#//ty for the threading :pleading:

[goldoanheart]

"Yes, though I have learned that it seems to be a notion unique to my home of Tellius. Fascinating, is it not? The way everyone's homeland has a different culture!" Kurthnaga claps his hands together excitedly with a smile, laughing happily all the while. Perhaps he shouldn't laugh, but learning of other cultures was far too exciting! And he was more than happy to!

"Long ears... rabbit..." Kurthnaga pauses in thought. The thought is horrifying though. A rabbit would most likely be one of the beast tribes and... all of the other beast tribes were... common predators of rabbits. Not to mention the hawks and ravens... Eeek! If there had ever been rabbit laguz in Tellius... no! What a terrible thought! "I'm afraid not. At least not in Tellius currently. If there ever was. I'm sorry, that I am not able to help your friend find others of his own. But all of us laguz... we are kin in a way, are we not? Perhaps there would be comfort in that idea for him. Just a suggestion though."

Kurthnaga bows his head with a smile as Gerome bids him a farewell, "And thank you for yours as well. Please do not be a stranger in the future; okay?"

end

A Lonely Thought

[qwimblenorrisstan]

The Clandestine Culinarian Pt. 3 | Azriel x Reader

Summary: After the mating bond between you and Azriel snaps, he hides away in Rhys’ townhouse, spending time with Elain, only to run into you at Rita’s

Word Count: ~ 3.3k

Warnings: Angst, Rita’s, blades, hot dresses (and women)

A/N: Soo sorry it took me so long to write this, but I’ve been scheming this for days, hope you like it<3

Previous | Masterlist | Next

Requests are open!

Azriel had finally managed to calm himself down after an hour or two, with Rhys consoling him and Cassian quickly rushing to the townhouse to figure out what the hell was going on.

“She’s your mate? Am I hearing that right?”

“Yes, Cassian. And keep your mouth shut about it.”

Rhys replied, giving Cassian a pointed look before going back to watching Azriel closely. He was in shock, mainly. He’d thought that after all these months of getting close to her and comforting her and helping her adjust, Elain had to be his mate, just had to be. And she wasn’t.

He knew his anger at you was irrational, but he wanted Elain, not you, you were just some female he’d met and bought poisons from. You were deadly and cunning and ruthless, nothing like his sweet, soft, and precious Elain he’d grown to love. You were not what he wanted.

“I can’t stay there with her, Rhys-“

He managed to get out, before Feyre and Elain both slipped into the room, clearly wondering what was wrong and why Azriel’s face was red and puffy. Elain seemed to already know what was happening, based on the sadness in her eyes. Gods, he’d do anything to get rid of it, anything. He would go through an army to make her feel better, slaughter anyone he needed to, and do anything he could.

“Feyre, this is not the time, nor the place.”

Rhys said, a hint of something pleading in his eyes. Feyre seemed to want to help but understood that helping could come later. Right now was about damage control. She put one hand around Elain’s, before going to walk out of the room. However, Elain got four words out before being pulled away.

“Can he stay here?”

She asked, her tone so broken that he would stay here forever, the rest of his life if it would fix her. Cassian’s face hardened, clearly thinking, Rhys only sighed before giving a nod.

“You’ll stay here until we can work this out. Cassian…do you think she’s far enough along to pick up training with the Valkyries?”

Cassian sighed, knowing that while you had progressed very far in your months of training, there was no way in hell you were at the same level as Nesta, Emerie, and Gwyn.

“I can try.”

He said, his tone already unsure. It wasn’t a definite no, but it wasn’t a yes either.

*********************************************************

After Azriel had left, the House felt noticeably emptier, to you at least. It wasn’t any sort of noise you missed, but just the way his presence was subtle but always heavy in whatever room he took up. You didn’t dare pull on the golden threads tying you to the shadowsinger, not when he’d seemed so shocked and…upset.

That had stung worse than him leaving, maybe. His face had been contorted in shock and hurt as if you hadn’t been his first choice, and the only reason you were even on the roster was because of the bond. You weren’t sure how to think about that.

Luckily, you barely got any time to think with the new training with Cassian you’d picked up. You knew that working those blades couldn’t be easy, but good gods you hadn’t expected it to be so difficult either. Nesta on occasion tried to help you, but you still failed the ribbon test every single goddamn time as the ribbon remained there, hanging from the doorpost, dancing in the wind and taunting you.

Your body was sore and aching, but you were more muscular than before, you’d admit. At least the training was worth something.

Your mind still kept wandering back to Azriel, and to Elain as well. You’d seen the way he looked at her, with a hint of hope and longing in his eyes, and how she looked at him like he was the oxygen she needed to breathe.

So, like you did with any other girl problems, you sought out Nesta. You found her in the smutty section of the library that was formed to match her tastes, seeking out a new book among the shelves.

She took one look at you, a sort of pity and empathy in her eyes that usually wasn’t there, and sighed, sitting down on a large windowsill and inviting you to sit next to her.

You sat down next to her, not knowing what to say before opening your mouth to speak.

“I-“

“I already know, I saw the whole shitshow go down.”

She said in that bland tone of hers, picking at her nails in what seemed like a way to cover up an anxious habit. You weren’t surprised she’d seen. It had been right around training time for Cassian and the Valkyries, and they’d probably seen the entire thing go down. Embarrassment flooded you before you could stop it, creeping up your cheeks as you stared down at the hardwood floor, hands shifting constantly as you swallowed.

“He’s..in love with Elain, isn’t he?”

You asked, your voice a lot more resigned than you would like it to be. Nesta seemed to think about it, glancing at you before speaking.

“I think he’s got a crush, and I won’t lie, I think he was just looking for his mate. Elain, though…she’s infatuated with him, a bit ridiculous considering she’s already got Lucien groveling for her.”

Nesta said, a hint of distaste in her tone as she mentioned the mating bond between Elain and Lucien. She was still protective over her sister, it seemed. Even if she didn’t agree with her choices.

“Do you think she’ll be mad? I mean, of course, she’ll be, but..”

You went on, before realizing you were rambling and cutting yourself off with a sigh. Nesta simply shrugged.

“She won’t be happy, but she’s Elain, what could she possibly do? Not let you have a slice of her pies?”

That got a little huff of laughter out of you, some much-needed laughter after everything. Nesta glanced over at you, looking you up and down, before getting up and offering you a hand.

“Me and the girls were planning a girl’s night at Rita’s tonight, would you like to come?”

You hesitated, before taking her hand and getting up, nodding.

“Yeah, I could use a drink or two.”

What she then displayed could only be described as a wolf’s grin, her hand slipping off of yours to grab the book that had been on the shelf she wanted the entire time.

“Good. Wear your sluttiest dress.”

She said, a conspiratorial tone in her voice before she slipped off into the winding labyrinth that was the library, ever-shifting and moving to adjust for her.

*********************************************************

“I’ll grab it.”

His dark voice spoke, reaching over the middle Archeron sister to grab the measuring cups that were just out of reach for her. His chest pressed ever so slightly against her back as he grabbed it, before placing it on the counter for her and then going back to maintaining a respectable distance away.

He could’ve sworn that she always kept those cups lower down, but they were higher this time. As if someone had deliberately placed them there. As if someone had wanted the help of someone taller, who always was there at every beck and call.

“Thank you.”

She spoke softly, smiling up at him with a warmth that could melt the sun itself. Elain looked ethereal in this light, and she’d looked beautiful even before being turned to High Fae. Now she could rival the Mother herself.

The months being in the townhouse had been hard at first, being constantly away from his mate, but slowly the urge to be near you and touch you and hold you had faded away, replaced by Elain. Now that he thought of it, he could barely remember what your face had looked like, or your voice…or anything about you.

It was a sign, he supposed. A sign that even if the Cauldron had paired you two together, fate didn’t agree, and he was fully content here, eating every little home-cooked meal Elain made him, savoring the unique taste that was her cooking.

She never let him watch her cook the full meal, insisting that he not know the secret ingredients to the recipes she’d originally made during the starving days when she, Feyre, and Nesta had lived in that tiny little cabin in the woods. One day, she’d let him know the entire recipe. And that day would be soon, he was sure.

“I heard Feyre’s going to Rita’s tonight, maybe we could go together?”

She offered, her smile warm and safe. Everything he’d prayed for when he’d heard stories from Rhysand’s mother of love affection and support. The hope that he’d one day have it. What had her name been?

He’d never been as happy and just so free as he’d been with Elain in her kitchen in the townhouse with her, and the others had noticed a bit as well. How he seemed a bit more prone to accidentally tripping while lost in thought of her, or how he seemed to daydream or sleep so much better.

He snapped out of his thoughts, looking down at Elain with a small smile. It was odd that she of all people, the cook and soft, gentle woman, sensitive and affectionate, wanted to go to a bar for a girl’s night out. She seemed much more like a restaurant type of female, but he didn’t question it. He was happy for any excuse to spend time with her.

“Sure. We could go. What time?”

He asked, his voice soft as he watched her bake what seemed like a sourdough starter. She seemed to know without even thinking.

“5:45 should be fine.”

She said. It struck him a bit odd how sure she seemed. He hadn’t heard her ask Feyre at all, and his shadows, though most chose to stay at the House of Wind with the other female, hadn’t noticed anything of it. But she was Elain, she probably just knew.

*********************************************************

“Another round?”

Nesta asked with a grin, you returned the grin, too drowned in drinks to even care how drunk you got tonight. “A drink or two” her ass, Emerie was downing another glass, probably going to regret it in the morning.

They’d all worn the sluttiest dresses they had, with Cassian lurking nearby in the bar, fully ready to bite the head off of any male who got a bit too handsy with Nesta.

“Absolutely,”

You replied, at which Nesta proceeded to order another round out of her own money. She was rich as hell since the High Lord paid her for whatever the hell she did. You didn’t particularly care as long as it kept the drinks coming.

