#<- not a vague to anyone who follows me although it is a vague to Someone.

[synthetic-sonata]

got a buncha stuff for my switch and kirbys return to dream land deluxe. ... living life large ( i had a breakdown earlier this is a treat )

[adoseofdidreality]

also my blog name wasnt to pretend to be you but to make fun of your username because i think "a dose of did reality" (or even a "a DIDose of reality") is funnier than didadoseofreality

genuinely just replace the word DID with "the shot" or something wild and "a dose of reality" can become a really clever pun for antovaxxers. i think if the op is actually an antivaxxer they can steal that idea and try to come up with a better primary title to be followed by the subtitle "a dose of reality" :P

it would all be really silly shouty lies by an old man/woman/erson who's scared of The Furries Oh my Gosh!!! and it's hillarious

[malkaviian]

the unhinged mav drawing posts the day after tomorrow and i've debated a million times whether to let it post or create an account for these type of not-so-sfw drawings

[churipu]

Idk if u take requests rn, but if you do, could you write fluffy moments with jjk men (pls include toji, i rlly wanna see him w fluff because there is like none) you fav would be cuddling, but you do whatever you want <3 Also, don't stress yourself when writing i, and please take breaks <33

JJK MEN + FLUFFY MOMENTS (๑ > ᴗ < ๑)

featuring. toji fushiguro, gojo satoru, nanami kento x reader

warnings. jjk men being softies

note. i just read the most heart wrenching nanami fic, i think i'm not okay at all </3 but hi anon, thank you for requesting this — this is exactly what i needed after reading angst. i apologize if it took a long time to get this out omg, i hope you like it.

and guys, omg???? 700+ followers? i genuinely never expected my works to be recognized by so much, and meeting new writers here and there, making friends, makes me so happy (i'm not crying) i love u all so so so so much, u guys rock, ily all <;33

TOJI FUSHIGURO

hated talking about the future, but ever since he met you — he rambles about it.

toji has always thought his future was nothing interesting, he kills people for a living, gets money off of it and he gambles. that's about it, so what was there to think about in the future?

meeting you was the firsts to a lot of things in his life.

toji grew up in a loveless household full of anger, and lust for power. which is why he is who he is today. distant, aloof, detached. people tell him he'd be nothing without his strength and face, there is no denying that toji fushiguro has a face card. he knows that.

so when he first met you, all he expected was like every other day. people caring about his face, and only that — and he'd play along although he's had enough of it, but no; you didn't care about all that.

face, money, strength. none of that.

he vaguely remembered the first time you spoke to him: "hey, mind helping me grab that box of cereal?" and he expected you to hit on him after, but you left it at that, muttering out a thanks and then leaving him in the aisle alone.

then for some reason he meets you again, the very next month. asking him the exact same thing, asking for help to take the cereal box which happened to be on the very top of the shelf. god knows why, both you and him just made it a routine every month after that. no communications about meeting and all. you both kind of just, met right in the cereal aisle on one particular day in the month, and then leave.

on the fifth month, he finally asks for your number.

"toji, is that your way of asking me out? because if it is, i'm disappointed."

"maybe."

and then you both kind of just sealed it; you're dating. nothing much changed, every month both you and him still go to the cereal aisle — he still helps you with grabbing the box from the shelf. the only difference was that now the two of you leave together.

toji hates talking about his future. but with you? he could go on for a whole day. he rambles about what he thinks and what he wants in the future with you.

"i wan' to get married. i wan' to marry you," did it caught you by surprise? yes. yes it did, "i wan' to have a family with you, a nice little family. i wan' to have a son so i could throw him around — but a girl is okay too, i can protect her from boys, i'll love them both equally. but i don't think i'll be a good dad to them. i'm scared they won't like me."

"toji, what? where did that come from?"

his back was pressed to your chest as you both lay down on the bed, one of your leg draped over his torso and he has his hand on your plush thigh, squeezing it every once in a while.

"i don't know. just a thought, i never talked about my future with anyone before," his body vibrated as he grunted, leaning his head back a bit, "i just don't think i'll be a good father, y'know?" he squeezed your thigh.

"why do you think so?" you asked him, placing your chin on the crown of his head.

"i just think so."

"stop thinking then," you chuckles, draping an arm around his neck, caressing his throat so softly it made the male shudder under your touch — but he didn't mind, he took comfort under your skin.

"can't." his voice was not stern or bold, it was soft and serene. he laced his fingers with yours, kissing your knuckles gently, "i can't believe 'm saying this, but 'm worried about my future. 'm a little scared."

just the fact he was admitting that he's scared about something was mind boggling, because the toji fushiguro? who kills people? was admitting that he was actually terrified of something, which wasn't even the strongest sorcerer. it's his future.

you were silent, letting him talk because when else would he be able to be like this?

"'m terrified. 'm scared i won't make you happy. what if i don't make you happy? what if my kids hate me?" so many questions that you don't even have the answer to, but you placed your hand over his lips, shutting him up.

toji grumbled, he swiped his tongue over your palm.

"ew!" you laugh, wiping your hand on his shirt, "but why're you suddenly talking about this all? which videos have you been watching again?"

"nothing, can't i think about my own future with you?" he shuffles, turning to face you, prepping an arm under his head as he stares down at you. not in the condescending way — he stared at you with so much desperation for love, he slowly blinks, the glint in his eyes never changing.

"why out of the blue?"

"jus' because."

you poked his cheek, "liar."

he sighs, latching his hand onto your hips, pulling you close. he buries his head into your shoulder in content, "jus' worried about it, i never think about my future in the past. but now — with you, i jus' worry about it because i didn't think i'd make it 'till now."

you chuckled, rubbing the back of his head lightly, "you remember that one time in the park when you see that little boy crying over spilled ice cream?"

he hums softly.

"and you bought him another ice cream, but asked me to be the one to give it to him because you were scared you'd scare him off instead?" you ask him, your fingers tangling with his hair lightly.

"yeah."

"you'll be fine, toji." you tell him.

"y'think so?" he retorts back, squirming a bit.

"i know so."

GOJO SATORU

he has to know about everything that you like, he needs to know why you like them. every. single. thing.

gojo chased after you. you were one tough cookie, he likes a chase. he's so used to people fawning over his looks that when you didn't — he just has to know your name.

the curiosity to know your name ended up pulling him in a spiral of this little thing called "love". gojo swore it was just curiosity, but everyone else besides him thinks otherwise, he promised himself and people around that he didn't like you, he was just, well, curious.

but curiosity doesn't look like that. gojo finds himself asking people about what type of boys you like, and when he finds out about it — he tries his best to be your type. he promised he was just curious.

gojo tries finding out what your favorite flower is, and when he finds out about it, he's out there sending big bouquets of it to you. he promised he was just curious.

gojo tries finding out what your favorite genre of music is, and when he finds out, he listens to them so he could talk about it with you. he promised he was just curious.

gojo tries finding out what your favorite series or movie is, and when he finds out, he watches them all intently so he could talk about them with you and hate on characters together with you. and he still promises that he was just curious.

he was just curious, he kept telling that to himself. so why does it bother him when you were out with another guy? another guy that's not him. not gojo satoru.

gojo asks you about who it was, and when you tell him it's nobody important, he gets upset about it.

"why are you so upset?"

"i'm just..curious."

"it's none of your business."

he left it at that. his whole week was ruined, he couldn't stop thinking about it. about you. and then he finally realizes, he wasn't curious — he was in love. so there he was, in front of your door at two in the morning.

"what?"

"who was that guy?"

"gojo, you're still onto that?" you ask him, tired, "i said it's none of your business. you're here at two just to ask me about that?"

"it's my business because i'm in love with you, damn it!"

gojo was half grateful when you told him it was your distant cousin, but half embarrassed as well. all's well ends well. he gets you in the end, and he doesn't have to worry about anything else — nothing in the world matters to him but you.

"baby, what do you recommend?" was one of the most spoken phrases he has delivered to you.

in restaurants, dessert bars, convenience store, movie theaters, anything you could recommend him, he'd ask for it.

"why do you always ask? don't you have your own preference, satoru? i'm not even sure if you'll like my recommendations though," he smiles at you, tracing small circled on the back of your hand.

"i want to know about everything that you like, and why you like them. i want to know everything about you," you look at him and smiled, honestly, what did we ever do to deserve him?

"why?"

"because i love you." yeah, he wasn't just curious. he's in love. and deep.

NANAMI KENTO

he always orders food that you like, and shares some with you — even if you didn't ask for it.

nanami never expected to be in relationships. in fact, relationships was the last thing in his mind — but when he met you, he just kind of felt attracted. he seeks for your comfort whenever he's tired, and when you weren't there, nanami just sort of drowns in himself until he could see you or hear your voice.

at the beginning of your relationship, nanami was never the one to initiate things because he wasn't an experienced male in relationships. you ask him and he just sort of do it without any other complaints.

but as time goes on, he get the hang of it. what he should do and what he shouldn't — it's adorable, he's started doing things that he never thought he would do in his life, but here he was sitting by your side; peeling apples for you because you wanted them.

"kento, eat some. it's going to be finished by the time you finish peeling every one of them," you joked, your legs on top of his thighs.

nanami hums softly, "it's okay. as long as you like it."

nanami doesn't realize the weigh of his sweet words sometimes, he does it and asks himself to why you were reacting like that. sweet talk is his vocabulary. he says it with no worries, telling you things you've always wanted to hear but never say.

but one thing that always stuck to him and you from the first time you got close up to now was: nanami always orders things that you like. you never understood the reason behind it, and when you tried asking him about it, he just tells you he was craving it.

it didn't seem odd at first — but as time goes on, his whole taste was just an exact copy of yours.

if you get something different than your usual menu, nanami will get your usual menu because he knows damn well that you're going to end up wanting them. although you don't tell him when the food comes, nanami makes it his job to share with you. and that's really sweet of him.

but when you get your usual menu, nanami orders something with elements that you like in them and shares them with you even without you asking for a bite. and not only that, he didn't share a spoonful — he shared a lot.

"ken, you don't have to share with me. i have my own food." you tell him, despite your heart tugging you to just let him share because you were too shy to say that you wanted a bite.

"it's alright sweetheart. i'm a little full." he lies. he ends up snacking on something on midnight, and it's now a routine.

so in exchange for that, you always make it your job to stock up foods ranging from small snacks like biscuits, chips, up to instant or pre-heated food. even cutting up fruits so nanami could snack on it, and he caught on to it pretty quick.

but he didn't complain, he likes it when you do it.

"ken, i cut out some mangoes and dragon fruit. you can eat them if you're hungry."

"thank you y/n."

mutual wins.

© CHURIPU 2023 , DO NOT COPY OR REPOST ANYWHERE

[adieutristana]

Hi! Can you make arcane characters x reader who is afraid of touch?

of course! thank you for the request <3

characters included; jinx, vi, mel, sevika, caitlyn

summary; arcane women with a girlfriend who is afraid of touch.

tags/warnings; hurt/comfort, (vague) mentions of past trauma, fluff, mentions of poor mental health

men dni.

jinx;

✧.* jinx is pretty understanding when it comes to fear of being touched. she is as well, for the most part. when it comes to a relationship, i think jinx would be incredibly touchy, but if you tell her that you're afraid and/or uncomfortable she'll give you the space that you need. yes, jinx enjoys physical touch, but she doesn't want to overstep any boundaries.

