#-Lue's tunes

[ratwars]

1201

[shadowandlightt]

Of Nightmares and Memories | nine | Azirel X reader

Series Warnings: Kidnapping. Mistreatment. Cursing. Pining. Violence. Depression. Talks of suicide. Eventual smut

Part One Part Two Part Three Part Four Part Five Part Six Part Seven Part Eight

A/N; *to the tune of Britney Spears* OOps I DID IT AGAIN. Also I'm more nervous about this part than I have been for this entire series, so be nice and kind and I hope you enjoy <3

Mor showed up a few days later. She appeared as you were lounging in a chair, attempting to read some random romance novel you’d come across. 

“He’s taking her to The Weaver,” She stated in lue of a greeting. 

“Well then he’s a fool,” You snorted, not looking up from your book. 

“YN,” She warns, “He’s taking her to The Weaver.” 

“Yes I heard you,” you roll your eyes and look up, “What difference does it-” 

You stop upon seeing the look on her face. The worry and the pain hidden there. You swallow the lump in your throat at the sight. She looked at you like you would break at any moment, and maybe you would. Maybe she saw the truth in you. 

“They’re mates, aren’t they?” You question, voice sounding strange. 

She only nods and moves to sit on the couch across from you. You nod slowly in understanding. You wanted to be happy for them, but somehow you couldn’t feel it. Like there was something wrong with you. Like you were broken. 

“I had a feeling,” You tell her, “From the moment she became Fae and he came for her the first time. I had a feeling.”

It was true, you did have a feeling. Something deep within you told you that they were drawn to one another in ways that neither of them could explain. You often wondered if that was the same with Azirel too. If you were secretly mates, you used to pray for it as a child. Because you couldn’t imagine a better mate than him 

To this day you still couldn’t imagine a better mate. But how could he want you now? Mate or not. You’d never have the same relationship that you had before. Nothing would be the same. How could you pretend to be the same person you were when you were taken when everything around you was different? You weren’t sure how you were going to do any of this. 

“Please come home,” Mor begged. 

“I can’t,” You try to keep your voice from breaking, “I can’t go back there.” 

“Why?” She demands, standing from the couch, “Why are you denying yourself this? It’s Valaris! Your favorite place in all the world! You hate being here, you always have.” 

“Maybe I deserve to be here,” You mumble, “Maybe I deserve to be away from all of you.”

“What are you talking about?” She questions. 

“I didn’t try to run when I could have. I gave up. I fucking gave up and accepted my fate there,” You explain, slamming your book shut, “I let myself become Tamlin’s little play thing, I allowed him to strip my powers away. I let him do everything to me and I never fought back.” 

“You never deserved what happened to you,” She shook her head, “I’m not so sure that I wouldn’t have given up either, if I’d been in your shoes.” 

“I spent fifty years thinking all of you were dead.”

“Oh, Y/N.”

“I really did give up then. Because I realized Rhys wouldn’t be able to come for me. Up until that point, up until she took him, I was convinced he would come save me. That all of you would somehow find out I was still alive and come marching into the Spring Court and raze it to the ground.” 

You shake your head, trying to clear the thoughts that were swirling about. Your back ached along the two big scars. Everything about you just hurt. Your skin, your head, your chest, your heart…everything. You just wanted it to stop. You needed it to stop. 

Mor sat back down and reached over to take your hands in hers. There was nothing but love in her eyes, no sign of the pain that you saw when she first arrived. You want to pull away from her, pull away from the tender touch that reminded you too much of your mother. 

“You survived,” She swore, looking deeply into your eyes, “You made it out. You were brave and cunning and you survived. That’s all that matters now.” 

Your head shakes again, “No, it’s not all that matters. You can’t understand, none of you can.”

“Then help me understand,” She begs, “Help me understand what’s going on. Help me help you.” 

“You can’t help me, Morrigan,” You said, standing up and ripping your hands away from hers. 

You walked to one of the large widows, wondering how bad it would be if you flung yourself from the Palace. How much would it hurt when you crashed into the mountain below? Would it be enough to bring you the release you so desperately craved? Would Mor be able to stop you in time? 

You thought long and hard about it, but in the end you turned away from the window. Hating yourself for even thinking such a thing. It would destroy Rhys to get you back only to lose you again. You couldn’t do that to him. That was the only thing stopping you. 

“Azriel knows we’re hiding something,” She says from her spot on the couch, “I’m not sure how much longer we can hold him off.” 

You nearly cringe at the sound of his name. Cauldron, what is he going to do when he finds out about you? How will he react? Will he even want to be in the same room as you? Will he be able to stand to look at you after everything you’ve done? 

“I don’t care,” You lied, “I don’t give a fuck if he thinks you’re hiding something. You don’t tell him about me.”

“Yes I know, Rhys’ order was very clear,” She rolls her eyes. 

“You should go,” You tell her, “Before they wonder where you are.”

She sighs and gets up from the couch. You can tell she wants to say something else but decides against it. You watch as she disappears into darkness. You finally felt that you were able to breathe once she left. 

You fell deeper and deeper into the darkness as the days went on. The feeling in your chest only got worse with time. You wondered what would happen if you went down to The Hewen City. What would they do if their princess suddenly reappeared after so many years. 

You wondered if they’d kill you, just to spite Rhys. Or if they’d bow down to you like they used to. But then you remembered one of the last conversations you had with Azriel, and how he hated the way so many of the males talked about you and you felt sick. 

Everything surrounding Az seemed to make you feel that way these days. You could feel it deep in your chest, the sort of ache you always seemed to feel whenever you were away from him. After all of these years it still hadn’t subsided. In fact it seemed to be getting worse as each day passed by. Like being back in the Night Court and being so close to him was making it worse. Or maybe it was the fact that the Faebane was finally starting to wear off and your powers were coming back. 

No matter the reason, you weren’t sure that you could go on like this any more. You didn’t know how you could live with the constant ache forever. Because you never planned on going back to Valaris, you couldn’t face the city you loved after what you did. After how you allowed your mother to be killed. She loved Valaris, and loved flying over the city. And it was your fault she was dead, no matter what anyone else said. You were to blame. 

You didn’t expect Rhys to appear several days later. He looked tired. You wanted nothing more than to wrap your arms around him and tell him that it was going to be okay. But even you didn’t believe that. You couldn’t believe that it would be okay. Too much had happened. 

“We’re going to the Summer Court,” He tells you, “Feyre, Amren, and myself.”

“Enjoy.”

“Little Star, tell me what to do,” He begs, stepping closer to you, “Tell me how to help you.”

“I’ll tell you like I told Mor,” You sigh, “You can’t help me.”

