#Declaration from Yana ��

[thequeenreaders]

Free Show (II/II) Teaser

Chris slowed down his pace on mowing, watching you slowly roll on your stomach and get yourself to another evocative posture, the doggy position; On all fours, except your torso is planted on the ground, emphasizing your backside making it seem rounder than before. Your arms folded in front of you and your cheek resting against it. To make this situation any more difficult, 

You are looking straight at him, a dampened smile plastered on your face. 

He instantly diverted his focus once he realized he was also being watched, returning to his previous speed on his mower, maybe a little faster as he wanted to finish his last chore, not letting himself get engrossed by you any longer. Didn’t he already say that to himself?

Once he got to the end of his yard, he switched the gas-powered machine off and transferred it back to his garage, paying no attention to those watchful eyes of yours. 

Could it get any fucking worse?

teehee

[thequeenviana]

Inkbound

Chapter 3

Pairings:

Yandere Taehyung x OC x Yandere Jungkook

Warning: This story is a work of fanfiction and is purely a product of the author's imagination. It does not depict any real-life events or individuals. While some characters may be inspired by real-life idols, their portrayal in this story is fictional and not representative of their true selves. Please note that this story may contain triggering content, including themes of abuse, gore, murder, humiliation, bullying, rape, and other mature and dark themes. Reader discretion is advised, especially for those under the age of 18. If you are uncomfortable with such content, it is recommended to refrain from reading and kindly disregard this story.

Fae laughed softly, her eyes twinkling as she closed them and savored the warmth and serenity of the water in the bathtub. The scent of rose petals filled the air, and delicate candles flickered, creating a soothing atmosphere.

She allowed herself to relax, momentarily forgetting the strange and unsettling situation she found herself in.

In the midst of her peaceful immersion,

'Noona.'

Fae was startled back to reality upon hearing her brother's voice. Her eyes flew open, and she sat up abruptly in the bathtub, desperately looking around hoping to catch a glimpse of her brother,and this made her got teary in longing to her family.

"Jae," she whispered, her voice laced with both longing and sadness.She couldn't help but cry once more. She yearned for her family, yearned for the familiarity and comfort they provided. In this moment, all she wanted was to escape the clutches of the dark magic or whatever force had transported her into this unpredictable realm.

The sound of a gentle knock on the door interrupted her thoughts, bringing her back to the present.

"Young Madam, your friend Gia is here."

Fae turned her attention towards the door, slightly disoriented as she tried to remember the this particular character.

"Gia?" she murmured to herself. The name eventually clicked in her mind.

' Gia was one of Yana's close friends, someone who had always stood up for her, especially during times when someone was bullying Yana, especially those two. Memories of Yana clinging to the two men whom Fae now despised flooded her mind. They were undoubtedly attractive, but their hearts were far from desirable.'

"I'll be there in a minute," Fae replied to the maid's announcement. She stood up, wrapping herself in a fluffy bathrobe, and efficiently dried herself before getting dressed in comfortable clothes.

As Fae descended the stairs slowly, she caught sight of Gia, a character from the book, sitting on the couch. Gia looked up and see her friend that made her rushing towards Fae with open arms. Fae instinctively reciprocated the embrace, enveloping Gia in a warm hug.

"Oh God! I was so worried about you when I heard what happened! You stupid girl!" Gia chastised, playfully smacking Fae's head. Fae winced at the impact, rubbing the spot where Gia had struck her.

"Don't ever do that again! How many times do I have to tell you to stop being infatuated with those two jerks? They won't like you back!" Gia scolded, her voice infused with a caring, motherly tone. Fae chuckled in response.

"Yes, I won't make that mistake again," Fae declared with determination, surprising Gia to the core. This was the first time Fae had spoken with such conviction, and it resonated deeply.

Fae understood the reason behind her response. In the story, Yana would become furious and would throw tantrums when her friends expressed similar sentiments, feeling unsupported.

"Wait...can you repeat what you just said?" Gia requested, seeking confirmation. Fae playfully rolled her eyes before repeating her declaration.

"I said I will no longer be a naive girl running after a man for attention. We girls should not be the ones pursuing men; it should be the other way around...after us."

Fae walked towards the nearby couch, gracefully taking a seat and crossing her legs. Gia joined her on the opposite side, pouring a cup of tea for each of them.

"To the new you?" Gia proposed, raising her cup. Fae accepted the cup, her heart brimming with pride. They both lifted their cups towards the air as a symbolic toast to a fresh start.

"To the new me," Fae echoed before they both took a sip, savoring the warm liquid. They engaged in a conversation, allowing Fae to gather as much information as possible within the confinements of this strange world. She needed these details to plan her next steps effectively.

However, deep within her core, Fae continued to yearn for an escape from this madness. She held onto the hope of breaking free from this realm as soon as possible.

....

Fae woke up as the mansion was bustling, filled with maids and butlers scurrying around, more than she had ever seen before during her time here.

She stood near the elegant staircase, observing the flurry of activity as the staff cleaned and prepared for something she couldn't comprehend.

Curiosity piqued, Fae approached one of the maids who held a white cloth in her arms. The maid immediately bowed, eyes downcast, causing Fae to frown, but she quickly got to the point of her inquiry.

"What's going on?" she asked softly, trying not to startle the timid maid. She had noticed that many of the maids were afraid of her, likely due to her resemblance to Yana, but Fae had come to understand their fear.

The maid glanced up briefly, her eyes wide, before clearing her throat and responding, "Um, young madam, it's Young Master Jeon's birthday tomorrow. As you can see, everyone is busy preparing for the party."

Fae nodded in understanding. "I see," she replied, dismissing the maid with a wave of her hand. Boredom washed over her as she watched everyone diligently work on the party preparations.

"Bored?"

A voice from behind startled her, causing her to turn and glare at the smirking figure before her. She quickly stepped back, keeping her guard up, that made the man frown at her sudden action.

"What is it to you?" Fae retorted fiercely, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms defensively. The man scoffed and took slow steps towards her that made her step back more,intensifying Fae's apprehension.

"Y-yah!" Fae's voice trembled as she looked behind her, only to widen her eyes in fear. The staircase was just a few steps away, and if this man had any ill intentions, she could fall to her demise. The memories of what Yana had done to these people in the past flooded her mind, and she knew this man could be just as ruthless.

"I'm here to warn you, Yana," he whispered ominously, causing Fae to turn back and gaze at him in terror. Thankfully, he stopped walking, but the proximity still made Fae feel like death was closing in.

"Don't you dare pull any tricks on my birthday, understood?" he continued, his eyes now filled with murderous intent as he slammed his hands on the railing. Fae flinched at the sudden aggression, gripping onto his black jacket in sheer desperation to keep her balance.

"I won't even attend tomorrow because Namjoon and I have plans—"

Overwhelmed with distress and desperation to escape, Fae burst out, not considering the consequences of her words.

"What?"

The man stared at her, momentarily speechless.

'She's not going? She's going to ditch my birthday with that man? How dare she—wait, maybe it's for the best—'

"Jungkook—"

Their attention shifted downward as a new voice emerged. Nara stood at the foot of the stairs. Jungkook backed away from Fae as if she were a dangerous object, unknowingly causing her to lose her balance and fall to the ground thankfully not on the staircase. She winced in pain as her knees hit the tiled floor, tears streaming down her face at the painful impact.

Jungkook didn't spare her a glance as he descended the stairs and hastily led Nara away, fearing that Fae, or Yana as they assumed, may hurt Nara again.

Left alone, Fae silently cried, clutching her throbbing knees, feeling the burn of the fall.

Fae wiped away her tears as she gently caressed her aching knees, now bruised and swollen. Lost in her pain, she didn't notice someone crouching beside her until they reached out and lifted her off the floor. Startled, she let out a shriek, her eyes meeting the gaze of the same man who had intervened earlier to prevent her escape two days ago.

She looked down, unable to comprehend why the pain she felt in her knees was causing such deep heartache. Her chest throbbed with an intensity she couldn't understand as she witnessed Jungkook leaving her in pain, not bothering to look back as he rushed away with Nara. Fae didn't love him, but she understood now that the woman whose body she inhabited held strong feelings for him. It frustrated her that she couldn't control the emotions that surged within her in this unfamiliar vessel.

Leaning against the man's broad shoulders, Fae silently cried, but the man remained silent, steering her away to some unknown destination. Anywhere was better than staying in that place,as she can't take the pain anymore.

The man's voice cut through the silence, his words heavy with concern as he gently laid Fae on the bed. Moving to the corner of the room, he retrieved ice cubes from a small fridge, wrapping them in a towel before tending to her bruised knee.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" he inquired softly, his gaze fixed on her as she stared down at her injury. Fae nodded, her voice barely above a whisper. "Yes, it does," she admitted, her eyes reflecting the pain she felt.

"I'm not talking about your knees, I'm talking about what he did," the man's voice lowered, his tone filled with empathy as he knelt before her, applying the cold compress to her bruised skin. Fae's gaze drifted to the window, lost in a swirl of emotions.

"I hate it but can't help but feel it," Fae confessed, her voice tinged with sorrow and resignation. The man's chuckle cut through the somber atmosphere, his understanding evident in the way he comforted her.

Removing the ice pack, he settled beside her, a silent presence in her moment of turmoil. With a heavy sigh,

"I told you before,stop that before it escalate to you being hurt."

he reminded her of his earlier warnings.

Fae's brow furrowed at his words, suddenly her sight blurred and a memory like scene was flooding in her mind in a rush.

**

"Oppa,why can't you love me!"

A young girl's anguished cry pierced the air as she bursts though the door confronting a boy engrossed in his studies. Tears streaked her cheeks as she poured out her heart, demanding his love. His blank and cold ignorance ,shattered her hopes more, when he doesn't even react.

He sighed finally and looks at her with a blank look as always,

"Yana,we can't."

The boy said coldly that made her cry more.

"But I love you!and you said you love me too!"

She yelled at the boy who just sighed at her.

"Yes,I love you but as a sister."

He declared and looks away from her towards his books again.

Yana shook her head at his declaration and bursts out the door crying heavily at her first heartbreak.

She walks down the slowly through the dim lighted corridor as she whimpered and cries silently

In the shadows, another figure was standing that made Yana stop on her track and looks at the figure before rushing to the person who had now his arms opened wide, inviting her.

She hugs him tightly as she cried in his embrace.

"You should stop, Yana,before it hurts you more in the future."

***

Fae gasped as she sat up suddenly, as the scene before her dissolved into nothingness.

The man stood in front of her, his expression filled with concern as he observed her sudden awakening.

"Are you alright? You suddenly lost consciousness," he inquired, relief evident in his voice.

He reassured her that her father had understood and believed her need for rest, allowing her to take a nap. Fae nodded, feeling her heartbeat gradually calm as she noticed that night had descended upon the world outside. Time seemed to be passing more swiftly than she anticipated.

"Well, I should be going. Thank you, sir," Fae expressed her gratitude, rising from the bed. The man quirked a playful smile and stood up as well.

"Sir? What's with the formalities lately?" he chuckled, shaking his head lightly.

Fae blushed, feeling somewhat embarrassed. "Um, you see... I've been experiencing some memory loss after everything that has happened."

As she averted her gaze, the man's eyes softened. "Kim Seokjin... Yana, but you always just call me Jin."

Fae looked up, meeting his gaze. Memories flooded her thoughts and she acknowledged the connection Yana had with Jin.

"Yeah, Jin. Um, I should go then. Goodnight," Fae said, preparing to leave the room.

"Goodnight, Yana," Jin responded, watching her quietly as she stepped out through the door.

....

Fae stumbles through the dimly lit hallway, her steps cautious and filled with apprehension. The oppressive atmosphere weighs heavily on her, suffocating her with its darkness.

As she nears her room, a sudden jolt of terror strikes her. Powerful, rough hands clamp tightly over her mouth, silencing her cries for help. Another hand, large and forceful, wraps around her small waist, pulling her forcefully towards an unknown room.

Fae desperately struggles, her fingers clawing at the assailant's arms, but her efforts prove futile against the strength of her captor.

Finally released, Fae whirls around, hastily putting distance between herself and the man. Fear grips her every fiber, her heart pounding loudly at her chest. But the man advances, closing the gap between them with predatory intent. Every instinct in her screams to flee, to escape the clutches of this menacing figure.

Before Fae can scream for help, a sudden,sharp object grazes her neck, and she freezes, terror pulsing through her veins. She meets the man's gaze, her eyes widening as recognition dawns upon her.

"T-Taehyung?" Fae's voice quivers, her fear palpable in the darkness.

A sinister smile curls at the man's lips, his voice a dark venomous whisper.

"You whore."

The words cut through Fae like razor-sharp blades, causing tears to well up in her eyes. She trembles, unable to comprehend the depths of the darkness that now resides within Taehyung. The cold tip of the blade presses against her neck, drawing a thin line of blood. The metallic scent fills the air, intensifying the nightmare she finds herself in.

"When will you stop, huh?" Taehyung sneers, his voice dripping with malice and contempt.

Confusion and anguish cloud Fae's features, her voice breaking as she questions, "W-what did I do?"

Taehyung's laughter echoes through the room, a chilling sound that sends shivers down Fae's spine. He takes the knife, tracing its sharp edge across her delicate cheeks, leaving a trail of blood in its wake. Fae winces, feeling the warm crimson fluid oozing from her once flawless skin. She watches in horror as Taehyung's grin widens, the sadistic pleasure evident on his face, reveling in the sight of her pain and vulnerability.

"I hate it Yana,I hate you,I hate what's happening with you and I hate it even if it's just two days but I hate it so much,I hate it that I miss your presence tailing me everywhere."

Fae's heart pounded in her chest as Taehyung's confession poured forth, his words laced with anger and bitterness.

She whimpered, the weight of his hatred and words crashing down upon her. His sudden change in demeanor sent shockwaves through her, leaving her bewildered and scared.

'This can't be happening,' Fae's thoughts raced. 'He's not supposed to feel this way. Is he losing his mind? Is he mad?!This isn't what I planned.'

Suddenly Taehyung's hands clenched tightly around her neck, cutting off her air supply. She fought desperately to pry his fingers away, gasping for precious breaths.

