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Another self indulgent post. I just love her so much

Not-a-Damsel in Distress: Hallway Edition

Summary: Victor-Hecate's first public short story! Their many protective layers concealed too many features, so a patrolling teacher hehe that rhymed decided to lecture them on it and subsequently put them in danger. A somewhat mysterious girl (Aster @pagesofcursive character) comes to the rescue, which may lead them back to a path they abandoned long ago for the safety of them and the mental peace of those around them.

“Miss Ernesh!” The teacher’s voice rang out across the hallway.

Victor-Hecate Ernesh jumped, their head halfway in their locker. Sighing, they tugged at their scarf, one of the many layers of clothing they wore, and closed their locker. “Yes?” they answered, their voice muffled by the cream bandana they wore.

Coldly, the teacher demanded, “Take off all those… accessories. You know the school policy.”

Victor-Hecate said nothing and began unwrapping their copious layers of clothing. Under the severe gaze of the teacher, they shrugged off the overcoat and laid it on the tiled floor, grimacing at the thought of all the grime from day to day usage getting on the soft leather. They tugged off their grey beanie, a mop of tightly coiled chocolate brown curls spilling out and hanging halo-like around their head. After trying and failing to unwrap their scarf, they tugged off their treasured gloves and added them to the slowly growing pile at their knees.

“Hey!” a voice echoed sharply from one of the nearby lockers.

A pale girl stormed over, her dark, choppily cut, chin-length hair framing her face. A scar traced down the left side of her face, through her eyebrow to halfway down her cheek. Her dark clothing contrasted starkly with her fierce blue eyes. Victor-Hecate’s eyes widened at the impressive figure she cut; they’d heard of her before - Aster had dated Dawn, one of the more popular girls in schools, and was in and out of detention so often, no one could keep track of her misdeeds. “Can’t you see they’re obviously uncomfortable? Why can’t they just wear what they want?” Aster’s icy tone matched the teacher’s.

The teacher raised an eyebrow at the fuming girl. “She wasn’t adhering to the dress code, so she had to change. And frankly, it’s none of your business, so resume getting ready for class.”

Victor-Hecate turned back to their pile of clothing, their spirits lifted a little - they’d finally managed to unknot their scarf, and someone was trying to stand up for them. They stole another look at the girl, who rolled her eyes at the teacher. Stealing a hidden smirk, they got to work untying their bandana, which had gotten caught in their short hair.

“Dress code is stupid anyway,” she snapped, her eyes blazing brighter than before, and she narrowed them at the teacher. “Are their clothes personally bothering you? Because I don’t see how a few extra layers do anything but help them feel comfortable.”

The teacher’s visage grew haughty at the fiery girl’s insolence. “It’s a matter of security. It is hard to identify the student, and he or she could be smuggling something,” the teacher said snidely.

“A matter of security?” she said with a snicker. “Did you know that four of the doors leading into the school and the front gate all have broken locks? There are malfunctioning cameras everywhere, and at least half the windows are cracked. Why don’t you focus on those instead of targeting an innocent student?” As Victor-Hecate ripped their ashamed gaze from the pile of clothing on the floor, they caught a flash of fire curling around Aster’s fist. 

“Mind your tone, young lady,” snapped the teacher.

Finally, Victor-Hecate plucked up the courage to say something. Apparently, their mumble was inaudible to the pair standing above them, as the teacher abruptly asked, “What was that?”

They swallowed and tried to muster up their drive once again. “It’s not that big of a deal. It’s fine, really.”

The teacher turned and smugly addressed Aster, who was still standing there, boiling with barely checked rage. “You see?”

Aster’s voice hardened, her eyes growing steely as she reeled back her temper. “You’re terrifying them, do you see that? Although I’m sure that during the dark ages, when you first became a teacher, it was fine to mistreat students, but it’s a different time now.” If looks could kill, the teacher would be dead on the floor. Rolling her eyes once again as the teacher opened her mouth, she quickly said, “Just let them go the rest of the day with the layers they’re comfortable with, and then I’ll help them figure out a new wardrobe after school.”

The teacher huffed before stalking off down the hallway, leaving the pair alone in front of the lockers. Victor-Hecate spoke up again, their voice filling the silence that now permeated the area, “Thank you. That was really brave. I would never be able to do that.” Their cheeks rushed with blood, giving them the color they desperately needed.

Aster’s expression softened a little. “It’s no problem. I hate when teachers do stuff like that.” She paused for a moment. “Hey, do I know you? You look familiar.”

They shrugged, “Maybe. But probably not. I don’t know a lot of people, and as you can see,” they said, gesturing to their backpack, which was bursting at the seams with their shredded layers, “I don’t show a lot of features. But I know you, though.” Victor-Hecate paused, doubting their previous observation. “You’re Aster, right? You’ve caused quite a stir at school. Even I noticed.”

Aster let out a laugh, her features alight with memories of mischief. “Yeah, that’s what I’m known for. What’s your name again?”

Victor-Hecate smarted, startled by the question. “Sorry about that. I’m not really used to people asking me. I’m pretty good at fading into the background.” They smiled weakly, pulling on their backpack. “I’m Victor-Hecate. Take your pick of nicknames; I don’t mind. It’s a bit of a mouthful, I know.” Once again, they wished they didn’t have their powers, or at the very least, were wearing gloves – this seemed like a situation that needed a handshake. Memories of normal greetings, normal interactions with people had faded over the six years of having powers.

“Well, Victor-Hecate,” Aster said, nudging them. They stiffened at the contact, preparing themself for pain, but none came. Thankfully, Aster hadn’t managed to brush any skin. “I think you’re pretty cool. And I’m sure I know someone in your family- any siblings at this school?”

“Thanks. My cousin goes here, actually. You’ve probably heard of her; she’s pretty popular. Violetta?”

Aster’s eyes widened for a moment, a slight blush rushing into her cheeks. She cleared her throat. “Oh. That explains things then. She’s in a bunch of my classes.” She chuckled. “I don’t know if she mentioned, but we kinda have a rivalry going on.”

Victor-Hecate shook their head sadly. “I don’t see her that much. We don’t run in the same circles. Like I said, I don’t know a lot of people.” They shuffled their feet awkwardly, tugging at the sleeves of their light green turtleneck. “Thanks again for rescuing me.” They started walking away, leaving Aster behind, still a little flushed.

“Well, tell her I said hi, I guess.” Her face went red again as they stopped, just shy of a chewed pencil that lay unseen one pace away from the tips of Victor-Hecate’s grey converse. Aster’s hair bounced slightly as she shook her head quickly. “Actually, don’t.”

Victor-Hecate twisted around, taking two steps towards the darkly dressed girl, raising their eyebrows, a smirk spreading on their face. “So, don’t tell her you say hi?”

Aster avoided their eyes, somehow blushing brighter. “Just ignore all of that. Uh, so am I coming over to your house to help you pick out new clothes, or did I straight up lie to that jerk of a teacher?” Fire licked out from her fists at the memory of the argument.

“You can if you want to. But I’d understand if you don’t. I’m not the most sociable person,” their smile faded.

“No, no,” Aster reassured. “I would love to hang out.”

Victor-Hecate brightened, “Awesome. Here.” They swung their bag around and fished in a pocket, searching for stationary. After a few agonizing moments of scrambling, they pulled out a pen and paper. “Write down your number so we can organize this later.”

Aster stretched out a hand. As soon as her fingers brushed the paper, they let go. The pen clattered to the floor, the paper drifting to the rest moments later. Victor-Hecate shot Aster an apologetic look as she bent to pick up the fallen materials. Aster leaned against the lockers, writing out her phone number in chicken scratch, the numbers barely legible. Stopping for a brief moment partway through writing, she aggressively shook the pen, which revolted at being used sideways. Handing back the paper, Aster blinked as the other student snatched the paper out of her hands. Victor-Hecate cringed at the situation, worried their fear was warping another potential relationship.

“Well, text me then,” Aster said, thankfully not mentioning Victor-Hecate’s odd mannerisms.

“Thanks! I will” They turned and started walking away. Suddenly, their foot slid out from underneath them, a pencil flying up in the air – the culprit of the tumble. They fell to the ground, hard, their wrists smacking against the grimy tiled floor. Anyone else would have let out a cry or grimaced at the fall, but Victor-Hecate’s high pain tolerance allowed them to brush off the injury.

