coming.”

“Great,” Scorpius mumbles, feeling like they’ve been talking for an age and knowing that not only he’s keeping her from work, but that Rose will be going soon. If only being with her wasn’t so easy… “I’ll leave you to it, then. I’ve taken enough of your time,” he tells her sheepishly.

Not enough, Rose thinks to herself. Not enough. “What are your plans for the next few days?,” she finds herself asking. “I mean, with work, of course.” Nice save there, Weasley.

Scorpius knows her all too well, or so he thinks, so he covers all his bases. “I’m staying with mom until I can today, and then I’ll go home with dad. I haven’t seen him yet and Merlin, do I miss sleeping in my bed.” He catches Rose giving him a look that says I miss sleeping in your bed too but Scorpius decides not to comment on it, pretending he missed it. It’s been hard enough navigating the range of emotions that this simple talk between them has already gone through. “I’m meeting Mr. Ollivander in the morning at the shop, and then I’ll meet you at the Burrow later in the day. Other than that, I haven’t really found the time to plan anything else.”

Rose nods in acknowledgment, making her way from behind the desk to the hallway until she’s in front of him. “You could meet with Albus in the afternoon tomorrow, perhaps. He’s been insufferable waiting for you to get back,” she chuckles lightly.

“That would be great. Where can I find him these days?” He raises his eyebrows suggestively. “At the Longbottoms, I hope?” It hurts Scorpius a little to think that his best friend has gone on with his life and he knows nothing of it, but he can only hope that everything went well for his friend. Having fallen madly in love with Alice midway through their 6th Year, Albus and Alice had been on an on and off relationship up until Scorpius left. He hopes his friend has sealed that deal.

“I think you’re in for quite the surprise, Scorp.”

He doesn’t know whether to focus on the fact that Rose’s nickname for him slipped out so effortlessly, or that there is a possibility that Albus still hasn’t figured out his relationship with Alice after all this time. “Don’t tell me he and Alice aren’t together still? It’s been four years!”

“Oh, I’m not saying anything,” Rose teases him, mischief in her eyes. “Since you’ll be in Diagon Alley in the morning anyway, why don’t I tell Albus to meet you at the Leaky Cauldron for lunch? He’ll be beyond himself to finally see you, and you’ll most likely find out what’s been going on with him.”

“That’ll be great, but why aren’t you telling me what’s happened?” He eyes her suspiciously. “Have they married?” Rose watches as color drains from his face. “Don’t tell me they’ve married. I was going to be his best man, oh Merlin…”

Rose raises her hand to stop his pacing as soon as it begins. Albus and Scorpius have always had a flare of drama between them; a true bromance, as it were. “Don’t worry, they’re definitely not married.”

“That’s not better,” Scorpius lamely complains.

“You’ll know what I mean. And Albus is on duty tomorrow, anyway. He’ll be plenty busy but you’ll see what I mean the second you lay your eyes on him, I promise.”

“I miss my best mate, Rosie, and you’re not making it any better. You’re mean.”

Rose bites down on her lip gently, her mouth relaying the words she didn’t want to want to let out before her mind can stop her. “I remember a time when that wasn’t an issue.”

Is the air impossibly hotter? Scorpius swears the air around them is impossibly hotter. Damned hospitals. “And it isn’t. It never was.”

Rose has to stop herself from swaying on her feet, compelled as she is to get closer to him, even taking a step back for good measure. It’s been emotional enough for the day, and it’s best that she doesn’t do something she shouldn’t. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow, Mr. Malfoy.”

Scorpius hates how much he loves when Rose is mischievous like that, always has. Oh, he’s missed how she can drive him bonkers. Merlin, how he’s missed her. “Ms. Weasley…” Knowing in every fiber of his being that it’s wrong, Scorpius takes a step forward anyway, and he can’t help himself from letting out “I look forward to it” before walking away, and Rose is left with no choice but to go home to her boyfriend, all worked up.