With a cruel laugh, Taehyung finally released his grip, flinging her to the floor. Fae's body convulsed as she coughed, her lungs desperate for oxygen.

Through tear-filled eyes, Fae watched Taehyung draw nearer, his presence looming over her prone form. He caressed her bruised cheeks, a sinister control in his touch. He held her face with an iron grip, forcing her to meet his enraged gaze.

"What were you doing with Seokjin?" Taehyung's voice dripped with accusation, his glare piercing her soul.

"I-He was just helping me!" Fae responded, her words rushed and desperate, her hand instinctively reaching for his.

Taehyung scoffed, gritting his teeth in anger and... jealousy.

Yes he was jealous,and he doesn't like it even a bit.

He despised this woman, yet the absence of her presence over the past two days had unhinged him. He found himself going mad, yearning for her scent and seeking her out, only to witness her in another man's arms. It ignited a flame of possessiveness and jealousy within him, irrational and consuming.

He hated it.

Suddenly, the realization hit him like a lightning bolt — he missed her. He loathed the way she had followed him incessantly, but the void created by her absence had driven him to the brink of madness. When he finally glimpsed her in another man's embrace, his anger had boiled over, fueled by an unfamiliar jealousy that consumed him from within.

As he learned of Yana seeking solace in Seokjin's room, his anger grew. The scenarios playing out in his mind intensified his fury. Night fell, and the thought of her still with Seokjin tore at his sanity.

Now, in this dark moment, he confronted Fae, unable to rein in his anger any longer. His booming voice reverberated through the room as he accused her of whoring around. Fae flinched, cowering in the corner as she tried to escape his wrath.

Taehyung's glare bore into her, radiating contempt and frustration. With a final venomous glare, he stormed out of the room, leaving Fae trembling and broken in his wake.

He doesn't know what further he can do to that woman if he remained in close proximity to her.

....

Fae's eyes fluttered open, her vision adjusting to the soft glow of a warm light bathing the room. A groan escaped her lips as she tried to sit up, feeling a dull ache resonating throughout her body. Confusion clouded her mind as she surveyed her surroundings, realizing she was on the floor of what appeared to be one of the guest rooms.

A deep frown etched itself on Fae's face as she attempted to remember how she had ended up in this unfamiliar place.

But the memories flooded back with a jolt, and fear coursed through her veins. The man's twisted actions and unpredictable behavior lingered in her mind, and a shiver ran down her spine.

"That man...he's deranged," Fae whispered to herself, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and realization.

As she recalled what happened last night, her heart raced with the intensity of her fright. This wasn't just a strange world she had stumbled into; this was now her reality, and she was living through the haunting nightmares that unfolded before her.

Fae couldn't bear to linger any longer, surrounded by this derange people and danger that seemed to lurk in every corner of this twisted realm. She knew she had to escape, to find a way back to her own life, away from the clutches of the darkness that threatened to consume her.

As Fae slipped out of the room, her eyes darted back and forth, being watchful to her sorrounding, afraid that man would came out of nowhere again and who knows this time he will kill her for good.

....

Fae let out a sigh of relief as she reached her bedroom door, her heart pounding in her chest. With a swift motion, she slammed the door shut and swiftly locked it.

She took a moment to catch her breath, her eyes scanning the room. As her gaze landed on the mirror, she couldn't help but be drawn to it, her reflection staring back at her with a mix of uncertainty and vulnerability. Tears welled up in her eyes, a flood of emotions overwhelming her as she took in her disheveled state. The bloodstains on her cheeks served as a painful reminder of the torment she had endured, and the realization hit her with a wave of despair.

Sobs escaped from Fae's trembling lips as tears streamed down her cheeks. The release of emotions brought a bittersweet relief, allowing her to process the trauma she had gone through. She despised the weakness she felt.

With a determined wipe of her tears, Fae scolded herself for wallowing in self-pity. She knew she had to regain her composure and take action.She entered her bathroom, ready to clean herself up and tend to her wounds. The water cascading from the faucet provided a soothing balm, washing away the dirt and scars that marred her skin.

Carefully, she dressed the wound on her neck, doing her best to conceal it from prying eyes.

Donning a jacket that provided some solace and hid her wounds, Fae looks at the window and took a deep breath.

Fae descended the staircase.The mansion was as always is bustling with maids as they get ready for the party tonight.

As she entered the dining room. The aroma of food wafted through the air.

She was grateful for the absence of others at the table.

As she silently ate her breakfast, a tremor ran through her when an abrupt impact shattered the stillness. A fist collided with the glass table, causing her to flinch instinctively. Fae's eyes darted up, only to see Jungkook,in a bad mood.

He pulled a chair infront of her,his mood evidently foul. Without even acknowledging her, he emanated a strong aura of displeasure. Fae hurriedly focused on her food, her heart racing, desperate to escape the intensity of his presence.

Her attempts to go unnoticed did not escape Jungkook's glaring eyes.His glare only intensified, his jaw clenched tightly together. A maid nervously served him the breakfast, aware of his turbulent mood. She knew the consequences of provoking him were dire. When Yana finished eating, she quickly rose from her seat, purposefully avoiding any interaction with the seething man.

This action was the final catalyst for Jungkook. He abruptly stood, anger coursing through his veins like a raging storm. He violently swept his arm across the table, sending dishes and silverware crashing to the floor. The room erupted in gasps of fear as Fae recoiled, her heart pounding in her chest.

"You!" Jungkook's voice thundered, directing his fury towards one of the terrified maids who stood on the brink of tears. The room fell into an expectant silence, awaiting his harsh words.

"Clean this up with your fucking hands, and don't you dare use any cleaning supplies!" he bellowed, his anger reverberating through the air.

Indignation blazed within Fae as she couldn't bear witness to his outbursts any longer. She couldn't control the impulse that overtook her.

"Yah!Jeon Jungkook can you stop with your spoiled tantrums!" Fae yelled, her voice laced with incredulity. However, regret quickly washed over her as she beheld the fire in Jungkook's murderous gaze now focused on her. She gulped, realizing the dangerous predicament she had placed herself in.

Fae screamed in terror,her voice echoed through the dinning room as Jungkook lunged towards her, his grip tightening around her arms, cutting off her desperate pleas for him to let her go.

Tears suddenly streamed down her face uncontrollably, a mixture of fear, pain, and trauma flooding her senses. This twisted and abusive treatment went beyond anything she had ever experienced before, shattering the illusion of safety and love that had surrounded her in her world.

Her cries grew louder as he forcefully dragged her down a dimly lit staircase, the shadows obscuring their path. Panic consumed her as she realized that he was leading her into the depths of darkness, to a place even more terrifying than her imagination could conjure. She sobbed, her voice echoing off the walls of the basement, begging him to release her, to show mercy.

But her pleas fell on deaf ears, met with brutality instead. In a moment of cruel force, he struck her with a resounding slap, sending her tumbling to the ground. The pain seared through her, intensifying her fear as she crumpled in a sobbing heap. Desperation gripped every ounce of her being as she surveyed the darkened room, her heart pounding with a primal terror.

Her cries escalated, reaching a crescendo of anguish as she watched a large spider slowly crawling towards her. Its grotesque form instilled a primal fear within her, triggering her deepest phobia. With a surge of terror, she scrambled towards the door, desperate to escape. But her hopes were crushed as Jungkook maliciously locked the door from the outside, leaving her trapped in the suffocating darkness.

Fae's cries turned into desperate pleas, her voice hoarse and filled with sheer desperation. She banged on the door, her pleas echoing through the basement, calling out for anyone to hear and rescue her. Yet, her appeals were met with silence. Her heart sank as the realization set in – she was alone, abandoned in this nightmarish place.

With each passing moment, Fae's strength waned, her tears drying as exhaustion washed over her. Fear still gripped her, but her body could no longer sustain the consuming panic. She slowly slid down to the cold, hard floor, her trembling body succumbing to the overwhelming darkness and the traumatic events that had unfolded. Her eyes now finally shuts,as she finally gets unconscious.

Jungkook's blank face contorted into a sickening grin, reveling in the power he held over Fae.

When it finally gets quiet in the basement he grins wide.

It's really sick in the head to admit but he's feeling euphoria in seeing her reduced to such a helpless state.

He relished the torment, the manipulation of her fears that had consumed him with a dark delight.He really loves to see her in this state.

Helpless.

With a psychopathic laugh, Jungkook slowly descended the stairs, creaking them with each deliberate step. He swung the door open, revealing Fae lying unconscious on the cold basement floor. A sinister gleam danced in his eyes as he observed her vulnerable state, relishing in the control he held over her.

He couldn't help but revel in his madness, fueled by a cocktail of emotions that consumed him. A mixture of anger, jealousy, and possessiveness swirled within him.

First,it was childish to say but he can't help but feel mad when she didn't greet him on his special day. Especially when he grows accustomed to her being the first one to greet him.

Then,how dare she to not attend his birthday party later,just to have a plan with someone,it fueled his anger more, as if she had dismissed his significance entirely.

But what drove him to the brink of insanity was her ditching his Birthday Party celebration with another man, and that too,Kim Namjoon. The jealousy burned deep within him, consuming him like an unquenchable fire.

He despised the notion of someone taking away what he considered his.

It shattered his carefully crafted control, awakening emotions he never thought he would feel.

It was a concoction of jealousy, possessiveness, and an unsettling desire to possess her.

Even with his past encounters and relationships, none had evoked such a visceral reaction within him as Fae's connection with another man.

He had never felt this level of jealousy before, not even with Nara, despite the numerous individuals who harbored feelings for that woman.

This newfound feeling awakened a dark side within him, threatening to consume him entirely.

As Jungkook knelt beside Fae's unconscious form, his eyes locked onto her face. A twisted need swelled within him, a desire to break her and make her his own. Madness danced on the edges of his consciousness, as he reveled in the control he possessed over her, the power to torture her with her fears and terrors.

The basement was engulfed in an eerie silence, broken only by the soft sound of his manic laughter. Madness enveloped him as he assessed the woman, his mind swirling with dark desires and intentions.

Jungkook couldn't explain this newfound possessiveness that gripped him, engulfing his thoughts and fueling his actions. It was as if an unyielding force had taken hold of him, driving him to claim and possess Fae in a way he had never experienced before.

With a heavy sigh, he cradled her unconscious form in his strong, tattooed arms, his steps purposeful as he ascended the stairs. The maids in the corridor looked on, a mix of fear and apprehension radiating from their trembling figures. Their gazes focused on Fae, the young madam who lay limp in Jungkook's grasp.

Pausing for a moment, Jungkook glared at the maids, and this now made them scramble away, afraid that they will be the next to receive his wrath.

...

He slowly pushed open the door to her bedroom, his movements deliberate and controlled. Gently, he placed Fae back onto her bed, his gaze fixated on her unconscious figure.

Standing up straight, Jungkook momentarily stared at her before turning towards the door. He paused, casting a final glance at the room, his presence lingering with a sense of foreboding.

"No way out, Princess," he whispered, a sinister tone lacing his words. With that final declaration, he locked the door from the outside, sealing Fae within her own chambers.

A dark smile curled upon his lips as he walked away, his steps confident and deliberate. Whistling a haunting, melodic tune as he walks away from the room.

[yuurei20]

I hope that this isn’t too silly, nor something that was asked before, but I am curious if there could’ve been any information – either from the game or supplemental materials – that I could’ve missed, do not know about, and/or have simply forgotten about involving the likelihood of human students being placed in Savannaclaw? Prior to the reveal of Rook originally being in Savannaclaw, I did not actually consider or think about human students getting sorted into that dorm. Thinking about it now, I suppose if human students possess the qualities of a Savannaclaw, it should not be impossible, but outside of Leona, Ruggie, and Jack, a lot of the background Savannaclaw students appear to be beastman—at least as far as I have noticed. I think that is the main reason I never thought about humans being in Savannaclaw until Rook being in that dorm originally planted the seed. I am not going to lie, I was starting to consider Rook not being human for fun, his abnormally good eyesight kind of contributing to the cause, ha ha! Thank you so much!

Hello hello!! Thank you for this question! ^^

Theories about Rook aside (👀) there is precedence for non-beast-people students being in Savanaclaw in both the manga and the novel, but what about the game?

The most we might have to go on at the moment is a single line from Deuce back in Book 1: when Grim declares that Chenya must be a Savanaclaw student because of his animal ears Deuce explains, "other dorms have students with animal ears, too."

This tells us that not all beast-people are regulated to Savanaclaw by default, and it seems possible that the same applies in reverse--we just haven't seen any yet, just like how we have not seen any beast-people in other dorms, despite being told they're there!

edit: Thank you so much to @viczen33 for pointing out that there was once a reference to a cat-beast-person member of Heartslabyul! ^^

Rook is, of course, all the proof we need if we are assuming he is human, and he has yet to be proven otherwise as of this post ^^

And maybe there might be a non-animal-eared Savanaclaw sprite one day, or an animal-eared sprite in a non-Savanclaw-uniform! (In the game guide Yana says that Cater was originally a beast-person.)

It is fun to look forward to :>

[sebadztian]

R!Ciel is unlike the other Bizzare Dolls. He's like, UT's 'masterpiece' - so far. He's definitely the most 'advanced' BD.

If those BDs on the Campania were Charmanders, then Derrick was Charmeleon, and r!Ciel was Charizard.

O!Ciel is Ash, and Sebas is Pikachu 👉 Proof

Based on UT's explanation, these new BDs (Doll, r!Ciel, Agares, etc) are powered/fueled by 'episodes', that is, their desire for their future.

And in Agares' own words, the 'episodes' have to be strong, otherwise, they wouldn't last, just like what happened to Derrick & co.

Since these 'episodes' were comprised of their desire for their own future, it can also be said that their strength and their survivability as BD heavily depends on their desire to attain the future that they want. The stronger their vision & their belief in that future is, the higher their chance is to survive and thrive as BD.

In r!Ciel's case, this future that he's envisioning - his 'fuel', so to speak - is to be reunited with o!Ciel and to live happily ever after with his brother. UT might have a different plan for the twins, but we won't get into that here.

As you can see, r!Ciel is so full of episodes, of visions of how his life would be, with his brother (and Lizzie?) by his side.

