𝓽𝓸 𝔀𝓱𝓪𝓽𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓮𝓷𝓭

dustin: go watch the backyardigans landon

dustin: and don't come back until you appreciate pablo for all that he is

dustin: or until you've gotten be a chicken chalupa supreme

landon: every time you order that they get it wrong

landon: what makes u think that me ordering it is going to suddenly make them get it right

teddy nods, trying his damndest to keep his hopes on the ground as remus calls him by name. merlin only knows that in that moment they’re trying to shoot up into the air with every passing syllable. once, twice. could it really be happening the way it appears ? did remus actually have his memories ? teddy’s heart is overwhelmed as he feels eyes locked on him; his father was standing before him, alive, looking at him. studying him the way teddy’s studied his pictures all those years. “i’m…” he tries to say something along the lines of i’m teddy. just to confirm it. “i’m your son,” teddy says. tears quickly break through as he nods. he couldn’t even feel his bruised arm anymore.

teddy already had a gut feeling that he was in the presence of his father but when he confirms his name, it’s surprising but it doesn’t completely throw him. he can muster up enough composure to get through another awkward conversation with one of his parents again if he has to. “don’t worry about it. the x-ray will be an interesting keepsake. think i might put it up on the wall,” he says with gentle sarcasm. he tries not to think about how many times he’s heard someone say that he laughs like his father. but what teddy doesn’t expect is remus’ to somehow recognize something in him —— as that surely didn’t happen with tonks. his stomach drops into the ground below; he doesn’t want that feeling of rejection again but it’s impossible to ignore. “a long while ago, perhaps,” he muses as if he didn’t know for sure. “i’m teddy,” he says. it sounds as casual as he could possibly make it but he can’t look at remus directly in the eye as he says it.

niklaus rolled his eyes. not out of annoyance towards landon specifically, out of frustration of his life. not knowing where his family was, not having true control of his life, being a puppet for someone else’s gain. it was all very infuriating. he released his hold on landon’s shoulder. he seemed too afraid of klaus to lie. his expression tensed up. this time revealing a bit of worry. and maybe- just maybe- a touch of fear. he crossed his arms though remained on the rim of landon’s personal space. “–how did she look ?” klaus asked after silence lingered. no longer did his gaze pierce landon’s. “is she alright ?”

klaus applied a firm amount of pressure to his hold on landon, slowly forcing him farther against the bar. trapping him farther. his eyes scanned over his face, looking for more context. friend. his only friend. it was then that klaus realized why landon looked so familiar. in his mind he could see him in the square of mystic falls, dancing with hope. “i see.” klaus’ jaw clenched. “and does your heart race this quickly for all of your friends ?” he applied more pressure before he released landon’s shoulder and brushed it off. to be fair, landon’s increaed heartbeat could’ve had everything to do with the supernatural being holding him hostage. he took a half of a step backwards. giving landon just a little bit of breathing room. “well,” he said expectantly. as though he should have already be given an explanation he desired. “where is she ?” klaus asked. he wasn’t entirely thrilled at the prospect of hope knowing any pair of brothers. where they’re from, that never ended well. ever.

oh, you’re hope’s dad ! klaus’ movements came to an immediate stop. he remained frozen momentarily. eyes permanently locked on landon. his gut had been right: the boy knew him. but he hadn’t expected him to know his daughter. and the overprotective father in him did not like the idea of a teenager knowing his daughter. especially when he didn’t know her current whereabouts. klaus set his glass back down slowly. there was no expression to read after the initial surprise melted away. there was a woosh. in an instant, klaus appeared behind the bar in front of landon. eye to eye with his unnerving and dark gaze. a single hand planted firmlu on the younger boy’s shoulder. “what do you know of my daughter?” the original asked. though it sounded more like a demand.. and it was. all of the previous lighthearted banter was put on hold for the time being.

klaus’ expression became one of vague amusement. “well. i’d hate to get you in trouble with my.. shebang,” he said. “so i suppose i’ll just have to take it with me. perhaps he might make a rather decorative top of the tree- and that’d be far more eye catching than a star.” klaus not being in a blind rage over the work of the creators was a miracle in itself but it was safe to say that his switch was still very much on. he meant every word but each one was cloaked by that same vague amusement. the name landon didn’t mean anything to him though he was sure he knew the face from somewhere. “the only way to truly know if one has overstepped is to do it.. and then see if anybody threatens you for it.” not exactly words to live by, but doing so would surely leave an impression. “then you know you’ve done something right.” klaus’ full attention returned to landon before speaking again. he wanted to pay attention for any potential reaction. “niklaus mikaelson,” he introduced. his index finger traces the tip of his crystal glass. “klaus. not so fondly.” 

just the mere mention of hope’s name pulls an involuntary reaction out of lizzie. she scoffs quietly, rolling her eyes. in her head, she mocks the way landon calls out her name. you’re not in a movie, mop head. this isn’t a slow mo moment or a heartfelt reunion. “sorry, we’re in a rush, no time to stop, byeee !” lizzie calls out in a peppy tone, waving at the tribid on her way to zooming right passed her. her expression and tone return to normal immediately after as she shifts gears. she isn’t giving up on this hopeless ( haha ) cause without a fight. 

