#Familiar: Corvus.

[godhymns]

Tag Drop PT. 3

[stuck-in-jelly]

04x09 / 06x02

Rouges being soft for their not boyfriends and hugging them back

[ex0skeletal-undead]

Magpie by IrenHorrors

This artist on Instagram

[nevesmose]

✨️LOYALIST PRIMARCHS x SCOTTISHPEOPLETWITTER✨️

Traitors + Bonus

[mosscrab]

if corvus made it through the game him fighting gabriel would be hilarious bc he canonically has very little exposure to christianity and actually becomes a god himself at a point in the timeline

[sorinethemastermind]

Aftermath

In which Corvus searches for Soren in the aftermath of Katolis' destruction.

 They had fled to the forest while the fire consumed their homes, hoping that the trees would shelter them from the gaze of the rampaging dragon up above. The woods had obliged, but they did not feel welcoming as they usually did. Even now, nearly a day after the attack, the wildlife had not returned and the trees were eerily silent. Smoke hung heavy in the air.

 King Ezran had insisted that they ride directly back, and so they had; riding hard through the day and into the night. Now, as dawn’s light began to peek through the leaves above, Corvus took in what remained of the people of Katolis. Battered and bruised at best, and at worst… Corvus didn’t want to think about that. Especially when he had yet to find him.

 He knew Soren. Knew that his fellow Crownguard would have pushed someone out of the way of an oncoming blast without a second thought. Some might call it bravery, and it was, but Corvus knew that it was also something else. And that was what made him worried. 

 He hadn’t wanted to leave the king’s side, not when the castle still smoldered on the hill above them and the dragon could be anywhere. But Ezran had insisted that he go and help where he could; had said that he and Opeli would be fine on their own, if only for a little while. And then the pair of them had disappeared further into the camp to offer what aid they could to those who needed it most. By the way the king looked at him before he left, Corvus thought that perhaps he knew.

 And so Corvus had gone first to the hastily erected tent that was now serving as a hospital. It had been filled to capacity; understaffed and in need of assistance. He had offered help where he could; changing a bandage here, fetching something there. All the while keeping his eyes open for Soren, who had undoubtedly thrown himself directly into the line of fire. But despite the many guards filling the tent, their armor dented and smeared with blood and soot, Soren was not among them.

 Everyone seemed to have seen him, but no one knew where he was. One guard said that he had been on the wall when the dragon attacked. Another said he had been in the courtyard, helping a trapped civilian. One even said they’d seen him enveloped by dragon fire.

 Corvus pushed through the thought and the flaps of the tent and out into the steadily growing light. The man had probably been mistaken. Or, perhaps, if he wasn’t…

 Corvus didn’t have the heart to check the mortuary, yet.

 He wouldn’t be in the hospital, Corvus rationalized. He would be out on patrol, busying himself with one task or another. Helping where he could, as he himself was supposed to be doing. But Corvus couldn’t focus on anything so long as he didn’t know where he was. Everytime the flaps of the tent had opened to admit someone in need of assistance he had forgotten what he was doing to look up, holding onto the hope that it would be Soren coming in from the encampment, battered but still smiling.

 He walked through the forest, scanning every gathering of survivors for the familiar slope of Soren’s shoulders and the stoic smile he knew he’d be wearing. But, though he did manage to spot a few fellow Crownguards, his friend wasn’t among them. 

 Corvus’s feet carried him to the edge of the wood, where it led up to the castle, smoke still rising from it’s demolished parapets. Some of the rubble had fallen down the side and littered the forest floor. His breath caught in his throat as he knelt down to pick up a small chunk of masonry. The castle may not have always been his home, but it had been becoming one. 

 “Corvus?”

 The voice was weary and raw, but Corvus would have known it anywhere. He spun to the side, staring up the path that led to the remains of Katolis. There was blood in Soren’s hair and drying onto his face armor, and he was smeared with soot and dirt. But it was him. 

 He gave Corvus a weak smile. “I thought you were supposed to be eating cake and dancing or something.”

 Corvus ignored him, crossing the distance between them in a few steps and throwing his arms around his friend. Soren stumbled back a step, arms going out in surprise for a moment before they closed around him in return. 

 “I’m glad you’re here.” he mumbled into Corvus’ shoulder. 

 “Me too.”

 Soren’s grip tightened around him and Corvus heard his breath hitch. Pulling back, he looked up at his friend. 

 “You’re hurt.” Corvus’ gaze drifted up to Soren’s hairline, where fresh blood continued to ooze from a gash on his forehead.

 “It’s just a scratch. I’ve had worse.”

 “You’re going to get an infection.”

 “I’m fine.” Soren assured him.

 “I’m going to get something. Stay here.” Corvus turned to go, but Soren’s hand caught his wrist before he had taken more than a few steps.

 “Don’t go.”

 Corvus paused, turned back. The smile flickered back onto Soren’s face as he looked.

 “I, uh. They need the supplies more.” 

 Corvus hesitated.

 “Please.” Soren said.

 He stayed. 

 They sat on one of the larger pieces of rubble that had reached the forest floor, leaning against each other for support. Corvus could feel Soren’s hair tickling his cheek. He reached up to brush it back behind the other man’s ear and his fingers came away sticky and tinged with red.

 “Soren.” he said, looking down at his hands with concern, then back to his friend. “Please let me look at that.”

 “We don’t have many supplies.” He replied. “The others need it more.”

 Corvus knew this wasn’t a fight he’d win. He sighed. “Then we’ll make supplies.”

 Before Soren could argue he stood, turning to face him again, and tilted his friend’s head up so he could see the wound more clearly. Soren stared up at him, their eyes locking. But Corvus wouldn’t be distracted. Tilting the other man’s head to the side, he inspected the gash more closely. 

 It wasn’t especially deep, thankfully. But there were bits of debris in it that were stopping it from healing properly. 

 “Hold still.” Corvus instructed, taking off his scarf and wrapping one end around his hand. “This is going to sting a little bit.”

 “I can handle- Ow.” Soren hissed. 

 “I told you.” Corvus did his best to be gentle; carefully using the fabric to dab at the wound until it seemed mostly cleaned. “There. Better?”

 “I mean, you just spent a while poking it, so not really.”

 Corvus shook his head. “You’ll thank me later.”

 Taking the clean part of the scarf, he wrapped it around Soren’s head a few times before tying it into a knot at the back. “There. Now you have a bandage.”

 “I think you mean a bandana.”

 “No. I mean a bandage.” Corvus fussed with the scarf again, worried it would come loose. “Just don’t play with it, okay? It might come undone and then-”

 Soren reached up and placed his hand over Corvus’, holding it to the side of his head. “Okay.”

 Corvus looked down at his friend of two years. It was hard to reconcile the man before him with the same one who had hit him with a rock, tied him up, and called him a traitor. He had come so far. Corvus wanted to tell him how proud he was but couldn’t find the words.

 “Okay.” he replied, waiting for Soren to drop his hand. But he didn’t.

 “Okay.” he repeated instead, standing up, hand still clasped over Corvus’. They were eye to eye now, faces just inches apart. Corvus leaned in, and he kissed him. 

 It was stupid, really. A really stupid thing to do. Stupider than any nickname Soren had tried to give him over the years. In his surprise, Soren had dropped his hand, and Corvus tried to take it back, beginning to step away. 

 “I’m sorry.” he began, feeling clumsier than he ever had. He backed away, nearly tripping over a chunk of masonry.  “I didn’t mean to-”

 Soren stepped forward, hands clasping around his waist, and pulled him close again. “Well, I do.” he said, and he kissed him again. For real, this time, hands tightening across his back as he held him.

