I've Got a Spell For That

Queen of the Dark Fairies

as soon as dorcas took a sip of her drink, she knew something was wrong. usually reserved, doe found herself ready to say anything and everything that crossed her path. immediately, she found the danger of that, and knew she needed to keep focused on lighter topics. as it was, there were a lot of people here that she was certain hadn’t actually been invited. james and sirius were welcoming, yes, but not to this extreme. she was fairly certain this was supposed to be a house party, a get to together for friends and acquaintances. this went well beyond just that, and clearly, it was already blowing up in their faces. 

already, there were people she was trying to avoid. 

seeing frank and alice had been a surprise, but then, she figured it probably shouldn’t be. of course they were going to be at a social gathering that had ended up having an extensive guest list. for a brief moment, she was sixteen again and at a tower party with the rest of her classmates. ironically, most of the people here had in fact been her classmates. so far, she’d done a rather good job at keeping to her own people, until she went to grab a snack, hoping to absorb the drink she had tossed back. 

apparently, fate had a sense of humor tonight. as soon as her shoulder brushed his, she let out a quiet sigh. turning, she gave him a tight smile as she greeted, “frank. having a good night?”

who: marlene mckinnon & dorcas meadowes @doexaxdear​ where: a cemetery when: 1971, a few days after the meadowes’ parents were murdered tw: death mention

There had been lots of crying over the last few days, a great bit from her grandparents who’d come across the seas from Scotland to bury their baby girl and her husband. Marlene could have sworn she’d even seen her dad crying in his study but as quickly as she’d seen him the study door was closed and she’d been whisked away by another family member who’d come to help them. Then again, at twelve Marlene was capable of understanding why her father was so broken at the loss of his sister, she could only imagine how much crying she’d do if something happened to Marcel.

The service had taken place just as they’d arranged it and now it was down to just a few remaining family members who stayed behind to take care of minor details. “Ay, lassie, go on and check on yer cousin.” Marlene was instructed, her grandfather giving her a pat on the head before a gentle shove was given on her back. Not that she needed the instruction from anyone, she’d been watching Dorcas walk away from the lot of them, only planning on letting her get so fare before she’d follow behind.

Quick feet moved to keep up with the girl in front, coming to fall into step with her as they made their way wherever Dorcas was heading. “Doe…” Marlene murmured her scottish accent thick on her lips as she’d only been back in England for three years, the British twinge had not yet sunk it’s claws in the young girl. “ Granda wants me ta look after ya.” No, that wasn’t right, now wasn’t the time for the proper pureblood act, her cousin needed her. Marlene decided her eyes glancing down from her front for a moment as she did her best to piece together what she wanted to say.

“I’m sorry ‘bout your mum and dad.” Her aunt and uncle had always been so kind to her, showering she and Marcel with love at any given chance. Even more than that anyone could see just how fiercely Dorcas’ parents had loved their children. Had anyone hugged Dorcas lately? And it was in that thought that she elected to move forward, her arms wrapping to hug her cousin as tightly as she could. 

...

All week, Dorcas had been surrounded by grief, sadness, and underlying anger. Everyone around her had been crying - her grandparents, her siblings, her aunts - everyone but Dorcas. The loss of her parents absolutely left a chasm in her chest, but she had other things to focus on. Her siblings had looked to her, as the oldest girl in their family, for answers. So Dorcas did the only thing she knew how to do; she stepped up. Her grieving was put to the back burner for the time being.

As it was, Dorcas wasn’t sure which emotion she felt stronger; her grief or her anger. She’d stood there blankly as people gave their never ending sympathies. Though she knew they were well intended, she found herself sick of hearing them. It wasn’t until her Mum’s second cousin jabbed that ‘this was a tragedy that could have been avoided’, putting the blame on her mother, that Dorcas snapped. Instead of saying anything, she surely walked away.