✧.* jinx will probably resort to words to show her love instead, though she's not the best with them. saying sweet things like "i missed ya, trinket! i've got something to show ya, yeah?" or "oh gods, you just look so pretty, it's impossible!"

✧.* jinx is the textbook definition of clingy. look up the word in a dictionary, and her face will be underneath. so she won't physically hang off your arm if you're afraid of touch, but she'll still follow closely behind you like some kind of lost puppy. it's endearing, honestly. jinx just needs to be close to you somehow at all times.

✧.* the closeness reassures her. she's used to everyone she lets in, everyone she cares about dying. so to share that proximity with you and have the reassurance that you're here, alive, with her, it means a lot more than jinx thinks you'll ever understand.

✧.* like i said, jinx is the same way to an extent. touch-starved, but also won't let anyone close enough to touch her. so when she met you, let you in and began to trust you, part of jinx did expect that touch. you're in a relationship, after all. but once you explain to her, she understands wholeheartedly!

✧.* also constantly showing her love through gifts and grandiose gestures. makeshift firework shows that are a fire waiting to happen? yep! music boxes that play your favorite songs (although slightly out of tune)? also yes! tagging walls in the undercity with your initials together in hearts! you bet! jinx will go above and beyond, she doesn't want to scare you off by doing something she knows you're afraid of

✧.* on the off chance you do let her touch you she'll be making sure you're alright, but also very very happy for those little moments.

✧.* pressing soft kisses to your cheeks while whispering, "you okay, sweetness?"

✧.* jinx doesn't really question you on these things, she just lets it be. if you say you're afraid of touch, then so be it. not a problem for her.

✧.* "come with me!" she'd say, using her hand to wave you over. "what's this about, jinx?" you'd ask, quirking an eyebrow. jinx would be giggling all the way, shaking her head and nearly skipping towards her destination. "don't worry about it, toots! you'll love it, i promise!"

✧.* knowing jinx, she's probably dragging you to the last drop after hours so she can show you how she decorated it just for you (don't question how she managed to pull that off), or she's taking you to her hideout to show you some of the gifts she made you. she's just so excitable around you, she can't help it

vi;

✧.* vi is a little confused at first i think, but that's just because of her need for communication and specifics. like yes, you're afraid of touch, but what kind of touch?

✧.* she has a loooot of questions. she's not trying to pry at all, genuinely just trying to understand you and where you're coming from better. is it alright if she hugs you every now and then? can she hold your hand? what don't you want her to do? do you need her to ask to touch you, or not touch you at all?

✧.* literally just doing everything in her power to not scare you off. vi has a good thing going with you, something real. the last thing that she wants is to fuck it up because she couldn't keep her hands off of you

✧.* vi is sooo so good with her words, though. a master at sweet talking you to show her adoration.

✧.* "you look so beautiful right now, y'know that? i mean- you always do, but gods, right now..." or something along the lines of, "look at you, all focused and stuff. you always amaze me, cupcake."

✧.* one of her defaults is that it's a trauma response, mostly because she knows that's most of where her sister's fear of touch comes from. she'll try to approach the subject delicately, letting you know that if you need to talk about anything she's here and she only wants to help. it can come off as slightly patronizing without her meaning to, so it really all depends on how you take it.

✧.* if it is a response, then fine, vi wants to help and support you the best she can. if not, then she backs off still, settling for just doing you favors and vocalizing her love for you

✧.* she will not let you do a damn thing if you're in a domestic situation. vi is so loving and attentive. she will handle the cooking, cleaning, laundry, all that... you just rest!!

✧.* honest to gods, vi is just such a sweetheart. literally whatever makes you happiest and most comfortable is done without question by her.

✧.* on the off-chance that your girlfriend does scare you or accidentally crosses a line, she'll be profusely apologizing. asking if there's anything she can do to make it up to you, this is the absolute last thing she wants.. if you need space, you've got it. need words of reassurance? consider it done. literally anything.

✧.* generally, i'd think vi is touchy but not enough that this would be a problem. she's versatile, she can show her love in a lot of ways!

✧.* "mm.. i'll do your laundry for you tonight. give you some time off." "vi, that's not necessary-" "shh. it's done. see? i'm already on my way, getting your laundry..."

mel;

✧.* honestly a bit confused at first. mel has grown up around war, tragedy, and despair, but she hasn't met many people who are just downright afraid of being touched- even in the midst of chaos.

✧.* she probably immediately goes to thinking it's because of something that's happened, though, only because of the war and tragedy that she's seen. she hasn't seen fear of touch in particular, but mel has seen a lot of things affect a lot of people in different ways. if it is, then she wants to support you, of course. if not, she still will do her best to show her appreciation for you in other ways.

✧.* mel is easily one of the most devoted and gentle lovers ever, and she has so many tricks up her sleeve when it comes to affection. we've already established that she'd be spoiling you constantly, but she'd also be using her words so well. i also think mel might be the type to write you poetry, honestly. is she the best writer? probably not. but damn, she pours her heart into it.

✧.* "hey, darling. i wrote something else for you, see?" she'd say while holding up another slip of paper, just to add to the collection of your endless others. "written just for my dearest girl."

✧.* mel is just so attentive. she'll probably be a bit protective, especially in public. even if it's just a stranger innocently tapping you on the shoulder to ask for directions to the station, she doesn't want you to get scared.

✧.* "aht- i'll handle that. directions, yeah? you'll go straight here, then take a left, and another left right past the council building." all before someone can touch you.

✧.* if you do allow any kind of touch later on, mel will tread lightly. it's not that she thinks you can't handle yourself or you're fragile, but she just wouldn't be able to live with herself if she scared you off somehow or hurt you.

✧.* light caresses to your cheeks, gentle hugs, guiding you by the small of your back, her head on your shoulder or lap. always so careful, but so sweet and loving

✧.* of course mel will have a lot of questions initially, but it's only because of her need for connection and understanding. she doesn't mean to push or prod, she just wants to understand her lover better and know exactly what is and isn't okay. what will make you most comfortable being with her, that's all that she wants

✧.* hands-down the best at comforting you if you do happen to get scared by touch, though it's usually not at her own hands.

✧.* "hey. hey, tell me what happened. i'm right here, you're alright." she'd say, her voice low and soothing. "nothing's gonna hurt you, nothing's gonna touch you. at least not while i'm here. just let me make things better."

sevika;

✧.* i don't think you'd really need to have a conversation with sevika about it. she's intuitive. the first time you flinched from her touch, trying to wrap an arm around your waist, she knew something was up and she backed off. she wouldn't ask, wouldn't push for more information than you're comfortable giving her. something in her tells her that it's a sensitive topic, and asking might make things worse.

✧.* if you want to talk to her about it, the floor is open. you know that she'll listen, she always does. but until then, she won't pry.

✧.* if you do decide to have that conversation with sevika, she'll take in and cling onto every last word. we've established time and time again how loyal and devoted she is, how she'll do anything just to make sure you're content. she'd listen attentively, taking note of every little thing that you say scares you, of every shift in tone of your voice.

✧.* "i... thank you for telling me this." she'd whisper, her eyes locked with yours. "you know you don't have to hide a thing from me, yeah? but i won't ask for more than you wanna tell me, either. just don't hold out on me, dove."

✧.* besides, sevika has a lot of other ways she can show her love to you. that connection can be achieved through other means! late night talks, bringing you to play games of blackjack and poker with her, etc.

✧.* that's actually one of her favorite ways to have fun with you: gambling! as odd as it may sound, it's one of her favorite pastimes, and getting you involved in her world is a big deal for sevika. someone who famously doesn't let anyone in. so for her to play games alongside you when she's typically merciless, giving you tips for your own hand, it's a big deal.

✧.* if you do allow sevika to touch you, it'll be fleeting and soft. almost as if she's afraid. it's only because she wants to ensure your comfort and sanctuary, really.

✧.* light kisses to your jawline as she whispers things like, "look at you, so beautiful," or "my sweet girl, you look tired. let's turn in, hm? i can hold you. or not. your call, dove..."

✧.* like she doesn't need to be told twice that you're afraid. sevika is very good with respect, very good with communication and laying off. she loves you, she doesn't want to make you afraid or uncomfortable at all if she can help it.

✧.* super protective in public, though. if anyone tries to touch you at all, even if just to push past you in a crowded place, she's immediately pushing them away from you and telling them off.

✧.* "hey. you lay off her, ya hear? thought we learned as kids to keep our hands to ourselves."

caitlyn;

✧.* i think caitlyn would also catch on pretty quickly. she'd ask just to be sure, but she's a smart woman. she can take hints, put pieces together, figure things out. the first time you inched away from her touch was coincidence, the second time was anything but.

✧.* naturally, cait brought it up with you when she got a moment that was just you and her. she tries to approach the subject with caution and care, as she doesn't want to scare you off or seem like she's aiming to force information out of you. but she loves you, and she worries.

✧.* "you can tell me things, love. i promise, i won't get angry. whatever it is, you can tell me."

✧.* she's understanding once you do tell her! she's been raised knowing devastation and war, though her upbringing is privileged. she still knows about trauma, about fear, about phobias, all that kind of thing. even if it's just a thing of general anxiety and you not wanting to let people in that way. she won't take it personally, she knows that this is just something innate within some people

✧.* caitlyn will likely resort to her words and acts of service instead. she's constantly doing things for you, trying to make your life easier in any way that she can. if there's some housework you need done, consider it taken care of. if you're feeling hungry, she's cooking your favorite without a second thought.

✧.* she might accidentally touch you without thinking- like a brush against your back or a grasp of your hand, but she immediately pulls back and apologizes the second she realizes what she's doing. she gets the hang of it rather quickly, but she's used to showing physical affection to her family and friends.

✧.* she still loves sharing a bed with you at night, but cait makes it abundantly clear that she doesn't expect you to cuddle up to her, and she won't hold you unless you ask her to. she's perfectly happy having you next to her, just your presence soothes her to sleep.

✧.* "shh... just sleep, dear. i'll be right here. you always look so peaceful when you're at rest, it's beautiful."

✧.* cait is honestly just so sweet and understanding, she'll do anything and everything in her power to make sure that you're at ease!

[absofckinglutelys]

researcher; lighter x gn! reader

author's note; hello lighter lovers nation! its been awhile since i posted anything here, what with my finals, procrastination and 4-5 typhoons in a month (seriously i wish i was joking). i've become kinda rusty when it comes to writing, so i hope you can be kind in these trying times. not beta read nor is my first language english so expect grammar mistakes.

word count: 2,400 words

enjoy!

_________

The afternoon sun beat down your skin as a light sheen of sweat dripped down from your forehead. But you were used to it by this point, it was more of a daily annoyance in your self-appointed work. You've built up a tolerance to it the longer you stay in your small camp.

You looked at the Hollow from afar with worry.

It grew more potent the last time I was here.. You thought to yourself as you packed up your findings in an old duffel bag while writing down some of your thoughts on your notes. You only bring back your journal and photos, not stuff that could potentially harm anyone as per the agreement to continue in your research and to stay in Blazewood.

The ache in your bones and the way your brain was turning itself off the longer you stay here tells you enough. It's time for a break.

Your camp was far away from the source of your research, the Old Capital. Far enough to not be affected, but near enough to observe it. Today, you were planning to go back to your lodgings in the Outer Ring, specifically Blazewood.