Toeing the line between her and Scorpius will be a challenge, that’s for sure, but will either of them be able to resist the pull to step on the other side?

It’s with astonishment, to say the least, that Draco Malfoy arrived at Room 478 after such a long day at work to find his son relaxing on one of the armchairs by Astoria’s bed, both so lost in the moment that neither of them noticed his arrival. And it was a good thing too, because it gave Draco a brief stolen moment to just give thanks for his family.

Almost three hours later and after a rather emotional reunion, Draco is sending his son back home hurriedly to unpack, with the promise to meet him there soon for dinner. The reason for Draco to stay behind? Astoria’s bedroom eyes, which she never, ever has cast upon him while at the hospital. Even if Draco knows that they’re most certainly not getting it on when they’re in a public facility and there’s a high risk of them getting caught, Astoria’s gaze is, to say the least, bound to leave the man intrigued. Admittedly, the choice between reconnecting with his son or spending time with his wife is a tough one, but given the circumstances, and knowing that he’ll have Scorpius home for the whole night - and hopefully indefinitely, at least for the foreseeable future -, he thinks it can pass for understandable.

Hooking a Mumbling Jane to the door handle - one of the many Weasley’s ingenious inventions, even Draco has to admit they have their days, this one in the form of an old lady in a small door sign that starts mumbling under her breath whenever people with the intent of engaging with or interrupting the sign’s owner is approaching -, Draco looks at Astoria curiously , wondering what she’s all about. “Want to tell me why you wanted your son out of here?,” he drawls jokingly, and Astoria immediately scowls.

“I did not want Scorpius to leave.”

Draco tilts his head and cocks an eyebrow, pleasantly surprised by her playful mood today. It hasn’t been that way lately, unfortunately. Not so much, not like before, and he knows the disease and her medicine are to blame for it. “And yet, you did. Care to tell me why?” Astoria looks down at her hands on her lap, even blushing as if she’s embarrassed with her own behavior, and immediately Draco crosses the room to hold her face in his hands. “Hey, I was just teasing you.” It’s been difficult to find a balance lately, between her potions-induced mood changes, and the being on and off the hospital constantly. Draco is often at a loss of what to do or say, afraid to act the wrong way when he doesn’t know what it could mean given her curse, even if he tries his hardest not to think about it. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Astoria smiles a little, turning her head to kiss his palm in reassurance. “You didn’t, don’t worry about it. I’m just nervous.”

“Nervous?,” he asks in confusion. “You looked anything but nervous.”

Knowing what he means, and excitement turning her insides into mush, Astoria brushes his lips with hers. “What did it look like, then?”

“Why, Mrs. Malfoy,” Draco kisses her fully, the way he wanted to do the second he got to the room had their son not been there. “Like you’re looking for trouble. Or some alone time with your husband. Perhaps both.”

Astoria chuckles and pecks his lips once more, sitting up straighter in the bed. “I promise you, husband of mine, the second we are out of here we’re making up for lost time. It’s bee too long.”

He agrees, and yet “It’s only been three weeks.”

“It’s been three weeks too many. Damned curse…”

“Yeah,” Draco murmurs, touching his forehead with hers, hating that she’s been spending more and more time at the hospital at a time. “Damned curse.” Brushing his thumb against her cheek, Draco sits on the bed facing her. “I missed you today…”

“Don’t you always?,” Astoria asks coyly.

“Only sometimes,” he remarks sarcastically, entwining his fingers with hers on her lap.

Astoria sees all the love and care and commitment in his eyes that she’s always seen there, practically from the very beginning of their relationship, and her stance softens. She really couldn’t have asked for a better partner, and it makes her want to try her hardest to give back to him as much as he’s always willing to give her. Taking a deep breath, she reaches underneath the sheet and retrieves the bag that Rose had brought her earlier. “Then perhaps this will make your day better.”

