#au_gust_2020

[augustwritingchallenge]

The list of prompts was completed! One prompt per day, two prompts per two days if you are feeling brave, or more for pure badassness! Or you can only use the ones you like. there are no strict rules. Just have fun and create!

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[emy-loves-you]

Sanders Sides AU-gust Day 3: Soulmates

Your shadow is the current silhouette of your soulmate. Only you and your soulmate can see your shadow. Shadows of animals and objects (non-humans basically) can be seen by everyone. Most people have human soulmates that grow up with a human shadow. Logan is not most people.

Logan POV, Intrulogical, Prinxiety and Moceit

Day 2 | Masterlist | Day 4

Logan was smart.

At just four years old, Logan could count to one thousand, tie his shoes, and knew how to read books meant for kids twice his age. Logan knew other things too. He knew that the earth moved around the sun, not the other way around. He knew that Mrs. Smith didn’t like Mr. Smith and that they were getting a ‘dee-vorce.’ He knew that rainbows were like giant water mirrors. And he knew what soulmates are.

Soulmates mean different things to different people. They appear as shadows, but your shadow is actually your soulmate’s shadow. Logan didn’t really understand how that worked, but he didn’t ask about it. Mama’s shadow disappeared when she was little, and she doesn’t like to talk about it. Logan didn’t understand why Papa married Mama if they weren’t soulmates, but he didn’t ask. Because Logan was smart, and he knew that if he asked about their soulmates, they would ask about his. And while Logan didn’t know a lot about soulmates, he knew that his shadow was different.

Logan’s soulmate was big. Bigger than Mama and Papa. Sometimes Logan would lay in bed and his soulmate’s shadow covered him like a blanket. It made him feel safe and protected. One time Logan was almost hurt by a big doggie, but the dog saw Logan’s shadow and ran away. Logan knew that big shadows weren’t good. He heard about how Susie from down the street had a ‘peddle-file’ for a soulmate. But Logan knew that his soulmate wouldn’t hurt him.

Sometimes the shadow would change into something smaller, closer to Papa’s height. Sometimes the shadow grew so big that Logan couldn’t see the end of it. But most of the time, Logan’s shadow stayed the same size and shape. Logan knew it wasn’t normal to have a soulmate that changed shape. He knew it wasn’t normal for his shadow to have long, spindly arms with pointed fingers. He knew that most shadows didn’t have long devil horns, or give off an aura that scared all animals and most humans away. Logan knew that Mama and Papa wouldn’t understand if he told them.

Because Logan was smart enough to know that his soulmate wasn’t human.

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

Logan was brave.

Most people wouldn’t see that at first glance. Logan was a 17-year-old nerd. He was such an oddball that even bullies steered clear of him (Logan never commented on that. He knew it was his soulmate’s aura scaring them away. Which was interesting since human shadows don’t have detectable auras). Logan always had his nose in a book. Most people expected him to be a teacher’s pet, but Logan never answered questions. He never reached out to others, and he never spoke unless he was spoken to, so most people didn’t know how brave Logan actually was.

Even those who considered themselves close to Logan didn’t see him as brave. In fact, most people saw him as emotionless. He rarely smiled or spoke out of turn. He was the perfect child in terms of behavior and intelligence, but he never showed signs of actually enjoying the world around him.

But there was something that Logan enjoyed: his shadow. While it was disappointing to have no one to talk to about his soulmate, Logan wouldn’t give his soulmate up for anything. It was fascinating to watch, and every time Logan interacted with his shadow he felt safe and loved. Most people would scream if their shadow’s jaw unhinged to impossible lengths, most likely to swallow something whole. Logan watched with rapt attention, itching to write it down. He never recorded anything about his soulmate, paranoid that someone would find it. Instead, he attempted to memorize every new detail on his soulmate. His soulmate was 8 feet tall exactly, with an extra four inches added for the horns. While his largest form was immeasurable, his smallest form stood at 6 ft 6 in with no horns to see. Logan assumed that this form was meant to mimic a human, though he had no other data to support that hypothesis. Logan’s soulmate was also extremely fast, occasionally moving its limbs at a speed that Logan couldn’t track with his eyes.

Logan participated in activities that made sense to him yet baffled others. He spent hours holed up in his room, his shadow comforting him as he read a book. He ran for an hour every afternoon, though he had no interest in joining any races. He also went to the gym every other day. Logan’s logic behind this was that he needed to be quick and strong in case his soulmate meant him harm (this was a lie and Logan knew it. Not only did Logan still believe that his soulmate wouldn’t harm him, he also doubted that he could physically run away from a creature that could potentially travel at inhuman speeds, much less fight one. The truth was that Logan wanted to have something vaguely in common with his soulmate). While Logan liked to read philosophy and chemistry books, he could also be seen reading books on soulmates, fairytales and cryptids. While Logan did not believe that humanity was aware that Logan’s soulmate existed, he hoped he would one day find something that would even slightly match his predicament.

Logan was actually reading another book about soulmates as he sat under the apple tree outside of the library. The tree’s shadow loomed over him, but Logan could still easily see his soulmate’s silhouette. He wasn’t sure if that was a soulmate-thing or a my-soulmate-isn’t-human-thing. That’s actually why he was reading this book: Everyday Occurrences for Soulmates. It was mainly a description of how soulmate customs were treated around the world, but Logan hoped that it would give him more insight into how human shadows should look and behave.

“Get back here, freak!” Logan’s head snapped up to see another teen run past him. Logan vaguely recognized the patchwork hoodie from his biology class. Virgil Storm, Logan’s memory supplied. Emo and social outcast. Logan watched as another group of teens chased after him. Virgil continued to run until he tripped and fell. Logan stood up as the gaggle of teenagers approached Virgil. This won’t do at all.

“What do you think you’re doing?” The teens looked afraid for a moment before they turned and saw Logan approaching.

The one in the middle laughed. “Run along, nerd, before you end up like this freak!” Micheal Scott, if Logan’s memory was correct (it always was). Senior, quarterback, was held back three times. 

Logan continued to step forward, ignoring the way his shadow lashed around his ankles. “Virgil has done nothing to warrant your ire, Micheal.” This was true; Virgil talked less than even Logan did. Other than being exceptionally talented in art, Virgil was essentially a nobody (and while Logan knew that looks could be deceiving, he- like everyone else- saw reason to interact with Virgil).

Micheal scoffed. “Of course he does! He’s a freak and he deserves to be put in his place-”

Now, Logan was very smart. He knew that acting violently would most likely result in negative consequences. But Logan also knew that Virgil didn’t deserve Micheal’s… anything, Micheal’s an asshole. But either way, Logan knew what it was like to be the odd-one-out. And while Logan was nervous of the consequences, when he heard Micheal call Virgila freak, Logan’s bravery shined through.

Logan was satisfied to feel Micheal’s nose break from under his fist. Those visits to the gym were actually useful. Huh. Logan watched impassively as Micheal fell down to his knees. Logan kneeled so that his face loomed just above Micheal’s. Micheal started shivering, and Logan couldn’t tell if it was him or his shadow that was causing him distress. He also didn’t care. “If you even look at me or Virgil the wrong way I will not hesitate to make your life a living hell. Understood?” Logan’s voice remained cold and emotionless. While his surge in confidence was making him slightly uncomfortable, it produced the intended outcome. Micheal blanched before scurrying away. It took only a look to get the other teens to do the same.

Logan knelt down next to the now safe teen. “Are you alright?” He held out his hand for Virgil to grab.

Virgil stared at the hand in shock, seemingly surprised that someone had stood up for him. “Yeah, thanks.” He took the offered hand, pulling himself up onto his feet. His sketchbook fell out of his hand, which Logan didn’t realize was even there. Logan bent down to grab the sketchbook for Virgil when he froze.

The sketch was of some kind of fae/eldritch horror combination. The creature’s face was youthful, appearing to be a man in his early twenties. Its arms were long and spindly, and his nails were sharpened to a point. It wore a white prince suit with a red sash. But what really grabbed Logan’s attention was the pair of devil horns that sat on top of its head.

Logan looked up at Virgil, who was suddenly pale and shaking. “Virgil, what was your inspiration behind this piece?”

Virgil grabbed the notebook and shook his head. “It’s nothing, just a nightmare I had. Nothing more.” He went to walk away.

Logan grabbed Virgil by the hoodie sleeve. “Please do not lie to me.” Virgil stared at Logan in horror. Logan stood there, feeling his desperation claw at him. “Please,” He whispered. “Please tell me I’m not alone.”

Because Logan was brave, and he didn’t want to be alone anymore.

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

Logan was observant.

While his observations didn’t help him in finding his soulmate, it did help him take care of his two new (and only) friends.

Virgil Storm apparently had a soulmate similar to Logan’s, as did Virgil’s best friend Patton Heart. Virgil also had a nightbond, a rare form of soulbond that allowed soulmates to visit each other in their dreams. Apparently, the creatures did not have a name for their species. Roman, Virgil’s soulmate, appeared to have very little knowledge on his species. While this did disappoint Logan, he was still grateful to have someone to share his findings with. After knowing each other for over a year, the trio were never seen apart, finally having friends who weren’t scared away by their shadow’s dark auras.

