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The Black Dog

Sirius Black's path through heartbreak and guilt ends in the aftermath of a talent competition at Hogwarts. Sirius is still reeling from the aftermath of a devastating prank involving Severus Snape and the Whomping Willow, and he finds himself adrift, estranged from his friends and trying to accept his faults.

Sirius is confronted with the reality of Remus's new relationship as he observes his ex-friends from a distance. The sorrow of abandonment and self-recrimination devours him, pushing him to the edge of despair. Despite his sorrow, he finds refuge in music, expressing his feelings in a moving song that exposes his broken heart

Following his performance, Sirius finds himself face to face with Remus, In a moment of weakness, they tentatively reach out to each other, understanding the importance of healing old wounds and forging a new path.

Sirius and Remus summon the strength to put an end to their previous anguish and welcome the promise of a new beginning as they stand together beneath the starlit sky. Despite the scars of their common history, they decide to move forward, guided by the fragile promise of forgiveness and redemption.

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I am someone who, until recent events You shared your secrets with And your location You forgot to turn it off.

The past three months have been torturous for Sirius. As he made his way to the Great Hall, he sat next to his little brother and his clique of friends, watching as Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall chatted quietly amongst themselves. As Regulus was about to ask if he would eat anything off his plate, Dumbledore stood up and cast a spell to amplify the pitch of his voice. Then, he made an announcement.

 “Attention, students of Hogwarts” his voice thundered across the great hall.

“It is with immense pleasure and anticipation that I announce the upcoming talent competition to showcase the extraordinary skills and abilities of our talented students. This enchanting event will take place on April 19th in the Great Hall, starting promptly at 7 o'clock in the evening.”

“Whether your talents lie in the realm of music, magic, dance, or any other mesmerizing art, we eagerly welcome all participants to share their gifts and passions with the Hogwarts community. This promises to be an evening of wonder and delight, where the brilliance of our students shines brighter than any Lumos charm.”

“Your commitment to excellence is truly commendable, and I eagerly anticipate witnessing the magic you will bring to the stage. For those who may still be pondering whether to participate, I implore you to seize this opportunity to share your talents with your fellow students. Remember, it is not the magnitude of the magic, but the sincerity and heart behind it, that truly captivates an audience.”

“In closing, I extend my heartfelt apologies for any inconvenience this announcement may cause, and I express my deepest gratitude to all students for their time, effort, and boundless enthusiasm. Let us come together to celebrate the diverse talents that make Hogwarts the remarkable and magical place that it is.”

With that, he took his seat at the head of the table once more as if nothing happened and continued his conversation with their transfiguration professor.

At once the great hall buzzed into life once more, with students chatting excitedly at the topic of the upcoming competition. Sirius however could not care less about some competition, in the past he would have jumped at the chance to participate, but after the incident with Snape Along with his breakup with Remus along with his split from the Marauders he rarely looked forward to doing something exciting. He rarely ate, stopped taking care of his appearance, completely neglected his grades and schoolwork and hardly ever attended his classes.

He had been idiotic and foolish to tell anyone Remus’s secret more so when the person he told was none other than Severus Fucking Snape of all people. He did not expect Snape to follow through with his words much less go through the whomping willow and into the shrieking shack.

‘Merlin bless James for saving that slimy git's greasy arse, he thought bitterly. Remus, of course, had been rightfully furious at him and could not even look at him when James had told him how Snape had found his way to the Whomping Willow.

Remus had made it clear that he would not be talking to him anytime soon and that he never wanted anything to do with him at all. Despite his multiple attempts to apologize in the past 6 weeks.

And while it broke his heart, he decided to respect Remus’s decision and give him space, hoping that Remus would one day decide to forgive him.

He decided to head towards the Slytherin common rooms, feeling like he was on the verge of a breakdown.

Entering his brother's dormitory, he reached for his trunk and took out the Marauder's map. He knew monitoring his ex-friends was wrong, but he needed to avoid running into Remus in the hallways.