“Careful with the drinks, Nes. Feyre said there’s been some lapses in their bank, and you’re the prime suspect.”

Cassian said, giving her a nudge with his wing. Everyone knew of Nesta’s previous behavior, buying rounds and rounds of drinks with the High Lord’s money, and wasting it.

“That’s bullshit, she knows I wouldn’t do that anymore.”

Nesta replied, simply rolling her eyes and going back to downing her drink, eying Cassian with no shame at all. He only gave a cocky grin and eyed her back. She was wearing a black dress that sat snug against all her best features, and Cassian was loving the view, as were the other men at Rita’s brave enough to ogle her.

You wore a silky red dress with a high slit in the side and a cut that showed plenty of your cleavage, not to mention how the fabric hung and was tight in just the right places to be flowing but also leave little to the imagination. It was enough to get you a cheap hookup, at the very least, based on the men watching you.

A good way to keep your mind off of Azriel.

You gave Nesta a look, and she gave a nod before you strode off to the prettiest male you could find in the room, one of the ones who’d been watching you the closest. A sly smile grew on his lips as his dark eyes glittered with lust. He knew what you were looking for, wearing that on a night like this.

“What’s your name, pretty?”

He purred, hand going around your waist as you slid into his lap. One of your hands went to curl around his bicep, fluttering your lashes at him.

“Yours, if you can handle me.”

You said back, voice smooth as the silk you were wearing. The male’s hands began to wander, and you didn’t even bother stopping them as he leaned in closer to you, a low chuckle coming from his lips.

“Care to come home with me?”

He murmured, his breath hot against your skin. He smelled of a male musk, his scent reeking of cheap alcohol and arousal. You were too drunk to care.

“Gladly,”

You murmured back to him, not bothering to glance back at Nesta or Cassian, or anyone else in the bar as the male slowly got to his feet, hand around your waist, and began leading you out of the bar, from the back entrance. Your attention was solely on him, on his touch.

That was until you saw Azriel and Elain right outside the bar, engaged in painfully slow, heated kisses.

*********************************************************

He’d gotten dressed in some casual enough clothing, not overly fancy for a bar, but not to where he was underdressing. Elain had donned a cute blue dress, looking straight from a fantastical cottage out of a book he’d once read when younger. Maybe Rhysand’s mother had read that one to him. He couldn’t remember anymore.

They’d slipped in quietly, having a few drinks, which Elain seemed to wrinkle her nose slightly at the taste of the alcohol, but seemed more keen on getting him drinks. Something that would’ve sent warning signs in his mind blaring if he’d been able to remember just what he was doing here.

Elain kept glancing around as if watching out or looking for someone, or hoping not to be spotted. He hadn’t asked her about it out of the courtesy of being polite, but it still made him curious, until his brain was too fuzzy to care.

“Let’s get out of this stuffy place,”

She had whispered to him under her sweet breath, leading him outside to the side exit of the bar, before pulling him into a kiss. He couldn’t recall how or why it was happening, but his lips were on his, and he couldn’t find in himself the strength to pull away. His limbs felt wobbly, his shadows moving slower than usual as if weighed down by something. His head was swimming. What had been in that alcohol? His mind tried to think, but couldn’t. Everything felt so, so heavy.

And then he saw her. He could recognize her anywhere. His mate. His soulmate. His partner seemed by the Cauldron itself. She was dressed in what could only be described as an extremely revealing dress, red and silky, her cleavage and thigh on full display to the male who hungrily watched her, leading her to gods know where to get his fill and leave.

He saw something in her break when his gaze met hers, and Elain separated from the kiss, glancing over at the female with what looked like a mockingly empathetic smile.

Two things hit him at the same time; the fact that Feyre hadn’t been anywhere in that bar, even though Elain said she’d been invited by her, and the fact that ever since Elain had started feeding him every meal, breakfast lunch, and dinner, he’d completely forgotten the face of his mate, forgotten things he should know, his guard had fallen down, and now he was weak and put in the spotlight as the villain.

And then he hurled his guts out all over the ground, sobering up in an instant as he saw your tears. He needed to fix you, to fix this and figure out what the hell had been happening.

Even as he felt the slap of your hand against his cheek, and saw Elain go slightly pale with realization, he realized there wasn’t any fixing to be done right now.

This was about damage control.

*********************************************************

“You fucking bastard!”

You yelled as you slapped him, hot tears rolling down your cheeks before you could stop them.

The male that had been so hungry before stalked off, clearly not eager to be involved. Coward.

Azriel had come here knowing that you’d be here, and that bitch Elain had probably led him. He looked wrong. He was a bit pale and seemed dazed, out of it. His wings were dropping and scraping against the ground, eyes drooping. What was wrong with him? Even the shadows seemed sedated.

“What did you do to him?”

You seethed to Elain, and she seemed pale and wide-eyed as she began stammering.

“I- I had a vision where you hurt him, and I thought that if he forgot then-“

Cassian burst through the door of the side exit, alert and looking completely sobered up from his earlier drinks. Nesta was stumbling behind him, wondering what the hell was going on.

He was by Azriel’s side before you could even speak, helping his poisoned brother up and hoisting him into his arms. You were eliminated as a threat and the only person who’d been around him long enough to get anything into Azriel’s system….

“What was it?”

He demanded from Elain, voice harsh and pissed off. Elain sniffled, tears welling in her eyes as her hands shook slightly, she swallowed before speaking.

“Volucrae.”

She almost whispered, her voice so quiet and timid that even you could barely make it out.

Volucrae.

The seer bitch had poisoned Azriel with one of the most deadly poisons in existence, and the only place she could’ve possibly gotten it…

“You stole from my room?”

You asked, voice horrified and shrill. The leftovers you’d had from when your old shop had been burned to the ground by Kier and his men you’d carried on you, hiding in the room.

Elain only swallowed, nodding. Volucrae was deadly, yes, but in small enough quantities, it could cause confusion, memory loss, tremors, strokes, seizures, and more. She’d risked the shadowsinger’s life just because of a vision, a vision of you hurting Azriel, a vision that had been fulfilled with the slap, all because of Elain’s actions.

“I’m sorry, I-“

“Don’t.”

You and Cassian snapped in union as he took off with Azriel in his arms, now unconscious, probably going to find Madja to get any sort of solution to it, leaving you, a drunk Nesta being dragged away by Emerie, Gwyn, and Elain.

You stormed off, going anywhere you could to avoid everyone. You didn’t want to talk. You didn’t want to speak with any of them.

You winnowed straight into the House of Wind’s training grounds, picking up the Valkyrie blade and going straight into furious training, the only way to burn off this pure anger making you tremble and shake.

It was then, in the middle of the night, barely sober, still crying and angry out of your mind, that you cut straight through the ribbon.

The one-half drifted gracefully to the ground, falling like a leaf in the wind as the moonlight caught and illuminated little pink highlights of it.

It fell and fell, until reaching the ground, settling lightly on the dirt of the training grounds.

You stared down at it until it was all you could see and think of and hear until it was burned into your mind as your hands gripped the blade so hard your knuckles went white.

And you stared, until the possibility of Azriel’s death faded completely from your mind, until all you could focus on was the future.

And you swung your blade again.

Tags:

@lilah-asteria

@evangeline-xo

@hayrunnwr

@rcarbo1

@cleverzonkwombatsludge

@i-have-a-thing-for-the-dark

@weekendlusting

@evergreenlark

@julesvanslutta

[sarawritestories]

Look Up at the Stars

Cassian X Fem Reader

Summary: Your refusal to take care of yourself while Cassian is away has your friends worried that you're being too hard on yourself. And tell the General as much so he forces you to slow down and reminds you why self care is important.

Dedicated to @milswrites and @lady-of-tearshed who are always scolding me to take care of myself.

Content warning: overworking, not taking care of yourself,

Cassian landed on the balcony of your shared home where he was surprised to see your two dear friends, Milly and Eve, waiting for him. Brows furrowed as he noticed your evident absence.

"She's doing it again." Eve clipped, sipping her tea. "She won't listen." Cassian let out a sigh before pinching the bridge of his nose.

Milly rose from her chair and gripped his arm, "She's been in the library at the House of Wind for days Rhysand, even when he has given her explicit orders have not gotten her out of there." She worried her bottom lip with her teeth, and Cassian instinctively placed his hand on top of hers.

"You two are good friends, you know that, right? She is lucky to have you both."

Eve smiled, "We're lucky to have her. Now go get her, bring her home."

Before the General moved, he smiled, "Will you two do something for me before you go?" The two females smirked deviously as Cassian began to tell him his idea.

✨️✨️✨️

Guilt laced your whole body. You had yet to turn in those reports you promised Rhys a week ago. What good were you in his court if you couldn't even reach the deadlines you placed for yourself. Worst than that when you saw him last, he only looked worried for you. Was livid when you ignored his direct order to go home. One look into your pleading eyes had him back off and leave with an exasperated sigh and you knew Cassian would hear about it.

The gold thread tying you to your mate was still blocked on his end, meaning that he was still away maybe you would be able to still fin-

"Someone has been busy while I was away." The low timbre of Cassian's voice elicited tears from your eyes. It had been a few months since you saw him last. Turning around, his hazel eyes were bright, and a beard had grown in since he left, and the sight of him alone caused heat to grow in your belly. "Hello, Sweetheart."

You dropped everything and leaped into his arms. He held you close, opening the bond to let his love flood your system. "I missed you." You held him tighter, "I thought you were still away."

"Rhysand wrote to me. He had concerns. Milly and Eve expressed those same concerns when I got home." You pulled away to meet his loving gaze only to find worry there.

"Work comes fir-

"You come first. Always." Cassian's tone was clipped. "In my life, you are my number one priority. You should be making time for yourself, too."