Although..

You checked your watch for the time. Normally, your ride back to Blazewood would be here by now..

Just as you were about to take out your phone to call, a familiar sound of an engine roared through the empty streets.

A bike that you were vaguely familiar with but weren't expecting at all, came closer to you at high speed before the tires screeched right in front of you. You gave the rider a smile once you recognized her.

“Afternoon, Researcher!” The soon-to-be leader of the Sons of Calydon flashed you with a wide grin, sweat dripping down her face under the sun. Her bike's engine continued to roar as she set her foot down to balance herself.

You chuckled as you placed a hand on your hip, “Caesar, how many times do I have to tell you that you can call me by my name?”

The nickname the Sons of Calydon, and by extension, the people of Blazewood started calling you once you started researching the Old Capital. You did give them your name, but apparently ‘Researcher’ stuck. You've grown used to it by this point.

Caesar flushed in embarrassment, putting her hand on her nape as she laughed, “Sorry, sorry. It's a habit at this point. Anyways,” She cleared her throat, “I'm here to bring you back to Blazewood!”

“Not that I'm complaining or anything,” You hummed as you approached the biker, “But normally Big Daddy is the one who picks me up, did something happen?” You eyed her curiously as Caesar adjusted herself so you could sit behind her, she revved her bike as you got on.

“I think so,” Caesar admitted, but quickly followed up as you looked at her with a frown over her shoulder, “But it's not anything bad! Big Daddy's been gone since yesterday. He said something about taking care of some business or something.”

You let out a sigh in relief as Caesar started driving at a slow pace before she made a U-turn back to Blazewood. “Well, at least it's not anything bad. Did he say why?”

Caesar picked up the pace, enough for the wind to whip at your face, you narrowed your eyes at the onslaught of dust and bits of rocks.

“Not really! He said something about meeting up with someone I think?!” Caesar shouted over the wind, you clutched the back of her bike for stability at the fast pace of her driving, eyes still narrowed due to the dust. “Guess we'll have to wait and see!”

––

Caesar's driving was a stark contrast compared to Big Daddy's, you were pretty sure you swallowed a bug during the ride back to Blazewood. You couldn't complain much though, at least you were back in your lodgings before late in the afternoon.

“You good, Researcher?” Caesar asked as you got off her bike, you were sure you looked like a hot mess judging by Caesar's concern, but you were pretty sure she was trying not to laugh at your face. To her credit, she was doing a pretty good job.

“Peachy, thanks for the ride, Caesar.” You adjusted your clothes and fixed your hair effortlessly, again you can't really complain. The Sons of Calydon and the people of Blazeword were already kind enough to take you under their wing, providing food and shelter. It was more than you deserve, so you help around if you could.

Besides, most of the people in Blazewood used bikes more often than not. There was Steeltusk, but you did not want to be another victim of Piper's driving anytime soon.

“Anytime–” Just as Caesar was about to get off her bike, a voice called out.

“Big Sis, Researcher! You're back!” The red jacket was already a telltale sign, the Champion of the Sons of Calydon approached you two as he raised his arm in greeting.

“Just in time, Big Daddy's been looking for you.” Billy said as he grew closer to you, you and Caesar shared a look, “Huh, Big Daddy's back already?” Caesar inquired as she got off her bike and kicked up the stand. You had half the mind to go inside your lodgings to drop off your bag as the two conversed.

It was a simple apartment on the second story, you climbed up the stairs as you took out your key, opening the door and promptly dropping your bag on the single sofa in the room before going back to the two members of the Sons of Calydon, still conversing but Caesar had a look of surprise on her face this time.

“What'd I miss?” You asked curiously.

“We're about to meet up with the others. Come on, Researcher!” Billy exclaimed, taking your arm in his hand without another word as all three of you walked to the lift to the main part of Blazewood, you didn't protest much since you and Billy were close enough for friendly touches like these every once in a while. But you were growing confused as you got on the lift.

“Did something happen?” You asked as the little bangboo pulled down the lever to take you up.

“Big Daddy's came back with a guy.” Billy replied as the lift’s creaky fence opened to let you out. You raised a brow at his vague words, “A guy?”

“Yeah, Big Daddy said he'll explain everything once everyone's there. So he sent me to wait for you two to come back.” You and Caesar shared a look again in confusion as Billy led the way, Blazewood was small, so you can already see the other Sons of Calydon members and the mayor of Blazewood just by the old diner along with an unfamiliar face.

“Do I have to be there too?” You asked as the three of you grew closer to the others.

Billy shrugged, “I guess so? Big Daddy did say to ‘make sure Caesar and the Researcher meet up with us once they come back’. I guess since you're our honorary member after all!” He joked as you let out a sigh.

Another thing, aside from your research, you spent most of your time with the Sons of Calydon in your free time. You enjoyed the company of the people of Blazewood, but you felt a deeper connection with the Sons of Calydon. Maybe because Big Daddy was the reason why you were here in the first place and he always insists you join them at their down times.

You sometimes think it was his way to make sure you weren't an anti-social shut in.

So while you weren't an official member, you were an honorary member. Which was why you were being dragged to this meeting right now.

“We're here!” Billy announced as the other members of the Sons of Calydon and the mayor of Blazewood greeted you, you smiled at them with a tip of your head.

“Now that everyone's here,” Big Daddy started, the group fell silent as they listened to him speak, “I'd like to introduce the newest member of the Sons of Calydon.” Big Daddy approached the man a little aways from the group.

The man stepped forward as Big Daddy gestured to him, his arms were crossed with his head down. You observed him from head to toe, trying to assuage what kind of person he was. You tried not to narrow your eyes at the guy and make him uncomfortable, so you smoothed your face into what you hope to be a welcoming one.

“Oh? Well, welcome to Blazewood, mister..” The mayor of Blazewood spoke up first, she trailed off,

The man cleared his throat, relaxing his stature as he looked up. “... Lighter, Lorenz. Nice to meet you.”

The man, Lighter, as he introduced himself. Had shades on when he looked up, you saw a glimpse of his eyes as he flickered his gaze around you. But you weren't entirely sure.

Big Daddy addressed the group after Lighter spoke up, “Lighter will be with us from now on. So, make sure to make him feel welcomed.” As the Sons of Calydon gave their confirmation and greetings to their new member, you stayed back and observed him.

Lighter was on the tall side, maybe as tall as Billy. But he seemed to retreat to himself as the Sons of Calydon started to approach him. No, not retreat. He looked like he was expecting a fight, wound up like a spring ready to jump. You can see his jaw clench and unclench as the others continued to ask Big Daddy question after question, most often than not, asking questions about him.

He was good at hiding his unease, you were just way too observant for your own good.

“Where are you from, Lighter?” You asked him directly, making the others pause and look at you. But your eyes were on him as he perked up in surprise, most likely not expecting anyone to ask him directly.

The man cleared his throat as he looked at you through his shades, it looks like this time he was observing you.

“.. Just by the old oil ridge, a bit far from here.” Lighter's voice was deep, raspy. As if he hasn't used his voice for awhile now. You had a hunch to think he had no reason to. “You look like you're from the city.” He followed up, more evident he was observing you.

You simply shrugged while crossing your arms, your expression remained neutral. “I get that a lot, but no, I'm not from there.”

“The Researcher's been with us for a couple of months now.” The mayor shared, looking at you with a smile which you returned.

“Yeah, but they didn't really share where they're from.” Caesar added as she looked at you thoughtfully, you put a finger to your lips mischievously. “I have my reasons.”

The group let out a small chuckle as the unspoken tension let up, it quickly died down as Big Daddy spoke up again, although it was noticeable he was glad for the distraction. “Anyways, let's get Lighter set up for now. Miss Kasa,” Big Daddy turned to the mayor. “Do we still have some room available for him? I’m afraid most of the space in our quarters is–” Big Daddy seemed to cringe, making you raise a brow in curiosity. The other members of the Sons of Claydon looked sheepish.

It made you think what transpired while you were busy with your research.

The mayor sighed but nodded in understanding. “I know. Unfortunately, most of the houses here are already occupied with residents and their respective families. And most lodgings at the lower level are already occupied.”

Big Daddy sighed as the Sons of Calydon started debating with each other what to do. You just stood by with the mayor as you watched them argue back and forth. The new guy (you decided to call Lighter), seemed to be mentally checked out of the conversation.

They're going to be arguing about this all day… You thought to yourself as the growing fatigue started making itself known as you watched. Unfortunately for you, you were way too determined in your research, which leads to not more than four hours of sleep a day. Along with sample gathering, data collection and whatnot, you're body was yelling at you to stop ignoring it's needs and go the fuck to sleep.

All you can think about is the bed inside your lodgings, and the duffle bag full of data you have to sift through.

So, before you can even pause and think, your mouth betrayed you as your mind was dead set on sleeping until the next morning.

“He can room with me.” All discussions seemed to pause, as everyone looked at you.

Curse you, you stupid mouth. But there was no turning back now.

“Are you sure, Researcher? We don't want to disturb you.” Big Daddy turned to you, he seemed to search your expression for any doubt as your face remained neutral. Instead, your gaze landed on the new guy, who seemed to be caught off guard. Huh.

You shrugged, trying to let some reassurance drip in your tone, but really. You really just want to pass out now. “It's fine, Lighter and I can room with each other for awhile as you, uh-” You narrowed your eyes at the others, “-sort out whatever happened to your headquarters.”

The other members of the Sons of Calydon nervously laughed before Big Daddy cleared his throat, waving away the unspoken question. “Well, since the Researcher offered,” Big Daddy turned to the new guy, “I hope you don't mind rooming with the Researcher, it's just until we can find a place for you to stay. That alright with you?”

“I don't mind.” Lighter answered quietly, shifting his gaze between you and Big Daddy. The Sons of Calydon perked up, reassuring the new guy about his accommodations. Sometimes you think the Sons of Calydon aren't a biker gang by how nice they are, at times, you mentally compare them to a group of eager pets with a new playmate.

You silently pray for the new guy as everyone continues to plan for his part in the Sons of Calydon.

[thydungeongal]

I genuinely don't understand what y'all mean by "ok to kill enemies." Everytime it comes up I feel less and less confident I am following the conversation.

D&D kind of has, as part of its DNA, the idea that combat will eventually happen in the game. To that end, throughout the history of the game there have been many different types of guy that in the text of the game have been presented as like almost self-evidently okay to kill simply because. While different editions of the game have tried to move away from some of the more overtly problematic portrayals of this (basically saying that certain types of humanoids are okay to kill because they look funny and live in caves is kinda fucked up), the truth is that pretty much every attempt to look for a suitable Boogeyman that player characters can kill without any iffy ethics about it is going to end up really weird.

Anyway this is why people will often look for types of guy to present as enemies where characters can engage in no-thoughts-head-empty lethal sports with them without anyone needing to have a "wait a minute, are we the baddies?" moment. Demons and the undead are pretty easy to go for here.

My personal favorite approach is to just accept the fact that D&D kinda sucks with black-and-white morality and instead of making the conflict in the world about clear good and evil teams make it about different groups of people with different goals. Orcs can be present but they're no longer "the evil guys it's always morally okay to kill because of biotruths" but instead just some guys who might sometimes have violent disagreements with other people.