 After a long moment they broke apart, and Corvus looked at his friend. No, more than his friend. Soren’s eyes seemed to sparkle and he smiled. A real one, this time.

 “Hey, that’s not part of your Crownguard duties.”

 They jumped away from each other, both of them nearly falling backwards over the chunks of debris that still littered the floor. Ezran stood a few steps away, one eyebrow raised playfully in their direction.

 “Oh, yeah. So, uh… This... this is a thing now.” Soren gestured between the pair of them, then paused, looking at Corvus. When he didn’t disagree, Soren nodded. “Yeah, this is a thing now.”

[adashulaz]

A little something I wrote because I want and need Season 7 rn

Sorens ok, why wouldn't he be? He'll be there when we get there and he'll have a smile on his face to hide his own nervousness.

The thought kept repeating in his mind, it was the only thing keeping him sane as he sat upon his horse. His hands gripping the reins tightly as he rode alongside King Ezran. “The letter said they'll be in the woods as a way to stay out of sight. They're close to the town though so it'll be easy to find them.” Grens voice broke the silence between everyone as he interpreted Amaya.

“How many were injured?” Ezrans voice was shaking slightly, like he still couldn't believe Katolis was attacked. “They didn't give a specific number, only saying that several people were injured due to either being trapped by debris or getting too close to the flames.” Grens voice was steady, steady like Amayas signing.

“How many were lost?” Silence followed the words. The only noise came from the steady sounds of hooves hitting the ground harshly as the animals ran towards Katolis. Amaya only looked forwards, unable to look at Ezran. He knew why, Katolis was attacked by a dragon. The amount of survivors would be small, especially of those who were within castle walls.

Soren was within the castle walls.

The thought made his stomach churn. His chest felt tight and his mind felt like it was mush.

I beg of you, let Soren be one of the few survivors from within the walls. I don't care if it's selfish, just let him be alive.

“Around a hundred, all of them were from within the castle walls and mostly from the first wave of flames.” He saw as Ezran only stared at the back of his horse's head. He only looked ahead of him, they've been riding for two days with very little and short breaks. “I'm sure Callum and Rayla are already there or almost there. They'll be able to offer assistance until we get there.” He hoped the words were able to comfort the young king.

It was all he had to offer as he couldn't even comfort his own heart.

_______________________________

_______________________________

After two more days of riding, they finally made it to Katolis. They slowed their pace as they made their way to the woods. He could feel as his heart beat increased as they got closer to the campsite. The sounds of people moving around and doing different tasks were loud in his ears. They paused a little bit away from the entrance of the camp.

He only looked around from his horse, his eyes moving from person to person as he searched for his person. He only held back a frown when he couldn't find the one he was looking for. He only got off his horse when the others did as well. “Ezran!” The familiar voice of Rayla caught his attention. She would know where his person is.

Ezran only rushed to her once he spotted her. He only watched as the two hugged, Rayla seemed relieved that Ezran was ok and Ezran seemed relaxed in her hold. It made him smile a bit. “I'm so glad you're ok, we saw what happened when we went to Lujannes.” Raylas voice was full of emotion. It was the most emotion he's ever heard come from the girl. It made him worried, did something happen to her and Callum besides this?

He only looked around once again, his eyes scanning the area for his person once again. He could see Callum rushing over to Ezran and Rayla before joining their hug. It didn't take Amaya to join them, he could see as Amaya briefly lifted the three from the ground. He only looked at the group. From the corner of his eye, he could see some of the medics that came with them were heading towards the camp.

He only scanned the area once more. His eyes landed on a familiar head of blonde hair. He only walked towards the person, his footsteps quick. “Soren.” At the sound of his name, Soren turned to look at him. He only paused as he stared at Soren. “Corvus.” Sorens voice was quiet, the quietest he's ever heard it be.

Sorens body looked burned, trails of lava leaving grooves in his skin as it traveled all over his body. More importantly, Soren looked scared. Scared of what though? Was he scared of how people would react to him now? Whatever the reason, he didn't care. Underneath whatever happened to Soren, it didn't matter anymore, it was still Soren. It was still his Soren.

He only rushed towards Soren. He brought a hand to the back of Sorens head as he wrapped an arm around Sorens torso. “You're ok, I'm so glad you're ok.” His voice was soft, he turned his head a bit so his lips were pressed against the side of Sorens head a bit. Soren only wrapped his arms around him. His hands held onto his shoulders loosely as his face pressed into his scarf. “I'm sorry.” Sorens voice was quiet, slightly muffled by his scarf.

“Don't apologize, none of this was your fault.” He held Soren tightly, Sorens skin felt like it was on fire. It burned his hand from where it rested but he didn't care. Soren only held onto him a bit tighter. He only held Soren tighter as well. Soren only buried his face into his scarf. “It's not your fault, you did what you could.” Soren only nodded into his scarf.

His hand felt like it was on fire from where it rested on Soren. However, it didn't matter to him. Why would it? Because by the gods, it would burn so much more if he wasn't holding Soren.

[remembrancer-of-heresy]

The thirst to subjugate (Part 3)

Summary: In the midst of the battle, the Alpha Legion finally takes you for themselves and subjugates yo u whole.

Corvus Corax/fem!Reader, Alpharius and Omegon/fem!Reader

Warnings: yandere, kidnapping, drugs, manipulation, dubcon

Word count: 2204

Song: Hatari, CYBER - Hlauptu

@kit-williams, @moodymisty, okay in the last days everyone remembered about Alpha Legion so... I hope we will talk about them more

Corvus was so afraid of losing you. Lose sight. He kept you in the shadows, hidden from prying eyes. But at the same time, closer to yourself. And this was quite dangerous with Horus' betrayal. Escessaily because Corax was supposed to come to Isstvan V to punish the primarch.

“I never loved him. Ever since the day he put my Legion in danger. He didn’t have the charisma to deceive me.” - the man gently puts his head on yours and kisses your hair. - “We are the majority. Soon my brothers will pay for their betrayal.”

He told you about this with dark fury and a touch of melancholy. His massive body lay on your bed, his arm wrapped around your waist like a wing. You involuntarily pressed yourself against him, grabbing his clothes. Afraid that he will leave. That he will leave you.

And instead of the primarch whom you loved, to whom you opened your heart... he will be replaced again by that same monster. Which will devour your flesh, break your bones and consume your soul. Touch, comfort and breathe into your ear, breathe, breathe.

“The Alpha Legion will be with us.” - the man almost whispers and you hide under his armpit. You still remember the primarchs of the primarch because of whose attention you ended up here. In a cage. - “Don't worry, you're safe here. They won't find you."

"Found."

Human. Man. In this room. Not Corvus. Someone else. How many years has the Primarch of the Raven Guard kept you captive with him? Probably for a very long time because your reaction to a stranger was, to put it mildly, inadequate.

You are sitting in bed, covered with a blanket from head to toe. It's like you're in a cocoon or like a child hiding from a monster. You can’t squeeze out a sound, opening your mouth like a fish. Did you want to call Corvus to save you? Or did you want to ask Alpharius to take you?

You don't see his face. He's wearing a helmet. But it's him. The man takes a step towards you, encouraging you to press deeper into the blanket. You whine, hiccup, choking on tears. You will be offended. They will take it, tear it to pieces and make it their own. So it was with Corvus, so it will be with the primarch of the Alpha Legion.