During their confrontation at the manor, o!Ciel was too shocked at his brother's return, understandably so. But then, at Lau's den, once he's processed everything (sort of), he made this famous declaration:

When they would eventually confront r!Ciel again, I think r!Ciel would scold him and ask him to stop playing this 'silly game' and to just come back to r!Ciel's side so that they'd be together forever, just like how it's always meant to be. This is r!Ciel's vision for them, for their future, even from before the fire.

But of course, chances are, o!Ciel would refuse.

And this would be r!Ciel's undoing.

He will throw a tantrum He'll try to force o!Ciel to join him. He might even try to kill the servants and Sebas.

But in the end, when he realized that no matter what he did, o!Ciel would never join him, his 'episodes' would weaken as his vision for this future would be shattered.bHe might have a major break down and who knows what's going to happen next.

Obviously, this is only a speculation as no one knows what Yana has planned for Kuro's ending. The beginning of the end is coming after the hiatus and I'm both ready and not ready for it 😫😭

[rei-ismyname]

Dark Web: X-Men highlights 2

Anecdotally, I only ever see negative commentary on Dark Web. I don't know why - it's a lot of fun with a solid emotional core decades in the making. Also, I'm a sucker for Cyclops and Magik working together, dunking on Havok, and Maddie Pryor in general. Havok is sidetracked fighting shopping carts! We don't need to see that - it's much better if we have to imagine what TF he's doing and why (losing.) Happy New Years btw!

Jean is right, it is a diversion. A running theme in Dark Web is that Scott and Alex have problems and shouldn't be on a team together. The rest of the team is kind enough to not dwell on having to rescue him from shopping carts.

Behold! The Summers brothers not understanding each other very well. There's definitely wisdom in just bailing on a situation that isn't for you, though they should both beat Forge up. He might be good at fixing mechanical problems, but he's not qualified for Summers drama. Maddie absolutely is - the puppies and Goblin gown allow her to set the terms of engagement and shush them up.

It's little Yana again, using her stick to poke Jean this time. Still chasing ice cream too, though she never gets it (boo.) Jean throws down the gauntlet with a hefty backhand slap. Kinda fair, but not cool. Little Yana clearly agrees with me.

Maddie stole a Cerebro drive, or had Venom do it for her. The drive itself is not important here, but we learn that Jean Grey is mutant 00000000001. Not Charles, not Scott, not Hope. Jean. We don't see Maddie's reaction to this but I doubt she'd appreciate it. What does it mean? Importance? Indication she was the first person copied to Cerebro? Charles being a creep? Idk, but it's interesting.

Maddie is wearing a massive smile while beating Havok and Cyclops unconscious with chains. Let's call it an effective use of girl power. As I mentioned earlier, they're definitely shushed.

Jean is the most powerful X-Man, but she's also very good at knowing when not to use it. Scott learnt that shit from her, and they both probably learnt how not to do it from Chuck. He tries this approach at the worst possible times plus he's just not great at empathising with people. Jean surrenders, surprising everyone. I love this and I love how much trust Ilyana has. 'Okay boss.'

Jean surrendered because there's nothing to fight over. Maddie never thought to just ask (because she's so used to strings being attached) and Jean asked herself 'what does she want?' realising she can just give it to her.

Possibly for the first time ever, a crossover event is solved with a conversation and rejecting the notion that it's a zero sum game. I think if the event was longer it might be more clear that women are often forced into competition with each other, with fuckheads like mister Sinister getting away scott free. It's understandable that Maddie wouldn't want anything to do with Krakoa when they have the author of all her misery on the ruling council.

Maddie ends the conflict by decree, but needs to take the whole empathy thing a little further. She opens up Limbo to the powerless and rejected, declaring it a place of healing and safety. With Krakoan backing and some gunboat diplomacy the Limbo embassy to New York city is established. It becomes a haven for mutants during Fall of X and even ORCHIS gives it a wide berth. Oh, Havok is there too, making himself useful by opening curtains. Maddie, as ever, serves cunt.

[deluluduck227]

water

summary: A cute Nayef with his cute wife

warning: None

Just getting out of your big global shower where you applied body scrub, shaved, and exfoliated your whole body. You were in a perfect mood. Nayef wasn't home after all. He went out for dinner with some of his teammates. You were sure he'd come back in no time, and since you were not to break the " Do not cook after taking a shower" rule, you just called Nayef and asked him for a takeout from Joe & The Juice. Applying your skincare, you were humming the viral tiktok dance "Water". You weren't the type to like a viral song but this one was pretty catchy, especially the dance challenge that wouldn't want to leave your for you page. So you became addicted, you couldn't sing it without dancing. So you began shaking your bum following the rhythms you were humming. All was pretty good until you heard a whistle from behind. "Do you need a bottle of water? " You turned around startled by his sudden presence, your hand on your chest, only to find your husband, leaning on the door frame, a boyish smile decorating his features. " Why would I need it?" You asked him, confusion clear in your face. Nevertheless, you resumed applying the moisturizer. "For the dance! It's better with the water." He declared, wrapping his arms around your waist while his head took place on your shoulder, watching your reflection in the mirror as your eyes widened. " Awa3di yana 3la rajl !You should be skipping this kind of videos out of respect for me, your wife! " You turned so you were now facing him. "It's not my fault these stuff are popping in my fyp!" He shrugged messing your hair as you sighed " I should check out your phone more often!" " Anyway, were you practicing that dance to surprise me with a show tonight?" Nayef beamed, looking excited like a golden retriever playing the fetch game. " Oh, babe! Don't you know the rule?" You wrapped your arms around his neck, scratching the ends of his hair with your fingers as he shook his head " What rule ?" " The ' no sexual intercourse after bathing' " He whined, the disappointment was clear on his face " I want my rights as your husband, right now." "Baby, not now! Do you ever have enough?" You had to play your way out since you knew you wouldn't slip. Not this time! " Not from you !" His cheap thrill made you chuckle, as always! You still don't know how your man pulled you because he was such a bad flirt. " Anyway, where's my tuna-cado I'm starving!"

long time no see

[grelleswife]

I tried looking up Sarah Kemble and got Sarah Siddons. Indeed an actress who had 7 kids apparently and was known for playing Lady Macbeth. 😳

Hi, anon! Although the historical Sarah Siddons (née Kemble) lived decades prior to the main events of Kuro, from 1755-1831, her profession and the spelling of her maiden name are identical to those provided in Chapter 209. According to her Wikipedia article, Siddons excelled in tragic roles such as Hamlet and Queen Catherine (Henry VIII)—but, as you mentioned, she was most renowned for her portrayal of Lady Macbeth. Contemporary writer William Hazlitt went so far as to declare her “tragedy personified.” Yana apparently wanted to emphasize Snake’s fate as a child of sorrow doomed to an unhappy end!

When you consider Siddons’s large family and the fact that she maintained a persona of dignified, maternal femininity onstage and off (which ensured her career remained largely scandal-free—thus disproving some of my musings in this post), there’s a bitter irony to Yana’s choice of name for Snake’s mother. Snake, who never knew his mother, and who had not one but two happy, bustling families stripped away from him.

[so-bitya]

had a dream about ciel and sebastian finally reappearing in the manga and in the final arc, ciels life was in danger. so in order for sebastian to protect his soul, he killed ciel with a supernatural knife from he got from the reapers (?) that showed all the different versions of ciels life that could have been. sebastian put ciel's soul into an oddly modern world, which he woke up in, and the chapter's cliffhanger officially declared the start of Kuroshitsuji: Part 2! that's right. yana made kuro into a modern life isekai.

[elizaviento]

Green on the Vine — Strawberry Wine (Part 14 of ?)

(Stardew Valley — Shane/Female Farmer/OC)

This chapter is rated NSFW — 4084 words. Blow job and come swallowing amid some wholesomeness. lmfao.

(FYI: Additional chapters of Green on the Vine — Strawberry Wine can be found in the Stardew Valley Fic Masterpost link in my blog description.  Or, you can click the #green on the vine strawberry wine tag in this post, within my blog, to access all additional chapters.)

*****

Shane spent every step back toward the ranch replaying his evening with the farmer, looping specific moments over and over until he was sure they'd imprint on his soul like a fresh brand, raw and searing. 

"I love you."

Had she really said the words, or had his desperate sense of longing manifested them from thin air and embedded each syllable into his ear canal like an intangible specter? It was hard enough to reconcile his unabated self-loathing with the reality of Kristen presenting him with a bouquet. He recalled learning of the saccharine tradition among Pelican Town shortly after he and Jas had moved in with Marnie. He'd scoffed and declared it cheesy, confident that he'd never indulge in such a mortifying display. Even while he planned to purchase one at week's end, he wondered if Kristen would laugh and call him a stupid sap. 

She would never do that. Just because you despise yourself doesn't mean you get to shove those insecurities onto her , he thought as he kicked a rock in his path and watched as it skittered into the tall summer grass. 

It all seemed so surreal in a way that Shane couldn't describe. He wasn't dumb enough to believe that fairy tale romances exist. Hell, every relationship he'd witnessed or been a part of had folded like a house of cards, with the exception of one — Yana and James. If any two people truly loved one another, it was them. Jas was proof of such love, inheriting the best parts of each of them, nurturing their essence even while what remained of their physical bodies merged with the earth, unrecognizable. Ashes to ashes; dust to dust.

Bullshit. They shouldn't have died, and no amount of poetic blather will make it okay. They deserved better. Jas deserves better…

Recognizing the infinite void he threatened to spiral into if he kept dwelling on things he couldn't change, Shane felt the seductive pull of some invisible thread guiding him toward a path etched with his footsteps over the years. The ranch was in sight, and those footprints nearly glowed, leading from the front stoop directly toward the faded oak door of the Stardrop Saloon. How many times had his fingers curled around the iron handle and pulled that door open to the aroma of marinara sauce and melted cheese? How many times had he drowned his traitorous memories under foam that bellowed over the rim of a frosted mug? How many times had he spewed them into a bucket, a toilet, Marnie's kitchen sink, his own bed? 

You're three days completely sober, Shaney boy. You can stretch it to four. You can do whatever you put your mind to.

Her voice echoed within his skull, almost as clear as a bell. Though, Yana had never seen him at his worst. She didn't have the opportunity to find him passed out on lake docks in lonely forests in the middle of the night. She didn't have to witness him guzzling cans upon cans of Joja brand clearance beer while he sloppily played James' favorite first-person shooter alone. And she certainly didn't have the misfortune to find him neglecting her precious daughter in favor of spending nearly every evening at some small town saloon where everyone surely despised him.

Shame burned the tips of his ears as these thoughts plagued him, especially when he realized that he was glad Yana wasn't alive to discover the deadbeat he'd become. It seemed that Kristen had taken up the torch as his designated babysitter, finding him in every one of those situations and more, drunk off his ass or altogether unconscious. And he'd treated her so horribly in the beginning.  

"Who even are you? Fuck off."

"No, I don't care what your name is. Go tell it to someone who gives a shit."

"Why can't you just ignore me like everyone else?"

Anytime her shock of curly auburn hair caught in his peripheral vision, or when the tinkle of her cute giggle wormed its way to his earshot, or when he noticed her dark brown eyes boring a hole through his head as if she could read his every thought, he wanted to scream. She was nice. Too nice. He'd been convinced she'd been put up to befriending him by Marnie, or she had a fucked up savior complex, and he couldn't decide which one was more unappealing.

He wasn't sure exactly when her presence ceased to feel like nails on a chalkboard or the scrapping of a fork across porcelain, but he could acutely pinpoint the night he'd looked her directly in the eye without forcing a scowl. He'd been standing on the edge of the very lake dock his feet found themselves thudding across now, early fall, a crisp chill nipping at his calves while he chased the bottom of his fifth beer can. One remained, and he'd handed it off to the farmer when she saddled herself up beside him without so much as a word in greeting. He supposed she'd grown weary of his insults but somehow still felt compelled to approach him regardless. He supposed he was glad for that.

The booze and his meandering broody thoughts had loosened his lips, confiding things he'd never said aloud to another human being, wondering if she'd look at him in abject horror. It would have been easier that way. Most people, especially those in Pelican Town, didn't like to ponder anything deeper than a mud puddle or a teardrop overflowing a thimble. If the frustratingly adorable farmer had been so shallow, perhaps he might have drank himself into oblivion by now. Instead, she listened — actually listened — and offered nothing more than her companionship, gulping her beer as if it didn't taste like warm piss on a good day.

"A woman after my own heart."

Pathetic. Shane had hated himself the second the cliché phrase tumbled from his mouth and abandoned her shortly after, standing alone in a halo of golden light from the lantern he'd left behind so she wouldn't be stranded in the dark.

He'd dreamt about her for the first time that night. The finer details had slipped from his mind and rolled down the length of his spine in the form of cold sweat by the time he'd stumbled to the bathroom to vomit. Despite telling the farmer that his liver was begging him to stop, he'd done anything but. The bottle of cheap whiskey he'd stashed above his closet door sang to him — a siren with the sweetest lullaby, promising a moonless night devoid of light or conscious thought. He gave in, slipping into the darkness like aching joints into a warm bath. Relief… alongside her freckled face. 

Night had fully fallen by the time Shane returned to the present, standing at the edge of the lake dock, fireflies twinkling over the water, reminding him of childhood and Marnie convincing him they were tiny fairies. Even then, Shane had wondered why fairies would waste their time in the presence of a little boy when they probably had important fairy business to attend to. He was nothing. He was no one. 

Except, maybe he wasn't. The farmer somehow found worth in him, despite all he'd done to discourage it. And, no matter how hard his self-loathing tried to convince him otherwise, she cared about him. She loved him. 

Suddenly feeling light-headed, Shane swayed slightly before stepping back from the edge of the dock, certain that if he looked down, he'd topple headfirst into the lake. 

You didn't say it back. Why didn't you say it back? She said you didn't have to, but you should have. You should have said it back.

"Shit," he hissed while running a trembling hand down his face. Summer evening humidity and sweat from his walk clung to his skin, coating his dry palm. A question formed in the back of his mind, the words swirling like a tornado around him while held captive within its tranquil eye.

Do you love her?