“S’not like it was your fault,” she mumbled, knowing Marlene was there before she even said anything. Dorcas knew who to blame, even if everyone else seemed to be confused. Letting out a sigh, she let Marlene wrap her arms around her. If it was anyone else, aside from her little sister, she would have pushed them off, but Marlene had always been the exception. Resting her head on her shoulder, Dorcas wrapped her arms around her. “I don’t want to cry here,” she admitted, throat coated with tears.

There was something about Dorcas that left Frank feeling overly at ease. No need to keep up appearances or the almost puppy-like attitude that accompanied maintaining a positive front with the majority of the purebloods. He could be himself without needing to worry about every little thing he did. They hadn’t defined things and he was content with keeping things that way unless Doe suggested otherwise. Then again, fearful would have been another way of describing his hesitancy toward wanting to define anything with anyone.

Frank was almost certain his grandmother would insist on properly meeting Dorcas and question if they had wedding plans — truthfully something Frank wanted nothing to do with planning while at school. He had seen more than enough moping from Malfoy and Andromeda to be grateful his grandmother hadn’t decided to play matchmaker.

“But that means getting up,” Frank sighed. He lightly trailed his fingers along the length of Dorcas’ back, his other arm gripping her a little closer to him. He would give in if she decided it was, in fact, time to tackle homework but he was overly happy to lay with her a little longer. “Surely it can wait a little longer?”

...

Some days, she could see the irony in the fact that both she and Frank were good at keeping up appearances. They both had masks that they wore to appease the people they were around. However, the quiet moments like this allowed them both the space to just be. She didn’t have to be anyone other than herself. Here, they could just exist as they were. It was a comfort in more ways than one, and Doe was fairly certain that it went both ways. Over time, they’d learn to read each other, despite the fact that they kept their dynamic relatively casual. 

At his words, she smiled turning her head so that her chin rested on his chest as she looked up at him. “Hm, you make a good point,” she agreed, pretending to mull it over. She sighed as he pulled her closer, wrapping her arm over his chest a little more surely. Dorcas had already given in to the idea of staying in bed a while longer. Everything else could wait. 

—

If she had been a little bit braver Alice probably would have asked her boss why he could not go himself, or why he couldn’t send one of the interns down to ask about the spell. She was a highly trained, and respected Auror. She didn’t need to be running silly little errands like this. But, she also didn’t want to get on the bad side of her boss, and she wanted to stay as the favourite. So here she was. She did have big intentions of replacing her boss, so staying in his good books was a must.

So that was how she had ended up with Dorcas, instead of tackling the large pile of paperwork that she really needed to get done. “Oh i understand that….” She mused, a little laugh on her lips. “My boss however is not so understanding.” She might have argued a little with him that she spell would not possibly be done yet, but she knew he never saw himself in the wrong. “He has a habit of never thinking he’s wrong….” She mused, a little smile on her lips. It was not the best trait, but she kept on his good side, so she didn’t face his wrath too much.

“You’re very talented….” The brunette mused with a little smile. “Inventing these spells like this…. I could never” Which was why, to some degree she did respect the woman in front of her. Of course, there had been one day when Dorcas and Alice had been close friends, but that day was long gone. “How long do you think it might take? If I don’t tell him something he’ll just send someone else down to bother you tomorrow, and I’d rather that not happen.” Dorcas would never get it finished if people kept bothering her.

...

looking at her carefully, dorcas deduced that she really did understand. dorcas also knew that the head of the auror department was notoriously impatient, so she could absolutely give alice the benefit of the doubt. her boss was hardly the first one to come hounding for a spell. she doubted that most of them had any idea how much work was put into them, but then, it shouldn’t surprise her. most people thought creating spells was just a secret formula done over and over again - it wasn’t. letting out a hum of understanding, she pushed her hair back, leaning away from her notes. 