“Here, let me help.” Too late, they heard Aster walk up to them, her boots clumping across the floor, and grab their hands to try to pull them up. Pain bloomed in their abdomen, their eyes flashed black as their power flared up. They snatched their hands away, falling once more to the floor. They curled into the fetal position, wrapping their arms around their middle as the phantom wound lingered. By their best guess, it would be a knife wound- and an ugly one at that. They let out a whimper as the pain surged. Finally, finally, it faded, allowing Victor-Hecate to recover and sit up.

Their voice was strained, “I’m good, but thanks.”

“Are you okay? What happened?” Concern was etched on Aster’s face.

Hauling themself to their feet, they replied, “My awful power happened.” They wilted at the worry, the pity on Aster’s face. It always happened. They were maybe, finally, respected as a person, a whole person without issues. And then, inevitably, their power surfaced and put them below everyone else again. They hated feeling weak, but the only thing worse than the pain was the looks they got. No one ever saw them as competent after witnessing a breakdown. Victor-Hecate watched curiosity light in Aster’s eyes. Maybe pity wasn’t the worst. They dreaded her horrified reaction to the reveal of the morbid powers they never wished for.

“Oh, uh- what’s your power then?” The question spilled out of Aster’s lips.

Straightening their backpack, they muttered, “I’m so sorry for the way you go out.” They brushed themself off, relishing in the final moments of ignorance before horror soured the air. Clearing their throat awkwardly, they explained, “Whenever I touch someone, I feel the pain of their death.”

With their gaze fixed on the floor, they didn’t see Aster backing up, but they heard it; her black leather boots squeaked twice on the tiles before her hand pressed against a locker, the metal letting out a crack as it warped under her weight. They imagined the shock on her face, just like the dozens before her. “I- What hap- No, I don’t want to know. Is that why...?” She stammered before trailing off.

Victor-Hecate's shoulders tightened from their slumped position. They were distraught but tried not to show it. “Yeah. That’s why I wear so much clothing - to cover any skin.” Swallowing back tears, they knelt back on the ground and pulled a jacket out from their bag. They slipped it on, jamming their thumbs in the holes by the base of the sleeves and zipping it up as quickly as possible. They forced themself to meet Aster’s gaze before continuing, “If you don’t want to come over, I understand. Nothing like a stranger knowing how you die.”

Aster chuckled weakly, the shock slowly fading from her face. “No, no, it’s- it’s okay.” She smiled at Victor-Hecate, who stood, shell-shocked in front of her. “And, exactly, I’d rather a friend know how I die compared to a random stranger. So, I’m still welcome to come?”

“Oh,” they said, caught off guard. “Of course.” The words were quiet, not quite out loud, but not quite to themself either. “I’d love that.” The pair stood in silence for a few moments before Victor-Hecate piped up, “Just, be careful around knives, okay?”

Aster’s jaw dropped at the statement. It hung open for two counts before snapping shut. “I’ll do my best. See you after school.”

“Yeah,” they said, perking up at the prospect, “Yeah…” As they made their way down the hallway, making a point to avoid the pencil, which sat innocently three feet from where it had been five minutes earlier.

Aster laughed under her breath, before starting on her own way in the opposite direction of Victor-Hecate, who now almost had a spring in their step. That day, they counted down the hours left of school for a completely different reason from their classmates. The only time the wait slipped their mind was lunch – they pulled out their phone, pulling up the number of a person they hadn’t talked to face to face for a long time.

Thank you @pretend-im-normal

From the latest installment of the Fusion AU arc (pure dialogue in this section as @pagesofcursive and I write back and forth between characters, but why not add some padding)

"I'm fine doing it here," Bella replied as she began to stretch in preparation.

Tagging @helen-the-bear @vivian-is-writing @cozy-kaye

WIP line Chain Game

Thank you @the-writing-avocado for tagging me 

Rules: Write the latest line from your wip and tag as many people as there are are words in the line. 

My last line so far:

“As to how it was simple. Men in this world feel so safe, they run at night, go in dark alleys alone. He was easy to catch. As to why I believe you know.”

@my-characters-are-my-children @beautifulanemoia @bookflakeshighbrowangel @graveyard-of-buried-hope @thatfag-goth @iespeciallyme @keya-123 @lilysangels04 @imbadatnicknames1 @ajaymehta6180 @justaburnedoutskank @amarantine-amirite @lovely-soul-kind-heart @erujon @ipetrikor @totheworldacrosstheocean @rcsewrites @ilezmil

You said it's okay to ask, so... Freddie. I want to hear more about this above-this-world arrogant snob :-)

Ah yes, Freddie. Though he's a little annoying in the beginning, he's redeemable. He's a huge geek, though he'd never admit it. A prime example is his love for all things hero comics. He has projects on them and just about every available issue under the sun. They actually feature in a short story I've posted here! But he really is as smart as he thinks he is. He's been pushed ahead 3 grades and is at a school for gifted kids. However, this doesn't make him above everyone as he thinks it does, which is a fatal flaw of his

While he's not technically an antagonist in my main story, he definitely hinders the trio significantly with some extremely selfish actions. Though I haven't finished writing it by a long shot, his stubbornness will annoy his "teammates" a lot, though the banter will be cute.

And the alternate universes!! (is it even a post about my characters if they're not hinted at?) In many many crossover AUs he has parentalish figures, in the form of Aster and Violetta. They really help him grow as a person, and to see perspectives beyond his own. Also! His awesome and fun aunt, Dawn who are very soft for each other, but they'd both rather die than admit it.

I hope that fed your curiosity about him! Vi, Aster and Dawn are @pagesofcursive characters!

Not-a Damsel in Distress: Getting to the Heart of Friendship

Summary: Victor-Hecate needs some serious wardrobe help, so they invite some friends over. Flirting, gadgets and hijinks are involved

A/N: It's here!!!! The second part. It's quite long, so I'd advise you to find a place to relax, maybe with a snack or a drink (it's important to stay hydrated) And once again, the incredible, amazing, talented @pagesofcursive (Briar) has characters heavily featured here, and her characters are linked at the end. We have another part in the works, but for now, enjoy!

Even though they lay curled on their bed, Victor-Hecate still wore almost as much clothing as in school, though they were wearing it more casually. A comfortable silence spread between her and Aster, who sat just beside them. Victor-Hecate wore a lightweight deep magenta jacket, black fingerless gloves, a scarf thrown loosely around their shoulders, and a matching grey beanie pinning up their normally flyaway curls and covering their ears.

A buzzing sound split the air, coming from Victor-Hecate’s phone. They picked it up, resting the book they were reading on the bedside table. A smirk split their face as they read the text, their clear blue eyes glittering with mischief. “So,” they began, stretching out the word. “I may have forgotten to mention that I, uh, invited someone over.”

They watched mock excitement grow on Aster’s face, contrasting comically to her outfit. She had dark, ripped jeans on, and an old leather jacket, matching with combat boots that dangled off the edge of the twin bed. “Ooh, anyone I know?” she gushed, then paused, looking mildly disgusted at the bubbly tone.

“You could say that,” Victor-Hecate said, but before the last word left their mouth, the door to their room flew open. A trio of girls walked in, somehow vastly different from each other, yet they all seemed to belong together. The first girl that flounced in was the one Victor-Hecate knew the best – her cousin, Violetta. Her wavy chocolate brown hair swished around her shoulders, the top artfully twisted together in a collections of curls held by bobby pins, holding the flyaway hairs, the ones that annoyed her ever since they were small, out of her eyes Ever stylish, Violetta wore a white miniskirt with a lavender tank top, finishing the look with a pair of black wedge boots. They had been texting back and forth for most of the day, organizing the afternoon. Her bouncing walk screeched to a halt two steps past the doorway, and her laughter cut off abruptly as she noticed Aster perched out on the bed.

The second girl crashed into her, unprepared for the abrupt stop. Victor-Hecate vaguely knew her from her cousin’s social media feed and her brief description over texting that day. Juni wore a white fit and flare dress that cut off right at her knees with shocks of pink and yellow flowers scattered around the hem. Her wide grin at the joke she’d just told was stark white against her deep brown skin. Her black afro hair was mostly tamed by a white bandana, matching with the cute outfit she wore.