Draco looks at the ordinary paper bag, unsure of what it could contain inside. “Did you get me something?”

Astoria would laugh at his response, weren’t she becoming overcome with anxiety. “You could say that.” He glances at her quizzically, and her nervousness makes her ramble. “Well, I don’t know myself. I’m not sure. It’s why I got this, actually.”

“So… You got me something to be sure whether or not you got me something?”

She can tell that he’s half confused, half joking, and a strange energy can be felt between them. Anticipation rises and Astoria finds herself urging him. “Look into the paper bag, would you?”

Draco barks a laugh at the way she’s behaving, having no clue what’s expecting him but enjoying their banter all the same. Thankfully, large letters tell him exactly what he’s looking at, otherwise he’d have no idea. Taking a moment to digest the information, Draco takes the box out from the paper bag and just stares at it, and keeps on staring until Astoria’s voice cuts the silence.

“Tell me what you’re thinking.”

She sounds hesitant, and Draco hates the way her voice wavers. Meeting her gaze, he finds apprehension laced with expectation, worry and excitement intertwined so deeply that he can’t help but share them and let himself get lost in the same feelings, like it’s always happened with them. Both empathetic in their own ways, they’ve learned to balance the other out in ways Draco never thought possible. Merlin, he can never imagine his life without her. “You’re pregnant?,” he whispers, as if saying it out loud would break the spell.

Astoria fidgets in her lap, gathering her strength to let him in on everything she’s already gone through with Rose. “There’s a fair chance that I am. And I think I am, yes.”

“But you’re not sure,” he tries to make sense of what she’s trying to say.

Astoria shakes her head no. “That’s why Rose got me a pregnancy test.”

Draco isn’t all that surprised to find out that Rose already knew about this, since the girl has been a constant presence in their lives for years now, being especially close with Astoria. Still, he’s not sure what to make of it. “I don’t understand. Rose is a Healer. Couldn’t she have done a spell to know whether you are expecting?”

“She didn’t want to risk it. First, because all spells and incantations aimed at me could have an unexpected effect, as you know, even if the Pregnancy Spell is a fairly simple one. And second, because all wands are examined at the end of each shift, Rose was afraid that the results, either being positive or negative, could alert one of the Senior Healers to my condition and have them intervene with her research, one way or the other. And either way, there’s always the risk of a breach of confidentiality and our story, whatever it turns out to be, could end up in the papers. Rose thought better not to risk it, given the circumstances.”

“You really do trust her,” Draco finds himself saying even though there’s no surprise there. Astoria loves her, and he has to admit that he has a soft spot for the girl as well.

“Of course. I don’t think I’d ever trust my treatment to anyone else.”

Sometimes Draco wonders whether this is completely blind faith, and irrelevant for a future he’s not ready to accept, but he chooses to trust his wife instead. “What is this, then? Is it Muggle?”

“Yes,” Astoria says, glad for her husband’s support. “It’s a standard Muggle Pregnancy Test. Rose is fairly confident I’ll get an accurate result with it, and there’s no risk of whatever result we get ever leaving this room if we destroy it after I take it. When we find out, I’ll let Rose know so that she can adjust her research accordingly. Poor thing has been running ragged, worried about both possibilities and how it’ll affect her work.”

“How long have you known?,” Draco asks, glancing between his wife and the box in his hands.

“Only a few days. At first, I think it was just wishful thinking. Then the signs became a little more clear. But it’s not the same as it was before, with Scorpius and the others, and it’s been so long since then that I was afraid I could be misreading the signs altogether. So I had to tell Rose since it could be something related to the curse. We spent the last week going over my cycle, and things I did, or ate, that could have influenced my symptoms. We realized it would be easier to confirm or dismiss our theory by just taking a test and going from there. Rose just got it for me today. It’s why I wanted some time alone with you as well. We can decide whether to tell Scorpius about this afterwards.”