“Come back to Valaris, be with your family.” 

Your head shakes. You couldn’t bear to face Cassian and Azriel. Not now, maybe not ever. It’s something Rhys could never understand. He was able to readjust easily after Amerantha. But he hadn’t spent hundreds of years being beaten and mistreated. He wasn’t starved and drugged every day. You couldn't be mad at him, as much as you wanted to be. Because you knew he suffered too. 

“I can’t come back.”

“You keep saying that but you never say why,” he challenged. 

“Because it’s all my fault!” you finally broke, tears streaming down your face, “It’s my fault, Rhysand. She could still be alive if I had just done something. Anything. But I didn’t.”

“If you’re to blame, then so am I,” He countered, “It should be just as much my fault. I told Tamlin where you would be. I’m the one who didn’t come to meet you as I promised, I left you undefended.” 

“It’s not your fault, Rhys,” You felt anger boiling up in you now. 

Because you didn’t blame him. You never did. He had duties to attend to that day, you understood that he couldn’t get away. He trusted Tamlin. The son of spring had him fooled, and that was not Rhys’ fault. Not in the slightest. 

“Then it isn’t your fault either,” He gently argued. 

You can’t help but shake your head again. He didn’t understand. He couldn’t understand. He wasn’t there. He didn’t hear her. He doesn’t see her every time he closes his eyes, he doesn't hear her screams in his nightmares. 

“You don’t understand,” You cried, “She didn’t even beg for herself. Even as they cleaved her wings from her body, she only begged for my life. Begged for them to set me free. Even as they hacked her to pieces, she cried for me.” 

“Y/N-”

“I’ll live with that knowledge forever,” You sob, “Do you have any idea what that’s like? To know that you failed your mother? That she died for nothing, because you are nothing?”

“Don’t say that.”

“Why? It’s true. I have nothing left to give,” You shrug, fighting back the tears, “There’s nothing left for me.”

He surges forward and grabs your shoulders, “Don’t say that. Don’t you even think about it. Never think about something like that. There is so much left for you in this life.”

“It doesn’t feel that way, Rhys,” You feel numb all of the sudden. 

The void is back. And you’re once again a shell of yourself with no fight left to give. You sag against Rhys’ hold on you, wishing you could just crawl back into your bed and forget that this conversation ever happened. 

You wish he would just leave already so you could just disappear within yourself again. You wished he would just leave you alone to waste away. It seemed to be the only thing you could think of doing these days. 

He looks into your eyes and goes silent for a moment. You know the look he has, he’s speaking to someone, mind to mind. You feel anxiety well up within you, because you have no idea who he’s speaking with and what he’s telling them. 

You can only hope that it’s Morrigan and nothing else. You can only hope that he’s trying to ascertain how serious you are about having nothing left. But then shadows ripple in the room, subtly at first, but enough that you realize it. And it’s not you calling to them 

“You promised me,” You cry, hitting his chest, “You fucking promised.” 

“I won’t let you wither away to nothing,” He says sternly, “Not when there’s someone who can stop it.”

The shadows take form. You rip yourself from Rhys’ grasp and try to run but you hardly make it out of the room before the man is then flesh. You know the second he’s here, because you can feel it in your very bones.  Like a song in your blood. You try to keep moving but your body betrays you and stops. You think that maybe he won’t take notice of you. Maybe he’ll be too focused on Rhys. But then you hear footsteps. So hesitant, so light you hardly hear them. 

You can hear your heartbeat in your ears, or maybe it’s his. You think you might drop dead here. Right in front of both of them, and then where would they be? Your hands are shaking, just like the rest of your body. But you keep your back towards him, too afraid to turn around. 

A hand reaches for your shoulder. His touch is featherlight, but you can feel his scars through the thin material of your shirt. You knew it was him, long before he touched you. You could smell him better now though. Could feel that void in your chest slowly starting to fill. 

As if his very presence was enough to bring you back to life. 

Hesitantly, he speaks. Voice so silky and deep, just as you remembered it in your dreams. Only now it’s a dream made real, and he’s here. You’re alive and he’s alive and suddenly he’s gently spinning you around to face him. 

There are tears in his eyes as he opens his mouth, “Y/N.”

It’s the only thing you hear as he studies your face. Your lip trembles as tears fall anew. You can feel the air filling your chest, nothing but the scent of him filing your nose. For the first time in years you want to smile, because he’s here. And more devastatingly beautiful than you remembered him being. 

“Az,” you cry out softly. 

He pulls you into his chest, holding you there tightly. For the first time in a couple of hundred years, you felt complete. You nuzzle into him, still crying, getting his leathers wet with your tears. You couldn’t bring yourself to care though, because it just felt right. You could feel it deep within your chest, the part of you that always seemed to connect you to him. 

“You’re alive,” You can hear the disbelief in his voice, and the wonder too.

“You’re alive,” You cry, finally allowing the words to sink in. 

He was alive, after all of these years. He was untouched during Amarantha’s rule. Valaris was untouched. Everyone that you loved was okay, and so were you. Somehow, for the male holding you and your brother, you would fight to be okay. 

He pulls away from you and cups your face. You watch as he looks you over, carefully scanning your body. Any of the lingering bruises from Tamlin had faded away into nothing. There was nothing to prove that anything happened at all besides the two long scars on your back. 

“Y/N,” He whispers again, “Oh my Y/N.” 

Then he leaned in to kiss you and it was as if your whole world shifted to just him. He was the only thing that mattered. Just Azirel. Always only Azriel. Your Azriel. Your perfect, beautiful, scarred Azriel.

Tag List

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[siribaes]

crusin’

han lue x (oc) [ black!fem! ]

a late night, open road, passenger side driving around los angeles with her favorite guy.

contents: fluff. some angst. smutty thoughts. brief smoking cigarette mention. brief mention of death. rival gang dynamics. mild peril han drives fast ofc <3. nothing too major.

suggested tunes📻: protect my heart by kelis, it’s whatever by aaliyah, luxurious by gwen stefani, run to the sun by n.e.r.d., boogie 2nite by tweet, try again by aaliyah

author’s note: just a little somethin’ featuring my number one guy han <3. this was heavily inspired by romeo must die, i loved jet and aaliyah’s dynamic & this takes place after better luck tomorrow and before fast and furious/tokyo drift. y’all lmk if i should make this into a fic…🤔 / not edited or proofread

. . . ZOOOOM!

an electric blue, 1995 mazda widebody fd rx7 flys down the street. driving through lights, regardless of the color change. the wind brushes against chickie’s cheeks as the car veered left. she stretches her arm out the window, she hummed. the air is a bit chilly but it feels good against her skin. the mazda slowed down at a red light.

