#( feat. freya. )

[silverjetsystm]

A song of ascents. It is said the guardian of Israel neither slumbers nor sleeps.

Despite the myriad of reasons keeping him from a full and complete (final) rest, the one who guards Midtown's nighttime travelers does.

The Midnight Mission’s black facade stands firmly between two other buildings. In the past few years since the macabre Moon Kni.ght has moved in, these two buildings have hosted real estate and health pills slash juice bar. Several other brightly colored signs never delivered on sparkling promises. Plenty of other embedded options. A dance studio, hotels, banks, dispensary, a fabric shop, eating options for all hours of the day embedded in the blocks of those who have lived here for decades.

Crescent moons emblazoned on bulletproof windows glow bright in mid-morning Manhattan. Sunlight unmarred by dust motes warms the study’s thick leafy plants. Clear slivers cast across mahogany desk and green chairs. Air breathes.

Midday light slices across hieroglyphic stone walls, the stone statue, raising glassy flecks in ancient gray. Adult Khon.shu, dressed in human form and function. White glider-cloak draped across its shoulders retains its own light.

Unless told otherwise, Mission – the entity once known as The House of Shadows – will not open its doors to those who cause harm to the inhabitants. A seeker of information to some, a thief by actions not yet written, does not meet criteria. Mission’s doors remain unlocked unlike shuls of their youth. File cabinets manila folders clinically recount recent cases, tax documents, and projects.

Walls watch the woman go up the stairs, enter its endless corridors. Some doors open easily. Others remain shut.

Certain objects are stored beyond anyone but themselves’ reach.

The proprietor(s)’ room is new; they sleep on their king sized bed like a corpse. Mission’s silent chime sounding in REM. A certain mercy Steven is the one who awakens, heart pounding in their chest. Jake tugs Marc’s white phosphorus rage away, leaving Steven’s bed headed and bleary eyed, sagging into pillow-topped mattress. Hinei Hinei Lo Yanum/Lo Yanum v'Lo Yishan bounces in his ears. Steven presses palms into face. “Give me five minutes. Get Marc together. And stop that.”

Hinei Hinei Lo Yanum/Lo Yanum v'Lo Yishan/Shomer Yisrael.

Face washed, teeth brushed, Mr. Kni.ght’s whites cover them. Mask in Steven’s hand, he calmly and collectedly steps into the back. Marc lunges into the front, throat growling, body tensing, heart rate escalating. Icy “Rrrr” reverberates his throat.

Mask pulled on and tucked just right, white leather oxfords stalk the corridors of the Mission in silence. Dress shirt sleeves are rolled to elbows, white leather gloves cover his hands. She can’t hide from him. He’s a heat-seeking missile to one.

Rustling papers would clue him in if he lacked the pull. Mr. Kni.ght leans against the door frame, arms crossed. Teal-silver eyes glare. “My daytime visitors know not to go past the living area. Who are you. Why did you come here.”

Interrogation questions are not phrased like questions.

[herosplatling-replica]

How did Freya react to her moms girlfriends? I’m just thinking she walks in the house unannounced and their just cuddling.

“I was hoping to sit her down and introduce the concept to her gently - since she doesn’t know about my divorce with her father - but I didn’t get to have that luxury. I kind of get the feeling that she’d react this way regardless though...”

(Rivera is @inkbwush’s and Angel is @lesbianoctoling‘s!)

[elijahcavannaugh]

"Holy fuck you look gorgeous." Elijah said and looked at Freya as she greeted him outside of her room. "Are you having a good time on the cruise?" @freyaxsmithx

[euphoriclusts]

closed starter for @iinvu (continued from here)

although lucas was ignorant in a variety of frustrating ways, he wasn't so wildly oblivious that he didn't recognise his own faults. fact was however, he did need this job. without it he would be struggling through college life with no money to his name whatsoever. a notion beyond the spoiled prince. still, despite being aware of his flaws, he doesn't appreciate being so publicly ridiculed. it was exactly what he needed, his parents would potentially praise it; karma hitting him harder and faster than he could've ever possibly foreseen. he gasps as he's jabbed, but gets the idea and saunters away from the counter. "i suspect the latter is the answer you want and the answer that is the reality. i've never seen turkey look like that before. is it actually turkey or was it made in a factory?" he narrows his gaze as if suspicious, as if he cares, which he doesn't particularly. "i do feel indebted to you, believe me, i'll get there - this is my first job ever, it might take me some time, but i am an active learner, i assure you."

[drvcxrys]

@lcngliive

LEGACIES | S4E03: We All Knew This Day Was Coming

[devilsmenu]

“ Everyone feels broken sometimes. ” ( freya to romeo )

"Yeah, ir happens to all of us. The feeling of broken and lost exist to all of us" Romeo agreed with a nod.

[freyaphoria]

02 | freya | Intp | libra | unfortunately engineering student | REQUESTS ARE OPEN BUT please be patient, I am a slow writer / You can write me whatever you want, I love talking and making new friends! | I have a cat!! :3 | English is not my first language!!!

Masterlist

fluff: ♡ yandere: ☆ smut: ♤ angst: ♧

Hongjoong:

Type to ♡

Take Care of You ♡

Soup ☆

Run Away Together (feat hwa) ☆ * [side story]

A day with yandere Matz ☆

Jealousy Left Unwrapped (feat hwa) ☆

From Passion to Punishment (feat hwa) ☆ pt2 ♡

Yan!Matz Masterlist ☆♧

Seonghwa:

Type to ♡

Pretty and Handsome ♡

Bunny Costume ♤

Run Away Together (feat joong) ☆*[side story]

A day with yandere Matz ☆

Jealousy Left Unwrapped (feat joong) ☆

Little Flower ☆

Best Friends Forever (feat yuyu) ☆

After the Show ♤

They hurt themselves w yeo ☆

Look Like a Freak ♤

From Passion to Punishment (feat joong) ☆♧ pt2 ♡

Dark side ☆

Yan!Matz Masterlist ☆♧

Dress ♡

Yan!Seonghwa Thoughts ☆

Yunho:

Type to ♡

Long Sleeve ☆

Best Support ♤

His Lap ♡

I am Still Here ♧

Best Friends Forever (feat hwa) ☆

Best Friends Forever but really Forever ♤

Give it a Taste ☆

Yeosang:

Type to ♤

Just You ♡

5am breeze ♡

Nine Left ☆

They hurt themselves w hwa ☆

San:

Type to ♡

Jump, Bunny ☆*

Last Taste ☆

Mingi:

Type to ♤

Love Me ☆

Happy Birthday to Us ☆

His Moral loyalty ♧

Broken Doll ☆

Wooyoung:

Type to ♡

Type to 2 ♡

Veins ♡

Because I love you

Run Away Together | side story ☆

Jongho:

Balance ♡

Toys to Lovers ♤

Can you give me a headlock? ♡

Is This Love? ☆

Ot8: Jewelry ♡ Their kinks ♤

Reactions:

When you use safeword (hyung line) ♤

When you use safeword (maknae line) ♤

When their s/o starts showing affection (hyung line) ☆*

When their s/o starts showing affection (maknae line) ☆ *

When You Dug Your Nail Too Deep (Hyung Line) ♤

When You Dug Your Nail Too Deep (Maknae Line) ♤

You want to keep your hoodie/t-shirt on (hyung line) ♡

You want to keep your hoodie/t-shirt on (maknae line) ♡

* : my favourites

general taglist: @aim-blossom @bambisd0ll @oddracha @peqchplvto

If you want to join or leave my taglist, comment below this post or send me a message ♡

[angelwood-if]

DEMO (EDITING)

Genres and tropes: urban fantasy, romance, found family, enemies to lovers, exes to lovers, friends to lovers, murder mystery, action

LUNAR CITY: a gritty but bustling city where supernaturals and humans live in (relative) harmony. Humans live alongside Fae, witches and warlocks, vampires, and so many more. It's normal. It's your normal.

When your father died, he left you with one thing: his antiquities/pawn shop. Decades upon decades of collecting and trading bits and bobs from all types of supernatural histories sit right here in Angelwood Antiquities, a staple of Lunar City and the shop you have now inherited.

It was his life's work, and you've done everything in your power to keep it running.

But when someone comes in bloodied and begging for you to take hold of a magical object, you don't know what you're agreeing to. You definitely don't expect him to die at your feet, telling you to take good care of...them.

Them?

Turns out the object is no object at all, but an ancient being that could be the key to stopping a multi-species war that's been brewing right under your nose..and your father may have had something to do with it. And when that being chooses and bonds to you--giving you its power--you are now thrust headfirst into the world of supernatural. The same world you've managed to avoid.

Entangled with a cast of characters who will help you save the world, you are now both human and supernatural, a rare feat. And the most important person in the city. And it will be up to you to save it.

Angelwood is an urban-fantasy inspired by stories by Sarah J. Maass, Cassandra Clare, and Holly Black. It is primarily centered around romance, with a fantasy, murder mystery, and war brewing at its core. The demo is already written and undergoing editing.

FEATURES.

Customize your MC's gender identity, pronouns, appearance, personality.

Navigate a gritty city of supernaturals.

Embark on an adventure to find out what war is brewing in supernatural circles and how to stop it.

Romance a multitude of supernatural and human characters, including a Fae, a Greenwarden, and an entity bonded to you.

Angelwood is a primarily romance and character-driven.

Play in a gritty, supernatural world where not everything is what it seems.

CAST [ROs]

IVAN CROSS (M)(FAE) - Ivan is the cold and distant Detective of the LCPD. He is also a powerful Fae, with a menacing reputation that makes most people scared to cross him. Ivan is not exactly a team player and he seems insistent on railroading this tentative partnership you didn't even want to have with him, but he's also the only one who can make sense of whats happening to you. Seems like you're stuck with him.

It doesn't help that you two aren't on the best of terms considering he closed your father's case without much effort.

FREYA (F)(GREENWARDEN) -- Ivan's second-in-command and your other partner that forms this...odd trio. You expected Greenwardens--powerful sprites that manipulate all things nature--to be smooth talking and caring. Wrong. Freya is snarky and punchy, and determined to get her mission done. Maybe it's because she's half human. Who knows.

DOMINION (DOM)(UNKNOWN) - Dom is the smooth-talking entity that is now in your head and giving you their powers. You...don't really know what to say. They sure are a flirt, at least.

KALEL/KALIS (M/F) (VAMPIRE) - K, once your old friend (and possible ex partner) is now insistent on joining your group considering they seem to have a stake in this too. (pun non intended)

SELINA (F)(SERPENT/HUMAN HYBRID) - Selina the Serpent is the owner of the biggest gambling den in the red light district, and also someone you don't want to cross. Over the years, she's traded with you on all sorts of things people leave behind in exchange for information...and now she wants to join in one the group. Having her around would really help, considering she has eyes everywhere.

QUINN (F/M)(HUMAN) - your best friend and the one you hired for Angelwood. And a human, which seems to be rare these days.

[thursdaygrl]

freya bites at that, intrigued. "no coin and yet she thinks she has something to offer me..." a scoff falls from her lips, before a smile unfurls. "i believe it's your job to entice me, pretty eyes. what do you possess that i may want?"

"i haven't dealt in coin in ages," she points out, "though, i could trade you for it. i am certain there is something i have that you may desire. name your price."

[eightyuh]

Uncolored sketch comm for @pocket-ozwynn of their OC Freyja! (w/ bonus feat. my OC Freya lol)

[herosplatling-replica]

if i ever stop making self indulgent aus assume im dead. anyway here’s a symbiote tartar au where freya, in a desperate and dumb attempt to save her girlfriend, becomes the host of tartar who just assumed that freya would die immediately

now that tartar is away from the facility and jeanne’s safe, freya’s just trying to adjust to her new life having bonus powers as a result of her rash decision

[elijahcavannaugh]

"Okay I am too hungover to be doing this right now." Elijah teased Freya. "We should go back to the castle and do something besides being out and about in Ireland." @freyaxsmithx

[suddencosmology]

A lorepost constructed while fighting Shadow of the Erdtree's Final Boss

I have thoughts. This started when I was born, but these particular thoughts began during my first playthrough of Elden Ring as a set of notes to keep track of events. With Shadow of the Erdtree (and me smashing my head against a brick wall), this section on the Shattering War expanded.