“Ooh, little one, aren’t you glad to see me?” - the man mockingly strokes your back. - “It seems our brother doesn’t know how to treat nice ladies at all. It’s fine, we’ll be gentle with you~”

You only squeeze harder when they lift you up. "We". Surely. You're not crazy, it didn't seem like it to you. There were two of them. You told Corvus about this, you warned him. But those who sit in the shadows cannot know all the secrets. He cannot fully see and realize what is difficult to understand, but what is in sight. But you can.

And you pay for it.

***

Hydra is different. You don't like it here. Everything unfamiliar and frightening, other people, other Space Marines. Crowds, crowds of people scurried around while you were carried along the board. Noisy. Too loud. You're already unaccustomed to this. Previously favorite sounds now are disgusting. And light. There is too much light here. It's almost blinding.

You wanted everyone to shut up, so that it would become a little darker. Nest. You wanted to return home, where everything is familiar. Where you will be safe in the arms of the monster. But that's why. That's why you didn't want to come back.

The primarch clearly noticed your condition. Therefore, before leaving you in your new chambers, he made sure that you would not hear any extraneous sounds. And there will be less light in the room so that you don’t squint in pain. The gesture was... nice. You were not forced to live in a new way, you were not thrown into a new place without preparing you. And he made sure that you were comfortable.

Corvus wanted to be so caring. But he didn't succeed.

You were treated like a savage. The food was brought out carefully. They were given a change of clothes and washing supplies. The serfs were clearly ordered to establish contact with you. Talk to you, touch you. So that you remember what it's like. To be a human among people. Have you really gone wild?

And you studied. Communicate again, touch again. But in small doses. You still didn't trust. You were in danger. This is not your home, your primarch is not around. And you feel this most acutely when two men came into your room one day. With the faces of primarch. Absolutely identical in everything. Facial features, facial expressions, gestures, height. Even the voice.

“Are you feeling better now little one? We were so worried.” “But you look more like the prior you we once saw. It’s already better.”

You back away from the clones, hiding in the far corner of the room. The darkest one you can hide in. You can dissolve. Almost like Corvus. Just let them leave you alone. Let them not mock. The “twins” sensed your fear and smiled. Eerily identical.

"Who is who?"

"What?" - You look from one to the other in confusion.

“The first time you met Alpharius. Then we didn’t pay attention to you.” - the one on the left spoke first, until the man on the right continued after him. - “For the second time you saw Omegon. Have you noticed that we are different? So tell us again~”

"Who is who?" - the men again ask the question in unison, flashing their white teeth. Taunting. Mocking. And at the same time, encouraging and inviting to play their perverted game. - “Who is Alpharius? Who is Omegon?

Your legs begin to shake and you sob quietly. You look at the faces, at the movements, at the identical, but so different natures. Short sighs turn into weeps, and then into sobs. Let them stop making fun of you. You don't see them. You can not see.

Hysteria takes over you and you start hitting yourself on the head. Feeling the gaze of the “twins” and something else on you. You scream at the top of your lungs, it seems like a little longer and you will never be able to speak.

"NOBODY! NOBODY!" - Tears and snot are flowing down your face, and in your attempts to wipe them away, you only smear them more. - “Alpharius is not here. There is no O-omegon. You are not them, I don't know you. No one, no one, no-.”

“She's amazing,” a deep voice echoes in your brain, keeping you rooted to the ground. What?

“She doesn’t even realize how much.” - you can imagine how the man’s lips break into a smile from what he sees.

You forget how to breathe. The uncontrollable hysteria suddenly stops, and the heart beats like a rabbit. You look in horror at the “primarchs” in front of you. They smile silently, looking somewhere behind you. To where the voices came from.

You didn’t have a single chance to do something, to somehow resist. One arm grabbed you from the back, pressing you to your broad chest. You didn’t even have time to breathe when you felt a sharp pain in the form of a needle in your neck. And a sweet bliss passes through the body.

The mouth fills with saliva, and either heat or sweet bliss passes through the body. Eyes were clouded with fog and tears. And you begin to feel even more strongly someone else’s hand squeezing your right breast like a toy. And you see a figure approaching you, a little larger than its copy. Alpharius smiles as if everything is fine and flicks you on the nose.

“Don't cry, honey. But this is necessary for you to enjoy it too.”

“But it won’t hurt you” - Omegon inhales the smell of your hair, pressing your supple body harder. - “And we want to be very, very gentle for our first time with you~”

You really wanted to be in the saving darkness. In a place where you can hide. But strangely enough this did not happen. You were in a fog, in a semi-conscious state. But at the same time clearly saw how they began to take off your clothes. They made you watch.

You won't even be given a chance to turn away.

***

It was unbearably hot. You felt disgusting and at the same time so good. For some time now, sweat has been dripping down your flesh. Your body was soft, terribly pliable and sickeningly sticky. Just like your brain turned to jelly after drugs.

There was no resistance despite all your desire, buried somewhere in the depths of your consciousness. The only thing you wanted was to survive. Because the primarch still couldn’t leave your cunt alone. Fingers slowly widened the entrance while the tongue licked and sucked the tender skin.

Maybe in the back of your mind you were screaming in horror and disgust. But you couldn't resist. And besides... it was amazing. Your thighs rest loosely on the man’s shoulders, sometimes squeezing around his head when he touches particularly tender spots. His light chuckles echo in your head.

As well as the cooing of his half-soul brother, nestled on the bed with you. The man caressed your hands, gently supporting you while you moaned loudly. Everything was blurry and yet you clearly saw his mischievous smile and growing arousal.

“Do you like it, honey?” - the voice from above bursts into laughter when it hears your uncontrollable, hypergasmic moan in response. - “I see you do. Do you see how caring and gentle we are?”

“We not only take, but also give~” - the voice from below sounds seductively promising until he begins to forcefully attack your sex. Something in you is shifting.

You scream as if you are being cut, fidgeting on the bed. Your strength returns a little and you scratch the primarch sitting above you. He giggles at the sight. How parents are touched by their children, and how they are cherished their pets.

Your legs fall onto the bed and you hear, feel how he adjusts. Adjusts near your hips. No, no. They brought you to the peak so much, but it’s still not enough for them. A little more and the unwanted pleasure will turn into pain.

“D-don’t”

“Little one, this is why we prepared you. Dealing with two primarchs is not an easy task.” - man's hands stroke your sides, squeeze your lower abdomen, enjoy the soft and pliable flesh. - “This will be even better, then you yourself will ask us about it.”

“Be a good girl and take us in.” - someone else's hands grab your breasts from above. You feel something sticky and musky running across your face, leaving marks on your forehead, nose and lips. - “You liked it, didn’t you?” No effort is needed, just relax, we will do everything ourselves.”

“But I’m tired, Alpharius,” you whine from powerlessness. The primarchs stopped abruptly and you froze along with them, but this time from fear. The men looked at you, surprised, you knew they were surprised.

And with desire which they began to splash out with renewed vigor, touching and biting every part of the body. Taking turns contorting themselves in awkward positions to kiss you on the lips with their tongue. Subjugating.

Oh, they weren't going to wait forever. They had enough courage and confidence to take you and not break you. And despite their secrets... they weren't going to hide this desire.

“Even in this state, you can see~” - Alpharius strokes your head, carefully wiping away your tears. - “I wonder what needs to be done to confuse you.”

“One day we will find out,” Omegon abruptly invades you and you groan from his cock. Your walls tighten and you hear the primarch himself let out a moan of satisfaction. Before you even had time to think, your mouth was immediately unceremoniously invaded. You are choking on saliva and a foreign object inside. - “Come on, honey, let it go. We see that you want this.”

Let it go.

Relax.

Submit.