Draco licks his lips anxiously, trying to make sense of the turmoil of feelings inside him at the moment before lifting his eyes to hers again. “And?”

“I don’t know. I didn’t want to worry you before knowing for sure, but I also didn’t want to take the test without having you with me.”

He blows out a breath, handing the box to her. “Okay. So how do we do it?”

“You’re going to love this,” Astoria chuckles softly. “Apparently I have to pee on it.”

Draco scrunches his nose. “What?”

“Rose explained to me all about how a change in hormones, that could be caused by pregnancy, can create a chemical reaction with a strip on that stick. Since drawing blood from me isn’t an option unless it’s really necessary, and Rose wouldn’t really know what to do with it anyway, unless she was to run to a Muggle hospital to have it tested - and Merlin knows that could bring all kinds of trouble in and on itself -, urine is a much more effective, painless and easier way to take the test.”

“Muggles are crazy,” Draco mumbles, looking the package weirdly. “Couldn’t Rose do the spell with someone else’s wand so it wouldn’t be on record?”

Astoria shakes her head, giving her husband a pointed look. Even despite spending more time with the Weasleys than he ever thought conceivable, and given Scorpius’ interest in everything Muggle, Draco still has some aversion to Muggle things that he can’t, or doesn’t want to try, to understand. “She thought it would be too risky, giving my condition. One always fares better with their own wand, and isn’t this a good way of finding out anyway? It’s safer, at least, and we’re sure it’ll work just the same.”

Draco concedes, not wanting to upset Astoria even though there still are Muggle things he can’t really comprehend. “So… Do you just do it?”

“I guess,” Astoria murmurs, but Draco can tell that she’s nervous.

“Hey,” he says, cupping her chin in between his fingers. “No matter if it works, and whatever the result is, we’ll figure it out, alright?”

Astoria takes a moment to find the right words to say, and when she voices them, Draco realizes that she said out loud what he’s thought for the longest time. After all they’ve been through with Astoria’s failed pregnancies, both before and after they had Scorpius, it’s a bittersweet feeling. “I want it to be positive, Draco. We’ve wanted it for so long and I know we’ve grown accustomed to the idea that we were ever only going to have Scorpius, but now… I really want it to be positive. Regardless of my condition, I want it, and it both excites me and terrifies me.”

Even though he finds himself conflicted in the same way, Draco pushes aside his fear for the time being, and surprising Astoria he captures her lips with his in a searing kiss, only stopping when they need to catch their breaths. “We’ll take our days the same way we’ve been doing ever since you were diagnosed. We’ll take our days one at a time, and we’ll figure it all out, no matter what the Muggle stick thingy says, I promise.”

Astoria chuckles and catches a tear from the corner of her eye before it falls, grinning at him. “I’ll be right back then.”

Draco watches her go, and time seems to drag by as he waits for his wife to come back. Antsy about the whole situation, jittery, Draco starts pacing the room, unable to stay still. When Astoria returns to the bed, her eyes are fixed on the stick in her hand, and Draco swears he can hear his heartbeat in his ears. “So?”

“We have to wait,” she tells him, settling down again and placing the test on her lap. “Two minutes.”

Draco sighs. “These are going to be the longest two minutes of our lives, aren’t they?,” he asks, sitting beside Astoria in the hospital bed that he loathes so much, draping an arm over her shoulders. She leans in to him and Draco kisses her temple, her cheek, her nose, until her attention is diverted from their future in her lap back to him. “Before we find out, I want you to know that no matter what happens, I love you. With all my heart. I’m yours, same as I’ve always been.”

“Even if there might be more of me to love in the near future?,” she jokes, already attached to the idea, even if she knows how much of a risk it will be.

“Especially so,” he tells her, remembering how alluring and radiant Astoria had been when she was carrying Scorpius, and finding that the prospect of ever seeing her like that again could be so dangerous, and yet so lovingly welcomed. “I love all of you, never doubt that.”