Repeatedly dying to the wrath of heaven gives you time to think, and now that I own the gate of calcified bodies, I must share them.

Fact

Quote

Conjecture

(Sword Monument, Altus)

The First Defense of Leyndell

A sovereign alliance rots from within

Traces yet remain of bloody conspiracy

(Direct translation) The battle of the First Defense of Leyndell

A sovereign alliance, from within collapses,

becoming a defeated army

A blood plot, these are the traces

Sword Monument refers to both Blood and Rot, suggesting involvement of Malenia and Mogh.  Who is in the alliance?  Translation suggests the attackers.

There's nothing I've found to shed more light on this idea, and so I have no extrapolation.

(Sword Monument, Altus)

The Second Defense of Leyndell

The Fell Omen stacks high the corpses of heroes

Yet the Erdtree remains unshaken

(Direct translation) The battle of Leyndell's Second Defense

The shunned ogre,

piles the champions' corpses 

The Golden Tree is unshaken

Margit the Fell appears on the battlefield.

Omen can be found in open Altus.  Given the location of the Shunning Grounds, they most likely originated there.  But did they escape, or did they follow Margit?  One group is found at a campsite not far from the Leyndell war camp.  More, alongside Misbegotten, are found at the Minor Erdtree within the outer wall, engaged in prayer.  A third group wanders the hill of abandoned treasure carriages, but near that is the Perfumer's Ruins, where lives an Omenkiller.  One must be present due to the other, but who?

Promotional art shows Radahn attacked by the Fell Omen.  Opening cutscene shows army w/ Trolls attacking Leyndell.  Beyond pulling carts,Trolls are found primarily in Limgrave, but one guards the gate of Redmane Castle, and another overlooks Sellia's gate, both in Caelid.  

Unlikely to be Carian: Carian Trolls wear helmets and tabards.

Alliance between Godrick and Radahn?

(Sword Monument, Liurnia)

This marks Malenia's southward march

The Blade of Miquella and her Cleanrot Knights

Grant her wings never to be clipped

(Direct Translation) Malenia's southward march monument

Miquella's Blade, the Noble Rot knights

The wings that are never hindered

Why did the march start here?  Leyndell and the Haligtree are both north.  Or does it mean that here her march turned south?  Were she chasing Radahn out of Altus, her first stop would've been the land of his birth.  Once certain he had not retreated there and/or recieved no aid, her path would have gone South.

(Sword Monument, Limgrave)

Godrick the Golden, humiliated

Having tasted defeat by the Blade of Miquella

Now on his knees, begging for mercy

(Direct Translation) Golden Godrick, a humiliating battle

To Miquella's Blade, a total defeat

Grovelling, begging for forgiveness

Either Malenia defeated Godrick here, or if he and Radahn sieged Leyndell, then perhaps he groveled rather than face Malenia again.

(Sword Monument, Caelid)

The Battle of Aeonia

Radahn and Malenia locked in stalemate

Then, the scarlet rot blooms

(Direct translation) Aeonia Battle

Radahn, Malenia come to a draw

The Scarlet Rot flower blooms to full glory

Here occurs the fated battle that ended the Shattering.  Malenia blooms in a bid to destroy Radahn, and whispers in his ear the following:

(Young Lion's Helm)

"Miquella awaits thee, O promised consort."

In the aftermath, Miquella heals Redmane Freya of the Scarlet Rot.

(Cleanrot Knight Finlay Spirit Ashes)

Finlay was one of the few survivors of the Battle of Aeonia, who in an unimaginable act of heroism carried the slumbering demigod Malenia all the way back to the Haligtree. She managed the feat alone, fending off all manner of foes along the way.

Malenia is "slumbering" after Aeonia.  With the presence of Miquella in Caelid, it suggests Miquella was responsible for halting the bloom of the Rot Goddess, Saint Trina sending Malenia into a deep, long slumber.  Perhaps an eternal one, until Millicent and her sisters arrive, each carrying a part of Malenia cast aside in Aeonia.  

And as each of them blooms, the Goddess begins to stir, and the Tarnished is but the unlucky fool forced to slay her.

Above is but connecting dots, but there are still questions unanswered.

Morgott calls all the demigods traitors.  Did he know of Ranni's part in the Night of Black Knives?  Or was her and Caria's inaction during the Shattering treachery enough?

If we follow the Radahn-Godrick alliance, those two are on the list for certain.

Rykard's rebellion was open and clear-cut.

Why the twins, though?  Betrayal, or like Ranni, was their disappearance/retreat to the Haligtree after Aeonia the cause?

For Radahn, why did he and Malenia clash? 

His lore paints him as glory-hunter, raised on tales of his father and Lord Godfrey proving their might in the field of battle.  A naive prince born in an era of peace, hungering for a war to prove his mettle.

He clearly sought to be Elden Lord, but perhaps not with Miquella as his God.  Or perhaps the war was a sort of elaborate courting ritual, demanding he face the full strength of Miquella's ideals and followers.  Or crueler, the promise was meant to be an impossible request, one to goad Malenia into combat and prove to all the Red Lion deserved the title of Strongest.

Whatever the case, it seems Malenia warred as a way to force him into compliance, and when he would not yield, she Bloomed.  

This either suggests she knew of the Secret Rite scroll we find in the DLC, and that perhaps the entire war was an extension of Miquella's plan, or perhaps just a final barb, given to a man worthy of no honor or glory.

The Unalloyed's presence in Caelid would be his compassion, or his moral calculus (such that could convince him puppeting both Radahn and Mogh would be for the Greater Good), could not allow the Scarlet Rot to spread.

The other option is that, again, Radahn broke his promise to Miquella, Malenia's march was in pursuit of vengeance, Miquella arrived too late to stop them from destroying each other, and his ascension was in turn a reaction to losing his promised consort and his sister.  In this charitable perspective, his original plan was the Haligtree, watered with his blood and fully absent of gods, shelter to all.  A throne of unalloyed gold, sadly abandoned when his hopefuly ideals clashed with cold reality.