Victor-Hecate didn’t recognize the final girl, who stopped herself from crashing into the other two just in time. Though she was about the same height as the first two, she seemed smaller. Her shoulders were hunched and swallowed by her white NASA hoodie. She’d just pulled her hands out of the large front pocket to catch her balance, revealing frayed and patched sleeves. She didn’t exude nearly as much confidence as the other two, her black leggings not bringing anything to her already humble outfit. Her curly chestnut hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail that sat at the base of her neck – the hair tie seemed to be there only to keep most of her hair out of her face, not to make any statement. A glimpse of brown leather flashed from underneath her almost overlarge hoodie, but Victor-Hecate thought nothing of it.

Victor-Hecate smirked as they watched Aster straighten up as she locked eyes with Violetta. Their cousin broke free of the trance first, stammering, “Oh, Aster, I- I didn’t realize you were going to be here.” She faced her cousin. “Wait, why is she-” Violetta whipped back to Aster. “Why are you here?”

Aster exchanged a glance with Victor-Hecate, whose eyes glowed smugly. She sighed, collecting herself. “I met your cousin today, and we’re hanging out. Is there a problem?” Though her tone was even, almost a little hostile, her bouncing leg betrayed her nervousness. Aster slid to the edge of the bed. The tips of her ears matched the hue they had been earlier that day when the seated pair had briefly discussed Violetta in the hallway.

Violetta jumped to her own defense, holding up her arms placatingly. “No! No, not at all! I just… wasn’t expecting you, that’s all.” She had started going red too.

As the scene unfolded in front of them, Victor-Hecate’s smirk widened.

“So,” piped up Juni, her voice melodic and sweet. “What should we all do?”

Victor-Hecate watched the final girl shift uncomfortably, her eyes shifting between the not-so-subtly smitten pair. Finally, the girl spoke. “Is, uh, someone going to introduce me? I don’t really know anyone here. Besides Juni, that is.” She was surprisingly sure of herself when speaking, each word perfectly enunciated, her phrases carefully calculated. She reached for Juni’s hand for comfort, the action small but sweet.

“Right!” Juni gently squeezed the unknown girl’s hand, pulling her forward a little. “You met Violetta on the way over here, and then, uh, that’s Violetta’s cousin, Vee!” She waved enthusiastically at them, Bella echoing her, raising her hand. Victor-Hecate gave a little salute at being addressed, touching two of their fingers to their forehead. Juni continued, gesturing to Aster, who was trying to rearrange her position to seem less tense. “And then, that’s Aster, Violetta’s…” She paused, perhaps for dramatic effect, while also seeming to search for the right words. Violetta’s cheeks flared red in the silence; Aster opened her mouth in protest to whatever Juni would claim. Before either of them managed to make a sound, Juni settled on her word choice with a nod. “…academic rival.” She wiggled her eyebrows at the mystery girl, who rolled her eyes, having already picked up on the subtext. She pushed the girl forward a little more, who attempted to straighten up a little as Juni introduced her. “And, everyone, this is Bella!”

Victor-Hecate unfolded themself, straightening out their left leg and resting their right knee against their chest. “You’re Juni, right? Vi’s told me about you.” They stole a glance at Violetta, feeling guilty about how little they’d connected over the years, before addressing Bella. “But yeah, I’m Vee. Victor-Hecate. Tae. Whatever. Really, take your pick. I’ve collected more nicknames than I can count.”

Bella hummed, giving them a once-over. “Aren’t you hot with all that on?” The question, though a little prying, seemed innocent in intention. All the same, Victor-Hecate shifted uncomfortably.

Aster came to their rescue, redirecting the conversation. “Actually, that’s one of the reasons why I’m here today.” She slid the rest of the way off the bed, striding over to the closet and flinging the doors open with a bang, making everyone jump. “I’m helping them figure out new outfits and stuff.”

“And I was brought along? Really?” Bella mumbled to Juni, who shrugged in response. The pair perched on the bed, watching Aster look through the closet.

Violetta perked up immediately, rushing over to Aster to stick her head into the overstuffed closet. “And nobody told me about this? This is my specialty!”

Victor-Hecate nodded, unseen by the fashionista, who was already shoulder deep in the wardrobe, rummaging around. “That’s why I invited you over. I got into a bit of trouble at school, and I need help picking something out that won’t get me called out for dress code issues.”

Violetta stuck her head out of the closet, a piece of faux fur stuck in her hair, and scrutinized Victor-Hecate’s current outfit. “Have you thought about fewer layers?”

They shifted again, hugging their leg to their chest. “Not really.” She glanced desperately at Aster, who returned their helpless look. They scrambled for an excuse, for any reason other than their power. “I’ve been… uh, burning really easily lately, and I don’t want to take any risks.”

“You’ve been burning,” Bella scoffed, easily seeing through the blatant lie. “Like in the sun?”

Fortunately, Violetta didn’t notice, her head too deep into the layers of clothing again, looking for an outfit she approved of. “Mm, that makes sense, but maybe you can cover up without having everything being too… bulky?” Her voice was muffled by the copious coats. Frustration tinged her statement- probably because there wasn’t anything in the closet besides long-sleeved and thick jackets.

Victor-Hecate shrugged. “I guess? It’s just more… comfortable that way,” they said hurriedly, hoping to appease Violetta.

Finally, she emerged from the closet, stray hairs sticking up from her coiled hairstyle. She began redoing it, holding the bobby pins between her teeth, mulling over the situation. Between pins, she said, “Maybe we could buy you some cute jackets? And matching jeans?”

Her elbow brushed past Aster as she twirled up another piece of hair. Aster reddened at the closeness of her crush but managed to regain control and focus on the matter at hand. “What about long gloves?” she suggested.

“I guess that sounds good,” Victor-Hecate rearranged their scarf to cover more of their neck, uncomfortable with so many people close to them. They were glad Aster was there; she could help out if anything went wrong, as unlikely as it would be, and she could help deflect her cousin and her friends’ questions. They mulled over Aster’s suggestion, a nagging feeling persisting the longer they pondered the suggestion. “Is that allowed though? At school, I mean.”

 “It’s not stated in the school rules that it isn’t allowed,” Bella recited. “So, I suppose you should be able to. But the hat…”

“Yeah, I know.” Victor-Hecate leaned back, trying to relax. There was no need to be closed off because they were around nice people, but it was still a bit difficult. “So, what are you two into? We might as well kill time as Vi organizes my makeover.” They grimaced a little, calling out to their cousin who was near buried in their closet again, “Nothing too extreme, ‘kay?”

“I’ll keep an eye on her, don’t worry,” Aster reassured, her tone light and teasing. Violetta giggled, the sound smothered by clothing again.

“Well,” Juni said, nudging Bella, “what do you want to do?”

Bella went stark white, nervous at the prospect of being the one to decide what the group could do. “Oh, it’s not that interesting,” she said, fumbling with her words. “Too nerdy to be interesting.” The explanation came out in a rush, as if the faster she spoke, the sooner they’d move on, but Juni wouldn’t let it go so easily.

The sunny girl perked up, grinning. “Spill!”

“It’s not much really,” Bella shyly mumbled, fishing around in what had been hidden underneath her hoodie earlier – a toolbelt. Unbuttoning one of the many pouches, she delicately fished out a small white box. It was made of shiny white material that looked smooth to the touch. Its rounded corners leaned its design to a sleek and modern feel. Two black lines traced from halfway up one face, across another, up to the opposite side it started on. The shy girl placed it on her palm, black facing down and a blue line lit up around the top of the box.

“Ooh,” Victor-Hecate said, leaning in. An intrigued expression crossed their face. “What does it do?”

Bella pressed an almost imperceptible button on top and the black popped out to reveal tracks. “It’s a prototype I’m developing,” she explained. “Gravity and surfaces are strange on extraterrestrial planets, so I’m working to calibrate the grip of the tracks to work on more surfaces, you see…” Victor-Hecate, baffled by her explanation, followed her gaze around the room – everyone who was listening wore a similar expression. None of them truly understood her description of the robot.

Juni leaned in, running her finger along the smooth surface. Her expression melted from confusion to curiosity. “It looks so cool, but… can you explain it in easier terms?”