Virgil and Patton both had similar opinions to Logan on their inhuman soulmates, mainly that it was more fascinating than terrifying. Virgil was interested in the darker aspects of their soulmates, while Patton was just happy that he had a soulmate. Logan grew to care for the two teens. While Virgil was quiet and awkward around others, Logan learned that he was actually very snarky and cynical. Patton pretended that life was perfect, but Logan had seen enough to know that Patton only genuinely smiled when thinking about his soulmate. Logan had become quite protective of the two, as his shadow tended to scare off more potential threats than Virgil’s or Patton’s did.

Logan was currently running around the perimeter of the highschool as he waited for his friends to finish their activities. He had asked if they would like to join him, but Patton was asthematic and Virgil detested running. So, it had become a common occurrence for Logan to do his running while Patton and Virgil participated in their after school clubs.

Logan allowed his mind to wander as he completed another lap. He was disappointed that he’s so far unsuccessful in terms of meeting his soulmate. None of them had met their soulmates in person, even Virgil. According to Roman, the creatures had a much deeper connection to their souls compared to humans. He had also said that the creatures wouldn’t be found by their soulmates until “our loves are ready.” Ready for what, Logan didn’t know. But that didn’t stop him from exhausting every possible way to find his soulmate.

Logan saw a flash of yellow and almost tripped over his feet. Not stopping as to draw suspicion, he glanced towards the forest behind the school and saw something… odd.

Standing at the edge of the treeline was a man. He was tall and young, probably in his mid 20s. He wore an impeccable black suit with yellow accessories, which was odd since he appeared to have came from the forest. Logan followed his gaze and just as the gym doors opened. Patton sprinted out of the school, most likely grabbing something from his car. Logan watched as the man’s gaze followed Patton as he walked towards his car. Logan tsked as he darted into the treeline, attempting to not be spotted. The man was stalking Patton, and that was not acceptable. But Logan was observant, so he’d learn more about the man before making his move.

Logan had just reached where he’d last seen the man when he noticed something important: his shadow wasn’t moving. Any time Logan was heading towards potential danger, his shadow would move erratically around his feet, as if it was trying to stop him. Any time potential danger was heading towards him, Logan’s shadow would lash towards the danger, it’s natural aura deterring most creatures. But his shadow wasn’t moving. It was calm. Complacent.

Logan was so busy analyzing his shadow that he almost hadn’t realized that the man wasn’t there. Logan felt a chill go down his neck and he spun around, to find himself less than a foot away from the man. Logan stifled the urge to scream. His shadow wasn’t acting up, and Logan trusted his soulmate to protect him. But now that he was almost touching the man, Logan quickly realized something. How his smile was a hair too wide. How just standing close to him made Logan’s fight-or-flight reflexes go haywire.

Logan was observant, but it didn’t take much to realize that this man isn’t human.

Logan cleared his throat as he forced himself to articulate a response. “Hello. Might I ask why you’re trespassing into a high school to observe minors?”

The man looked guilty (bullshit) as he spoke. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met before.” He held out his hand, presumably for Logan to shake. “My name is Declan Brown. I was sent by the school board to observe the school’s management of extracurricular activities-”

“Stop.” Logan suddenly said, resisting the urge to physically shake his head. A part of him was already nodding along to what he said. It’s a perfectly reasonable assumption- Logan did his best to shove the thought away. The creature obviously had a talent in mental manipulation.

The (not)man gaped for a second. “Excuse me?” He seemed shocked. The thoughts became more intense and repetitive.

Logan started rambling, less focused on his words and more focused on getting Declan’s (that’s probably not his name) manipulations out of his head. “Stop lying to me. No member of the student board would support stalking a minor from the school’s perimeter. Check up on your human facts before stating such a bold lie. And will you shut up with the thoughts!” Before Logan could acknowledge what he had said, the thoughts ceased completely.

The creature looked at Logan with unguarded curiosity. “Who are you?”

Logan crossed his arms as he ignored how terrified he felt. “My name is unimportant for this conversation. Now I’ll ask again: Why are you stalking my friend?”

Logan’s shadow chose that moment to respond, shifting forward so it brushed against the creature’s ankles. Logan then realized that not only did he seem to acknowledge Logan’s shadow, he also didn’t have a shadow. Which means that he has a soulmate. The creature stared at the shadow before laughing. “Ah. That makes much more sense.”

Logan frowned. “Please answer my question.”

The creature’s smile seemed more genuine as he held out his hand again. “Call me Janus. I was sent by Roman to check on his soulmate. And I wanted to check on my soulmate at the same time.”

Logan blinked as he processed the information. The creature knew Roman, so it was most likely the same (or similar) species. And since it was staring at Patton…

Logan grabbed Janus’ hand, giving it his firmest shake. Logan was not submitting to this creature. “My name is Logan. I assume you are Patton’s soulmate, correct?” At Janus’ smirk, Logan tightened his grip. “If you harm him in any way- physically, emotionally, you name it- I will find a way to make the rest of your existence a living hell.”

Janus laughed as he also tightened his grip. “He’s gonna LOVE meeting you.” Logan remained impassive, knowing that a single sign of weakness could cause his end.

Because Logan was observant, and no way in hell was he letting his friend get hurt.

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

Logan was loved.

Logan never really realized that. Sure, his parents said that they loved him, but Logan never really depended on his parents the way most children did. When Logan had a question, he read a book. When Logan was scared, his shadow protected him. When Logan was hurt or lonely, his shadow would comfort him. Most people depended on their parents to raise them. Logan raised himself. Most people saw shadows as a way to find their soulmate. Logan saw his shadow as a friend.

Maybe that’s why at 21 years old Logan confidently (and drunkenly) states that he’s never felt true love. Sure, he’s felt kindness and support (Patton and Virgil) but he’s never felt love. Sure, some nights he has long conversations with his shadow and lets himself believe that the way it twists and turns means that his soulmate can hear him. Sure, he sees Janus a few times every year (Logan knows by this point that Janus is letting himself be seen. Logan never told Patton about meeting Janus and they have yet to officially meet. If Janus wanted to be seen by Patton or not seen by Logan he could) and every time he begs to learn more about his soulmate. But that’s not love (he never says that around Janus. The creature can smell lies like Logan smells Patton’s perfume).

Maybe that’s why he drunkenly kisses a stranger at his 21st birthday party, ignoring the fact that he’s too short and his hold doesn’t feel safe.

Maybe that’s why when he goes to visit Patton weeks later and sees only a note that says His name’s Janus he crumples it up and throws it away. Maybe that’s why when Virgil texts him the same day simply saying Found my soulmate TTYL, Logan lets hope claw its way through his chest. Maybe that’s why when the sun sets and Logan gets no sign from his soulmate he curls up in a ball and sobs. Maybe that’s why he decides that he can’t wait any longer and he leaves his shitty apartment in the middle of his shitty town and heads towards the shitty forest that he knows is empty but he has to try.

Maybe that’s why when Logan’s so deep in the forest that he can’t find his way out and the moon hangs high over his head and he hears wolves in the distance he doesn’t get scared or sad. No, Logan gets angry. Angry at the world for rejecting him because of his menacing shadow. Angry at Patton and Virgil for leaving him for their own soulmates. Angry at his soulmate for making him believe for 21 fucking years that he had a chance at being truly happy.

A wolf broke through the tree line, lowly growling as he approached Logan. Logan growled right back, his irritation and heartbreak and anger clouding his judgment. The wolf howled, and Logan screamed. It was an odd feeling. Logan hadn’t screamed in a long time. He trusted his shadow to protect him, so he never screamed in fear.  But the way his throat burned from his anger was exhilarating.

The wolf lunged, and it took Logan a few moments to realize that it never reached him. Logan heard a satisfying crunch as the wolf head landed inches from his feet. Logan looked up and saw a monster of nightmares.

It was at least 8 ft tall, with long, spindly limbs sharpened to a point. Green horns protruded form his head, and his eyes glowed acid green. His bloody teeth stretched into a too-wide grin, and Logan did not smile back.

Instead Logan screamed again. But it wasn’t out of fear (never out of fear). It was out of anger, and exhaustion, and relief, and something else that Logan couldn’t name. He lunged at the creature, wrapping his arms around the black and green tunic as he continued to scream. The creature continued to smile, using his too-sharp claws to hold onto Logan’s back. And Logan broke. He started to sob, losing the ability to stand as he leaned further into the creature’s chest.

They stayed there for almost an hour, Logan sobs being the only sound in the vicinity. Eventually, the creature spoke up. “It’s nice to finally hold you, Logan.” Logan continued to stay silent, burrowing his face into the creature’s chest. “My name is Remus. I know that it hurts, but you weren’t ready until now. I wanted to come get you the moment I saw your shadow, I swear. But I’ve always been there, even though ya couldn’t hear me. And I promise I won’t leave ya ever.”