Heat rose to your cheeks. You knew he was right. You two had argued over this multiple times before. "But I-

Cassian interrupted you once more, only this time he sealed his lips to your own. You hummed, not remotely bothered by the beard scratching against your skin. He pulled away, and you pressed your forehead to his own, taking in his scent or the fact he still held you in his arms. "I'm not listening to you being stubborn. We can argue over your work habits another day. I missed my mate. So we're going home. Understand?" You nodded as your eyes fluttered close. "Good." He turned and you watched the stack of papers become smaller as he walked out of the library.

✨️✨️✨️

You walked out of the bathroom post shower and into the shared bedroom where Cassian was out of his leathers and into a black t-shirt and lounge pants. He looked so handsome you forgot these last few months how beautiful he truly was. "Feel better?" He asked, quirking a brow as he met your gaze.

You did feel better to be clean. Cassian had set out his favorite nightgown of yours; red silk and had a bath set up with your favorite soaps and salts. "I feel like me again."

Cassian walked over and kissed your lips. "Good." His wings blocked the view of the balcony, as they were splayed wide. "I have a surprise for you." He held up a blind fold, and you raised an eyebrow. "Not that," though he got low, your noses were touches, "You and I are off for the next two weeks. That's plenty of time to make sure my mate is properly fucked." He winked and your heart sputtered.

Cassian placed the blindfold over your eyes and led you to his desired destination. Your feet hit cold concrete, and the summer breeze of the night air tickled your skin. Cassian removed the blindfold, and you gasped. Your balcony had a mountain of blankets, pillows, and your favorite snacks. Movement in the sky caught your eye as a shooting star flew across the sky. Then another. "There are supposed to be a cluster of falling stars tonight. Watch them with me?"

You turned to the male, smile wide, and your hand cupped his cheek. "Of course! I don't know what to say except." You kissed him, "I fall deeper in love with you, with every day that passes."

"Me too, Sweetheart." He kissed your forehead, "My beautiful, stubborn, hardworking mate." He kissed your nose, and you giggled and Cassian's eyes lit up at the sound.

✨️✨️✨️

You spent the whole evening looking up at the Stars, your head on Cassian's chest as he rubbed circles on your back. He chuckled as you kept pointing to ever fallen star you saw. His smile grew when you moved to your own pillow, your hand finding his, as you looked to the sky in awe.

Cassian could care less about the stars in the sky. Your smile was what lit up Cassian's world.

[yukyunotabibito]

Nasir takes the tiny instruments with a smirk, wondering if the instruments themselves were magic or if it was the rats, or even the specific tune that they played. No matter what though, he's sure he can find a use for them.

Perhaps some uptight noble who had a penchant for purchasing oddities would like to add them to their collection. Nasir is sure that he would be able to find a buyer or two willing to take them off his hands, if he looked for them.

"Worry not, I'll find a use for them," More like he's going to sell them to the highest offer, but that's also a use in a way; isn't it? "I should bid you adieu now, since it seems like this mystery has been solved. Goodnight, Lady Mikoto."

He leaves with a bow of his head, cloak fluttering behind him as he turns quickly on his heel.

What a night this had been indeed.

[end]

A squeak-ret show

showcase; sword +1

[ciggrx]

Threads of the fate

Pairing-: Sukuna x F!reader

Summary-: you are childhood friends with the village's chief's son while being a poor maiden. How will it go for you? Is it a happy ending?

"what...what do you mean..? The hc-nette asked, nervously as she studied sukuna. He looked...mad. furious even.

"Didn't you hear me?" He seethed catching her off guard.

"I-leave? For how long..?" Hc-nette asked in a small voice as her throat tightened as if she couldn't get the words out.

He didn't reply as he packed up her stuff tying them up in a cloth..a very fancy one at that. He must have bought it at one of the shops..

"Sukuna-" she tried to talk as he cut her off.

"Forever." His voice was cold and distant as he refused to look at her. A tense silence took over the place. The air was thick as her breath got stuck in her throat..

..

...

"Forever?" Her voice barely above a whisper, he stayed quiet- a silent conformation -as he took out a pouch from the sleeve of his kimono..

"These are some Wadōkaichin imported from the Tang Dynasty. Keep them. You'll require their need." He said in the same monotone voice as he tucked the pouch within her clothes.

"Sukuna you're coming along right-" she spoke and was cut off again as he sighed.

"I won't be accompanying you. You'll be on your own from here." He said, not sparing her a glance as she felt overwhelmed.

The hc-nette let out a shaky breath "whoever found it must have seen you too right?"

"I'll handle it." He says, calmly even though he was panicking. He knew. He knows if he runs away with her they will eventually find them both and he can't risk that. He can't risk putting her in danger.

He takes a deep breath, continuing. "I have an estate arranged for you. Far away from here. You'll be accompanied by one of my trusted accomplices." He takes a gulp as he finally turns to face her still not meeting her eyes. Not wanting to see the hurt etched into her face.

The hc-nette, looked at him desperately. Hoping he'd look at her. Once. Just once. She didn't want this to end like this. She wanted to tell him how she felt. She wanted to stay with him. She wanted to grow old with him as no matter the time they had spent together was enough for either of them. They carved more. They wanted more. But with where they're standing where fate has brought them it seemed impossible...and that hurt, hurt them more than either of them could've imagined.

"Sukuna..i-i can't" she choked her words out.

His eyes shot down to hers. His eyes were piercing into her soul, the look he gave her made her go quiet. "You can't what?" He asked in a fuming tone.

"I can't leave like this!" The hc-nette snapped, yelling even though she didn't intend to.

"Why? Why not?" He roared back. His eyebrows pulled together in anger and frustration his eyes moist as he tried not to cry. His expression softened as he saw the pain etched into her face.

"Because.. because I wanna be here..with you." She admitted with tears threatening to fall out.

Sukuna's face softens before hardening again. He can't be weak. No.

"You-" he tried to interrupt.

"No! You Listen to me." She interrupted him, taking a deep breath to calm herself down, to gather the strength to speak without crying as her throat tightened as if someone had wrapped up a sharp thread around her throat and it was slowly cutting through.

"Please..i..just listen to me. I don't want to leave. I don't wanna be alone. I-i wanna be with you." Tears flow down her face as she takes a breath.

"I..I like you okay? More..more than a friend more than I have liked anyone else ever. Hell..I love you. I love you okay?" She lets put a pained sob as sukuna stared at her.

There wasn't an expression on his face as if he had been shut down.

"It's..not like anything I had felt before..it feels like those books you read and explain to me. I can't put it in words..i love you so much it hurts.. please..I can't go alone..i cannot. Please. Come with me we can be happy together.." She pleaded.

Tears streaming down her face as she looks at him with love and hurt in her eyes. With a quite plead for him to come along with her. A plead to stay with her like he always had.

She tried to calm down her breathing as as stared at him.. waiting for a reply. For hopefully a reciprocation of her feelings..

..for him to suddenly laugh cruelly at her face.

"You? Love? Don't be stupid." He says harshly. Even though he was tearing apart at his own words wanting nothing but to hold her in his arm and never let go.

"Listen her woman. Who do you think you are, huh?" He asked with a scoff, slightly giving her a nudge. His fingers ghosting on her skin as he wanted to grab her and pull her close.

"Just because I have spent time with a poor girl like you. You think you're special?" He lets out a laugh.

"I pity you. I pity that you think your little confession will have a reciprocation."

She stayed quiet, not being able to process the words..the cruel way he's crushing her heart, as the tears only flow down more.

"Listen to me. You're pathetic. Be glad I'm sending you away not and letting you die. What? Come with you and be happy together? Please." He laughs again as he runs a hands through his hair. His head screaming at him to apologise. To pull her close and run away together as they both want, away from all this.

He sighs, with a smirk on his face as he wipes away a tear from the corner of his eye and flicks it away laughing. Pretending it was tears from laughing..at her when in reality he knew he was crying. He was crying because he didn't want her gone. Crying because he can't be with her. Crying because the fate is cruel.

"Look i don't love you. Tonight at 2 my accomplice will show up. Leave with him. Don't even come back. I don't wish to see you again...goodbye." He says as he turns around and leaves, his heart heavy, as he steps into the rainfall, he lets the tears flow down his face. Tears being covered up by the rain as he walks away. Regret filling him up as he keeps his face stoic. Walking away to keep her safe.

The hc-nette stands in her place, stunned. Hurt, confused. As she lets put a pained sob. Her knees feeling weak as she falls to the ground clutching the fabric over her heart. It hurt. As she let out cries. Her heart shattered into a million pieces as he left, she couldn't breathe properly. Her hands trembling as sobbed harder and harder, screamed until she couldn't anymore. Cried until tears refused to flow down. Cried until she felt numb and helpless. Her eyes flutter close. She was tired. A nap would do her good.

.

..

...

___________________________________________

Taglist: @thulhu , @sukioyakio , @skunabby , @shadowywizardarcade , @verviox , @kariatenoh, @mazzd4 @itsjustnikkixoxo

Hey guys! This chapter was just a lot of angst. I hope you like it. It's not proofread so ignore the mistakes please. The series will soon come to an end. Love you!!

[adrunkskeletonsduck]

Tʜᴇ Wᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴏғ Yᴏᴜʀ Wᴏʀᴅs | Pᴀʀᴛ 3

➜ Pairing: Aonung x fem!sully!reader

➜ Warnings: kissing, fluff, not properly proof read.

➜ Word Count: 0.9k

➜ Notes: Thank you for 300??? Like this is honestly insane, I appreciate all the love I’ve received for this mini series, y’all are amazing! Please tell me if I forgot any warnings, and a reminder that my inbox is always open for asks!

