#【A Good Knife is a Sharp Knife】Weapon Aesthetic | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

idle-brit · 11 months ago

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10 Fandoms, 10 characters, 10 tags

Thank you @baepsrae for tagging me!! ♡( ◡‿◡ )

This is everyone's preemptive warning to skip past if you don't want to read a long and rambling post, I'm about to go wild lol. I'll also include the 5 people (not 10 oops) I'm tagging here at the top so they don't have to scroll; I'm interested to hear your answers but obviously there's no pressure to do it (･ω･)b

@koscheiy, @breitzbachbea, @runmild, @toffeeanddragons, and @yatzuaka!

1. Loki (Marvel)

My poor little meow meow. My silly rabbit. My sweet darling babygirl. Picking 9 other characters was honestly hard because there's few I truly consider a favourite like Loki. Between his 2011-2013 appearances in the MCU, the comics, and the pre-Thor high-fantasy-novel-esque fics on AO3, the ideal version of this character lives in my head rent free, and has done since 2012. I picked this gif from The Avengers because it was the moment that made me want to see the film again just for his scenes, and it remains the only film I've seen in cinemas twice. He's quite literally the reason I got Tumblr, for The Avengers fanart, and my very first post was some (bad) fanart of my own haha. While the rest of this list is in no particular order, Loki is absolutely my number one, for all time, always. I could talk about him forever.

2. Evy Carnahan (The Mummy)

I had to choose the scene I got my blog title from. While Loki might be my favourite character, The Mummy is my favourite film. I think I saw it at the exact right time of life when I was a kid in my Ancient Egypt phase, but also far younger than the recommended viewing age the film suggests lol. Ever since then I've rewatched this and the sequel (yes, sequel, singular. I said what I said) more times than I can count and further developed my interest in actual Egyptology. Evy is intelligent and an academic, kindhearted, a little bit clumsy, but uses her knowledge and quick thinking to be an absolute badass and save the day multiple times. I've always wanted to be at least half as cool as her and also marry Rick O'Connell.

3. L (Death Note)

Everyone here is lucky that I got Tumblr after the height of my weeb phase that started in 2008. Death Note was the first manga I ever read and I expected to enjoy it and move on, but as soon as I got to the Lind. L. Taylor event in volume 2 my young mind was blown and I was obsessed. One scene of L outsmarting Light kept me reading manga, got me into anime, introduced me to fanart, was the first fanart I ever drew, introduced me to fanfiction, and years later I would take Japanese classes at uni. L is an amazing example of a morally grey character, wanting justice to prevail but perhaps not for the right reasons, and no matter what it takes to get there.

4. Leon S. Kennedy (Resident Evil 4 Remake)

Okay I'll admit Leon is the first babygirl on the list who is mainly here for aesthetic reasons. I had a passing knowledge of the Resident Evil franchise but never took an interest because military-gun-shooting-series are boring as hell... Until RE4R came out last year and I saw this scene in a playthrough. Where do I sign up for him to do this to my neck. Then I learned Leon's backstory and actually appreciated his character too. He hates and distrusts the US government, he was blackmailed into service for them at 21, he's haunted by being used as their weapon, and he's the most cringe fail man who thinks he's suave when he says "Nighty night, knights" as he's killing sentient suits of armour. I need him.

5. Astarion Ancunín (Baldur's Gate 3)

Ah, a non-human in a high fantasy world, using knife skills and sharp wit to protect himself from a deeply traumatic past, but still good at heart and willing to open up to those who appreciate him for who he is, rather than living up to someone else's standards. Now where have I seen a similar character type before... When the game came out it shouldn't have been a surprise who my favourite would be lol. The whole cast does an amazing job, but the real draw of Astarion is the phenomenal work put in by Neil Newborn to really bring this character to life, and I don't think Astarion would be the same without him.

6. Kagome Higurashi (Inuyasha)

Inuyasha is one of my all time favourite anime/manga. It's got time travel, a historic setting, magic, action and adventure, and romance between a human girl and a supernatural being who's down bad. Basically all of the tropes I adore and still look for in new favourite series haha. And Kagome has been That Bitch from the start; arriving in a village that fears a half dog-demon, freeing him from his imprisonment to help her, and then ordering him to sit when he pisses her off, knowing he's wearing a magic necklace that forces him to obey. No one is doing it like her.

7. Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen)

Yes this is a basic bitch pick, I'm well aware. But no matter if it's the book by Jane Austen, the 1995 BBC production, or the 2005 film by Joe Wright, I love this story so much! There's just something so romantic about it that no modern romance book can capture, and that's not without my trying to find one (just follow my trail of 1 star ratings on Goodreads). Elizabeth and Mr Darcy just read as complete and real characters, and I love how much Elizabeth cares for her family, refusing Darcy's first proposal in part because he insulted them and tried to separate Jane from Mr Bingley.

8. Lin Sukai (The Drowning Empire Trilogy by Andrea Stewart)

Now we're getting into the realm of books without adaptations so I cant use gifs anymore, and I honestly couldn't find any fanart of Lin either. Which is a crime! My girl is out here being extremely intelligent and driven (and badass in some of the later scenes), using her familial magic as daughter of the Emperor to try and dismantle his tyranny despite craving his approval, and trying her best to gain allies even though she was raised within the walls of the palace and is slightly out of touch, and she doesn't have a fandom here on Tumblr? And that's only in book one of the trilogy!

9. FitzChivalry Farseer (The Realm of the Elderlings by Robin Hobb)

I haven't even finished The Realm of the Elderlings yet (16 thick ass books, nay, tomes) but I already know this is my favourite fantasy series of all time, and Robin Hobb is beyond doubt a master of her craft. One of her main talents is writing the ultimate poor little meow meow because good lord, Fitz just cannot catch a break no matter what he does or who he's trying to benefit. The pacing of these books can be quite slow but I promise it's always worth the emotionally devastating pay off. (It's also a tough call between Fitz and The Fool on who my favourite Hobb character is!)

10. Sancia Grado (The Founders Trilogy by Robert Jackson Bennett)

The final one is also my most recent addition to this list, seeing as I'm only just starting book two after finishing Foundryside late last year. While that shows how much I loved Sancia after just one book of her, I also hope the rest of the trilogy delivers! So often books will state characters are masters of their craft and just expect readers to take their word for it, but Sancia gets to show off her skills multiple times on page, so you get the impression she really exists and belongs in this world rather than just being a set piece for it. Not only that, she defies the usual lone-wolf-asshole stereotype that's so common in these gritty fantasy books, and it's heartwarming to see the found family she's gathered by the end of the story compared to where she began.

So uh, thank you all for coming to my TED talk about all my blorbos, see you later!

(￣▽￣)ノ

#long post #Loki #The Mummy #Death Note #Leon Kennedy #Astarion #Inuyasha

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thedreamparadox · 2 years ago

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Maybe Reala would like some stuff weapon related? Weaponsmithing maybe? Or something like axe or knife throwing? I'm a mounted archer myself, maybe something like that? Many thoughts.

Maybe? I'm not entirely sure they'd have the patience for metalworking, but they definitely like sharp objects.

...Honestly knife throwing would gel really well with the aesthetic they've already got going on (ie scary clown/scary mime). I think they could get pretty good at that.

#answered asks;;#bruh MOUNTED archery????? badass #(i personally don't seem to do great around horses #idk why but every time i've ended up in a situation with horseback riding involved #the horses haven't liked me. not sure if it's me or them lmao)

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usabestknives · 1 year ago

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Uses and Benefits of A Brass Knuckle Knife:

A brass knuckle knife, also known as a knuckle duster or "knucks," is a type of pocket knife with a sharpened and often-heavy metal exterior layer covering the blade. The design consists of two opposing curved metal plates that typically rest on top of one another when closed.

The intent is primarily defensive, although knives designed in this way are sometimes used for striking or punching as well. Many types of knuckle knives; they can be plastic-covered, studded, or made from other materials like wood and steel. Some popular designs feature a hook on one end to aid gripping onto surfaces like the inside of the wearer's fist.

What is a Knuckle Knife?

Ever wonder what distinguishes a brass knuckle knife from a regular one? You’ve come to the right place. In this blog, we will help you understand what makes a brass knuckle knife different from an ordinary one. These knuckles are more than just shiny pieces of metal that you wear on your hand as a fashion statement or for self-defense.

These knuckle knives are designed specifically to do damage to someone else with their rigid metal surfaces and even have openings where you can insert your fingers in order to grip more effectively. On the other hand, a normal knife is not specifically designed for that purpose and has no such design features, fittings, or openings.

These knives are usually made of one of four different materials: stainless steel, solid brass, brass-coated steel, or aluminum. A good brass knuckle knife can cost several hundred dollars, although some may be cheaper. These knives can be purchased in both large and small sizes to fit different hand sizes and there are also variations that make it possible for the wearer to use one hand while wearing a pair.

Variety of Brass Knuckle Knives

These knuckle knives come in varied shapes from small to large as well as with different edge styles so they can fit different hands and usage needs. Regular knives are typically symmetrical which means that they look the same from all sides, whereas a brass knuckle knife is designed to appear different on each side, or as we mentioned previously, in different sizes.

Since they are made of metal, knuckle knives can be sharpened to a high degree of sharpness. The blade part has many different shapes and details with an overall appearance that varies depending on the manufacturer. A skilled knife craftsman can also engrave a specific design onto the blade for aesthetic purposes and decoration as well as mark it for identification purposes.

Uses and Benefits of Knuckle Knives

In 15th-century Germany, there are records of brass knuckle knives being used as a homemade weapon. The brass knuckle knife was often combined with the pommel of a sword to create an even more powerful weapon. This knife has been known to be used on the battlefield in many different wars. The Turkish War of Independence was fought between 1919-1923, and it was nicknamed the "War of Knives" because fighting was done at close quarters and Turks defeated Greeks by using many different types of knives.