Either way, we come to Mohg.  Why Mogh?  Again we turn to the moral calculus.  Miquella needed a guardian while he slept, and without his loyal Blade, turned to the next most dangerous demigod.  And also, the more expendable.

Of the others: 

Messmer was already in the Land of Shadow.

Rykard was a heretic and possibly a snake-god at the time.

Morgott had assumed regency of Leyndell.

Ranni was either dead, missing, running Caria, and/or definitely couldn't be trusted with the plan.

Godwyn was a cancerous corpse fused to the Erdtree.

Miquella needed a body for his Lord.  The closer in relation, the better.  And it needed to be someone who wouldn't be missed.

Mohg's Dynasty was small, heretical, slightly obsessed with blood, deeply tied to an Outer God, and possibly already involved in the whole murder and kidnapping thing.

An easy choice.

Either way, little suggests Mohg somehow knew a way to reach the Land of Shadow.  The closest connection is the Formless Mother's foothold with the Bloodfiends.

More likely, Miquella had the power and knowledge to reach it himself, and his ascension was delayed until both Mohg and Radahn were properly dead.

A lord's soul delivered, and a body to host it.

And so the enchanted followers and a lone Tarnished followed him into that hidden realm.

Of the two interpretations, I ask both myself and the reader, this: which is the more tragic?

That the good-natured promises of salvation are built on lies, deceit, and manipulation.

Or that the dreams of someone good and kind and loving have corroded into cruelty.

[lieutenantbiscute]

I’ve been thinking about Kratos again forgive me—

Has anyone ever sat down and thought about how, post Ragnarok, and now Valhalla Kratos is very much seen as a revered and highly thought of god?

Like, the people of Midgard seemingly making a wide berth for him and Freya as they go to meet with the currently village leaders over trade and any possible supply needs they request. Though Kratos is use to the whispers that happen behind his back- he’s faced it before- it holds a different weight now. He cares deeply for the people and their safety; the safety that he’s responsible for.

He now feels that divide in a way. What he could’ve been before, a simple father raising his son after his wife’s passing to the new god of war, the savior of Ragnarok, General to some and protector of the Nine Realms. It feels like a new burden but ones he’s willing to allow bury himself under for the sake of others.

And don’t get him started on the titles. I’d think him unnerved being called ‘Lord Kratos’

‘Kratos is enough.’ He’s fine with General, it’s something he’s familiar with, he well versed in. Being given the title of Lord feels unfit in his eyes. Mimir and Freya make the comment to spend time with the people.

‘Help them grow and they will see you as a simple man.’ So here comes Kratos now helping with hunting and building and carrying trees for new lodgings and skinning furs and on the rare occasion gifting wood carved figures to the children in his quiet moments.

It cements for the people that he’s simple when Atreus returns. The villagers swear Kratos actively dropped a log in, albeit, quiet haste to greet his son in a hug and pat to his back. He’s grown taller now, a few new scars here and there and so many stories to tell.

To the people Kratos is simple. Yes he’s done amazing feats, lifting trees and massive bucks, fighting off the monsters that terrorize the unsuspecting, and leading the realms during Ragnarok. But here they see a simple father and son rejoicing in meeting once again, and they think of him all the more greater for it.

More higher, he’s a good man at heart under all that stone and tough stares.

[kasagia]

Our little game pt. 3

~Part 1~ ~Part 2~ ~Part 4~ ~Part 5~

Pairing: Klaus Mikaelson x witch! reader Summary: Thomas has been trying to mend your relationship all weeks leading up to the wedding. You must admit that he was a true, sweet gentleman, but… something was wrong. You didn't feel those butterflies (or moles as Kol used to say) in your stomach when you were close to him. You thought that maybe after bachelorette party and wedding you two would again get along with eachother and everyting will be fine. But drunk you had a completely different idea to solve this situation. Warning(s): smut mention, swearings, I used the thread from "Friends", I don't regret anything (I guess) Word count: 4,6k

*Two months later*

"I can't believe it has gone by so quickly, I feel like I just arrived in New Orleans." I said to the girls while we were putting on our dresses for the party.

"Yes. Me too. I feel like Elijah proposed to me yesterday, and now the four of us are going to my bachelorette party."

"Actually five. I invited Cami." Rebekah corrected Kath while fixing her makeup.

"Since when have you exactly been friends with Klaus' therapist?" I asked, not believing for a moment in her good intentions toward the bartender.

"Since she's trying to talk you out of the ridiculous idea of getting back with your ex."

"Hey! We all agree that we're not going to discuss that topic. Today is about Katherine. Only her."

"Take it easy, Y/N. We're just worried about you."

"There's no need, Katherine. I can take care of myself. Also, I haven't decided yet what I'm going to do with this mess around me. It's enough that the Mystic Falls gang put me on their blacklist a week ago. I don't need more complications."

Yes. Officially, Damon Salvatore has become my enemy because I refuse to help him bring Elena back from her "sleeping beauty state." At least Bonnie stayed my friend.

"Well, I saw both of you in that new restaurant. You two seemed quite enjoyable with your company." Rebekah snapped me out of my thoughts.

The original vampire spent the whole two months trying to force me to set up with her brother. It was getting pretty tiring to the point that I decided to avoid Klaus like the plague and not give the blonde a chance to put her plans into action. I loved her with all my heart, but I will not allow anyone to meddle in my affairs and try to set me on a particular path. Not even one of my best friends.

"Yeah, like one meeting was a declaration of true, unconditional love." I replied sarcastically, turning my attention back to my reflection in the mirror. I started putting on my makeup, being careful not to accidentally gouge my eye out with mascara. "Thomas and I spent half life with ourselves. It's obvious that we're feeling good together when we know each other better than anyone else."

"That's what we're all trying to tell you!" the woman snatched the mascara from my hand and turned to look at me in the eyes. "You don't love him anymore! He is like an old, favorite movie; you watch it because you have a soft spot for it, not because it brings you new, amazing emotions. You got used to having him around. And you're afraid that my brother will destroy your idea of loving Thomas. Even if it's obvious to everyone that you don't have any feelings for him. You fell for Nik, finally admit it to yourself!" she burst out, reproaching me again.