Steeling herself and nodding, Bella tried again. “Right. Sorry. It would probably be easier just to show you.” She pulled out her phone, opening a completely foreign app. Tapping the screen a few times, the bot spun on her hand, seeming to gain its bearings. She laid it on the bed and it immediately traversed across the covers. To a chorus of gasps, it crawled up the wall, shifting easily from rough plaster to a smooth poster of the Coliseum and back again, before finally settling on the roof. Juni bounced up and down in excitement, cooing over Bella’s project.

Victor-Hecate’s gaze locked on the cube, moving to sit cross-legged, their mouth dropped open. “So, I’m guessing this is what you do? Like, your dream job, considering…” They waved their arm vaguely at the sleek white square on the bedroom roof and the well-loved NASA hoodie the shy girl was wearing.

“Yeah, it is,” Bella said. She nodded slowly, hesitantly. She pressed the screen again, and the strip of light went out. It dropped from the ceiling, Juni shrieking as it fell, which brought Violetta out of the jungle of the closet. It landed safely on the bed, bouncing slightly.

Letting go of Bella’s hand and placing her own to her chest, Juni recovered from the shock. “That is so cool!” she finally managed. “Have you named it?”

“No.” Bella blushed, seeming ashamed. “You know I don’t do that sort of thing. I leave it up to you,” she mumbled. Using her newly freed hand, she picked up the unassuming cube and stashed it back into her toolbelt. After clasping it shut, her expression softened as she saw Juni with a look of contemplation, taking her new job seriously. She glanced around, trying to read and process the mood of the room. “But this isn’t about my stuff. It’s about Victor-Hecate.”

“You really don’t have to use my whole name.”

Bella shrugged a little, brushing off the comment. “Since we’re trying to make sure they-” She paused, glancing anxiously at Victor-Hecate, who shrugged. “-won’t get in trouble anymore, I’d like to offer some advice. I suggest acclimating yourself to wearing fewer layers,” Bella said. She rolled up her sleeves, fidgeting as she talked. “Based on your body language, I’d assume you’re pretty comfortable here, so perhaps you can take off a few layers to learn to be more comfortable without them. Besides,” she said, giving up on folding back her sleeves and taking off the jacket entirely to combat the heat, revealing a muted cyan t-shirt underneath. “Don’t you find it hot here?”

Victor-Hecate blanched, cursing the shy girl’s perceptiveness. While she had good intentions, and they were mostly comfortable in the group of girls, they were still aware of the danger the others brought into the room. Frantically, Victor-Hecate fumbled for an excuse to keep their layers on.

Before they could come up with an idea, Violetta whipped around, her face alight with excitement. “Ooh, yeah! That way we can figure out how to build the outfit from there!”

“Only if you want to, Cat,” Aster said quickly.

Bella blinked, a little startled at the nickname casually thrown out.

“I’d rather not,” replied Victor-Hecate, their lips quirking up at the nickname.

“Why not?” blurted Bella, before clapping a hand over her mouth and going red. Her tense expression softened as Juni squeezed her hand before turning to face Victor-Hecate again, suggesting softly, “At least take off your hat?”

Victor-Hecate resisted the urge to put a hand to their chest to ground themself. Working to regulate their breathing, they finally managed to protest desperately, “I might have hat hair.”

Violetta’s expression was tender as she fruitlessly tried to reassure her cousin, “Nobody’s going to judge you, don't worry, Vee.”

“Fine,” they sighed. Mulling over the situation, they decided to go the whole way; they unwrapped their scarf, folding it on the bed beside them. Tugging off their beanie, their hair tumbled out, sticking out at odd angles. A little bitter that their cousin pushed for their change, they pelted the beanie at her. Under everyone’s eyes, Victor-Hecate shifted awkwardly, uncomfortable with the attention they weren’t used to.

Juni squealed. “Oh, your hair is so pretty!” Abandoning Bella, she leaned closer to Victor-Hecate, reaching to brush a strand of hair out of their face and tuck it behind their ear.

Victor-Hecate scrambled backward too late, their back hitting the wall just as Juni’s hand brushed their ear and lingered. Their chest exploded with pain. Their heart felt like it was about to burst, ready to fill their torso with shrapnel. It beat at a million miles an hour, pounding their blood past their ears, muffling the sound in the room, drowning out their cousin’s scream. Their breathing shallowed, and they struggled to calm down; they had experienced countless deaths before, but this was one of the worst. Taking a ragged breath, sucking in as much air as they could, they twisted the hem of their jacket, trying to recover as much as they could with Juni now clutching their head concernedly. Their chest still aching, they surveyed the room – Aster was clutching Violetta, who looked queasy and unsteady on her feet, Bella was peeking over Juni’s shoulder, a look of intrigue lighting up her face, and Juni was bent over them, terror etching her features.

Watching Victor-Hecate’s eyes clear a little, Juni pushed down her panic and started ordering the others around. “Okay, guys, someone call 911, and, uh, Vi, can you grab some aspirin? And–”

“No,” choked out Victor-Hecate. They pushed down a cough as they ran out of air. “Don’t! Please don’t call an ambulance. I don’t need it. I’m begging you. And could you–” They cut off with a shout as pain surged again. Their chest seized, leaving them momentarily unable to breathe. Panting, they clawed at their chest, desperate for the pain to stop but helpless to do anything.

“No,” echoed Aster. She tugged at Juni’s arm, but the usually sunny girl stayed put, concerned for their host, whose screams had stopped as their shallow breaths prevented any sound besides wheezing. Breaking free of Aster’s grip, she pulled at their still covered arms, trying to stop them from hurting themself further. Aster’s half-baked continuation trickled past the pain to Victor-Hecate, “It’s- god, it’s really hard to explain, but basically they aren’t in danger. It’s just their power.”

Bella’s eyes glittered with a thirst for knowledge, her voice steeped in curiosity, “Their power?”

Aster looked around the room helplessly before locking eyes with Victor-Hecate. Keeping their gaze on her, they shook their head. Not now. Aster huffed, seeming to respect their wish, despite not understanding it. “I- It’s their place to tell you, not mine.”

Victor-Hecate tried their best to smile through the pain at Aster. Suddenly, they gasped as their heart squeezed. They reached for Juni’s arm, intending to try to pull it off, but as Juni cupped their cheek, trying to reassure them, pain spiked, and their hand dropped with a muffled thump against their agony-wracked chest. Misinterpreting the action, Juni reached for their hand, only to be caught by Aster. Staring right back at Juni’s judgmental glare, Aster said, “I can't explain, but touching them isn’t- it isn’t good.”

“Are you sure?” Bella questioned skeptically, Juni nodding with her. “I would think they need comfort right now.”

Clutching Aster’s arm, Violetta leaned over the darker dressed girl to get a better view of her cousin. “You’re sure you’re okay?” she asked, concerned.

Victor-Hecate yearned to reply, to comfort Violetta. They tried to nod but failed as pain flared up again, and they curled in on themself. Violetta let out a sob, leaning into Aster’s reassuring touch as she wrapped an arm around the distraught girl. Curiosity getting the better of her, Bella hopped off the edge of the bed to examine the prone figure rolled up like a pill bug on their pillow. As she leaned in, her hand brushed Victor-Hecate’s fingertips. Immediately, they flinched away, a biting cold surging out from the point of contact, mixing unpleasantly with the already squeezing pain in their chest.

With a pointed look at Bella, Aster levelly pleaded, “Let’s just give them a bit of space, okay?”

Reluctantly, Juni moved away from Victor-Hecate, hugging Bella for comfort. The quartet watched with bated breath for the now black-eyed vigilante to still. Slowly, ever so slowly, the pain ebbed. Their chest eased, their heart rate returned to normal and their breathing deepened. Sitting up sooner than they should have, Victor-Hecate almost collapsed again as pain twinged on the left side of their chest. Their dark complexion was paler than usual as they propped themself up against the wall.

“Thank you,” they managed breathlessly.

Violetta’s forehead wrinkled, a crease appearing between her eyebrows. “Vee, I don’t- What happened?”

Victor-Hecate sighed, picking at the now rumpled scarf beside them, but resisting the urge to put it on. They traced the dark grey lines of the scarf design, unable to meet their cousin’s eyes as they softly spoke, “That's why I stopped talking with you.” They looked up, trying to gauge her reaction. “That’s my power.”