“right, head of the auror department, that doesn’t surprise me. I’ve worked with him a few times before and this is typical,” she mused, nodding. in response, she snorted before adding, “that’s putting it mildly. last time he came down here and tried to tell me how to do my job because it was taking too long. said I just need to plug the right things into a formula,” she admitted, giving alice a small smile. most of the spell inventors she worked with didn’t care for working with him, but as the youngest and the newest among them, it often fell to her. 

at the compliment, dorcas gave her a warm smile, perhaps even a genuine one, as she answered, “thank you. I think with the right practice you could, but it’s not something everyone is capable of. magic is - it’s finicky at best and volatile  at worst,” she admitted. dorcas knew how intelligent alice was, and she respected her for it. “hm, well I’m moving on to the testing phase, leaving time for an needed adjustments and retests, I’d say probably by the end of this week.”  

“It is like you have developed the ability to read my mind,” Lily commented with a laugh as she gravitated towards the pot on the stove. It smelled delicious and made her stomach growl even more than it already was. If she was being honest while she loved everything about Dorcas, her ability to have food at the ready really deepened that love and respect. There was just something about enjoying a meal and a cup of tea with friends. Something she didn’t have much of growing up outside a small handful of people.

Lily nodded. “Of course! I should be the one thanking you…” Was more like a proper why of phrasing it. Her life held such few opportunities for flexing her intellectual muscles these days. “I feel pretty useless most days,” she muttered softly not quite sure why the words slipped out. It was typically a sentiment she kept to herself most days and had been since she was a teenager.

“I mean…” Lily paused as she threw her hands up. This was a safe place so there was little reason she needed to fall into the familiar excuses and necessities. “Oh Merlin, it’s exactly what I mean.” She admitted with a laugh. “I spend my entire day dusting shelves, without magic, and handing out shady packages to people that really should not have any type of dark objects and  I do it with a smile.” If she thought about it, it was quite sickening.

“I would have been Head Girl if I wasn’t who I was,” Lily said slightly bitter. “Okay, enough of this…” She said awkwardly wanting to move onto a happier topic. “Lets eat because I am apparently hungry.”

...

Grinning, Dorcas shook her head, before she teased, “Our friendship has just evolved over the years. ‘Course I can read your mind.” Dorcas couldn’t read minds, but she could read people. After her parents’ death, she became overly observant, constantly trying to anticipate threats before they happened. She knew that with her parent’s status as traitors, she and her siblings were under constant surveillance, as though they were waiting for a reason to take them out too. As an adult, Dorcas had the space to properly be a friend to Lily without it coming back down on her brother and sister. As an adult, her actions and their consequences were much more her own. Lily’s friendship meant everything to her, and she’d take that risk seven ways to Sunday. 

Waving her off, Dorcas shook her head, “No, you shouldn’t. Lils, you should be able to have your hand at any career. you want, any research that pulls your fancy. You’re helping me, so you don’t have to thank me for sharing my resources,” she countered, adamantly. Scrunching her nose, Dorcas gave her a soft smile, “I know, but if you and I crack this code, we’ll be able to change everything, and that’ll be because of you. What you’re doing now - not useless, I promise.” Dorcas would ensure that all their work didn’t go in vein. 

Dorcas quietly listened, knowing that Lily needed to have the space to get this out. She couldn’t imagine what it was like for her - a brilliant witch reduced to careers that were far below her skill set. Her chest ached most days when she thought of what it would be like if Lily was inventing right along side her. Wasted potential, all because purebloods felt threatened. “I know,” she murmured, “and it’s cruel. There’s so much you’re capable of, and so help me god Lils, we’re going to make it so that you can explore it all. We’re not stopping until you’re able to invent brilliant spells on the record.” 

“You absolutely would have been. There’s no doubt in my mind,” Dorcas agreed. Her chest ached for Lily, for all the wixen like Lily that were constantly being snuffed out. “Yes, eating first, and then we go to work,” she smiled. Spooning up some stew she passed it over to her.  