"Rebekah, enough. You're crossing the line." Freya stepped between us, wanting to reassure her little sister and trying to lighten the atmosphere.

"You want me to finally make a decision? Fine. Right after the wedding, I'm going back to Thomas. You don't have to wish me luck. I already know I'll be very happy with him." I replied, staring furiously at the blonde over Freya's shoulder.

"You have to be joking?! Seriously? Are you doing it just to spite me?"

"I'll meet you all downstairs. I promised to call Tom before we went out all night." I said, ignoring Rebekah's angry look at me.

I left the room quickly before any of the vampires (or the witch) could stop me, heading for the only place I could get some privacy.

Klaus' art studio.

The guys had already left the mansion an hour ago, teasing Katherine that they would make one last effort to find someone better for Elijah before she "ringed him with a golden muzzle," so I was sure no one would find me there. Who would have guessed I was hiding in the "cave" of a big bad wolf?

I was walking in a dark room, lit only by the moonlight. I took my phone out of my dress pocket and dialed Tom's number. I put the device to my ear, staring at the unfinished painting on the easel. Klaus must have been pretty pissed while painting it. I hadn't even seen so much intense red when the hybrid returned covered in blood from one of his "preventive missions."

"Y/N?" Thomas's voice snapped me out of my thoughts about the original.

"Hi." I replied with a little smile, sitting on the piano opposite the easel. Klaus went all out designing his studio.

"Hello, honey. Are you going out with the girls?"

"Yes. So don't bother calling; I won't answer, and even if I do, I doubt I'll be in a good condition." I replied jokingly, smiling wider as I heard his laugh.

"Ha ha. You know what they say: You are the truest version of yourself after alcohol."

"Is this your way to tell me that you're waiting on a drunken love confession from me? It isn't quite romantic, don't you think?"

"I don't care about it as long as it's true." I smiled. I wanted to respond to his taunt, but I froze in place as I saw someone's all-too-familiar blue eyes in the darkness of the studio. As our gazes met, he went out from the shadow and stood right in front of me. "Y/N? Can you hear me?"

"I have to go. I'll call you tomorrow, Tommy." Klaus wrinkled his nose at the "cute" diminutive.

"Have a good time, honey. Don't drink too much or I'll have to pick you up." before I could answer, Klaus snatched the phone from my hand.

"You don't have to worry about her. She will be in my excellent care, Timon," he said maliciously before aggressively hanging up.

"Seriously? Don't you have a brother to drink up instead of messing with my boyfriend? By the way, his name isn't Timon."

"Your boyfriend?" he laughed incredulously, shaking his head. "Since when? If I remember correctly, he left you for like... two years ago?"

"So what? You're not better at all."

"Unlike him, I was interested in your fate, love."

"Sending your minions to follow my every move is stalking, not caring. And stop calling me that. It's disgusting." I said, turning towards the exit, but the hybrid blocked my way as usual. The look of displeasure on his face instantly made me feel much better.

"They didn't follow you... most of the time. I just wanted to make sure you're okay and you're not putting yourself in unnecessary danger for the sake of those imbeciles."

"Did you know that there is an ancient gadget called the telephone? You could have checked for yourself if I was alive."

"You changed your number." I blushed at my stupidity. He was right. Right after breaking up with Tom, my phone suffered minor damage due to my sudden emotions and relative lack of control over my magic. I just don't know why it hurt so much that he couldn't text me. It's not like I've been waiting for his call all these years... right?

"Well, we can't go back in time and change that anyway. There's no point in dwelling on it." I finally replied, looking away from him to hide my true feelings.

The man wouldn't let me get away from him so easily. His left hand went to my chin, forcing me to look again into his blue eyes, which gradually began to give way to his night-black pupils.

"So that's it? You want to go back to him as if nothing happened? Like I didn't send you a thousand bloody letters to beg you for a little piece of your attention like a desperate fool, that I am every single time you look at me!" he exploded.

His jaw was clenched in anger, and his other hand was clenched so tightly that it seemed to me that droplets of blood were dripping from it. But my stupid brain could only process one goddamn thing in this improbable situation.

"Letters? What letters?"

"Oh, don't play with me like this, love…" he tried to walk away from me, but I grabbed his arm before he made any step towards the exit.

"Klaus, what letters? I didn't get anything from you since you went." I asked, searching his face for any explanation.

"Don't lie to me. It's even beneath you." he replied contemptuously.

A red light went on in my head. The son of a bitch had no right to walk into my already messy life with his fucking shoes and accuse me of whatever shit he fancied. This is exactly what caused my agitation. Not the hostile look I couldn't take from him.

"Beneath me? How can you tell if something is in "my type" or not?! You don't even fucking know me!" his jaw tightened. In the next second, he pushed me into a wall and put his hands on both sides of my head. His eyes were enraged, mad, and... passionate.

"I know you better than myself. I spent months admiring you in the shadows until you decided that I was curious enough to be noticed by you. It took you a bloody year to warm up to me and to treat me like something more than a monster. And when we were apart… I've never missed anyone as much as I have missed you in the thousand years I've lived. You told me here months ago that you would be the one to burn me. You were too stubborn to admit our connection that much, that you, love, didn't notice I was already burned by you a long time ago."

"You're lying. You wouldn't even have come up with that stupid excuse if Thomas hadn't shown up. You want me to lose my chance at happiness, don't you? The moment I trust you, you'll stab me in the back for your own amusement."

"Is your beloved ex-boyfriend, as I would like to point out, clouding your mental clarity so much?"

"Maybe he's my ex, but unlike some people, he really cares about me, not my power."

"Did he? Because if I had a chance, which you gave him, I would never, ever leave you. Not even if I could rule all of this damn world."

"Please, it's impossible that you could truly love…" he cut me off, pulling my face closer to his lips to shut me up by kissing me.

I imagined that moment so many times in my head, but nothing conveyed the true feeling of his lips on mine.

I moaned as he bit my lips and opened a way into my mouth like that. His treacherous tongue slipped inside like a snake, catching mine in his snare.