Also I feel like this is kinda bad...anyways enjoy <3

Pᴀʀᴛ 1 | Pᴀʀᴛ 2 | Pᴀʀᴛ 3

Aᴠᴀᴛᴀʀ Mᴀsᴛᴇʀʟɪsᴛ

Aonung watched from afar as you handed the necklace to Tsireya, a shy smile on your face as she took it from you and examined it happily. She pulled you into a hug with a bright smile, thanking you profusely and complementing your work before tying it around her neck.  

A sense of jealousy bubbled within the boy as he watched the friendly exchange. Since when had you been friends? Let alone friends close enough to gift each other things.  

It wasn’t fair, he thought, that you were gifting things to a practical stranger while shoving him - someone who you knew and had showed very obvious romantic interest in you, or at least to his standards - was being shoved aside.  

He turned away, unable to watch as Tsireya ran her fingers across the finely woven thread and handpicked stones that sat on her neck and walked away.  

Aonung made many more little check-ins on you in the next few days, often times his time was cut short by his own jealousy or sorrow. He was following you around like a lost puppy and although he would never admit it, in the short time you had stopped speaking to him, he had actually come to miss you. You’d been on his mind constantly as he tried to figure out how to fix his actions and make up for his harsh words from the other night.  

“Hey are you even listening?” Rotxo asked as he stopped, planting his feet in the sand and looking at Aonung. 

“What- Yeah of course I am!” Aonung responded, lying straight to his teeth to his bestfriend. He'd only been half listening to Rotxo as he talked about his latest village ‘adventures’. Rotxo opened his mouth to argue that he really hadn't been, when they were interrupted by a body colliding with Aonung. Aonung looked down, a glare set on his face as he got ready to spit venom at whoever had just bumped into him, only for the words to hitch in his throat as he saw who it was.  

That was the other thing, ever since your argument with Aonung, he had been on edge, tense and extra mean. He’d begun picking on your brothers even more, waving off his friends and getting angry over the smallest of things. The boy just didn’t know how to handle losing someone over his own stupidity, and it was eating at him.  

“i’m sorr-” you began to apologize, looking up but you cut yourself off as you saw it was him. Your face fell, jerking your hands back from his torso like he’d burned you and glaring at him. He just stared down at you blankly, unsure of what to say or do – he always felt unsure around you. Suddenly the air felt thick as the two of you stared at each other. Rotxo was quick to pick up on the tension that now surrounded the two of you like an aura, mumbling something about needing to go help his father and running off.  

“Y/N...” Aonung started, and immediately you were pushing past him, refusing to waste your time on another of his bullshit apologies. He grabbed your arm, preventing you from running of and forcing you took look at his pleading gaze and your resolve crumbled. No matter how mad you were at him, your heart still seemed to be in the palm of his hands.  

“What?” you seethed, yanking your arm out of his grasp, “Are you here to tell me how ridiculous I’m being again?” he shook his head, casting his gaze to the ground and swallowing his pride as he prepared himself to be transparent with you.  

“I just – I just really miss you.” He looked guilty and regretful as he spoke, he even sounded genuine. For a moment you wanted to put it all behind you and forgive him because you’d missed him too. You blinked, snapping yourself out of your thoughts and steeling yourself. He didn’t deserve forgiveness after what he’d done. 

“Aonung I already told yo-” he sighed in frustration, mumbling curses to himself. Reaching out, he grabbed you by your forearm and pulled you into him. You stumbled forward, hands placing themselves on his chest, you opened your mouth to ask what the hell he was doing and looking up only to be cut off as he captured your lips with his. Your eyes widened in surprise as he kissed you, your brain short circuiting as you froze.  

Only when you began to feel him pull away did you come back to your sense, slipping your eyes shut and moving a hand to cup his face and pull him back down to kiss him back. He smiled into the kiss, placing his hands onto your waist as he kissed you. Hips molding against yours in a slow flurry of passion, each kiss hotter than the last until he was biting at your bottom lip gently, and then letting it go with a wet ‘pop’ as you pulled away with a small smile.

Pressing his forehead against yours, Aonung spoke,  

“You still mad at me?” he asked, and you nodded with a hum,  

“Very.”  

“I’m really sorry, I just didn’t know how to show you I liked you so I picked on you and I just took it to far, and I have no idea what you're going through but whatever it is I want to be there for you,” he said with a sigh, sincerity evident in his voice as he poured his heart out to you.  

“You could have just told me like a normal person,” you snipped in amusement.  

“Yeah...” he chuckled, pressing a kiss to your temple, “I’ll make it up to you though. I swear.” You nodded in agreement, placing a hungry kiss against his lips as you mumbled,  

“Let’s finish this first.”  

@oomietopia@iam-mentally-unstable@yeosxxx@heartueheartue@lola-bunn1@eywas-heir@sseleniaa@shebeast7121scared@a-romantic-twst

[rosiestalez]

Could I possibly request a Jason Todd hurt/comfort fanfic....pls? And ty if you do it

-🖤

Hope this is what you need right now my love 🖤

Resurrected Hearts

Jason Todd x gn!reader

wc:2,000

summary: Jason Todd is back, but how?

Warnings: Language, mentions of cheating…i guess, aged up Jason Todd, mentions of death, alcohol abuse

——————————————————————

It had been exactly one year since Jason passed away, and you still hadn’t fully moved on. At times, it felt like he was right there beside you—sitting, sleeping, or watching over your shoulder as you cooked, ensuring everything was perfect. You tried to get on with your life. You went on dates, moved into a new apartment, and even returned to work at the school. Occasionally, life seemed to regain some sense of normalcy, but then a wave of dread would wash over you, a constant reminder of the piece of you that was missing—a piece no one else could ever fill.

In time, you found ways to cope: a few too many bottles of your favorite alcohol and fleeting, meaningless hookups. Of course, you still visited the Waynes, but without Jason, things felt different. Bruce was different. He barely looked at you, and when he spoke, his words were sharp, almost biting. After a while, you limited your visits. It became too painful. Your life felt like it was unraveling, hanging by a fragile, frayed thread—red and black, barely holding together.

Suddenly, the sound of shattering glass jolted you awake. The room was pitch black, and your dog leapt off the bed, barking furiously at the crash in the living room. You cracked open the door, letting her rush after the intruder, whoever or whatever it might be. You hesitated, your hand hovering over your phone. Should you call 911? Something in your gut told you it wasn’t necessary—either your Dutch Shepherd would handle it, or maybe… just maybe… it could be him.

Daisy’s barking quieted, her growls fading. Whoever was in your living room was someone both of you knew. The smell of earth and death filled the air as you cautiously made your way out of bed, flipping on the light.

You screamed. There, sitting comfortably on your couch, was someone you thought you’d never see, holy shit.

“Jason?” you whispered, barely able to recognize him. The moonlight behind him cast shadows over his features. His skin was ghostly pale, his hair longer than the last time you saw him, with streaks of gray threading through it. He looked… dead. “Jason? Is that you?” you asked again, your voice trembling as you called Daisy to your side. Silence hung in the air as the figure remained seated on the couch you and Jason once shared. “I’m calling the cops.”

“Don’t,” the person spoke, his voice low and strained. You stared at him, and he stared back, his piercing gray-blue eyes locking onto yours. “Just don’t call them. I’ll leave. I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Wait—Jason? Please, is that you?” you blurted, recognizing his voice, though it sounded different—raspier, older, darker. “Please, it has to be you,” you pleaded, taking a cautious step toward him. Jason nodded, slowly rising from the couch.

“Wait, please… stay,” you urged, holding out your hand. “Can we get you cleaned up?”

“After we cover up the window,” he replied softly. You managed a small smile as he moved toward a pile of cardboard boxes in the corner of the living room. He pulled one out, cutting it to fit over the shattered glass. he duck tapes the cardboard in place before following you into the bathroom. you ran the warm water, helping him strip off his suit before guiding him into the shower. “my shampoo?” he points to the bottle of blue berry old spice on your shower rack.

“No, my body wash—it smelled like you,” you said softly, pointing to the bottle of Head & Shoulders. “This is the shampoo we used.” He nods in quiet acknowledgment.

You grab a washcloth, moving slowly, carefully, as if any sudden motion might scare him away. He seems to shrink beneath your touch, curling in on himself. Gently, you rub soft circles of the body wash onto his back and arms. Dirt and mud swirls down the drain, but you kept your touch feather-light, afraid that if you press too hard, his fragile skin might crumble in your hands.

“Why’d you move?” he asked quietly as you continued massaging shampoo into his hair. It was the second wash—so much dirt was caked into his locks. “Took me s’long to find you,” he mumbled under his breath.

“The lease was up,” you replied softly, knowing it wasn’t the whole truth. “Lean your head back.” He obediently tilted his head, letting the suds cascade from his hair. He hummed, clearly not buying your excuse, but said nothing more.

You gently ran your fingers through his hair, rinsing out the last of the shampoo. Once his hair was clean, you applied a final round of shampoo before adding conditioner, carefully working through the tangled knots.

You tried your best, but the smell of death still clung to him, stubborn and unyielding. After helping him out of the shower, he dried himself off while you handed him some of his old clothes. They didn’t fit anymore—he was taller, broader than you remembered. Even so, you laid him down on your bed, tucking the blankets tightly around him.

“Are you gonna sleep with me?” he asked, his voice soft.

“Yeah, I guess so,” you replied. He smiled faintly, his eyes drooping as he drifted off to sleep.

But you didn’t join him. Instead, you sank into the armchair across from the bed, a bottle of Jameson gripped tightly in your hand. You watched him sleep. His eyes flickered beneath his lids as if caught in some vivid dream. His body jerked and thrashed under the covers, sweat beading on his brow. Yet, no matter how restless his sleep became, he didn’t wake. you stayed like this for hours not moving unless you had to pee, and eventually the sun began to rise through your window shades. you sigh thankful that it’s saturday and you have all day to sleep whatever this is off.

