#I haven't picked up my needles in like ten years

[poor-boy-orpheus]

I'm gonna get back into knitting

[creations-by-chaosfay]

Slow work

My husband insisted I take the rest of the year off because I made quilt after quilt after quilt, stopping only due to pain overwhelming me, for ten months straight. We compromised with me taking November off. Though that compromise was forced due to me being dealing with an infection and the side of effects of the antibiotics, and today will be the last two doses.

I'm finally starting to get bored, much to his dismay.

He, and my doctor, both insist I reduce how much time I spend sewing everyday. For my own welfare courtesy of a long list of chronic health issues, like hEDS, chronic pain, and various other fun factors. I started the year with "gotta keep going" aka too much. So then it was reduced to a max of six hours a day, then no more than four hours a day and no more than four days a week. We've finally figured out my real max: ten hours a week, spread out however I want.

Workaholic + ADHD + multiple other disabilities =/= a good mix.

I begin physical therapy next month, specifically for my hEDS. I'll be figuring out how to unlearn some things and train my muscles to serve as splints so my joints stop dislocating. That, and finally getting the proper therapy for my left hands/wrist. The PT I received last year for this ongoing issue did not address my hypermobility. I was diagnosed in July of this year, but looking back...it was very obvious I have hEDS. Plus, the place I had PT was not a good place at all. If you live in the Springfield/Eugene region of Oregon, please avoid going to Slocum Orthopedics. My doctor told me if she had known they would be the ones to pick up the referral put in the system, she would've put in a note NOT to have them do so. Many of her patients have had nothing but poor experiences there.

If the physical therapist I'm assigned to tells me to work no more than ten hours, that's where I'll stay at. Will it slow down my work? Obviously, yes, but once I get the hang of machine quilting, it will speed up considerably. 200 hour handquilting projects will be reduced to less than fifty. At least, according to people I've spoken to who have done handquilting and machine quilting.

My intentions were to make a stack of panel quilts this month, but my body demanded otherwise. Tomorrow, I'll begin working on gifts for my ko-fi members, and then some small quick things for friends and a few family members. My baby sister (she's the youngest of us three and I'm the Eldest) has two children, and they live with my/our parents. My mother insisted I not make anything for them "because they have so much stuff already." That's five gifts not to concern myself with. Works for me!

Once I have the gifts done, of which there'll be a little a dozen, I'll turn my focus to making panel quilts using the easiest and quickest patterns that aren't boring. I'm thinking six total, all for practice, and all of them will be listed at a 25%-50% discount from what I would otherwise charge for the amount of work and supply costs. Of course, you will have the option to pay more. That will always be an option in my shop. Said quilts won't be listed until the end of January though, so don't go thinking you can hold off on purchasing them with my Yuletide coupon code.

Each quilt top will take probably ten hours each, so that's five or six weeks of just quilt tops before switching to the actual quilting. Then it may be another ten hours of quilting each one. So that's 20 hours. Let's say each panel was $18 USD, and the fabric for the borders, binding, and blocks came to $40 USD, the backing another $30 USD, and the other miscellaneous things (thread, sewing needles, rotary blade, etc) come to around $25 USD. That'll be $653 USD, and at a 50% discount, the quilt will be listed at $326.50 USD. If you're one of my members, you'll also receive an automatic 15% off that, which brings it to $277.50. I dunno about the rest of y'all, but that's more than fair.

Because I haven't gotten around to making all the giveaway prizes owed, I'll be giving the winners, and those promised a quilt for other reasons, first dibs. If none want what I've made, the quilt will be listed. If you would like to ensure you get on the list for one of these, you have a few options for how:

for one of these quilts, you'll need to spend at least $250 USD on my Throne wishlist. It can be one thing that reaches the amount, or many things combined, that reach the minimum for one of these quilts,

or help me reach my current goal posted on my Ko-fi page. It can be with a purchase from my shop or a donation. Personally, I would rather it be a purchase; space in my house is limited due to there being no closets to speak of. However, thi option puts you in the giveaway for a free quilt with no guarantee you'll win;

or become one of my Ko-fi members. This work similar to what another website has set up, but more user friendly. It's monthly support, so an automatic payment of an amount you choose. The minimum is $5 USD/month, the max is $100/USD. Look over the benefits I have listed. My member receive a postcard from me every month, and no less than two gifts over the course of the year. The gifts replace the postcard for that month. This option also has the same outcome as the second; each of my members is automatically entered into the giveaways I have, but there's no promise they'll win.

Work will be slow, and my mind is doing everything it can to make me feel ashamed about it. Workaholic mentality is something I'll be unlearning over the next several months. I just need to get myself to stop shaming myself for not being able to work at the pace abled folks can.