These knuckle knives are becoming popular items in movies and TV shows. While brass knuckle knives are originally used for self-defense, they have been adapted for use in many other ways. They are becoming more and more popular as an important survival tool to carry on your person at all times. The uses of brass knuckle knife range from defense against people to defense against animals and even making homemade fireworks.

Knives are a very important tool that should be used when appropriate because they can be an enormous help in many situations. Knives can also be bought legally in some states, but a brass knuckle knife cannot because it only has one use, self-defense which is illegal. This knuckle knife is a weapon more commonly found in modern times than either a sword or gun because it's not as long or dangly as other weapons such as these two weapons.

If you have ever used a knuckle knife in real life then you will understand why it is so powerful. A brass knuckle knife is a small weapon that can be concealed easily and used to bounce back a larger weapon, such as a gun, with one punch on the hand. These knuckle knives are unusual weapons and have been used in combat since ancient times.

#knife #brass knuckle knives #weapons #self defense weapons #cool knives #types of knives

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astcrfieldaway · 2 years ago

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✰ it’s time to wake up, TALI'ZORAH VAS NORMANDY you’ve been in cryosleep for too long and the people of MASS EFFECT miss you. when you went into slumber you were TWENTY FIVE years old, your pronouns are SHE/HER and you WERE VOLUNTEERED for the cambria program. now that you’ve awoken, your position as a CARTOGRAPHER is waiting for you. remember, the cambria one thanks you! ( luna, neelam gil )

the basics;

NAME: Tali’Zorah vas Normandy

ALIAS(ES): Tali, Admiral, Sparks, Miss vas Normandy

AGE: 25

PRONOUNS & GENDER: quarian female, she/her

BIRTHDAY & ZODIAC: n/a

FACECLAIM: neelam gil

AESTHETICS: silken fabric over an unyieldingly hard envirosuit, the flash of sharp eyes behind a mask separating you from the world, a kind heart after a lifetime of hardship and judgement, quick fingers in the guts of a humming ship, a yearning for real touch, and an undying dedication to her people

a deeper look;

BACKGROUND: tali is taken from a few months past the destroy ending of mass effect 3; the galaxy was undertaking the massive task of rebuilding.

WEAPONS: her mechanical abilities as an engineer and sharp wit can't be confiscated, but her shotgun, knife, and combat drone, chatika, definitely were.

POWERS/ABILITIES/SKILLS: high IQ with extensive knowledge and experience working with AI and defense drones. she’s used to hard scrabble situations and can cobble together mechanical tech from scraps. her time serving on the admiralty gave her political knowledge and strengthened her negotiation skills.

GREATEST STRENGTH: her compassion and ingenuity

GREATEST WEAKNESS/FLAW: shoulders all the blame she possibly can

ONE FEAR: spider and spider-adjacent creatures. and their skittering.

ONE HOPE: that something they find here in this universe can help the rebuilding effort back home

HEADCANON(S): quarians have functionally no immune system due to generations of living on sterile ships, and before that they lived symbiotically with the organisms on their home planet, so outside her room tali is always in a hermetically sealed enviro suit. since I am not bound by what video games can render I'm going to say the face mask is slightly more sheer than in the games, so the glow of her eyes and general shape of her face are visible in good lighting, though the specifics of her features are obscured.

the questionnaire;

How does your character feel about being dropped into the cambria program? Are they excited? Suspicious? Confused?

once she realized other normandy crew was there along with her, she became significantly less scared and instead curious and fascinated by the mechanics of the ship and method of bringing people in

What does your character hope to see the most during the cambria one’s journey?

as much new tech as possible

If your character could bring one thing or person from home, what would it be?

she’d break her combat drone out of weapons holding

#tali intro

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vixlenxe · 3 years ago

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@akumanoken

Photo by Alexander | Ezhov

#this gives me Souji vibes #[Lore and Ideas] Musings #【Thigh highs go with Great Swords】Fashion Aesthetic #【A Good Knife is a Sharp Knife】Weapon Aesthetic

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slasherhaven · 4 years ago

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Hello! May I request the slashers' reaction to their s/o's knife collection? maybe their s/o knows how to use them too 😁🔪

The Slashers reacting to their S/O having a knife collection:

Thomas Hewitt

Concerned for you reasoning. It’s just like...why do you have so many knives? Why would you need so many? He doesn’t even have that many knives! But if you just like collecting them, he isn’t going to stop you. And as long as you don’t accidently hurt yourself, all he does is worry about you, knife collection or not.

But they’re cool knives. Thomas has to admit that some of them are very cool, especially compared to his boring ones. But his are more practical for the job that he does while some of yours are a little bit more flashy. Not his style, but they’re nice.

Michael Myers

Big fan. Michael loves knifes, obviously, so he is very impressed and curious about your collection. He’ll definitely play with them whether you tell him he can or not. And he will keep his knife with your collection, even if a large kitchen knife doesn’t really match the others.

Will be borrowing them. You will often find one of your knives missing when Michael’s gone out on a kill. He knows he didn’t ask but it was just so tempting! Greet him when he comes home by just holding your hand out, he’ll huff and place the knife in your hand, for you to clean. He’s testing them!

Jason Voorhees

Why do you have so many knives?! Jason is more worried about the safety of having so many sharp objects around the cabin. He’s already a worrier when it comes to you, and this is just...a lot of risk. They’re nice knives but he’ll stick to his machete.

As long as you don’t hurt yourself...yes he is a little worried but as long as you can clearly handle them without any accidents, he starts to relax.

Brahms Heelshire

At first he’s a little taken back. Of course, he first sees the collection when he’s hiding in the walls. You had moved in and started unpacking. Now that you knew that there wasn’t actually a child in the house, but rather a doll, you could even put them on display rather than locking them up. It makes Brahms more cautious of you, wondering why you would have so many knives in the first place.

Can you do tricks? Once he’s made himself known to you, he doesn’t really ask about the knives but he is curious about them. When he does ask and you just tell him that you like them, he’s confused but accepts it. If you can do any cool knife tricks, show him! He’ll watch, fascinated by your skills.

Bo Sinclair

Is impressed. He appreciates the collection, examining the knives. They’re definitely something unlike his own knives. His are boring, more just to get the job done, but these have style.

Helps himself. If he sees a knife he wants to test out, he’s just going to take it and give it a whirl without asking. He’ll clean it and put it back where it belongs but he doesn’t clean it as well as you so you instantly know when he’s done it and you’ll have to clean the knife properly.

Vincent Sinclair

Confused at first but kind of gets it. He doesn’t really understand why you have a collection of knives but he will slowly start to get it. Whether they’re for protection or just because you like the style, he understands.

Appreciates the aesthetic. He likes that none of them are the same, that they all have something unique about them, some just straight awe worthy. His own knives certainly have just as much style as practicality, so he understands.

Lester Sinclair

Only really interested in hunting knives. You could show him the coolest knife you have and he’ll appreciate it but in the end, he’ll prefer his hunting knife. He’s just more used to it and it’s the best knife for the job he does. If you have some hunting knives though, he’s all over them.

Does like them, though. Still, he does think your knives are awesome and is definitely interested in getting a closer look. He really likes them, you just don’t have to worry about him borrowing them and getting them all dirty. Also, could watch you do knife tricks all day, he loves that.

Bubba Sawyer

Always worries about you hurting yourself. The thought of you having so many knives around make him a little nervous. The house is already pretty dangerous, and now you’re bringing in more sharp objects, he frets too much.

Will examine each one. He has to admit that they’re very nice knives and some are very pretty, he has to have a better look at them!

They will going missing before magically appearing again. Bubba would never take one of your knives without asking...his brothers don’t have the same manners. Your knives are just so cool! Of course they’re going to play with them. Don’t worry, they know that you’ll kill them if they lost one, so they always return them.

Billy Lenz

He’s a danger to himself. They’re so pretty and shiny, he has to play with them! But will always accidently cut his finger or something, but he can’t complain when you give him all that attention taking care of him.

Big fan of any tricks you can do. He’s super impressed when you show him your knife tricks. He will want you to teach him, and he will get hurt, and you will need to comforting him...but he will do it again.

Asa Emory (The Collector)

Definitely has his own collection. Of course he does, all categorised by purpose, never one out of place. So he can definitely appreciate your collection. You show him yours and he’ll show you his.

Your collection is his now. He’ll ask, of course, but if he likes a knife that he doesn’t have, he will be talking you into letting him try it out. It needs to be tested on a real subject! You pretty much share the collections, he just happens to use them a whole lot more than you.

Jesse Cromeans (Chromeskull)

He might has his favourites but he has a collection. He likes his twin hunting knives, he always has them on him, they’re his favourites but of course he has a whole lot more. His very own collection. So, he understands you having one of your own and is determined to see it.

Teaching each other tricks. Do you know any knife tricks? Well he definitely does. So, he’ll either teach you, and if you know any that he does (which is unlikely, to be fair) he will be eager to learn it.

Otis Driftwood

You have a passion for blades, he has a passion for using them. He doesn’t have any fancy knifes but he has ones that do the job. He doesn’t really understand the fuss of getting ones that look good, that’s great and all but how sharp is it? Thankfully, yours are also very sharp and well taken care of.

You will have to take care of them. Otis does take a liking to them and, unfortunately, this means that he will be borrowing them. Always returning them uncleaned, bloody and gory for you to deal with. It’s better this way because he wouldn’t clean them properly, he would just scrub them down, you’ll do it properly.

Baby Firefly

Can she borrow them? It’s the first question she askes. Come on, you can share right? She won’t borrow them without asking but she will do her absolute best to convince you to let her. She wants to test out all of them! She appreciates both the practically of them, and the look of them.

Can you show her some tricks? She knows her fair share of knife tricks and she can throw knives better than anyone, but if you know any that she doesn’t, she insists that you teach her. She’s a fast learner though and picks it up almost instantly.