The question had never been posed before, so he'd never explicitly ruminated on the answer, even if its certainty had existed for longer than he’d realized. It had crept up on him, slow and undetected, biding its time while sprinkling pinches of adoration here, a drop of dependence there. Until the day he found her bloody and semi-unconscious in her kitchen, terrified that if he lost her, he'd lose the last piece of him that he considered human. 

Do you love her?

Yes. He did.

❦❧🍓❦❧

"Shane, is that you?" Marnie shouted over the cacophony of upbeat bubblegum pop and Jas' voice singing along to the lyrics at the top of her lungs. 

"Yeah, Marn, it's me!" he yelled, shutting the front door and greeting her with a half-hearted wave. Her frizzy hair was tied up in a high ponytail while she stirred a pot of something steamy on the stove, seemingly unphased by the ear-splitting racket threatening to crack his skull like a ball pein hammer.

"Good! Dinner will be ready in a bit! Go fetch Jas?"

He nodded, unable to muster up the energy to yell back at her when he knew he had to step into the lion's den known as his goddaughter's bedroom. When he saw the door was closed, he winced. How much louder could it possibly be inside ?

When he tapped the dancing little girl on the shoulder to get her attention, wiggling in front of a stereo that used to belong to her father, she launched upward like a rocket, a blood-curdling scream slicing through the music.

"Uncle Shane!" she squealed when she swiveled and caught him laughing, playfully slapping him on the arm while he reached over her to turn the volume down. "You scared me!"

"Uh-huh," he said, folding his arms as he stared down at her. "Yasmeen, how many times have I told you that you'll blow the speakers if you keep turning it up that loud?"

She wrinkled her nose at the use of her real name, knowing that he meant business this time. "Okay. I'm sorry," she mumbled, fiddling with the hem of her dress. "I won't do it again. Promise."

"You'll also damage your hearing, just like —" He cut himself off, biting his tongue before the remainder of the thought could be vocalized. 

"Just like what?" she asked, her large doe-like eyes staring up at him, brimming with curiosity. 

Unsure what compelled him, he placed a hand on top of her hand and continued. "Just like your mom, kiddo. She used to listen to music so loud her ears would ring. Drove your dad nuts."

"Oh," she replied, her face drooping so suddenly that Shane mentally cursed himself for being such an idiot. But she surprised him, as she often did, by reaching up to remove his hand from her head and clasp it in hers, tiny in comparison. "Will you tell me about the music she liked sometime?

"Yeah, I will." Rapidly blinking his eyes to keep the traitorous tears at bay, he scooped her up and carried her to the kitchen.

Dinner consisted of Marnie's famous spaghetti and meatballs, Jas' favorite, and the usual conversation. Shane was content to listen, mainly when Jas spoke about school and the things she'd learned that day, occasionally challenging her with questions. But the thinly veiled glances from Marnie in his direction indicated she had several questions of her own that he would be obliged to answer. Luckily, she'd kept her lips buttoned until Shane led Jas to bed for the night.

"Uncle Shane," Jas began as she snuggled under the covers and clutched her favorite teddy bear under her arm, "Aunt Marnie said you were at Miss Krissy's farm today."

"Did she?" he asked, tucking the sheets and blanket under her legs and feet, hoping his face didn't betray his unease. 

"Mmhmm," the little girl confirmed between gaping yawns. "Do you think I can visit the farm sometime? I wanna pet the kitty."

"You have lots of kitties here," Shane said, unsure why the thought of Jas romping around his girlfriend's farm put a sticky lump in his throat. Especially when he'd just agreed to move the both of them in just hours before.

"I know. But none of them are white."

"That's true," he relented, forcing himself to relax. It would be best to get Jas acclimated to the new environment sooner rather than later, right?

"So can I?"

"Yeah, kiddo. I'll tell Kriss you wanna come over soon. But now, you need to sleep," he said, smoothing her hair from her face while another vortex-like yawn overtook her, eyelids fluttering and sealed shut by the time he softly closed the door behind him.

"So —" Marnie spoke as he meandered back into the kitchen, anticipating her probing questions as if he were about to be presented in front of a firing squad. "Lewis told me someone bought a bouquet from Pierre earlier today."

"That's interesting," he replied, skirting past her to pull open the fridge and pluck a can of Joja Cola from the top shelf. Only then did he realize he'd forgotten the damn bouquet at Kristen's, discarded on the tea table by her front door. 

"Indeed, it is. He doesn't know who bought it, though. He was collecting taxes today, and Pierre's weekly sales manifest only shows quantity, which I guess makes sense. Why would he need to keep track of who buys what?" She crossed her arms over her chest, her eyes slashing through him like lasers as she attempted to discern his inscrutable expression. The crack of the soda can as he pulled back the tab caused her to flinch and then roll her eyes.

"Pierre didn't just tell him?" he asked, almost bored as he sipped his soda and sat in one of the kitchen chairs.

"No," she replied, frustration creeping into her tone.

"That's shocking, considering how much everyone loves to shove their noses in other people's business. Guess I had the wrong idea about Pierre."

"Shane." She approached and stood directly beside him, arms still crossed and clearly incredulous by his blase attitude. "Were you really not going to tell me that you bought a bouquet for Krissy? We're family, and I want to be happy for you. Did she say yes?"

He took another deep gulp from the soda can, allowing her to flounder in uncertainty a few seconds longer before finally replying, "I didn't buy it."

"What?" Her face fell so fast it was almost comical, and Shane bit his lip to keep from smiling. "Then who?"

"She did." He wasn't disappointed when his aunt's expression morphed from sullen to confused to cautiously delighted within a second. When she opened her mouth again, he cut her off before she could ask if Kriss had bought the bouquet for someone other than him. "I said yes. Guess I got a girlfriend now."

"Well, what do you know…" Marnie said, her eyes already swimmy and red around the edges. "That girl always did have spunk." Without another word, she grasped her nephew by the shoulders and yanked him up into a rib-crushing hug, pressing her wet cheek into the hollow of his throat. "I am very happy for you, Shane," she mumbled as he awkwardly patted her on the back. He honestly hadn't expected such an emotional reaction and wondered if Marnie had doubts about his ability to function in a stable relationship. If so, he couldn't exactly blame her.

"Uh — thanks," he said when she finally released and leveled him with serious eyes.

"When you tell Jas, be honest. She's too smart for her own good and picks up on everything anyway." The implication of that statement wasn't lost on Shane, and he shifted his eyes to the side, not particularly interested in discussing her weird "secret" relationship with Lewis.

"Yeah, Marn. I know. She's just like her mom."

The slightly uncomfortable conversation wrapped up with Marnie capturing him in another hug before she took a phone call from someone with a familiar male voice. Shane gestured that he was heading to bed, resigned to the fact that everyone in the Valley would be aware of the newest official couple in town by morning.

A text from the farmer lit up his damaged phone screen just as he switched off his bedside lamp, and a thrill shot through his body like a low jolt of electricity.

You left your bouquet here.

With a guilty sigh, he tapped out a reply, the pads of his fingers sliding over the cracks. 

I know. Sorry. You gonna break up with me?

He unconsciously held his breath; a small part of him actually worried she might have a change of heart.

No such luck. You're stuck with me for a while. I put the flowers in water so they won't die. Did you leave it so Marnie wouldn't find out?

He supposed that was a fair question. He wasn't blind to his caginess, and neither was she.

No, babe. I told Marnie. I'll tell Jas soon.

Her reply took longer than usual, and Shane found himself chewing on his thumbnail, waiting.

Good night. I love you.

A breath caught in his lungs as the words popped on screen, slightly warped by the cracks but unmistakable, confirming it hadn't been a one-off fluke.

Good night, pretty baby. See you in the morning.

❦❧🍓❦❧

Shane attempted to keep his breathing even while Kristen's tongue swirled around the head of his dick, her deep chocolate eyes staring up at him, nails digging into the back of his thigh as she anchored it for leverage. Even without the use of her other hand, she bobbed her head effortlessly, hollowing her cheeks for the perfect amount of stabilizing suction, holding him captive in many more ways than one. 

He'd arrived at 5 am and found her waiting for him outside the coop with a cup of coffee so strong it could wake the dead. Considering he hadn't had a drink since Friday, he'd felt surprisingly light on his feet. The usual deep thirst that drenched every cell in his body still made itself known, especially in the quiet moments when he was alone, and his mind wandered and dwelled on intrusive thoughts. ( What if this is all an elaborate prank? She can't really be this into you. She'll change her mind. They always do.) The burn at the back of his throat, the trembling of his hands, the cold sweat that shone on his forehead and pooled in the dip under his nose. But those troublesome symptoms and the aching thirst itself became slightly less prominent when he was with the farmer. Like now, with his cock fully lodged in the warmth of her pretty mouth.

He wasn't exactly sure how he'd ended up with his shorts and boxers around his ankles while leaning against the wall next to the front door. He'd fully intended to only give her one quick kiss after he'd tended to the hens and told her he'd return in the evening. But she was persuasive, and he quickly gave in the second her deft fingers pulled down the zipper and smuggled their way inside, whispering that she wanted to make sure he wouldn't forget her while he stocked rows and rows of shelves with imitation food products. The notion was absurd. She was constantly on his mind, lurking around every nook and cranny, having burrowed into the gray matter of his brain like a parasite he would carry for life. 

"Pretty baby…" He threaded his fingers through her unruly hair, curls wrapping around each digit, creating the illusion of crimson waves across his flesh. His stomach was beginning to tighten along with his balls. "Honey, I'm gonna come if…" He trailed off into a deep groan when she shifted below him, grasping the shaft of his cock in her hand to stroke him in time with the movements of her mouth, her tongue trailing slick pleasure in its wake. Of course, her goal was to make him come, and her quickening pace proved that assumption correct. He was dangerously close.

"Do it in my mouth," she demanded in the few seconds she released him to speak. "Come right down my throat."

"Holy fucking shit," he whined, gripping at her scalp as she laved the flat of her tongue from the base of his shaft to the tip, pulling back his foreskin to swirl her tongue again, a maneuver that made him weak in the knees. "Are you sure, babe?" She simply relaxed the back of her throat and nestled her nose in his pubic hair in response.

Never in his life had a woman willingly offered to let him come in her mouth. He'd done it once by accident when he was 18, and the girl gagged before storming out of the back seat of his car with her shirt and bra clutched to her chest. He'd heard of women enjoying such an act during bar crawls with drinking buddies but always chalked it up to male bravado, convinced they were probably making it up to win the latest dick-measuring contest. But now, here he was, a beautiful woman on her knees before him, requesting the very thing he thought was a myth.

"Kristen," he croaked, brushing his fingers across her forehead. "Look at me." Her dark eyes rolled upward to lock with his, even while maintaining a steady rhythm with her hand and mouth, captivating him. "Fuck yeah, you're gonna make me come. You're so beautiful." The praise poured from his lips like sweet wine, effortless. Every minute he spent with her, the less he second-guessed himself. She made him feel powerful and wanted and desired. Like a heady drug that dulled his anxiety while somehow heightening his self-confidence to levels unheard of, and he was quickly becoming irrevocably addicted.

She hummed in appreciation, switching up her technique, taking his cock deeper, nudging the back of her throat in preparation while Shane clutched the curls at the crown of her head. His stomach tightened, and his thighs quivered, forcing him to lean heavily on the wall, hoping his knees wouldn't give out. 

"Shit, babe — are you ready?" His gasps seemed to echo within the darkened living room, even as the first rays of sunlight peeked through the curtains at his left. It suddenly occurred to him that anyone could glace through the crack at the right angle and catch him receiving the blowjob of a fucking lifetime. The somewhat perverse thought helped tip him over the edge, intense pleasure ripping through him on a wave of euphoria that softened his tense muscles, threatening to spill him to the floor while his cock pulsed against the back of his girlfriend's eager throat.

"Mmm," she hummed once she'd swallowed and clumsily wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "Guess I don't need breakfast now."

He weakly snorted in response as he watched her stand and walk toward the kitchen for a glass of water she'd left sitting on the counter.

"I dunno if I'll ever get used to the shit you say," he remarked, pulling up his boxers and shorts. Once his belt was buckled, he slipped his phone from his pocket to check the time. 

"Told you I wouldn't make you late," she said, approaching him with a seductive sway to her hips. When she was close enough, he didn't hesitate to tug her in for a parting kiss, emotion swelling in his chest that he still felt hesitant to speak aloud.

"I won't doubt you again." He was slowly drifting back to earth but didn't feel the usual weight that rode his shoulders like an unwanted phantom, tethered to him since childhood. "Hey, um —" He faltered, uncertain if this was the right time. When she regarded him with a questioning smile, he shouldered on. "Jas wants to come over. You think Saturday is a good day?"

"Yeah, that's perfect!"

Her enthusiasm — how her face instantly lit up, causing her eyes to sparkle in a stray sliver of sunlight — melted the anxiety seizing his lungs, and he exhaled, relieved.

She captured him in another kiss, much more passionate than he'd expected, before shoving him out the front door. Seconds later, he heard her ancient record player roar to life, Frank Sinatra flying him to the moon, even if it was just a Joja Mart.

[clariannahoney]

Shattered Bonds: A Second Chance at Redemption | Chapter 5: The Cyberbullying Begins

Synopsis: Hwang Y/N, a bright and compassionate 12th grader, is consumed by the toxic social circle of her high school. When her best friend, Jeong Seonhwa, manipulates Y/N into betraying her friend Moon Yana, the consequences are devastating. Y/N's subsequent fall from the rooftop, pleading for help, shatters the lives of those around her. Given a second chance, Y/N rewrites her story, seeking vengeance against those who wronged her. Alongside Choi San, the boy at the center of the clique's manipulations, Y/N uncovers the dark secrets of her former friends. As they confront the truth, they must confront their own fears and insecurities. Will Y/N find redemption, or will the weight of the past drag her back into the abyss?

The bitter winter wind whipped across the rooftop, its icy tendrils cutting through the tense silence that had settled over the scene. Hwang Y/N and Choi San stood their ground, their expressions resolute as they faced the queen bee of the clique, Jeong Seonhwa.