Watching as Remus' name and Penelope Stewart, 3rd year Hufflepuff, walked towards the Gryffindor Common Room. His stomach tightened awfully, but he ignored it and closed the map.

Feeling depressed, he favoured to just lie down and ignore the world around him, and he was soon fast asleep.

And so, I watch as you walk Into some bar called The Black Dog And pierce new holes in my heart You forgot to turn it off And it hits me I just don't understand

Regulus had convinced him to accompany him, Barty and Evan along with Dorcas and Pandora to Hogsmeade for some drinks, as he was chatting with Barty near some new pub in the village called the black dog, When he stopped the Marauders, James, Peter and Remus, Along with some short blond girl around Remus’s arm who looked to be a few years younger than the other 3

That’s when it hit him... the girl around Remus’s arm was Penelope, the girl he had seen on the map a few days prior.

Was 6 weeks all it for Remus to hike up and move on? He knew he had no right to judge but... did Remus hate him so much that he moved on quicker than one could blink? He didn’t understand how he meant so little to Remus that he got replaced in 6 weeks.

How you don't miss me In the Black Dog When someone plays The Starting Line, and you jump up But she's too young to know this song That was intertwined in the magic fabric of our dreaming Old habits die screaming

He watched as they entered the pub and couldn’t help but wonder what about this girl infatuated Remus so much. He decided to look through the Pub window only to see Remus take the girl's hand and lead her to the dance floor. The song playing just so happened to be from their favourite band the Starting Line.

He watched as the girl struggled to sing along to the lyrics, typical what else do u expect when she's too young to even know this band?

The starting line was THEIR band and no one else's, how could Remus stand up and dance along with someone who didn’t understand what this band meant to them?

I move through the world with the heartbroken My longings stay unspoken And I may never open up the way I did for you And all of those best laid plans You said I needed a brave man Then proceeded to play him Until I believed it too And it kills me I just don't understand

Life moved on, but he still longed to talk to Remus and beg for forgiveness once more. However, he knew better and began to wilt as life continued around him.

He began to wonder, should he ever move on, would he find someone as amazing as Remus? Would he be as open with this person as he was to his Moony? No probably not, only his Moony could understand how he was feeling, could understand his past, his scars, and his fears.

He recalled when he ran away from his family, When the potters took him in, and James had Fire-called Remus and Peter so fast you would have thought his broom’s life was in danger. Remus Had flooed over at once and began to fuss over him as if he were a child, telling him how brave and strong he had been and that he could rest now, telling him that Hed be the brave man he could call upon should he needed, and of course, like a fool… he believed him

How you don't miss me In the shower And remember How my rain-soaked body was shaking Do you hate me? Was it hazing? For a cruel fraternity, I pledged And I still mean it Old habits die screaming

It was Another Hogsmeade weekend and Sirius was tempted to check the Map again, to see if Remus was back at the pub with the girl he had seen him with, unable to resist the temptation he opened the Map and saw that Remus was once again at the pub with the same girl from the previous weekend

Unable to control himself he began sobbing uncontrollably, hurt washing over him like waves. This was his guilt, this was all because of him, Remus moving on was his fault,  he was stupid enough to ruin the only good thing going on in his life. And now Remus gets to be free from his madness while he succumbs to darkness.

Once the day is over he sees Remus in the boys' shower room on the map and can't help but think ‘How can you not miss me? There once was a time when I lived in your every thought.’ How can he stand there and not remember what a mess he had been at the potter's, freshly disowned and rain-soaked, shaking madly from the cold?

As he watched Remus leave the shower room only one thing was on his mind ‘Do you hate me?’