Logan felt himself smile as he relaxed further into the creature’s his soulmate’s hold, listening to Remus babble out apologies and promises. Logan allowed himself to finally feel. 

Because even though this was the first time they touched, Logan knew this wasn’t the first time they’d met. Remus had always been there to support Logan, even if he was hiding in Logan’s shadow. He was always there, and even though Logan was hearing him for the first time, Logan knew that he was in love with Remus.

And as they separated and Remus asked if Logan was okay, Logan let himself admit it. “I love you.”

And Remus repeated him, with no doubts or uncertainty. Because even though Logan refused to believe it before now…

Logan was loved.

[lorirwritesfanfic]

A Promise - Part 2: The Trouble With Growing Up

Author's note: I‘ve been daydreaming about this story for way too long and it was time to write it again. What are the odds that I managed to post it on the birthday of the wonderful person who requested it? ...😏😁 Happy birthday, @missameliep​! ❤ I hope you like this part (despite the angst 🙈) [Leading characters are owned by Pixelberry Studios and original characters are creations of the author]

Book: Desire & Decorum (modern day AU) Pairing: Prince Hamid x MC (Daphne) Rating: M Word count: 5073 Reading time: ~20min Summary: On her way to meet Hamid before his wedding ceremony, Daphne finds herself remembering of her own mistakes. Based on the prompts: AUgust 2020 - Childhood friends AU + Arranged Marriage AU / 1000 Times

Warning: This piece contains adult material (bullying, description of side effects of mixing alcohol and ecstasy) that may be disturbing/offensive for some people. Reader discretion is advised.

Istanbul, August, 2020

Car honks and shouts from different directions filled the air as the rain poured down the streets, making the traffic heavier than usual. Inside the taxi, Daphne looked out the window absentmindedly. It's been a couple years since her last visit to İstanbul and as much as the city changed, she barely paid attention to it. Her mind was somewhere else.

London 2007

Daphne stepped out of her father's car and walked towards the entrance of her house in silence. Right behind her, Vincent followed his daughter in hopes to figure out what made her change her mind about staying with him for the weekend. Unfortunately, the Earl of Edgewater had a hard time understanding his young girl sometimes.

She was about to press the doorbell when her father placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Sweetheart, are you sure nothing happened when I was away?"

The young girl frowned at the tone in her father's voice. She knew how much he had tried to make her feel welcomed in his home. Alas, he was never the problem.

She turned to him, giving him a genuine smile despite her sadness. "Yes, dad. I'm sure. But..." She trailed off, biting her lip in worry.

"You miss your mother."

The girl nodded.

"Okay," he said, caressing her cheek softly.

Daphne turned back to the door, pressed the bell and waited. It didn't take long for the door to be opened. The young girl rushed to her mother's arms as soon as she spotted her.

"Mama..." The girl sobbed, burying her face on her mother's soft night robe.

"It's all right, darling," Mary cooed, kissing the top of her daughter's head. "Say goodnight to your father and go upstairs."

The young girl pulled away from her mother and turned around to hug her father. "Goodnight, Dad."

"Goodnight, dear."

"I'm sorry..."

"It's okay, my dear. Sleep well."

Once Daphne disappeared from view, Vincent spoke up. "My apologies for waking you up in the middle of the night. She couldn’t sleep and kept calling you. I didn't know what to do."

"Don't worry about it. She can be a handful sometimes."

"Mary, I—" His brows furrowed as he searched for the words. "I was wondering if you could help me with something."

"If you think I can help, sure. What is it?"

"I'm trying to get closer to her, but every time I think we made progress, the next moment it feels like we didn't. It's been four years. What else do I have to do to be worthy of her love?"

Mary took a moment to steady herself. She had no doubts he was a wonderful person. But to see him so eager to earn Daphne's affection reminded her of the man she fell in love with.

"Vincent, if you think she doesn't love you, you're sorely mistaken. But she's not as outgoing and loquacious as your son. Sometimes she keeps her feelings to herself because she needs time to understand them."

"Oh..." He nodded in understanding. "What do I do then?"

"Be patient. She'll come to you when she's ready."

"I'll try."

Mary couldn't help but smile. It was sweet of him to try, yet she knew he'd struggle to succeed. After all, impatience was one of the many traits their daughter took after him.

"Have a goodnight, Vincent."

"Goodnight, Mary," he replied and returned to his car once she closed the door.

As time passed by, the young girl's gloomy behaviour didn't change. If anything, her mood got worse at each passing day. Soon, her parents and friends began to worry.

"Daphne?" She opened the door to her daughter's room and frowned as she spotted the young girl curled up on the window sill staring blankly at the sky. "Your father called again. He wants to know if you're still joining him and the boys on the trip to Edgewater."

"Okay..."

"Is that a yes?"

The girl gave her shoulders.

Mary inhaled sharply. "Daphne, you don't have to go. But you need to tell me so I can understand what's going on."

"There's nothing to tell, mum."

Yet, the dull tone in Daphne's voice told her otherwise. Fortunately, she knew just exactly what to do.

"We have a guest today and I prepared biscuits. Do you want to go downstairs and join him?"

"Whatever..."

"That was mean..." A young male voice commented. Disappointment was clear in his tone.

Her eyes widened as she immediately recognized the voice.

"I'm sorry, dear. I think she's not in the mood to see anyone again," Mary said, closing the door to Daphne's bedroom.

Again?! He was here before?! Her brows knitted together in a frown.

"Okay..." The voice replied.

Everything went quiet for a moment. But as she heard steps, Daphne rushed to the door and opened it. "Wait!" She yelled.

To her surprise, she found her mother grinning whilst her friend leaned against the wall nonchalantly.

"Impressive!" Mary praised.

"Thanks, Mrs. Wang."

"Have you thought about joining the theater at school, Hamid?"

"I haven't. But if a talented actress like yourself thinks I should, I'll add it to my list of options of clubs to join next year," he answered.

"Well, aren't you a charmer?" Mary chuckled. "I'll be downstairs if you need me."

"Okay." He then turned to his friend. "Hey, stranger," Hamid greeted her with his trademark smile that seemed to get more mesmerizing as the boy grew older.

"You played me!" Daphne gasped.

"I had to. You didn't show up at school, you’re taking forever to text me back, you cancelled movie night on Sunday, you didn't open the door yesterday... Should I go on?"

Daphne shook her head, avoiding his gaze. "Sorry..."

"What happened to you?"

"Nothing..."

"Liar..." He murmured.

"Hey!"

"You are. You said to Briar you were sick and you're not. You're lying to me right now. Why?"

"It isn't like that, Hamid. I just..." Daphne looked down at her hands. "I don't want to talk about it."

"Okay. Then we will not talk on the way to Ernest's house."

"What? You're not mad?"

"I'll save that for later because right now we're going to have a Dance Dance Revolution and Guitar Hero competition and you're my partner. Mrs. Wang already gave you permission, so hurry up."

"I don't know, Hamid..."

"Daph, look at me," he said, placing a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to talk about whatever happened this weekend at your dad's. I just need you there with me."

She eyed him confused. "How do you know it's about my dad?"

"Wild guess..." He shrugged.

"But how do you know it?"

"Because you always get upset when you visit him."

The girl chewed on her bottom lip. She didn't want anyone to think her father was the reason why she was upset. She was happy to be close to him. The problem was everyone else.

"I mean it. You don't need to talk about anything if you don't want to. But I miss my best friend," he said with an encouraging smile.

"I thought Yusuf was your best friend..."

"I have two best friends. You're my best girl friend."

"Girlfriend?" She eyed him in confusion.

"As in two separate words, Daph. You're a girl and my best friend," he corrected.

"Oh!" Now it makes sense.

"Anyway, you'd better go grab your coat. They're going to start in fifteen minutes, there are gelatos at stake and only you can beat Ann on Through the Fire and Flames solo."

The girl chuckled and went back to her room to change clothes and join her friends.

Hours flew by whilst the group of kids played video games and junk food. Laughter and occasional spats could be heard by anyone who passed by Mr. Sinclaire's townhouse. But given how loud the kids were, the Master of Ledford Park was obviously not at home. Fortunately, whenever he finds out about his son's little gathering, it'd be old news that his wife would make sure smooth things over.

Unluckily, the fun afternoon grew a little tense when Daphne's half brother arrived. Much like his mother, Harry was often rude to his older sister and always found a way to make it clear she was an intruder in his family.

"Ah, damnit..." Briar mumbled as she watched Daphne and Hamid finish the song of the round with perfect score.

"Briar!" Annabelle chided.

"I told you not to say it out loud," Edmund mumbled.

"But I am frustrated!" Briar nagged.

"It's all right. Briar is a sore loser," Daphne teased and grinned as her friend responded by sticking her tongue out.

"Cheater..." Harry grumbled.

Daphne's head whipped towards her half brother's direction. "What did you just say?"

"I said you're a bloody cheater because it’s what you always do. You cheat!" The boy sneered.