“Yes, but what is it?” Bella seemed to hold her tongue after the question spilled out. Based on her speaking patterns so far, a hundred questions waited behind that one. When Victor-Hecate stayed silent, Bella exclaimed, “It was incredible!” She cleared her throat awkwardly, reigning in her enthusiasm. “Incredibly interesting, that is. Your irises went completely black, which is fascinating.” She cocked her head, looking over Victor-Hecate again, who shrank a little under her inquisitive gaze. “You have almost completely recovered from whatever just occurred. Please, please explain it.”

Fixing their gaze on the scarf once more, they reluctantly explained, unwilling to keep them in the dark any longer. Rumors could spell more trouble than the truth. “I feel whatever pain you will feel when you die. It only happens while I’m being touched, so that's why…” They waved their arm vaguely at the scarf and wardrobe full of disturbed bulky coats and beanies. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I just... didn’t want you to think less of me. Especially since you,” Victor-Hecate said, glancing toward Violetta, “have a functioning, helpful power, but I’m just stuck with this.” They gestured to themself before letting their arm drop, defeated.

“Oh, that’s awful! I- I’m so sorry,” Violetta said. Victor-Hecate lifted their gaze, hopeful. Violetta didn’t sound horrified, just concerned.

Juni held a hand over her mouth, echoing Violetta’s sentiment. “I- I feel so bad- I didn’t mean to touch you earlier, I swear–”

Victor-Hecate waved their hand, dismissing her apology. “It’s okay. You didn’t mean to hurt me.” They rubbed her knee comfortingly, the fabric of the dress soft under their fingers. “You only wanted to help. Though I’d like to know, what was that? I haven’t really felt that type of pain before. My best guess is some kind of heart failure, but...” They trailed off, worried they’d pried too much.

Juni’s eyes widened in terror. “I…” She shrank back a bit, nestling into Bella’s hug, closing her eyes. “I do have heart problems, and I guess– I guess they come back later.”

Bella pulled Juni a bit tighter, resting her chin on the darker girl’s shoulder. She let out a puff of air, giving up on holding back her questions. “And me?”

Victor-Hecate shook their head. “It was too quick to get any kind of specifics. It was cold. That’s all I know.” They cast a cursory glance at Violetta, who still stood close to Aster, their hands interlocked. “Do you want to know?”

She hesitated for a moment before shaking her head, waves of rich brown hair falling on either side of her shoulders. “No. I- I can’t–” She leaned onto Aster again, squeezing her hand for comfort.

“I understand. And…” Victor-Hecate struggled to keep their expression and voice neutral. Although they understood the horror the others’ were feeling, it still hurt coming from family. Looking around the room again, they swallowed audibly. “…I get it if you want to leave. My power’s unsettling. I know that.”

“No, no, no! Don’t worry, I’m- it was just... a bit shocking at first,” Violetta hastily protested. “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Me neither,” affirmed Juni. “You shouldn’t be ashamed of your power, it’s part of who you are! And maybe we can help in some way.”

Bella nodded enthusiastically, still biting back questions. Catching Victor-Hecate’s gaze, she slipped her left hand behind her back, a flash of white they hadn’t noticed before snagging their eye.

Brushing off the slight confusion, Victor-Hecate relaxed a little, a relieved smile gracing their face. “Thank you.” They rubbed their arm sheepishly. “And some wardrobe help would be appreciated. I really don’t want to get stopped at school again.”

Bella tapped her chin thoughtfully, tilting her head back to get a better view of the multicolored leotards knocked askew from the back of the wardrobe. “Have you considered a full skin-colored leotard?”

“I have, but it’s a pretty strange request and is probably expensive as heck,” they replied.

Bella chuckled. “I think I know someone who knows just the person.” She side-eyed Juni and lightly squeezed the sunny girl’s shoulders.

Juni’s eyes lit up, catching the hint just a few seconds later. “My girlfriend would be happy to buy some new clothes! Nyx- she, uh, she wants to get back at her dad and everything, so she doesn’t mind spending his money at all.”

“I’m sure she won’t mind at all,” Bella agreed, relishing in her friend’s excitement. It was her first genuine smile of the day, besides the ones fueled by curiosity.

Victor-Hecate considered the offer before accepting the idea. “Cool. When do you think we can meet up? And where does she live?”

Juni smiled sweetly and pulled out her phone, “Ooh, well, I’ll text her–”

“Oh, don’t worry, I know already,” Bella cut in. “She’s free this Friday, provided her douche of a father doesn’t spring anything on her.” She grimaced in sympathy.

Victor-Hecate sat forward on the bed, placing their hands on their knees. “Perfect, I guess. Will she have enough space for all of us?”

“Vee,” Violetta tutted, smiling triumphantly, humor glimmering in her eyes. “If you thought my house was big, then you are not prepared for the size of her mansion."

Characters (in order for appearance): Victor-Hecate, Aster, Violetta, Juni, Bella

We have so much fun with these! There were too many stories to tell, so we created AUs

welcome to the comprehensive list of alternative universes created by eve and me! this list will be updated if and when we create more aus, because! we have a problem <3 enjoy!

family au: in this chaotic au, half of our cast of characters have graduated college while the other half are toddlers! when the adorable kids are fostered by the adults, guess what ensues? pure fluff! (well. nothing I write is Completely sans of Angst, so expect a tiny bit of that, but mostly pure fluff!)

royal au: a world of romance and betrayal comes to life in the court of two neighboring kingdoms. there are princesses, witches, knights in shining armor, and a rebellion brewing beneath it all. what will become of our beloved characters?

survival au: mystery and danger collide as our characters are forced into an arena and told to fight by someone unknown. together, they escape, but they find themselves lost in a freezing forest. will they make it home, or will they die trying?

fusion au: elements of our separate novels combine as our characters go through their lives with either elemental powers or the rarer vigilante powers. although they are just in high school, our characters battle angst and tragedy, while making some new friendships and new love as well!

game show au: in this reality tv show, our characters battle it out for the chance to take home the final prize! but money isn’t the only motivation driving some of them forward, which leads to alliances and friendships and romances- but also heartbreaks and betrayals. who will win in the end?

hogwarts au: the aesthetic of a world of magic is a fascinating one, although I would like to personally fight J.K. Rowling, so putting our characters into hogwarts was simple. they all come from different backgrounds and different houses, but the found family is as strong as ever.

the perfect family (tpf) au: violetta and aster adopt freddie, becoming a loving family once and for all. is there fluff? of course! is there angst? well, duh! is there found family? yes! is there a beautifully domestic sapphic relationship? YES! what more could anyone need? this alternative universe feels like the definition of hurt/comfort to me, and I love it.

these following aus only involve my cof(fee) characters! <3

pirate au: set in the thrilling world of pirates, a princess is torn from the cushy life she’s always known, and she finds herself becoming fond of the beautifully rugged pirate captain. meanwhile, a former pirate captain is betrayed by someone close, and now she’ll stop at nothing to take back her inheritance. there is adventure and mermaids on the horizon, but pirate hunters are hot on everyone’s trail, and one wrong step might be their last.

college au: what it says on the tin! my characters, but in a modern day college setting. when I write scenes out of the setting of my novel, this is the situation I usually place everyone in. there is sweet romance and many chaotic events take place as the year wears on.

love you all! send in any asks you want! and you can find the descriptions of these aus in the wise words of @apocalypsewriters right here. <3

1 and 5 for the assorted oc asks for an oc of your choice!

I'll do these with Fera!

1. Why did you pick their name?

I love her name origin. So Briar @pagesofcursive typed fear wrong. We both thought it would be a good name, and I built her powers around that.

5. If they got a tattoo, what kind? If they have tattoos, what would their next one be?

I'm not entirely sure if she has a tattoo yet, but I know she'd get one eventually. She'd have a sprig of rosemary on her upper arm and a mini aloe vera on her ankle, for her twin

18 and 20, pick an OC! 🤗

I'll give some love to Nala for these

18. Do they have a favourite accessory / item of clothing? If yes, why that?

She has a gold chain that she got as a birthday gift from her mother. And when she started dating Fera, Fera bought and made her a few small charms to go on it. She wears it most days, primarily for sentimental reasons.

20. What kind of people are their type that they find most attractive? (Either platonic, romantic or sexual attraction.)

Girls!! They are very pretty. She will try to woo them til the sun burns up. She will romance them, she'll try to paint them, she'll serenade them, but won't go further. Until she gets to know them, of course, provided feelings of more are mutual.