“Y/N?” he groaned sleepily, his voice raspy.

“Jason… you’re awake!” You leapt from the armchair and rushed to his side. His eyes slowly lifted to meet yours as you sat beside him, and he smiled softly.

“How? What—” you began, your words tumbling out in disbelief.

“It’s a long story,” he chuckled weakly, his gaze distant.

“Jason, please… I need to know. How are you alive?”

He sighed, running a hand through his damp hair. “Ra’s al Ghul… the Lazarus Pit,” he began slowly. “It’s a pool that can heal, even bring people back from the dead. I don’t know all the details, but after I died… someone put me in it. The Pit brought me back, but…” His voice trailed off, and he looked away.

“But what?” you pressed, your heart racing.

“It changes you,” he whispered. “You come back, but you’re not the same. There’s anger, a darkness… it’s hard to control.” He met your eyes again, the weight of what he’d been through evident. “I’ve been fighting that ever since.”

“Jason… why did you smell like death? And why were you covered in mud? if you’ve been back for a while?”

His smile faded as he turned his gaze to the ceiling, as though looking for an answer. “I’ve been staying in places where no one would think to look for me.”

“Mud and death?” you pressed, trying to understand.

He sighed, his voice low. “Graveyards, alleyways… the places no one goes. It’s where I felt like I belonged after I came back. I didn’t know how to face you—or anyone else—like this. I wasn’t sure if I could control… whatever this is inside me.”

Your heart ached at his words. “So you’ve been living like that… all this time?”

Jason nodded, rubbing a hand over his face. “I didn’t think I could come back. The Lazarus Pit changes you, Y/N. I wasn’t sure if I’d ever be the same again—or if I even wanted to be.”

You gently reached for his hand. “You’re here now. That’s all that matters”, he looks at you, his eyes fill with sorrow, and you swear you can see tears, but Jason never cries.

“did you sleep?”

“no”, you admit dropping your gaze to your knees. you feel his disapproving stare.

his eyes lift over to the half empty bottle on the floor beside the chair. “have you been drinking?”, you nod, he lets out a sigh, reaching out a hand to your face, “why baby?”

you follow his gaze to the bottle on the floor, you sigh, feeling the weight of your own emotions. “I guess… it was my way of coping,” you admitted quietly. “After you… after you were gone, everything fell apart. It was like nothing could fill that space where you used to be. I tried, but nothing worked. And sometimes… sometimes the drinking made it easier to forget for a little while.”

Jason’s face softened, guilt flashing across his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he murmured. “I didn’t mean to leave you like that.”

You shook your head, tears threatening to spill. “It’s not your fault, Jason. But it hurt. Losing you… it broke something in me. I just didn’t know how to deal with it.”

He reached out and gently took your hand, squeezing it lightly. “I’m here now,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I’ll make it right. Somehow.”

“i don’t think you can”, you slur softly. he tilts his head.

“why?”, his eyebrow furrows.

“I was lost without you… and drinking wasn’t the only thing.” You paused, trying to steady your breath, feeling the weight of what you were about to say. “I hooked up with people… meaningless, empty hookups, just trying to feel something, anything… something to fill the hole you left.”

Jason’s expression darkened, but not with anger—more with sadness and regret. He stayed silent for a moment, processing your words, before finally meeting your gaze. “I wasn’t there, and I should’ve been,” he whispered, his voice filled with emotion. “I’m sorry you had to go through that. But you don’t have to do that anymore… “

You could barely hold back the tears threatening to spill. “I didn’t know how to deal with losing you,” you admitted. “I’m not proud of it.”

Jason reached out, taking your hand gently. “I understand,” he said quietly. “We’ve both been through hell. But we can figure it out together”, his reassurance makes your heart swell, and the tears finally break through. he pulls you on-top of him as you cry onto him.

“how did you find me Jason?”, you continued to cry.

He let out a soft sigh, looking away for a second before meeting your gaze again. “It took me a while,” he admitted. “After I came back… I didn’t want to be found at first. But when I finally felt ready, I started looking for you.”

“But I moved—how did you know where I was?” you pressed, still not quite believing he was sitting in front of you.

Jason leaned back slightly, running a hand through his now-clean hair. “I kept tabs on you. I know it sounds bad, but I had to make sure you were okay… without showing myself. I’ve been watching from a distance, piecing together where you’d gone, tracking little things—like your name on utility bills, credit card activity. Even Bruce’s systems helped, though I didn’t want him to know I was looking.”

Your eyes widened slightly. “You used Bruce’s tech?”

Jason chuckled darkly. “I’m not proud of it. But I needed to know where you were, especially when I saw you’d moved. I just… I couldn’t stay away any longer.”

You took a deep breath, the weight of his words settling over you. “So, you’ve been watching me this whole time?”

“Not like that,” he said quickly. “Just enough to know you were safe. When I finally decided to come back, I knew where to find you.”

“wow”, you sniffle out between your cries, “Jason i’m so sorry.”

“oh my love, you did nothing wrong bunny, none of this is your fault”, he cops softly stroking your hair, “we are together now and that’s all that matters now, yeah?”

you nod, he sighs kissing the top of your head. you two stay like this for hours, falling asleep together. happiness takes over your mind. you finally feel peace.

[duskofendflame]

Corrin doesn't know what he did for some higher being to grant him the ability to be Sakura's older brother, but he didn't regret it. His little sister was simply too cute!

He's glad that he's able to spend quiet moments like this with her now, without the rage of war around them, without the rest of his family fighting while his heart was torn in two between Hoshido and Nohr.

That's all he had ever wanted, for everyone to be happy. To be with all of his family.

"Of course! Though I don't plan to leave any time soon, I'll most definitely take this memory with me when I do head on a new adventure next!" He ruffles her hair again, before pulling her into a tight hug.

"I'll be with you always Sakura. I promise." He would never be forced from his family again. But even if by some fluke he was, then he would always have their love.

He knew that much at least. That he was loved no matter where he was. And that was enough.

[end]

safe and sound, warm and together | Sakura & Corrin(M)

[beansprean]

He angy. This was supposed to be a loose fun AU with less linear story and less angst... Oops. Turns out there's so much plot. QTP is the comedy now.

My Familiar's Ghost Part 16

Masterpost

(ID in alt and under cut)

1a. Close up on ghost Guillermo on an ectoplasmic greenish background, looking shocked and distraught. He shouts, "You're giving up?!" 1b. Close up of Nandor with Guillermo floating in the background. They are in Nandor's crypt, Nandor facing the viewer with his back to Guillermo and the room as he focuses on tying a bow at the neck of his cream colored sleep blouse. He scowls down at the knot, declaring "We have no more leads! Clearly you chose not to return! I am not going to be chasing after you like a...like..." Guillermo interrupts angrily, throwing his hands down, palms out. "But I know I wanted to! I was coming home as soon as I was done turning!" 1c. Repeat. Nandor tips his head up and rolls his eyes back toward Guillermo, tossing one hand dismissively with the other still tangled in a half formed bow. He says, "So you changed your mind! That happens when you become a vampire!" Guillermo is frozen in the same pose, glaring with a stubborn set to his jaw. 1d. Repeat. Nandor's hands return to their task as his shoulders tense up, his head ducking back down as a saddened expression takes over his face. He continues, "You are filled with new power and freedom and you don't want the same things you wanted before..." Guillermo softens in the background, arms hanging as he glances away from Nandor's back, worried and pensive. 1e. Reverse shot on a blurred pinkish background. Nandor turns to face Guillermo and the viewer, bow neatly tied, with his hands spread out in casual supplication. With an easy grin, as if he were only making a casual suggestion any fool would take, he says, "But it is no big deal, right? You are still here! And you are dead already, so you will not age or die and you can stay here just like you wanted!" 1f. Reverse shot. Close up on Guillermo as he looks up in shock, taking on a pleading expression. He replies, "What?! No, no, I can't do that! I have to move on!"

2a. Shoulders up shot of both men in profile as they step closer to argue. Looking more confused than angry, Nandor shoots back "Why?! Why are you always so eager to leave? What is wrong with just staying home? Nadja's ghost is staying, so why can't you?!" Guillermo, fist pressed desperately to his chest, replies "I'm not like Nadja's ghost, Master, I can't!" 2b. Repeat. Nandor, furious and snarling now, snaps, "Why?!" Guillermo matches his energy, floating up to closer to his height and trailing angry threads of ghostly light, spitting, "I can't!" Nandor repeats with more emphasis, "Why?!" Guillermo shouts back "I can't! You have to find vampire me and-" Nandor cuts him off with a loud "No!!"

3a. Close up of Nandor from the front, background gone a dark and dangerous red. He is full of rage and hurt, glaring and baring his fangs as he points accusingly at Guillermo, hair flying around his face. He shouts, "You made your choice! And it was not me!" 3b. Matching close up of Guillermo on the other half of the panel, the ghostly aura around him flaring out in a deeper, brighter blue. His eye twitches in rage as he glares up at Nandor, teeth clenched together and eyes ringed in a spectral blue light. There is an audible snap as the thread of his self control breaks.