"You're talking gibberish, Foredale. Settle down," Hamid said, in an attempt to end the argument.

"Oh, excuse me. Are you talking to me or to her?" Harry stood up, lips twisted in a scowl. "Because this bastard cheated her way to my home and stole not just my father, but my name too."

Gasps spread through the room as Harry glowed at his sister, whose face reddened as anger pumped through her veins.

"Mate, don't." Edmund warned.

"Am I wrong?! She and her mother are ruining our family!"

"Harry, stop it!" Annabelle chastised.

Daphne could feel herself being pushed to the limit. She heard those offences more than once, but tried to hold back at school or her father's house to avoid getting in trouble. But this was a neutral ground and Harry had gone too far. "You take that back!"

"Take it back?" He sniggered in a way that reminded her so much of the countess.

"Harry, you'd better stop insulting Daphne right now or you can see yourself out of my house," Ernest warned.

"If he doesn't, you don't have to call security. I'll kick him out myself." Hamid glared at Harry.

"Why are you all defending her?!" Harry shouted.

"Harry, stop it right now!" Briar yelled.

"You know what? I don't care!" The boy spat and turned to Daphne once again. "Your mother is a homewrecker and you're a bloody cheater. Do I have to say it louder, you little bastard?"

With her features clouded by rage, Daphne stomped into Harry's direction with her hands balled into fists only to be held back by Hamid. "Shut the fuck up, you dickhead!"

Whilst Briar and Annabelle stared aghast at Daphne fighting against Hamid's firm grip, Harry was about to raise his hand when Ernest and Edmund stopped him. To prevent things from getting worse, Hamid carried the furious young girl out of the house, making sure to cover her mouth in case she had more bad words to say.

Once they arrived in the backyard, Hamid sat Daphne down on a patio chair and glared at his friend. "Are you mad?! You can't drop F-bombs like that just because there are no parents around. What if the staff heard you?"

The girl didn't say anything or look him in the eye. Instead, she simply bit down her lip and fiddled with the buttons of her coat.

"Daphne?"

Worried that he could have been a little too harsh, he crouched down to look at her and spotted the tears rolling down her cheeks. Without a second thought, he sat beside her and wrapped her in a tight hug.

Hot tears ran down her face. Tears she had been holding since Saturday night, when she was at her father's townhouse. But she couldn't control them anymore. So she just hid her face on her friend's chest and cried.

"I'm sorry..." He whispered.

"Why? It's not your fault that my brother is an arsehole."

"Daph..."

She pulled away from his embrace and scowled. "Don't look at me like that. I've seen you say a lot worse when you're watching football matches."

A small chuckle escaped his lips. "I'm not judging..." His smile quickly faded as images of what happened earlier came to view. "This fight with Harry... He's the one who upsets you when you visit Lord Vincent, isn't he?"

"Yeah…” She sniffed. “But he's not the only one."

Hamid clenched his fists. He only had the misfortune of meeting Countess Henrietta a couple of times, but it was obvious to him how much she disliked Daphne. The young girl disrupted the image gentry folk had of the Foredales and she could be a threat to the countess Henrietta's sons. "Harry is a spoiled brat. We just tolerate him because of Edmund."

"But he still is my brother. I always wanted a sibling and the only one I have hates me."

"You don't know if he really hates you. For all we know, he's just repeating what the countess says. You have all the reasons to have to hate him and you don't. Why would he hate you?"

The young girl gave her shoulders. "I don't know... But I know I don't want to spend the entire summer with him."

"And you don't have to."

"But dad wants me to go to Edgewater with them. What should I tell him?"

"The truth."

"I can't!"

"Daphne, your dad has to know why you don't feel comfortable staying in his house."

"But what if he gets mad at Harry? Or his mom?"

"That's their problem. Besides, he's going to find out about the fight anyway."

Daphne's eyes widened. "Oh my god, it's true! Bollocks..."

The boy failed to suppress a laugh.

"What? Oh..." She covered her mouth with both hands.

"It's fine. You know I won't tell."

The girl nodded and rested her head on her friend's shoulder.

"I just wish I could've protected you from all of this mess..." He sighed.

"You can't protect me from everything, Hamidciğim."

He draped an arm over her shoulder, pulling her close once again. "But it doesn't mean I won't keep trying."

Istanbul, August, 2020

Daphne was pulled out of her reverie by her body suddenly being pushed forward and held back by the seat belt followed by a loud honk. The taxi driver began to yell in Turkish and gesticulate things to the other cars then glanced at her through the rear view mirror.

"I'm sorry for my language, miss. These Sunday drivers never learn..." He shook his head and twisted his lips in a sneer.

"It's all right, sir."

For a moment, she was thankful Hamid told her to fasten her seat belt at all times whenever she’s in Turkey. He did try to protect her as much as he could from anything that could potentially hurt her. Yet, he was never so good at stopping her from hurting herself.

London, 2016

Daphne's fingers slowly hovered the keys of Lady Dominique's grand piano as Chopin's Prelude in E minor came to an end. Applause erupted in the room. But given how the professional musicians playing since the beginning of the night didn't earn the same attention from the guests, she knew most of those praises were insincere. Still, she looked at the crowd applauding her and bowed her head.

The young viscountess walked around the lounge unamused. The reception was anything but a party most teenagers would expect to host. Instead of a pub crowded with people her age flashing their brand new IDs to get wasted, dance or make out in dark corners, Daphne was surrounded by British politicians, nobility and gentry folk at her father's opulent lounge. Obviously, this wasn't her idea of a party to celebrate her graduation. Or her father's. But at some point in her life, she stopped butting heads with her grandmother. It was easier to simply smile and concede.

After making her rounds to mingle with the guests, Daphne excused herself for a moment and stepped outside. Sitting down on the patio chair, she looked out at the dark moonless sky embellished by the stars. Spring night breeze softly ruffled some locks of her hair when her back and shoulders were covered by a large coat that smelled just as good as its owner.

"I knew you'd be here," Hamid said as he sat down next to her and handed her a champagne flute. "Congratulations, canım¹."

"Thank you."

They clinked glasses and took a sip of the light gold bubbly drink.

"I didn't expect you to be here tonight," she began.

"Why?"

"You're a Cambridge student now. I thought you'd be at a nightclub with your girlfriend and uni friends."

"I still prefer the company of my best girl friend."

"I don't think your girlfriend would approve what you just said," she hinted.

"Fortunately, I no longer have to worry about that," he said before taking a long sip of his champagne.

"Did you break up with Ida?"

"No. She broke up with me."

"What happened?"

"What always happens... " He sighed.

"Hamidciğim, a relationship will only last if you open up to your partner."

"I'm aware of it. But I'll only do it when I'm in a relationship with someone I truly love."

Daphne turned to him, studying his features. "That was the problem, wasn't it?"

He nodded in silence.

"Aw..." Daphne intertwined her arm with his. "Someday you'll find a girl worthy of your love. And she'll be the luckiest person ever."

He smiled ruefully, avoiding her gaze for a second. "Enough about me. This is your night, viscountess. What are your plans for the summer?"

"I don't know..."

"You don't know?" He stared at her confusion. "This is your last summer before you get overwhelmed by textbooks, deadlines, posh fabrics and creepy mannequins at Central Saint Martins. We have to think of something."

"Not all mannequins aren't creepy."

"So was it just the ones in your old bedroom?" He teased.

She elbowed him playfully, making him laugh. As they grew quiet, she began to speak. "I thought about going on that trip I told you about the last time you were here."

"The one where you'd visit the cities and opera houses your mother sang in Europe? That's fantastic!"

Her lips curled upwards. He obviously would love that idea. He was the impulsive one of all her friends. It was one of the many things she adored about him. "I just wanted to do something fun with no worries about etiquette and tabloids." Her smile weakened as she continued. "But it was cooler in my head when Annabelle and Briar were coming with me..."

"They bailed on you?"

"Ann got an opportunity to take a summer course in Sussex and Briar will stay here to help Mrs. Daly at the bakery."

"Oh..." He went silent for a brief moment then spoke again. "I can go with you."

"It's all right. You don't have to... It was a silly idea..."

"No, it isn't. I know how important this trip is to you and I'd love to be there with you."

Her heart fluttered at the idea. Ever since her mother passed away, traveling to visit the seven cities Mary sang in her years as an opera singer was Daphne's biggest dream. The thought of having her favourite person beside would make this journey even better. Alas, Hamid has always been a popular guy. He certainly had other plans and chances were neither of them included her.

"Hamidciğim, it's okay. Really. I know you must have other plans. Besides, I was going to ask for a refund or reschedule anyway."

He immediately made a disgusted face in response. "That's a preposterous idea! You're so not doing that."

"Hamid, I don't want to impose..."

"You say it as if it'd be such a burden to travel across the best cities in Europe with you. We're going, Daphne. Accept it," he said with a playful grin. "Now stop with this nonsense and help me get my train tickets."

Daphne agreed with a smile watching her friend produce his mobile from his coat to buy the train tickets.