Yautja (Predator)

He respects your appreciation for the weapon. He likes that you take care of them so well and take so much pride in them. He also appreciates the blades themselves, each are unique and he can appreciate them even if he knows they would never really be much use to him.

Adds to your collection. Think about all those blades that only you would have! Knives made from materials that can’t even be found on earth, alien knives. And, of course, more traditional Yautja blades but made to be the perfect size for you.

Likes that you can defend yourself. He’s glad that you know how to use all these knives, that you would be able to protect yourself when he was away.

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vixlenxe · 2 years ago

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Aesthetic Tags

#audio aesthetic 【maximum volume】#gif aesthetic 【magical moving pictures】#naughty aesthetic(nsfw warning) 【red wine kisses and ravenous touches】#video aesthetic 【pressing the play button until it breaks】#dark and occult aesthetic(varies trigger warnings) 【dancing at the witch’s bonfire; sippin’ Blood from Skull Goblets】#setting aesthetic 【behold! a paleblood sky!】#quote aesthetic 【death’s lips utter words sweet as cake】#weapon aesthetic 【a good knife is a sharp knife】#ship aesthetic 【will you be mine; in this life and then the next?】#foodie aesthetic 【hungry eyes】#fashion aesthetic 【thigh highs go with great swords】

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stolensiren · 2 years ago

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no bolts about it // kaden & cass

TIMING: current PARTIES: @chasseurdeloup & @stolensiren SUMMARY: cass meets up with kaden to claim her free crossbow and crossbow lessons CONTENT: none!

This was probably a stupid idea. Kaden was sitting on a stump in the woods by a familiar clearing. He’d trained here a good bit, it was a nice area to set up target practice and far enough out of the way that no one else was likely to wander in unexpectedly. He had two crossbows with him, just in case, but only one that he planned to part with that day. Something crawled beneath his skin at the thought of using the crossbow again, remembering what it had been used for. How many werewolves had this harmed? How many had it killed? Or bugbears? Or sirens? He didn’t know, couldn’t know anymore. He was damn well sure he didn’t want to know, either. The ranger sighed. The sooner she got here, the sooner he could get this over with. He fucking hoped handing this random kid a fucking crossbow wasn’t a terrible idea. It probably was. “Over here,” he said with a wave when he saw a figure he assumed was Cass walking towards him. A chill went down his spine again. Weird, he didn’t think he was focusing on the crossbow bullshit again. Maybe he was. Or maybe he was just overreacting, could have been a breeze or something. Probably nothing. “Remind me again why you want a crossbow.”

Part of Cass didn’t even want the crossbow anymore. When she’d asked for it, before that motel room with the ranger and the knife where everything changed, it had been mostly a joke. It had been a fun concept, the idea of wielding a weapon like that. It was scarier now, though. She’d killed someone with a kitchen knife, without meaning to, without wanting to. What might she do with a crossbow? The thought had her heart pounding in her chest as she made her way to the clearing where ‘Officer’ Kaden asked to meet her, but she made no move to turn around. The only way Cass knew how to cope was to pretend nothing had changed and, not long ago, she had asked for a crossbow. Not long ago, she had been given a condition to getting it. Not long ago, she had agreed to that. If she went back on that now, it meant acknowledging that something had happened between then and now, and Cass didn’t want to do that. Spotting a figure waving at her, she plastered a smile onto her face and bound over to meet him, waving back. “Mr. Police Officer Who Definitely Isn’t A Serial Killer,” she greeted with a cheeky grin. “You’re a lot Frencher than I thought you’d be.” She glanced around the clearing, humming thoughtfully until his question brought her eyes back up to meet his. “For the aesthetic,” she said. Then, figuring he might not like that answer, she backtracked. “No, I’m kidding. I want to get into archery. And a crossbow is, like, the gateway bow, so. I want to start there.” It wasn’t entirely true, but most things Cassidy said to strangers weren’t. “So, you gonna show me how to use it?”

“Merci,” Kaden answered, deadpanned. He sighed and stood, checking once more that the safeties were still on both crossbows, he sure as hell wasn’t about to risk her shooting him with a fucking arrow the second she picked up the weapon. “The aesthetic of what?” he asked as he picked up the crossbow he was going to hand to her. Kids were fucking strange, sounded like they were speaking another language half the time. “Fine, guess this is a decent place to start, then.” He sighed and walked over to her with the crossbow in hand. It felt like there were ants crawling down his spine as he held the weapon again, and he almost dropped it. Shit, he knew he was shaken up by everything and couldn’t bear to keep the weapons out where he could see them in his apartment, but he didn’t think he’d react like this. With a sharp inhale, he shook out his hands one by one, trying to make the whole thing seem somewhat normal. “Alright so before we put an arrow in this, let me go over the parts and how this works.” Kaden lifted up the crossbow and held it out for her to see. “First important part. The safety,” he said as he pointed to the latch. “Make sure it’s on every time you pick it up. You only take this off when you’re ready to shoot and not a moment sooner, got it?” It was strange to be training someone how to use a deadly weapon, almost like it was wrong. Then again, not everyone who picked up a weapon was going to become a murderer. “And the string. Seems obvious but make sure it’s not fraying or damaged. This shit snaps and you’re going to be in a world of pain.”

He was funny, in a super dry kind of way. Cass grinned at his response, eyes lighting up just a little with the realization. She liked dry humor. When she wasn’t trying to con someone into liking her, sarcasm was her go-to joke style. With this guy, maybe there was a chance she’d actually get to use a little. At his question, she shrugged a shoulder. “Just the aesthetic. You know, the vibes.” God, was he another super ancient person who didn’t understand slang? She was already trying to catch Marina up to speed. If too many more people needed help, she was going to settle for making a dictionary. It couldn’t be that hard to do. She watched Kaden walk towards her with the crossbow, brow furrowing when he fumbled with it. “Uh, are you all right, dude? You seem a little… wobbly or something.” Unsteady or no, though, he knew what he was talking about with the bow. Cass leaned forward as he spoke, genuinely interested in the lesson. The safety was important; she didn’t particularly want to shoot anyone, so she intended to have it on most of the time. “Got it,” she confirmed, squinting as she came in a little closer for a look. “Is it, um… Obvious? When it’s frayed or damaged? Like, I’d be able to tell, right?”

“Vibes. Right.” Repeating it didn’t make any of what she said make any more sense to Kaden but he was getting the sense that further questioning was just going to lead him down the same path. “This have anything to do with that awful fucking tiger show you told me to watch? That the ‘vibe?’” He had no idea if he was using that right. He was also pretty sure he didn’t care. He did care that he wasted hours of his life on some unintelligible garbage that wasn’t at all a fucking nature documentary, just some feud between two strange people. “Fine,” he said a little too fast. “Just got a cramp. In my hand. I’m fine.” He hoped she’d leave it be and not investigate any further, make it easier for both of them. “Yeah, you’ll know. If you check it. You’ll see threads or it’ll look thinner. But you gotta make sure you check it.” He’d seen more than enough green hunters picking up a bow or a crossbow only for the string to snap in their face because they forgot basic fucking safety. And he might have had something similar happen to him. It only happened once, though. He learned fast. “You want to get a closer look at it?” he asked as he held it out for her to take.

The more Kaden repeated the word vibes, the more certain Cass became that he didn’t know what it meant. The mention of Tiger King did draw a laugh out of her, though. “Oh, man, did you finish it?” The fact that she’d been able to convince him to watch even one episode felt like a win, but if he’d watched the whole thing, she was going to feel seriously accomplished. She narrowed her eyes at his half-assed explanation, trying to decide if she should push or not. The odds of him being honest with her were probably slim to none, so she shrugged. “Okay,” she agreed, somewhat reluctantly. Reaching out, she took the crossbow carefully and inspected the string. She didn’t see any kind of threads, and it didn’t look particularly thin. She figured that meant it was okay. “It’s not as heavy as I thought it’d be,” she commented thoughtfully, testing the weight in her hands.

“Unfortunately, yes.” Kaden didn’t mention it was mostly because he had nothing much better to do these days. Too much time, no work, no duty, it all stretched on forever. Why not watch an idiot show in the hope to see if it was ever actually about tigers? When she laughed, Kaden turned back to her and narrowed his eyes. There was too much glee behind her laugh. It was far too similar to how Ari acted whenever she managed to rope him into those stupid videos for that strange app with all the vertical videos. It was the laugh that happened whenever she’d tricked him somehow. “It was enlightening, truly. Real educational. I learned so much. What about you?”

He crossed his arms in front of his chest as he watched her take the weapon and give it a one over. “Well yeah what’d you expect? Something out of the middle ages? This is carbon fiber. Lighter, easier to use for a longer time.” She seemed like she was being diligent enough, that was good. Looking at it was the easy part, however. “Alright, ready to learn how to actually use it? I’ve got some targets set up over there,” he said, nodding his head towards the bullseye pinned against a tree. “Just make sure you’re pointing it that way before you take the safety off.”

It was clear that Kaden hadn’t enjoyed Tiger King but, then, Cass had known he wouldn’t. She flashed him a grin as he turned back to narrow his eyes at her, utterly unapologetic. The jig was up now, anyway; if he’d watched the whole thing, he must have figured out it wasn’t a nature documentary. “Oh, yeah, I loved it. Definitely enlightening. I learned a lot.” Like how to convince grumpy French men to watch trashy reality TV series, for example. It was a hell of an accomplishment.

It was also, if she had to guess, something that would be a lot easier than learning how to shoot a crossbow. It had seemed simple enough in theory but with the weapon in her hand, Cass could already tell she’d overestimated her abilities here. “I don’t know,” she admitted. “I guess it’s always just… weird. It seems like things that can hurt people should be heavy.” She thought briefly of the kitchen knife she’d accidentally buried into the ranger’s chest in that motel room, but she quickly shook the thought away. She didn’t want to think about it now. Looking back to Kaden, she nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah!” She agreed, turning towards the targets. Lifting her arm up and away from her body, she aimed the crossbow. “Like this?”