4. Zoom out to a high shot from a corner of the ceiling as Guillermo, for lack of a better word, explodes. Hunched in on himself, fists clenched, legs solid against the floor, he screams, "You were always my choice!" Spectral blue light erupts in a shockwave around him, brighter and more violent than anything we've seen from him yet, illuminating some kind of wriggling black shadow draped around his back like a cloak. Tendrils of black something snake all around the room like dozens of destructive little hands, guided by rippling waves of solid blue light that pulse from where Guillermo stands, toppling a nearby couch and armchair and sending framed paintings swinging wildly upwards. Throw pillows throw themselves up into the air. A wooden chair screeches back into a corner. Wallpaper tears itself apart and rolls up in fear. The coffin lid flies open, its heavy frame rocked back on one corner as if it weighs nothing. A chest of drawers bashes itself against the wall, books and candles and other knickknacks smashing together from the force. Nandor shields himself with his arms as a wave of energy hits him at the stomach and chest, sending him stumbling backwards. Swords and suits of armor are ripped away from their poses against the wall behind him to tumble against the floor. Chaos. /end ID

[arctophyllax]

For the Dark Urge Tavs | Zevlor x Reader

Angst, Hurt/Comfort, very tender. Durge-centric. Yes I am supposed to rest. But the genius struck. I want to write more angst, more gore, more fights…

(Painting by Antoine Wiertz - The Greeks and the Trojans Fighting over the Body of Patroclus)

You had to tell him, and you had to tell him now. Too great would be the betrayal of a lie so profound, too radical the risk of shedding blood—or worse. You took a deep breath and faced him, glance cast downward, averting his questioning eyes as you spoke.

“Zevlor. I have been hiding something, something of great importance. And though I cannot promise this bond between us eternity, I know that I will regret endlessly if I keep this secret.”

You felt your blood thrumming in your skull, bone aching and stinging. A silent threat to you, issued by the parasite that isn’t the worry of your companions. Another. Not one with a physical form, not one you could possibly simply pull out of there if you wanted to. Something deeper, darker. An urge. An instinct. A trait. A trait so terrifyingly deadly and hungry.

“I was born of gore, raised in blood—fed on it. I was born a lesser being you could ever come to be. I was born not a devil, but worse. I was born not disfigured, but worse. I was born beautiful, tragically, without asking for it. I was nursed by mistakes, I blossomed from the guilt grown from it. And there were times when guilt had no care left for me, there were times when regret is not a feeling I knew. And sometimes, there are still times where I don’t know who I am, where I don’t know what to do with these hands of mine. Because no matter what I do, no matter what I touch. It will rot. It will wither. It will die. Death is my constant companion. Where I go, he goes. Where I act, he reaps. And I am afraid.”

You hesitated to place your hand against his cheek, but you did so anyway, your eyes finally meeting his. The flames within them seemed to flicker, hazy with a kind of understanding, a kind of acceptance, but also, fear.

“I don’t want you to be the next, I cannot have you be the next. Anyone but you. I am afraid. I can’t lose you, not you of all people.”

Your cheeks were flush from emotions, fear of loss, anger at yourself. Embarrassment that the thought of killing the one you loved so dearly could even dare to cross your mind. You almost flinched when he reached out to cup your face with one clawed hand, but melted into his embrace when his thumb stroked gently beneath your eye. You felt it now, your skin was damp, and his as well now. You hadn’t realised it but you were crying, your vision blurry from the tears that still welled up in your eyes, and your hands trembled, one at the side of Zevlor’s neck and the other one tense, in a fist, at your side.

“Please, don’t cry, my dear.” His hand moved from your cheek behind your head to pull you closer, his forehead settling against yours as both of your eyes closed. His other hand found your tense one and wrapped around it, silently pleading you to loosen your fist, and so you did. As his fingers threaded through yours and held your hand firmly, you let out a shaky breath and felt your body relax a little. The tremble was still there, though not quite as intense as before.

“I trust in you, I trust that this is something that can be resolved. Eventually. And I will wait centuries for you if I have to. I will not distance myself from you. Not now, nor ever. You are strong. Resilient. We can work through this. I will not leave your side.”

“When I close my eyes. I see blood on my hands. I taste it on my tongue. I can smell it, all I can smell is metallic blood and rotting, sweet decay. I’ve seen you in front of me before, so lifeless and silent. I didn’t sleep that night, I thought about tying myself to a tree.”

Your lips felt dry, skin cracked. Your tongue darted out to wet them, forehead still resting against Zevlor’s.

“You know what I’ve done. You know that I killed Alfira. And you know she won’t be my last victim. I bear no memory of that kill, but I remember a faint feeling. A hunger within satisfied, I remember a content smile on my lips, mere seconds before I realised what I had done. And I couldn’t get the blood off my hands that night. I couldn’t sleep. But I did not need to sleep for the nightmares to find me.”

Zevlor’s hand tightened around yours at the mention of Alfira’s death. You knew it did not leave him unaffected. She was under his care. And it was your fault that he felt guilty. He couldn’t protect her. Couldn’t protect her from you. You were the monster here, and he refused to budge, refused to condemn you for what you are.

As though he didn’t see. As though he saw something else in you, something brighter, something you were too tainted to see.

“You helped my people, you got rid of Kagha and the goblins, you could have sided against us at any moment—but you didn’t. And that says more about you than any blood on your hands ever will. Not as long as it is caused by something that isn’t entirely you.”

Soft lips found your cracked ones, mending the sores and chasing away the sorrows. You knew they would come back, the sorrows. But you wanted to try for him. Be good for him. To him.

“If I ever lose control. If I attack you. Strike me down. Play unfair. I need you to end me then. Before I can end you. Promise me. That is my only request.”

His flaming eyes looked deeply into yours. Unwavering. Lacking the hatred and fear you should be finding in them.

He stayed silent. He did not promise.

He could not.

[ghostwith]

A short ficlet about Kalinn's "Dad" having feelings about her and Emmrich. Only undercut to save dash space!

Paring: Emmrich x Kalinn

Rating: K

-

A soft melodious giggle echoed and bounced through the halls of the Grand Necropolis. It wasn't a strange sound given the myriad of spirits and undead rest there. However this wasn't a phantom voice, Rodomonte would recognize the sound of her laughter anywhere, even after months of its absence. He had no doubt in his mind it was his Kalinn, he shook his head slightly, his. Once there had been a time he wished to keep her at a distance, but the Maker made that difficult from the start and now as he aged, he felt no difficulty loving the child he raised, just surprised at his own depth of love.

 He did, however, find difficulty rising from his chair; he stretched and stiffly walked from his office. As he did he heard another voice rolling in the ashes along Kalinn's, one deeper and more distinct. Rodomonte felt he recognized it as well, but he couldn't quite place it. Until that is, the man spoke.

“I was always truly enraptured that the spirits seemed to be harmonizing to the same tune. I thought perhaps it was hinting at some deeper connection in the veil. But it was you.”

Emmrich.

Rodomonte hummed, he had never heard the two in any proximity while they resided on the Necropolis grounds. But, he reasoned, it made sense for them to visit together since joining the Veilguard. 

“It seems silly I know,” Kalinn chuckled, voice tinted with embarrassment. “But a lullaby seemed fitting since their bodies were laying to rest for the last time.”

Rodomonte smiled, even after everything she was still so tender at heart. 

As he rounded the corner, however, his smile was wiped clean as he watched Emmrich's hand travel down the small of Kalinn's back as he leaned in.

“Perish that, the spirits clearly thought it was a lovely thread tying them together. Just as I do.” 

Rodomonte swallowed, rage quickly thumping in his chest at the site. He wanted to break Emmrich in that moment, to make sure his bones would never reside in the Necropolis. He would desecrate his body and scatter his parts so he could never be whole again. Something in the back of his mind attempted to plead Emmrich's case and yes Emmrich was a good man, a friend even; he knew this, but that was his daughter.  

Rodomonte’s eyes snapped to Kalinn, searching, and what he found made his rage begin to fizzle out.

There wasn't an ounce of hesitation in her movements. She visibly relaxed, leaning herself into his touch, and half turning to brush her fingers against his cheek. When he caught a glimpse of her face as she spoke, it was practically glowing with adoration.

“Have you always been so reverent?”

“We do drift on the echoes of the vast eternal dream, it would be hard not to be reverent in the face of something so grand.” He watched a tenderness take over Emmrich’s expression, as he gently pulled her hand from his cheek and placed a kiss to the pulse of her wrist. “My reverence for you is new, but it sparks the eternal flame that lights the corridors of my spirit all the same.” 

If there was anything left of Rodomonte’s rage it was crushed under the weight of the two of them leaning in, resting their foreheads together and just holding themselves there in the moment.

He backed quietly around the corner and rubbed his face, trying to ease the tension there. He wanted to be angry, but now he couldn’t bring himself to be. 

Kalinn was happy and he supposed, despite his own reservations, that would be enough.

[pigeonwhumps]

🪡 That’s gonna need stitches for Phoenix?

Phoenix slips into their room as soon as they get home and pulls the first aid kit out from under their bed.

They don't think anyone noticed them come in, but it's unlikely they'll care anyway. So long as their chores are done and dinner cooked it doesn't matter.

Which is good, because there's a gash running down their side, jagged and wide and gushing blood. It'd be more of a worry without their healing factor, but even so, they can't do their chores as they are. They skip over the paracetamol and ibuprofen (they won't do much good for a wound this size) and pick up a needle and thread. By the time they've threaded the needle it's slick with blood, but at least it's threaded. Their clothes and the floor are covered in blood already, and they wonder, vaguely, whether they'll ever get it out completely.

They work carefully, squeezing Mr Frosty in one hand as they pierce the skin. It's a painful pinch, and it doesn't last long but then they have to do it again, and again, and again, the pain making them want to scream as they drive the thread through. They bite their lip on a sob, vision swimming with tears. They don't often feel lonely, not really, in fact they'd rather not get Abbie and her friends' attention most of the time, but right now... right now, it's painful. They want their sister to help bandage them, their nemesis to make them smile, just someone to tell them it's going to be alright.

But they don't have that, it's been years since they had that, and they need to grow up and stop complaining about it. They can cope. They always do.

They stitch the last of the wound shut and pull the thread tight, tying it off. It hurts, oh it hurts so badly, they want to curl around it and block out the world. But that's not possible. They unfold a bandage and wrap the wound carefully, trying to avoid bending too much. It's not properly clean but they find they're having trouble caring. It's not like it's going to last long anyway.