“what, do you think this is just your super efficient uber ? does it look like we have time to make a pit stop !?” lizzie asks, furrowing her brows as she glances towards her passenger seat. “if you haven’t noticed, fro’ boy, we’re kind of in the middle of something.” 

landon’s questions causes her attention to jump back to her rearview mirror. “shit,” the siphon mumbles to herself, increasing her speed to a necessarily risky length. it’s not that she’s a bad driver by any means, she’s actually got a decent grip on the art of it, it just seems like this may be her audition for the next fast and furious movie. she’s running red lights, making sharp turns, and anything she possibly can to get out of this. “that’s what we’re gonna call the inevitable. you see that light in your arm ?” she doesn’t even bother waiting for a response. 

“that’s how they’re tracking you.” 

          HIS EYES REMAIN glued to the rear view mirror as lizzie continues driving, unable to truly believe that this was actually happening. they were really in the middle of a high speed car chase, straight out of fucking fast and the furious or something along those lines. he was never one to make pop culture references -- that was dustin’s job. his was never understanding them. he shoots an incredulous look towards lizzie, as if she’s just told him that he’d turned into a toad within the last five minutes.

                         “they’re tracking me ?”

          he chooses now to stick his head out the open window, like a dumbass would, to get a better look at the incoming SUV. “shit, lizzie, they’re gaining on us.” there was panic evident in his words, squeezing at his heart with every breath he took. “oh my god, are they going to kill me ? is that what’s gonna happen ?” he grips the arm rests tightly, staring straight out the windshield, refusing to even glance toward the car that followed them. 

dustin: okay first of all watch your mouth

dustin: second of all, that's all a birth certificate is

dustin: a birth receipt

dustin: 3th of all yes you should know who pablo the penguin is if you give a shit about being cultured

landon: i wasn't allowed to watch tv growing up

“lesson one about the sea,” ariel says. “you’ll never see the most beautiful treasures the sea has to offer.” as she talks, she watches the tide as it comes in tauntingly close to the tips of her toes. “those that live in it will always keep the good stuff to themselves,” ariel shrugs. she knows she always did. the wonders that lurk below sea level are more wonderful than any land walker could ever imagine. “though, to be fair — i think sand dollars are underrated.” 

dustin: how the fuck don't you know who pablo the penguin is

dustin: awful bold of you to assume you could stop a penguin and his destiny with something as flammable as a birth receipt

landon: am i supposed to know who pablo the penguin is

landon: flammable. birth. receipt.

landon: oh my god, dude. d u d e.

nikolai: depends on how willing you are to eat said lunch with me

nikolai: and really "blabbermouth king" ? at least refer to me as dashing

zoya: i might be convinced, so long as there's dessert

“i am quite sure,” klaus answered. “then again.. i may just be trying to provide myself with more benign activities so that i may not shove that man’s head through a wall.” the threat rolled a little too casually off the tongue, he hardly noticed. a signature smirk appeared while his fingertips wrapped around the fresh glass. “it is practically christmas, after all.” the glass is then raised just a little toward the bartender as a subtle cheers. that is the first time niklaus truly looked at landon. there was an odd recognition when he did. he had lived many, many years and while he seldom forgot a face he couldn’t seem to place landon in his memory. klaus’ kept his intrigued attention on the young man while he took a long sip of his new drink. “who might i be thanking for tonight’s service ?” he asked. he didn’t know his name but he never got the chance to learn it either.

zoya: on a scale from one to ten

OPEN STARTER  ⟩  KLAUS MIKAELSON. a dimply lit upscale bar downtown. after dark. 

niklaus was especially testy tonight. if you knew him, you knew that wasn’t entirely surprising. the man has always had a knack for having a short fuse. but after months ( yes, months ; it had taken months to break his free will  ) of being held in what he could only describe as the memory dungeon, he was finally out. finally back on the street. and he was livid. klaus sat on the bar stool with his second glass of bourbon and a clenched jaw. there was a particularly loud and obnoxiously patron across the bar that had him ready to cause a scene but the arrival of someone new provided a distraction.. for now. he set his empty glass down and ordered a third round. “—and by all means, throw their order on my tab as well.” 

there are tears freely streaming down the youngest weasley’s cheeks, though she has yet to care. her child was here, safe, in her arms, and that was all ginny could have ever asked for. “they are, they are, i just..” she runs a hand through her son’s curls, taking a deep breath, pressing her cheek to his shoulder. “i just don’t know where they are. you’re the first one i’ve found on this bloody island.”