“Glad to fucking hear it. Want to share what you learned with the class?” Kaden was pretty sure he wasn’t going to manage to trip her up or even get a remotely straight answer, but worth a fucking shot. He wasn’t sure how he felt about being use for amusement but he supposed it could be worse. As long as she wasn’t planning on making more TokTik things featuring him. He didn’t like starring on one account, let alone more.

His mouth pulled into a thin line at her words. He knew she didn’t really mean anything deeper by it, but somehow it struck him sideways. Hurting people should be heavy and hard. And yet, it was a lot easier than helping most of the time. Killing was certainly easier than atoning. With a deep breath, he shrugged and said, “yeah, well, welcome to the future. Weapons are light but a lot more complicated than they used to be.” He could even say so first hand. His parents had made sure that he knew how to use any weapon he came across, new or old. Given the option, he’d pick a modern one any day, but he knew how to use a musket in a pinch so that was something. Kaden sort of hoped he wouldn’t end up in a situation calling for that but in this town, who knew. “Just like that,” he said with a nod, stepping away as she aimed the crossbow. “Alright so the arrow is going to arch, so you’ll want to aim a little higher than where you plan to hit. And be ready for a little knockback. Nothing like a pistol but you’ll feel it. Ever shot a gun before?”

“Never go to Florida,” Cass replied solemnly, expression entirely serious. If Kaden was hoping to trip her up, he’d be sorely disappointed. Cass was good at this. Pretending Tiger King was educational was a lot easier than even the smaller cons she’d pulled over the last few years of playing criminal mastermind to make a few bucks, and lying to a near stranger about something inconsequential was a lot easier than lying to a friend about something terrifyingly huge. After weeks and weeks of hiding from her friends what happened in that motel room with that bloody knife, this was child’s play.

There was a brief heaviness to the air with her statement, but Cass assumed it was coming from her. She’d killed a man not long ago, after all, a thing that weighed more than the whole damn world would have if it had been sitting atop her shoulders. When Kaden spoke again, she nodded, looking at the crossbow. “Welcome to the future,” she replied quietly, the joke falling a little flat. With all the advancements humankind had gone through since its inception, it was a little depressing that one thing that was never left behind was its ability to find new methods of hurting one another. Following Kaden’s instructions, she lifted the bow a little higher than her intended target, setting her jaw as she closed one eye in an attempt to aim a little more accurately. “No,” she admitted. “I never really, like, got guns, you know?” She’d never thought she’d want to.

Kaden sat there, staring at her, blinking for a while before shaking his head and rolling his eyes. “Amazing. A treasured lesson to uphold for the ages. Thank you so much for that. Where would I be without you?” Fuck. He realized the second after he spoke that he needed to be more careful; he couldn’t just thank people in this town, even in jest, without knowing who or what they were. He’d landed himself in enough trouble recently, he didn’t need to add another layer of fae bullshit on top of everything else.

The tension was thick in the air around them. Kaden could only assume it was because of him. He was some guy in White Crest selling off a load of weapons, weapons that he was teaching some random kid how to use. She’d asked if he was a serial killer or not online and the truth was just that. She had to know. She had to sense it, right? Guilt seeped deep into his pores even as he tried to shake it off and carry on. He wasn’t sure if he was disappointed or relieved to hear she hadn’t shot a gun before, and that uncertainty alone scared him. For too many fucking reasons. Every single one he pushed down, away from the surface. “They’re efficient,” he said flatly, in a tone that reminded him far too much of the one his mother took during all those years of training, one he hated. “Doesn’t matter, just means you won’t have a frame of reference, then. Either way. Feet shoulder width apart, plant the one in front of the other, and just be ready for a small recoil after you shoot.” Kaden stood behind her to help her line up the shot. “You’re short,” he said as he looked down at her, almost like it wasn’t obvious. It was annoying; meant he had to crouch down to try and help guide her aim to the right spot. He reached around and started to tap her forearm a little to the left when he felt it – his hunter senses. Again. Stronger this time. He froze for a moment, unsure of how to process any of the information laid out to him. There was no way she was a werewolf, that much would have been obvious from the start, but then what was she? And why did she want a crossbow? Was it to go after hunters? Like him? Did any of that matter either way?

Kaden rolled his shoulders back before finally tapping her arm a little farther left and then upwards a bit, ignoring all the bullshit that swirled in his head just seconds before. “Try that. Pull the trigger whenever you’re ready,” he told her as he stepped back away from her to watch.

“Well, probably in Florida,” Cass replied solemnly, as if such a thing would be a real tragedy. “So, you’re welcome.” Part of her wanted to say something about the use of the phrase, because Cass had an innate desire to help people that went far beyond her vigilantism. She’d been warning people about the perils of the supernatural world ever since she found out that world existed. But it was a lot easier to do such a thing online than it was to do it in the middle of the woods with a near-stranger who knew enough about weapons to own a whole bunch of them.

A weird near-stranger at that. There was something off about his stance, something strange about the way he carried himself. Like there was some kind of invisible weight sitting heavy on his shoulders, something he was carrying. Cass understood it more than she’d like to, more than she would have a few short months ago. She wondered if Kaden’s weight was the same. She wondered if the concept that it could be was a terrifying one or a comforting one. “Efficient,” she repeated. “Right.” Not efficient at anything she particularly wanted to be efficient at. But… maybe it would have been handy to know how to fire a gun. At least then she wouldn’t feel quite so out of her depth with the crossbow. But Kaden, at least, seemed willing to teach her. Cass followed his instructions carefully, staring down at her feet as she positioned them. “Hey,” she said, shooting him a displeased look. “I am not short. I’m a normal height.”

He faltered for a moment, and Cass glanced back at him, wondering if she’d done something wrong. Maybe she was, like, utterly unteachable when it came to a crossbow. She didn’t think her stance was that bad, but what did she know? After a moment, though, he seemed to recover, and Cass nodded. “Okay,” she said, concentration clear in her tone. “Pulling the trigger in three… two…” She squeezed down on the trigger and… thunk. The bolt hit a tree. Not the tree she’d been aiming at, but the one behind it. She grimaced a little. “Hey, I hit… something, at least!”

“You think so?” The corner of Kaden’s mouth pulled upward and he let something that could probably be considered a small laugh. Putain, he’d lost the game of sarcasm he hadn’t intended to play anyway. Hard to be mad, though, considering moments of levity were few and far between these days. Still, she couldn’t know that he thought she was funny or clever, it would just give her ammo to send him more shit like Tiger King. He’d learned that much from Ari. “Thanks so much for the essential learning, then. Let me know what else is on your curriculum. I’m sure it’s just as valuable.”

He gave her a small shrug. “Then normal height is short.” When she got ready to fire the crossbow, he took a deep breath and stood back, arms crossed in front of his chest as he watched her let the arrow loose. And it went a little left. His brow raised at the thunk. Hadn’t expected that, if he was being honest. He had a feeling it was going to go right into the ground. “Not too bad for your first shot.” Weird. He felt something in his chest. Was that his hunter senses? No, not that. Something else. Not indigestion either. Right, he didn’t feel like examining it. It wasn’t grief or guilt or any of that shit so he’d take that as a win, whatever it was. “Think you can set it up on your own this time? Arrows are over there,” he said with a nod towards the small pile of arrows next to her.

He still had questions as to why the hell they were out here. Why she wanted the crossbow beyond the stupid reasons she gave. If it were only ever going to be that shallow, most people would have given up at the first hoop he set up for them to jump through. Only he had no fucking clue how to ask any of the questions swirling in his mind. “So, uh, happy with it?” He cleared his throat before continuing, “I mean, the crossbow?”

“Gator bait, for sure,” Cass confirmed with a serious nod, careful not to break into a grin. Angry French Crossbow Guy was actually kind of funny. Maybe he’d been having a bad day before, when he’d been all surly and serious when she’d asked for the crossbow to begin with. Or maybe watching Tiger King had been totally great for his mental health and Cass should look into becoming a therapist. Probably the second one. “I can’t keep giving you all this great advice for free, can I? You’d abuse the system!”

The glare she shot him was heated, but ultimately half-hearted. She did have enough self-awareness to recognize that most people were a little taller than 5’2”, even if she’d never admit it. Especially not to one of those ‘taller’ people. They had enough victories. She refused to add to that. But… Kaden really wasn’t so bad, height aside. He was a pretty good crossbow teacher, at least. “Like I said, I’ve had a lot of Nerf-based practice shots,” she said proudly, grinning. Nodding at his question, she moved over to where the arrows were sitting. Setting it up on her own was a lot harder than watching Kaden do it. She struggled with the crossbow for a lot longer than Kaden had before she finally managed to get the bolt correctly aligned, but the struggle didn’t stop her from grinning victoriously when she had it. She flashed Kaden a quick thumbs up to let him know she’d managed it.

Turning back to the trees, she closed her eyes and aligned another shot. She wasn’t sure she’d ever use the crossbow for anything more than this. The idea of hurting anyone else, of adding more blood to her hands than what was already present there… It made her stomach bottom out, made her palms sweat. But it was better, wasn’t it, to know how to use something like this if she needed it? It was safer. She’d be able to do more to protect her friends with this. Kaden’s voice pulled her from her thoughts, and she glanced back at him. “Oh, yeah! I mean, it’s really cool. I think it’ll come in handy. For… the aesthetic.”

“It’s not free. I’m giving you a crossbow and free lessons,” Kaden said, matching her tone, arms crossed and momentarily convinced he had managed to one up her. “Not to mention,I’m pretty sure at this point you owe me since you’re the one who made me sit through that godawf–” He caught himself. “Wonderfully educational show.”