As if to confirm their thoughts about not being able to stay here, there's a hammering on the door, before it bursts open to reveal Abbie looking impatient. Phoenix's heart pounds. So someone did notice them. They should've expected it, she's too observant for anything else.

"What on earth are you doing in here? There's lots to do, hurry up and stop idling around."

Phoenix shivers but gestures to themself anyway, to their rucked up t-shirt and bloody hands, and the mess of thread and bandages. They're grateful they at least got the wound bandaged first – if Abbie decides to 'test' it, it won't hurt quite so much.

"Unless you, um, you want blood everywhere, I need to, um, finish this first, sir," they say quietly, heart pounding. They're talking back. They're talking back. That's against the rules. And they really, desperately don't want to go in the cupboard again, or lose their powers when they hurt so much already, but it will be their own fault if that happens.

Their throat is tight, filling with unshed tears. They wish Abbie wasn't here so they could let them loose.

"Please, sir," they whisper, begging, pleading. They need more time. They need to finish this bandaging, and change, and clean up a bit so they look halfway respectable. It's not fair, sending them to work so soon after almost dying again. It's not fair.

It is. It is fair. It's not like they can die, it's fine. They're fine. There's no need for special treatment.

But god, it hurts. They'd break down and cry if it wasn't for the fact that they know what Abbie and her friends' reaction will be. Not pretty, that's for sure.

"Please."

Abbie raises an eyebrow. "You remembered your manners this time, that's good. Five minutes. And I expect the room spotless, and you to pay for that time."

"Yes, sir."

That's okay, it's about what they'd expected. It's fine.

Fine.

Abbie nods sharply and slams the door behind her on her way out.

Phoenix pulls Mr Frosty to them. For a moment, they don't care about the damage to the stitches caused by them bending over the stuffed toy. They just need the comfort. That's more important than anything right now.

And then they get to work. They feel like they might faint, or vomit, or both, but they brush that aside. They can't afford to consider that. Not now.

Later, maybe. Later. But certainly not now.

Edit: forgot the taglist: @extrabitterbrain @wolfeyedwitch @whumpinggrounds @painful-pooch

[sleepy0s]

Stupid sky.

(This is doll grian au, go to the ao3 link to see my doll grian headcannons)

Got this of Nadia225’s discord chat! So ty to her!

(You should totally go subscribe to her on YouTube)