The words flowed at you in a flood, echoing in your head. The sounds of flesh on flesh and moans filled the chambers. It seems at some point you finally opened up. It wasn't the substance coursing through your veins that made your body relax. But at your will. And it was wonderful.

How your walls clenched around the invading cock, how your throat managed to swallow more of the other. How someone else's hands and eyes caressed you. And not just the eyes of the primarchs. You knew you were being watched. They were ready to join if ordered. Not hiding in the shadows because they knew what you would see. They wanted it.

So that the secret is cracked open like a nut and its contents are taken out. And your tired consciousness allows them to reshape themselves in a different image. They will cherish you in their perverted understanding, without hiding your true essence. And you were more than happy with that.

[anonymousewrites]

One Hell of a Love Pride Special 2024

Sebastian Michaelis x Demon! Reader

Pride Special 2024

            “Sneaking out? How disloyal,” teased (Y/N) as they stood waiting for Sebastian.

            “ ‘Sneaking out’ is such a crass term,” said Sebastian, arriving by (Y/N)’s side. “I do hope you know I’m above that.”

            “Of course,” said (Y/N), taking his arm as he offered it. “Simply teasing.”

            “The kitten has claws,” murmured Sebastian, leaning in to kiss (Y/N).

            They kissed him in return. “You know I do. Now, what are we doing out?”

            “The other servants were particularly destructive this evening, and the young master requested a quiet night to himself, in not quite-so-polite terms,” said Sebastian.

            “And you decided that meant date night?” said (Y/N), chuckling.

            “You must seize every opportunity for a good time,” said Sebastian. “And I insist on having a moment to treat my darling as they deserve.” He patted their arm and smirked. “We play the roles of servants, and yet we are so much more. Occasionally, we must indulge.”

            “Indulge?” said (Y/N), smirking. “What do you have in mind, dear?” They trailed their fingers up his arm.

            “Nothing like that,” said Sebastian, chuckling. “Though I’m sure it’ll be later.” He grinned. “For now, I have a…gift for you.”

            “A gift?” (Y/N) raised a brow.

            “A gift,” said Sebastian, refusing to elaborate.

            “I’m intrigued,” said (Y/N). “It better be worth the mystery.”

            “I can assure you, it is,” said Sebastian. “I would only ever treat you to the best.”

            “What an excellent partner you are,” said (Y/N), laughing lightly.

            “One hell of a lover,” said Sebastian with a wink.

l

            “Here we are,” said Sebastian, gesturing to the familiar bar.

            “It’s the same place as our Valentine’s Day date,” said (Y/N). Their nose twitched questioningly.

            “Indeed,” said Sebastian. “I recalled that you liked it, so I kept an eye out for another event like that one.”

            “And what is the event tonight?” said (Y/N).

            Sebastian led them in. “It is an event they have deemed ‘Pride.’ ”

            “Like the sin?” said (Y/N).

            “Precisely,” said Sebastian as they entered the hidden bar properly.

            Lively music was playing, and the couples they had seen before—so far from society’s current standards of “normal”—were dancing wildly. Couples were kissing, people were laughing, and the mirth of all these people not accepted by “civil” society grew with every moment.

            “What-What is this event?” asked (Y/N), staring in surprise.

            “It is for people like us,” said Sebastian. “Those who do not fit what society has deemed acceptable in terms of sexuality.” He looked at them and smiled. “Or gender.”

            “And they’re…proud here? They’re happy?” said (Y/N).

            “As proud and happy as you should be to be standing here today,” said Sebastian, kissing their forehead.

            Indeed, (Y/N) was.

            They had been made to play a role in society they hadn’t been pleased with in life. They had been born into it with no choice to express themself in the way they wanted to. But now…Felis the demon stood tall, able to be themself. They could dress masculine one day, feminine another, play every role as they wished. They were free to be proud in their identity.

            “This is…lovely, Corvus,” murmured (Y/N). “Thank you.”

            “Of course,” said Sebastian.

            He was, of course, glad that (Y/N) had died and become a demon. They were a fantastic demon and the love of his eternity. But he also knew they hadn’t gotten the life they deserved. They hadn’t lived as they wanted. So Sebastian gave them a moment to see that there were places to be proud of their identity outside of society’s dictations and rules.

            (Y/N) held his hand tightly and smiled at him. “I love you, Corvus.”

            “I love you, too, Felis,” said Sebastian.

            He leaned in and kissed them, and they kissed him back passionately. When they separated, Sebastian and (Y/N) smiled at one another.

            “Oh, what a beautiful display of passion and ardor!” said a familiar voice.

            (Y/N) and Sebastian’s faces fell into deadpans.

            “Show me such adoration!” said Grell, launching herself at them.

            (Y/N) and Sebastian stepped to the side, and Grell fell to the ground.

            “Sebastian, we can never come back here,” said (Y/N). “They have riffraff.”

            “Apologies,” sighed Sebastian. “What a disappointment.”

            “Hey!” cried Grell, standing up and crossing her arms. “I’m here for this ‘Pride’ Event or whatever, too!”

            “Oh, yes, I forgot that you flirt with everything that moves,” said (Y/N).

            “Only the attractive ones,” said Grell, winking. “Now, I’m not here to fight, just to have a good time.” She twirled around in a red dress. “I’m here to show myself off.”

            “So you’re not going to bother us again?” said Sebastian, raising an eyebrow.

            “Well, I might ask for a dance or two,” joked Grell.

            “Fine,” said (Y/N). They waved a hand. “This is a celebration for all of people like us. Even the crazier ones.”

            “You’re not going to throw me out?” said Grell, brightening.

            “We’re…tolerating her?” said Sebastian dubiously.

            “Just for tonight,” said (Y/N) to both of them. They smiled sharply. “But if she tries anything, I’ll personally handle her.” They crossed their arms. “But she’ll behave, right? We’re a community right now.”

            “R-Right,” said Grell, scared.

            “Well, then, Grell, welcome to the party,” said Sebastian. He crossed his arms and watched Grell happily scamper off to dance.

            “Don’t worry, Sebastian, we’ll have plenty of time to ourselves,” said (Y/N), kissing his cheek. “But Grell is like me. Getting a chance to be herself after living unhappily. Just…give her a moment.”

            Sebastian sighed. “I am indulging you because I love you, I hope you know that.”

            “I know. I’ll make it worth the trouble,” said (Y/N), laughing and kissing his cheek. “Now, come on. Let’s dance.”

            Sebastian let them pull him onto the dance floor. He supposed their pride was worth the trouble. He loved them.

Taglist:

@technikerin23

@im-making-an-effort

@izzieg3987

@jinxxangel13

@alexpangender

@otomyoli

@neenieweenie

@nex-crowley

@anxious-chick

@bellacastiel

@v1l-ismissing

@agentdedf1sh

@iamsexytrash

@oceansfloor

@sarkzjam

@temporarilyablog

@elaemae

@urlocalsabito

@roo024

@ittomain1

[venice-1987]

TDPtober 2-love

Summary: Corvus reflects on what he loves

Pairings: Soren x Corvus (Of course its Sorvus, its me writing this :P)

There was much traced into the lines of his memory. The way the chill of autumn was drawn into the lungs, refreshing the body from the heat of summer. The way the leaves became dry and brittle underfoot, nourishing the earth for the coming spring. A home in the alleys of trees, off beaten paths and into the thickets, where the greenery sheltered him like a warm blanket. 

He had dedicated himself to remember his parents, the home cooked meals from his father, carefully spooning the dish onto his empty plate. A mother, and her barely contained love in a crushing embrace, laughing as he tried to breathe and flailed, pretending to attempt an escape. He remembered their pride when he was recruited to be among Amaya’s scouts, and the same shine in their eyes when Soren had accepted him as a crownguard. 