The sounds of brushes and paints falling were my only warning before he grabbed me around the waist, set me down on the table, and made me his height to (surely) kiss me dead.

The moment one of his hands started wandering toward the zipper of my dress, making me shiver every time his fingers touched my exposed skin, was a time when the warnings of my mind shouted over the dark, hidden desire of my foolish heart.

*SLAP!*

My hand left a small red mark on his left cheek for a while before his vampire power healed it. He slowly turned his head towards me, with his own hand on the place I slapped him, shocked that I (a little, mortal witch) was that dumb-brave to do this.

I breathed heavily as I stared into his impenetrable oceanic iris.

"Don't..."

"Why?"

"Because I… you… we can't…" He leaned his head down toward mine so that our noses were touching. Our lips were disconcertingly close for me to express any logical thought that wasn't related to HIM.

"Y/N!! We're going to be late! Hurry up!" Katherine's voice made me jump out of the hybrid's embrace, scared of what might have happened in the art room if she hadn't interrupted us.

Before I left the room, he grabbed my hand and turned me to face him. I fell straight into his chest. His second hand grabbed around my waist, making sure I wouldn't go before he stopped talking.

"Have your fun, love. We'll continue this discussion when you return." he said as he tucked my hair behind my ear. 

"Y/N! What could possibly be taking so long?!"

"We have nothing to discuss." I growled, yanking myself out of his grip, and went out without even looking at him.

I need vodka or I'll completely lose my mind.

~•♤♤♤•~

"Ha ha, I can't believe it!" I was laughing so hard when Rebekah finished her story about Klaus and Elijah running from bees when they were humans.

"I swear to you, they came out of the river drenched as ducks, only to meet some "huge and terrifying wild beast" and roll in the mud to let him lose their scent. They screamed like little girls as he approached them and growled at them. Kol was bursting with laughter, but in the end our mother's old fur fell off him and he had to run away from them."

"All right! How do I look?" Katherine emerged from the dressing room, making an impressive turn in front of us to present her dress (not a particularly successful one, given how much alcohol we had consumed).

"I like it, but you look much better in your real wedding dress." Freya commented as she adjusted Cami's fake veil.

Yes. All five of us decided to put on white dresses and continue our evening dressed like this. I have no fucking idea how it happened.

"I know where we should go next!" Rebekah screamed, threw my legs off her and got off the couch. She ran over to Katherine, showing her something on her phone and whispering conspiratorially. I shrugged, grabbing a bottle of champagne.

Freya snatched the bottle from my hand, handing it to Cami. The barmaid drank the rest of its contents and sat down next to me. I put my head on her lap so she could comb my hair. I closed my eyes, feeling a little relaxed for the first time in weeks. The quiet whispers of the vampires in the background and the slow, calming movements of the blonde's hand were a wonderful sleep aid.

"Don't fall asleep, sleeping princess! We're going dancing." an enthusiastic Rebekah nudged me gently on the arm, trying to pull me out of my own world.

"Dancing? Where?" I asked, opening one eye to look unconvinced at the blonde.

"You will see. Come on, the night is still young, and we're not drunk enough." the vampire grabbed my arm and dragged me down the stairs to the waiting limousine.

The five of us drank chilled champagne from the limousine in seconds, continuing to talk nonsense until we were at the door of the club Rebekah wanted to take us to.

If I had seen its name better, maybe I would have realized that this is the same place the guys went to celebrate Elijah's bachelor party, and maybe what happened later that night wouldn't have happened at all.

But we all went inside and lost each other in a sea of other people.

I looked around the crowd until I saw a familiar face at the bar. Instantly, my heart warmed, and the unreasonable desire to approach him overcame the rational side of my brain. I ran towards him, doing my best not to step on the white dress. Without knowing why, the people around me immediately let me through, so I didn't have to push through them.

"Nikkie!" I screamed when I saw the hybrid. I made a few steps toward him, and I fell into his arms, tripping over my fake wedding dress. I could hear Kol chuckling in the background. "I've missed you, love."

"You know I can get you two married at any moment, brother? Just say a word."

Kol took his beer from the bar as I leaned dangerously close to him, threatening to accidentally spill the alcohol down my dress. Klaus held me closer to him so that I wouldn't wobble from side to side, checking to make sure my drunken walk towards them didn't injure me in the process.

"Shut up, Kol. She's drunk."

"Hey! I'm not drunk, but you're ridiculously hot when you're mad." I giggled as I cupped his face and kissed a crease between his eyebrows. "And so sweet when you're confused." I said, chuckling after he gave me an incredulous look.

"The offer is still valid." a vampire muttered under his breath, teasing his brother.

"For bloody hell, Kol, I'm not gonna marry her!" he growled at him. Suddenly, I felt very sad. Tears came to my eyes from nowhere.

"No? Why? You don't love me?" I asked, sobbing. His eyes immediately fell on my weeping form in pure panic. Nik gently pulled me to him and cupped my cheek, wiping away my tears with his thumb as he looked at me softly.

"Yes, Nikkie, don't you love her?" Kol interrupted our moment, much to Klaus' annoyance and anger.

"If you want to live to see tomorrow, get out of my sight. Now."

"Have fun together, Nikkie!"

He followed him with his eyes until he disappeared into the crowd of others. His eyes softened as he looked at my tear-stained face.

"Love, why are you crying?" he asked softly, wiping away my tears.

"Because you don't love me at all!" he sighed, hugging me tighter and kissing my head tenderly.

"Of course I love you." he whispered timidly into my hair.

"You do?" I moved away from him, placing my hands on his chest so that I could hold onto his body the whole time while looking into his eyes.

"It's impossible not to, love. Can we go home now?"

"No. Say it again."

"What?"

"That you love me."

"Y/N. You're drunk, just come with me and…" I cut him off by catching his stupid, beautiful lips in a kiss.

At first, he stayed there, shocked, not even making the slightest move. I got a little irritated after a while, so I cupped his face in my hands and pulled him closer, biting his lower lip until it bled. I moaned in a kiss, as I could feel his sweet, addictive blood on my tongue. Without knowing why, I felt "the alcohol mist" in which I found myself begin to slowly leave my body. In the next moment, that annoying man finally started to respond to my affection. His arms were all around me, reaching into every part of my body.