“i thought you said you wanted to cruise. it feels like you’re racin’,” chickie murmurs pulling her arm back inside. she turned toward the driver’s side.

he glances at her, his lips forming into a lopsided grin. “was cooped up, haven’t been behind the wheel all day, let me flex,”

flex he did.

chickie’s heart fluttered watching his skillful hands maneuver the gear shift with ease. his nimble fingers tap on the steering wheel to the rhythm of the music. a part of her mind wonders how his hand would fit into hers or how the rough callous on his palms would feel against her skin.

“can we stop at the store? i want some snacks,” chickie spoke aloud. she focused her eyes on the road and away from from his hands.

“it’s one up ahead,” with one hand, he effortlessly maneuvers the wheel, his palm gently guiding it as the car turns at a right corner.

so smooth.

the madza slowly pulls into a spot across from a brightly, colored convenience store. chickie unbuckles her seat belt.

“you want anything?”

“nah, i’ll just share with you,” chickie playfully rolls her eyes. she steps out of the car and heads straight into the store.

chickie comes out minutes later with a boat load of snacks and drinks. already, half way done with her snickers, she almost chokes, from she sees. her friend, her favorite guy.

han leans against the car, his body, totally relaxed like he doesn’t have a care in the world. a cigarette hangs from his full lips, as han rakes a hand though his inky, black tresses. the street is quiet as the plastic bag swishes back and forth. with every step, chickie feels like her heart is gonna leap out of her throat.

she can’t really pin-point when it happened or how it happened but it just did. it was like chickie went to bed one way and woke up another. every little thing han lue did set her a flame, even simple things like tonight, calling her up at 1:00 AM asking if she wanted to go for a ride. she all but leapt out of her bed room window when heard the engine of the madza coming down the street.

as exhilarating as her crush on han was she knew that it wouldn’t go anywhere. he was her best friend and on top of that the growing rivalry between his crew and her cousins, both vying for control over parts of south-east la, didn’t add much to the equation. in fact it subtracted from it. so chickie just settled for her mushy, unrequited feelings and distracted herself with other things. this time, nitpicking han’s smoking habits.

“i thought you were quitting,” chickie hoists herself on the hood of han’s car. she digs into the bag, pulling out soda and a pack of twinkies.

a week prior, han told chickie that he was going to quit, cold turkey. that and some other ramblings of needing to get out of “this place”. over the course of their friendship, chickie can tell when han is tired or sleep deprived. typically a man of few words, he becomes talkative and super rambly when exhausted. there was a small part of that was happy han was quitting, but she should’ve known better, old habits die hard.

han takes a long pull. he blows the smoke away from chickie’s direction. “i am. haven’t had a cig in three days,”

“but you said you went cold turkey,” chickie takes a bite of her twinkie.

“listen,” han leans towards chickie, “i’ll go cold turkey when you tell y’re pops about your new jewelry,” he reached towards her stomach and lightly flicked her belly button piercing.

chickie squatted his hand away. “boy, please another piercing isn’t gonna hurt anyone. my body, my choice. besides, cigarettes aren’t good for you,”

han chuckles. he takes another pull, blowing the smoke up towards the sky. he shrugged. “does it matter? health isn’t my priority. especially the way i’m livin’,”

chickie frowns. “i don’t like when you talk like that,”

han take another pull, longer than the previous. the cigarette is a nothing but a stubby bud now. he flicks it away. slowly, he turns and faces her.

“you worry about me too much,”

“i feel like i don’t worry enough,” chickie said quietly. she avoids his eyes, keeping them toward the lights of the convenience store.

“you hoggin’ all the snacks,” before chickie could respond, han pulls her hand towards him. a prickly, chill runs down her spine. The roughness of han’s callouses feel good against her skin. frozen in place, chickie watches han lean down and bite the twinkie in her hand.

she feels everything.

the slight, soft-wetness of han’s mouth on her skin. his nimble tongue as it gently slides and swirls around the tips of chickie’s fingers. her works in over time, completely thudding against her chest, as han pulls away from her. for second, chickie sees a certain glint in the deep, brown pools of his eyes.

he chews. han smirks at her.

“there’s a race on saturday. you should come,” han says, leaning back, casually.

chickie took a sip of her soda. hoping for the coolness of the drink to cool her down. she takes another sip and thinks, if he could do that, so could i.

“i dunno,” chickie trails. she innocently, fiddled with her bracelet, playing with the race-car charm, the same one han got her a year ago, in honor of the mutual love for cars. she looks at him, batting her eyelashes, subtly, “i might be, busy,”

han’s eye brow rose. “busy?”

“yeah, i might have plans, or something,”

“what, like a date?” chickie notices a slight change in han’s demeanor. his jaw tightens, emphasizing the angles of his cheekbones.

chickie attempts to channel her best han impression, shrugging her shoulders in the most nonchalant way. han grows quiet, slowly nodding his head. he leans off the car and positions himself in front of her. in quick movements, han pulls chickie close. fingers flutter across her exposed stomach.

han tickles her.

“han! stop, please! o-okay, okay, okay! i’ll come, i can’t breathe,” chickie squeals, attempting to push han away from her.

“say you’ll come,” han somehow managed to snake a hand to the back of chickie’s neck. he gently holds her in place, while he continues to tickle her.

“ooo-okay! i will come, please,” han eases off of her. he watched as chickie caught her breath. she shoves han’s shoulder, “asshole,”

they laugh.

“seriously though,” han rolls his shoulder, keeping his gaze on chickie, “i need you there. i wanna see my favorite girl,”

chickie smiles, gently. the flames of her unrequited crush roaring back inside of her. han loops an arm around chickie’s shoulder, she leans her head against him. savoring this moment, allowing herself a little leeway to dream about what could’ve been.

[kaisollisto]

Tagged by @goldrushgold and instructed to tag 9 people i want to know better

Last Song(s): You didn't know Hazbin Hotel, that one catchy part is just stuck on loop in my head. Open Arms Epic the Musical, this has such a funky tune i'm a bit obsessed.

Currently Watching: Dungeon Meshi, I thought all the eps were out now i'm sad, i feel so bad for Marcille for just wanting a normal delicious meal but it's a bit funny.

Three ships: avatrice, bellice, bellamione, (only including these two cuz i'm currently on a re-read of my all time fave authors (here'sto and kuraibites)

Favorite color: B(YOUr MO-)lue

Currently consuming: the carbon dioxide in my room begging for some fresh fucking air.