...

Amsterdam, 2016

It was quarter to three in the morning when the taxi rolled to a stop in front of the Ambassade Hotel. Daphne, however, barely noticed anything that happened during most of the night after the "new friend" Hamid made at lunch insisted they should try a pink heart shaped pill at the nightclub. Of all the many impulsive and silly acts she could choose to make whilst traveling abroad, getting high as a kite was the dumbest one.

"Daphne?"

Struggling to open her eyes, she shifted on the backseat.

"Daphne, wake up. We're here."

"Mmm?" Her eyes fluttered open, she smiled. Somehow, in the dimly lit backseat of a car and with her foggy vision, she could see him clearly. And he looked as handsome as ever. "Hi..."

"Welcome back, canım. Are you okay?"

"Yes..." Her grin went wider and she slid closer to him, rubbing her face on his chest in a cat-like way.

"Uh... Okay..." Caught by surprise, he failed to hide a smile, but proceeded to hand his credit card to the driver. "Here you go, sir."

"Oooooh! Platinum card!" She enthused. "You're so posh, Hamidciğim!"

"So are you. You paid for the drinks tonight, remember? Thank you," he said once he received his card back.

"Oh, that's right! I have one of those too!"

"Yes, we're indeed very posh and fortunate. Now let's get you out of here." He then climbed out of the car and helped her get out.

"Bye, mister driver!" Daphne waved.

With one of her arms around his shoulder and supporting her by the waist, Hamid brushed the loose strands of her face, tucking them behind her ear. His brows knitted together as he gazed at her in worry. "How are you feeling?"

"Sweaty, tired…” She squinted her eyes, trying to focus. “You look blurry..."

"It'll get better. How about nausea? Chills? Hallucinations? Do you feel like you're going to faint?"

"No… I'm fine, Hamidciğim, you don't have to—" But as she took a few steps forward, her legs weakened. Still, she never hit the ground. Holding her close to his body, Hamid's arms wrapped around her legs and back and hoisted her up, carrying her into the hotel.

"You're so strong..."

"Did you realise it just now?" He asked once they stopped before the elevator.

"Nah..." She said as she pressed the button to call the elevator. "Everyone in school knows you're strong. The highlight of the day was when you took off your shirt after a match. All the girls and some of the guys swooned every time you did it."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah. Everyone missed those moments."

He stepped into the elevator, still carrying her.

"Daphne?"

"Mmm..."

"Press the button to the floor where our suites are. My hands are kinda busy here."

"Oh!" She giggled. "Sorry..." She looked at the elevator control panel as her brows furrowed as she tried to remember the right floor.

"It's the eleventh floor, Daph."

"I knew that..." she scoffed.

For some reason, he chose not to make a joke about it. Instead, he changed back to the previous subject.

"Daphne?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you miss seeing me shirtless as well?"

"No." She made a face, offended by the idea of her objectifying him the way the entire school did. "I miss all of you."

His forehead creased in surprise.

"You are incredibly handsome. But the most beautiful part of you is on the inside," she explained, poking his chest with her index finger.

"Why thank you."

"Don't mention it..." She said between yawns, resting her head on his shoulder. "You changed your cologne."

"I did. This is the one I use at night now."

"I like it... It's so you."

"Really?"

"Yeah..." She replied, using the hand resting on his neck to caress his hair. "Do you remember that expensive wine we stole from Edgewater cellar four years ago?"

Goosebumps spread along his skin at the gentle touch, but he still seemed impassive. "Yes. What about it?"

"You smell like that wine..." She paused for a moment, thinking of the words as her fingers continued to idly caress the back of his head. "Sweet, strong, enticing..."

He didn't say a word, but it was obvious that he looked surprised by her compliment.

Just then the elevator doors opened and they stepped out of it, walking towards Daphne's suite.

"I still prefer the smell of your aftershave though."

"Do you?"

She nodded. "It smells like summer mornings on the beach. Fresh, warm, invigorating..."

"I didn't know that..."

"Now you do."

Once they stopped by her door, he put her down, but still held her. "Can you find your key card on your own?"

"Huh?"

"The card that opens the door, Daphne."

"Oh..." She opened her clutch bag and fished out her ID and three different cards, including the one that opened the door to her suite. "It's one of those, isn't it?"

He pressed his lips together, fighting back a grin. "Yes. This one." He pulled the key card from her hand and placed it inside the lock. "You can put the other ones back in your purse."

"Okay..."

Hamid leaned her against the wall and released her for a moment to open the door only to see her sliding down. "Allah kahretsin²..." He mumbled as he bent down to help her.

"I'm sorry..."

"It's not your fault. It's mine. It's all my fault..." He said as he picked her up from the floor and carried her inside.

Once they were finally inside the suite, he sat her on the bed and went to the bathroom. When he returned, he had a glass of water and her toiletry bag in his hands. "Drink."

She obeyed without questioning.

"What do you use to remove makeup?"

"Makeup wipes and a cream..." She said, placing the glass on the nightstand. "It's that package." She pointed to the product and reached for the makeup remover cream. "Thank you. Now turn away."

"Excuse me?"

"Turn away."

"Why?"

"Because I look ugly when I remove my makeup. I don't want you to see it."

His lips curled up. "I highly doubt you'd ever look ugly."

"You're saying it because you haven't seen it."

He chortled. "Okay." He then turned away and waited.

"Hamid?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you say it was all your fault?"

"Because it is. If it weren't for me, you wouldn't have met Amani, went to that dodgy nightclub, drank that much, had a Molly..."

"No, it wasn't. I told you to get her number. I told you to go out with her. You didn't want to leave me here, so you had to take me with you so I wouldn't feel alone."

"I didn't have to. I only went out because you agreed to go out too. By the way, I'm pretty sure Amani wanted both of us."

"She did?" She stared at him unsure of what he was talking about, but as he gave her a knowing look, she understood. "Oooh... Really?"

"Yep."

"Okay..." She giggled. "She would be very disappointed though. I mean, what could a bloody virgin like me do that would please a runway model and Cambridge's hottest bloke?"

"I'm not even going to comment on that..."

"Of course you won't. You're too much of a good friend and a gentleman to admit you wanted to bring me back here then go back to end the night with her."

"I..." His brows furrowed, as though he was truly struggling to understand her. "No. What I meant is that we could've stayed here. Or just went out somewhere else," he insisted.

"But you wanted her. And it's fine! I get it. I was the stupid one who took a Molly in hopes that my best friend would want me more than he obviously wanted that insanely gorgeous girl."

"What?!" He turned back to face her.

"Don't look at me!" She snapped.

Startled by her tone, he faced away from her again. "Why would you think I don't want you?"

"Because you don't. You always date these tall and beautiful Muslim girls, who also happen to be way more fun, successful and mature than I am."

"Daphne, I—"

"Save it, Hamid. I don't need your pity or excuses. I know it's not going to happen. You're off limits," she spat.

He turned back to look at her once again. "What are you talking about?"

"I have to wash my face."

"No, you have to answer my question first."

"No, I don't!" She tried to stand up, but once again, her legs gave in.

And one more time, he promptly held her. "Daph, I told you're too weak to walk on your own now. You have to wait until the side effects fade away. Come on, you need to sleep."

"No. I have to wash my face first!"

"Fine..."

Taking her to the ensuite, he held her as she washed her face and brushed her teeth. They exchanged glances through the mirror a few times, even though she tried to avoid them.

She shouldn't have said anything, but it slipped. As "the fun" side effects of ecstasy began to fade, she only had the bad ones still going. And among them, a feeling she didn't foresee began to emerge.

When they returned to the room, he helped her out of her clothes, put on her pyjamas and tucked her into bed.

"Are you leaving?" She asked.

"No. I'm staying with you tonight."

"Then come to bed."

"I"ll just crash on the couch..."

"Please?"

He nodded and proceeded to remove his jacket, shoes and shirt. After placing them on the chair nearby, he crawled into the king size bed, keeping a respectful distance from her.

"Daphne, I still need to know what you meant."

She let out a tired sigh. "We have different lifestyles, goals in life... You still see me as the little girl you need to protect. That's why you don't want me."

"Canım, you got it all wrong. I don't—"

"I know it can't be. And it's okay."

"Daphne, please..." He shifted on the bed to gaze at her. "We need to talk about this."

"We really don't, Hamidciğim," she whispered, cupping one side of his face.

She shifted to the other side and closed her eyes, hoping to look asleep as naturally as possible. At least, there were two things she could take advantage of getting high on ecstasy: faking to doze off fast and pretending not to have any idea this conversation ever happened.

Istanbul, August, 2020

Honks incessantly created a cacophonic and odd symphony as the traffic grew heavier. Daphne looked back at her phone and read the last messages Hamid sent to her one more time.

Did he mean it as a friend as always? Or did he ever feel something else? Something more than an attraction to the idea of a life with freedom, away from the burden of following the footsteps of his parents? And if so, would it change the course of their lives? Her stomach fluttered at every thought that tortured her with impossible scenarios of this love she could never have.