The lines in forehead creased again at her next comment. “Nerf? Do you mean nerd? The hell is a nerf?” Just when he thought he was starting to understand what the hell it was she was saying, she threw in something new. Putain. He knew three languages and half the time he felt like he had to learn a fourth to understand the damn kids in town. Nothing he could do about it, he sighed and shook his head before craning his neck to watch as she fumbled with the bolt. He was tempted to reach out and just do it himself; the urge was there just beneath the surface, but he kept his arms crossed, letting her figure it out. The tension released from him as she set it correctly on the crossbow. Still, he gave it a quick one over to make sure she hadn’t made any critical errors, nodding back when it looked good to him.

He raised his brow, watching her closely. He could poke at her, ask what she had meant, why she paused. The tingle of his hunter senses spread across his skin again, reminding him that she wasn’t entirely human. The small traces of disgust he’d feel from the past felt more like echoes of past thoughts, hollow and weightless now. He didn’t feel it, not anymore, just knew that his family would tell him he should. No– not his family. His parents. And uncle. And the community of hunters he grew up with. Who made it clear they weren’t his family anymore. Their thoughts didn’t matter. No disgust, he wouldn’t let it even stay as a whisper. Kaden tried to figure out what he was feeling in its place.

It was hard to name. If he had to give it a word… fear, perhaps? No, that wasn't it. He wasn’t afraid of her. It wasn’t fear. At least not of her. Maybe for her? Concern? He knew what he would have thought of her in the past, what he might have done and it made his stomach churn. “Yeah, your aesthetic as you call it,” he said, not bothering with any of the questions that had lingered earlier in his mind. “But I think in this town it might come in handy for more than just aesthetic.” Especially for you. If anyone comes to hunt you, even if you’ve never– “So let’s keep practicing.”

“Yeah, but my advice is worth way more than that.” Cass grinned, eyes sparking with amusement as he nearly let his true feelings about Tiger King slip. “It was wonderfully educational, wasn’t it? You should be thanking me for making you watch it!” Wait, was that a bad thing to say? What if he thought she was fae now and tried to stab her with something iron? Cass shifted away from him briefly, adding, “But I won’t make you do that,” just to cover her ass.

She blinked at his confusion, head tilting to the side ever so slightly. “No, I mean Nerf. It’s — It’s a brand. A toy brand. They make toy guns that shoot little foam bullets at people. Maybe it’s not a thing in, um, France?” She didn’t know a ton about France, or about any country aside from the one she’d grown up in, but Nerf guns did seem painfully American now that she stopped to think about it. What other country would arm kids with toy guns? Though, before today, she probably wouldn’t have guessed that a French guy would know as much about crossbows as Kaden seemed to. She could feel him not quite hovering, understood that he was stopping himself from stepping in and appreciative of it. She really did want to learn to do this on her own, and there was a quick flare of pride when she managed it.

He sounded a little doubtful as he repeated her earlier claim that this was for the aesthetic, though his follow up statement seemed to offer some explanation as to why. Most people in this town, Cass would wager, knew at least something of the danger that lurked just beneath the surface, even if they couldn’t accept just where that danger came from. She didn’t know much about Kaden, didn’t know what he knew or didn’t know about what made White Crest’s death rate as high as it was, but it was clear he knew something. And that made sense, of course; he worked with the police, he was bound to see the results of it often.

Cass released the bolt, watching it sail through the air and hit another spot she hadn’t been aiming for. “I wouldn’t really want to use it on anything… alive,” she admitted, clicking the safety on and lowering the crossbow so it hung at her side, grip loose around it. “I know there are a lot of dangerous, um, animals in White Crest, but I’d feel bad if I hurt any of them. I think there’s always another way to keep safe, you know?”

“That so? What makes you think my expertise isn’t worth as much, huh?” Kaden shook his head, a smile creeping onto his face. “I’m not sure about that one. I wasn’t exactly in danger of being gator bait anytime soon.”

The furrow of Kaden’s brow deepened at her last comment. Won’t make him thank her? Was she fae? If she was – No. Kaden shook off the thought. Shifter. She had to be a shifter. He might be a piece of shit hunter but his senses were fine. Right? Putain, what if they were all fucked up now that he was a fucking disappointment? For all he knew he was going to start labeling fae as shifters and shifters as undead and who the hell knew what else. No, that wasn’t right. Sparks of electricity still shot down his spine around Ari. She was a werewolf. Cass was a shifter. And that was that. Didn’t matter anyway, he was hardly a hunter anymore as it was. Hell, he was giving away his crossbow to a kid. A shifter kid at that. Putain, if his parents could fucking see him now. “Oh, a toy. Right. I, uh, didn’t–” get a whole lot of those. No, too much to dump on her. “Didn’t have those there, no. At least I never got one.” Speaking of his parents, they were too busy handing him real weapons to even think about fake foam ones. Kaden shifted in his seat a bit; it was always strange when he was confronted with just how different his childhood was from most. Couldn’t change it, though. Unfortunately for a lot of werewolves who were dead at his h–

Not now. He pinched his eyes shut. Not something he needed to focus on right now. Instead he looked back towards the bolt she’d let loose. “Better. I think. You were aiming for that tree, right?” He had a feeling that wasn’t the case, but he had to test the waters either way.

As much as he wanted to push the deep bullshit bubbling up in his thoughts back down, it seemed like Cass had other ideas. Right. There’s always another way. He huffed through his nose, it could barely be considered a laugh even if he’d meant it as one. There’s always another way. A way that didn’t end in death. He didn’t even know what that looked like. He’d never taken it. He was never shown how. He still wasn’t sure what the alternative was beyond just abstaining. It all felt so fucking hopeless. “I hope you’re right, kid,” was all he could manage to say. “Now why don’t you try hitting what you’re aiming for.”

“Because my expertise is priceless,” Cass shot back. He was a pretty decent crossbow teacher, though, so maybe he wasn’t entirely wrong. She wondered if this was the kind of thing he’d done before. Did animal control officers have to train junior animal control officers or something? It would make sense. Probably. “Ha! Don’t speak too soon on that one, buddy.” Anything was possible in White Crest — even gators. Cass was sure of that. There was probably a weregator just around the corner, ready and waiting to make Kaden eat his words. Cass wouldn’t even be surprised anymore.

Something seemed to cross over his face, eyes going… distant for a moment, and Cass worried that she may have done something wrong. Had she said the wrong thing? She had a habit of that, a way of making people dislike her even when they hardly knew her at all. It was why she’d spent so long bouncing around in foster care, never finding anywhere permanent to land. But she was better at it now, wasn’t she? She was better at charming people, at making herself easy to get along with. Kaden seemed to recover after a beat, answering her question about Nerf guns and France in a way that made sense. “Well, you were missing out. Those things were awesome. I never had any of the really pricey ones as a kid, but I bought one when I got my first paycheck, just to say I had one.” It wasn’t entirely true, of course; she’d stolen one just because she could, walked out of a big box store with it under her arm like it was nothing. It was one of the first things she’d ever stolen; it taught her how easy stealing could be. Maybe that was why she had such an attachment to it.

“Maybe I can get you one! Trade it for the crossbow. And the lessons. But I bet you won’t be as good at shooting it as you think you would be!” Cass could certainly attest to the fact that the plastic crossbow with its foam bolts was nothing like the one she held now; the weight, the handling, it was all vastly different. Going from shooting this to shooting that was bound to be just as hard as the opposite. But… not quite impossible. She was kind of managing it now, after all. She had actually hit the tree she was aiming for, even if she hadn’t hit it in the right spot. She laughed at Kaden’s statement, rolling her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, yeah. I’m just trying to make sure I get my money’s worth with the lessons.” And… maybe he wasn’t so bad to hang out with. A better conversationalist than she’d initially assumed. A friend, maybe, if she played her cards right. She kind of liked her odds; for once, it seemed like she’d been dealt a decent hand.

The mention of trading the crossbow for a nerf gun had the corner of his mouth pulling upward once again. Kaden had to admit, he’d feel a lot better holding a fake toy gun instead of a crossbow right now. “Alright. Crossbow and lessons for a, uh, what was it? Nerp gun?” Was that right? Didn’t matter. “Pretty sure I’ll be just as good as I think I’ll be. Maybe even better.” His smile grew a little wider as the crossbow bolt sunk into the tree trunk. It even looked like the one she was trying to hit. “Your money’s worth? They’re free. You’re getting more than your money’s worth.” Funny, he didn’t think he was going to get shit out of this. But this was maybe sort of nice. Certainly easier than most things as of late. Maybe even fun. “But sure, whatever you say, kid.”

#chasseurdeloup #kaden: no bolts about it

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katsidhe · 3 years ago

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Best props/favorite weapons?

First, a quick list of props I loathe: John's journal, the amulet. Kill them with fire. I hate.

4. The First Blade: I'm a little conflicted about this one, actually. On the one hand, I think it's pretty cool looking on the whole. But its appearance is also so damn heavy-handed that it falls prey to the rest of my complex consternation about s10. a part of me wanted the weapon of fratricide to be simpler, I think.

3. Angel Blade: I think their minimal design + streamlined aesthetic + location in hammerspace + sheer lack of individuality is pretty cool, tbh! They don't even look all that sharp, but they can kill anything. sure, it means the Winchesters get a lot lazier with their choice of stabbing implements, but I kinda like the implications there too: that what was once a rare and precious find is now scattered all over the world as a consequence of all the angelic purges. The flipside of this is that I loathe innovations like "angel bullets" COME ON you can't melt this shit down, it's maagic.

2: The Colt: yay cool magic gun go brr! It's got that long barrel, it's got the sweet magic bullets, it can unlock a gate thingie. What's not to love.

1. Ruby's Knife: my favorite, by far. It looks cool, first of all, but its symbology is probably the most complex of any weapon featured on the show. It's a gift from Ruby, so it bears that taint, but it's a tool that Dean and Sam never view as suspect despite that. They keep referring to it as Ruby's even years after her death. it was initially used to show her good intentions, and like all her gifts, it works! It works great, actually! It's saved their lives more times than I could count. But unlike an exorcism, or Sam's powers, it is always fatal to its victim.