[yellowcry]

Special just the way you are

Eleven years ago, Mirabel wouldn't believe how far she had come today

@encantober-official prompt - Thread

Just a little more left!

Mirabel sat under the fluffy tree. The burning sun crawled against her skin, light wind ruffled her hair. The cold metal pins clanged against each other. This was her day off, so naturally she would spend it on her hobby rather than making embroidery for the local tailor. Nobody seemed really surprised when Mirabel said she was going to tie her life to embroidery.

Mirabel loved embroidery. This was something she realized back in the beginning of school when she was very young. They were taught some basic sewing skills. In the very least how to patch a clothes or embroider something small. And suddenly she found herself drawn to it. Her various skirts were growing in decorations. Same to her family, except for the fact that theirs was professional. But Mirabel didn't feel like she deserved it (sometimes she really wished to hug her younger-self), so she decorated her clothes herself. Stitch after stitch. Even after collapse, embroidery was always a constant. Like an old friend, ready to embrace her no matter the day. If she was anxious, if the walls felt like they would crush... Mirabel would pick her needle and embroider her feelings away. With the passing years the flow of the thread became easier. And the style became finer, more delicate. And she loved how this life was going. Simple but steady.

The woman closed her eyes, listening to the whispers of the faded leaves. After all these years, Mirabel was proud to say she came this far. Yes, pain of the past didn't let go completely. But compared to what was ten years ago? She was in a far better place. There were good days, there were bad days.

There was a heavy thud as somebody dropped besides her. 'Luisa' – she thought briefly. Simply from the estimated size.

"What cha' doin'?" Luisa looked down, resting her head in her hands.

"Oh just some knitting to relax." Mirabel shrugged. "Have you checked Paloma's dress design? Should I start working on the embroidery?"

This was one of the things that made Mirabel nervous lately. This was another gift ceremony to come. And, unlike Teresa, Luisa's daughter was very stubborn. There was no way to force her if she didn't want to comply. So naturally, Mirabel was worried. She was the one decorating her family's clothes for the last few years. And, obviously it included ceremony dresses. With all their white lace and sunny golden flows.

"Looks great to me. But I haven't asked her yet." And even when they asked, knowing her sobrina Mirabel was sure she would find something to complain about in the end. Making her redo the embroidery. Paloma just had to take Mirabel's attention to details and Isabela's demanding nature. The only really good thing is that she wasn't into insane level of energy like Luisa. "Why does my girl grow so fast? I'm so very not ready!"

And Luisa could agree. It feels like just yesterday Mirabel was knitting a blanked to wrap newborn in. Just yesterday Luisa seemed to be freaking out, unsure if she was ready to be a parent. Now she was so grown up. Even if there wasn't such pressure as it used to be back in the day. Ceremony was probably still the most important day for any Madrigal. And Mirabel couldn't allow anything but her best for such an important event. Call her whatever you want, but it was her sobrina. And it was a big event too, pretty much everyone would be at the ceremony. So, there was a worry of not doing it good enough. Failing her supposed job

The fact Paloma was so big already was unbelievable. Needing her very own ceremonial dress. All embroidered and decorated. Jewellery dancing in the snow. And even stranger for Mirabel was her own role at this all. Back at Antonio's ceremony, she would never think anyone dared to give her such an important role. Embellish costume that was the most important for them all. 

Of course, Mirabel did decorated clothes for her family included. But when ceremony was such an important event in life, Mirabel felt even more honoured by this. And also wanting it to be even better, even despite Luisa assuring Mirabel she shouldn't overwork herself (and interrupting her work sometimes to ensure Mirabel had rest enough). But then again, it wasn't just about Luisa. It was about a birthday girl. And Mirabel wanted to be sure it was the best day of her life. It was hard, of course. Sometimes thinking about upcoming celebration was just too much. A salt into old wound. Even it was over twenty years, Mirabel wasn't sure she would ever forget it. The trauma didn't define who she was, not anymore. But it was a ever-living presence. She wanted to be present at the ceremony. Just for her love to Luisa. But, just as it happened with Teresa, her parental cousins allowed Mirabel to stay over with them.  

But, after doing one more ceremony, after ten years since the last one, when Antonio was getting his own gift, it did calm Mirabel's anxiety a bit. It was all okay, she didn't feel as bad as the last time. And for now, Mirabel wanted to focus on what she had to do in the moment. Bringing the dress to life, painting in write and gold. Just to ensure she made the best dress of all time for her special little girl. And know Paloma would have fun at the party. No matter if it was successful or failed, leaving the girl with empty hands. Let her know her family loved her regardless.