"Miss, is everything okay?" The driver asked, looking at her from the rear view mirror.

"Yes. I'm fine." She faked a smile. "Is it going to take long, sir?"

"I'm afraid so. Traffic always gets crazy when it rains."

"Can you take a different route?"

"I can, but it's a bit longer."

"How much?

"Three kilometers."

"Will we get there faster?"

"Yeah."

She looked out the window and at her phone again. It'd take forever for her to get there if they waited. So, against her best judgement, she ordered. "Take the longer route and step on the gas."

"Yes, ma'am."

_____

¹ My darling

² Damnit

[slashyrogue]

AU-gust Day #5: Post-Apocalypse AU

Will Graham is tasked with the impossible. 

There’s been rumors that an alpha is being kept at Verger Ranch. 

Alphas have, of course, been extinct for nearly thirty years after The Void. Year after year followed with no alphas presenting at adolescence and soon enough the already strained relations between the second genders broke. 

Betas weren’t alphas. 

But the omegas didn’t let their needs define them and they thrived, even as their ranks started to dwindle after every skirmish with the betas. 

When they were told of an alpha being kept at Verger Ranch it seemed like a trap but Will volunteered. He was unmated and one of their strongest. Even if it was a trap he was sure he’d get out alive. 

The minute he lays eyes on the alpha, everything changes. 

Haninbal Lecter made an error. 

He kept to himself for a very long time, watching the war between beta and omega with amusement. There is no need for him to take sides, even as the last alpha. 

Alphas are only made to care for their mates and he has none. 

When he’s taken by the betas and brought to the beta leader, Mason Verger, he expects to overtake them soon. 

Days, weeks, months, and years pass. 

He’s broken down, used, and abused but shows no weakness. 

None of these lessers are his mate. 

Even if he dies here he won’t give them the satisfaction. 

The minute he lays eyes on the omega, everything changes. 

***

Will pants in his ear, whimpering as he fucks him, and when Hannibal bites down his whole body feels the bond. 

“Fuck,” Will sighs, “That...fuck.” 

“You’re welcome.” 

He feels Will’s hand on the back of his head and presses a kiss to his mating bite. 

“The elders are gonna kill me.” 

Hannibal lifts his head. “They’ll have to get through me first. They all will.” 

Will smiles at him. “You’ll fight the world for me, Alpha?” 

He bares his teeth. “Yes.”

[pio-hxh-art]

Felt motivated for this one !  It’s the 11th prompt Farm/Ranch AU... But did it differently ! And late !  @augustwritingchallenge

[mari-onberry]

AU-gust 2020 day 2: college AU

read on ao3

Shaggy was nervous to pack up for college for three distinct reasons: 1, he didn't want to move away from home, 2, he didn't know how to fit all his belongings in his car, and 3, he didn't know what to expect of his roommates. He had already figured out how he would bring Scooby along, in fact, that was one of the main factors he researched when looking for colleges and apartments to stay in. He was able to find a great apartment that allowed pets, but he would have to live with 3 roommates. Not ideal, but it would do for now. 

 Nonetheless, he shoved as much stuff as possible in the back of his car and started the two hour commute to University, Scooby in the passenger seat. 

 Two hours goes by fast while listening to music and singing along with your dog. 

So numbers 1 and 2 were done, even if he was hesitant at first. Now, the third worry was approaching fast. He knocked on the door, fairly sure at least one of his roommates was home, with the car parked out front. 

 Sure enough, one of his new roommates opened the door. Fred, he assumed, the other guy along with two girls. He thought it was rather unconventional to stay in a house with two guys and two girls, at least for college students, but he was willing to stay anywhere that would take him. Plus, the rent there was cheap. 

 “Shaggy, right?” The guy who was probably Fred asked. 

 “Yep. Fred?”

 He nodded and invited Shaggy inside. The tour was short, since there were only basically four rooms: a living room and kitchen combination, two bedrooms, and a bathroom. The kitchen was small but functional enough, and the living room had a space for a TV that hadn’t been filled yet.  It was already decorated, and the only space left untouched was Shaggy’s corner of the boys’ room. He also realized the two girls weren’t home. 

 Shaggy introduced Fred to Scooby while they waited for the other two to get home from the store. Plus, Shaggy was trying to procrastinate unpacking for as long as possible; packing in the first place was hard enough. 

 Soon, though, he had to give in and do it. He didn't have that many bags, since he didn't like to keep that much variety of clothes, and didn't have many possessions to bring over, but he did bring a mattress and sheets. Once that was done, the place was already starting to feel like home. His bed was the farthest from the door, in the opposite corner from Fred’s. They were pretty much the only pieces of furniture there, since that was about all that would fit. Fred did have some sort of desk though, and it was covered in nicely folded clothes. For how clean and crisp he seemed, he apparently was hesitant to make himself at home, too. They had both not talked in a while; they were strangers, after all. 

 “So, Fred, how long have you been here?”

 “A couple days, actually,” Fred explained. They would start school in a few days, so it made sense Shaggy was the last to arrive. Velma had been the first, but the three of them had known each other beforehand. Fred told Shaggy about how they all met-- Velma and Daphne knew each other as kids, and they met Fred in high school. He had been the new kid at school, but that didn't stop him from fitting in with Daphne and Velma perfectly. 

 Still, they needed another tenant to pay for rent, since they had an extra space. None of them expected to immediately bond with Shaggy. 

 Once Velma and Daphne made their way back, they introduced themselves. They had grocery bags with them, which was more than a little distracting to Shaggy, but he told them he would try and only eat things he bought himself. 

 He introduced them to Scooby, too, but he was tuckered out from the ride, and was already taking a nap on Shaggy’s bed, so they left him alone. 

 Shaggy had already taken a liking to them, and he could see how good of friends they were. Usually, this would be a little worrying to him, but they seemed eager to include him. So, the 3rd item on his list no longer scared him. Still, there would be school in a couple days, so he wasn’t completely relaxed. 

 The other three didn't seem relaxed, either, although Velma and Fred both seemed more excited than stressed. 

 They watched a movie Shaggy had never seen, The Princess Bride, but it seemed to be one of the group’s favorites. It was actually a really fun movie, which were his favorite kind, so he returned the favor by making them a special recipe of grilled cheese sandwiches (which was mostly just a ton of cheese). Daphne said it was fine for him to use her ingredients, and that they should all be able to share. 

 “So, Shaggy, how did you end up here?” Daphne asked, having finished her sandwich almost as fast as Shaggy. 

 “This school or this apartment?” 

 “Uh, both, I guess.”

 He thought for a moment. Really, he had always rationalized it as being the easiest choice. He never really thought about it all that much. “It just seemed like the right fit. I couldn’t go without my dog, so I ended up here.” Now, he was glad he didn't give it that much thought. Maybe it had allowed fate to take his course, and him to find these three people. 

 Once school started, they saw each other less. Shaggy and Velma both had classes in the morning, and sometimes carpooled, but it was not often that their schedules lined up perfectly. When Shaggy got home, usually the rest of them had left for their own classes, and he would hole up in his room to study. There was good to it, though, because it was easier to study with no one else home. 

 He walked Scooby during these afternoon breaks as well, and it was a nice opportunity to clear his head. That didn't mean his mind didn't tend to wander towards the subject of his roommates. By 5:00, they were usually all home again. He loved to watch them banter more than anything else, especially when they didn't notice he was listening in. An outside perspective of their relationship was interesting. 

 Mostly, though, he noticed the love. Of course, they loved each other platonically, they were close enough for that much to be obvious. He also saw they were in love with each other, just a little asymmetrically. Worst of all, none of them seemed to realize this. 

 He tried to give hints. When they all crowded on the couch to watch something on Fred’s laptop, they tended to sit in a pattern. Shaggy, then Fred, then Daphne, then Velma. That made it easy for Shaggy to notice how Daphne would cling to Fred during especially scary parts (so would Shaggy, but that’s beside the point). During particularly mushy points, though, Velma seemed embarrassed to sit by Daphne, and Shaggy could definitely see the tension between them. 

 Fred was probably the most clueless out of all of them. When they would cook a meal together, which was about once a week, Fred would usually just watch over all of them, looking over their shoulder. It was a small kitchen, so this was probably for the best, but it was a good time for Shaggy to watch him, while he was busy cutting vegetables. Fred was a hands-on person, and this was true even in his free time. He would put his arm over the girls’ shoulders, and hand them the right knife or pan, and read them the recipe. It was sort of like a dance, so much so that Shaggy was surprised how easily he fit in between them. Of course, he loved to cook, but cooking with his friends was even better. 

 And then they would eat, and Fred thanked them for the meal and offered to do the dishes, even though he had done his own part in helping. He was selfless in the best way, the way that made every interaction with him seem like a team effort. 

 So, yeah, maybe Shaggy had his own feelings for Fred. But that didn't mean he would admit that to himself, and it especially didn't mean he would stop noticing the subtle ways the others were in love. Most of all, it didn't mean he was prepared to act on these feelings. 