In an attempt to regain control, his lips began chasing mine. We fought with each other, giving all our hidden passion, anger, and frustration into that kiss. But it still wasn't enough for me. And he knew this.

"Don't be such an asshole and stop teasing." I groaned, breaking away from him for a moment.

"Never." he whispered against my lips, skillfully avoiding mine.

"For the love of God! Kiss me right or…" I moaned as he interrupted my threat by biting into the sensitive skin of my neck.

He was drinking from me.

Klaus. Fucking. Mikaelson. Was drinking from me.

And it felt amazing.

I gasped, pulling his hair with one hand and grabbing his muscular shoulder with the other. After a few minutes, he pulled away from my neck and kissed me again, this time complying with my request. During our demanding kiss, I felt a trickle of blood running down my neck to my chest. The wound closed in a matter of seconds.

I summoned my magic to teleport us to his room. More specifically, his bed. I started to rip off his shirt so as not to interrupt our kissing session. But hybrid has other plans.

He pulled away from my bruised, tingling lips and grabbed my hands just as I was about to get to the waistband of his pants.

"We need to stop, love."

"Why? I thought you wanted me."

"I do."

"Then shut up and kiss me."

"No. We can't. Not like that." he sighed as I started to bite and make hickeys on his neck. He grabbed my hair, pulling me closer.

"Don't act like you didn't dream of it. Like you don't wanna feel my hot, naked body on yours. Like you don't wanna drink from me while fucking me and leaving marks on all of me to make it clear to everyone that I'm yours." I whispered against the skin of his neck.

"Y/N. Stop." he growled, pushing me away from him when he felt my hand dangerously close to his pants' fly.

"Why? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't finally get this damn feeling out of our system!"

"That's not how it works and you well know that."

"God! Why do you always have to make things so hard for me?!" I started gathering my things, intending to leave the refusing-me hybrid.

"Where are you going?!"

"To Tom! Maybe he will be a man and fuck me, if you don't want." I found myself instantly in his strong embrace. He was breathing rapidly, his pupils so dilated that his blue irises were almost impossible to see. He desired me. If he wanted me too, then why didn't he use his chance?

"Be careful what you wish for, love."

"Let me go. I wasted enough time for you." I groaned as I tried to break free from his grip.

"You're not going anywhere."

"Why?" I asked, lifting my head in challenge.

"Because you're MINE. Mine to touch, mine to kiss, mine to fucked from your mind every single thing that isn't me. We belong to each other. And you hate it. So much so that you can't accept the feelings that are between us. This is why you gonna go back to my bed and sleep by my side so I can make sure you're not going to do something incredible stupid tonight."

"Don't act like a protective boyfirend, if you don't care about me." I choked out, taking advantage of the fact that he doesn't look me in the eye and instead places small kisses on my face.

"You stupid woman, don't you see how much I've already done for you just to keep you safe and happy?"

"You wanna make me happy? You wanna satisfy me? You wanna make sure I'm only yours? Then shut up and finally let it happen." I kissed him, pushing him on his back, so I could sit on him.

I started to strip myself, looking straight at him. His chest rose and fell at the speed of light, black pupils completely replacing his blue irises. I take a moment to appreciate his tattoo and kiss every flying bird.

"Lie that you love me." he said, after turning us so I was under him.

"It wouldn't be a lie." I thought as he kissed his way to my underwear.

"I know it's part of your game. Just... pretend for a moment you really feel something for me Y/N."

"It's not a game anymore. And since our first meeting, I have felt for you... everything."

"You win." he said, kissing me with all of his desire for me, and trying to get any response out of me.

"You win.'" I thought, letting myself get lost in the feeling of his skin on mine. "And I'm fucking terrified of it."

~•♤♤♤•~

Consciousness begins to slowly return to my battered, relaxed body. I sighed, snuggling into something warm and cozy beneath me. I put my head in a more comfortable position and took a breath of the amazing perfume.

Klaus' perfume.

I froze in place, afraid to make any move. After a few minutes, I finally decided to hesitantly open my eyes and lift my head slightly.

My fucking God.

I slept with Klaus Mikaelson.

With my brain overheating from the new information, I had the opportunity to take a closer look at the unconscious hybrid. He looked so... innocent when he slept. And carefree, even blissfully, judging by his gentle smile, which I could see despite the darkness in the room.

The disheveled hair on his head only made him even hotter. It was also helped by the fact that I was probably the perpetrator of his messy look.

I tried to slowly put myself out of his arms to get the phone, but Klaus instantly held me closer when he felt from his sleep my littlest move. I carefully placed my head back on his chest. I let myself hear his beating heart and smell his addictive perfume for the moment.

Curiously, I looked around his room, enjoying as much as I could of what little peace I had left before my partner woke up. For a moment, I could imagine that Klaus was my boyfriend, we led a dull, safe life together devoid of anything supernatural. Hope lives with Hayley for a week, with us for the second, his family comes over once a month for dinner together. And above all, no one wants to kill us, we have no enemies from whom we must defend our loved ones. Maybe we'd even get married and have children of our own?

Married.

Wedding.

"OH MY GOD! Klaus! Hey. Nik. We have to get up, or we'll be late for the wedding! Oh, come on! You can't sleep that hard! Niklaus!" I screamed. I tried to pull his arm to wake him up, but his eyes were still closed. "If you don't wake up, I'll smear your room with all those expensive paints you have."

"Shh, five more minutes, love." he mumbled, turning on his side and pinning me to his bed with his arm. He pulled me closer, burying his nose in my hair.

"Katherine is going to kill me if we miss her wedding." I said in panic, unknowingly brushing his hair with my fingers.

"I won't let her do this." he tightened his grip on me, still in his semi-conscious state. "You might as well not mention her name in my bed."

"Klaus, I'm serious. Move. We have to get together."

"Vile woman, have you no pity on me?"

"Not even a little. Now get off me, you're heavy." I moaned under him, trying to move his body.

"I have a better idea of how to spend the day than being at my brother's wedding with the devil. I think you'll like it too. Last night, you did. Very much, considering the moans of my name coming out of your beautiful, alluring mouth."