Anyway a lot of this stuff doesn't mean anything and as said not engaging with games as texts on this level isn't really necessary to enjoy them. But for me at least it can often elevate gameplay. When bandits aren't just some guys who decided to become evil criminals some day but actual people whose banditry is a response to something going on in the world and their lives, it suddenly makes the conflicts in the world a lot more real and grounded (and sometimes killing those bandits can be the right thing to do, but sometimes negotiating with them or even cooperating them can be the right thing to do. Basically, once you start thinking about all the different types of Guy that inhabit the worlds of D&D not just as game tokens that player characters can hit to make XP come out [although that is also fine and dandy as a playstyle] but as living thinking creatures with actual goals, the types of narratives the game starts to produce also expands a hundredfold.)

Anyway I'm not sure if that answers your question because I went on like a bunch of tangents. But it was also kind of a vague question.

[yanderes-galore]

Yandere Deku concept with a hero darling 

This was a bit vague for me but I eventually settled on you both being Pro-Heros and you both went to UA together.

Yandere! Izuku Midoriya (Deku) with Hero! Darling

Pairing: Platonic -> Romantic

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Clingy behavior, Trauma, Fear of loss, Manipulation, Overprotective behavior, Stalking implied, Kidnapping, Jealousy, Drugging, Delusional behavior, Dubious turned forced relationship.

Izuku has always had a fascination with heroes ever since he was young.

Meeting his childhood idol and attending UA allowed him to live his dreams.

Although, by the end of his schooling, Izuku became a... changed man.

He's more hardened now that he's seen the world out there.

Even more so when he realizes he can't save everyone.

However... That never stops Izuku from trying.

Izuku first met you when he was in UA.

You were in his class and also aspired to be a hero.

Izuku befriended you through training sessions and... unfortunately shared traumas.

He never liked it when you got hurt in UA, be that in training or villain attacks.

True to his heart, Izuku is protective.

He has the heart of a hero, always wanting to protect those he cares about.

Izuku often found himself worrying for you in UA.

He has a tendency to overthink....

Each year only ever gets more difficult and Izuku, being as close as he is to you, can tell it wears you down.

Honestly, he feels the same.

The trauma he endures alongside you in UA no doubt affects his feelings towards you later on in life.

In UA, you're both just friends.

Even if Izuku had a major crush on you.

In fact, said crush and care he felt for you was often what stressed him out the most.

You two are both heroes... but he's seen people die and nearly lost many close to him.

How long will it be before you're also a casualty?

Such worries and thoughts are what pushes him into obsession as school continues on.

Izuku no doubt takes notes on his obsession and follows them around.

When you were both in school he most likely had a notebook section dedicated to you and your quirk.

Izuku knows your strengths and weaknesses more than anyone else.

He was always a bit too timid to ask you out and often just stayed your friend.

Plus, when you're dealing with constant danger... it would be hard to balance a relationship.

Despite this he's always caring and loyal, never far from you.

Your fellow classmates often joke that you two should date based on how deep Izuku is into his feelings.

But Izuku doesn't want to rush things...

If you're going to be a couple, then he wants it perfect...!

Although, he no doubt writes notes and ideas in his notebook about future date plans... or even marriage... or further than that.

Even when you're both in school he's your lovesick friend/classmate.

He's always so flustered around you, his confidence wavering when you speak to him.

His feelings no doubt persist after school, even after he experiences more horrors than any normal high-schooler should....

Especially due to his fear of leaving you alone.

When you both graduated to become heroes, Izuku became insistent on keeping contact.

It started with just sharing numbers, then gradually became more.

When not busy, he'd often visit.

When you were busy, he'd search for you before providing aid.

Even when he became the #1 hero he was still determined to keep you in his life.

If only you knew it was because he was scared to lose you.

He hates the idea of you somehow getting hurt or targeted if he leaves you be.

Even now he wants to protect you, even when you're capable of being on your own.

Izuku loves you... one could argue it's to a concerning degree.

He often mumbles to himself about you but usually excuses it to anyone who notices.

He's always asking others about you, often writing notes down about your feats.

Izuku is obsessive, even more so due to the fact you're a hero.

He's simultaneously worried yet fascinated due to his love of researching heroes.

So his research is not only about your personal life, it's about your career too.

After all... who else would know more than him?

That alone encourages him to ask you out later on.

He invites you out one day... only to pour his heart out to you.

Other than the fact Izuku is a bit clingy... you probably don't notice anything wrong.

You could willingly go into a relationship with him... or refuse.

If you agree and date him, his obsession is less intense and more subtle.

He comes off as a protective boyfriend who's always concerned when you're on missions.

Sometimes he's even a bit jealous... yet is able to keep that under control more than most.

Why should he be jealous, anyways?

After all, in this option, he has you to himself.

If he ever resorted to darker methods to keep you to himself and safe... It's more likely to be due to a mission.

For example, maybe you two had a fight.

Maybe Izuku was trying to convince you to stay out of a certain mission.

Perhaps he tells you it's too dangerous, leading to a fight before you end up walking out.

On your way to the mission, or perhaps even after it, you're suddenly tackled to the ground.

Strong muscles restrain you and a large hand covers your nose and mouth.

"See...? I knew you couldn't protect yourself... You need me, don't you? Always have...."

You fight against him, no doubt recognizing the voice as Izuku.

Yet he merely shushes you... before slipping a wet cloth over your nose.

"Sleep, love... Let me take care of you now."

If you rejected him before you even started dating, Izuku would resort to a similar method.

Except this time around he delves into creepier territory.

He keeps track of those you hang around with, he notes down where you frequent.

He stalks you for your "safety".

This time he does feel jealousy since he knows you don't like him the same way he does you... yet.

Soon enough he can't take it anymore.

Izuku would then tackle you once again when you're alone, slapping the wet cloth across your mouth and nose.

As you struggle he merely shushes you, kissing your forehead.

"It's okay, love... Don't you see you can't protect yourself? You need me... and I promise I'll protect you, just like back then...."

Both options conclude with the same outcome.

You're trapped in Izuku's home, under his constant surveillance.

He doesn't want to use restraints... but he'll do anything to keep you.

His delusional thoughts tell him you love him, that you need him.

You may want to be a hero... but he's the best hero the world has to offer.

So why not just let him care for you?

Izuku definitely seems like he'd have a thing for caring for you.

In fact, to make things darker... I wouldn't doubt he'd put sedatives in your food to keep you compliant.

He won't force you into anything... but the drugs certainly help him care for you without worrying about your quirk.

Plus... He thinks you look adorable like that.

He isn't violent, really....

As in, he wouldn't really kill anyone over you unless you were hurt. (Which is something someone like Katsuki would do, not Izuku)

Blood may stain his clothes, but he never shows you.

Izuku wants to be the perfect boyfriend to you.

Scratch that... The perfect husband.

He feeds you, holds you, kisses you...

He's yours and you're his in his eyes.

You two are meant to be.

There's no need for any more fights...! (Especially with the drugs in your system....)

Izuku will take care of you...

There's no need for you to play hero with him here.

[gwenllian-in-the-abbey]

Not fluent in English. 

Please tell me I’m not the the only who noticed that team green characters in the show aren’t allowed to hate team black characters. 

Like Aemond can’t even hate Lucerys for cutting his eye and disabled him for life. 

And Alicent can’t hate Viserys for marrying and gr*ping her and forcing pregnancies on her, even though he have no intention to name any of their sons his heir, and treating her mostly like a caretaker and concubine rather than his lawful wife and the mother of his legitimate children. 

Aegon and Helaena aren’t even allowed to hate Daemon the man who ordered the death of their Son.

Like why??? Why aren’t they allowed to hate them???

Hi aleksandra! You make a good point! I think there are a few things going on here.

For one, I think the writing is incredibly inconsistent across the board this season, and there are a lot of dropped plot threads. Some of it is intentional (like, I do think B&C was deliberately downplayed and undermined so that Alicent could have that Dragonstone scene, more on that in a bit), some of it I think is just bad writing and a kind of ... well, look, I can't speculate as to what goes down in the writer's room and have no idea what their workflow looks like or what processes they follow, but a problem going back to S1 is that characters and dialogue vary a lot from episode to episode. I don't think it's all that normal for a fandom to be concerned ahead of time about which writers will be writing which scenes and which episodes, but with HotD there seem to be huge differences in how each writer interprets the characters. Having worked on OFCIR collaboratively with @aifsaath, we work really hard to make sure the chapters are relatively consistent. I gave our first few chapters to my critique partner for original fiction, a guy who knows my writing inside and out, someone I've worked with for about 6 years now, @theravenpiper, and he could not actually tell which scenes were written by me, and which were written by Aife, which I took as a big complement to our collaborative process, and to our ability to edit to a uniform standard. Now I'm not saying we do it better than the HotD writers, but I do think that there is something missing from their collaborative process that makes the entire thing seem disjointed.

I do not think it is entirely that the whole of team green is not allowed to be angry at team black, although that is part of it, some of it is part of an overall bigger problem where major events are not allowed to resonate across the story, and I chalk some of it up to simple bad writing. Rhaenyra is apparently over Luke's death enough by E3 that she can seek out Alicent for some kind of vague "let's stop this madness" ploy, but still conveniently needs "a son for a son" in E8. Although Rhaenyra is negotiating from a position of power in E8, there was no reason for her to feel so desperate as of E3, when Rook's Rest hasn't even happened yet, that she would set aside her grief and anger and go seek peace. Peace was offered in E10 of season 1 and Rhaenyra turned it down after Luke died, so what has changed besides Rhaenyra's own husband beheading a toddler? Other events happen too and have little or no consequence. Rhaenyra and Mysaria kiss in E6 and it's entirely forgotten by E8, with zero follow up. Criston Cole is brought to his knees by the sight of Aegon lying injured by his dragon, but never even visits his bedside. Gwayne never interacts with anyone aside from Alicent and Criston. Rhaenyra sends her younger children to the Vale and never mentions them again (she is shown looking wistfully at a box of toys), nor does Jace. Laena in a vision berates Daemon for not looking after their girls, but does he ask after them when Broome shows up directly from Dragonstone? I could go on. Events just happening and then never really mattering again is a consistent problem throughout the season, which makes it hard to tell when it is happening deliberately and when it is happening because the writers can't get on the same page.

There are two things I do think are deliberate, however, one of them being the scrubbing of Viserys' image. While audiences loved Paddy's performance, a lot of viewers did pick up on how Viserys played favorites and neglected his sons, and I think when the show decided to switch up Alicent's motivation from "she wants to protect her children and knows they will face the sword if Rhaenyra comes to power" to "she misheard Viserys' last words," they knew that the natural question is, "why should she care about Viserys' last words?" A lot of the immediate feedback about that episode involved how Alicent was stupid for not knowing Otto planned to have Aegon take the throne, and a lot of people didn't think that Alicent (or Aegon for that matter) really believed that Viserys changed his mind, but apparently that was the writers' intention, that Alicent truly believed it and managed to convince Aegon (there's a lot I could say about how they could have included this deathbed misunderstanding into the plot without having it replace all of Alicent's other motivations, but they did not do that). So in order to drive home the point that the whole entire war is being fought due to this misunderstanding, they have to make sure the audience is clear that all of these characters considered Viserys a good king. Even if he was Alicent's rapist. Even if he was a deadbeat dad. Even if he was a terrible husband. We are meant to believe he chose Rhaenyra not because he was playing mindgames or out of guilt over Aemma's death, no we must believe he chose Rhaenyra because he was good and wise and to convince us he was good and wise we have to have the green characters reminding us constantly that things were so much better when Viserys was around, that Aegon is inferior to Viserys, that Viserys' wishes are all that matter. Nevermind that it goes directly against the book, never mind that it's not even a particularly powerful or interesting change, it's what enables Rhaenyra and Alicent's relationship to continue. Because here's the thing-- if Alicent put Aegon on the throne because she felt it was the only way to keep her family safe, and because she feels that law and tradition ARE on her side, and because absolutism isn't good (!!!) then there's no chance for her and Rhaenyra to ever reconcile. These are irreconcilable differences, not misunderstandings. And so the show has to glaze Viserys otherwise the basic reasoning falls apart.