Six weeks of breathing clean air I still miss the smoke Were you making fun of me with some esoteric joke? Now I want to sell my house and set fire to all my clothes And hire a priest to come and exorcise my demons Even if I die screaming And I hope you hear it

It has been precisely six weeks and two days since his heart-wrenching breakup, and eight weeks since the traumatic incident that turned his life upside down. He still misses his life before it all went up in flames, reminiscing about the good old days when he used to smoke and joke around with his Mates. They would light their joints and laugh together, carefree, and happy. But ever since the breakup, he couldn't bring himself to smoke - it just didn't feel the same without his friends around him. Instead, he has been breathing clear air for six weeks.

Deciding to return to the Gryffindor common room to fetch some clean clothes, he walks up the staircase to his old dorm room and grabs his things in a hurry, as he was leaving he hears noises near the room, too cowardly to face them he hides underneath one of the beds and tried to remain as silent as possible, Upon hearing Remus’s voice as he enters the room, he hears the 3 boys laughing and joking about like the four of them used to.

“Ah, yes, the infamous 'Snivellus and the Whomping Willow incident '. Honestly, I still can't decide if it was Sirius's twisted sense of humor or his sheer incompetence that led him to pull off that stunt. I mean, giving Snape directions to navigate through the Whomping Willow? Classic Black.”

“But you have to admit, there is a certain poetic justice in it all. Snape gets a firsthand experience of what it's like to be pummeled by a tree, courtesy of our dear Padfoot. I suppose we should commend Sirius for his creativity, even if it did come at Snape's expense. Though I must say, it's a shame the tree didn't knock some sense into Snape while it was at it.” Remus said as the laughing came to a stop

Ashamed and guilt-ridden he lies on his back waiting for the boys to step out of the dorm, before feeling and heading to the nearest bathroom to cry

He had considered taking his own life, believing it would benefit his loved ones in the long run, and that it would bring them peace to know he was gone forever. However he had to live for his baby brother, he wouldn’t leave Regulus to suffer at his parent's abusive hands.

Regulus advised him to find a coping mechanism to eliminate any self-harming thoughts. So he picked up a quill and a piece of parchment and wrote a song about everything he had been feeling in the past few weeks.

And I hope it's shitty In The Black Dog When someone plays The Starting Line and you jump up But she's too young to know this song That was intertwined in the tragic fabric of our dreaming 'Cause tail between your legs, you're leaving I still can't believe it 'Cause old habits die screaming

Consulting Professor McGonagall if he could participate in the upcoming competition, he prepared his song and decided to give it his all on the day of the contest.  

APRIL 19TH

As he waited his turn throughout the talent show, he saw the marauders from their usual seats at the Gryffindor table, watching him curiously. As a professor called his name a piano magically appeared before him

Taking a deep breath he began to sing

I am someone who, until recent events You shared your secrets with And your location You forgot to turn it off And so I watch as you walk Into some bar called The Black Dog And pierce new holes in my heart You forgot to turn it off And it hits me I just don't understand

How you don't miss me In The Black Dog When someone plays The Starting Line and you jump up But she's too young to know this song That was intertwined in the magic fabric of our dreaming Old habits die screaming

I move through the world with the heartbroken My longings stay unspoken And I may never open up the way I did for you And all of those best laid plans You said I needed a brave man Then proceeded to play him Until I believed it too And it kills me I just don't understand

How you don't miss me In the shower And remember How my rain-soaked body was shaking Do you hate me? Was it hazing? For a cruel fraternity I pledged And I still mean it Old habits die screaming

Six weeks of breathing clean air I still miss the smoke Were you making fun of me with some esoteric joke? Now I want to sell my house and set fire to all my clothes And hire a priest to come and exorcise my demons Even if I die screaming And I hope you hear it

As he neared the end of the song he raised his voice and looked directly at Remus

And I hope it's SHITTY

In The Black Dog When someone plays The Starting Line and you jump up But she's too young to know this song That was intertwined in the tragic fabric of our dreaming 'Cause tail between your legs, you're leaving I still can't believe it

On the last line of the song his voice broke at the last word as he felt the world around him stop

'Cause old habits die screaming

As he finished playing the final notes of the piano, he glanced at the audience in the grand hall, who sat in awed silence., James looked too stunned to react and Remus had tears streaming down his cheeks.