First ship: neji and gaara from naruto (i don't wanna talk about it i blame my sister for reading aloud those SasuNaru fics)

Relationship status: single and perpetually yearning but unwilling to put myself out there ;3

Last movie: Everything Everywhere All At Once

Currently working on: hhhhhhhh face + shadows

Tagging (no pressure btw😎)

@alms4oblivion @thistleation @charcuterieboy (I know this is you charlieboy22 nice try) @tragedylure aaaaaaaa i'm too tired to do more thinking

[chillisreal]

hey bro what about b(lack)pen and b(lue)tune

Blue who?

[japanese-horrormovies90s00s]

Hello, my name is Jack, and I am a student currently doing research on Japanese horror films during the periods of the 1990’s and 2000’s. There will be a series of posts in lue of this topic and some accompanying a film related to these films. I have not decided yet on what horror movie to watch from this time period, so stay tuned to find out which one I report on! First we can go through an overview of what makes the horror films Japan published during the 1990’s and 2000’s prevalent. I will also have a link to the sources I used at the bottom of this post if others want to read the full article that I used. A quick summary of why the Japanese horror films took the main stage is directly tied to the boom of technology during this time period. These films heavily revolved around ghosts and spirits taking control of the technology around them and haunting the people who use them. From the article “Why We Need to Bring 2000s Japanese Horror Back” written by Arthur Goyaz, they bring up an interesting point of, “For the Japanese, a handful of worries came with the turn of the millennium, and these concerns were translated into chilling horror stories” (¶ 3). From the point of view of 2024, the fact that during the boom of new technologies Japan took the fears of what is to come and turned them into innovative horror films that garnered global attention is an interesting fact about these movies. 

The horror aspect of these films heavily revolved around ghosts and spirits and they come from folklore passed down through Japanese culture. Mainly we see angry and violent ghost/spirits inhabiting objects related to technology coming to haunt those in the present time. The main image you could think of when it comes to Japanese horror is the black-haired girl in a white dress(a photo will be attached). This image is accompanied by the film Ringu or the American remake The Ring. The director Hideo Nakata who directed Ringu is someone who is held in high regard for his horror movies. A quote from the article “Why Were the Early 2000s Such a Great Time for Asian Horror?” written by Samuel Williamson describes Hideo Nakata as,“...the king of this moment in Asian horror, not only with his incredible grasp on crafting scares in Ringu, but also with his 2002 classic, Dark Water”(¶ 7). It was not just Ringu that had so much global attention that spawned an American remake, but films like The Grudge, Dark Waters, One Missed Call, and The Uninvited all spawned American remakes. For this blog I will be focusing on watching the originals. I am leaning more towards either Ringu or Dark Water, so keep on the lookout for future posts.

Attached Articles:

Goyaz, A. (2023, August 8). Why we need to bring 2000s Japanese horror back. MovieWeb. https://movieweb.com/japanese-2000s-horror-should-return-why/ 

Williamson, S. (2023, September 30). Why were the early 2000s such a great time for Asian horror?. Collider. https://collider.com/asian-horror-early-2000s/ 

[reallycolorfulruins]

Hello, my name is Jack, and I am a student currently doing research on Japanese horror films during the periods of the 1990’s and 2000’s. There will be a series of posts in lue of this topic and some accompanying a film related to these films. I have not decided yet on what horror movie to watch from this time period, so stay tuned to find out which one I report on! First we can go through an overview of what makes the horror films Japan published during the 1990’s and 2000’s prevalent. I will also have a link to the sources I used at the bottom of this post if others want to read the full article that I used. A quick summary of why the Japanese horror films took the main stage is directly tied to the boom of technology during this time period. These films heavily revolved around ghosts and spirits taking control of the technology around them and haunting the people who use them. From the article “Why We Need to Bring 2000s Japanese Horror Back” written by Arthur Goyaz, they bring up an interesting point of, “For the Japanese, a handful of worries came with the turn of the millennium, and these concerns were translated into chilling horror stories” (¶ 3). From the point of view of 2024, the fact that during the boom of new technologies Japan took the fears of what is to come and turned them into innovative horror films that garnered global attention is an interesting fact about these movies. 

The horror aspect of these films heavily revolved around ghosts and spirits and they come from folklore passed down through Japanese culture. Mainly we see angry and violent ghost/spirits inhabiting objects related to technology coming to haunt those in the present time. The main image you could think of when it comes to Japanese horror is the black-haired girl in a white dress (as seen above). This image is accompanied by the film Ringu or the American remake The Ring. The director Hideo Nakata who directed Ringu is someone who is held in high regard for his horror movies. A quote from the article “Why Were the Early 2000s Such a Great Time for Asian Horror?” written by Samuel Williamson describes Hideo Nakata as,“...the king of this moment in Asian horror, not only with his incredible grasp on crafting scares in Ringu, but also with his 2002 classic, Dark Water”(¶ 7). It was not just Ringu that had so much global attention that spawned an American remake, but films like The Grudge, Dark Waters, One Missed Call, and The Uninvited all spawned American remakes. For this blog I will be focusing on watching the originals. I am leaning more towards either Ringu or Dark Water, so keep on the lookout for future posts.

Attached Articles:

Goyaz, A. (2023, August 8). Why we need to bring 2000s Japanese horror back. MovieWeb. https://movieweb.com/japanese-2000s-horror-should-return-why/ 

Williamson, S. (2023, September 30). Why were the early 2000s such a great time for Asian horror?. Collider. https://collider.com/asian-horror-early-2000s/ 

[theloniousbach]

TIME MACHINE COUCH TOUR: THELONIOUS MONK!!!!! With Charlie Rouse, Butch Warren, and Frank Dunlop, 23 MAY 1963, Japanese Television

What a treat to see the magic happen! Monk punctuating familiar tunes and then getting up to dance and, with both, watch him lead the band.

And it’s quite a band on quite a night.

Charlie Rouse is in his long time role on tenor—not spectacular like his predecessors, John Coltrane, Sonny Rollins, and Johnny Griffin, but solid, almost the straight man to the leader’s magic. Percussive and angular on Evidence, almost smoothly bluesy on Blue Monk and equally fluid and differently bluesish on the rarer Ba-Laue Bolivar Ba-lues , leading the way on Epistrophy. He knows the book and both listens to the leader and gives him a foil.

Butch Warren has a thick, woody tone that is an unflappable anchor; Frank Dunlop is a supportive drummer who is completely on top of all the nuances and solos through them.

But, of course, we were/I was there for Monk. While his catalog of 70ish tunes is rich and of very high quality, he played many of them in heavy rotation. Even the standard, Just a Gigolo, done solo, is well known. That one was brief but revelatory with solid, fresh block chords defining his harmonic conception with some delicate right hand on top.