And the second is the events like Luke's death, Blood and Cheese and Rook's Rest come in, events in which the greens or the blacks harm and traumatize each other directly. It is not that the greens are not allowed to hate the blacks, it is that Alicent is not allowed to hate Rhaenyra, and by extension, the people who Alicent cares about are not allowed to hate her (I would argue that Aemond is allowed to hate Luke on screen, he literally murders him, and I don't think the scene with the brothel madame is an expression of true remorse, it's more "I'm kinda sorta sorry there were consequences for my actions."). Alicent cares about Helaena the innocent, and therefore Helaena cannot be allowed to hate Rhaenyra (note Phia Saban's many interviews about how apolotical and neutral Helaena is). Aegon, on the other hand, can be affected by B&C because he is allowed to hate Rhaenyra. In fact, his hate for Rhaenyra puts him at odds with his mother, which is what the show wants. Aegon is gravely injured at Rook's Rest, but good thing Rhaenyra's forces did not cause the injuries, Alicent herself drove him to battle with cruel words, and Aemond burned him, which puts him at odds with Alicent too (and Helaena is allowed to express ire at Aemond by extension). If you look at S2 as an exercise in driving a wedge between Alicent and her family and downplaying what happens to them in order to justify their decision to have Alicent seek out Rhaenyra and surrender Aegon's life, it makes a lot more sense.

The thing is, it still doesn't work. Their efforts are much too transparent and require characters to act in ways that are simply not within the realms of how normal human beings would react to these situations, much less the characters established in S1. There is a twitter user, and I'm so sorry that I can't remember their name at the moment, but I've seen them express the sentiment several times that Alicent's character this season made them aware, in a way that a viewer should never be aware, that these are scripted lines coming out of her mouth. That is, a lot of the characters in S2 do not feel like actual people. Aegon is such a fan favorite this season because he feels real. Alicent garnered legions of fans last season because her struggle felt real, even if we didn't agree with it. She felt like a character who inhabited a quasi-medieval world, bound by restraints we are not bound by, but nevertheless a human with human reactions who had to make difficult choices and persevere through them. And any human would be angry beyond comprehension at Blood and Cheese, would lose all faith in Rhaenyra, would know that there can be no peace if she is ruling with a man that ruthless at her side. If she thinks her sons are devils (and mind, so far as king Aegon's most egregious action is executing a handful of ratcatchers after one of their number murdered his son, whereas Rhaenyra burned about 65 peasants alive in a quasi religious ecstasy-- will Alicent ever find out about that, I wonder?), they are at least the devils she knows. Better they all die than end up in Daemon's hands, surely? And so OP, you're right, they are not allowed to hate each other when naturally you, and many others, feel like they should. That is because they are writer creations who would never do such things as what happen in the books in the first place, acting out plot points of entirely different characters (their book counterparts).

[captainsophiestark]

After An Eternity

Finn Mikaelson x Reader

Masterlist - Join My Taglist!

Written for my personal fic writing challenge for 2024, Sophie's Year of Fic! Featuring a new fic being posted every Friday, all year long :)

Fandom: The Vampire Diaries/The Originals

Summary: Finn's oldflame is the only person who might be able to convince him to stray from Team Esther while in a new body in New Orleans.

Word Count: 1,916

Category: Angst, Fluff

Putting work into an AI program without permission is illegal. You do not have my permission. Do not do it.

"I won't do it! We're monsters, do you hear me? Monsters!"

I flinched at the sound of an unfamiliar voice shouting from the adjoining room in the Mikaelson compound. Finn Mikaelson, my former best friend and the love of my life, was apparently alive in another man's body in New Orleans, wreaking havoc on the lives of his siblings and doing his mother's bidding.

A lot had changed since the last time I'd seen him.

"You see what I mean?" asked Rebekah, who stood next to me. "He won't listen to reason. He's been absolutely ridiculous since Sage- Um. Well, since Sage... died."

I pursed my lips and let out a long sigh through my nose. I had some truly ancient history with the Mikaelsons, and for the past 1,000 years or so I'd been doing my best to avoid, ignore, and forget it. I'd been having pretty good success, too, until Rebekah had managed to hunt me down for help with Finn. And no matter how much I didn't want to get involved, I also couldn't say no.

I'd first met the Mikaelsons ages ago, when we'd all still been human. We'd lived in the same village, and I'd grown up with all of them. Finn and I were born within months of each other, so we'd been especially close, and it had been common knowledge that Finn and I were going to get married within the year.

And then Esther had turned them all into vampires.

None of them had exactly been happy about it, especially as nature exacted its toll beyond anything Esther had imagined. Finn ran off before I'd even realized what had happened, scattering to the winds to try to cope with his new reality. A few of the other Mikaelsons had stuck around a bit longer, and I tracked them down as soon as Finn vanished to get an explanation of everything that had happened.

Once I understood everything, I begged them to change me. Finn was the love of my life, and the other Mikaelson siblings were the only real family I'd ever known. Klaus refused, and although I nearly managed to sway Elijah, he eventually refused me too, neither of them willing to bring me into the eternity they'd just been forced to share.

It took longer than I would've wanted, but eventually, I managed to find Rebekah. She was by far the most devastated about her new life as a vampire, which was why I hadn't bothered to approach her until she was my last chance. But she was also desparate for a lifeline, especially if it came in the form of a sister. Despite her reservations, I managed to convince her to turn me. She helped me through the transition in secret, keeping me alive while somehow also keeping her brothers in the dark, and then she helped point me in the right direction to find Finn. She promised not to tell anyone anything until after I'd found him, and we made plans to meet back up after I'd reunited with the love of my life.

It took me over a year to find him. I ended up returning to Rebekah more than once during that time, until finally, I managed to find the man I loved in one of the larger European towns, following a hunch and a vague description from someone who saw someone matching my love's description.

I'd planned the moment of our reunion so many times in my head, but when I finally found him walking down the street, he was hand in hand with another woman, laughing and smiling at her like he used to with me.

My heart shattered on the spot, and I barely had the presence of mind to hide myself from his sight before I shut down. Looking at them had ripped my chest open and tore out everything important, and I'd run away before they'd been able to spot me. I'd gone briefly back to Rebekah, but her brothers refused to stop causing dangerous drama, and she could never stay away from them for too long. I'd decided to disappear and leave all of it behind me at almost the same time Nik shoved Finn into a coffin, and I learned that Finn had turned the woman he'd been with the last time I'd seen him.

I spent the next 900 years putting Finn and the rest of his family behind me. I'd traveled the world, spent time with incredible, wonderful people, and used the extra time and power being a vampire afforded me to protect people who needed it and do my best to do good in the world. Losing Finn still hurt, and knowing we were two of the only people who'd been alive as long as we'd been sat as a constant reminder of everything in the very back of my mind. But on the whole, I'd been able to put that to the side and focus on enjoying my eternity, as much as possible.

Until a few days ago, when Rebekah had managed to track me down.

To her credit, she'd come to find me without spilling the secret of my existance to her brothers. She'd caught me up on the highlights of the time we'd spent apart, and on everything that had happened with Finn in the past few years. And because I still loved him, despite all the time apart and the hurt of losing him to someone else, I'd agreed to come to New Orleans with Rebekah with barely a second thought.

"You said you found a way to get him back into his body, right?" I asked, making sure to keep my voice low as I spoke to Rebekah. I did my best to drown out the shouting of Finn and his brothers in the next room. "How is that even possible?"

Rebekah just shrugged. "Witches."

I sighed, taking a moment to consider my options. Finn needed my help. He was still important enough to me that I wanted to give it. But once I walked through that door, Klaus, Elijah, and Kol would all know I was still alive. Any chance I had at continuing to fly under the radar and live peacefully would be gone.

I'd gotten to spend ten lifetimes exactly the way I wanted to. It was time for me to face the things that had been lurking in the back of my mind for 1,000 years.

"Alright," I finally said. "Alright, let's do this."

Rebekah nodded, then stared at me as I didn't move. She raised an eyebrow, and that was enough to finally get me to huff and take the last few steps into the dining room without letting myself second-guess.

The four Mikaelson boys were mid-argument, but they all froze when I walked ino the room.

I'd marched in here without a plan of what I wanted to say, and all four boys were apparently too stunned to speak. Luckily for all of us, Rebekah swept in to save the day.

"Thank god! I was wondering what it would take to finally get some peace and quiet out of the four of you!"

I couldn't help laughing. Although Rebekah and I hadn't seen each other regularly, I still considered her a friend, and had for the past thousand years.

"You're alive?" Nik demanded, finally finding his voice at the same time Finn found his, gently and quietly whispering my name.

My eyes snapped to Finn's, ignoring Nik completely. He didn't look like himself, but he didn't need to for me to recognize the same heart I'd always known.

"Hi Finn," I breathed, letting the smallest of smiles creep onto my face. "I... I missed you."

He breathed my name again, quickly closing the distance between us to take my hands. I noticed the other four Mikaelsons sharing looks with each other over Finn's shoulder, but I ignored them.

"Have you... where have you been? How is this possible that you're here?" asked Finn. I gave him a soft smile.

"Rebekah turned me about a year after your mother turned the rest of you. You disappeared from the village right after, and it took me a long time to find Rebekah, and than an even longer time trying to find you..."

"But you found me?" he asked, still wide-eyed and completely breathless. "Why didn't you tell me you had turned?"

I shrugged, a rueful smile pulling onto my face.

"You were with someone else."

Finn frowned in concentration, and I could see him flipping back through his memories. When he found the one of Sage, he froze, his hands gripping mine tighter.

"I... I'm sorry," he breathed. "I didn't know. I thought... I didn't want to be a vampire. I still don't. I didn't want to pass that curse on to you. I thought you'd be better off with... without me."

I gave Finn a sadder version of my earlier smile.

"Immortality can definitely be a curse, Finn. But it can also be a blessing. It just seriously depends on how you spend that immortality, and who you spend it with. I'm happy with my choices, but... I wish I could've spent it with you, too."

Finn just shook his head at me, apparently still considering, so I continued. Rebekah had tracked me across the Earth for a specific reason, after all.

"Finn... I know you think we're monsters. And I get it, honestly, I do. But please listen to me when I say... there is so much more to this life than whatever drama your brothers get into on the regular. Or your mother, for that matter."

The other Mikaelsons had more or less given us space until now, but I heard a distinct snort from Nik at my words. I ignored him, holding Finn's hands tigheter and pulling him a little closer since I knew what I was saying might make him want to pull away. Finn just shook his head.

"I... I don't know what to say."