Taking a deep breath, he gave the audience a bow and left, conflicted with his emotions he headed towards the Astronomy tower content on watching the stars.

Suddenly he heard footsteps and turned to see Remus standing before him.

“ I think it's time we closed this chapter and... try to move on, what do u say?” Remus suggested in an effort to reach out

smiling, he responded  “I’d love that.”

Tinkering around in his lab, the last thing Tony expected was to open up a portal. A portal showing a man - a very attractive man - sitting in the middle of a forest that most certainly was not inside of Tony's basement.

Wonderland wasn't a wonder, not really, and Bucky had been going madder and madder as time went on and he lost hope of ever finding a purpose, a sense of happiness. There were moments, few and far between, that he was able to grasp a hint of sanity and wondered how far past crazy he had gone over the centuries he had been trapped. They always faded again, and he was back to losing himself.

This man, this inventor, though... It wasn't one of his good moments, and he wasn't quite able to grasp onto a train of thought, but he was able to feel the way the knot in his stomach unraveled just a little upon seeing his startled face, brown eyes shimmering with something.

He talked and rambled and persuaded, and eventually he was able to get the man to come along, to follow him down, down, down.

As they grew closer, as Bucky’s moments of sanity grew more frequent and Tony’s grew less so, he was never quite sure whether he regretted bringing Tony to Wonderland. It felt like Tony had saved him from becoming even more lost, but in the process he had sentenced the man he had come to love beyond all else to lose parts of himself.

But then he’d look at Tony, see the devotion mirrored in his face even on the genius’ sane moments, the moments where he knew exactly what he’d lost, and Bucky knew he’d do it all over again.

And one day, working together, they would be free.

Another moodboard and snippet of writing, with Bucky as the Mad Hatter and Tony as Alice (sort of). Fills square T4 - Historical for the @tonystarkbingo, square B2 - Crazy in Love by Beyoncé for the @winterironbingo and square K3 - Science and Magic for the @buckybarnesbingo. I hope you like it!

My anxiety, my depression, my fear of not making an impact and having a meaningless life, and my lack of self confidence.

2023 Bucket

This is a bucket. Anything you don't want to take with you into 2024, feel free to drop it in the bucket. I will be burning the contents (with Hellfire) at exactly 11:59pm on New Year's Eve.

You don't have to type anything, at all. Just reblog the bucket and your intentions will be known by the universe. Or the bucket. Or whatever you like.

Slaying the Minotaur

The word of the week is Labyrinth, and I think once again my television watching is probably reflecting a little in my work. Take a look at this week’s six-sentence story, where a warrior takes on a labyrinth to slay all the monsters and serve justice to those deserving.  It was time, this was it, what her training had prepared her for, it had all led to this day. She checked her armour one…

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The Definition of Love

The Definition of Love

This one is written for the weekly picture prompt on The Writer’s Mess, shown below. Follow our narrator as she get’s a completely unexpected reaction from her new boyfriend, prompting her to re-evaluate some things. When Kevin called her into the house, she flashbacked to Gary, telling her that she was wasting her time, that this was stupid, childish, and that she needed to be over it now. She…

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Modern au: When the Storm Breaks

Pairings: Jacaerys Targaryen/Cregan Stark, Rhaenyra Targaryen/Harwin Strong, Rhaenys Targaryen/Corlys Velaryon

Cregan and Jace have been married for a couple years when tragedy strikes. Jace's brother, Luke, is killed in a car accident. From the moment they got the news, Jace barely cries. He buries himself into being strong for his family and planning Luke's funeral. Cregan stays by his side the whole time, trying his best to help. Everyone is worried Jace is carrying too much on his shoulders and that he's going to explode soon. Their fears become reality when Jace has a full-blown mental breakdown at the funeral. Jace's family and his husband rally around him. Afterwards he apologizes for making a scene. Everyone tells him that he has every right to upset and that he doesn't have to be strong all the time.