His playing this night was particularly fierce and energetic with nice stabbing chords and intense rhythms. Dunlop was with him every step of the way, but Monk was very percussive. He was energetically himself, including getting up to dance, spurred by the accomplishment of his own solo and just where the rhythm section was ready to take it.

I’ve seen other Monk on tape but not with this level of exuberance.

[sillygum]

Luffy has soundly made himself at home, cheeks stuffed with honey glazed meats and grilled vegtables, now and then taking a breath to sing along with the changing tunes of the tent. Had Buggy told his crew about their time in Impel Down? Some of the men  insist that they recognize the rubberman and jostle his shoulder goodnaturedly before passing another round of food or drink.

“KeGEHHEEh!!” Food clings to the back of his throat, body accosted and swiftly dragged from the feasting table, knows he’s in little real danger from the accalent. “Rakbarile.” The meat garbled name of his would be captor who’s quick to scold him. Luffy waves a half eaten shank of some delicious creature in lue of a greeting.  Running into the old lizard was expected, he wishes it was after  he had his fill but Luffy smiles up at the man warmly before cheeks clear with an obnoxiously loud swallow.

“Wani~ it’s been a while.” Shoulders roll, shrugging off the man’s hold without a drop of hostility, empty hand pulling his red blouse back over his shoulder; doesn’t think about the scar much anymore, it was a part of him like all the others, some of which Crcodile was the author of.

 “Business?” Tilts his head. “So you guys are here for something important,” He takes a bite of his pilfered meat, “figures.” The poneglyph? Could someone else read it? How many did they have? The news hadn’t said where the guild was before this and he imagines moving all of these people was a chore.  “Are you really working for Buggy?” Straight to the point, the line between thought and words is so narrow another person could call it impulse. “How the hell did that happen? I know you and the Old Hawk wouldn’t really take orders from him.” Luffy leans in up on his tip-toes, hand covering his mouth. “You know he’s an idiot right?”

thankfully, with how far the iconic ship had to reach the docks, crocodile figured he'd have enough to buy his time, to at least prepare for the straw hat's arrival. that's the thing, the cross guild member knew for a fact that once you caught even a whisper that the straw hats were nearby, their incoming presence was undeniable. so, the large cloaked man instead chose to conceal himself via the entrance of the tent, a watchful eye observing the shoreline, almost certain that nobody else had taken notice yet.

the inside of the tent was blaring loudly, cheers and music drowning out most sounds of those not prepared for a surprise entrance. however, for crocodile, the tearing and sudden hole in the rooftop was caught out of the corner of his eye. oh this absolute buffoon, even after all this time apart, did he really not learn to be more cautious with his entrances? was he simply asking to be caught?

his own gaze is cast around, checking the expressions of those around him, annoyance brewing beneath his skin when almost nobody batted an eye at the obvious intruder. not even buggy himself had caught glimpse of the infamous straw hat yet, figures ... leave it to the head of baroque works to solve this matter silently and quietly, as much as he'd rather not.

but he doesn't rush his advances, instead watching in waiting as the captain promptly dived into the confectionary on display, the perfect place to catch him off guard. dark cloak helps conceal the man as he approaches, waiting patiently before single hand reaches outward, grasping at the back of the red cloth the other wore before promptly yanking him aside to where they would not be visible. "you ... i see you still don't know how to keep your nose out of our business, do you, strawhat."

[ratwars]

1104

[lue-arlert]

I’m currently having my vampire story reviewed by my gremlin squad and hopefully here in the next couple weeks or so I’ll be posting it as an AOT au uwu

[lavenderdaisyhoney]

a/n: A collection of handcanons of when our faves be crushing on you. Ty for the idea @tomurastrashpanda 💓💓

warnings: none, sfw

mans does NOT know how to act so he’ll just be his typical self

he’ll do little things like bring you tea or help you carry heavy items

he’ll listen to you ramble on for hours

gives you advice, only when you ask for it though

takes care of you in little ways like covering you with a blanket when you fall asleep or making sure you’ve eaten that day

thinks it’s impossible for you to like him back because you have way more to offer than he does

often finds himself thinking of you for the majority of his days and nights

everything he sees reminds him of you someway, somehow

has a cute little nickname for you that only HE knows

gets jealous when you’re laughing with other people

Levi’s thoughts: Hmm, they’re looking a little tired. I should lighten the amount of work I give them. No. That’s not fair. Oh who cares. I dare anyone to say anything. They’re so cute when they stretch like that. Why are they laughing with everyone they meet? Don’t they know how precious their smiles are?

mans gonna be a blushing mess anytime you’re near him

you’ll be on his mind 25/8

he’ll take any and every opportunity to talk to you or spend time with you

will @ anyone who he feels his bothering you

in tune with your emotions and always seems to know exactly what you need

remembers the little things you tell him and brings it up later during conversations

is always eager to help you even though he knows you’re more than capable

bumped into you by accident once and kept his hands on your waist a couple of seconds too long. He later dreamed about slow dancing with you, hands on your waist for however long he wants

matches your chaotic vibes whenever need be. He’s actually pretty funny and it comes out more when he’s with you

has already planned many dates

Jean practicing in front of the mirror: “Hey, Y/N. You’ve been wanting to see this film right? I have tickets for it. Wanna go together?” No. *shakes his head* You gotta be more suave. You can’t let them know you have an insane crush on them. *leans head against mirror* I really like them.

a MESS. Omg he’s so adorable he legit doesn’t know how to function

has already pictured your wedding “must marry them”

in his head y’all have three kids and live a happy life

knows what you need exactly when you need it

could listen to you ramble for hours and when you finish, he wishes for more hours to pass by

once grazed your hand by accident and has been thinking about it nonstop since then. Refused to wash his hand until Eren made him

brings you gifts throughout the day. An apple, a piece of paper he folded into the shape of a bird

has sniffed you more than once yet surprisingly has never been caught by you (mans spending too much time with Miche)

he can’t help but wonder if you feel an ounce of what he feels for you

has written about you in his journal and hopes you do the same for him:

Journal Entry 115: I saw them again today. It was at sunset, I hid behind the pillar of a random building because I couldn’t bring myself to talk to them. They looked so beautiful. The glow of the sun surrounded them like a halo, creating a warm cocoon.Time moves slowly when I look at them. Nothing else matters. Their laugh though? That sounds is music to my ears. Maybe one day they’ll laugh because of me. God, I wanna marry them.