Grian, at the sky: SHUT UP

The thunder: * stops *

Grian: THANK YOU, GODDAMNIT, I'M IN THE MIDDLE OF SOMETHING

Grian, to the Watchers: Anyways, where were we? Oh, right, I was about to kick your butts

~~~

Xisuma stood in the rain, standing in front of his hermits, attempting to protect them from the entities on his server. 2 watchers stood in front of the group, numerous floating purple eyes staring down at them along with the eyes that littered the watchers bodies.

“What do you want!” Xisuma called out, eyes immediately going towards him.

“We simply want what we own.” Well, that was helpful wasn’t it. Xisuma stood for a second thinking about whatever it could be that they ‘owned’.

“The server? You can have the server?” He guessed although he doubted they would ask to take the server.

And then the watcher did the most unexpected thing ever. They laughed. “Your server? Please. We don’t want your server, it’s not nearly as good as that Evolution one.” Xisuma noticed how Pearl tensed when Evo was mentioned.

“So.. you don’t want our server.. what is it then?”

“I’ll show you.” The first watcher stuck out his arm, multiple limp threads seemed to be hanging off it and going towards the crowd, “What are you-“ Xisuma was cut off as someone screamed, he turned around and saw the threads wrapping around Grian and pulling him forward.

“Oh, what a shame. This isn’t the body we gave you.” He snapped his fingers and Grian’s doll swapped with one much smaller. The threads wrapping around grian had pulled much tighter now, ripping open his ‘skin’ and letting fluff pour out, his jumper had slipped down from the lack of stuffing and was revealing the stitched in logo. The hermits watched Grian’s face go from shock, anger and then to fear as more and more stuffing fell out.

“Hey.. we can- we can talk about this right? Please don’t let all the stuffing out. Please. Please.Think about how much time you put into making the body.” Grian pleaded with the watchers as he slowly went limp, the hermits half expected him to respawn, but as more stuffing came out they gradually noticed eyes pouring out.. “oh. That’s odd.” Apparently, Grian didn’t even know he could do that.

The eyes poured back into their body, creating a form for Grian to stand with the doll, the watchers' threads fell back, their eyes all focusing on Grian as he attempted to stand, his eyes showing through each and every gap in the stitching. “Are you serious? This is going to suck to stitch back up.”

“How are you doing that Xelqua?” The eyes squinted, “Xelqua, you shouldn’t be able to do that.”

Grian looked up, black beady buttons staring at a clay mask. “Well, firstly my name is Grian. Secondly, I don’t have a clue.” The watchers did not seem happy that their little doll was arguing against them, they had not designed him for that.

Grian was gradually becoming more aware of the growing rain that was being absorbed into his fabric, honestly he wasn’t a sponge. “Xelqua come on. It’s time to leave.” Multiple hermits yelled out against this, but Grian was much more interested in the worsening weather. “Xelqua? You are not to ignore me.”

“What? I’m not? Sorry, what did you say?”

“Xelqua. Don't mess around. Come on.” The watcher held out a hand, wanting Grian to take it. “No. What? I ain’t going with you-“ He was cut of by a large chunk of thunder that went on for a good few seconds, once the thunder stopped he looked at the sky, “You done?” Another loud crack of thunder. “OH MY GOD. SHUT UP.” The rain stopped. “Sorry, where were we?”

The watchers looked at each other, “Could Xelqua control the weather 2?”

“I don’t think so 1..” they both looked at each other, confused and slightly scared.

[smutmakesmesmile]

MY SWEETS ITS TIME

I have finally written another smut fic! It features Lila from Spooky Month:). I’ll put the link here in case you’d rather read it on Ao3, but if you don’t the tags/fic is below!

18+ ONLY

Spooky Month=Spooky S3x

Tags: Soft Dom Lila, Sub Reader, Multiple O, D1ldos, V1brators, Strap ons, Oral s3x, Genderless/Trans Guy Reader, Mommy kink, Dry O, Praise k1nk, P3gging, No Beta we die like Dexter

Your body felt as live as an electric wire, your hole being fucked by Lila’s long pink strap on. Your eyes rolled back as she hit that titillating spot deep inside. She giggles as she watches you come undone, cooing, “Aww, you look so good like this, my love…all hot and bothered.”

You whimper at the praise, the pleasure starting to build. She gives you a kiss and then reaches for her phone, adjusting the settings on her vibrator, letting out a pleasured sigh as it was ratcheted up a level. In turn, she shoved her pink cock in deeper, harder.

“Oh god! Lila! Please! Let me come, please,” You simpered.

“Don’t you remember? No cumming till I do. Okay sweetheart?” She reminds you.

You nod, biting back a whimper. Maybe you could hold off a bit more? She was sure taking her time, but you wanted to be good for her. You could hear her moan quietly, which unfortunately just fueled your stimulation. Desperately gripping at the sheets, you will yourself not to cum. But that cock…it was practically rearranging your organs the way she used the devilish thing. Whimpers of desperation escaped your lips and you quickly lost yourself in the overwhelming stimulation. Again, you plead with her, painting a picture of how urgent your overwhelming pleasure was.

You eked out a, “Lila, Lila please! I’m so close! Please, I swear I’m going to lose my mind if you don’t let me cum!”

She just lightly kissed your neck with feather light kisses, “Don’t you dare. If you do I’ll tie you up and make you watch me fuck myself till you learn your lesson.”

A pitiful noise escapes your lips as the dildo drags against your walls, your will to hold back dangling by a thread. You writhed around, the slickness of your walls making the whole experience even more tantalizing. You couldn’t help but flush as Lila sweetly moaned in your ear, her voice sweet as syrup, “You’re sound so wet, baby. I love it when you’re dripping for me. You’re being so good for me…”

With that, she gave a particularly deep thrust, causing you to unravel. Tears stream down your face as you cum hard, soaking the bed sheets. All movement from Lila stopped.

“Love…did you just cum?”

You froze, shit. No, no, no, no, no! When you don’t reply, she repeats herself, “Baby, answer me please. Did you just cum?”

Meekly, you whisper, “Yes.”

She sighs, “You know what happens now, don’t you? Poor baby, now I’ve got to tie you up!”

Gently, she pulls out as you simper and whine. You could feel your hole clenching around nothing now, feeling woefully empty. Fetching a rope, she sat you up and tied your hands behind your back. All you could do was watch helplessly as she followed up on her promise, tying your hands and then proceeding to undo the straps of the harness. She hummed as she popped her vibrator out. Selecting her favorite dildo, she coaxed your mouth open.

“Open up your mouth for me.” She gently commanded.

Obedient as ever, you did.

She smiled, pushing the dildo into your mouth, “Now suck. Get it nice and slicked up for Mommy.”

You closed your mouth and began sucking. She blessed you with small praises as you slurped and gagged a bit on it. Swirling your tongue, you could feel the small vein like ridges on it. The sensation of the heavy fake cock in your mouth started to reinvigorate your desire. Drool pooled in your mouth, spilling out the corner as you suckled. Right as you were losing yourself in the motions, she pulled it from your mouth.

Lila settled at the end of the bed opposite of you, “Now, since my baby was disobedient, Mommy is going to fuck herself till she cums.”

You protest until she starts putting the now spit-soaked dildo in. She briefly held her breath as she felt her cunt stretch around the tip, groaning as it popped in. And so she started, slick sounds filling your ears as she pulled the dick in and out.

Her eyes fluttered as she groaned, “Oooh, this cock feels so good. So big.”

You fruitlessly grinded against the air as you could see a clear view of the dildo in her pussy. Desperately, you wished that it was you that the dildo was fucking. She giggled as she sighed, she could see how desperate you were again. She flipped onto all fours and bent over, glistening pussy in clear view. Teasingly, she slowly fucked it into her, hearing your sounds on frustration. She couldn’t help herself anymore, as much as she loved teasing you, she couldn’t hold back the buzzing under her skin. Her orgasm was so close. And so she slammed the thick member deep into her again and again, punched out noises escaping her as pleasure mounted. You couldn’t help but hump the air as she came. Her pussy was so pretty stretched around that cock and you desperately wished you were on the other end of it. Your head tilted back as you felt another orgasm ripple through your body. Surprisingly, you could feel that there was no cum dripping down your thighs. You heard her chuckle.

“Aww, my baby must’ve been so worked up! You’re so cute when you look so fucked out.”

You happily cooed at the praise. She gingerly pulled the dildo out and set it aside. Climbing up the bed, she untied your hands.

“I think it’s time to clean me up. Would my baby like to help?”

You nodded enthusiastically and she positioned herself above your face. You could see how pink and puffy her lips were from fucking herself. You licked your lips in anticipation. Holding onto the bed frame, she lowered herself down.

“Eat up, sweet heart.”

Eagerly, you lapped her up. Her contented moans fueled you, circling that pink bud. When you did, she threaded her fingers in your hair and grinded on your face.

“Oh, that’s so good, baby. Mmm, yes.” She tugged on your hair, guiding you to just the right spot, “Being so good for Mommy. Eating her out so well. Just like that…oh fuck yes.”

With her direction, you licked, lapped and sucked her clit. You could taste her, loving it every bit.

“Ooooh yeah, fuck. Faster baby, go faster for me.”

And so you did, with her not only smothering you with her pussy, but you sped up at her request. You felt immense joy at how noisy she was getting just from you suckling her.

She sharply tugged your hair and planted herself flat against your mouth as she went rigid. “Oh GOD!!!”

With that she came all over your chin, wetness trickling down your neck. Panting, she climbed off you. She softly stroked your cheek, planting a kiss on your lips.

“So good for me, thank you for eating Mommy out.”

You just nod, a bit pussy drunk. She fetched a warm damp rag and began wiping your both up. You make feeble squeaks as she carefully cleans you up. She plants a gentle kiss on your cheek, murmuring, “I know, I know. Playtime is over, don’t worry. You did so well for me.”

Lastly, with your face being wiped up, she maneuvered you both to a dry spot in the bed. Lila pulls you close, her soft skin against yours. She pet your hair as you cuddled together. You nuzzle her, mumbling your thanks. Kissing your head, she acknowledged it and hushed you, urging you to just relax. Your eyelids grow heavy, too heavy to hold open and you fall asleep in her arms, enveloped in her warmth and comfort.

[secretswiftymarvelfan]

MacGyver - Jake Jensen x Reader

A/N: This is part of @the-slumberparty​ Writer warm up: Genres, Old and New. I got the genre Action and the character archetype Innovator! 

Summary: You and Jake find yourself in a predicament that needs outside of the box thinking to get out of

Word Count: 858

Warnings: Lanuage! Fluff!

Dividers by @firefly-graphics​

Masterlist

“You know there’s something quite romantic about all this” Max says as he paces back and forth in front of you and Jake “tied up with your lover… about to meet your end together”

“The team are on their way now, you won’t get away with this” you warn him, straining against the rope that bound you to your chair.

“Oh I know, I’ve sent my goons to slow them down” Max hums as he stops turning to face you, picking at his nails “but they still won’t get here in time,” he says clapping his hands.

A few guards walk into the room carrying a large heavy box “where’d you want it boss?” They ask.

“Right in front of them, I don’t want any mistakes as to what it is” Max orders nodding to you and Jake, the guards nod walking over to you and Jake placing the box down with a heavy thud “careful idiots” Max chastises before waving for them to leave.

You and Jake exchanged a glance before looking back over at Max, watching as he walked over to the box and opened it to reveal a bomb “shit” you mutter under your breath.

Max smirks looking over at you “shit indeed, this is one of my newest toys and you guys are going to be my lab rats” he explains before chuckling as he shakes his head “there won’t even be anything left of you to scrape up”

You bit your lip to stop yourself from screaming profanities at him, doing so would only make this worse.

“I’ll leave you to say your goodbyes” Max grins before walking out of the room.

“Shit, shit, shit” you mutter screwing your eyes shut.

“It's okay we’ll get out of here, we’ll be fine, just try and shuffle closer to me,” Jake says as he begins to try and scoot his chair closer to yours.

You take a shaky breath as you try and shuffle closer to Jake, the backs of your chairs finally meeting. Jake grabs your shaking hands to calm you down.

“Hey, hey, hey it’s gonna be okay, we’ll get out of here, I promise” he reassures you “I’m gonna untie you and then I need you to untie me”

You take another shaky breath nodding your head, breathing out a sigh of relief when you felt the rope around your wrist fall to the floor. You quickly untie the rope around your ankles before standing up and untying Jake.

“See? Now let's get out of here” Jake reassures you as he stands up.

Just as he says that you hear a loud beep, turning in its direction you see the bomb had been activated and you only had five minutes before it detonated.

“Fuck” Jake cursed under his breath.

“Can you disarm it?” You ask him.

“Not without my gear, we’re just gonna have to run for it,” Jake says shaking his head.

“Jake we’re in a tower a hundred meters tall, with thousands of steps, we aren’t gonna get far enough away in time,” you tell him.

Jake curses looking around the room before a smirk grows on his face “you’re right we’re gonna have to jump”

“What!” You screech staring at him bewildered as he picked up all the rope and a large piece of tarpaulin that was in the corner of the room “are you insane?”

“Maybe, but it’s all we got, I saw this in a spy movie so it should work,” he says as he starts tying the rope to the four corners of the tarpaulin.

“There isn’t a MythBusters episode on this is there?” You ask sceptically.

“Not that I’m aware of now c’mon we need to hurry,” Jake says gesturing for you to follow him “right I’m gonna tie this through our belt loops but hold on tight to me as well” he says threading a spare piece of rope around your waist.

“There’s no way I’m gonna let you go” you mutter as you wrap your arms around his shoulders “god I hope this works” you plead as Jake moves to two of you towards the window ready to jump.

“Trust me” Jake grins.

“Alright MacGyver, let's go” you sigh kissing him quickly just in case.

Jake smiles back at you before counting down from 3, the two of you jumping from the window. You free fall for a couple of seconds, long enough that you accept that you were about to die before finally the makeshift parachute begins to work and the two of you safely glide to freedom.

You landed with a heavy thud a hundred or so meters away from the towers just as the bomb goes off. Jake covering you just in case.

“Well shit… I didn’t expect that to work” you admit once it was all over.

“Me neither” he admits, chuckling when he saw the glare you gave him “but if there was a chance to save the woman I love, I was damn well gonna take it”

Your face softens as you smile warmly up at him “I love you too Jake, thank you for saving us”

Sharing is caring so please reblog if you enjoyed this and maybe even leave a comment to make my day!

Masterlist

I don’t have a taglist so follow @secretswiftymarvelfanlibrary​ and turn on post notifications to be kept up to date!

[ofhope]

“Really? Three freakin' hours?” there's a laugh, but not at their expense. “Damn. You'd think she would'a gotten the idea after the first thirty minutes.”

A sort of familiarity. Kanji'd never really liked the feel of a dress, but always liked looking at 'em. Age ten? His Ma' would take him around stores, point out what shops used their threads, their patterns, what ones didn't. These thoughts were kept inward, not lured out by a chance comment, but there were tinges of guilt forming; Kanji and Nadine, their relationships with their mothers differed. In fact? His Ma' had discouraged some of his 'manlier' traits, the bruised knuckles and foul mouth.

Somedays, she probably would'a rather him work on a dress than bloody his new jacket.

“Get that. Think a lotta' people just wanna' make themselves comfortable. We're the ones wearing the damn things, why the hell do we gotta' think about them? They think if, for a moment, these clunky-ass boots strained my ankle or some shit I wouldn't swap 'em out for those ugly-ass clog things they got going on now? Shouldn't matter what they think.”

Leaning back, said boot tapped against the concrete. Such discussions always riled him up, got a headache stirring and a fresh rush of annoyance racing through his veins, but... it felt good to have someone to match that same intensity. Scratching at his neck, Kanji cleared his throat a little too loudly.

“I uh, like your style. S'not often I get people agreein' with me on things like this. Being manly, being girly... who the hell thought up that stuff anyway? There's a uh, sort of nuance to it. Even if that person had like, issues accepting they liked the color pink or some shit, why'd they have to put all of us through their midlife crisis too?”

Hands go up, though, they don’t really mind how rough he is around the edges. They’re rough around the edges, too. At the box comment, they laugh, not because they think it’s dumb, but because they have spent their entire life with everyone trying to fit them somewhere. Some people just aren’t made for boxes.

“I think people who do that shit are just pretending to care, anyways. Total difference. Like, my mom once when I was like, ten? She spent literally. Three hours. Trying to get me to put on a dress.” It had been terrible at the time, but now they’re able to laugh. They skip another stone.

“Said I’d be more presentable, or likable, or something? I don’t really remember. Anyways, I think she just cared about making it easier for her to deal with me. But like, that’s not really caring.” Nadine shrugs. Another attempt at rock skipping, but this one immediately sinks. There’s an annoyed sigh.

“Fuck boxes.” They say, just a little too loudly. Volume control has never been their strong suit. “And fuck being manly, or girly, or whatever. Pretty sure some fucker just made that up one day.”