#sam and ruby #i speaks #ask game #only a month late

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professional-benaddict · 4 years ago

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Mafia Daddies Stephen and Tony taking over a smol café for a meeting and Peter is their waiter >:)

ive left jensen babe hanging with this for wEeks but i think i managed to scramble together smth!! and that smth includes Tony being an absolute Whore and having a Danger Kink™️

Mafia bosses and husbands Stephen and Tony, bodyguards Steve and Bucky, waiter Peter, mafia aus, threats and use of violence, manipulation, Tony just being That Bitch and embarrassing his husband

“Why are we here?” Bucky’s tone is as grumpy as ever, and Tony rolls his eyes. The man had practically hissed the words out, putting as much force into it as possible without angering his bosses too much, nor causing a big scene.

“You know, the Petersons have been causing all sorts of trouble for us. We’re making a plan of action.” Stephen replies, so that Tony does not have to. The aggression in Bucky’s voice rolls off Stephen like water on a duck. He is not bothered at all, which he rarely is. That is what makes him a good boss, not that Tony does not have other qualities that makes him just as good as his husband. They complete one another in that way. And in a way, Bucky and Steve do that as well, in their roles as the second pair in charge, just below Stephen and Tony.

“No, I mean, why are we here?” Bucky rephrases. If Steve were with him, he would give Tony that infamous look, which signals that he is questioning him. Even with the blonde guard on stand by, and not present with them, Tony feels his presence along with Bucky’s snarky question.

Out of all the places in the world, the three men are meeting in a café. The place is small, but designed purposely in a way to maximise the space completely. It is almost impressive how much they have fit in here without the space feeling like it is suffocating you. Instead, it feels homey, and it smells like fresh coffee and baked goods.

It is just after 8 am, so the morning rush is coming to an end as the sun rises higher and its’ rays do not feel as harsh and blinding anymore. Still, Tony is wearing his sunglasses where he is sat next to his husband Stephen. Besides being very stylish and framing his face nicely, the shades serve another purpose. It lets Tony’s scanning and calculating gaze go undetected. And just like he was briefed the day before, the café is does not have any security cameras. In addition, the gang of four have taken up the largest table in the café, and with how intimidating they look in their black clothing, no one will sit down next to them on the surrounding tables. No cameras, no prying gazes nor eavesdropping ears. Perfect. However, they will wait a few more minutes before starting on the agenda of the their meeting. They have not ordered their coffee of choice yet either.

“Hi! What would you like today? Black, no sugar? Gotcha!”

The sound of a chirpy voice catches Tony’s attention, and he turns his head a bit, as if to see what Stephen is doing on his phone, but actually his gaze is looking somewhere beyond his husband. He looks towards the counter of the café where an adorable, 20-something boy is stood in a dark brown apron, fixing the coffee machines with the speed and precision of an experienced worker. The warm brown curls on top of his head bounce around his ears and the nape of his neck as he moves. They look silky, freshly washed, and perfect to tug on. The boy perfectly fits the profile Tony got from the briefing. This is him, the cute boy who will be covering the café all by himself until 10 am. The place is all theirs, and Tony smirks to himself before finally looking away as the boy hands the finished coffee to the waiting customer.

“Because, I want to have a good cup of coffee, and some fun.” Tony tells Bucky to answer his question about why they are at the café and not at base. “Is that too much to ask, Barnes? I know you don’t smile often, but you must at least be able to appreciate a good, hot drink now and then.”

“I do like to drink.” Bucky replies dryly.

“I don’t mean that way.” Tony corrects.

“All right.” Stephen cuts off by rising from his seat. Always the diplomat, Tony thinks. “I’ll go and order. What would you like?”

Tony and Bucky make their requests in, and watch as Stephen heads to the counter. He returns a few moments later, and once more the group of three fall silent and watch the boy make their coffee behind the counter. There is no one else in the café now, just the way that they planned it all.

“He’s cute.” Tony comments to Stephen quietly. With the way Stephen is sat sideways next to him, Tony cannot see his husband’s eye roll, but he knows he did it anyway.

“You just had one yesterday. Keep it together. We’re just here for business, so please… Don’t mess it up.” Stephen replies quietly, and looks over at Tony to show that he is serious. But, Tony makes no promises, and sits back to watch the boy behind the counter again. Thanks to the sunglasses, Tony does not have to politely avert his gaze when the boy heads over with their drinks on a tray. The man is unapologetic with his staring, and if he was a cartoon character, he would be drooling long ago.

“Here you go! Who’s got the espresso?”

Tony lifts his hand a bit, and thanks the boy as he sets his drinks down. Stephen and Bucky do the same with their black coffees that the waiter sets in front of them.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s your name, sweetheart?” Tony asks the boy.

“Peter! Peter Parker, sir.” The boy replies with a bright smile, tucking the empty tray under one arm. “Been working here for just over two years now, and I love it.”

“Really? You seem like a natural, that’s for sure.” Tony continues, letting his sunglasses slide down the bridge of his nose to peer at Peter from above them.

“Oh, thanks!” Peter beams, seemingly a bit taken off guard by being complimented by a complete stranger. “Well, I really do hope you enjoy your drinks. If there’s any problems, I’d be happy to re-make it.”

Next to Tony, Stephen clears his throat after taking a sip of his drink. He shoots his husband a warning look, then adds quietly.

“Honey…”

“Oh, I’m sure it is absolutely perfect.” Tony continues without caring at all about Stephen’s warning. Bucky is sat quietly with his drink, since he has no business to interfere with this, not when he is second in charge.

Flattered once more, Peter laughs a little nervously, but does not shy away from Tony’s eyes. Just when he turns to leave, Tony stops him by pressing his gun against the boy’s hip. Peter halts when he feels the harsh pressure, and looks down at the gun with a mix of horror and confusion. His mouth gapes when he looks at Tony, just a second away from asking what is going on. Tony speaks before he has time to do so.

“There is one thing… Would you mind switching the sign so it says it’s closed? We’re about to talk some serious business, and we’d hate to be disturbed.”

“I’m- I’m going to ask you to leave.” Peter states, and the two other men raise their heads at the command. Stephen scans the scene, where Tony and Peter are frozen and looking at one another intensely. It is almost like, Tony is holding the boy at gunpoint, and Stephen sighs audibly when he realises that his husband is doing exactly that.

“Honey.” Unlike earlier, Stephen’s voice is sharp now. Once more, Tony ignores his husband’s warnings.

“We haven’t even enjoyed the coffee you made us, sweetheart. I’d hate to let something so good just go down the drain. That would be a shame, don’t you agree?” Tony continues, still looking at Peter through his sunglasses. “So, why don’t you-“ Tony halts mid-sentence and from beside him, Stephen tenses and sits up.

“Peter… Put it down.”

The boy has got the sharp blade of a pocket knife up against Tony’s throat, resting just above his trachea, and with the tip pointing at the artery on the side of his neck. The knife is cheap, probably bought somewhere online, but it is quite beautiful still. Both the blade and handle have a multicolour holographic effect, and it looks like the metal and plastic have been dipped in oil. But, aesthetics aside, the knife is still dangerous, at least as long as it is pressed against one’s neck.

“I’m not doing anything.” Peter stresses through gritted teeth, and challenges Tony’s gaze by looking at him even more intensely. The older man can see that he has tucked away his fear somewhere, because all he can see in his brown eyes now is rage. And incredible beauty.

“Well, whatever it is that you are, or aren’t doing, you look stunning while doing it.” Tony drawls with a purr, shooting Peter his best and cockiest smirk. The boy looks amused, but only for a split second before adding more pressure to his blade.

Based on the briefing of this café, Tony would never have thought it would end up like this. The chirpy and bouncy personality is just a facade. The little bastard has been armed this whole time. Tony takes it as a compliment that he was the only that brought out the self-defence response in the waiter boy. But, as fun as this is, it is still a bit humiliating to be put on the spot in front of his second in-command, Bucky. The guard might just be plotting a coup right in this moment, considering just how weak Tony is being now. Time to turn that around.

“Okay, sweetheart, how about we make a deal?” Tony offers, but suddenly averts his gaze to the door. Another customer has entered, and both he and Peter hide their weapons.

For a second, Peter hesitates with heading back to the counter. It is like he is asking Tony permission to leave, or rather daring him to stop him from doing his job. Accepting defeat, for now, Tony nods towards the counter, and Peter heads off without a word.

“You, fucking idiot!” Stephen hisses to Tony, just quiet enough for the other customer to not hear.

“Quite an eventful morning, huh? Perhaps I underestimated this place.” Bucky muses with a chuckle and sips at his coffee. “We should definitely come back. And this coffee is quite good, actually.”

“Shut it. He’s coming back.” Stephen points out in a hushed whisper.

It seems like the customer sensed an uncomfortable atmosphere and left before Peter could ask if they wanted anything. For a second it looks like the waiter is leaving as well, but he just heads to flip the card saying ‘open’ to ‘closed’ instead. Still, Tony takes note on how the boy does not lock the door. If he had a nose like an apex predator, he could probably catch the scent of fear from the boy.

“You’re scaring away my costumers.” Peter states bravely, crossing his arms as he stops by Tony and his gang’s table.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” Tony coos condescendingly. “Do you need some extra tip to make up for it? I must say, your coffee was excellent, but-“

“Ten.”

“Ten dollars?”

“Ten thousand.”

Stephen sputters over his coffee.

“What do you-“

“For all the trouble you’ve caused, and for me being quiet about everything. And don’t pretend like you don’t have that kind of money, because you do. So, give me it, and then get out of here.”

Tony chuckles once, then he laughs merrily, but Peter does not falter.

“With what? You can’t threaten me, sweetheart. You’ve got nothing, so we can just walk out of here. And I think we will do just that.” Tony says and claps his hands together to signal that this conversation is over. He rises along with his husband and guard, but suddenly the man stumbles back into his chair. The waiter just tripped him? “What the fuck-“

“Sure, walk out.” Peter starts with a smile, but his face quickly drops into a death stare. “And I will turn over the video I recorded on my phone of you threatening me to the police.”