For the most part, Dorcas kept her head down and she stayed off the radar as much as possible. While both her siblings were good at drawing attention to themselves, Dorcas always thrived in the shadows. Most of the time, she didn’t mind, especially when it came to keeping other’s opinions of her and her family off her shoulders. Dorcas hated that it was something she had to worry about, and more so that she had to at least try to keep up appearances, or risk facing a fate like her parents had. As a means of saving face, Dorcas had started hanging out with people that she otherwise, likely wouldn’t have. Unfortunately, among that crowd were people that she came to genuinely care for. 

Frank was among those people, and while she wouldn’t ever go as far as to say that she loved him, there was a connection that made her care for him. They teetered on the edge between nothing and something, and Dorcas found that she didn’t mind it. Sure, the lines blurred and some days she didn’t know where exactly they stood with one another, but most of the time, she was content to stay right on that line of not too much but just enough. Dorcas was never all that good with commitment anyways, and this, this was far easier. 

Lily gave Dorcas a grin. “You know the way to my heart already,” she joked although she admittedly was starving. For some reason unknown to Lily, work had been busy enough to keep her running back and forth. Not that her boss cared all that much if she got her break during her shift or not. Lily’s time and energy were better spent caring for his customers if you asked Borgin.

“I…” She motioned to the box she carried. “Do not have snacks unfortunately.” Typically, Lily liked to bring baked goods to her meetings with anyone because there wasn’t much that didn’t benefit from snacks; especially, if they were going to be tackling anything that needed some brain power.

“I do have an entire box on all kinds of spell theory, lore, and just some crazy thinking.” It wasn’t likely a help but you never knew what you could find digging through others work even if it was for inspiration. “It is a collection of journal articles,” she told Dorcas as Severus was always bringing her articles to check out. “Some of it is excerpts from books… Couldn’t get the entire books though.” Summers spent at Hogwarts had allowed Lily to become well acquainted with her professors who were accepting of her blood status, but even they couldn’t risk smuggling entire books out. “Can we have something to eat first though?”

...

“Of course I do, Lily Bean,” she grinned. Dorcas had an arsenal of nicknames that she held for the people closest to her, and this particular one of Lily’s was one of her favorites. Reflexively, Dorcas looked her over, trying to sort out how she was really doing. She could see the tiredness and hear the hunger of her rumbling stomach, but she seemed alright outside the two. Dorcas could fix at least half of those ailments, which was something. Waving her off, Dorcas grinned, “Please, it’s Marlene and I. We keep a stocked kitchen at all times for ourselves and everyone else,” she grinned. 

Dorcas and Marlene were well known for their open door policy among their friends. They always had a comfy couch to crash on, a stocked kitchen to raid, and a safe room if it was necessary. Dorcas, in all her spell inventing, had ensured that there was at least one secret area of their home, ready and waiting for a time it was ever needed. She was nothing if not prepared for the worst, should it ever happen again. 

“Hm, seems like a great trade off to me. You certainly didn’t show up empty handed,” she grinned. Dorcas was grateful for any and all research that Lily was able to provide, and while Lily knew the Hogwarts library better than anyone else, Dorcas had the ability to get the books in full should they prove to be useful. “Of course. Come on, I’ve got homemade stew on the stove going,” she grinned. Dorcas nodded, listening carefully, “That sounds very helpful, honestly. We’ll definitely sort through it after we eat. Thank you, by the way, for coming round to help with this. Your input is really invaluable.”

—

Alice enjoyed her job. Of course, it helped that she was rather good at it. She was of the opinion that it would be very hard to find anyone that was better at being an auror than her. Maybe Frank, but even then she wasn’t convinced. Sure, she loved the man, but she did think she was better at being an auror than him. Of course, she was nice enough to not actually mention that. She was a good future wifey after all.

Unfortunately, her line of work meant that she was often involved with people that she otherwise would not be involved with. And most of those people she really did not like. Dorcas was one of them. And she tried to avoid her as much as possible. Of course, it was sometimes impossible, especially when seh was trying to keep an eye on her. Today though, she was having to visit because of work.