And Soren. It felt like if anything had made itself at home in his thoughts, it was him. Some things good. The way he leapt into hugging Corvus in the mushroom forest. Some things bad. The tired lines under his eyes after the return to a burned home. Some things terrible. The wailing sobs, inhuman screams tearing at his throat at the loss of a sister, not literally, but through change. She had become unrecognizable, and he grieved in privacy until Corvus had found him. 

But nothing came close to everything Soren had done in love. It felt as if he tried to forget, that a core part of his mind would be lost, and he wouldn’t be the same, lobotomized and left changed. The laugher Soren always seemed to bring, the smile tugging at his lips when he looked eagerly to see if he had succeeded in bringing a little bit more joy into Corvus’s day. They way he had taken Corvus’s hand, correcting the positioning on the sword, helping him improve a little more. The way he took note of when Corvus was overwhelmed, and the gentle way he guided Corvus to safety. The way he was kind. The way he pushed Corvus to become better just by virtue of being good himself. 

There was one day Corvus would never forget, that encapsulated everything he knew Soren to be. It was a bad day for the both of them. Corvus had taken the destruction of Katolis poorly, the home he had come to love had gone, which made him think of the homes and the people he had left behind. He realized that he had sunken into his solitude too readily, not writing like he should have. The resounding guilt multiplied the tension in his body with the sensory overload that the refugee camp had become that day. But there was ceaseless work to be done, and he ran himself ragged that despite it. 

When he saw Soren around camp, he knew his captain was doing no good either. He wondered if this time, it was because of Viren’s haunting memory, or the lingering reminder of a once familiar Claudia in every broken stone, in every hidden pathway that was not collapsed and used in recovery missions. He had once led Corvus and Opeli and Barius and later the young king Ezran out of those passages. He wondered if, then, Soren had recognized that his family would never be the same as it once did. 

Corvus had returned to their shared tent expecting Soren to be curled on his sleeping mat, wanting to be left in peace. He did not expect Soren to be there with a plate of peanut caramel pies, one of his favorite treats, and some strange looking curved stick with two wads of cotton on either end. He sat crossed legged, his shoulders hunched over in clear fatigue and his smile tired. But it reached his eyes. When he spoke, it carried the weight of the day in its softness. 

“You looked stressed today,” he said. “I asked Barius to make these, and I made this. I call it a noise-stopper. You put it over your ears.” Soren held up his invention, waiting for permission. When Corvus nodded, he leaned forward, setting the cotton pads gently over Corvus’s ears. It did not stop the noise completely, but it provided a hefty shield against what made noise overwhelming in the first place. The texture felt nice on his skin, too, much like the sheep’s soft wool that made the clothes he wore. 

Corvus did not know what to say, so he leaned forward and pressed his lips against Soren’s in a grateful kiss. At that point, their tentative relationship had not gone anywhere past hand holding, and looks that said ‘I’m starting to see you as something different. I’m sorry it took this tragedy to finally notice.’ He did not think the kiss would be rejected, and he was glad to see it returned with the same energy he put into it. Neither was surprised in the development, but it was nice to have confirmation. Their sleeping mats had been gradually drifting closer to each other every night for the past two weeks, and they finally closed the distance completely that day. Corvus’s head tucked into the crook of Soren’s neck as they fell asleep, both knowing they loved, and were loved. 

[wxnheart]

𝙰𝚙𝚎𝚡 𝙿𝚛𝚎𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚘𝚛 - 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐜𝐡 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 (𝟑/𝟑)

Part 1, Part 2

To fight for an empire that would not even think to fight for you is a fool's errand. It is a foolish choice. And yet he brandishes his sword despite it all. Barbarian. A wild card. An enigma. Words uttered from the lips of the ignorant, thoughts shared amongst the hypocrites. He had never sought acceptance, had never craved it, praise nothing but a blur that passed him by. Until you, spurred by devotion, screaming rejection, convinced him so. He brandishes his sword in the name of the Imperium and makes loyal fools of you both.

Jaghatai Khan

He was an anomaly, even amongst his brothers. In his father's image is he born and in his father's image is he reborn anew. He is Man made merciful, kind, and contrite. He is Man made passionate and... obsessive. The forge burns brightly, fueled by his humanity, fueled by his obsession. An obsession that carries with it guilt. An obsession that threatens to consume. An obsession that inspires him to build. And such is the duality of Man.

Vulkan

He envisioned you and wondered what it meant. He envisioned valor, courage, and righteousness and what he saw did you no justice. And he'd been afflicted since. He met you, envisioned still, and saw valor, courage, and righteousness drenched in blood. And still, they did you no justice. He envisioned you and the flame of his divinity waned and the affliction grew. He envisioned you and rage simmering beneath the beauty, shame blanketing his father's blessed creation, prepared to fall.

Sanguinius

You are a kindred spirit. Your gifts are to be commended. Your mind, though nowhere near as expansive as his, is a maelstrom all its own. In you he sees familiarity. In you, he sees... potential. And so, he harnesses it. To what end, you do not know. You will never know. And so you traverse the infinite corridors of knowledge, intent on going beyond, intent on proving yourself. And your gifts and your mind would be his to know, his to conquer. Without your knowledge.

Magnus the Red

You thought him barbaric, bestial, an animal. He was a warrior through and through, everything the Emperor created him to be. The perfect weapon, one you thought something of but what that comprised, you did not know... until he showed you otherwise. Until you saw precision, a cold ruthlessness under his fanged grin and hungry, possessive eyes and it made your blood run cold in abject fear. And the Wolf claimed his territory.

Leman Russ

Limitations be damned, he pushed you further and further. He crafted you for greatness. He molded you into one of the Emperor's finest. He made you perfect. To his liking. And the Gorgon ensnares his prey.

Ferrus Manus

You spoke of redemption and it gave him hope. And so he hoped. And he fought. And he toiled. And he hoped some more. And amidst the ruins of his father's majesty did he hope still. He pulls you into the darkness, calls you companion amongst the stars, and blanketed in hope, you are made to search tirelessly for redemption. You hope. You fight. You toil. All in the name of redemption. All according to his whims.

Corvus Corax

[stardust-falling]

Ripples and Resonance

requested by @corvus-attano on ko-fi

Fandom: SVSSS Pairing: Tianlang-jun/Yue Qingyuan Summary: A single choice leads to a different story, a surprising ally, and... perhaps more than that. Who would have thought that Yue Qingyuan would find so much in common with the heavenly demon he'd once helped seal away? Words: 1.4k

Who could’ve thought a single decision would lead to this?

“This,” of course, being that Cang Qiong Mountain’s sect leader now sat at a long table in the hall of a palace in the demon realm, facing, at the other side, an individual who he truly expected he would never see again. The demon realm’s Shengjun had been sealed away years ago, after all… even a being as powerful as Tianlang-jun shouldn’t have been able to escape. Yet here he was.

And here Yue Qingyuan was, sitting with his hands neatly folded on his lap, sharing a cup of tea with the one who ought to be his greatest foe… and having a rather good time about it too.

All because he’d taken pity on one pathetic creature and stayed his hand.

Said pathetic creature, now in a less-grotesque form than before, was now hovering over Tianlang-jun’s shoulder, fussing over something or another and tidying up his lord’s hair. It was a little endearing in a way, Yue Qingyuan thought.