Taglist: @porcoqalliard @coffeeforday @lue-arlert @fierydiamond @sinnerofthewalls @reiner69er @maddieschai @levis-hazelnut @pockcock @fairyfuyu @usernamehere91 @therealbisexualjesus @sashatanaka @daichisbunny

[exaltededge]

And their immunity would be intake? It's far too good to be true. The idea that his relatively peaceful life could be uprooted so suddenly has bright eyes opening and peeking from under the shade of his hat. The government continues to out due themselves. Man made horrors their ancestors would have never dreamed of. It's admirable the lengths they go looking for peace, for cheats that are nothing more than dogs. Still the presentation was fascinating and Dracule wonders how these creations would turn on their master's, all do in the end.

What he doesn't care for most in this cloning development is the entitlement to his blood. Reducing his skills to an inevitability of his birth. He can't recall the exact meeting where taking samples was passed off as a health concern but what's done is done. The boy is here and the resemblance is otherworldly. Dracule had only seen his younger self in tide pools or murky puddles. The first time he recalls peering into an actual mirror he was well into his teens.

In his age Dracule has learned to tune out most harmless noise. Doflamingo's obnoxious laughter always a test of his patience. Concentric eyes follow the boys movements, meeting his stare with the same shameless intensity. “Your sword.” Eye contact never breaks, if the child is anything like him at that age he's watching for aggression in every subtle movement. Which way will the blow come from, where's the exit if things don't go to plan. Having options was important to survival at that age but no, this boy couldn't possibly know what real danger feels like. “Let me see her.”

Yoru has remained silent at the back of his mind, often bored with these meetings like her master. The silence is judgmental, curious what the scientist have cooked up in lue of a clone for the boy's weapon. The massive black blade lies next to Dracule on the table, his hands empty and loosely clasped together under his chin.

“I assume she has a name?” A finger gestures toward the boy.

—> @sillygum

Starter : Playing God

"And that nearly concludes today's meeting. Our last subject is the introduction from the world's most brilliant mind. Innovation.. technology. I'd like to show our state of the art cloning." The marine scientist rambled on and on upon deaf ears. Often, this is precisely how the warlord meetings would go. Only a few care to listen, most lounged, and one came along to pester the other victorious lords.

All in all, it's a waste of time, and a pathetic attempt of the government trying to keep treaties amongst thrives.

The man in a lab coat nervously pushed up his glasses before finally beckoning a hand.

"Here.. we'll begin with S-Snake. Come here,"

The atmosphere dropped in an eerie silence as metallic boots stepped into the room. The sight of the creature alone definitely brought something uncomfortable to linger. S-SNAKE, completely identical that of Boa, stood as a demonstration. She brought together her hands to form a heart before smiling all too sweetly. It would've been cute had this not been some sick experiment.

"We were able to take a DNA sample from all of you.. a mere drop of blood.. added Lunarian coding and a few adjustments of our own.. to create the most impressive human yet. The S in all their titles stand for Seraphim."

There was something about playing God that the goverment truly shouldn't do, but the man carries on.

"The idea was to create.. another you! Once we're certain of their stability, we plan to use them rather than you.. but please don't misunderstand! All of your immunity and peace will remain intact. If not more so, we will be able to rely on them rather than interrupt your time."

"They can taste without ever feeling hungry. They can bleed without feeling pain. Most importantly, they obey and only take their orders from designated individuals. In fact, they are on a mission now... and that's to observe you in your retrospective lives. Call it studying the source material up close. Memories aren't as easy as creating bodies are. All we ask is allow them to watch for a few days. You'll hardly notice them around."

Horrifying. Corrupt. Evil.

Even as the young creature stands beside her counterpart, it's all too.. odd, unspeakable. Boa does her best to take the initiative by offering her palm to the child. Surprisingly, a small hand rests within hers, and the little touch is enough to have her squeak. How cute she was!

Reactions vary as one by one come to interact. It feels like a surprise visit from a previously unknown and unwanted child... but the chemistry was there. Who knows you better than yourself?

The snakes were smiling, the bats were laughing, the sharks were more observant, and even the crocotilians put effort to eye one another.

The last to follow in suit was S-HAWK. Golden eyes thoroughly examined the room in a mere glance. He isn't very outgoing himself. The most he does is walk, stop nearside his counterpart, and look into the loud crowd. It's unpleasant. He doesn't like the noise, mainly caused by Doflamingo calling everyone hideous, looking children and barking out laughter like the devil he was.

He seems a bit focused on what he had considered an oddly comforting acquaintance of his. S-CROC was engaging just fine. He's touching that golden hook with morbid curiosity. An object the two could bond over.

And here's... him. Them. It's the most quiet introduction of them all. The boy turns his head towards Mihawk and stares. He isn't shy about it whatsoever. Those inhuman peepers are gawking outright. Star enchanced pupils are simply focused on the normal ones infront of him.

Not a word spoken, no touch to be had.

He'd like nothing more than to leave now.

[thesmokingguns]

Making Out

Minors DNI 18+ Dry Humping

You loved kissing him.

Making out with Nikki was like nothing else you had experienced. It was also the first time since you were a hornball teenager that you took advantage of making out. Nikki had taught you the art of it, hooked you on it and now you couldn’t get enough of just kissing him. It was amazing.

You brushed your hair out before bed, knowing Nikki was already on his side, probably scrolling Twitter or reading one of the stacks of books that were in his to be read pile. You stilled, wondering if he was playing bass because sometimes he’d think of a song when he was supposed to be unwinding for the evening and be picking out a tune. But it was quiet in your bedroom.

Rising from the vanity in the closet you quietly made you way across the carpet, peaking your head out you took a second just to look at Nikki and appreciate your old man.

He was propped up on his side, shirtless with more tattoos covering his body than just plain skin. A book was in his hands and you smirked seeing he had taken everything off in regards to jewelry except a silver ring that had your name on it that he wore in lue of a wedding ring. You had a matching one with his name on it. When the pair of you got together and it got serious he had said no marriages, no kids. Six months in he asked if you wanted kids again and told you he could see a family with you. You told him you were too selfish to share him and reminded him that love could be between just two people and be enough. For your one year anniversary he asked you to marry him but you laughed and said you didn’t need him to marry you to prove that he loved you, you knew it everyday. Nikki had fallen more in love with you as you gently reminded him of the boundaries he had set in the beginning and let him know you were still okay with them.

He looked up from his book, seeing you there in your navy blue cotton pajamas, smiling as he pulled off his reading glasses and set down his book to make space for you in his lap. As soon as he set the book down you were rushing towards him, jumping in the bed as he caught you with an umph.

“Your hair is so soft.” he was rubbing his face in the locks, breathing you in as you let him squeeze you against him and basking in the warmth of his body. The pajamas you were wearing were flimsy and lightweight, perfect for the summer to fall transition and cuddling with Nikki.