(cw: character death, graphic language, grief, unhealthy coping mechanisms)

Notes: This takes place in modern day New York. Rhaenyra and Harwin are married. Aegon III and Viserys II are Harwin's sons, but they get their looks from Rhaenyra. All the age gaps are closed in this story. Cregan and Jace are the same age, Rhaenyra and Harwin are only like 3 or 4 years apart. Laena is Rhaenyra's best friend here not Alicent, because I didn't want to touch that situation. Helaena is the only green that makes an appearance because I love her. Laenor and Daemon also aren't mentioned in this story. Do with that what you will.

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Jacaerys Targaryen and Cregan Stark had built a life together that was rooted in love, trust, and mutual support. They met in college, when Jace was getting his MBA and Cregan was getting a bachelor’s degree in architecture. Until then, neither of them had believed in love at first sight, but in that moment, love was the only thing that came to mind. They dated all throughout college, receiving their respective degrees with honors. Jace’s parents, Rhaenyra and Harwin, threw a grand graduation party at their home. However, Jace was the only one unaware that this party was also an engagement party. Once everyone important to them had arrived, Cregan got down on one knee and asked Jace to make him the happiest man in the world. Jace accepted with tears in his eyes. Their wedding was a sight to behold, a perfect blend of extravagance and sentiment. They vowed to be there for each other for every moment of their lives, no matter how painful. After four years of marriage, they had faced their share of challenges, but none had been as shattering as the phone call that came one quiet evening.

Jace was in the kitchen, preparing dinner, while Cregan relaxed on the couch, engrossed in a book. The shrill ring of Jace's phone broke the silence. It was from Baela, Jace's favorite cousin. Jace and Baela were very close, but they hadn’t spoken in a while, feeling they didn’t have much to share with each other. When she called out of nowhere, Jace thought she had something exciting to tell him. 

“Hey Baela, how are you?” He answered cheerfully. 

“Hi Jace.” Baela said, her voice shaking, barely above whisper.

“Is everything okay?” There was silence on the other end. 

Cregan could sense the tension and looked from his book. “Who’s that baby?”

Jace moved the food off the stove and walked over. “It’s Baela,” he whispered. 

“Is that Cregan?” She asked in an abrupt manner.

“Yeah.” Jace said.

“Can you put the phone on speaker, you both need to hear this.”

Jace did as he was asked, placing his phone on the coffee table, “Okay, Baela what going on, you’re kind of scaring me now.” 

Baela took a deep breath before continuing, "Jace, it's about Luke.” 

“What about Luke?” Jace asked, fear washing over him. 

They could hear Baela start to cry on the other end, “There…There’s been….. an accident. I’m so sorry Jace. He's... he's gone."

Jace’s breath hitched. He and his husband sat there frozen, Baela’s soft cries coming from below them. 

“What? What happened?” Jace questioned. The room seemed to close in around them as the reality of the situation sunk in.

“He… he was driving home for a visit when .... a truck sideswiped him. He hit a wall and…. first responders couldn’t get to him in time.” 

Jace could hear Baela talking to them. He could feel his husband grab his hand. But all of that seemed to fade away with the thoughts whirling through his mind. 

"I'm so sorry, Jace," Cregan whispered, his heart aching for his husband.

Jace sat frozen once again, his eyes were unfocused. He didn't cry, didn't scream. He just nodded and took a deep breath. 

"What about my parents? Do they know yet?"

“We’re at their house right now. My mom was with yours when she got the call. They didn’t know how to tell you so I offered to do it. They’re…. heartbroken, but we’re here to help them.”

“Thank you.” Jace muttered.

“That goes for you too, if you need anything, please come to us Jace.”

“Okay. Goodbye Baela.”

“Bye.” 

Crega pulled Jace into a tight hold. “I’m so sorry baby.” He offered. But Jace shifted in his arms, pulling back. He looked as if he were in some sort of trance. 

“I need to get home.” He announced. “My family needs me.” 