“You-“

“I started recording as soon as you came in. I knew you guys were trouble, and look? I was right. So, ten thousand. Now.”

“You, little shit…” Tony says through gritted teeth, but a hint of a smirk still lingers on his lips as he gazes at Peter in front of him.

How did he get so lucky?

“Steph, darling, could you write the waiter a cheque? And add my number on the back of it.”

“I won’t call you.” Peter deadpans.

“Oh, I think you will.” Tony chuckles, then adds in a lower, and much more sinister tone. “I’m not done with you, and you’re not done with me.”

If Tony could not smell the fear on Peter before, he definitely does it now. And he loves it.

#my prompts #jensen babe #mafia!tony #starker #ironspider #starkerstrange #ironstrange #tony stark x peter parker #tony stark x stephen strange #tony stark #peter parker #stephen strange #james bucky barnes #ask

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dobsmoneylake · 3 years ago

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Prudence. Corazon. First actual date. (Or, it doesn't have to be a DATE-date...but the two of them as a pair for the first time.)

AN: I am so sorry that this took so long (Corazón wasn’t talking to me until I insulted him), I hope it was with the wait! Thanks for the prompt!! <3 I own nothing. Also thanks to the Historian for beta-ing for me.

At the sound of footsteps, Prudence looked up from where she was laid out in a sunchair on the deck of the Joyful Damnation, attempting to enjoy some of the sun. “I see you’re alive,” she called out to the owner of the footsteps, causing the sound of them to stop before starting to head toward her purposefully.

“Alive?” their owner proclaimed. “Of course I’m alive! It takes more than a few drinks to keep this pirate down!” A head popped into her view. “Honestly, Prudence, who do you think you’re dealing with here?”

Glaring at Corazón, Prudence took one hand and shoved against his shoulder, “Get out of my sun,” she warned.

Stumbling back at the force of her hand, Corazón straightened up and put his hands on his hips, looking around. Instead of the busy sight of their remaining companions that he expected, he instead saw a deck that was empty of everyone but Prudence. “Where is everyone?” he huffed. “We were supposed to set sail first thing this morning!”

“Well, you probably should have thought about that before sleeping the morning away,” Prudence said, smirking. “Now, I need to go into the town myself; are you going to sit around and sulk all day, or will you be accompanying me?” She stood up and stretched before reaching over to grab the robe that she usually wore, casually shrugging it on.

Corazón felt his cheeks heat up and he quickly looked away. “I don’t know, I have some things to do around here to make sure we’re ready to go as soon as you all get back,” he told her. “It takes a lot to get a ship as incredible as The Damnation ready to go, you know.”

“Yes, but how often do we get to spend time in public without having to talk Egbert out of blowing something up or making sure Dob doesn’t run off with all the gold?” she asked.

When he looked up, she was smiling. “You may have a point,” he conceded, “And I do deserve a vacation after all the work I do for you guys.”

“Exactly,” she said, brushing by him as she walked off the ship and looking over her shoulder at him. “Why don’t you say we have some fun?”

‘Fun’ led them to the market, which was in a little bit of a disarray when they arrived. Prudence immediately took off towards the most lethal looking stall, which was full of various sharp and pointy objects. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Corazón disappear, presumably to make use of the last bits of chaos from whatever had happened before they had arrived.

Letting all thoughts of her partner for the day leave her brain, Prudence started looking over at what this stall had to offer. There were a few bigger weapons that she looked at with some interest (they would be such a great benefit to her rage), but they weren’t elegant enough to really fit her aesthetic. In the middle of the table were a collection of sharp knives and daggers that her eyes kept getting drawn back to.

Idly casting detect magic (and how good it felt to be able to do that again), her eye was immediately drawn to a stiletto dagger in the middle of the table, which was just pulsating with energy.

“Are you going to, like, buy something or what?” the bored voice of the shopkeeper asked her.

“Can I try out that dagger in the middle?” She asked.

“Huh? Yeah, whatever. Just don’t steal it or anything.”

Picking it up, Prudence couldn’t help but let a grin spread over her face. The dagger was perfectly balanced in every way-- in fact it was perfect in every way. “How much for this, then?” she asked.

“That? 500 gold pieces.” The shopkeeper was still looking at her nails.

Prudence deflated. There was no way the party would be okay with her spending that much. She put the knife back on the table, but kept eyeing it, debating how much work it would be to just take it.

“Prudence!” Corazón said joyfully, walking up to her with his arms full. “Would you like any of these delicious artisan meats?”

“Sure,” she said, absentmindedly taking one.

“What do we have here, anything good?” he asked her.

“Nope,” she said.

“Really?” he asked skeptically. “Because you’ve been standing here for quite a while, and usually you would have left in disgust at this point.”

She glared at him. “Honestly, it’s all rubbish,” she said, “waste of my time.”

“Okay, if you say so,” he said. “Although if you really wanted something, I’m sure that we could afford it.”

“I said IT’S FINE,” she hissed at him before storming off towards the tavern. She needed a drink.

********

Corazón met up with Prudence just outside the tavern, which she was staring at for some reason. That reason became clear when the noises from inside the tavern drifted out as someone else entered-- specifically the sound of two familiar voices and the even more familiar sound of chaos.

“Oh, great,” Corazón said. “There goes our relaxing day.”

“Hm.”

“Hm? What do you mean ‘hm’?” he asked, pointing dramatically at the tavern. “That doesn’t exactly sound relaxing.”

“Yes, but this isn’t the only place to get drinks,” she reminded him.

He thought for a moment before sighing. “You want to go to the nice restaurant.” When she nodded, he threw up his hands. “But Prudence! It will be expensive! They’ll expect us to actually pay! Please, think this through!!!”

“I have thought this through,” she told him. “I’ve thought that I don’t want to go in there.” She pointed at the tavern for illustration, where a conveniently timed crash happened for emphasis.

Corazón sighed. “Pirates don’t do fancy establishments,” he told her.

She took off walking. “Okay, I’ll go by myself then,” she said. “There might be someone I meet along the way who would want to get a nice dinner with me.”

He jogged up to her. “I never said I didn’t want to get dinner with you!” he said.

“Oh good,” she took his arm. “Then you can buy me something nice.”

Looking down at the top of her head, he smiled. “Don’t push your luck too far, I never agreed to pay.”

*******

Dinner went well. Appetizers had been served, main dishes had been critiqued, and dinner was on its way out when music started and other people in the restaurant got up and made their way to the dance floor.

Corazón watched as they started to dance and scoffed. “Honestly, look at those idiots,” he said, never taking his eyes off the couples as he started moving his finger to the beat of the music.

“Why, because they’re dancing?” Prudence asked.

“Because they’re dancing horribly!” He said. “Honestly, look at that form! Dob could do better than that-- and I definitely could do better than that!”

Prudence took a sip of her wine, hiding a smile. “You’re sure about that, are you?”

“Am I sure about that?” He rolled his eyes. “Believe me, Prudence, I could dance circles around anyone in this restaurant-- no, around anyone in this town!” He sat back in his seat. “Honestly, ‘am I sure about that.’”

“Well then,” she said, setting her wine down, “You’ll just have to prove it to me.”

His eyes went wide. “Pro-- prove it to you!” he let out a shaky laugh. “I don’t need to prove it to you-- if anything, you should prove your dance skills to me!” He nodded decisively. “Yeah, Prudence, why don’t you prove your dance skills to me?” He raised an eyebrow at her.

“Okay,” she told him simply.

“What?” His eyes went wide. “What do you mean ‘okay’?”

“Okay, I’ll prove it to you,” she said. “Let’s dance.”

“You’re joking,” he told her.

“Well, unless you can’t dance after all,” she told him.

He stood up suddenly. “I am going to dance with you so hard you see stars!” he told her, holding out her hand.

“I’m sure you will.”

Still holding onto her hand, he led her out onto the dance floor as a tango started, pulling her into a picture perfect position and desperately trying to remember the steps of the tango-- for some reason, it was hard to focus when she was so close. He was so busy running through the steps in his head that he didn’t notice how quiet they were.

“You know, you’re right,” she said, breaking the silence. “You are a very good dancer.”

He smirked confidently down at her. “I told you so,” he said.

“But I think you’re overlooking some of the benefits of being not so perfect,” she continued.

He raised a confused eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I mean this,” she said with a smile, allowing herself to drift even closer so they were pressed together.

Corazón’s steps stuttered as she pressed closer to him, and he started moving with less confidence. “Prudence,” he said softly so only she could hear. “What are we doing?”

“Do you trust me?” she asked him.

Corazón didn’t even have to think about it. “More than anyone.”

“Then just keep doing that,” she told him, pressing her face to his chest.

*******

As they walked down the path back to the ship (Corazón had ended up paying), Corazón grabbed Prudence’s hand. “Wait,” he told her, bringing her to a stop.

“What is it?” she asked, turning to face him.

“I know you said you didn’t want anything, but here,” he said, slipping out the dagger from earlier and shoving it into her hands. “You were obviously into it.”

She looked down at the dagger. “Please tell me you didn’t pay full price for this.”

“What?” he scoffed. “No. I nicked it. The shopkeeper was absolutely oblivious.”

“I don’t know what to say,” she told him.

“Don’t say anything.” When she went to open her mouth, he continued. “Really, don’t say anything. Let’s just agree to never bring it up again.”

“If you say so,” they made their way up to the ship. “Well, thank you so much for the lovely date,” Prudence told him.

Corazón stopped in his tracks. “Date?” he asked, his voice rising. “What do you mean, ‘date’?”

“Oh Corazón, you really are an idiot sometimes,” she said, shaking her head and grinning.

“What?” He sputtered, “I am the smartest member of the--”

He was cut off by her lips.

“You kissed me,” he said when she had pulled back.