You turned your head, lips hitting his as he tried to breathe in your scent some more. Nikki’s hand cupped your jawline, fingers sliding over your earlobe and holding you into this kiss. He pushed his fingers towards the back of your head, fisting your hair so you’d gasp, letting his tongue slide into the space of your mouth and moaning as your tongues touched.

The slippery warmth of the kiss was heated, your head tilting as you tried to deepen the contact with him. The arm he had around your waist sliding up the back of your pajama shirt and pulling you so your chest and his chest were against each other.

He could feel you, moving your thighs as you wiggled in his lap, grinding down against him as he held you in the kiss, stroking your back as his tongue rolled around yours, teeth tugging your bottom lip before placing his lips over yours and deepening the connection.

He knew your body, knew you were about to start grinding against him, rolling your hips as your desperation and neediness came through. You’d dry hump him, letting him kiss you until you came from the little pushes you were doing. And Nikki absolutely loved watching you work yourself into a  frenzy just from kissing.

Rolling you, you gasped as your back hit the mattress, the hand on your back sliding to undo the front button of your shirt before sliding rough and worn fingers over the soft skin of your breasts. Your eyes watched his hands, watching the way he moved his thumb over one bud and the next. He laid his weight slightly on you, looking up at your lips already puffy from kissing before moving to start kissing you once again.

Swallowing your moans as you breathed pants of pleasure into his mouth you could feel his cock through his plaid pajama pants and wanted him to slide inside of you instead of the soft dry humping he was doing that was equal to torture.

Your hands pushed at his chest, tracing the tattoos you knew and moving to his back. Your tongue ached against his, letting him take control of the kiss as he rolled his hips against you, pinning you against the bed as he practiced what you two did best with clothes off. The result was lots of whimpering on your end, an orgasm ready to fall from your body.  

Nikki’s fingers twisted a nipple, your back arching off the bed as you felt the tug of him pulling at you and wanted to beg for more but his mouth was covering yours and barely letting you breathe enough never mind actually form real words of any kind.

Your legs lifted, wrapping around his waist as you tried to hold him still, not wanting to cum from the dry humping and have NIkki know how sensitive you were. BUt the result was just pulling his thrusts harder and in the exact right spot.

The bassist swallowed your ‘fuck’ as it slid from your lips and smirked against them as he felt you tensing, knowing you were about to let go and orgasm like he had been wiating for you to do.

Your orgasm pulled through you, your nails scratching down NIkki’s back as his lips stayed against yours. Your head tried to toss this way and that but he was grabbing your hair, holding you in place as he reached between your legs, pulling down his pants and sliding teh sticky fabric off your mound.

“Silly little bunny, I haven’t even fucked you yet.”

[youreallyshouldtalkmore]

Put the Squeeze on

A.N: My Twst Yuu Oc with Floyd...do I need to say anything more? 

Twisted Wonderland Masterlist

—————————————————————————–

"Shrimpy!!"

Riddle couldn't help to flinch when he heard the overly familiar voice. 

Even if it wasn't directed at him. 

He watched as Mia deftly dodged before Floyd could try to squeeze her. 

Grim folded his arms, "I thought I felt a chill in the air…" 

Floyd grinned, "Slippery, are we?" 

Mia grinned back, "Can't squeeze what you can't catch, Floyd. Hey, Jade." 

"Mia. Grim. Riddle." Jade greeted, "Where are you headed now that school is over for the day?" 

"The library. Riddle agreed to be my one on one tutor. Got some fine-tuning I want to do." Mia said all this while dodging Floyd. 

"And why do I need to go again? We got all semester!" groused Grim. 

"I'm struggling, and it's already a month in, and you want to wait until summer finals? Not to mention, you understand less than I do!" 

"Don't insult this Great Grim! I understand far more than you think!!"

"You got an E on the last test! I got a barely there C!" 

Riddle watched as Mia had this continuing conversation even while avoiding Floyd. Ever since fall finals last year, he noticed that Floyd had taken a shine to Mia. While he was grateful, he could become yesterday's news at times in that eel's head, he was still a little worried about this new development. He couldn't tell if Mia was genuinely playing with the eel or just putting up with him because she had to. 

It was obvious that if Floyd was serious, he could have long since squeeze her and been on his way, but he cackled as he played this odd game. 

"Getting a jump on matters is very wise." Spoke Jade, looking amused as he watched Mia dip and turn just out of Floyd's reach. He did nothing to help or hinder the situation. 

Big surprise there. 

"I'd rather hang with Ace and Deuce!" 

"They have tutoring with Riddle later tonight. They ain't raising much more sand than us. We are doing this, Grim. You will focus or, so help me, your tuna will be held hostage." 

"Waw!! How can you insult my tuna? What else am I supposed to eat?"

"It's the only way I can get you to pay attention!!" 

Riddle eyes widen as Floyd held up both hands palm forward. Until now, he made half-hearted attempts at capturing Mia. Before Riddle could decide to intervene, Floyd got close enough that Mia held up her own hands. The dorm leader blinked as the two locked hands and were mock wrestling with them. 

It was such an odd dance that he had to ask:  

“What are you two doing?"

It was clear that Floyd was not using his strength and seemed to like it by his loud laugh. Mia smirked at him before glancing at Riddle.  

"Hm? Oh well, we do this sometimes in lue of him wanting to squeeze me." Mia answered

That didn't tell Riddle anything. 

And then suddenly, Mia was turned around and Floyd glomped her from behind, "Shrimpy!!"  

Riddle was startled at Mia’s laugh, "Though sometimes it doesn’t work, as you can see." 

But his eyes widen as Floyd laid his chin on her head and opened his chompers wide....

...to start chomping on her single curl of hair atop her head.   

"Nooo, my charm point!!" Mia laughed-moaned. 

Riddle seemed to snap out of it, "Hold on!! Is this okay? Floyd, you should not go around squeezing people that do not want to be squeezed. I've tolerated it before now, but if you dare cause Mia discomfort…"

Floyd interjected before Riddle could lecture any further, "Ai, simmer down Goldfish. I ain't hurting her." 

Grim only looked unimpressed, "It's always like this…”

Even Grim wasn't taking this seriously? 

Riddle felt his pressure rising, "You are missing the point."

Mia turned to Riddle best she could, “It okay, Riddle.” 

“It is not okay!!”  he snapped. 

"Goldfish, in the rare times Shrimpy doesn't want to be squeeze, then I don't.” 

Riddle blinked as Jade laughed. 

He doesn't? He had never known Floyd to have that much courteously. 

He never had with him.

Mia managed to shrug despite being glomped, “Sometimes I have a headache or touchaphobic at the moment, and he doesn't force the issue. Don't worry Floyd. He tried it once.”  