The Tianlang-jun he’d met years ago, the demon he’d unsheathed Xuan Su to seal away, was far different than this one. This Tianlang-jun was a laid-back sort of gentleman, and in Yue Qingyuan’s opinion would fit in far better among the mortal world’s idle youths than here in the demon realm. Not that he would speak such thoughts aloud, of course… Tianlang-jun still felt quite a lot of resentment toward humanity, and not without reason either.

That, of course, was why Yue Qingyuan was here.

He’d been on a diplomatic visit to Huan Hua Palace a few years ago, shortly after officially ascending to the role of sect leader. The one accompanying him had, naturally, been Shen Qingqiu at the time, but the new Qing Jing peak lord had become angry about halfway through, at the palace master or at Yue Qingyuan himself he couldn’t be quite sure, and departed early, thus leaving Yue Qingyuan to return on his own. He’d decided to return back through Bai Lu forest, both to take a bit of a look at the place where that battle had occurred a few years ago and because he rather enjoyed a nice walk, and on the way had crossed paths with a demon so downtrodden and pitiful-looking that he had to stay his hand. It was just that this demon seemed to recognize him, and it also looked a little familiar to Yue Qingyuan— so he’d followed it.

Perhaps it had been a foolish decision to give that demon some of the mushrooms growing amid the spiritual lake that it seemed to so desperately need. Or perhaps it was one of the better choices Yue Qingyuan had made.

Either way, it led to this situation. The first meeting between Tianlang-jun and himself was more of a kidnapping, and Yue Qingyuan had been tied in immortal binding cables. Now though, several months and many talks later, his hands and feet were free, and the two sat as equals in this hall. With some effort, he’d managed to convince the demon sage not to go to war, and now they were in a process of brokering a proper treaty.

Yue Qingyuan was the sort to avoid conflict wherever possible. He was quite pleased to see that in this situation, it truly was possible. At least, so things appeared as of now.

Of course, these meetings were kept a close secret. If the Huan Hua Palace Master were to hear of Tianlang-jun’s escape, it surely wouldn’t go over well. Yue Qingyuan wondered how he would handle the eventual reveal… but for now, it was all too delicate, and he needed to secure the treaty first.

Tianlang-jun had turned out to be surprisingly amenable to negotiations. He still spoke negatively of humans, and of the cultivation world, but gave Yue Qingyuan quite a bit of courtesy— though much was still in discussion, it had barely taken an argument to convince him to spare Cang Qiong Mountain, with the reasoning being that Yue Qingyuan was sect head there.

The young sect leader could hardly guess why.

Eventually, Tianlang-jun seemed to grow tired of his subordinate’s hovering, and with a wave of his hand dismissed Zhuzhi-lang from his side. After the snake demon left, Tianlang-jun released a long-suffering sigh and shook his head.

“Ah… that boy. Show him a single drop of kindness and he’ll repay it with a flood,” he said, leaning forward to rest his chin on a bandaged hand as he swirled his teacup. “As useful as he can be… it’s a little too much sometimes, you understand?”

Yue Qingyuan smiled a bit. “I suppose,” he replied, “but do you not find it good to be wanted? Is this not better than if he were to push you away? To have someone by your side… is the greatest happiness in this life.”

Tianlang-jun considered this for a moment, then sighed once more. “Hm… I suppose you may have a bit of a point. Now that I think of it, Yue-zhangmen truly does have a unique perspective among cultivators. How about this— you know a lot about me already, what about you?”

He leaned forward just a little more, lips curling into a coy smile.

“Between that sword of yours, the way you chose to help my nephew, and even all this right now… you’re quite interesting for a human, you know?”

Yue Qingyuan blinked, the placid, wistful-looking smile he almost always wore fading away. “Is that so?”

Tianlang-jun waved his hand. “Of course it is,” he replied. “You made me curious enough to put aside vengeance for awhile. I’ve been behaving quite well, don’t you think? Shouldn’t I get a little reward.”

He turned his gaze on Yue Qingyuan, midnight-dark eyes shimmering with a facsimile of unshed tears as he pursed his lips into a pout… and the sect leader was so surprised by this behavior that he couldn’t help but chuckle at it. He got up from his seat, circling the table, and then placed his own hand on Tianlang-jun’s head, giving his hair a pat.

“Ai!” the heavenly demon cried out at first, just as surprised as Yue Qingyuan had been. He recovered quickly though, and bumped his head up into the hand that settled upon it.

How cheeky this person was… Yue Qingyuan would have never expected this a few years ago.

“So, what’s all this?” Tianlang-jun asked.

“Didn’t you say you wanted a reward?” Yue Qingyuan replied, smiling once more. He wasn’t entirely sure why himself, but… well, Tianlang-jun had looked a little bit cute in that moment, and Yue Qingyuan had felt an urge to pat him on the head, so he did.

“And that’s the great master of Cang Qiong Mountain’s idea of a reward, is it?”

Tianlang-jun was smirking now, the moment of surprise passed. Back to his usual self, it seemed. Yue Qingyuan withdrew his hand, shrugging his shoulders. “Perhaps it is.”

If he didn’t know any better, he’d have thought that Tianlang-jun was about to start purring. His lips curled up into an incredibly satisfied smile as he leaned forward once more. “Well… I suppose this lord can be content with it,” he replied.

Yue Qingyuan returned to his seat, sighing softly as he raised his teacup and took a sip. “How is your body feeling?”

It was no secret that Tianlang-jun’s resurrection hadn’t gone exactly as he’d hoped for. It was what it was, though— a body grown from a spiritual mushroom didn’t react well with demonic qi. Yue Qingyuan had advised him to limit the use of his power, and surprisingly enough the Shengjun had taken his advice. Of course, glancing at the bandaged hand, it seemed like that alone couldn’t prevent all deterioration.

Tianlang-jun, however, shrugged it aside. “I’m not trapped beneath a mountain anymore,” he said. “It can’t really be so bad as that, now can it?”

Internally, Yue Qingyuan couldn’t help but wince at those words— externally, however, he only smiled once more. Never would he have thought that he would find things in common with a lord of the demon realm… never would he have thought that these conversations, these meetings were far easier, or even far more pleasant than those with his own allies. Perhaps, in the end, this was why he had helped Zhuzhi-lang back then. Perhaps it was because he understood the pain that Tianlang-jun had gone through, all because he had cared for someone.

“No,” he replied. “I suppose it can’t truly compare.”

[a-very-sparkly-nerd]

Rayllum Month 2024! (6/13)

i'm sorry that i couldn't always be your teenage dream

July 11th - Dream/Nightmare

~

Callum was dreaming again, and it wasn’t even a good one. It wasn’t even original. It was the same old shit he thought he’d worked through, but apparently “shoving into an itty-bitty box in the corner of his mind” didn’t count as “working through.”

Not being fast enough to catch Rayla as she fell, mangled body caught in a thorny bramble or never to surface again from the watery depths. Holding her as the life left her body because of something Aaravos had used him to do. Ezran’s blood blending into his shirt and Callum not having a clue he was dead until he found what should have been his pulse point and smelled the metallic scent of blood, Soren and Corvus’s necks slit as they died defending him. All because of him, because of the things he’d done for Rayla, because he just couldn’t live without her, that had led to a continent-wide bloodbath.

At least he’d finally stopped dreaming about what had happened back on the Sea Legs. But emotional pain was arguably a million times worse than physical. But, hey; options to pick from, Soren would’ve said in an attempt to cheer him up but ending up doing nothing of the sort. How had his life come to this, pain in every aspect of the word?

Callum wasn’t sure at what point he woke up, when the horrors his brain so loved to produce stopped being from his subconscious and started to come from how he tortured himself. 