Seonhwa's usually pristine composure had begun to fray at the edges, her eyes narrowing with a mixture of desperation and barely concealed rage. She had orchestrated this confrontation, luring the pair to the same rooftop where the tragic events had once unfolded, determined to regain control of the narrative.

"So, you two think you have me all figured out, don't you?" Seonhwa's voice dripped with venom, her words cutting through the frigid air. "You have no idea what you're up against."

Y/N steeled her nerves, clutching the stack of evidence they had meticulously gathered. "We know the truth, Seonhwa. About the cyberbullying, the way you've manipulated everything. You can't hide behind your lies anymore."

Seonhwa's lips curled into a cruel sneer, her composure beginning to crack under the weight of Y/N's accusations. "Lies? Don't be so naive, Y/N. You're the one who's been deceiving everyone, trying to turn the group against me."

Choi San stepped forward, his gaze unwavering. "We have proof, Seonhwa. Proof of your involvement in the harassment campaign, the way you've used Yoo Seungkwan to target me. It's over."

The mention of Seungkwan's name elicited a sharp reaction from Seonhwa, her eyes flashing with a dangerous intensity. "You have no idea what you're talking about," she hissed, her facade of control slipping further. "If you think you can just waltz in and destroy everything I've built, you're sorely mistaken."

Y/N felt a chill run down her spine as she watched Seonhwa's veneer crumble. The girl who had once exuded an effortless confidence now stood before them, her desperation palpable. "We're not backing down, Seonhwa," she declared, her voice steadier than she had expected. "You've taken everything from me, and I won't let you get away with it."

The confrontation had reached a critical juncture, the tension in the air thick and palpable. Seonhwa, cornered and desperate, was clearly grasping at straws, her carefully constructed persona unraveling before their eyes. Y/N and Choi San knew that they had to press on, determined to expose the truth and hold the queen bee accountable for her actions.

As the standoff continued, the weight of the revelations they had uncovered bore down on them, fueling their resolve to see this through to the end. The fate of their friendships, their reputations, and their very lives hung in the balance, and they could no longer afford to back down., The bitter wind howled across the rooftop as Seonhwa's composure unraveled before Y/N and Choi San. Her eyes narrowed to slits, her manicured nails digging into the palms of her hands as she struggled to regain control of the confrontation.

"You think you can just waltz in here and destroy everything I've built?" she spat, her voice dripping with venom. "You're both pathetic, desperate attention-seekers, clinging to some misguided notion of justice."

Y/N refused to be intimidated, squaring her shoulders as she met Seonhwa's venomous gaze. "We have the evidence, Seonhwa. You can't hide behind your lies anymore. All the cyberbullying, the way you've manipulated everyone – it ends here."

Seonhwa let out a harsh, mirthless laugh. "Evidence? Don't make me laugh. Who do you think people are going to believe – the queen bee, or the social outcasts trying to bring me down?" She leaned in, her breath hot against Y/N's face. "You have no idea the power I wield, the connections I have. If you don't back down, the consequences will be dire."

Choi San stepped forward, his expression unwavering. "We're not backing down, Seonhwa. You've hurt too many people, destroyed too many lives. It's time you faced the consequences of your actions."

The queen bee's lips curled into a cruel smile, her eyes glinting with a dangerous edge. "Consequences? You have no idea what you're up against. I'll make sure your lives are ruined, that no one will ever believe a word you say."

Y/N felt her heart pounding in her chest, but she refused to be cowed. "We're not afraid of you, Seonhwa. We're going to expose the truth, no matter what it takes. You can't silence us anymore."

The confrontation reached a fever pitch, the air thick with the weight of unspoken threats and the palpable tension that permeated the rooftop. Seonhwa, cornered and desperate, lashed out with a vicious tirade, her words cutting like daggers as she sought to intimidate Y/N and Choi San.

Yet, even in the face of such relentless aggression, the pair stood their ground, steeled by their resolve to seek justice and accountability. They refused to be silenced, their voices rising above the howling wind as they demanded that Seonhwa face the consequences of her actions.

The fate of their friendship, their reputations, and their very lives hung in the balance, but Y/N and Choi San knew that they could no longer afford to back down. They had come too far, and the weight of the evidence they had uncovered was simply too damning to ignore., From the shadows of the rooftop, Moon Yana watched the confrontation unfold, her heart pounding in her chest. She had always been the undisputed queen bee of the clique, her position at the top of the social hierarchy cemented by her unwavering loyalty to Seonhwa. But now, as she witnessed the desperate tactics her best friend employed, Yana felt a deep unease settle within her.

The weight of her own complicity in the group's cruelty towards Y/N began to bear down on her conscience, the memories of their once-inseparable friendship now tinged with a deep sense of betrayal. Yana had turned a blind eye, had even participated in the torment that had driven Y/N to the brink, all in the name of preserving her own status and power.

As the tension on the rooftop reached a boiling point, Yana found herself torn, her loyalties divided between the girl she had once considered a sister and the best friend who now clung to her position of dominance with a desperate, clawing intensity. Seonhwa's venomous words and veiled threats echoed in Yana's ears, a constant reminder of the consequences she would face if she dared to defy the queen bee.

Yet, beneath the layers of fear and self-preservation, a glimmer of the old Y/N still lingered in Yana's heart. The compassionate, trusting friend who had once stood by her side, who had shared in her triumphs and her sorrows – that girl was still there, buried beneath the weight of Seonhwa's manipulations and Yana's own moral failings.

Yana's gaze darted between Y/N and Seonhwa, her mind racing as she grappled with the impossible decision that lay before her. To stand by Seonhwa would mean betraying the last vestiges of her own humanity, a choice that would forever haunt her. But to defy the queen bee would come at a devastating cost, one that threatened to strip Yana of the very status and power she had fought so hard to maintain.

The crossroads had arrived, and Yana knew that the choice she made in this moment would define the course of her life, the fate of her friendships, and the legacy she would leave behind. As the confrontation reached a fever pitch, Yana found herself frozen, torn between the desire to protect her fragile hold on the social hierarchy and the need to make amends for the pain she had caused., Amidst the heated exchange on the rooftop, Ahn Hyejeong stood frozen, her gaze darting between Seonhwa, Y/N, and Choi San. As the confrontation unfolded, a growing sense of unease began to settle within her, the weight of her own blind loyalty to the queen bee slowly dawning on her.

Hyejeong had always been Seonhwa's most trusted sidekick, her unwavering devotion to the clique's leader fueling her own rise within the social hierarchy. But now, as the truth started to surface, she found herself confronted with the devastating consequences of her actions – the pain and isolation she had helped inflict upon Hwang Y/N.

The memories of their past interactions, once tinged with a sense of camaraderie and belonging, now felt hollow and tainted. Hyejeong had been so consumed by her desire to maintain her status, to bask in the reflected glory of Seonhwa's power, that she had become oblivious to the human cost of their manipulations.

As she watched Y/N and Choi San stand their ground, their resolve unwavering in the face of Seonhwa's relentless attacks, Hyejeong felt a deep sense of shame wash over her. She had been used as a pawn in Seonhwa's schemes, her loyalty exploited to further the queen bee's own agenda. The realization that she had been complicit in the destruction of her former friend's life was a bitter pill to swallow.

Hyejeong's internal conflict raged, the tug-of-war between her desire to continue supporting Seonhwa and the growing need to break free from the toxic dynamic that had defined her high school experience. She had once reveled in the power and influence that came with being part of the clique, but now, that sense of belonging felt hollow and empty.

The confrontation on the rooftop had become a crucible, forcing Hyejeong to confront the moral ambiguity of her choices and the devastating impact they had had on those around her. As she watched Y/N and Choi San refuse to be cowed, a spark of admiration and respect began to kindle within her, challenging the loyalty she had once so unquestioningly pledged to Seonhwa.

In that moment, Hyejeong found herself at a crossroads, the weight of her decisions bearing down on her. Would she continue to blindly follow Seonhwa, or would she find the courage to break free from the toxic cycle and seek redemption for the harm she had caused? The answer, it seemed, would ultimately determine the course of her own future and the legacy she would leave behind., The tension on the rooftop reached a fever pitch as Seonhwa, her composure shattered, lashed out in a desperate act of violence. In a sudden, frenzied motion, she snatched the lighter from her pocket and, with a wild glint in her eyes, set fire to the sleeve of Y/N's sweater.

The flames erupted, casting an eerie glow over the confrontation as Y/N and Choi San scrambled to extinguish the blaze. Panic gripped them as they realized they were trapped, the rooftop's edges offering no safe escape route.

Seonhwa, her chest heaving, watched with a twisted sense of satisfaction as her former friends fought to save themselves. You see, this is what happens when you defy me, she spat, her voice laced with a manic edge. You should have known better than to cross me.

Y/N's heart pounded in her chest as she desperately patted out the flames, the acrid smell of burning fabric filling the air. Choi San, his face etched with fear, tried to shield her, but the fire had already taken hold, the fabric slowly disintegrating.

Yana, frozen in the shadows, watched the chaos unfold, her eyes wide with a mixture of horror and indecision. She had always been Seonhwa's loyal lieutenant, but the sight of her former friend's life hanging in the balance shook her to the core. Torn between her desire to intervene and the paralyzing fear of the consequences, Yana found herself at a crossroads, her moral compass spinning wildly.

The rooftop had become a cauldron of desperation and terror, the howling wind only adding to the sense of impending doom. Y/N and Choi San, their clothes singed and their skin blistered, pleaded for help, their voices echoing across the empty expanse.

Seonhwa, her eyes wild and unhinged, loomed over them, her triumph short-lived as the gravity of her actions began to sink in. She had gone too far, her desperate bid to maintain control spiraling into a nightmare of her own creation.

Yana, her heart racing, knew that the decision she made in this moment would irrevocably shape the course of the confrontation and the ultimate fate of her friends. Would she find the courage to defy Seonhwa and intervene, or would she remain paralyzed by her fear, forever haunted by the consequences of her inaction?

The rooftop had become a crucible, the lives of Y/N and Choi San hanging in the balance as the flames continued to spread, the chaos and desperation reaching a fever pitch. Yana's moment of reckoning had arrived, and the weight of her choice would echo through the halls of Evergreen High for years to come., The rooftop had become a cauldron of chaos, the flames licking at Y/N and Choi San's clothes as they fought desperately to extinguish the blaze. Seonhwa, her eyes wild and unhinged, loomed over them, a twisted sense of triumph etched on her features.

Yana, frozen in the shadows, watched the unfolding nightmare, her heart pounding in her chest. The decision she made in this moment would irrevocably shape the course of the confrontation and the ultimate fate of her friends. Would she find the courage to defy Seonhwa and intervene, or would she remain paralyzed by her fear, forever haunted by the consequences of her inaction?

As the flames continued to spread, Y/N and Choi San's cries for help echoed across the empty expanse, their voices tinged with a desperate edge. Seonhwa, her triumph short-lived, began to realize the gravity of her actions, the weight of the consequences bearing down on her.

The rooftop had become a crucible, the lives of the two young people hanging in the balance as the chaos and desperation reached a fever pitch. Yana's moment of reckoning had arrived, and the choice she made would echo through the halls of Evergreen High for years to come.

Y/N, her skin blistered and her clothes singed, pleaded with Yana, her eyes filled with a glimmer of hope. "Yana, please," she cried, her voice barely audible over the roar of the flames. "Don't let us die up here."

Choi San, his face etched with fear and determination, tried to shield Y/N, his own safety secondary to the need to protect the girl who had become his unexpected ally. "Yana, you have to help us," he shouted, his voice cracking with the strain. "We can't do this alone."

The tension on the rooftop was palpable, the weight of the choices before them bearing down on the characters. Y/N and Choi San's lives hung in the balance, their fates uncertain as they confronted the consequences of their quest for justice. Yana, torn between her loyalty to Seonhwa and the lingering affection she held for her former friend, found herself at a crossroads, her moral compass spinning wildly.

As the chapter drew to a close, the reader was left in a state of suspense, wondering whether Y/N and Choi San would survive the confrontation and whether Yana would finally find the courage to stand up to Seonhwa and her toxic influence. The stage was set for a high-stakes finale, where the characters would be forced to grapple with the weight of their choices and the possibility of redemption in the face of unimaginable adversity.

[thequeenreaders]

Yall boop my cat and dog pls

[queer-starwars-bracket]

Queer Star Wars Characters (Round 1): General Bracket Match 51

Marda Ro | Identity: bisexual | Media: The High Republic Phase II

Marda Ro was a member of the stigmatized Evereni species. She was raised in the Path of the Open Hand with her cousin Yana Ro, and had no real memory of her parents or life before the cult. She grew up to be a true believer. Good with children, her job was to supervise the Littles- the younglings of the Path. She was soft spoken and very kind. She had previously kissed a girl who lived in Ferdan, until the girl’s father intervened, dragging her away spouting anti-Evereni and anti-Path rhetoric. When the Jedi Kevmo Zink came to Dalna with his master to investigate the Path for stealing Force artifacts, she fell in love with the young Jedi. After he was killed by the Leveler, she rationalized it by blaming the Jedi and becoming even more entrenched in the cult. After Kevmo’s death, she began to see his ghost- representing her doubts. It is unknown if such a thing was entirely her own mind or an actual manifestation of the Cosmic Force.

It was her idea to bring the Path to Jedha, where they could spread their beliefs among the various Force religions of the planet. For that she was dubbed the Path’s Guide. The chaos that ensued only made her feel more adrift. Wanting to make up for the failure of Jedha, she joined a group of Path members to travel to Planet X to retrieve Nameless eggs. The mission included Bokana Koss, who she had begun a relationship with. Most of the Path members died, including Koss, which Marda rationalized as resulting from him abusing the Force due to the Force sensitivity the planet granted him. The trauma of that event turned her into a violent zealot for the Path. She returned to the Path, and whipped them up into a frenzy, finalizing the Mother’s militarization efforts by declaring that the Path was now the Path of the Closed Fist. In the ensuing chaos, she discovered that the Mother wasn’t a true believer and was just following her own agenda. She overpowered her and took the Rod of Power for herself. However, with all the Jedi around to feed on, she was unable to fully control the Nameless. To end the carnage, she flooded the tunnels of the Path compound, killing all the Nameless except for the Leveler.