"Yeah… talking about last night. It doesn't change anything, right? I mean… we're… we not…"

I stopped as he placed his head close to mine so he could lick up the dried blood from my neck. This man would be my death.

"Penny for your TRUE toughts?" he whispered against my neck, pulling away from it to look into my eyes.

"I just..."

"Yhm?" he leaned closer to my lips, but before he could kiss me, I pushed him off me and off the bed, sending him crashing to the floor. I took the opportunity to wrap myself in his duvet, running into the hybrid's bathroom before he recovered from my unexpected move.

"Dress up. We have to be there in 10 minutes. Don't forget the wedding rings!" I screamed, knowing full well that he would hear me through the closed door even if I was whispering. I listened for a moment, standing perfectly still, until I heard his grumpy mumbling and footsteps walking away.

With a sigh, I leaned against the door, sliding myself down to the floor. Memories of last night started to slowly come back to my mind, including his half-drunk "I love you."

What the hell have I done?

[sgiandubh]

Waypoints, Take 1: POV Complete Outsider

A little something, before we begin. In the history of this fandom, S's book was a critical juncture point. To explain my speculations and findings, it felt appropriate and fun to split it in two parts: the first, written from the POV of a complete outsider who happens to stumble upon Waypoints. The second would be a shipper's view, simply because this is who I am. Under no circumstances should it be understood that I recently took a flight to Bangkok, as I will immediately tell you (I wish I had!). Last time I used this rhetorical trick it went in flames, and I had to explain myself at length: you have been warned. Here goes and I apologize already - this is going to be LONG:

Hi, I am Sgian-Dubh and I have just boarded the LHR-BKK twelve -hour flight, after four years of forced COVID abstinence. I am brimming with anticipation for five o'clock tea at the Mandarin Oriental's Author Lounge, the speedboat transfers on the Chao Phraya and the first real Thai mango sticky rice.

Lo and behold, somebody has forgotten a book in the pocket in front of my seat, undetected by the cleaning ladies. It is written by a certain Sam Heughan. I have no idea who that guy is, but I am quickly informed about its topic: My Scottish Journey.

Ok. A travel book. Favorite genre. This guy is no Pico Iyer. No Robert Byron. And certainly no Freya Stark. But I've got roughly ten hours to kill: where's the harm?

The cover intrigues me. Not my type, but a very good-looking gentleman, with a rather determined, almost stern attitude and a dram of whisky in his left hand. Is he a unicorn entrepreneur? An inventor? The next UK astronaut? Impossible to tell. But hey, never judge a book by its cover.

It quickly becomes apparent that Heughan is the male lead in that lengthy Outlander series of already cult-ish reputation, that my mother watches with gusto ("call me in half an hour, I am watching The Wedding": might I add, for the 455th time in documented history) and The Guardian TV critic calls raunchy.

Six hours later, roughly by the second round of refreshments, I have questions.

The beginning is peculiar. This guy has a busy-busy-busy life and lives in a large country house all by himself, with a hissing coffee machine he just bought. There is something havishamesque about this premise, clashing with the self-assured, conqueror pose on the cover:

But there is hope: a decision is made on the spur of the moment to skedaddle and walk the 96 mile West Highland Way, rather than brood in front of the telly with Chinese delivery food and more alcohol, Bridget Jones style. Fair enough. Adequate equipment is immediately acquired in a frenzy and outside it is nasty raining. The new tent is mounted and dismounted in the living-room (who does this? who eats scrambled eggs with ketchup?).

Pitter-patter. And more pitter-patter. Damp, but heartwarming overnight stops in cozy hotels along the way and short conversations in Halloween-themed bars, surrounded by Highland zombies and banshees. Parritch and grit. The harsh encounter with homelessness along the way prompts the Good Samaritan reflex:

More pitter-patter. Entwined with the self-reliant feat, we start to follow a parallel trail to the narrator's past, by far the most interesting part of the book. Challenging beginnings, in a single parent family surrounded by love and dignified penury. A real shyness due to truly heartbreaking, unfairly absurd, almost debilitating circumstances:

Details like the above quickly grab the reader's attention, and how could they not? There is a lot of sensibility in there, rather aptly balanced with a whiff of Dickensian morality (stay true to your self) and of course, with one of the favorite Victorian refrains: play up, play up and play the game. Obstacles are patiently conquered with uncommon resilience and a true stubbornness, but for a very long time, life is a haphazard succession of opportunities and rebukes.

For such a good-looking man, women are sparse and far between. Ae fond kiss and then we sever at 10. Stage partners. A stage production assistant. The one who didn't last more than one week once moved in together. No explanation is provided and we sense this is an uneasy topic. I wouldn't insist, as a casual reader, but my curiosity is piqued.

At this point in time, breakfast is served. I have long lost track of the zip-a-dee-doo-dah trekking part of the book, involving a sulking, but nice bearded guy and his wife, chance brief encounters and mushrooms. But the Underdog Tale surely got my attention, even if we spend an extravagant amount of time between the London neo-slums and the glitter of Tinseltown: skipping to the essential, it eventually paid off.

With instant fame comes exposure and the lottery winner syndrome. What to do. How to cope. Women multiply as by magic, but only one is singled out and discussed in a strange, contrived, almost lackadaisical manner:

If this made me, the assumed Complete Outsider, stop in my tracks and scratch my head, I can only imagine what would happen to these people's fans. Why address folklore and conflated nonsense, at all? Why give space to hearsay? Why "it", when it should logically be "them"? Why the ambiguity? Why the uneasiness, spinning like floating wood in a sea of positivity? Why worry about that, when you drum the march of success and explain your bachelorhood by an unsolved Oedipus complex, thwarting any potential pairing?

I sip the horrible airline drip coffee and I ask:

Who is Caitriona to you, Mister Heughan?

You wrote a +150 pages long book beating around this bush. There are no such things. You are either life-long friends and this is a non-existent topic, or you are lying to yourself, lying to your readers and hiding in plain sight.

Time to disembark. I am keeping the book. I am not buying the whisky (naïve product placement on top). But hell I am going to watch that series on Netflix!