Gradually, the world fading into focus but doing nothing to calm his racing heart, things became visible: His very first drawing of Rayla pinned up on his bulletin board across the room, a maroon tapestry patterned with swirling gold, teal covers over his too-hot body. Feeling and hearing came back next, and he dimly registered a hand stroking his hair, another loosely settled on his middle. Familiar callouses, familiar temperature, familiar body shape– Rayla without a doubt.

Callum clung onto that, onto that certainty that she was here, holding him and murmuring things into his hair that he couldn’t make out but at least sounded vaguely soothing.

“Ray-” His tongue felt heavy, like he didn’t deserve to say her name. Callum didn’t let himself finish her name or even start to say it again, simply desperately grasped the hand around his waist.

“I’m here. You’re okay,” the elf soothed, squeezing his hand tight. “Everything’s okay. You’re safe, I’m safe, Ez is safe. You have nothing to immediately worry about, I promise.”

Callum nodded, trying to let– make himself believe it with those two blasted Dark Mages out there, that damn elf in the mirror. The prison so close it would be nothing for Aaravos to just- take hold of him again and set himself free. Gods, he might be sick.

He gripped her tightly, trying to calm his racing heart by focusing on the feeling of Rayla’s hands on him, her sweet voice humming some old calming tune.

“Not that I’m complaining,” he said eventually, mouth dry, “but why are you in my bed?”

He could hear the almost unnoticeable catch in her voice, loud as thunder to his trained ears, practically see her eyes drop down as she replied so softly, “I heard you crying out and stuff. I didn’t want to wake you up, just… thought you could maybe use a hug.”

He pulled her hand around his waist, nestling further back into her, and felt her smile into his hair. "You thought right."

Read more on AO3!

[fanfoolishness]

a knock at the door (The Mandalorian)

@red-velvet-panda is sick and requested a little Mando fanfic to feel better. Hope this Din sick!fic fits the bill <3

---

There was a knock at the door.

Din groaned, swallowing.  He should see who was there.  There could be important intel… a job he needed to get to…  The knock came again, more insistently.  

“I’m coming,” he muttered.  His eyes cracked open, taking in his helmet’s visor display, Mando’a swirling confusingly around its edges.  He managed to prop himself up on his elbows, a wave of dizziness rippling over him.

He blinked.  A familiar little voice came from somewhere near his elbow, and he turned with a great effort to see what it was.

Who it was.  The kid.  He remembered flickers of Corvus, a Jedi, a blackened forest.  A name.  

“Grogu,” he croaked.  What was wrong with him?  His head pounded, sweat dripping down his face beneath his helmet, a deep chill in his bones.  Grogu patted his elbow, little claws tugging at his flightsuit, his small face scrunched up in concern.  

“Don’t worry, kid,” Din managed.  “Must’ve picked up a bug back there, that’s all.”  He faintly remembered they were en route to Tython, the world the Jedi had told him would hold answers for Grogu, but it was a zigzagging leap halfway across the galaxy.  It’d be a few hours.  Days?  Not weeks.  Whatever it was, it’d be a while.  His head pounded.  

He forced himself to sit upright, leaning against the bulkhead and shivering.  “Who was knocking at the --”  He chuckled raspily.  They were in hyperspace, him and the kid.  He must have been hallucinating.

He knew he should try to take care of himself.  Had to make sure he was able to help the kid, had to be better by the time they reached Tython so he could get the kid back to his --

To his people.

He took a deep, shaky breath.  It’s my duty.  It’s what I set out to do.

But he felt terrible, and he wasn’t sure it was just the fever.

Grogu clambered up onto Din’s lap, curling up in the crook of his arm.  He looked up at him curiously, ears drooping down with worry.  He babbled a question to Din, and in his haze the nonsense words almost made sense to him.  

“I’ll be fine.  Honest.  Just… need a minute to rest.”

Grogu frowned, his huge eyes narrowing.  He sat back, then reached out one small hand, letting his eyes drift closed.  Din watched him in confusion.  It looked like the kid was using his powers, but for what?

A flicker of movement at the edge of his visor’s viewfield caught his attention.  For a moment he thought he was imagining it -- his large canteen, wobbling and floating in midair, slowly coming towards them.  Then the canteen plonked itself down in his lap beside Grogu, who shook his head and looked up at him, pleased.

“That’s -- that’s something, kid,” Din said, impressed despite the pounding in his head making everything bleary.  “You thirsty?  I can open it for you --”

Grogu pushed the canteen into Din’s hand, giving him a meaningful look.  Oh.  The kid was trying to make sure he kept hydrated.

Din clumsily unscrewed the top to the canteen and lifted his helmet just enough to free his mouth.  He leaned hard against the wall to stay upright.  He took a drink of water, then a gulp, and it was bracing, ice cold, possibly the most refreshing thing he’d ever drank in his life.  And Grogu had gotten it for him.  He smiled faintly, letting his helmet drop back down, and closed up the canteen.

“Thanks, kid,” he said in a hoarse, scratchy voice.  “Just what I needed.”  He sank back down against the bunk, his eyelids falling closed.  “And maybe a little more sleep.”  

Grogu babbled in agreement, then took a moment to wedge himself between Din’s chest and the bend in his elbow.  He rested his small face against Din’s arm, letting out a happy little sound.

Din took a deep breath.  He just needed to sleep this off.  And then… Tython would be waiting for them both.  

He’d face that when it came to it, but for now, he pulled Grogu just a little closer.

[songsofbat]

come hang out cause you're outta your mind

The world is scattered emotions. Lingering traces of dust in the air. Corus Corvid traces their hand along familiar brick and hums safety-warmth-protection into it.

Their other hand pressed against their gunshot wounds.

Things that shouldn't exist.

Corus isn't foolish. They know, of course, that they're not bulletproof. That they can't dodge everything.

But they are also aware that that shouldn't have happened.

They weren't visible. Weren't audible. Nobody should have known they were there, because they'd told the world otherwise.

They'd whispered into the web of consciousness that they weren't there. That there was nothing to perceive. It made things easier, after all. Criminals taken down by seemingly nothing.

Corus Wayne does not exist.

But in some flickering moments, Corvus Corvid does not either.

That was one of those moments.

But they got shot.

Twice.

To be shot is one thing. To be shot twice is another.

Because they were looking out the second time.

Because they were searching.

Malice. Anger. Anything- a hint of emotions. Anything that would explain why they were shot at. Who shot at them.

But they got nothing at all.

Shouldn't they be able to know this? Shouldn't they be able to see?

Corus Corvid has never liked guns.

Nobody ever uses a gun for happy reasons, after all.

...some do. Some do. But those are rare, fleeting things that Corus can't quite understand.

Guns are meant to hurt, after all.

Guns are songs of anger and rage, of malicious joy and cruelty, of hope crushed beneath something darker.

So why didn't they sense any of that?

Touching the bullet in their side...they'd felt nothing at all.

Someone being able to see them- not completely out of the question. Someone with mental defences- someone with something like a camera- well. Corvid's whispers of not-existing would be drowned out.

But someone they couldn't detect?

...they didn't like this.

If they thought too much about it, they were worried. If they thought a little more, they were scared.

And being scared is useless here.

Not when whoever shot them was capable of seeing right through them- and hiding away in return. Or at the very least- capable of not letting their emotions leak into the air.

But Corus is very scared anyway.

Isn't that foolish? Isn't that ridiculous?

Thankfully, Corvid is not.

Their golden gaze sweeps over the city, soaring through the world. A bird's eye view- literally. Their heart beats with the bird's, and they let the bird's mind wander with theirs. Just a little.