After the battle, she was now set on her path. She still believed in the ideology of the Path, and her new certainty caused Kevmo to disappear. She killed the Mother, who was a prisoner of the Jedi. Abandoning her cousin, she took the Rod of Seasons, the Leveler, and the Gaze Electric and set off to found what would become the Nihil (as well as possibly the Elders of the Path, the specifics are still unknown).

Sabé | Identity: bisexual | Media: Queen’s Trilogy/Darth Vader comics

Sabé, born Tsabin, was a member of a family of musicians who set their daughter on the same path. However, she was only skilled enough to ever have a supporting role and instead volunteered to be one of Queen Amidala’s handmaidens. She became Padmé’s most trusted operative, pretending to be the Queen during the Invasion of Naboo. After Padmé’s term as queen ended, she remained her operative and worked with Tonra, a member of Naboo’s security force, to attempt to free slaves on Tatooine. They eventually made contact with the White Suns, a Tatioone slave liberation movement. When the Clone Wars began, Sabé once again acted as Padmé’s decoy when Padmé was away from Coruscant conducting an investigation. There she learned Anakin and Padmé were married. However, to make sure Padmé didn’t have her closest confidant, Palpatine blasted Sabé’s brain with the Dark Side until she didn’t want to work closely with Padmé anymore. Sabé spent the rest of the war helping the White Suns.

After Padmé died, Sabé founded an organization known as the Amidalans- a rebel cell consisting of Naboo (including some of the other handmaidens), who sought to avenge Padmé. They attempted to assassinate Vader (who they deemed responsible) on multiple occasions. Sabé focused on deception, preventing to work with Vader to find Padmé’s killer and infiltrating Crimson Dawn.  until she figured out that Vader was Anakin. Remembering how Padmé’s last words (which had been recorded) was “There’s still good in [Anakin]”, she decided to actually become Vader’s operative. Her given reason was that the Empire and Vader did bring order to the galaxy, but it is just as likely she is following her queen’s last order to attempt to bring the man she loved back to the light. She remained by Vader’s side even when her fellow handmaidens came to “rescue” her. Her last appearance in the comics was Vader abandoning her on a beach until she could decide to fully commit to the Dark Side (emotionally speaking). Sabé had crushes on a handful of people and even a romantic relationship with Tonra, but her most important was her romantic love for Padmé. These feelings were requited, with Queen’s Hope creating a love triangle where Sabé represented ideology and duty and Anakin was selfish love. As we know, Padmé chose Anakin, but a deciding factor was Sabé’s self esteem being temporarily shattered by Palpatine. Her wider moral view seems to have degraded after spending over two decades focusing on avenging Padmé instead of joining the wider Rebellion. However, even working for the Empire, she hasn’t gone completely evil yet- doing things like pretending to kill a bunch of refugees to gain their loyalty instead of actually killing them.

[fallenrayvens]

You know what?

I’m hereby declaring that besides all the already existing clues and evidences that point to Undertaker being Cedric Phantomhive, I believe in it mainly because of the fact that the name of this family is Phantomhive.

Just like Undertaker was obviously a reaper to me from the start because duh, of course. Have you looked at him. His name is Undertaker. He runs a morgue.

Of course the noble family that is known for ruling the English underworld, currently has assassins as normal manor servants and a fucking demon as the main butler and is literally named “phantom hive” has grim reaper lineage. Wouldn’t surprise me if undertaker wasn’t even the first one of them.

It just seems like a Yana thing. She did it multiple times already, nothing stopping this from being so obvious.

[rosehearrt]

for the character meme, the two green-heads: trey and / or sebek!

ACCEPTING ━ Give Me a Character;

Sebek Zigvolt.

How I feel about this character

A lot of people don't know this about me, but I actually really like Sebek! At first I was a little bit uninterested, but the more I got to know him and his character, the more endearing and adorable he became to me. Riddle's fondness for him rubbed off on me! Haha just kidding, but really, watching him struggle to grow and adapt to life outside of the Valley has been like watching a train wreck in slow motion in the best of ways. He's so loud and ridiculous but as the story's progressed, I think he's calmed down a considerable amount. Watching him bond so much with humans who he previously thought of as so inferior to himself has also been a huge highlight to me, and it warms my heart to see his perspective changing. I also love me some good gap-moe, so I adore the juxtaposition between his big buff appearance and some of his more innocent character traits, like the way he gets overexcited or overly serious about things, or the hero worship he has for Malleus. He's my favorite himbo and I just want to kiss his little face!

All the people I ship romantically with this character

sebeshiru / sebesil: I have to be honest, it was fan art that got me into this. But now that I am into it, there's no going back. I absolutely adore the idea of Sebek continuing to borderline bully Silver over his status as a human, and just be a jerk in general until one day he realizes ' wow, his eyelashes are really long... ' and then ' his hair is so soft and shiny ' and before he even realizes it, he's completely fallen for Disney princess Silver. I love the idea of him taking forever to come to terms with that fact, but once he does, steeling himself and very seriously declaring his intentions regarding courting to Silver. I love the idea of them having a romantic moment on one of the Diasomnia balconies where Sebek decides to take a knee and tell him that while he he will primarily be Malleus's knight, he wants to pledge on his sword to always protect Silver as well. I love him going to Lilia and getting his blessing. Another thing I love is the idea of him and Silver being very culturally traditional. Sebek wore a hakama/montsuki hakama for New Year's and both he and Silver wore a qingdai guanmao with a mamianqun ( which was traditionally worn by women lol ), and what appears to be a yunjian ( don't quote me on this because I'm not an expert on chinese history but it is an interest ) and basically just a bunch of different fashion influences of the Qing Dynasty thrown together for halloween, so I definitely feel like the Diasomnia characters are presented with hints of an east asian heritage, maybe a mixture of Japanese and Chinese culture to create something TWST equivalent of the two cultures like Yana seems to have done for places such as the Middle East and Africa. But anyway. I'm getting sidetracked here. My point is I love the idea of the two of them involving traditional East Asian courtship methods in their relationship. Like Chinese courtship, for example, where they would be receiving the guidance of an astrologer, exchanging tea presents, etc. I'd love to see a deeper dive into the cultures Diasomnia students hail from! And for some reason I can really see Silver and Sebek as a couple feeling passionate about honoring those cultures. 10/10 also love picturing the two of them waking up in the same bed in the future and going about their morning routines together, trading soft conversation and kisses as they don their armor and prepare for a day of serving their prince as his two most talented knights.

maresebe / mallesebe: I have nothing to say for myself beyond that I love the idea of hero-worshipper getting to date his hero and constantly pinching himself over it and melting into a bumbling unintelligible mess. And then, later in life, the prince being married to his knight. Sebek already adores Malleus so much, being with him would be a dream come true. I think he'd try not to allow himself to become spoiled, but Malleus would encourage it because he thinks Sebek is cute when he gets clingy. As for Malleus, he'll have a lover hopelessly devoted to him and who adores him beyond belief, so that's a pretty nice perk. It's also super funny because both of them are incredibly naive in certain ways ( or maybe it should be phrased as being behind in learning for Malleus, since I don't know if I would use naive to describe him ), so I think they'd be the couple doing odd things like wearing the wrong outfits to certain places or trying to buy the other a painting at a museum because the other likes it. Both just not understanding how the modern world works at all and standing out completely no matter where they are. I love that for them.

My non-romantic OTP for this character

lilia: Oh Lilia, the unofficial second parent for everyone in Diasomnia ( aside from his own son oc, he's the number one parent for him ). I love the way Sebek is so sincere in his admiration of Lilia, and Lilia's response is to tease him and play pranks. I fully believe that's been going on since Sebek was a child, and I also fully believe he went through a phase where he thought Lilia was a vampire and would cry when he saw him. But despite all the teasing, Lilia seems to really care about his boys, and the fact that he is playful with Sebek reflects ( imo ) a type of patience for some of his more childish ways, such as insulting Silver over his status as a human or getting too much in Malleus's face with his idolization. I definitely don't think he'd allow anyone other than Sebek to act badly towards Silver dhsgjryfsu and he's more than capable of providing swift punishment, but he clearly considers Sebek close enough to not do that. I think Lilia has lived a long and lonely life, and while Silver is the main love of his life ( being his child who he canonically talks about in a very doting manner ), clearly Malleus and Sebek are important to him as well. I think creating this pseudo family through the three kids he somehow gathered as his own has probably provided him with a lot of purpose and joy that he might not have had in the same way before. I don't have too much to say beyond that since Lilia is one of those character who - while I enjoy him - I don't think about all that much in terms of HCs since he isn't really one of the characters that I deeply connect with. But I do love the Diasomnia family dynamic, and I think it's really wonderful that Sebek has people watching over him who know him as an individual, especially a parental figure like Lilia.

riddle: I'm putting Riddle for so many of these omg djhgesgdryfjs I PROMISE IT'S NOT JUST BC HE'S MY MUSE HAHAHA, I love him and Sebek though. Their relationship is just beautiful to me, because it provides exceptions to both of their extremely rigid worldviews. The game makes it a point to talk about Sebek's thoughts of the inferiority of humankind over and over, and yet he changed his tune very quickly upon meeting Riddle, and now deeply respects him and seems wholly comfortable around him. As for Riddle, he generally dislikes loud and hyper people that he has difficulty controlling, but Sebek's willingness to listen and learn from him, and the respect he shows him has endeared Riddle to him greatly. I think that for someone like Riddle who has such difficulty sorting through his relationships, how to label them, their true nature, etc, Sebek and Silver have both become important individuals to him, but his relationship with Sebek is unique. Riddle struggles often to get on the same wavelength as his own first year students, and at this point in time ( post-overblot ), the majority of his dorm still dislikes him. But Sebek turns his admiration-filled eyes on Riddle, and Riddle likely gets blown over by them every time. This isn't to say he isn't strict - his regimen for club is probably just as militant as the way he upholds tradition in his dorm. But I think he has a huge soft spot for Sebek nonetheless. I also think, that in a way, looking at Sebek is a little bit like looking at a younger version of himself. Stubborn and stuck in his ways, obsessed with tradition and having things be done only the way he believes they should ( Riddle is definitely still like this to a degree, but I think he's calmed down a bit whereas Sebek is still in the yelling and rioting stage ), and prone to outbursts. But beyond that, he's also cautious, and insecure to a degree as he tries to navigate life among creatures beyond what he grew up with. In a way, he lived in a bubble growing up just as Riddle did ( though what that looked like was very different from Riddle's experiences ), and I think that seeing some of that really hits Riddle a certain way, and makes him feel a bit protective. I also think seeing how scared Sebek was when he got kidnapped, and the panic he went through was simultaneously very shocking and touching for him, because it was a big deal to realize how much he cared. Sorry Diasomnia, Riddle's taking the crocodile now lmao.

My unpopular opinion about this character

I don't really have one. I don't think I'm aware enough of any discourse surrounding him.

One thing I wish would happen / had happened with this character in canon.

I want to see him interacting with his family!! They've been mentioned, so let me see them!! I bet he's really cute around his parents and his older siblings considering the way he tends to look up to those who are older ( and who he deems worthy of his respect ). I also want to see him interact with his horse/any of the horses! I want to know if he's good with them or not.

As stated above, I'd also love to see more of a connection between Diasomnia and the culture of the Valley which Yana keeps dropping hints over. That's not so much Sebek as much as Diasomnia in general, but still.

[aeon2407]

Pyro's Pyrotechnic Love Life - Chapter 7

For @contentment-of-cats. Also on AO3.

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Command Bridge, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

“Captain Pyrondi, come in.”

Yana groaned in frustration. What now? “This is Pyrondi. Send traffic.”

“Captain, there’s an unknown ship on approach. Pilot claims to be a bounty hunter with two dead members of Clan Wren. Wants to collect the bounty and requested that the ship captain deliver the bounty in person. Guild ident number checks out. Orders, sir?”

A contemplative silence. “Have a squadron of guards at the hangar bay and wait for me. I’m on my way. Captain Virgilio has the bridge.”

“Copy that, sir.”

Yana told the task force to wrap up and set course back to Tepasi, then went to change. She hasn’t worn traditional hides in too damn long, and it’d also throw the bounty hunter off-kilter.

A full security detail was already there by the time she got to the hangar. Chief General Tagge designated her a high-value asset when the bounty on her head, from way back during her last year at Royal, was recently reactivated. Four million credits turned a lot of heads her way. It also earned her the nickname ‘Unkillable’ amongst Mandalorian clans.

The man that stepped out of the ship was tall, lanky in that aristocratic way that suggested a runaway or disgraced noble, probably Kuati given the unique complexion. He had two bodies in Mandalorian armor on the cart behind him and a facial scan confirmed them as Clan Wren and the hunter as disgraced Kuati royalty. She nodded, a trooper handed her the box of credits to pass to him, and she turned to walk away. What a waste of her time.

The last thing she felt before blacking out was a sharp, searing pain in her back. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Tagges were no stranger to strangling worlds and systems, either in retaliation for an offense against them or just to get their way. Before the Republic existed, Helric Tagge rigged the Hydian Way, causing a collision in hyperspace that resulted in Alderaan, Chandrila, and Coruscant losing five thousand ships. The cost was so great that Alderaan swore pacifism, and Chandrila never built another warship. The resulting famine on Coruscant killed over two billion people. Nobody could prove a thing.

TaggeCo, already a multisystem conglomerate then, swooped in and grew exponentially. Brutal yet subtle suppression of any and all competition in its infancy, bribes, blackmail, extortion, assassination, orchestrated disasters. In twenty years, TaggeCo grew from a conglomerate to a supercorporation, then an empire of its own, spanning nearly the entire known galaxy.

When the Republic was created, Coruscant was picked as the capitol, but recorded history showed that Tepasi, and Helric himself, sat at the head of that table.

At the height of the Clone Wars, The Dynasty declared Tagge Space a neutral territory. The CIS tried to muscle in when Domina took the throne from her father Kyric, mistakenly seeing the change in leadership as a weakness to exploit. All of a sudden, Serenno had food riots, the Banking Clan lost all Tagge deposits, and the Techno Union didn't get a new contract, or any contract for that matter.