Fera and Nala are sitting in the middle and are taking up 1 1/2 of the two seats they have since Fera is sitting on Nala's lap with her legs stretched out. They're sharing earbuds and enjoying the sun while listening to Willow (a black wlw singer) Fera is fiddling with some clay because the teachers on this bus are suffering greatly.

Victor-Hecate is pressed against the window sharing a seat with Tora. They're stressed being so close to Many People and also TORA GET YOUR HEAD BACK INSIDE! WE'RE GOING THROUGH A TUNNEL!! They are the only reason behind the lulls in chaos from Tora and Zach, but they don't have the heart to stop it most of the time; it's very entertaining and they love seeing their partner so happy.

Character Scenario

SCHOOL FIELD TRIP

Part 1/?

All aboard! Your characters are excited to be leaving their classrooms to go on a class field trip together. Before you get to the location…

Who’s sitting next to who? Where are they sitting, the front, middle, or back of the bus?

What are your characters doing to keep themselves busy while on the ride there?

Is there anyone breaking rules, like sticking their head out the bus window or standing up?

Is there anyone trying to strike a convo with their teacher?

Do they have any guesses on where they’re going?

Thank you!! This is mild spoilers for something I will eventually post from the Not-a-Damsel series

They dried up the last of the water and replaced the towel on the rack.

Violetta snapped, "I know that," and picked up the selected to shades of blue and purple, including, to Victor-Hecate's amusement, the navy eyeshadow they'd pointed to.

"Sure, sure," they mock pacified, as she stood. "Are you almost done? I'm sure your beloved wants you back as soon as possible." Violetta rose, and keeping her nose in the air, flounced out.

Tagging: @helen-the-bear @pagesofcursive @cozy-kaye @wannabeauthorzofija @lova-writes (but no pressure, of course)

—seven sentences challenge

—the challenge

share the last seven sentences you wrote and then tag seven people !

He closed his burning eyes, tears spilling down his dirtied cheeks. “Coda?!”

His screaming was pointless, only to raw his throat further than it’d already been. No one came, just as they hadn’t when he cried and screamed for Iven. They ignored his pleas beneath the celebratory cheering. And now, they ignored him beneath the explosions that shook the entire academy.

And still, no one came.

—extra

thank you for the tag @moth-with-a-pen !!!

tagging (hope y'all don't mind !)

@night1rst , @001arial , @pretend-im-normal @ettawritesnstudies , @vylequinne , @opes-magnas @apocalypsewriters

10, 16, 21 for VH?

Thank you so much for this one! I had a blast writing it, and I managed to make it into something very soft and very nice (for me at least) so enjoy! And thanks again

“Hey.” Victor-Hecate jumped at the soft knock and voice outside their door. The sky was dark, with clouds or time they weren’t sure.

“Come in,” they called out hesitantly, wary not to wake their mum.

A shadowy figure slipped through the barely open door, something shiny glinting by their side. “Couldn’t sleep?” Noah, their older brother, asked. “The storm or…” He trailed off, giving them a meaningful look as he draped a thin blanket over their shoulders. He sank to lean against their curled-up form, fixing his gaze on the quietly rumbling sky.

They shrugged. “A bit of both. I think,” they murmured, matching his volume.

“Come on, you don’t need to keep anything from me,” he cajoled.

“I’m not.”

They felt him shift against their side. “Really? Okay then, if you’re sure. 'Cause I’m definitely not,” he chuckled dryly. He rubbed circles on their back, reminiscent of when they were a couple of years younger, still struggling with their isolation. They’d suffered countless sleepless nights before finally accepting his help. He’d been on a break from college and took the time he could’ve been using to catch up on rest to comfort them. Instead, he sat on the edge of their bed, drawing shapes on their back while regaling them with fantastical tales straight from his imagination. He tested story ideas on them, asking their opinion the next morning and pretending the bags under his eyes were for purely selfish purposes.

“You know,” he interrupted their thoughts. “There was supposed to be a comet out tonight. But the storm,” lightning punctured his sentence, “kind of ruined that, don’t you think?”

They hummed in agreement, pressing against his weight. They teased him, “Didn’t peg you for the astronomy type.”

“I’m not, really, it just happened to be on my calendar.” Their jab had passed over his head. “Hey, uh, I brought something with me.”

“What is it, you big lug,” they were curious as they shoved him off them to see better.

He fell dramatically onto the bed, quietly moaning in mock pain. “How could you maim me like this? For that, I’m not going to show you anymore.” Thunder ominously followed his words. The dry storm outside gave way to rain pattering at their window. They sighed, a mixture of contentedness and playful annoyance swirling in their chest. Ensuring the blanket was between their hands and his bare arm they tugged weakly.

“Come on, please? I’m sorry. Sort of,” they grinned.

“Fine, fine,” he griped, sitting up. “I wouldn’t have wanted to waste my effort anyway.” He struggled to hide his smirk, trying to keep up the wounded façade. Despite their large age gap, the pair was still as thick as thieves. “Look.” He held out a medallion, ribbon first.

They took it gently, cradling it. “Is this?” they asked in wonderment.

He nodded, “Your first gymnastics award. Ma was cleaning out an old storage closet yesterday and I spotted it. In case you thought I had it. If I did it would’ve been lost.” He laughed, short and tired.

“Thank you.” They turned it over in their hand; it was still shiny as their lavender nightlight glinted off it, even after nine years. They tilted forward, hugging him tightly. He squeezed back, tracing a figure eight between their shoulder blades.

Extricating himself from their embrace, he slipped off the bed. “Now enjoy the storm,” he instructed, tiptoeing toward their ajar door, “but not for too much longer. As your sort of older brother, I’m contractually obligated to tell you that. And if you spot the comet, let me know.” He paused at the door. “Good night,” he singsonged.

“Night,” they called back softly. They huffed in contentment once they were sure Noah was far enough not to see their giddy smile or hear the happy thrumming of their heart. Victor-Hecate thumped back onto their bed, caressing the medal and watching the swirling sky. For what, they weren’t entirely certain. But that was okay as they kept an ear out for any more nighttime visitors.

April Prompts Day 3 - pastel

Featuring: Nala, Fera and Vera (@pagesofcursive character)

"I just don't know what to get." Nala paced nervously in the open plaza.

"I'm sure you can think of something," Vera's voice was tinny over the phone.

Nala groaned and sat down on a plastic bench facing a pathetic fountain, "I'm sure I could, but it's just… I don't know. Pressure? I want to impress her. It's just our anniversary, and I'm sure she has something amazing and-"

Vera interrupted with a chuckle, "I'm sure she definitely does. Hey, Fae!" she yelled away from the phone. A distant "yeah?" was heard in the background. Vera continued, "Have you got something for your and Nala's anniversary tomorrow?"

Nala heard stomping approach the phone and her heart fluttered in anticipation. "Not yet," she melted at Fera's severe tone. She was super cute most of the time, but when she was ticked she had had a lot of steam to blow off. "But I'm coming up with something. Besides," Nala could almost hear her glare at her twin, "why is it your business? I appreciate the concern, but you have your own relationship."

"Oh, no reason," humor was obvious in Vera's voice. "You see? Nothing to worry about, Nala."

"Wait, you're on the phone with Nala?" Fera's voice softened, but grew louder as she approached the phone. Nala let out an uncharacteristic squeak and hung up the phone, not ready to be confronted by a potentially judgemental girlfriend. She was probably overreacting, probably overthinking, and probably blowing it out of proportion. She took a breath. Calm. Steady. Rational. Ready to make a choice. Well, maybe not that far.

She heaved herself off the tacky green bench and meandered towards the shopping centre. A pair of basketball shoes caught her eye in a sports store window, but she stayed strong and kept moving. Maybe she could get Fera clothes? Was that too simple? She always did well with bright colours and pastels, right? That seemed too easy. But it was still better than nothing. Sighing heavily, she turned into the shop.

Half an hour later, she drooped out, empty handed. She had a dozen photos of ideas she came up with inside, but none of them seemed right. A tie dye shirt, lavender overalls, a pack of rainbow socks that would've been absolutely adorable, a baby blue circle skirt and a couple of other options for good measure. They all seemed too simple alone, but too busy together.