"That's okay. I don't either, really. But... maybe you could go back to your own body? Not to admit defeat or go along with your brothers or anything, but more so I can talk to you as yourself. I've waited a thousand years, after all. Why don't you say we get the hell out of here and talk? We can come back, if you want to, or you can. But we also don't have to."

Nik started to say something again, but this time, Elijah silenced him. I kept my eyes locked on Finn's, and after a moment, he slowly nodded.

"I... I think I could do that. For a short time, at least. I owe you that much, after... after everything."

I squeezed his hands again and gave him a small smile. I could see the other Mikaelsons celebrating behind me, but Finn and I ignored them, except to make plans to get him back in his own body. I knew our brief reunion was no garuntee that he'd change his mind about being a vampire, or about taking Esther's side. But for some reason, I couldn't help having a good feeling about things.

After a thousand years on this Earth, so many lifetimes lived, different people loved, and Finn's literal death, we'd somehow found each other again. No matter the odds or the obstacles in our way, I couldn't help feeling like we'd finally cleared the last real hurdle. It felt like we'd endured enough to make this incredibly late fresh start work, in a way that could actually last.

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

Everything Taglist: @rosecentury @kmc1989 @space-helen @misshale21

TVD/TO Taglist: @elenavampire21

[sillyteecup]

The Wrong Way

Roman Reigns x black!o.c

Jey Uso x black!o.c

Chapter 3

Warnings:

18+

Strong language

Slut shaming

Taglist: @wrestlingprincess80 @nbanenefrmdao @vebner37 @theninthwonder @tshepisho @lensilver @trentybenty @empressdede @queen-shadow22 @becauseimher @jstarr86

A.N: I would like to apologize to anyone who was expecting Main event Jey Uso. No pookies, this is 2021 Jey, or as I like to call him, "crashout Jey"🤭. Anyway, a delightful bunch our characters are yes? I honestly can't wait to get them to fully interact so we can see where this shit storm is going😭😭. Anyway here's chapter 3 of The Wrong Way. I hope you like it. Enjoy.❤️

The journey to Lori's new pris-home was long and silent. The Wiseman had arranged for her and her maidens to be seated in their own section of the jet with Sami for supervision. He said it was by the order of the Tribal Chief, which was a pleasant surprise to Loreal. However she still wasn't sold on the family.

Her maidens however were elated. Although they had not directly interacted with or even seen the Bloodline outside of Sami and the Wiseman, the closeness in proximity to the family was enough to spike their excitement levels. That paired with the opportunity to fly private with their Mistress. Previously When Lori and her family traveled, Lord Byron would have the Maidens fly commercial and in separate seats. No one understood why, and when Lori would protest he would be dismissive. So naturally, their current arrangement brought them joy.

While the maidens drank cocktails and shared hushed theories of how the palace would look, Lori sat opposite Sami in silence. His jaw often twitched as though he wanted to say something to her, but he never did. While he was slightly more relaxed away from the Tribal Chief, he was still on edge. Fidgeting with his rings and shifting relentlessly in his seat. All of the sudden movement was starting to annoy Lori.

"Sir-" she began, only to be interrupted by Sami.

"Sami. Just, Sami is fine, Miss Loreal," he said nervously with his hand up.

"That doesn't seem very inappropriate," Lori pointed out with an arched eyebrow.

"Well, Sir isn't exactly my title so calling me by name is as appropriate as it gets," Sami explained with a shrug.

Lori tilted her head as a look of confusion washed upon her features. "You are part of the most powerful family in the world, and you do not have a title?" she inquired.

Sami nodded before replying, "Well yes. But also no," he said vaguely.

"I don't follow," Lori said, folding her hands over her lap.

"I am a part of the Bloodline don't get me wrong. But I wasn't born into it, therefore no title. Well, unless you take, 'Honorary Uce' into account, but otherwise no title. Just good ole' Sami," Sami rambled, finishing his explanation with a nervous chuckle.

"Ah, I see. Honorary Uce Sami is quite the mouthful, but so is Miss Loreal. So you will call me Lori," Lori said jokingly to try and ease Sami's nerves.

"Lori," he sounded out slowly, as if testing it on his tongue. "I could work with that. Just not around the Tribal Chief," he added, his anxiety seeming to spike at the thought of Tribal Chief Roman.

"I'm sure he would not mind. At least until after the wedding," Lori shrugged, but Sami shook his head.

"Oh he would. He's very big on the title thing. Says it has to do with showing respect and humility," Sami explained.

"I don't think he'd care too much about showing me respect, I am after all an outsider. On top of that I am damaged. No one respects a damaged woman. They only seek to humble her," Lori said dryly, earning a soft small from Sami.

"I respect you, Lori," Sami said softly.

Lori's eyes softened. "Sami, while I appreciate the sentiment, you do not know me. You have no reason to respect me."

"Actually, I do have a reason. A couple actually," Sami stated, confidence slowly oozing into his tone making Lori smirk playfully.

"And praytell Sami, what are they?" she asked him.

Lori's smile grew at Sami's grin. His posture had slowly started to relax throught their conversation, and judging form his demeanor, he seemed very friendly. A stark difference from the family that took him in.

"Well, you're head strong, you're confident and you're kind. Well, at least kind to me and your maidens," Sami listed, counting his points with his fingers.

In a weird way, Sami reminded Lori of her mother. Although Azalea and her daughter hardly spoke, whenever they did, Lady Azalea always made sure to encourage and reassure Loreal. Lady Azalea would tell her that she was beautiful, intelligent, confident and kind. She would also remind Loreal not to let anyone take advantage of her kindness. Thus, her hot headed nature and occasionally cold demeanor.

"Thank you Sami. It might not mean much, but you have my respect as well," Lori replied softly.

She could've sworn she had just seen a tear roll down her new asset's eye.   

➽──────────────❥

Roman exited the jet, followed by his cousins. His hands rubbed at his temples as a headache had begun to set in from Jey's incessant complaining, paired with Jimmy's snarky rebuttals. He already tried his hardest to limit his time with the twins due to the constant bickering, always preferring Solo's quiet company above them. But if there was one thing he loathed, it was traveling with the twins because that meant he had to listen to every grating word.

Alas, however, the trip was over and he could finally get rid of them.

"It just feels so fucking disrespectful, you know? Of all the bitches yall could've picked, it had to be the one that's been around every street across the seas! I'm a prince man! I deserve better!" Jey complained for what was probably the 90th time since they had left the Moore house.

Roman had taken it with silence as he, to some extent understood his cousin's frustration. He knew that Jey felt undermined by the choice for his fiancé, and that he felt like a second-class citizen. However, Roman was not the one who chose Miss Loreal Moore, Rikishi, Jey's father was. And the last thing Roman wanted to do was involve himself in the affairs of a father and his son. Even if it was simply a power move.

Also, aside from her unfortunate status, Miss Loreal Moore was actually a good pick. Lord Byron held quite a lot of political influence across the seas and according to the file Lord Byron had sent to Paul, she was highly intelligent, she had a leadership streak, and she was incredibly ambitious. All of that was enough of a sell as it was, but it was at the meeting where she truly caught Roman's attention. Her defiance, to Roman, was a sign of strength.

Roman liked strong women.

Miss Loreal Moore was not a pushover, and that was a quality that she would need most in being part of and dealing with his family.

However, most of all, she was astoundingly beautiful.

Roman had hardly found himself in positions where he was taken by a woman's appearance. Apart from Nadine, he barely even noticed the women around him, but Loreal was a different story. Her piercing brown eyes, her glossy, plump, two-toned lips, her the stud on the left side of her wide nose and her deep, brown skin that seemed to glimmer in any atmosphere. That, paired with her breathtakingly curvy figure made it a mission for Roman not to stare at Miss Loreal Moore throught the meeting.

Miss Loreal Moore was going to be his cousin's wife in about a month. His thoughts on her looks were then thrown to the back his mind. They did not matter.

"I know you not talking, Mr 'I fuck every bitch that breathes in my direction'," Jimmy commented from his brother's side.

"Man, this is not the fucking time to be joking and shit! This is my fucking life we're talking about and I'm supposed to spend the rest of it with a ho?" Jey hissed, making Roman's temper flare up.

Clearly Jey was struggling to understand that this wasn't about him anymore. That this was a sacrifice he had to make for the family to prosper and maintain their power. Roman only hoped that Jey wouldn't fuck the engagement up, otherwise he would have to punish his cousin, and the last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt the man he considered his right hand man.

Jimmy waved him off before saying, "Man I don't see no difference. You a ho, she a ho-hell yall are perfect for each other if you ask me," Jimmy snickered.

"Well then it's a good thing nobody fucking asked you."

"Enough!" Roman grunted, immediately shutting his cousins up. He could've sworn he saw Solo's lips twitch into a grateful smile. But it was gone as soon as it appeared. Jimmy pressed his lips together in a thin line while Jey downright scowled. Roman sensed that his cousin had long passed the stage of dissatisfaction. He was angry, but he knew not to direct it at the wrong person.

"I understand. I understand that you don't like the fact that you're marrying a damaged woman. But you had your opportunity to choose a good woman for yourself," Roman started as he began to get in Jey's face.

"You had the chance to get you a fresh one, but you fucked up by deciding to fuck around with every whore that smiled at you. So if you wanna complain about the quality of woman your father found you, take that shit up with him, but never forget the chance you had to prevent that shit," Roman stated as he poked Jey in the chest to emphasize his point.

He then leaned in to whisper in his cousin's ear, "It's not about you anymore Uce. Get that through your thick fucking skull! This is about our family! This is about what's best for all of us," his tone was menacing as he reminded his cousin of the situation.

He stepped back to see Jey still scowling, but nodding in understanding. That was good. All Roman needed was for him to understand.

"You can still do your shit on the side, I'm sure she won't give a fuck anyway," Roman suggested. His short encounter with Miss Loreal Moore, although short, showed him that the regard she would show for his cousin was low.

As much as Jey knew about her reputation, Roman theorized she likely did not care in the slightest as she barely wanted to marry him in the first place. The only thing Roman worried about was her willingness to actually be a part of his family. That was a huge factor to take into consideration. One Roman would do everything in his power to sway in his favour.

"Yo Uce, your ho may be a ho, but she a mighty fine ho for sure," Jimmy said with a snicker.

Roman's eyes snapped to the open jet that had just landed. There she was, gracefully making her way down the stairs, wearing what seemed like her usual, disinterested, yet mildly irritated expression. Right behind her were her four servants, or maidens as her father had called them. The young women, each with eager smiles on their faces made their way down with their mistress's luggage and their own. Finally Sami stepped out holding another one of her bags. A gesture she rewarded with a kind smile that shocked Roman.

And angered him.

Roman watched in an unexplainable annoyance as Miss Loreal Moore conversated with Sami as she and her travel party made their way to him and his cousins. While the sight of her laughing at his jokes seemed to piss him off, the sound of her laughter did something to him. Something akin to casting an enchantment. However, it was washed away as soon as it was chanted. This was not the time.

"Miss Loreal Moore, I should hope that your flight was comfortable," Paul said as she approached.

Her happy expression quickly turned neutral, as if she had just remembered her situation all over again.

"It was. Thank you," she said curtly, her now scrutinizing gaze cutting through Roman's family and Paul in one clean swoop.

Paul, as though he had felt the slits of her irises like a blade to his skin, cleared his throat nervously before speaking again. "Well then, I'm sure the long journey has left you and your maidens in need of some rest. Tomorrow will be quite the long day," Paul said with a nervous chuckle.