The Tagges opened their own bank and trading platform, offered high interest rates for low balances, and sucked away the masses. The Techno Union was replaced by TaggeCo workers, staffed through an aggressive recruiting campaign instead of leaning on the Republic Youth Corps for cheap labor like so many others. Domina bought every credit of Republic debt from the Banking Clan for a quarter of the price and squeezed the Senate’s economic balls just to remind them who was in control.

The likes of Kuat and BlasTech were all concerned with protecting their bottom lines while the Clone Wars raged on. Domina, however, saw the opportunity to revolutionize and took it. The Empire presented another such opportunity and she took that one too, getting the largest piece of War Mantle and a bunch of other military contracts to herself.

The Dynasty earned itself another name: The House, as in ‘Don’t bet against The House.’

Kuat wouldn’t stand a chance. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Secondary Hangar Bay, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

Yissa was assigned by Virgilio to help receive and prepare Artur for surgery. As much as she was jealous of the man, she didn’t want him to die, and as such put every drop of effort into her work, carefully lifting him onto the medsled before swiftly cutting off his shirt, revealing a set of electro-tattoos, then his pants, with a pair of scissors.

She stopped dead to stare at his crotch, now only covered by his blacks. Remembered Yana’s dimensions in her head. How the kriff…

She shook her head and got back to work. Thank Coru she left him at the altar and ran. He might not even fit inside her, much less Yana. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sometimes you beat the odds and sometimes you don't. It was good luck that Ilyana had changed into her tuskie-hide tunic before meeting the ‘bounty hunter’ since the hide already had mild energy-dissipating properties. It was bad luck that the shot landed, partly burned through the back of the tunic and cloak, and dropped her in her tracks. The assassin was a male member of the Kuati Royal House, a fake declaration of disownment and an initiation into the guild set up by the Matriarch herself.

Yana didn't remember anything, from her point of view all she did was wake up in a bacta tank on the Acquisitor, painkillers up to the eyeballs and staring without comprehension at the medics outside her tank before her brain glitched out again.

Hurt.

“She's waking up.”

“Put her under again. That cloned skin graft is taking. She can't move for another few days at least.”

Ilyana woke up screaming. The pain was too much for tears. Too much for breathing, but her body did it stubbornly. In and Out. The simple motion blacked her out again and this time, Faro closed her hands over Yana's, creating a soft squeezy in her grip. “Squeeze, Yana. Squeeze it hard.”

And she did. The pain rode away from her like a leaf on the surface of a stream, and Yana sank in. Oh. No pain.

A soft darkness took her away to a place of strange silver starlight, paths and gateways, and Yana floated there. She watched herself be born, live, and die so many times, so many different outcomes. Then at one critical moment when her legs failed her, when hope failed her, her uncle threw her into the transport and shut the hatch.

All those other lives went dark as if someone flicked a switch and crumbled away. And then the dark bloomed with so many new lights, new colors, branches of light from one gateway to another.

“You’re the one who wasn't supposed to live. He’s the one who was never supposed to be. And you have both set me free.”

The voice was familiarly unfamiliar. Yana whirled around. A man, shoulder length brown hair, scar under his right eye, and ridiculously tall, was floating a ways away behind her.

“Who are you?” He was so... familiar. She could've sworn that they've met before.

He gave her a small smile, one full of kindness and pain. “My name is – was – Anakin Skywalker.” ------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Secondary Medbay, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

Artur woke up… refreshed? What in the- Oh, wait. There’s the pain. Ow. Looked down. Signs of recent surgery on his left knee. Artur gave it a tap, felt his knuckles hitting metal. Prosthetic, most likely courtesy of TaggeCo R&D to feel this natural.

Looking around, he recognized the secondary medbay on one of the Armada’s capital ships. Not the Acquisitor, but certainly a Domina-Class. He stopped a passing medical droid. “Where am I?”

“Ah, Lord Artur. I am glad to see that you are awake. You are in the secondary medbay. You suffered a-“

“I know that. Which ship am I on?”

“The Levinbolt, milord.”

“Thank you.”

The Levinbolt. Spearhead. Auntie Domina mobilized the Armada, which meant someone gave her the code. Who knew the code? Him, Dad, Aylin, Domini, Lapin, Aunt Domi, Yana… Yana. Margulis bless that woman.

“Excuse me?”

“Yes, milord?”

“Is Ilyana Pyrondi on board?”

“Captain Pyrondi is currently undergoing post-surgery recovery in ICU Unit One, Lord Artur. Would you like to relay a message?”

She’s undergoing what!? Focus. Observation, assessment, action. In that order. “No. No message, thank you.” He waited for the droid to move out of sight before starting his ‘action’.

Medical Sergeant Eylod was the unlucky soldier assigned to watch over Major Tagge while he healed in post-op. He’d gone out for a cup of caf. It had taken him two minutes. When he came back, the bed was empty and the Major was nowhere to be found. “Oh grace be damned, not again. Sergeant Eylod to Captain Virgilio. Major Tagge escaped from medbay, sir. No tracks to follow.”

A sigh through the comms. “Of course he did. I’ll tell the guards around Pyrondi’s bed to be on the lookout and make a few calls. Prepare restraints and standby for updates.”

“Yes sir. Standing by.”

Max Veers was in the middle of a meeting when his personal comms chimed. Why the hell was Virgilio calling him? Did something happen to Artur? “Excuse me, gentlemen. This would take but a moment.”

Exit the room. Secure surrounding environment. Accept the call. “General Veers speaking.”

“Sir, Captain Virgilio here. Lets say, hypothetically of course, that Major Tagge went missing from medbay and there was no visible trace of his whereabouts. Where should we look first?”

A Long Suffering Sigh. “Was he alone?”

“Yes sir.”

“He’s in the floors. Or a large vent somewhere. Check for loose panels. If that is all?”

“That is all, General. Thank you.”

“Tell me when you find him. Veers out.”

Sigh. Lock emotions out of face. Reenter the room. “Apologies, gentlemen. Where were we?”

He remined himself to send a recording to Artur to berate the boy remotely.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

World Between Worlds

“General Skywalker. We studied your tactics in history class.”

A smile and chuckle. “I know you do. Word of advice, most of my so called 'tactics' were just me making shit up as I go.”

A scoff. “And yet when I do it I get a reprimand and a ton of lip. Why are you here, General? What is this place?” For a moment she was afraid that this was the After, but the stars reassured her that it wasn't. Part of her was sad, because at the end of her life she hoped to see her parents and kin again.

“This is somewhere... else. Most who know about it called it the World Between Worlds. We can see the past, present, and future here. You've just witnessed the change you made on Destiny.”

“General, with all due respect, Destiny is a bunch of-” Awake. Faro and Thrawn both hovering over her. So MUCH pain. Squeezed the squeezy. Okay. Black, then starlight and General Skywalker peering down at her. “Ohthathurtohthathurt.”

Yana cleared her throat. The pain lingers. “Excuse me, General. As I was saying, with all due respect, Destiny is a bunch of nerfshit.”

A Sigh, full of weight and pain. “I wish that were true. So much suffering could have been avoided if more thought like you, but Destiny is what it is. The simple fact of your continued existence and Artur's being at all is proof of Destiny. The Force itself has changed around both of you.”

Yana was... confused. “How so, General? Artur I get, he's a great man who will go on to do great things, but I'm just a humble officer.”

Anakin channeled his inner Drama Queen Kenobi before his next words. “The two of you form a dyad in the Force.”

And the child was absolutely unimpressed. He knew he liked this one for a reason. He should drop her on Obi – trying to be invisible on Tatooine – and see how it goes.

Yana didn't know a dyad from Orn Free Taa's left asscheek. “I saw all the other lives I could have lived, but one wiped them all out, and a bunch of other lives resulted. Destiny's a sloppy way to run a universe.”

“My old Master told me that Destiny gives people hope for something better, not only for themselves, but for others, for the future.”

“Even so, General, my point stands. Hope doesn't mean much if the thing giving hope makes a mess of everything in the first place.” She continued, “And there is nothing so cruel as giving people false hope, sending them looking for miracles instead of solutions, selling them a gilded bantha turd. We're fighting against false hopes and false promises right now. 'Restore democracy!' and 'Freedom' and 'Rights.' Democracy takes work, freedom needs infrastructure, and rights are balanced with responsibilities. But then again, telling people to use their brains instead of sitting on their ass has never been motivational.”

Her shoulders were burning. “Shit. The pain meds are wearing off again. Be right back.”

And she disappeared back to the material world once again. Anakin used the time to think. Did he agree with her?

…

Yes, absolutely. He and Vader seldom agreed on anything, but they did now.

Yana opened her eyes. Squeezed the squeezy. Silent scream because she did not have the energy for sound. Thrawn and Faro were still hovering over her.

“Welcome back, Ilyana.”

“No. I have to go back. I was talking with General Skywalker.” Needle in arm. Squeezed the squeezy. Out again. Thrawn started. Went out to contact the Executor and check what Vader was doing.

“And another thing. Corruption is contagious - it comes from the top down. Since you're a figment of my imagination, I'm going to tell you my life story. I was born on a world called Jegsziv-”

Vader was meditating, not to be disturbed. Tepasi breakout in ten. Plenty of time.

Anakin listened as Ilyana told her story. By the end he was incredibly pissed off, disgusted with Gererra as well, but calmed himself. First things first, clarification. “I'm not a figment of your imagination, Ilyana. I'm real... and alive.”

Yana felt her brain stopped. “What do you mean, you're alive? I don’t wish to contradict you, sir, but you died during the Battle of Coruscant.”

“My identity did. My body survived.”

“So you’re… someone else now? A new name?”

“Yes. A name given to me when I Fell. Darth Vader.”

“I’m sorry, sir. WHAT?!”

Artur felt a familiar flutter in the Force, what little of it he could feel, from his hiding spot under the flooring. Yana. That meant she was still alive!

Ben felt someone Tepasi dancing in the Force, and… Anakin. Not Vader. Not Darth. Anakin. He told Owen that he was leaving for a while, then took the next shuttle to Coruscant. It was the best place to reorientate himself with the Core before going to Tepasi.

He meditated during the fourteen-hour shuttle ride and attempted to get into the World Between Worlds again. He was successful this time and started looking for Anakin, pointedly ignoring the gateways.

Yana stumbled slightly. “Okay, I think they gave me too many drugs.”

Anakin smiled in understanding. “Once you wake up fully, Ilyana, go call Vader by my name. You’ll see.”

“Alright, fine. For the sake of argument, how did we meet?”

“Devastator’s command deck, above Terra. You were still a third-year cadet. Piett brought you aboard to install the Pyrondi System and update our targeting software.”

Yana couldn’t argue with that. Her shoulders were flaring with pain again. “Waking up. But if I call Vader by your name and dies I’m haunting you.”

A chuckle. “Deal. Make sure you try to relax through the pain. I’ll see you soon.”

And then she broke the surface of consciousness, the pain slamming into her. This time Lapin and Lady Domina were the faces greeting her. She whimpered. “What happened? It hurts so much.”

Lapin’s lips thinned. “You got shot. We've grafted cloned skin onto your back and taking you to Recovery. Putting you back under in three, two, one...”

And back under she went. Yana knew enough about medicine to know that she'd be under for a while. Decided to kill time by talking with General Skywalker again. “HEY. YOU THERE?”

Ben tripped over his own feet at that one.

“I'M OVER HERE.”

That was Anakin. He broke into a flat run.

Yana went looking, stopping occasionally to shout back and forth, almost like echolocation. Ben followed the shouting.

Anakin was standing in front of a gateway looking into the Jedi Temple by the time Ilyana found him. Lines of clones were marching up the steps with a cloaked figure in the lead. He looked at her as she approached. “Any improvements, Ilyana?”

“I got shot, sir. I’m not sure yet.” She looked at the gateway. “What’re you looking at? I can’t see anything.”

“You can't, but I can. This was my Fall. Trying to see if I can redeem myself from this.”

“Maybe I can't see it because it isn't mine. Why did you fall?”

A painful sigh. “Love. Anger. Desperation. Arrogance. Poor judgement, in the end. I committed some very heinous acts on the final day of the Clone Wars.”

Ben traced the pathways and saw two figures, one tall adult and a child, staring at a gateway. Ventured closer. The two had their heads together, talking. “Anakin?”

Yana jumped to intercept the stranger – an old man, then a young man, shifting back and forth. “Halt. Identify yourself.” Her clothing flickered from furs to service grays to formal whites with gold epaulets.

The stranger raised his hands placatingly. “My name is Ben Kenobi, young one.” His body settled on ‘young’ and he looked down. “Well, Obi-Wan Kenobi now. What’s your name?”

Yana's uniform darkened, senior lieutenant insignia on the chest, Seventh Fleet emblem on the shoulder. “Senior Lieutenant Ilyana Pyrondi, WSO of the ISD Chimaera.” Then it flashed back to the leathers and furs almost stubbornly, then to a red and gold wedding dress, then back to the uniform.

Between the dress and the uniform was a very brief flicker of white and gold. Obi Wan observed with interest. “Well met, Lieutenant Pyrondi.”

Ilyana studied him, then turned to ask Anakin, “He's a Jedi?”

Anakin had Darkness in his eyes. “My former Master. The man who crippled me and left me for dead on Mustafar.”

She was still standing in front of Anakin and raised her arm cannon. Suspicious of the Jedi – having only heard tales of the worst.

“Lower your weapon, Ilyana. He won't attack me. Not here.”

For a second, the bridge of the Chimaera flickers around them. “You're unarmed, sir.”

“I'm one of the most powerful Force-sensitives in recorded history, Ilyana. I'm never unarmed.”

“Copy that, sir. But if he moves wrong I'm ventilating him.”

Obi-Wan silently thought that this one might have been too young to have ever seen a Jedi. Or that she was passed over for some reason. She was strong in the Force, but also weak in the Force. And what was it with Anakin and small violent brunettes?

Oh well, at least this one wasn't dying in front of him, although there was still a lot of physical pain around her. He lowered his hands slowly and sat down. Anakin did the same. Something was different about his former Padawan, but what?