“Oh. My boss sent me” She murmured with a little smile. That wasn’t a lie, for once. She  had actually been told to come over here. “He wants an update on how that spell is coming along.”

…

Above all else, Dorcas hated the lack of research that occurred every other department when it came to spell inventing. One day she’d be handed a list of spells they wanted and the next they’d be hounding her for the finished result. Spells were as much a science as they were an art, and she knew how much carnage they could create if all the proper variables weren’t tested out of them. Dorcas was hard pressed to hand them over prematurely, the other departments timelines be damned. People weren’t going to suffer because of something she created. 

Dorcas was nothing if not careful. 

Really, she couldn’t pinpoint when she had gone from respecting Alice to intensely disliking her. It hadn’t happened overnight, and it hadn’t always been there, but these days, she seemed to always be around, constantly looking down at her in some capacity. Dorcas let it roll off her shoulders though. She had experienced much of the same from other people in their society since the day her parents died. 

Smiling politely, she held back the frustrated sight that threatened to bubble out of her. “Of course,” she answered, masking her sarcasm with courtesy. “Well, I’ve got the groundwork laid out, but I won’t go into the boring details,” she explained, doubting that her boss would be able to keep up even if she did. Alice might be able to, but she wasn’t going to bore her. “It’s only been a couple days. I understand you guys have a timeline for these things, but it’s my job to ensure that the spells I create not only work as they’re supposed to, but aren’t going to be volatile in the field. Trust me, you want me to take the extra time to work out the variables,” Dorcas explained, kindly but firmly. 

-

To be the steady place for Dorcas to land had always been one of Marlene’s greatest accomplishments, she’d always wanted a sister and she’d found that in her cousin. Forced together during the family outings, clinging to one another during the Pureblood parties, there were few times where you saw one without the other. Over time they’d grown just like their list of friends had but still when push came to shove when Marlene looked for her rock it would always remain to be Dorcas. The two were closer than she and her own brother but not for a lack of trying, as close as she got to Marcel and as close as he got to her there were just some things that she couldn’t show him. It wasn’t like that with Dorcas. She’d seen the good, she’d seen the bad, she’d seen it all. Marlene was grateful for her in more ways than one which is why it only made sense to share a home together. This house had been the one the second she’d seen Dorcas’ face light up as she stepped out on to their large porch that overlooked the grounds they had, directly above that on the second floor was a balcony that either of their rooms had a door to go out on to. They’d spent an embarrassing amount of time sleeping there rather than in their own rooms.

As she sipped her red wine listening, the glass was set down as quickly as she’d heard the words. “Alice came to visit you?” A brow raising at the question knowing that Dorcas couldn’t seem to play nice with the Fortescue and vis versa. It didn’t matter how much she respected Alice, there was no world where she would win out over her cousin as far as Marlene was concerned. “What did she want?” For a moment her palms began to sweat knowing that Dorcas couldn’t help herself when it came to the spells, she played with, but somethings were just off limits. For reasons Marlene didn’t know, it was above her head, but Dorcas knew the reasons and she continued to dance the line. Not that she could blame her cousin, but with all the reasons above Marlene was even more proud of herself for not asking Dorcas if she’d done something that she wasn’t supposed to.

There was a snort at the question knowing full well that Dorcas already knew the answer to that. “The only harm that befalls James comes from me when he thinks he’s going to one up me.” A certain tease to her tone that she knew Dorcas would recognize. Marlene would sooner toss herself in front of the spell then let James take a hit, just as he’d do the same for her, it was what made the two such beneficial partners. It was likely also why they’d been so lucky to escape with such minor injuries to date. She counted her lucky stars with that one, if something happened to James, she’d never forgive herself. “If anyone can pull it off it’ll be you.” Marlene encouraged, something she could easily do without know what Dorcas was working on, she just had that much confidence in the woman.