 One morning was a bit different from their usual routine. It was a weekend, which meant no classes, but Shaggy worked at a convenience store on weekends, and Velma volunteered at the school, so they usually wouldn’t see each other until the afternoon, any way. Shaggy of course didn't expect them to wake up as early as he had to for work, so his mornings were always more lonely than his nights. 

 But this morning, the other three were already awake. Well, it seemed like they wanted to be awake, but they had fallen asleep in a pile on the couch. Nonetheless, there was a breakfast of now-cold pancakes on the table. He smiled, ate quickly so he wouldn’t be late, and left, but not before draping a blanket over his friends. 

 When he came home, they were busy with studying. It was a weekend, but they still had work. He was glad they hadn’t slept the whole day, but he also wished they could do something together. They hadn’t really done much outside of the apartment, and Shaggy had tons of ideas. They were pretty much actually friends now, but there was no time for going out together. Maybe the gesture that morning had been their way of telling him that they did care about him. 

 He went into his shared room with Fred, mostly exhausted, but he still had some homework to do. Maybe he would take a nap first, or--

 “Shaggy! Welcome home.” 

 “Oh. Hi, Fred.” For some reason, Shaggy had expected to be met with silence. “Um, thanks for this morning. It was nice to have a real breakfast.” 

 “Of course.” 

 Shaggy sat down on his bed and pulled a few things out of his book bag. 

 “Hey, Shaggy. We were thinking of going out tomorrow for dinner and a movie. It’s okay if you can’t come, but we really wanted you there.” 

 Shaggy was a little stunned. It was a surprise that he had been invited in the first place, but the way Fred worded it made it seem like he was still an odd man out. “Sure. Sounds fun.” He rushed to get his homework done quickly so he wouldn’t have any to do tomorrow.

 Daphne helped him with dinner that night. He had expected them to order something in or make something frozen, but she insisted they make something from scratch. Shaggy was fine with this; it was one of his favorite pastimes, plus homemade food usually tasted better. They made a pasta dish that Daphne had come up with, derived from something she had as a kid. Shaggy found it relaxing to chop vegetables as she stirred the pot of pasta, the hot stove heating up the room that had a tendency to get cold the closer fall got to winter. 

 They cooked in silence until Daphne said, “I wanted to cook tonight, since we’re going out tomorrow.” It was a simple sentence, but it explained a lot to Shaggy. He wondered if she had as much of a passion for cooking as he did. Maybe she just liked the company. 

 “I’m glad,” Shaggy responded. Then, he said, “I’m excited for it, but I think I’ll prefer your cooking.” 

 She laughed, her face turning red. She brushed it off, though. The stove was rather hot, after all. “Thanks, Shaggy.” Silence again, other than the boiling water. “Before you came, I usually cooked alone. It’s not nearly as fun that way. 

 He would have to agree. He always had Scooby to keep him company, of course, but he preferred the eating part. “I’m glad I chose this place to live.” It was likely they never would have met otherwise; none of them take the same classes as him. He shuddered to imagine a world where he hadn’t met them, even though he had only known them for a month or so. 

 “Me, too.” Daphne reached over and put a hand on his arm. When their eyes met, though, she quickly went back to stirring the pot. 

 Shaggy’s heart pounded in his chest, and his cutting of mushrooms quickened. 

 After dinner, Shaggy popped popcorn, sure they were going to watch a movie, which was their usual routine for Saturdays. Sure enough, he found the other three sitting on the couch, Fred’s laptop loaded up some animated movie, which Daphne explained was My Neighbor Totoro. A couple days ago, Shaggy told them he had never seen a Ghibli movie, so they obviously had to show him one. 

 This time, though, Shaggy fell asleep, and they let him sleep until the movie was over. He had worked hard in anticipation for their day out tomorrow, so they decided it would be best to let him rest. 

 He woke up in bed the next morning, the sun already high in the sky. Greeted by the smell of pancake leftovers from yesterday, he hurried out of his room to the kitchen. The other three were already eating, and he sat down where he fit perfectly. Scooby was also already up, begging for scraps. Shaggy felt like part of a family, if four college students and a dog counted as family. 

 He decided it did. 

 Once at the movie theater, they decided Velma and Shaggy would save seats while Daphne and Fred got the popcorn. The theater wasn’t even close to full, but it was nice to be a little early. They ignored the blaring of the before-show ads and whispered over them. No one really minded them talking over the ads, after all. 

 “How’s school going?” Shaggy asked. He always had a little more trouble with small talk when it came to Velma, but she didn't seem to care.

 “It’s going fine.” She fidgeted in her chair, but he didn't blame her; the seats in this theater weren’t the most comfortable. 

 He guessed she must not have much to say because good grades came easy to her. She did spend a lot of time studying, but he wasn’t sure if all of it was for school. She did have a lot of random knowledge. 

 “So, what’s the movie gonna be?”

 “The Lodge."

 “Wait, isn’t that a horror movie?” He sounded panicked.

 “Yeah, I think it’s somewhat scary. We can watch something else if you prefer, though.” 

 As easily as Shaggy got scared, he actually did like horror movies, and he was pretty sure Daphne was the same way, although she was braver than him when it came to real life. “No, it’s fine. You’ve seen me watch horror movies before though, I’m usually not peaceful.” He laughed.

 Her voice was a bit shaky when she told him, “You can hold my hand if you find it necessary.” 

 The loud ‘boom’ at the start of a new preview made him jump and he took her up on the offer. When Fred and Daphne came back with the popcorn, he let go for a while to eat, but once the movie started, his hand was back in hers, and he grabbed Fred’s as well. He tried his best not to scream at every jump-scare, and he had no interest in hiding his face while his hands were occupied. 

 Still, despite everything, Shaggy could confidently say that was the most fun he had ever had at the movies. 

 The night wasn’t over, though. They still had dinner to go to. 

 They couldn’t exactly go to a fancy restaurant, not that they really wanted to, so they went to Denny’s. It was actually getting pretty late after the movie anyway, so they had to take into account what would be open. None of them minded the crowded room full of the smell of fried food. In fact, Shaggy quite enjoyed it. Plus, as the night went on, more and more people started to leave. 

 They were laughing about a subject none of them could remember the beginning to when Fred stopped with a serious look on his face, although he was still smiling. “Shaggy, I, uh, we have something to tell you.” 

 Shaggy was startled enough to instinctively grab Velma’s hand to the left of him, the feeling similar to a jump-scare. “Okay,” he said, but inside he was panicked. They must’ve given me this great day so they could kick me out of the house earlier, he thought. He mostly knew he was being overly dramatic, but his brain was working under capacity and he couldn’t think of any other logical explanation. 

 Or maybe...

 “Wait, Fred, can I say something first?” 

 Fred nodded, the look on his face confused, but he thought maybe Shaggy had caught onto what was going on. 

 “I know you guys are close, and you’ve known each other for so long. But I think we’ve become really good friends in these past few weeks. So, I get it if you don’t feel the same, but I’d rather you give me more of a chance before you kick me out.”

 Fred looked a little stunned, and so did the other two. Daphne spoke up next. “Wait, Shaggy, did you think we were going to kick you out?” She sounded sad, and the tone of her voice matched her friend’s faces. 

 “Well, when I heard Fred speak like that, I thought...” He was a little relieved, but his worry hadn’t been completely dropped. “Not to mention how much you guys love each other.” 

 As Fred and Daphne were busy trying to console Shaggy and tell him they were, in fact, not kicking him out, Velma was caught on that last statement. “Shaggy, what did you mean by that?” 

 “By what?” 

 “Why would our love make us want to kick you out?” She asked, her voice quieter when she reached the word ‘love’. 

 “Well, you guys are obviously in love, I just don’t want to get in the way of that.”

 Their jaws dropped. 

 “What? You still haven’t noticed?” He was as surprised as they were. “The way you act around each other, I just thought--” 

 Fred laughed first, and Daphne and Velma joined him. “Shaggy, I think I should say what I came here to tell you before you go any further.” When Shaggy agreed, Fred said, “Shaggy, meeting you has been one of the best things to happen to all of us. We have you to thank for being us closer, and I have a feeling this will be my favorite year yet.”

 Daphne seemed content with what Fred said, but she had one more thing to say. “I also have you to thank for helping us realize that there’s something here.” She took hold of Velma’s hand, and then Fred’s, and brought their joined hands together and held them in front of her heart. “In loving you, we’ve learned to love each other.”

 “Love?” Shaggy asked, and the full question was implied. 

 “Oh, sorry, maybe I shouldn’t speak for everyone.”

 “No, what you said was accurate,” Velma said, and Fred’s silence was enough to prove he agreed. 

 Shaggy reached across the booth to take Fred’s hand. They had finished eating a while ago, so there was really no reason to stay. “Let’s go home.” 

photo credits:

x x x  |  x x x  |  x x x

[xauroraxborealisx]

An Archive of Our Own, a project of the Organization for Transformative Works

Day 14: Vampire AU

Title: Nauseous

“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”

What’s this? AN UPDATE! After all this time? Well, yes <3 Enjoy!