The days that followed were a blur of grief and responsibility. From the moment they got the news, Jace seemed to switch into autopilot. He threw himself into planning Luke's funeral, his focus solely on being the pillar of strength his family needed. He promised his parents that they didn’t have to worry about anything while he was there. He coordinated with funeral directors, arranged flowers, and meticulously chose every detail, ensuring that his brother would be honored in the best way possible.

Cregan watched his husband with growing concern. Jace was handling everything with a stoic determination that bordered on obsessiveness. He knew Jace was hurting, but he seemed unwilling or unable to express his grief. Every time Cregan tried to talk to him about it, Jace would deflect, insisting that there was too much to do.

"Jace, honey, you need to slow down and let yourself grieve, let yourself feel something," Cregan urged one evening, gently touching his arm. "It's okay to cry, to be upset."

Jace shook his head, his expression resolute. "I don't have time for that, Cregan. My family needs me." That phrase had become Jace’s mantra over the last week. At night, he would lie awake, staring at the ceiling, while Cregan held him, hoping that the physical closeness would provide some sort of comfort.

Jace's family was just as worried. At first, Rhaenyra was eternally grateful for her son's strength at this terrible time. But she quickly realized what was happening to her son, her whole body flooded with guilt. She and Harwin both expressed their concerns to Cregan privately. "He's carrying too much," Rhaenyra said one evening, her voice thick with worry. "I'm afraid he's going to break."

The day of the funeral arrived, a gray, overcast morning that seemed to mirror the heavy hearts of all who gathered. Jace was impeccably dressed in a black suit, his expression set in a mask of calm control. Cregan stood by his side, offering silent support.

The service was beautiful and heart-wrenching. Friends and family spoke of Luke's kindness, his bright smile, and the joy he brought to their lives. Jace delivered the eulogy with a steady voice, recounting fond memories and expressing the depth of his love for his younger brother. When he finished, sobs and sniffles could be heard throughout the whole church, but Jace’s face still didn’t falter. 

As the service drew to a close, Jace stood by the casket, greeting mourners and accepting their condolences. He was the picture of strength and composure, but Cregan could see the cracks beneath the surface. Each handshake, each hug seemed to chip away at the veneer of control Jace had built around himself.

When everyone proceeded to the burial site, Luke's body was placed over the area where it would be buried and lay forever. As the priest gave final blessing, Jace’s frame stiffened, his breaths shallowed slightly. Cregan was at his side, sensing the shift. He grabbed his husband's hand and started rubbing small circles on his back. He had seen this coming from the beginning. He only hoped now that he could soften the blow, if only a little bit. 

It was during the final moments of the burial, as the casket was lowered into the ground, that the storm finally broke. Jace stared at the graveside, the finality of it all crashing down on him. His breathing quickened even more, and he felt a tightness in his chest that made it hard to breathe.

“No.” Jace shook his head, pleading with every higher power he could think of. “Please, no!” he whimpered, not caring about what people thought about him. The pressure inside him had built up to an unbearable level. "I can't... I can't do this," he gasped, his voice breaking. "He's gone, Cregan! No....please! He can’t be gone!"

The tears finally came then, a torrent of grief and anguish that he had held back for far too long. He lurched forward, falling to the ground, sobs wracking his body. Cregan knelt beside him, wrapping his arms around Jace, holding him as he wailed. 

The mourners looked on with a mix of sympathy and understanding. Rhaenys and Corlys took it upon themselves to start herding the funeral guests toward the reception, knowing the best thing for the family was to be alone with each other right now. Rhaenyra and Harwin rushed to Jace's side, their own tears falling freely as they tried to comfort their son. For the first time since the accident, Jace allowed himself to truly feel the depth of his loss. Jace clung to Cregan, his cries growing softer, his screams turning into broken whispers, “Come back…. Luke I’m sorry…. Please come back.” 