…

As she got older, Dorcas found that she was much closer to her cousins than she was to her own siblings. Dorcas had spent the better part of her childhood trying to look after them, in some capacity or another, and it wasn’t until she was older that she realized how often they took advantage of her. In her efforts to help them through the tragedy that had become their lives, Dorcas had neglected her own boundaries, and more often than not, become something akin to a punching bag for them to project their unresolved trauma on. Now, she hardly spoke to either her older brother or younger sister. She didn’t hate them - not by a long shot - but there was years of unresolved tension and resentment between them. Dorcas knew it was partially on her, she hadn’t set those boundaries, and seemingly out of nowhere, she had snapped at them both, pushing them as far away as she possibly could. Still, she didn’t know how to fix it, and it felt like a herculean task to accomplish. Her relationships with Marlene and Marcel were far easier, and required far less effort. Dorcas tried not to feel guilty about that. 

Marlene was her safe haven, and the home they’d created meant everything to her. It was no secret that the balcony and the porch were by far her favorite places in the house, Marlene’s too, she reckoned. When the weather was good, they spent more nights sleeping up on the balcony than they did their own rooms, watched over by the stars. “She did,” Dorcas sighed, taking a sip of her wine. Giving her a tight smile, Doe hummed, “The usual - to badger me about a spell their department is after. I swear, they have no concept of how much time is required to not only create a spell, but to ensure that it actually works consistently. They really don’t think about the carnage it could create if I don’t test out the variables before handing it off to them,” she murmured. If the consequences weren’t so severe, Dorcas was tempted to hand it off to them prematurely just to prove a point. 

Rolling her eyes, Dorcas laughed, “Well, then I would reckon it’s deserved. You just keep putting him in his place dear cousin,” she grinned. Dorcas knew that the two of them would always look out for each other, so she didn’t worry as much when they were in the field. There were unavoidable accidents, she knew that, but they were equipped to handle just about any threat, and that was a comfort. Shaking her head, Doe let out a tired laugh, “Oh I don’t know about that. My Mum was the one with the penchant for it,” she mused. Dorcas had an absolute love for spell inventing, but even she didn’t know if it was because of her Mum or because of her own love for the craft. Really, she doubted it mattered in the end, she was exactly where she wanted to be. “Your confidence in me is truly astonishing, and while I appreciate it immensely, I fear it’s been misplaced,” she teased. 

***

Taking the bottle of firewhisky off the table he passed it to Dorcas without a word. Events like this tested his patience. He had grown to despise the Ministry since his brothers arrest. No one would tell him who it was exactly that had dragged him away. But he wanted to know. He wanted to know who locked him up and left him to rot. He knew it wouldn’t help. But looking at the faces around him he was growing to hate them all. 

Especially those that stood in front of everyone and sang their praises. Who could stand there and say how great the Dark Lord is and speak as though he was some sort of saviour. It made him feel sick. But when Dorcas spoke to him again it helped ground him. He didn’t hate them all. Just the majority. There were those like Dorcas that he knew there was good in. And he supposed that gave him hope. So he managed to tear his gaze away from those standing up and speaking and look at his friend instead.

“Maybe if we all start snoring it will manage to drown them out.” He said quietly with a grin, snapping out of his sullen mood. It was so easy to forget the good things in his life when the bad seemed to overshadow everything. And he needed to remind himself that he still had things to smile about.

“I vote that we absolutely do both.” He nodded and glanced back towards the speaker while letting out a sigh. “We definitely deserve it after listening to this crap. Do you think they actually believe anything they say?”

…

The smile she gave Sirius was nothing short of grateful, and she took a sip, focusing on the burn of the liquor as opposed to the words being rambled at her. Dorcas knew that he was likely as on edge about these things as she was, maybe more so now given everything. Really, Dorcas could empathize better than most could. She remembered the terror of having a family member dragged away and disposed of once their usefulness was done. With that thought, she offered the bottle to him. 