They don't need to become birdbrained. Literally. Again.

But there is everything-too-little-too-much-nothing-useful so they disconnect to try check with a rat instead.

Or, well, they would, if it wasn't the the immense pain that shoots through their head.

Thankfully, it's not a bullet.

It burns. Clings through their mind an invasive thing almost familiar that taps-taps-taps against their mental shields like a jackhammer.

It is loud, too loud, because people are Loud and Overwhelming and Emotional and they See too much sometimes Hear and Sense too much a trick of the mind and twist of the brain-

but this might be the first time someone's done it on purpose. The first time they've actually been attacked like this.

...they might have preferred the bullet.

Luckily for them, they proceeded to get shot.

...wait, that's not lucky at all, is it?

It's a distraction from the attack on their mind. A worthless, horrid thing.

Just like them. Hah!

...no time for that, now.

An enemy they cannot see.

An enemy they cannot sense.

But they isolated themselves away from civilians for a reason, didn't they?

Gotham is love.

Gotham is fury.

Gotham is survival through it all. Gotham learns. Gotham adapts. And it lives on.

Corus Corvid has always been a survivor.

They press metal claws into the concrete and sing.

It sounds like wailing.

It sounds like sobbing.

Gotham sings back.

The area around them bursts into flame and rage.

And throughout Gotham, a hint of fear and anger juts through the air like electricity.

[sorinethemastermind]

The Banther Lodge

In which the Katolis survivors arrive at The Banther Lodge, and Corvus and Soren remember the last times they were there. #Sorvus

 Corvus remembered the last time he had been at The Banther Lodge. It had been back at the start of all of this, when General Amaya had tasked him with tracking down and rescuing the princes. Of course, they had never needed saving in the first place. It was something they could laugh about now, and Rayla seemed the find the place a bit nostalgic, if in a bittersweet way; going to show Runaan around the cabin and the spot where they’d set off on the river. He faintly overheard something about a giant fish before they turned a bend and vanished from sight.

 The camp was already in the process of being rebuilt, and he could see Soren out of the corner of his eye helping a family to erect their tent. As much as he wanted to go over and lend a hand, he knew their skills were better allocated separately in these circumstances, and so walked to the far side of the camp where there was nobody else with a Camp Katolis level of knowledge of tents and knot tying to offer assistance. 

 It had been wise of King Ezran to bring everyone here. The lodge itself was big enough to offer shelter to the wounded and smaller children, protecting them from chill nights and offering some much needed comfort, and the clearing outside had plenty of room for the tents and a great big fire pit, so that they needn’t overcrowd any one location. Maybe there would even be some food left over in the pantries and they could supplement their new diet of berries with some more familiar flavors. Corvus wondered if he could catch fish in the river.

 And of course, it was easier to mark on a map than some spot in the woods was, which also meant it would be much easier for the relief effort from Duren to find them. Corvus had to admit he was a little surprised by how quickly they had responded to Ezran’s request for aid. They had only sent crows out to the other kingdoms a few mornings ago, and yet they had gotten a reply almost as fast as birds could fly.

 The trek to The Banther Lodge had taken several days, and based on Queen Aanya’s reply, they could expect aid to arrive anytime now. So all they had to do was find enough food and keep morale up until they got here and could help put things to right for good. Not that Corvus really knew what that looked like without the castle, and these people’s homes. And with Aaravos on the loose. And with Claudia-

 Corvus’ foot caught on a small circle of stones that hadn’t been there the last time he’d visited. Looking down, he saw the charred remnants of a small fire pit. Claudia. It made sense that they would have traveled through here on their way to the castle, but the idea still hadn’t occurred to him until now. He glanced up, looking around for any other signs of their passage. But it was pointless. Their path would only lead back to the castle and the fire already looked at least a week old. Corvus sighed, kicking dirt and leaves over it until it was indistinguishable from the forest floor around it. Maybe it was better that Soren not be reminded of her right now, when there was nothing else that could be done. Not until the survivors were safe.

 Where was Soren, he realized, glancing about again. He had spent a good amount of time flitting from group to group, and now, with most of the tents set up and the injured done being carried into the lodge, he couldn’t spot him anywhere. A chill of fear ran through him. Could he have found some other sign of his sister and wandered off to try and find her? Or was she still here somehow, having returned after finding the castle in ruins?

 Corvus’ feet carried him quickly into the lodge, the only place he could think that she could have hidden, but a quick survey of the rooms found them all empty. With his heart thudding heavily in his chest he exited the building and rounded it’s corner, letting out a sigh of relief as he caught sight of his partner. 

 Soren was sat on the edge of a stone bridge that crossed the river, feet dangling over the water. His shoulders were hunched, hair falling into his face and obscuring his expression from view. But Corvus didn’t need to see his face to guess how he was feeling.

 He walked up beside him quietly, maybe a little too quietly, because he jumped when he spotted him, nearly toppling forward into the river. Only Corvus’ quick reflexes and steadying grip stopped him from falling headfirst into the water.

 “Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Soren exclaimed once he’d steadied himself, though he was laughing a bit too. 

 “Sorry.” Corvus boosted himself up to sit on the stone wall beside him, studying his expression carefully.

 Soren’s smile faded as he watched, and he looked back out over the water. Corvus waited until he was ready to talk. 

 “The last time I was here…” he said at last, voice trailing off.

 Corvus leaned a shoulder against his, and Soren wrapped a hand around his waist, pulling him in closer. He took a breath and started again, eyes still fixed on the water lapping just below their feet.

 “Last time I was here we were trying to find the princes. I called them the step-prince and the crown runt.” he recalled with a wince. “And Clauds-” his voice faltered on her nickname before he tried again. “She was going to cast this spell to track them, and we had to go and get all these weird ingredients, and there was this cave full of glowy things, and I made a really great joke but I don’t even know if she got it and-”

 He let out a huffing breath, “and I can’t help but feel like if I’d told her then, when she was like that, when I was still her brother, that maybe she would have listened to me. That maybe she’d be here right now, and we could go to that cave and collect the glowy things and use them to, I don’t know, track Aaravos or something. Or we wouldn't need to because he wouldn’t even be out!” Soren threw his hands up into the air, almost knocking himself into the river again, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Because if I had just been a better brother we wouldn’t even be in this mess in the first place.”

 “You are still her brother.” Corvus said after a moment, once he’d calmed down. “And you were a good brother. You couldn’t have changed this.”

 “I left her.” he said quietly. “Just like Mom left us.”

 Soren had never talked about his mother, not once in the years Corvus had known him. He had rarely talked about his family at all, other than the occasional quickly stifled comment. 

 “Soren, I don’t know why your mother left, but whatever happened is not your fault. Just like how what Claudia has done is not your fault.”

 “But-”

 “No buts.” Corvus cut him off with a shake of his head. “For someone who’s always comforting others, you sure are bad at being comforted.”

 The corner of Soren’s mouth twitched up a bit and he leaned his head on Corvus’ shoulder. “Thank you. For being here. And for listening.”

 “I’m sure that if you just told the others-”

 “I don’t want to tell them.” Soren muttered into his neck. “I only really want to tell you.”

 Corvus didn’t know why that made his face all warm, not when everything was so dire and Soren needed his help, but it did.  “I’m happy to listen. And you’ve done everything you could. You may have made mistakes, Soren. But you’ve always had a big heart. These were her choices. Not giving up on her is all you can do now.”

 “I won’t. Give up on her, I mean.”

 “I know.”

 “Do you think…”

 “I think she knows it too.”