“Well,” she smirked, “I certainly didn’t kiss myself.”

With that, she pressed her lips against his again. Corazón froze for a moment before slowly lifting his definitely not shaking hands to brush against her cheeks. When she didn’t pull back, he relaxed down into her, giving her the angle she needed to wrap her arms around his back.

After a few moments, Prudence pulled back and smiled almost shyly at him. “Have a good night, Corazón,” she said before walking into her room.

Corazón watched her go with his mouth half open before he closed it into a smile, reaching up to rest his hand on the back of his head. Suddenly, there came a rustle from above and the cat form of Merilwen jumped down to sit in front of him. If a cat could smirk, she was definitely making the facial impression.

“Oh, you shut up,” he told her irritably, turning around and walking into his captains’ quarters. He let the door shut behind him before leaning against it with a grin on his face.

#oxventure #oxventure fic #demon pirate #corazon de ballena #prudence #thank you so much for the prompt!#In my head #prudence was 100% aware it was a date the whole time #she just didn't let corazon know that #corazon/prudence #merilwen reports back to dob and egbert that prudence moved first #and gladly collects their money #randomthunk

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carminite-wyrm · 3 years ago

Text

Hero-of-Kvatch!Nyx AU, Part 2!

aka, Nyx continues to not have a great time in the tunnels beneath the Imperial Prison.

Again, story under the cut.

Part 1

The most ridiculous part of this whole matter, Nyx decided, was not the not-daemons (the creatures had certainly looked the part, but they hadn’t disappeared into a cloud of miasma after he’d killed them) he had encountered in the tunnels as he made his way out of the prison. It was the fact that no one had commented on both his injuries, or his tattered uniform that was very much not fitting the ‘high fantasy novel’ aesthetic he was also wrapping his head around.

Even as the brisk pace that the elderly man – who was apparently Uriel Septim VII, the Emperor of the nation Nyx now found himself in – and his entourage set through the tunnels did wonders for working out the lingering stiffness in his body, (as did the vaguely nightmarish path earlier full of the largest rats Nyx had ever seen), Nyx found his mind starting to spiral off into multiple tangents, trying to process the wealth of information he had already managed to gather.

He had died, that was almost an undeniable fact. And then he had awoken in what he was now absolutely certain was a different universe, to find himself in a cell that he was shortly released from by the Emperor of the land of Tamriel, who was fleeing cultist-assassins who had most likely already claimed the lives of his heirs. On top of all of that, the Emperor (and Nyx, apparently), were mixed up in some sort of shared fate or prophecy, that likely had to do with the gods of this realm if Nyx was understanding things correctly.

Nyx was fervently doing his best to try and ignore how the situation was rather similar to what he had just lived in his own world. It had been almost too easy for him to slip back into the role of a bodyguard and defender of a King, to the point that one of the guards, Baurus, had given him several suspicious looks when he had found their group once again, and introduced himself as Nyx.

He silently cursed the lack of his kukris, the weight of the short sword he had found in the tunnels slightly awkward in his hand, as he fended off one of the strange assassins that were chasing their group, the blade nevertheless good enough to sink through a chink in his opponent’s armour. Even the slightest drop of magic to blast some of them away faster would have been useful, but he was fairly certain that the magic he once had was now gone. Dead and gone, vanished when Regis’ body had-

He grit his teeth, shoving that thought away along with the dead body that slid off his blade.

Even if this Emperor Uriel was supposedly meant to die at some point in the coming future, Nyx would do his best to help him avoid that ‘fate’. Quite frankly, he’d had enough of talks of fate and destiny, and the fact that the Emperor looked about as resigned to his fate as Regis had been-

The group halted as they found the way to the sewers to be barred, and Nyx suddenly had a sinking feeling. He readied his sword, just in time for one of the guards– Blades, the Emperor had called them –to call out that it was a trap. He followed them as they tried a side passage, only to find that it was a dead end.

“Wait here with the Emperor,” One of the Blades ordered, as the sound of assassins entering the previous chamber grew louder. “Guard him with your life!”

And before Nyx could even muster up a shred of disagreement, that perhaps leaving their Emperor with a man who they had previously thought to be a criminal, and also visibly injured even if he wasn’t actively bleeding or burning to death was a terrible idea, the two Blades had rushed off to engage the assassins.

“Well, at least this room is somewhat defensible,” Nyx sighed, readying his sword as he briefly gave the room a once-over to see if there was something he could use to barricade the entrance. Finding nothing, he instead took up a post by the doorway, readying his sword. Once confident that he’d be able to see any danger that would appear, he turned his attention back to the Emperor, only to find an amulet with a bright red gem being held out to him.

“…Isn’t that yours?” Nyx asked, a sinking feeling starting to settle into his stomach. This was starting to look very, very, familiar. “Why-“

The Emperor’s eyes were startlingly clear, and kind, as he explained that this would be where he was to die, and that he wished for Nyx to not only take his amulet, but find his last son, a secret son that only another man named Jauffre knew the location of.

“This amulet…it isn’t just some family heirloom, is it?”

The Emperor shook his head. “It is the Amulet of Kings, and must pass to the last of the Dragon’s Blood.”

“…Don’t tell me this contains some sort of great power that only someone blood-related to you can wield, a power that was granted to you by a dragon god. And that it will help to end a world-ending calamity.”

“That…is exactly it.” The Emperor gave him a curious look. “That is not common knowledge.”

“I…I’m not quite sure how to explain it.” Nyx admitted. “It’s…a long story.”

“Take the Amulet, and then in the little time we have left, I would hear what you can tell of your story. Your fate lies past the moment of my death, I do not worry that you will fall with the Amulet.”

Nyx glanced around the room, finding it still clear of danger for the time being, even if the sounds of fighting had moved ever so slightly closer to them. He slowly took the Amulet, tucking it away in one of the pockets in his uniform.

“So…Would you believe me if I said that I’m not from this world? Or universe, probably.” Nyx began. “And that I had died, then woken up in that cell, and then a few minutes later you and your guards showed up.”

The Emperor’s eyebrows creased in thought, before he nodded slowly. “The ways of the Divines are mysterious indeed. But you are here, as I have foreseen. Your origins, or your past deeds, do not concern me.”

“I’ve already lived through this!” Nyx blurted out, before he realised that probably wouldn’t make sense without some level of explanation. “I mean, the events leading up to my death, are startlingly similar to what’s happening right now!”

He agitatedly twisted one of his braids in his free hand, decidedly not looking in the direction of the Emperor.

“You are afraid.” Nyx snapped around to stare at the other man.

“I-“

“Even though we have only just met, and yet you still care enough to fear the consequences my death will bring.”

“I just. Don’t want to fail to protect another person. I don’t want your guards, your Blades, to also fail to protect someone they swore to keep safe.” Nyx muttered.

“Oh.” The Emperor sighed, and briefly closed his eyes. There was a sudden presence in the room, ever so slight and yet Nyx could sense it, almost vibrating through the vein-like scars on his arm, the feeling similar to the rush of power that he had felt when confronting the old Kings of Lucis when he had put on the Ring.

The Emperor opened his eyes once again as the moment passed, and looked straight at Nyx, his gaze this time almost as piercing as Regis’ had been when he had spoken up for Nyx in front of the old Kings.

“Your kindness, and dedication, is a gift in these dark times. I am honoured to have met you, Nyx Ulric, and to have been granted the knowledge of the weight you bore before you were brought here. I regret the fate that has been passed onto you, so soon after your sacrifice in your old world, but, I have faith that you will not only face it, but also surpass the expectations laid upon you by the Gods. After all, this new life you have gained will not be without its blessings.”

“Wait, what do you mean-“

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a now-familiar flare of red magic, and broke off as he spun around to meet the assassin, the enemy’s mace rattling against the blade he just managed to bring up in time. The two traded blows furiously, moving across the room as Nyx attempted to use his free arm to gesture or herd the Emperor back away from danger.

Nyx hissed in pain as the mace briefly slid past his guard, the sharp edges of the weapon slicing sharp lines through the side of his uniform. The enchantments that had once been imbued into the fabric clearly had not survived his appearance in this world, though that was not surprising, given how they had hinged on Lucis Caelum magic anyways. He stumbled back a few steps from the impact, and ducked as the mace came down at his head once again. This assassin was clearly a cut above the others they had encountered earlier, Nyx thought, briefly eyeing the cracked stone where the mace had hit.

The assassin cackled, and moved to attack again, when Nyx heard the sound of stone grinding against stone. He looked around for the source of the noise, and spotted, in that half-second, a figure in red robes, wearing an even-more ornate set of black armour, a wickedly-long dagger in his hand. And that figure was stepping out of a passage that had just opened up, right next to where the Emperor was standing.

Instinctively, he flung his sword at the assassin, bracing himself for the pulling sensation of a warp. And then he remembered.

He no longer had the ability to warp.

“Shit!” He yelled, now scrambling under the first assassin as he tried to reach the new assassin in time, trying to reach the Emperor before– and why was he just standing there?! – the new assassin struck.

His fingers had just skimmed the edges of the hilt of his sword, other hand outstretched to try and push the Emperor or the assassin out of the way, when he saw the knife sink into the Emperor’s heart.

He watched as the Emperor toppled to the ground, the assassin’s knife dripping blood onto the stones. He heard, more than saw, as one of the guards appeared in the doorway and gave an anguished cry.

And then the assassins were attacking them again, and he had no time to further process the situation as he and the guard – Baurus – ended up fighting back-to-back, a grieving desperation in Baurus’ attacks as together, they managed to kill those last two assassins.

There was silence, finally, as the last assassin slowly bled out on the ground, and Nyx watched with blurry eyes as Baurus fell to his knees next to the corpse of his Emperor.

#ffxv #tes oblivion #nyx ulric #uriel septim #hok!nyx au #ficlet #carminite writes #can we get an f in the chat for baurus #and yes this will be a fixit its just that there is angst first

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