They twisted their mouth as they wracked their brain for more ideas. Wait. An orchid! Fera has been telling her about them for weeks. Her flower garden was flourishing, but she was missing an orchid from her patch. She beelined to the hardware store at the edge of the mall, which had a greenhouse next to it. She fought through hoards of people before squeezing into the shop. Five minutes later, she triumphantly strode out, a thigh high orchid in arm. It was gorgeous, even for someone who wasn't well versed in flowers. The centre petals had pale purple streaks, and the backing petals were a precious pastel pink. She did end up with something pastel after all. Should she get the socks? Would that go with the flowers? She decided to consult Vera again. She walked to her car and delicately placed the flowers on the bonnet and snapped a photo.

Nala: what do you think

Vera: really? You couldn't think of anything else

Nala: nice to know how much you think of me

Vera: it's my baby sister, what do you expect?

Vera: but it's a cute gift. i think she'll love it.

Nala: thabks

Nala: *thanks

Nala opened the passenger door and put the flower on the seat. Briefly contemplating, she pulled the seatbelt down to secure it. It might be silly, and possibly ineffective, but on the off chance it worked, it was worth the slight degredation. Nala slid over the bonnet to the other side and flung herself into the driver's seat. The pale petals caught the corner of her eye and she grinned giddily, imagining the look on her girlfriend's face when she'd see them.

I am once again expressing great love over the characters we share. Vera is fantastic, as a person and a sister

vera

she is an extremely protective person. vera doesn’t open up much to many people, but she would do anything for her sister (who wouldn’t?) and for the girl she falls in love with. vera dates for a sweet, slightly dramatic girl named madelyn, who works in a flower store and gave her a few plants one day. (“I can’t promise I’ll keep them alive,” vera lied. those little plants mean so much to her. she would never let anything happen to them.)

because fera absorbed some of her power before they were born, vera is a relatively weak empath that can sense positive emotions and can slightly improve people’s moods sometimes, but using her power drains her easily. however, fera is usually the one who needs more support because she becomes easily overwhelmed, so vera helps her sister deal with everything.

nicknames: amitola (by fera), various pet names (by madelyn), a name sign in sign language (by madelyn)

power: empath for positive emotions

ethnicity: irish-native american

birthday: september 13

sexuality: lesbian

(note: this character, along with the one being introduced on Sunday, are in the fusion au, which belongs to both @apocalypsewriters​ and me. eve is introducing her characters on her page. fera’s intro is here. enjoy!)

Heck yeahhhh! Madelyn is amazing. I can't wait to see her in writing

madelyn

welcome madelyn to the fusion au! she is sweet, slightly shy yet enthusiastic, and a bit dramatic around the people she trusts and loves. she’s hard of hearing, but she still loves music and singing. since her power allows her to make plants grow with her voice, madelyn works in a flower store, and, since she works at a flower store, she brings home pretty flowers for free to decorate her bedroom and the small apartment she shares with her dad. her dad is very loving- they paint each other’s nails all the time and have movie nights every weekend. madelyn’s mother left the family when she found out madelyn had hearing issues, so her dad raised her alone.

she and vera are dating. although madelyn is french, she doesn’t know much of the language, so her girlfriend writes her love notes soley so madelyn has a reason to learn. vera loves learning different languages, and so she had a basic idea of american sign language before meeting madelyn, but she becomes a master pretty quickly for her girlfriend. madelyn dreams of being an actress or a singer one day.

nicknames: maddie (by many people), a special name sign in sign language (two different ones by both her dad and vera)

power: her voice helps plants grow

ethnicity: french american

birthday: march 6

sexuality: biromantic asexual

☀️🌙and 🍂 for VH?

Heyy Len! Thank you for the ask!

☀️ What makes your OC genuinely happy? A person, an item, their hobby? Where is the place they’re happiest, or most at home? What is the happiest they’ve ever been?

Tora makes them so happy. Her enthusiasm is contagious, and she encourages their mischievous side. And gaming! They love complex storylines, and the escapism that comes with it.

🌙 If your OC could have one wish come true what would it be and why? Would there be consequences to this wish or would they regret it once they get what they want? What would they give in return for this wish to come true?

They'd want to get rid of their power. It causes way too many problems for them and they feel like they're better off without them. This is especially true, because they haven't discovered what they can do with their powers. They'd give away a dear skill to them in return for losing their power, but as their creator, I'd almost consider giving up the power and it's potential payment enough.

🍂 What are their opinions on the different seasons? Which one do they hate and which one do they love and why?

They hate summer. They wear so many layers and they overheat constantly. Spring and autumn are average. They have good temperatures, and spring rainy weather gives them an excuse to wear a raincoat, which is bulky and covering enough to lose other layers. Winter, however, is fantastic. It's cold enough to not get weird looks and they don't overheat. And the weather is gorgeous too - they often holiday with their family to snowy places.

Thank you Zofija

Some of these are a little underwhelming (have I mentioned that I want to rewrite the first chapters yet)

Bella: "Dad! I...can't...breathe!"

Freddie: "Who the heck are you?"

Zach: "You finished early. Did something happen at work? I thought I was walking home today."

VH: “It’s not that big of a deal. It’s fine, really.”

Nala: "Hey, are you okay?"

Fera: "'m fine. It's just the usual.

Tagging(no pressure) @pagesofcursive @writing-is-a-martial-art @pretend-im-normal and anyone else who wants to!

First Lines Tag

Thank you @teasenpaiwrites for the tag!!

Rules: post the first spoken lines of the main characters (however you define that) of your WIP

(I give no context whatsoever.)

Silver Sterling: “I don’t know what to do”

Ira: “You’ll figure it out. You always do.”

Captain Black: “Oye barbarians! We’re gonna change paths!”

Ironside: “Well, Black, the nearest port is a day’s journey for here. Unless we decide to go back.”

Braveheart: “We all have trauma, Soberski. You’re not special.”

Canta: “Aren’t you supposed to be working, Soberski?”

Forester: “He’s a pig. I would know. I bunk with him.”

Soberski: “Ay, Captn’! You sure we don’t got enough food? I’m gaining some weight!”

Tonya: “Why?”

Lakoma: “I’ll stay behind.”

Desmond: “Silver Sterling, it has been a while.”

I like this tag game! I’m just now realizing that each of their first lines really represents their personality. 

Tagging (with no pressure): @a-completely-normal-girl @baguettethebooklover   @cryptid-s-wips @apocalypsewriters @47crayons @vivian-is-writing @writing-valentines @talesofsorrowandofruin @loopyhoopywrites @scmalarky @kryskakikomi @annlillyjose @rhikasa @cadmusfinch @sheyshocked @a-cosmic-elf @just-a-coincidence @fayoftheforest @mel-writes-with-her-dragons 

🍂 What is your oc’s favourite colour? (PLEASE i love tiny little lore)

Thank you, Rose!! I'll do everyone since it's pretty simple Bella: Black - not because it's dark or angsty, it's just a classy colour that goes with everything. Zach: Magenta and navy blue, like his first plushy and his dad's uniform, respectively Freddie: Favourite colours are for people of lower intelligence (red and gold like Iron Man's suit) Fera: Purple - there's something complex, deep and soft about it that she really likes Nala: Green - any shade really, but mostly darker greens. It's just a nice colour and one that she's kind of adopted over the years. You don't want to know how many green flannels she has

Victor-Hecate: Burgundy - it’s just a nice cozy colour. Plus, her brother has fifty pajama shirts that are burgundy/maroon, so the colour reminds him of all the nights he spent comforting them.

Planty OC Ask Game

🌷🍀🏵️ for the spring ask game?

Hii Len!!

🌷 Does your oc have any collections? What of? Any reason why?

I have for some reason decided to make this question the master list of collections

Bella: Jars of tiny screws. Explained here

Zach: Stuffed animals. He's carrying on his mother's collection

Freddie: comics Superhero graphic novels. He's just a fan understatement

Fera: tiny, handmade clay sculptures. She grounds herself from others' feelings by having something to fiddle with. Also, all the things she makes are too adorable to scrap

Nala: pens. you know those tacky, not very good pens business give away? those, and green flannel. She's gay and likes green, what do you expect

VH: beanies. it began as a way to better protect them from contact and then it spiraled out of control

🍀 Who has the best luck of your ocs? The worst?