Miss Loreal Moore's features never wavered from the stony expression she wore. Roman could feel her sizing him and his cousins up. He almost smirked at how shamelessly she glared.

"I agree Wiseman. But I must ask, will my fiancé be accompanying me to the palace?" she questioned, finally shifting her gaze to him. The bitterness in her tone was subtle, but still noticeable to Roman's ear.

Paul looked taken aback, not expecting her question as she seemed to not want any part in their marriage. Then it clicked in Roman's mind, she didn't know that Jey wouldn't be staying at the palace during their engagement. He then shot a glare to Sami who he had told to clue her in on what would happen next. Sami shrunk beneath the sharp glare.

"Oh, Miss Loreal, that's not-traditional we don't-" Paul began to sputter, being cut off by Roman's low tone, but gentle.

"Is that what you want, Miss Loreal?" Roman asked, attempting to gauge her reasoning.

She shrugged in response, saying, "Well we are to be married. It would only make sense for us to acquaint ourselves with one another."

Roman nodded then flashed a charming smile. "Then that's gonna happen," he said.

The moment Paul and the women were out of ear shot, Roman's gaze morphed into a deadly glare. "If you fuck this up, there will be some very dire consequences," he warned in a cold, low tone.

"Wiseman, please lead Miss Loreal Moore and her ladies to the car. Jey will catch up in a second," Roman requested, turning to face an irritated Jey.

Jey nodded silently, prompting Roman to release him. Jey ran to catch up with Paul and the ladies, while Roman turned around and headed to his own car followed by Sami and his remaining cousins. He contemplated having a little 'talk' with Sami, but decided against it.

If Miss Loreal Moore trusted Sami, then Roman would use that to gain her trust as well.

[dreamwavesexploringreality]

SHADOWS OF THE PAST:

NIGHT IN THE LIBRARY PT2

Niragi x reader

TW: Violence, physical harm, abuse of power… Niragi on his own can be a trigger warning…

The cold air of Borderlands burned in her lungs with every breath she took. Her heart raced frantically in her chest, and she could feel the adrenaline coursing through her body, still fresh from the last game she had faced.

In moments like these, wandering aimlessly looking for a place to spend the night, her mind traveled to her most inhospitable memories. She often thought of Niragi Suguru, the boy she had met in the library. Secretly, she had been fascinated by the bespectacled boy since the first time she saw him. It was almost a miracle that he had also felt some curiosity about her and had agreed to go on a simple coffee date. She remembered it as if it were yesterday, almost able to taste the cappuccino on her tongue. But that had been a long time ago. After that unexpected date came others, and then some more, and eventually, the inevitable happened: he kissed her. Y/N wouldn’t consider it the best kiss of her life, but without a doubt, it was the most special, the most real...

Now, all of that remained as vague memories hidden in her mind, casting light on an uncertain future. Sometimes she wondered if he was also in this world, trapped as she was. Then she dismissed the thought as if it were toxic; she didn’t want him to be in a place like this, her innocent and naive Niragi… no, he shouldn’t be in such a place.

Her thoughts were pushed to the background when she heard a scream not far from her position. Her heart raced once again as she tried to decide whether it was worth investigating. Y/N knew it would probably be foolish to approach the place where the screams were growing more and more desperate, but on the other hand, you never knew what the place had to offer... maybe she could get a weapon, or an ally in the best case. She decided to follow the sound of the voice.

She did so cautiously, moving through the shadows and hiding among buildings. She wasn’t willing to face whatever the situation was head-on, so when she got close enough to observe the scene, Y/N remained hidden behind the rubble of some huge building that had succumbed to that hostile land.

The screams and cries clearly came from a man on the ground who was being kicked mercilessly by a group of striking characters. Five, Y/N counted. "Five against one..." she thought.

"Do I have to repeat myself? Give me all your cards!" said one, who seemed to be the leader. He wore a printed t-shirt, and although Y/N couldn’t see his face from her position, it was evident that he emanated a dangerous and intimidating aura. “I would never want to have someone like that as an ally…” she thought, discarding the idea of seeking out a companion, the reason she had approached the scene.

"I told you! I don’t have anything, please, a group attacked me yesterday and took all my cards, maybe they were yours, your friends, definitely. Please don’t hurt me!" the man sobbed from the ground.

Y/N’s heart broke at the sound of that boy's plea for mercy; he couldn’t be much older than her and was just trying to survive, like anyone in that place. Y/N watched in panic as the man she had designated as the leader aimed a large shotgun directly at the man on the ground without hesitation.

"If you have nothing, you’re of no interest to us... Maybe we should get rid of a potential rival... What do you say?" His voice sounded maniacal and disturbing as he laughed along with his three companions.

“Wait… three companions?”

Y/N had no time to think much more when a rough yank on her arm pulled her out of her hiding place.

"Hey, look what I found! We have a little spy among us!" Y/N felt all attention shift to her, and her body froze as she realized the gravity of the situation she had gotten herself into.

The man continued to yank her arm until they reached the rest of the group and forced her to kneel violently beside the man still lying on the ground. She took a quick glance at the man, seeing his bloodied face and imagining the rest of the injuries he might have all over his body, and it was at that moment that she understood she wasn’t going to make it out alive.

“Well, well… what do we have here? What were you doing hiding there, sweetheart? Too shy to join the party?” said the leader, with a sweet and deceptively concerned voice as he crouched down to face her.

It was at that precise moment that two hearts stopped for an instant. There, kneeling before her, with more piercings and predatory eyes she could never have imagined, was Niragi. For a moment, she thought her mind was playing a cruel trick on her in what she considered one of the last moments of her life, but no, it was him. She recognized his facial features, his eyes, even his voice… he was Niragi, her Niragi… Although he might never be “her Niragi” again.

The man wasn’t much better off than her; he recognized her the moment she knelt before him and, for the first time in all the time he had been in Borderlands, his mask fell, and he didn’t know how to act. It was her… “What is she doing here? No, she can’t be here, no… Please, no…”

Neither of them noticed as one of the men rummaged through the girl’s pockets and pulled out a considerable stack of cards.

"Look, Niragi! She has tons of cards, she must be a good player. Maybe we should take her to the beach!"

Neither of them flinched, still lost in their own thoughts.

"Leave us" Niragi broke the silence with a dangerously low voice.

If the men accompanying him were surprised, they didn’t show it; they left, disappearing among the buildings, leaving the pair alone with the man still lying on the ground.

"Are you deaf? Get out!" Niragi barked aggressively, delivering a final kick, full of frustration, to the battered body of the man, who ran away as fast as he could, falling repeatedly.

Silence settled like an unwelcome intruder. Y/N remained kneeling on the ground, staring intently at the man’s face, trying to discern if all of this was real. Niragi, on his part, moved nervously, trying to look anywhere but at the woman still on the ground.

"Get up," he ordered, his voice slightly trembling, trying to regain some of the confidence he seemed to have in abundance until that moment.

Y/N did not obey; perhaps she didn’t even hear him. She was in shock. She couldn’t believe that the man standing before her, with a shotgun in hand, was the same shy, insecure, and withdrawn boy she had come to love. The last kiss they had shared at the doorway came to her mind suddenly, when he had walked her home shortly before the fireworks lit up the Tokyo sky. It had been a cautious, silent, and intimate kiss, sharing the promise of their love. “I couldn’t kiss this man,” she thought, immediately regretting it as she felt a hollow space in her stomach, remembering that this man was Niragi.

The boy sighed impatiently and yanked on the girl's arm, ignoring the spark he felt when touching her skin. He loved seeing people kneel before him, fearing for their lives and begging for his forgiveness… but not her. Something in his body ached and hurt to see her like this before him.

The girl forced herself to stand, not breaking her gaze from his. She reached out tentatively, needing to touch him, needing to know if he was really him, if behind the character her eyes were seeing, there was still the boy from their library nights.

Niragi pulled her arm away with more force than necessary, immediately regretting it. He couldn’t let her touch him, didn’t want to feel her caresses… didn’t want to stain her soul.

"What are you doing here?" he asked harshly, almost growling.

"Niragi…" she whispered. Hearing her own words, she knew at that moment that everything was real.

Niragi’s mask fell a little more upon hearing her voice, and he felt his walls threatening to collapse. No. He couldn’t cry. He wouldn’t.

"This place isn’t for you," he said, stepping brusquely away from her, picking up the cards from the ground that his companion had left. He examined them one by one.

"This isn’t a place for anyone. Not for you," Y/N countered, slowly returning to reality. She felt as though she was waking from a long dream. Niragi, her Niragi… that memory that had allowed her to survive in that place… it had all crumbled.

A sarcastic laugh escaped the man’s lips.

"What do you know? This is exactly my place, the place I’m meant to be…" A thousand unspoken words were left behind. He wanted to tell her how much he missed her, how many times he had thought about her and wished they were together. He wanted to tell her he loved her… But he couldn’t. Not there, not now.

Niragi watched as the girl’s gaze fell, those expectant eyes that had just collided with reality, and he put the deck of cards in his shirt pocket.

"You’re not like this…" Y/N began to say.

"And what do you know?" The words came out harsher than he intended. "This is who I am," he said with feigned pride.

"You’re a monster," she whispered. She wouldn’t have wanted to say it, but the words came out on their own; it was what she had been thinking since she saw him mistreat the man on the ground while hiding among the rubble.

That word pierced Niragi’s heart like a thousand burning daggers. It wasn’t the first time he had been referred to like that, but he never would have imagined Y/N calling him that, and he never would have imagined the pain it would bring.

"Get out. I’ll tell them you escaped," he said, making a heart-wrenching effort and facing the girl with false indifference. "Oh, but I’m taking this with me," he added, touching the pocket of his shirt where he had stored the girl’s cards.

Y/N looked at him, her eyes showing pain and disappointment.

"If that’s what you want," she spoke firmly, ignoring the pain in her heart. She looked at him one last time, trying to find in his gaze traces of the Niragi she knew, the one she loved. She didn’t find them. She turned away, leaving and disappearing into the darkness of the night.

Niragi watched her turn that last time, sharing that final glance. Maybe he would never see her again; Borderlands was not a safe place. He was left alone, watching the place where the girl had vanished, as if hoping she would turn around and run into his arms, as she had done so many times in the past… He remained trembling under the stars, watching as the only light in his life disappeared once more before his eyes, this time because of his own fault. He could previously blame the fireworks that had deprived him of a happy future together… but not now. This was his fault, and he knew it.

© 2024 [@dreamwavesexploringreality]

--------

Should I continue it?

I've taken some time to write the second part of the Niragi x reader story, and I really hope you enjoy it!

If there's enough interest and feedback, I might consider writing a 3rd PART or even turning it into a series. Your thoughts and comments are greatly appreciated!

[clanwarrior-tumbly]

oooh I got one! prompt 74 with any of the follower!bishops, where they get hurt on a crusade and reader, who is a healer finds them and helps them <333

74) "I think I broke my leg!"

.......

"I can't believe this...betrayed by my own-!!"

"Lord Kallamar?"

Surprised by the voice, Kallamar looked up at you, the figure dressed in white tattered robes, clean of any and all ichor. The metal halo behind your head reflected the sunlight from above Anchordeep, making it seem as though it were glowing.

Now he remembers.