That pit of anger that Dorcas gained the day her parents were killed only grew larger as the years progressed. She didn’t understand how people could listen to this garbage without a growing feeling of contempt. Every word uttered made her burn a little hotter. The years in which Dorcas spent surviving, abiding her time and holding back her vicious remarks about the world in which they lived in, had all led up to where she was now. Though she stood there listening, Dorcas knew that everything she did was to quietly dismantle the system as a whole. 

“Don’t tempt me. Can you imagine the looks on their faces if we did that?” she asked, matching his grin. Dorcas was grateful that she stood next to Sirius throughout all of this, knowing how difficult it would be to stomach on her own. At least she could ground herself in their conversation, instead of doing something stupid like voicing her frustrations for everyone to hear. 

“It’s a deal,” she agreed, giving him a slight grin. At least she had something to look forward to now. Shaking her head, she gave a groan, “I don’t know how they could, but then, I’ve seen first hand how many people buy this shit. It’s exhausting. I don’t know how adults with critical thinking skills buy into this shit.” 

Dorelene McMeadowes

“you’re my safe place to land” 

Amethyst Terrors: Are their nights plagued with past memories or nightmares in general? What do they usually entail if so?

When Dorcas first lost her parents, she dreamed of them almost every night. Thankfully, she hadn't been forced to watch their executions, however, her mind filled in their own versions of events. For that reason, she avoided sleep like the plague for a long time, running until her body eventually passed out and forced her to rest. Whenever her nightmares got the better of her though, Dorcas almost always ended up curled underneath blankets and beside her lamp with a book in hand to distract her.

Apatite Chatter: Are they the friendly sort or do they prefer to let others start off interactions with them?

On the surface, Dorcas comes off as being both blunt and abrasive. For so many years, she was looked to as a parental figure from her siblings, despite the fact that she was drowning in her own grief and unable to show it. The death of her parents was very public, and a controversy no matter which side people took. Dorcas grew jaded always having to listen to people's ugly beliefs about her parents, and by extension, herself and her siblings. As an adult, she doesn't trust easily, she expects to hear the worst judgement from strangers, and she keeps her circle tight. Though she spent years being her siblings sole support system, they started drifting away from one another when Dorcas started setting boundaries. As such, she keeps her guard up around new people.

glory and gore // lorde

now we're in the ring, and we're coming for blood. You could try and take us. but we're the gladiators. everyone a rager, but secretly they're saviors. glory and gore go hand in hand. that's why we're makin' headlines. you could try and take us, but victory's contagious.

where does the good go // tegan and sara

where do you go with your broken heart in tow? and what do you do with the left over you? and how do you know when to let go? where does the good go?

no light, no light // florence & the machine

you want a revelation, you want to get it right. and it's a conversation, I just can't have tonight.

ghost of you // 5 seconds of summer

so I drown it out like I always do. dancing through our house, with the ghost of you. and I chase it down, with a shot of truth. that my feet don't dance, like they did with you.

forever // labrinth 

Oh, I'll live forever.

third eye // florence & the machine

you don't have to be a ghost here amongst the living. you are flesh and blood, and you deserve to be loved and you deserve what you are given. and oh, how much.

all for us // labrinth, zendaya

I hope one of you come back to remind me of who I was, when I go disappearing. into that good night (good night).

I found // amber run

and I've moved further than I thought I could, but I missed you more than I thought I would. and I'll use you as a warning sign, that if you talk enough sense then you'll lose your mind.

got it in you // banners

you gave all that sweat and blood, now you think you're gonna drown. you can't tell that you're bigger than the sea that you're sinking in. and you don't know what you got, but you got it at your fingertips.

atlas: eight // sleeping at last

now you won't see all that I have to lose, and all I've lost in the fight to protect it. I won't let you in, I swore never again. I can't afford, no, I refuse to be rejected.

dancing after death // matt maeson

as the sun waits to eclipse, and the taste teases my lips. I'm too tired to wrestle with it, will we burn, or will we repent?

graveyard // halsey