The four of them sat like that for a while. Everyone else had gone, Laena had taken Jace’s other brothers to the reception, giving them time to just worry about Jace. Thirty minutes felt like a lifetime. Jace felt like he had cried away all the tears he had left, a terrible headache was brewing in the back of his skull. He picked up his head and looked around, realizing they were alone. “We should go to the reception now. They’re probably waiting for us.” He groaned, rubbing his burning eyes. 

Rhaenyra cupped her son's face gently, "Jace, you don't have to go. Everyone will understand."

Harwin nodded in agreement, "We're all hurting, son. And you’ve already done so much. If you just want to go home, it’s alright.” 

Jace looked to his husband for the answer. Cregan looked at him lovingly, saying, “I’ll do whatever you want, baby.” 

Jace thought for a moment, “I think we should go.” He decided.

“Are you sure?” Cregan asked.

“Yeah, I’m sure.” 

The reception was a blur for Jace. He felt exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Many people came to him again, offering even more condolences and asking if he was alright. He assured everyone that he was feeling much better now, but the ache in his heart and the pounding in his head were creeping up on him again. He wondered why he even bothered coming. Just then Helaena came up to him with a gentle smile.  

“Hi Jace.” She spoke softly

“Hi Helaena.” 

She looked at him as if she was trying to speak a language she didn’t know. She quickly gave up on words and held her arms out to him. He took them gratefully. After a full day of words and tears, her silent comfort somehow surpassed it all. Helaena often struggled with words, but in her touch was a power no one else in that room possessed. In that moment, Jace felt all of his pain melt away. For a split second, he felt whole again. He felt the one thing that had been missing since Baela called him that night, hope. They stayed like that for a little while. Jace breathed in her soothing herbal scent, finally feeling a sense of healing take fold. 

“Thank you so much Helaena.”

“For what”

“For being exactly what I need right now.”

Helaena smiled kindly and then left. Eventually everyone cleared out, leaving just the family. As they sat on the couch together, Jace struggled to come to terms with his outburst at the funeral. In hindsight, he felt embarrassed and ashamed for breaking down in front of everyone. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice filled with regret. "I didn't mean to make a scene."

Rhaenyra held him in her arms, her eyes filled with compassion. "Jace, you have nothing to apologize for. You lost your brother, not even a month ago. You have every right to grieve. If anyone should be sorry, it’s me. I never should have let you take on all that by yourself."

Harwin nodded in agreement. "Neither of us should have, Jace. We're a family, and we should support each other. You don't always have to be strong for everyone."

Cregan held his hand, his voice gentle but firm. "You've been carrying so much, sweetheart. It's time to let others carry some of that weight with you. We're all here for you now." He pressed a feather-light kiss to Jace’s temple. 

Jace looked around at his family, seeing the love and support in their eyes. He realized then that he didn't have to bear his grief alone. He didn't have to be the pillar of strength all the time. It was okay to lean on those who loved him. He felt tears come to his eyes again, but this time he let them flow freely. He grabbed on to his mother’s waist and cried slow, soft tears. Rhaenyra did the same until they both fell asleep in that position, their pain and exhaustion finally ceasing for the time being. 

Harwin and Cregan shared a knowing look before carefully unraveling the two and picking them up bridal style. Harwin couldn’t help but smile as he remembered the last time he held his wife this way. She had gotten too tipsy at a party and passed out in the car on the ride home. They were so young then, before the children, before their lives had truly begun. 

Cregan thought about the last time he held his husband this way. They had just gotten married. Jace was about to open the door to their apartment, when Cregan scooped him up and carried him across the threshold. It was a silly moment filled with laughter and so much love. They were still young, but Cregan knew from the moment they met, that he was going to spend the rest of his time on Earth and then some with the man sleeping in his arms. 

They carried their spouses up the stairs and laid them down on their respective beds. With the softest touch they remove as much of their uncomfortable funeral attire as they could before laying down next to them. They knew in the morning the pain would hit all over again, but for now they enjoyed this moment of peace in the eye of the storm.