The slow grin that spread on Mia’s face at the memory sent a shiver down Riddle’s spine. 

Did Riddle see Floyd shudder? 

Jade chuckle, “Yes, Floyd was almost cooked eel. Not something I wish to witness again.” 

Riddle frowned. How did Mia manage that? Floyd never took Riddle seriously, even when he threatened to take off his head. No matter how mad Riddle got Floyd always treated it as a joke. 

But not with Mia? 

He wanted to pursue this rare moment of curiosity, morbid as it was turning out to be, but Grim held his head and seemed to spin in midair, “We don’t discuss those times. I thought Mia was going to boil your brother on the spot. I almost felt sorry for him. Almost….” 

Jade shook his head once, reaching up to hold his temple, “Let's not bring up old news.” 

Even Jade was avoiding this topic? 

Riddle’s eyes were widened as he looked at Mia. 

What ever in Twisted Wonderland did she manage to do? 

Another shiver went down Riddle’s own spine. 

And he didn’t even know why!

“Yes. Now we need to go as we are taking up Riddle’s time.”, Mia elbowed Floyd gently in the stomach.  

“Hmmm…” Floyd whined.  

Mia’s voice went flat, “You got 3 seconds, Floyd.” 

The eel grinned but didn't move.  

“Two seconds…” 

“O-” 

Floyd was off Mia faster than rice off of seaweed. She turned and tsked at him. When he looked like he was going to melt back onto her, she flapped a hand at him like she might have hit his chest, making Floyd pout.  

Jade interjected then, “Come now, Floyd. We’ll see her tomorrow. Right now, we actually have a meeting with Azul.” 

“Eh, but we've heard it all before. I'd rather play with Shrimpy.”  

Jade turned to Mia, “How about coming to the Basketball club this week? You know us and Ace. And after winter break, you now know Jamil.” 

Mia shook her head, “I don't do sports.”  

“Fufufu. I wouldn’t dream of that. No, you can be our cheerleader.” 

“Oh joy. Who am I supposed to cheer for?”  

Floyd raised his hand high, “Me!! Shrimpy should cheer for me!!” 

“Us…”, Jade amended, making Floyd send him a dirty look. 

Jade forked an eyebrow, “Did you forget the concept of sharing?”  

“I don't wanna….”  Pause “...Hold on!! You are not even in the Basketball club!” 

Jade’s grin widened just a touch too much for Mia’s liking, “Fufufu, don’t get hung up on particulars, Floyd. If we are a team against Jamil and Ace, then Mia can root for both of us fairly.”  

Floyd brightened, “Okay deal!!”  Then he waved as he was pulling Jade away, “I’ll see you at the next meeting, Shrimpy!!” 

Mia yelled at him, “You got water in your ears!! I never agreed!!” 

With a huff, she started stalking toward the library, with Riddle following with a shake of his head. 

Exactly what did he just witness?  

Grim snickered, “Seems you are ever popular, Mia. Now you gotta show up.” 

“Is that tuna approaching its expiration date?” 

“Or not. You never said yes after all.” Grim spoke quickly before whining, “Why do you have to threaten perfectly good tuna?” 

Riddle fell in step with Mia, “Are you really okay with this? I know Floyd can be a handful.” 

He found he really couldn’t let it go. 

Mia gave him a reassuring smile, “It's fine really. I had to learn to see their good side, but I don't feel pressured or anything.” 

“I think they bonded a bit more over winter break. I however, still think they are creepy.” Grim said as they entered the library and picked a table. 

Mia laughed once, “When did I ever say they weren't?”  

“Alright. But let me know if either of them become problematic.” 

Riddle waited for Mia to nod before he turned to business as they pulled out their books, “Now since it's clear you don't have a grasp of the basics, let us start from the beginning….” 

[prismadog]

Meet the Watchers!

Luevyria [Lue for short] - she/they pronouns, text is blue

Grenalim [Gren for short] - he/they pronouns, text is green

and Xelqua [aka Grian] - he/him pronouns, text is red

[general character information below the cut]

Lue and Gren are the two Watchers who took Grian from the Evo server because they really wanted him, especially Gren. [fun fact: Lue is just blue without the b (blue text watcher) and Gren is just green without the g (green text watcher). I was lazy when first naming them and their nicknames just stuck]

out of the two, Gren is the one who spends the most quality time with Xelqua "raising" him as a Watcher. they are also the one who's more in-tune with their emotions and displays them quite frequently. that's not to say that Lue doesn't care for Xelqua - they very much do love him - it's just that they are a bit more serious and down-to-earth.

they [plural] are partners in life, whether that means romantically or platonically, who knows?

they made the decision together to remove Grian from Evo, for their own selfish desires, which would eventually come back to bite them in the ass - one does not steal from the Universe and get away with it.

Grian was a bit upset in the beginning of his new life - he wasn't exactly willing to be a Watcher - plus he did have some trauma [anxiety and depression] from his past on the Evo server, and even from before Evo when he went to Yandere High School (I like the idea that YHS is canon and I've always headcanoned that Grian had some lasting trauma from all the shit he went through). so because of that, Lue and Gren thought it best to wipe the slate clean and start with a fresh Grian, and I do literally mean they wiped the slate clean.

Lue and Gren, being master manipulators of code, gathered all of Grian's memories and they sealed them away deep inside of his code. doing so allowed them to reset his existence and start fresh, aka with Xelqua, their newest Watcher. but don't worry, Xelqua was still very much Grian in the sense that he could be quite the troublemaker and trickster that we all know him as.

the three of them had quite the life together, Xelqua learned all the ins and outs, and everything there was to know about being a Watcher, he gained his wings and learned how to fly, and he even helped a few servers move onto the next update - as Lue and Gren once did for Evo. Lue and Gren, of course, took care not to let Xelqua out of their sights when visiting servers, nor did they let him get anywhere close to anyone that survived Evo.

of course, their carefulness can only go for so long. eventually, the other Watchers caught on and set out to punish Lue and Gren for their crimes of stealing a Player from the Universe. they figured the day would come and had prepared in advance - they set up countless defenses around their territory and created a care package/emergency kit for Xelqua. before the other Watchers descended on their territory, they took Xelqua to a portal, gave him the kit, and bid their goodbyes knowing that none of them would see each other again.

Xelqua was rightfully confused. his world was crashing down around him, the beings who cared for him and raised him were sending him away. he begged them to let him help fight but they refused. they offered their final goodbyes, and told him that the world beyond the portal was a safe place where the others wouldn't find him. if he stayed in that world, he was safe.

with that, they sent him through the portal and once he was on the other side, they destroyed it. they wouldn't let anyone get to their Xelqua, not even over their dead bodies.