You're one of the many nameless Healers in his former army of cultists and devotees. He thought most of them were culled by the Lamb at this point, yet you were somehow still alive.

"You have returned to us in such a miniscule form." You mused, to which you saw him tense up, trying to shuffle away.

So far, every creature here was trying to kill him during his crusade, and he wasn't sure if you were going to be any different.

He knew should've gone to the tailor first; at least they wouldn't attack him on-sight just because his red robes remind them of the Lamb..and that his defeat permanently shattered his image as a leader.

"Back away from me! I'm---ow!!!" Feeling a sudden sharp pain in one of his legs, Kallamar stopped moving and looked down, realizing it didn't look quite right. "Ah...a-ahaha...I-I think I broke my leg...!"

"Do not fear, my lord. I will make it all better." Floating down to the ground, you gently reached your hands out to him, green magic appearing from your fingertips. "How did this happen, if I may ask?"

"Well..I fell.." He mumbled quietly, and you looked at him, mishearing him.

"What happened?"

"I-I fell while fleeing from one of those sea creatures..." Red dusted his face as he averted his gaze, embarrassed to be seen like this--especially by someone he used to rule over.

But you seemed to show absolutely no bias nor resentment towards him, even though he now wore the same robes of the enemy cult.

Part of him was afraid you'd refuse and leave him to suffer on his own, although he remembers that your singular job is to be a healer. And despite knowing that he wasn't some all-powerful god anymore and allowed himself to be beaten by Lamb into submission...you wanted to help him anyways. You didn't huff or laugh or show any indication that you thought of him as pathetic for breaking his leg over a simple fall.

Instead, you quietly allowed your magic to go to work, mending the broken done and repairing the torn flesh. Soon it set itself back into place without causing him further pain, making it good as new.

Like nothing even happened.

"You should be good now, my lord. Do be careful with your new mortal vessel." Bowing your head, you rose to your feet and watched as Kallamar slowly got up.

"Only now I see how fragile this body is..damned Lamb.." He grunted, checking out his leg before picking up his backpack. Then he gazed up at you. "What's your name?"

You blinked. "My name..?"

"Yes, that's what I said. I never knew your name, but I wanna know it now."

"I see, then...I'm [y/n]." You answered, surprised and flattered that he asked.

It's been so long since you've said your name to anyone, that you've almost forgotten it entirely.

"Well, [y/n]..would you care to accompany me for the remainder of my crusade? I was sent to retrieve as many crystal shards as I could carry...but I keep running into dead ends, and death traps.." Kallamar shuddered. "And I-"

"You needn't worry, my lord. I would be happy to join you." Although he couldn't see your smile under your hood, he could hear the delight in your voice, and chuffed.

Why were you so kind to him? Why did you treat him as though he was still your ruler?

"None of this bothers you at all?" He vaguely gestured to himself. "You don't see me as your "enemy"?"

"I only see the injured and the sick, and I heal them." You assured him, chuckling softly. "Do not fret. It matters not what form you take or how limited it is, my lord-"

"Okay, I'm not your "lord" anymore. Just Kallamar is fine."

"...very well, Kallamar. Then let us go. I know a safe path."

[hmserebusadjacent]

OK, I want to try and get this out in a vaguely coherent way. So follows a discussion on Emmrich Volkarin and the want to be wanted.

From that little line in the Flame Eternal, we get a glimpse into how Emmrich wants to have enough affection for someone to scream into the world until he and they would be reunited. But the statement itself is a double edged sword, if you will.

He doesn't just want that affection in his own heart, although that would be a lovely start. He wants to be wanted by someone else, to be told it could only ever be him. He wants both sides of that coin of devotion and to know what it is like to be desired and needed above all things.

It's not just his own feelings of affection that he craves, it is the other person's affection for him that he craves too. Perhaps after a lifetime of being misunderstood by people, he just really, really wants someone to want him for who he is. To treasure him and adore him unconditionally, who will love him despite his own perceived flaws.

It leaves me wondering if we will get a similar scene to the one found in Dorian's romance where Dorian asks whether he should stay with his amatus or go to Tevinter after the world is saved. The knowledge that Dorian looks so happy if you ask him to stay has me thinking. What if Emmrich asks in such a scared little voice whether Rook will stay with him, that he understands why they wouldn't, he's only an old man after all, and Rook is a treasure that can't be compared.

But Rook would have the opportunity to say that they aren't going anywhere, that they'll stay together and make it work. And Emmrich will be shown again that he is so wanted, that his life long need to be wanted by someone has been fulfilled all over again. There could never be anyone else because Emmrich is in the world, Rook would say, and I think Emmrich would be holding back tears all the while.

Both sides of the coin of devotion filled, and Emmrich Volkarin will know once again that he is wanted, needed and desired in all the ways he had always been dreaming of.

I hope that all made sense. It's been running around inside my head for a few days after I noticed similarities between Emmrich and Dorian. With that in mind, I'm even more certain that Emmrich's romance is going to break my heart, even if it is in a good way.

[ryuua]

After the Curtain Call

!4.2 ARCHON QUEST MAJOR(?) SPOILERS!

Furina has found herself indulging in more simple pleasures lately — one of which includes drowning in your comfort and attention. However, today takes a different turn than usual.

🌢 Furina x gn!reader

🌢 Genre: Fluff, comfort(?)

🌢 Warnings: 4.2 ARCHON QUEST MAJOR(?) SPOILERS, Furina might be OOC, may not be canon to lore or what happened after the 4.2 archon quest since I haven't done Furina's story quest yet, not entirely proofread

A/N: As mentioned in the warning since I haven't done Furina's story quest yet, I don't actually know what happened after the events of the 4.2 archon quest. Although I did have a f!reader in mind, it's mostly gender-neutral so anyone and all can enjoy :D The reader's origins are kept as vague as possible so their identity in Teyvat and how they came to know Furina and whatnot are up to your imagination BUT it's set that you're Furina's significant other and you know about the deeper plot line. Anyway I've become such a Furina enthusiast I had to write this love live laugh Furina

"Furina..."

"Huh? Who's that..?"

"Furina..."

"..Ah!"

Hey eyes widened, the déjà vu settling uncomfortably inside her yet she calmed at the sight of the caller.

"...Y/N.. did I fall asleep..?"

Furina asked groggily, reaching her hands to rub her eyes and to her surprise, it was wet.

"Oh.. was I..?"

"Mm, you were out for quite a while. What were you dreaming of?"

They glided their finger from her cheek to her eyes, gently wiping away the tears that formed during her slumber. Their warmth spread out onto her face, replacing the cold droplets that stained it before. It was comforting to say the least, and Furina wanted to bury herself in this feeling forever.

"Dream? I was dreaming of..."

(Thank you— all you've done— this moment—)

"—Furina?"

"..Sorry, did I space out?"

Furina's vision slowly came back into focus, giving them a tired smile and in return, received a worried one.

"Haha, it's alright. Do continue where you left off, you'll feel better once you let it out."

"Hm? What do you mean?"

Y/N stared at her solemnly, though their smile still there. Furina sat herself up and turned her curious gaze towards them. Once again, their hands moved to cup her face in them, shifting closer to Furina as they pressed a small kiss to the side of her eye where she finally felt it. Was she crying? Pulling away, they chuckled at her realization

"You were crying."

"Eh.. Is that so? ...This must be an overflow of Hydro from my person."

A stare down accompanied by a long silence followed before both of them bursted into a fit of laughter.

"Really now? As expected of the great Furina. Only one such as she could store so much Hydro in them to the point it'd overflow."

Their giggles continued to surround the quaint room they were in and as time would go on, so would the moment. They soon found themselves staring into the other again until Y/N ultimately broke the silence.

"Hey.. you're not the Hydro Archon anymore, okay? You don't have to carry your burdens by yourself. You could always tell me... or even Neuvillette! I'm sure he'd be more than happy for you to waltz into his doors unannounced, just as you once did."

"My dear, what are you implying!"

"Hehe, it's nothing. But.. seriously. I'm sure... Focalors wouldn't want you to be stuck in the past as well."

Furina's eyes widen. Now fully able to feel the tears falling down her face like a waterfall. Her façade slowly cracked, revealing her inner troubles deep down one by one as she buried her head into the crook of Y/N's neck. She sobbed endlessly, her hands clinging to their clothes with desperation as if they would leave her. Images flash through her mind: when she worked tirelessly to contribute to saving Fontaine, when she was found guilty and thought all hope was lost, when everyone had turned their backs to her upon the truth. All of them were still weighing in the back of her mind all this time, but she had deceived herself into thinking she left everything in the past, to the past.

"You're not alone anymore, Furina. I'll always be here for you."

That's right. Furina was no longer alone, now she could — and she would — rely on other people for her problems. Rely on Y/N.

"And I wish nothing but for you to be happy, Furina. Hush now, love."

Their voice made her feel like she was floating, slowly carrying her away from a deep, dark void into a world of only comfort and happiness. Their words swayed her back and forth gently and lulled her into slumber, one that was full of bliss, one where both of them would be in, one that made her the happiest.

With a final kiss to her forehead, they whispered lovingly to Furina.

"Let's live happily from now on," (—live happily—)

"As you once wished." (—Just as I wished we could—)

Oml I finished it. This was done over the course of a week or two so I'm starting to not really like how it turned out but OH WELL I'LL WRITE ABT GOING ON A DATE WITH HER NEXT MAYBE JUST SIMPLE WHOLESOME OUTING STUFF Thank you for readinggg

[deathbxnny]

helloo, platonic otto with a child!reader he made from his and Kallen’s dna, kinda similar to dr.mei making adam with her and kevins dna :3

I absolutely love this idea, and thank you for the request, Anon! I hope you like this!<33

Content: Platonic relationships, vague descriptions of experimentation, brainwashing(?,) Otto being questionably evil per usual, child reader, maybe ooc?, sfw

Reader has no set pronouns!

((Not fully proofread))

He considered the day of your "birth" to be the second best one of his life. The first one was meeting Kallen, of course, but your existence finally coming to life after so many endless years of hard research and experimenting almost beat it. But only almost.

For a while, he didn't really see you as a person. Sure you were technically his child now, but ultimately, you were really just created to follow in your "mothers" footsteps and make him proud! From the moment you can speak and walk, you are put through extensive training and schooling. He makes sure to let you know perfectly that this is all for your greater good and that you are very much expected to follow everything he says.

He sometimes conducts experiments on you as well, not necessarily any harmful ones, but rather one's that challenge your strength or intelligence. Failing his tests makes him irritated, although he hides it well behind strain smiles and rather rough pats to your head, as he tells you to do better next time. You've certainly taught him patience, that's for sure.

With that said, he loves ranting to you about literally anything that comes to mind. It doesn't matter that you are still a child or that you don't even understand anything he says. He will simply talk for hours on end and expect you to be listening. In a way, he thinks that you're the only person who can understand him. You are his child after all.

Theresa is less excited about hearing of your existence and Otto knows this, which is why he hides you very well from most, if not all, Valkyries. The last thing he wants is for anyone to get their hands on you or hurt you for that matter. Perhaps you've really grown on him more than just a perfect experiment after all.

Bit rest assured, that you will be spoiled greatly, especially if you do have some of Kallen's personality traits. He spares no expenses, as his only request is for you to never leave his side like everyone else did.

Sorry this took a while. School, work, and my health have been all jumping me at once, so I hope this is okay, Anon! And thank you again for the request!<33