VH probably has the worst luck, considering the powers they got stuck with. And I'll give Fera the best luck (disregarding her own bad deal with powers) so she now finds pennies pretty much everywhere, and will almost never miss a bus

💮 What are your oc’s best skills?

VH is incredible at gymnastics. They go all out at their gym and are probably in the top five of their age group state-wide. They love being able to physically spend themselves, balancing out the hours they spend at home hiding from people

Fera can bring a garden back from the dead, and she's done it before. I'd say she works magic on it, but that's not her power. She's just great with plants.

Planty OC Ask Game

Control

Summary: The world finds out about Victor-Hecate's relatively tame powers, and things go wrong when they discover a much more destructive side of their formerly self harming powers

Warnings: pain. Like lots of pain, unconsciousness, mentions of death (of course, it's Vee), and let me know if there's anything I missed

A/N: Consider this my triumphant and apologetic return. I come back from weeks of catching up with work and hours of exams bearing gifts of angst. Watch out for more rambling apologies in the tags. Also, the dialogue is a little clunky since this is my first short story based on a song (Control, by Halsey) and I tried to incorporate some lyrics. Not entirely happy with it, but here is this melting pile of angst and not so happy endings

The worst thing happened. Their greatest fear came true. The world found out about their powers. They were pursued everywhere they went - they were called a freak, demon, death personified. People shied away from them, afraid of what they could do to them. Rumors flew, blowing their relatively harmless powers out of proportion. They pushed away everyone who cared about them; their fears being articulated by the masses was too much. They spent night after night, day after day locked in their room, trapped in their emotions. Finally, their mom had enough - she sent them out for a walk, to clear their head, to get a breath of fresh air. She worried about them. Their hair was limp and gathered in clumps - they’d been pulling at it. Their pallor was even worse than before, grey and washed out.

Walking in the young morning light, they found some sort of peace. They were numb in the crisp air, walking robotically along paths they’d taken months before with their friends, their partner. A tear traced down their face, wiped away before it landed on their shirt collar. Suddenly, someone grabbed their hand. Phantom bullets riddled their torso, and they wheeled around, squeezing the wrist of the stranger. Surely he recognised them, going out of his way to ensure skin to skin contact. Animosity twisted his face as he loomed over them, wilting where they stood, lightheaded in pain. Rage turned the invisible holes in their chest to pinpricks of pain. For the first time, they wrenched control of their power, turning it against the inflictor. His sneer snapped off his face, replaced with agony. He collapsed onto the path, clutching his chest, feeling the pain they did moments before. They stood over him for a few moments, holding his hand aloft, relishing in the panic, the ache that someone else felt instead of them.

“Please.”

The single word choked out, pitiful, but it was enough. They dropped his wrist, appalled with themself. What had they done? Everyone was right to be afraid of them. They stepped back, tripping over an unseen root. Gravel ripped their palms raw, but the stinging was unnoticed as they scrambled up. Tears blurring their vision, they raced home. They were right, they were right. Everyone was right.

“Tae?”

Their mother’s voice broke through their haze halfway up the stairs. They halted in their progress, taking a heaving breath before turning around and cocking their head.

“Are you okay?”

They nodded, afraid of letting out a sound, lest the truth spill out. Satisfied but skeptical with their response, their mother turned away, leaving them to face their demons. Quietly, they shut their door. The doors of their closet slid open, hiding the mirror on one of the panels. A leotard was laid on the bed. It had never been touched before; it was white with silky material cutting off at their knees and elbows, too much skin exposed for them to be comfortable. They slipped into the one-piece, binding their feet with gymnastics wraps. The window opened. The roof tiles whispered as they slid down them. Creaking, the gutter bent under their weight as they dropped to the ground, quiet as a cat.

They had to leave. Authorities would have heard about what they’d done by now. How could they face their family after they found out what they’d done?

Red and blue flashed behind them. Feet pounding, air rushing, arms pumping, they fought to outrun the pursuing vehicles. They couldn't get caught, they knew what happened to vigilantes and elementals that endangered the general public.

A calloused hand found the middle of their back, the only hole in the suit. An invisible blade sliced their thigh, making them falter in their relentless pace. They whipped around, placing a hand on the uniformed woman’s scarred arm. She fell to the floor, limp from the surge of pain. Freed from the agony again, they turned and ran. Guiltily, they relished in the euphoria of finally mastering their power. It would never control them again.

~

“Victor-Hecate, stop it. Get back here!” Tora’s voice rang out from across the road, 70 feet above the public. She hovered on the roof of the building, surrounded by her friends.

Violetta echoed her sentiment, “You’re better than this. Come back to us.”

The white-clad figure smirked cruelly down on them, perched on the top of a parking garage. “You don’t know what I’ve done.” They got to their feet, graceful and lithe. Taking eight steps backward, they set off at a run. Launching themself off the edge, they flew towards the group. The wind whistled past their ears. Closing their eyes, they relished in the bliss of free falling. With a sickening crunch, they landed on the apartment block, most likely having broken their feet. They felt nothing. Rising to stand before their once chosen family, their mouth twisted into a cruel imitation of a sad smile. Carefully stepping forward, their insides roiled as the group skittered away. “You see? You’re afraid.” Bella’s eyes went cold, darting around the group, assessing the layout of the roof. Nyx moved in front of Juni, expression steely as her girlfriend’s visage was etched with determination. Lynn’s mouth quivered as her hands lit up with icy blue light. Zach was the most controlled, standing stoically, one hand on a sheathed sword at his waist. His shirt partially concealed the tell-tale bulge of a gun. Shoulder to shoulder, with matching tense expressions, Aster and Violetta stood, united as a single front. Tora hovered at the front of the group, choppily cut hair whipping around her face, her arms sparking with barely restrained power.

Moving forward again, they placed a hand on Lynn’s shoulder, a finger brushing her neck. Stifling a panicked gasp that came as the air whooshed out of their lungs, they watched her crumple to the ground, unable to bear even a fraction of the pain from their broken feet. The group tensed, shifting forward, not daring to strike the image of the one they perceived to be their lost friend. Expression turning tender, they shot an apologetic look at Lynn. Was it sincere? They didn’t know anymore. A tiny part of them hoped it was. Gliding forward to stand in front of Tora, they gazed into her intense expression, admiring her courage. Taking her hand, they squeezed it gently. She drifted to the floor, her eyes softening, somehow believing their guise of peace. Their insides twisted, torn between guilt and triumph. Should they follow through? Follow through with which path. Stilling their stormy insides, enjoying the emptiness for one more moment, they decided. They crushed her hand, turning the tide of numbness against their once beloved. Tora crumpled to the ground, comatose.

"Stop it! You're scaring her!" Nyx's voice thundered, commanding as Juni's hand was white-nuckled in her comforting grip.

Letting out a manic laugh, they cried out, “I can’t help it! This power, this energy is me. However awful it is, this is me now.” Watching the hope wink out in most of their eyes, they snarled, desperate, conflicted, "Damn right, you should be scared of me!”

Gaze fixing on the only one who still stood tall, they watched Bella raise a hand. Cool metal suddenly pressed against their neck as an unusually messy mop of near-black hair peeked out from behind a fan. Her gaze grew distant, robotic. Blue sparks flew across Victor-Hecate’s view of the roof as she spoke coolly “There is no need for fear when something is tame. Who is in control?” Her piercing gaze shattered their toxic thoughts. Unsure and stunned, their legs gave out, and they fell to the floor. Black slid inward from the corners of their eyes, like curtains closing a show, as the last of their consciousness slipped from their grasp.

Oh my goodness!! I love them all so much!

Here are my children:

My only couple, Fera and Nala, from the Fusion AU

Slytherin x Hufflepuff is the best romantic pairing and no one can convince me otherwise

And the two angry idiots, Zach and Freddie

With a callback to Zach punching a mirror in the main novel

Tagging: @wannabeauthorzofija @pagesofcursive @tildeathdo-i-write @pretend-im-normal (no pressure of course)

Dynamic Duo Picrew

Your Honor, I love them

Note: Their clothing colors signify which colony they come from. Blue and green for Earth and oange and red for Mars.

How about I make this a chain game? :D

Tagging: @writing-is-a-martial-art @wannabeauthorzofija @47crayons and anyone else who wants to participate!