In the material world, Artur had finally managed to navigate his way to the Recovery Room. He climbed out of the floor grate carefully and stumbled to Yana’s bedside, idly making a note to recalibrate the pressure and sensitivity in his new knee before being cleared for active duty as he grasped her hand gently and looked at the monitors. Grafted skin directly onto blaster burn. Nasty business. Yissa was already there, slumped against the bedding and fast asleep.

Artur's touch got through and Yana leaned slightly off to one side. Maybe this was the place that the Dreamwalkers went? There was no one left to ask, but her people called this the world of dreams.

Yana manifested a comfortable chair and took a seat. The pain was present but distant, and from time to time she could see horrible injuries on General Skywalker. A head burnt and scarred, missing limbs and more burn marks across his body, dried blood everywhere. Her own pain throbbed slightly at the sight of him. This must be what Vader look like under that suit.

Sometimes both of them were covered in blood. Sometimes she was, too. In the medbay, her fingers curled around Artur's. One thing about Thrawn, he always act to minimize civilian casualties where others do not.

There were times when she questioned her own role in the Empire, where she questioned whether, by seeking to protect all the little Yanas, she was making more of them? Thrawn had said to command without doubts and regrets, and that the clarity of hindsight is either vanity, foolishness, or madness. Maybe she was, maybe she wasn't. The nature of Imperial service was that you didn't usually have time to reflect on such things, but she had time now.

In the outside world, Artur pressed his head against their joined fingers and fell asleep right before Revy came in to check on the Little Demon. Paused. Pulled out her comm. “Recovery Room clear. No sign of him.” She gently pulled two more beds over and deposited both him and Yissa onto them before leaving silently, making sure that they were both tucked into Yana’s sides. Messaged an update to Lapin.

Yana pulled on his presence for some comfort, the way she used to less than two years ago. Suddenly, the three of them were joined by a very big, very confused man.

“OH GRACE AND OH SHIT. Artur. Wait. Let me put him back.”

The wedding dress appeared on her again and then confusingly the comfy chair became a command chair. Obi-Wan was amused. Like most people her age, she was feeling the pull of multiple destinies.

Anakin shot a warning look at him. “Don’t use the D-word, Obi-Wan.”

Ah, one of those. Obi-Wan nodded in understanding.

Yana was so very confused about her clothing, panicked over Artur being here, and annoyed at her inability to send him back. Artur, meanwhile, fell back on his training. Observed, then his eyes landed on Anakin. A nod of acknowledgement. “Lord Vader.”

Anakin gave Yana a look that just screamed ‘Told you so’ and she glared at him. Suddenly, they were on the Chimaera’s bridge and she was once again in that damned white uniform.

Artur looked at her, glancing down at where a rank plaque would be before coming to attention. What was he smirking at? “Grand Admiral Pyrondi, sir.”

Yana directed her glare at him. “Don’t you start with me.”

Anakin was impressed. She had an unprecedented level of control over this plane of existence.

Their surroundings shifted again. This time, they were on a cold, grassy plain. Pyrondi flinched as if she’d touched fire, and they were back in the World Between Worlds.

Artur and Anakin both looked at her in understanding. "Your home world?" Anakin asked.

“Yes. I don't want to talk about it.”

The scene shifted again, this time to Coruscant and the Imperial Throne. Artur's outfit turned into royal attire and a crown materialized on his head.

Obi-Wan looked at the girl and the newcomer, then at Anakin. “What did you do?”

He had finally realized what was different about Anakin. The burden of Destiny was gone from him. The Anakin in front of him was the Anakin before he had to be The Chosen One. The one he would've become if the burden had never rested on his shoulders at all. Hardened by war, but not weighed down by colossal expectations.

Anakin just looked at him. “I didn’t do anything, Obi-Wan. What did you do?”

“I heard this one.” He pointed at Yana. “Yelling her head off looking for someone, and I heard you. The next thing I knew, I was here.”

Anakin probed into the Force only to find that his Master-Padawan Force bond, the one he’d shredded and burned, slowly putting itself back together.

They had a lot to talk about, so Yana pulled Artur to the side, still keeping her arm cannon close to aiming at this ‘Kenobi’ and still staying close enough to listen. Things were so mutable here. She needed to have some discipline or she’d be standing in her blacks soon enough.

Artur's outfit shifted again, this time back to the black of Special Forces. Yana glanced at his rank plaque and smirked at him. “Grand General Tagge, sir.”

Like she said. This place was so mutable.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Undisclosed Location, Ryloth

Ahsoka shifted as she slept. Her dream was so strange. Anakin. Obi Wan. A Tagge, and it was obviously a Tagge, that she'd seen somewhere before, and a woman that was somehow familiar. All of them standing in the World Between Worlds, the same one Ezra had pulled her into.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

World Between Worlds

Anakin shifted between himself and Vader, all the pain slamming back into him as destiny – fine, he could see why she hated that word – tried to shove things back on track. The future wasn't set just yet. Anakin might not be the Chosen One anymore, but the outcome could still be changed back. Vader – Anakin – Vader decided that they needed to get rid of Palpatine, and fast, before the Force did something drastic to any of them.

Obi-Wan saw the moment that decision settled. “You can’t. He’ll kill you.” Despite past actions, he didn’t want that to happen.

“If I don't, Obi Wan, how long do you think it will take for him to kill them? The galaxy deserves a better destiny.”

Artur looked up at him. He was tall, but Anakin was ridiculous. “Would our chances be better if you get your organic body back?”

Yana thought about it and shrugged. “If they can put my back together, the Tagge medics can restore you.”

Anakin turned to Artur. “Can they do it? Regrow my body?”

Artur shrugged. “As long as there's still something organic inside that suit. It's gonna be slow, and extremely painful, but we can do it.” A contemplative pause. “But if Darth Vader disappears, the entire galaxy is going to go nuts. Besides, nobody can hide from Him. Or so I hear.”

“There are blind spots in the Force. Even for a Sith.”

Artur nodded, a plan forming in his brain. “Good. So we move you to one of those blind spots and... regrow you.”

Obi-Wan shook his head. The things money and lack of oversight can achieve.

The Tagge scion looked Anakin in the eyes. “There’s a prototype battle armor that TaggeCo is developing. We can modify the exterior to look like your suit for after the procedure. The galaxy is gonna need some stability once Palpatine is gone.”

“I never want to see that suit again. I'll breathe on my own, or not at all”, Anakin said softly. He was tired.

Yana nodded in understanding. There were times that she honestly wanted to stop breathing after she was torn away from her world and family. “Understood, sir. Do you want that suit burned or scrapped?”

Anakin smiled. He knew he liked her for a reason. “Burned, Ilyana. I don't want a single piece of it to survive or be usable.”

“When I was small, the Dreamwalkers would talk about artifacts that sapped life energy, but gave the user great power. I think that's for the best.” A twitch of a smile. She might just give this man her kyber turret prototype and see what it would take to destroy that suit.

Anakin smiled. A small, wain smile. “The myths I grew up with were all about Ekkreth. He was supposed to be our liberator, our vengeance against the depurs. Maybe, once the Old Bastard is gone I'll go back to Tatooine and finally make that happen.”

Yana smiled back at him. “I'll help you.”

A better destiny. Obi-Wan considered The Two. One not supposed to live, the other not supposed to be. “Now we just have to figure out how you disappear, Anakin.”

 “Test-flying a new fighter is always a good bet.”

Artur looked at Obi-Wan. “Confirmed sightings of Kenobi in the Core?”

Anakin smirked. “That could work.”

Obi-Wan thought about it. It could work. Maybe. “It would have to be the Deep Core. Somewhere you can't be tracked at all.”

Artur opened his mouth. Closed it. Thought hard. Opened it again. “There is a facility... just one, in the Deep Core. We use it for more... controversial experiments. We can regrow you there if you can get to it without raising suspicion.”

Obi-Wan was watching Chaos at work. The living Force was always chaotic, and perhaps that was the Order's biggest error. He remembered an old story about a king trying to drive back the tide, but the ocean had its way, washing over the king and his castles of sand.

The Order was once that castle, the Council the king and Palpatine the wave. Now, the Empire was that castle, Palpatine the king, and The Dynasty was the ocean that would wash over the galaxy.

Obi-Wan listened carefully as they planned out details of his ‘sightings’ and ‘suspicious movements.’

Anakin idly noted that Piett and Veers would have a cat. Ozzel might stroke out again with any luck. He himself was all in. Operation: Tidal Force was underway.

Speaking of. “Artur, can you do something about Ozzel while I’m gone? Pretty sure he's a rebel plant.”

“Silent removal, sir?”

“That's preferable.”

“You got it, sir. I'll make some calls.”

Yana looked around. “How are we getting out of here?”

Artur shrugged. “Wait for the pain meds to wear off?”

“I think I might be in surgery, that's why I've been under for so long.”

“You're not. You're just doped up on painkillers and sedatives to let the bacta have maximum effect.”

“I’m on my way to Coruscant right now”, Obi-Wan chimed in. “Is Byss close to where Anakin’s going?”

Yana had never even heard of the place before. Artur had. “Not really, but it’s the closest planet to jump from. Still a four-day trip in hyperspace though.”

Obi-Wan nodded, looking at Yana. Why did she look familiar? He suddenly realized who she was. “You’re Cadet Yeet.”

Yana closed her eyes and swore like the sailor she was. Her Royal days really were coming back to haunt her. Anakin was confused. “Who?”

“Don’t ask, sir.”

Anakin made a note to look up ‘Cadet Yeet’ once they were done. If even Obi-Wan knew about it from the ass end of Tatooine, it was something worth looking into.

Yana felt the pain coming back. “I’m waking up soon. Everyone agree on the plan?” Nods all around. “Great. We’ll see you both soon.”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Recovery Room, The Levinbolt, Task Force Spearhead

She woke up fully if slowly, her back from shoulders to waist pounding like a rotten tooth. Those were some strange, strange dreams. The graft was a thin pink line. TaggeCo medical tech really was the best in the galaxy.

Artur was stirring from her right side. She hugged his head and gently ran a hand through his hair out of habit. He looked up at her. Blinked the sleep out of his eyes. “You had the same dream I had, right?”

“Lord Vader and the strange old man in the starlight world?”

“Yeah.”

They fell into a long-lost habit, Yana tucking herself into his chest while he propped himself up into a sitting position. “We’re really gonna stage a coup, huh?”

“Eventually, yeah. My family’s been planning this since Order 66.”

There was so much more Yana wanted to ask, but Yissa was waking up next to her. Artur gently pushed himself away and off the bed before she could see her wyf cuddling her ex. He knew how much loyalty meant to her. Wouldn’t help her cheat, not even with a cuddle.

Artur stumbled slightly as he went to the door. It was locked, programmed shut. “Override code: Tenno-Zero-Two.”

It refused to open. There was a note on the wall next to it. “I’m taking over temporarily. Get your shits together and sort yourselves out. This has gone on long enough – Lapin.”

That was the Voice of Domina speaking. The ‘or else’ was unspoken, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out that Lapin meant the problems between him and Yissa. Speaking of, she was glaring a hole into the back of his head.

Oh, as they say, shit.

[converse-universe]

It’s this sort of shit that just makes me live for this show. It is so damn funny that this freaking little off handed moment is having absolutely bonkers ramifications - but you know what? That’s Who for you in a nutshell.

Okay so remember Christmas Invasion? Ten is all shiny and new and…yeah he began sowing the seeds of his own destruction completely unknowingly IN HIS FIRST EPISODE.

Please bear with me here. So he wakes up, has a lovely little sword fight, loses a hand. Never goes to find the hand which is a slightly dubious decision in my humble opinion - but no one cared because the Doctor was back, he was awake, he had a new hand and waggly eyebrows and he was already so obviously still into Rose Tyler. I mean my God, we had David Tennant living his damn dream as the Doctor, what more did we want!? So yeah, we definitely didn’t question the lack of retrieving a fairly major piece of biological data.

What happened to the hand?? Well we all know that Jack Harkness found it and used it to track the Doctor down when he landed on the rift to refuel. Jack jumped on the TARDIS, made the TARDIS freak the hell out and sent the Doctor, Martha, and Jack to the end of the universe.

Where they all met Yana aka the Master. Now as soon as John Simm’s Master is reintroduced to Who we can just follow the plot to the Master coming back from the ring etc for Ten’s big ol finale to know how the Master coming back eventually puts Ten in position to be done. (I know he CHOOSES to save Wilf so technically it’s in his own hands, but please…it wasn’t a choice really. He was always going to save Wilf. YOU ALWAYS SAVE WILF!)

BACK TO THE CHRISTMAS INVASION

Second thing Ten did in his very first episode that helped lead to his own destruction - deposing Harriet Jones (or setting the wheels in motion for it to happen). Now, don’t come for me here. I am not about to argue whether or not he should have done this. I think Harriet Jones was a good person, but a scared person and I completely understand why she did what she did. I also understand why the Doctor, an alien himself, sees these other aliens leaving, has declared the Earth defended, and then sees a world leader - someone he trusts - order those aliens’ execution.

Again. Not arguing about the rationale here, but as a single decision that seemed like something we could just leave in that episode - bye bye Harriet Jones, we all know who you are - it is madness the ramifications it had. Once Harriet Jones was gone there was no Prime Minister. Ten unknowingly provided a vacancy for the Master once he got to Earth.

And ohhhh boy, once he got to Earth…. Now, him getting to Earth was truly bad enough - if he’d managed that at all we’d see trouble from him at one point or another. Being the Prime Minister certainly helped him be more widely known and gave him a lot more power until he could fully just drop the facade and really go for it and BE the Master.

Of course, once he was known more widely then the weirdest cult was formed and we had the ring retrieved from the pyre after he “died” so he could be resurrected. Once he was resurrected and reallllly not okay the drumming in his head we find relates to Rassilon and Gallifrey, and the whole nasty chain of events from this episode, leading to the chambers flooding with radiation, and of course Ten saving Wilf to sadly, end up dying himself.

So yeah! It’s that sort of a show! In his first outing if he’d retrieved his own hand and perhaps not had Harriet Jones deposed…who knows.

But yeah, this time around I completely adore that it’s a damn salt shaker that’s throwing reality for a loop. Salt.

it's hilarious to me that all the crazy things that are happening in Doctor Who now are caused by Fourteen's brilliant idea of using salt and invoking a superstition at the edge of the universe