She never did, not even in the beginning of their partnership when they barely knew each other. “As I love you,” she kisses him, resting her forehead against his cheek and settling on the crook of her neck comfortingly. “We’ll take the future as it comes.”

“We will,” he assures her. “Together.” Astoria holds his gaze for a lingering moment, and suddenly she wishes they weren’t in the hospital at all. Draco shares the sentiment. “Ready to find out?,” he questions, never looking away from her as if he’s in a trance.

Astoria nods resolutely. “One line is negative, two lines is positive.” Draco is sure that the fear and enthusiasm in his eyes are mirrored in her own, and his hand rests on top of the one of hers that’s holding the pregnancy test. He can’t tell if his hand is the one that’s shaking, or if it’s hers, or both. “On three,” Astoria licks her lips anxiously, her eyes not leaving his until the last moment. “One, two, three.”

She feels breathless, and scared, and as if her heart will escape her ribcage for how nervous she really is. The conflicting emotions assault her, and beside her Draco is as silent as she is. Glancing at him, she finds him livid, and that’s saying something for his usually fair complexion. Her husband’s hand trembles on her own and she tries her best to steady it, but they’re both shaking. When a moment passes, then two, Astoria feels her breath coming short with emotion, and then the sobs start. She finds consolation in Draco’s arms but he feels as strong and weak for the moment as she does, and she finds that he’s started crying as well. The laughs come next, and the shy, then easy smiles take over them. Before she knows it, Draco is kissing her lovingly the way he does when they’re intimate and it’s just the two of them, and for the time being all of their worries are forgotten, and Astoria has to admit that she has never wished so much to be out of this forsaken hospital as just now.

Gasping for air, they part, looking down between them where the test dropped on top of the sheets, and it’s with pure joy that they study the two lines that stare back at them.

Author’s note: I wanted the whole Scorpius/Rose interaction to reflect the way they were with each other when they dated, and that they’ll have a lot of trouble keeping from now. I wanted it to be a little sweet, a bit flirtatious, a tad serious and emotional enough. They’ll walk the line as they go, sometimes misstepping one way or the other, and I can’t wait to explore it further.

As for Draco/Astoria, their initial reaction to the pregnancy is that of parents that have wanted another child, and have been denied it for a long, long time. However, as we delve further into Astoria’s condition as Rose will explain it to Scorpius in a couple of chapters or so, I’ll try and explore both sides of the dilemma: Astoria’s, because she wants to keep the child knowing that it might be her last chance at being a mother again because she sees her own death as impending, and Draco’s, who’ll struggle between wanting another child and the high probability of it aggravating considerably his wife’s health, rushing Astoria to a demise he hasn’t yet come to terms with.

As a side note, I decided not to write Scorpius reunion with Draco because we’ll get plenty of time to explore their relationship after Astoria dies, and I’d rather go into Astoria and Scorpius’ bond now since it’ll be so important to the story. Regardless, please assume that Draco and Scorpius have a great relationship, because they do, even if it’ll be hard for Scorpius to deal with his mother’s pregnancy since he accepts and understands both his parents’ views on the matter.

We’re in for a ride.

Last but not least, what do you think is up with Albus? That’ll be another fun subplot! On a second side note, the story will be changing POVs a lot since there are so many characters, and one of the main subplots will revolve around Lily and her friendship with both Scorpius and Rose, both with each individually and together, since she’ll play a key role in getting the pair back together again. There’ll be plenty of other subplots going on and I’ll try to present them one at a time, and I can’t wait to update again already!

Next up, Scorpius meets with his best mate and there’s Lily’s birthday dinner party, where a rather important scene with Scorpius and Ron plays out.

Let me know what you’re thinking of the story so far in the comments below. Until next time xx

#the joys of you #scorose #scorose fanfiction #drastoria #drastoria fanfiction #scorpius x rose #draco x astoria #hp #hp fanfiction #my writing

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