[ygocollablove]

@augustwritingchallenge‘s 2020 monthly prompts have come to a conclusion, and YGO Collab Love would like to present all its members who participated this year!

Before that, I would like to give thanks/applause to @cieryuu for creating the banner above (and another round to @darkmagiattack/@crshrs for making the template). Look how adorable it is! <3

There are many pieces still in progress even after the challenge’s end day, and we are excited for the day that the fics will all come to completion. Otherwise, please give love and comments and feedback to the pieces listed below!

For Art submissions...

scemo vampire yami Bakura by @crshrs Vampire AU Rating: Teens and Up Blood warning

For General Audiences...

Step One College, Step Two Take Over the World by Souless_Robot ( @soulessrobot ) Status: COMPLETE College AU Characters: Chazz Princeton & Ojama Brothers Summary: “Step one: get into Neo Domino University,” Chazz lifted one finger and waved it in his spirit partners’ faces. “Step two: get a Ph.D. in dueling. Step three: get hired to teach at Duel Academy. Step four: take over the school.”

Dueling Royalty by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Modern AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba will block you on Twitter.

Diagnostic Don’ts by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Hospital AU Characters: Jack Atlas, Seto Kaiba, Alexis Rhodes, Duke Devlin, Atem Summary: Dr. Seto Kaiba very much does not want any fellows in his diagnostic department. Unfortunately the hospital administrator Atem has different ideas. That's how Kaiba ends up with three fellows in his office. It's a good thing Kaiba doesn't plan to keep them for very long. He'll bet Wheeler he can get them to quit by the end of the week.

Mr. Jounouchi Will See You Now by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Role Reversal AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The CEO of Jounouchi Corp. is known for being charming and lucky—not just a shrewd businessman who bravely took over the company for his alcoholic dad. Seto Kaiba is a bright kid who really needs to pay for his brother’s eye surgery.

Succ's to be You. by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Flower Shop AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba is the worst at office plants.

For Teens and Up...

Cafe Nervosa by Elexica ( @elexica ) Status: COMPLETE Coffee Shop AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Good morning, Domino! Dr. Seto Kaiba runs a call-in psychiatry radio show, and whether he wants to or not, he's listening. His sound engineer, Joey Wheeler, unfortunately has to listen too.

All the King's Men by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Soulmate AU Pairing: Rivalshipping (Chazz Princeton x Jaden Yuki), Spiritshipping (Jesse Anderson x Jaden Yuki), Supreme King x Chazz Princeton Summary: Or Chazz is the Supreme King's soulmate but not Jaden's.

Wasted by Elexica Status: COMPLETE College AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba gets drunk at Mokuba's fraternity initiation party and does the cute orientation leader's calculus homework. He's bad at flirting, but he's good at math.

Blank Slate by KitsunePhantom09 ( @kitsunephantom09 ) Status: COMPLETE Soulmates AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Everyone has a mark signifying their soulmate. Yusei doesn't.

The Voice in My Head by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Soulmates AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The month leading up to when you meet your soulmate is the only period in your life where you will hear another voice in your head, their thoughts streaming through your mind. For Jounouchi, it's hell.

Demon Days by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Joey never meant to be permanently assigned to earth after the events that take place in the Garden of Eden. Still, now that he is he really wishes he would stop running into his least favorite demon. Unfortunately, it seems the creator has other plans.

Cancelling the Apocalypse by Elexica Status: ONGOING Chapters 1/3 Post-Apocalyptic AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Are Joey and Kaiba drift compatible?

Straight to the Top by Souless_Robot Status: COMPLETE Band AU Characters: Joey Wheeler, Seto Kaiba, Yuugi Mutou, Chazz Princeton, Jaden Yuki Summary: Joey is a folk singer trying to break into the mainstream with her childhood friend Yugi. Too bad she gets nothing but problems most from the Kaiba corp record label run by the young CEO and music prodigy Seto Kaiba.

A Good Match by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Superheroes/Superpowers AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Or, Kaiba and Jounouchi can't wait for the whistle to start fighting.

Good Eggs by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Farm/Ranch AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba is forced to work as a farmhand the summer before college. Joey doesn't mind the company.

Mercy by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Crime AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba's a bit tied up at the moment.

Who You Gonna Call by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Treasure Hunters AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Ghost hunter Joey and skeptic Kaiba enlist Yugi's help in answering the question: Are ghosts real?

For Mature audiences...

And Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore.” by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Vampire AU Characters: Yusei Fudo Summary: Rule #1: Never answer when you hear them knocking.

Dark Web by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Pirates AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: You wouldn't download a car. Kaiba would.

The line that stands between us is 100 lives worth living by SwordsAndSwongs ( @blue-eyed-priest ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 8/32 Pairing: Prideshipping (Seto Kaiba x Atem), Rivalshipping (Kaiba x Yuugi Mutou), Stoicshipping (Kaiba x Priest Set), and Puppyshipping (Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: In a world full of multiverses, who will Kaiba meet? Is it his Pharaoh, his enemies, his few friends? Or is it himself, waiting at the end of every step taken?

Demon in a Bottle by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Kaiba overdoses.

Addicted (You’re My Favorite High) by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Crime AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Yusei has never felt like this before, and he desperately doesn't want it to end.

Netflix and Chill by auroraXborealis ( @xauroraxborealisx ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/? Pairing: Puzzleshipping (Yuugi Mutou x Atem) Summary: When the department of Human Resources from Kaiba Corp decides it is in the company’s best interest to send some of its employees on a team-building seminar for a whole weekend, Atem does not think his bonding experience with his colleagues will turn out to be this intense. Especially when he is thrown into a downward spiral of strange events with the one coworker he dislikes the most: Yugi. Now, they must work together to survive and figure out all the clues to make it back home.

Enemy Fire by KitsunePhantom09 Status: ONGOING Chapter 5/? Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Jack has just escaped a horrible alpha, but is in dire straits – heavily pregnant and out on the streets in the middle of winter does not bode well. But as his darkest hour arrives, so too does his savior.

Catalysts for Kindling by bewdofchaos ( @atems-leather-pants ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/? Pairing: Puzzleshipping (Yuugi Mutou x Atem), Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: In the eight months that Yugi and Atem have been roommates, they have formed a fast friendship over their fondness for coffee, late-night study sessions and video games. But recently, something has not been quite right. When Yugi receives a mysterious parcel, he is sent on an unexpected journey where each new step makes him reconsider everything he ever knew to be true… but mostly his relationship with his roommate.

The Dark Woods Circus’ Monster by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Circus AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Once, the circus was meant to wow and inspire its audience with feats of grandeur. Now it horrifies and terrifies them with unholy creatures of man's own design.

Time to fight fears, for once and for AUll by Seiyofira ( @seiyofira-doesntknowshiet ) Status: COMPLETE Chapters 11/11 Summary: These will be some scattered works for AU-gust 2020, which will either revolve around Yu-Gi-Oh! DM or JoJo's Bizarre Adventure, I will put the used AU prompt as well as either YGO or JJBA at the beginning of each chapter. They do not build a consistent story!

For Explicit audiences...

Forgiveness by KitsunePhantom09 Status: COMPLETE Angels & Demons AU Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: An angel is offered as a sacrifice by a cult to appease their lord.

Scrubs by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Hospital AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: The door to the supply closet doesn't lock, but that doesn't stop Drs. Kaiba and Jounochi from having an intimate moment.

Embrace me, Love. It's been a long day. by Cleopatra ( @writelovetomeempress ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 20/33 Pairing: Flareshipping (Seto Kaiba x Atem x Yuugi Mutou) Summary: Atem is gone, back to the Afterlife when the Ceremonial Duel was complete. A piece of Yuugi's heart went with him. Kaiba, with all his genius and all his tech, has found a way to use the Quantum Cube to claim the victory he was denied. Per a reluctant deal, Kaiba brings Yuugi along. All the bravado in the world couldn't prepare Yuugi for that final goodbye, and with shaky hands, he broke their world completely.

Porcelain Wings and Shattered Dreams by Life_0r_Death ( @life-0r-death ) Status: ONGOING Chapters 11/17 Pairing: Kingcrabshipping (Jack Atlas x Yusei Fudo) Summary: Paradox has come to take his revenge against Yusei Fudo, but a former king will sacrifice himself for the love of the greater good. Too bad sacrificing doesn't mean death, but a perpetual prison of different worlds, different dimensions where Jack gets to witness what could have been.

For fics Not Rated...

Doin’ Time by Elexica Status: COMPLETE Childhood Friends AU Pairing: Puppyshipping (Seto Kaiba x Joey Wheeler) Summary: Joey is trying to get a contraband cell phone in Juvie Hall. Kaiba is a little more ambitious.

A huge round of applause for everyone who participated and who are still fighting the good fight of completing their fics! We hope to join again next year and provide a plethora of amazing YGO-related fics for you all to read! Congratulations everyone!!