[hips-like-battleships]

Second post is my thoughts about the series as a whole, and how Veilguard fits in with the whole. Mostly positive thoughts!

This is for sure a different game than Origins. I love Origins. It is so special and one of my favorite video game experiences of all time. I'm so happy to have had it. I also don't need every game to replicate it exactly to make me happy.

Obviously, that game was special. It's what got us all here! If it didn't have a certain kind of magic, the franchise would have died on the vine. But I don't think the series has to be beholden to Origins as we move through time. I don't think it should be.

People are still stirred up that not that many choices carried over. As someone who has been here since the beginning--I don't really get it. The carry over has always been small. Where does Alistair show up, if he does at all. Whose name is mentioned in a codex. I get loving those characters. I get wanting direct sequels! I'd revisit the characters in a heartbeat. But after this game got cancelled twice, there's just no feasible way to make it a direct sequel. Ten years. A console generation. It's too alienating. The ship sailed. And it is so much more fun to be like, okay, this is the reality, rather than hating it for being something it wasn't going to be. I don't care that the choices matter game to game, I really don't. That doesn't make them matter less to me. I will never forget the first time I played the Landsmeet, agonizing over the right thing to do. I will never forget my first Hawke's arc with Anders--falling in love with him, deciding to support him with his secret plans, then reckoning with the Chantry explosion and all the aftermath. Muddling through messy options with characters I love is Dragon Age to me, and this game gave me that. I guess I honestly don't see how you thread the needle any better. At some point, the alternate world states collapse until you can't tell a compelling narrative. I hear a lot of people complain, but to date I haven't seen a single suggestion of how to actually do it better. There's not a game that has figured this out any better that I know of, on the time scale and complexity with which Dragon Age has been doing it. I also remember very well the way fans have picked apart writing flaws, real and alleged, following every game. Messy writing regarding gender and sexuality has been there from the start (Origins making Morrigan straight, and the weird sexism of DA 2 Anders relationship with F!Hawke v M!Hawke being to early examples). Lore inconsistencies have been here from the beginning (what do Qunari look like? what exactly are the gender and sexual boundaries of Thedas actually?). Some things have been consistently fuzzy in ways that I'm not sure the entire writing/dev team has ever agreed upon (what is a demon vs. what is a spirit? are they two sides of the same thing or fundamentally different entities?). Major plot points have often resolved in ways that don't really satisfy anyone (being forced to fight Merrill's whole clan in DA 2 being a huge example). I am also one hundred percent sympathetic to a dev team in the midst of the Covid crisis and growing right wing movements around the world wanting to make a game about a bunch of people who like each other and who came together to solve a bigger threat. It's the story they wanted to present. That story is valuable. It is comforting to be with these characters who, this time, aren't fighting each other. Who are really supporting each other to be the best versions of themselves. There is a sweetness to Veilguard that I really appreciate. I know it will feel comforting to go back to and revisit over time. Ultimately I don't want the games to be all the same. I like that we have different flavors of story, different companions who relate to each other differently depending on the games. We'd get bored if they were all the same!! And for the parts we don't like, there is fanfic and head canons and theory discussions and all the things we will do to make these texts so much richer. Just because your favorite character from the past doesn't come up in a codex doesn't erase what they meant to you. While Briar is the Inquisitor I imported into Veilguard, somewhere my Inquisitor Adaar and Iron Bull are out there, guiding what Qunari they can away from the Antaam. The Hero of Ferelden didn't get a mention in Veilguard, but that beautiful rosy baby griffon we saved? The wheels in my brain are going overtime figuring out how that griffon makes it to her Warden outpost in Amaranthine, still standing strong against the Blight. Your characters and your ideas get to live in you too.

[laughatdanger]

Amnesia - Nico di Angelo

This one-shot goes best with Amnesia by 5SOS (Five Seconds of Summer)

I saw this idea on DeviantArt MONTHS ago. Credit goes to original author. (Can't remember the account. :p)

Hope y'all enjoy!

Disclaimer: All characters in this one-shot (Except Y/N and Phoenix), belong to Rick Riordan. 

Phoenix is an OC.

Also, in the future, let me know if you guys prefer first or second POV in these. 

Summary: Nico's gone for a while, and Y/N wishes she had amnesia. The struggle without Nico is real.

TW: Crying, angst, amnesia

***

It's been three years. Three. 

You slowly sat up, remembering where you were. Not where you wanted to be, of course. You sighed and glanced at your watch. Midnight. Now deciding to get up, you carefully slipped on your shoes, and hoodie. The hoodie Nico gave me. . . Three years ago. You silently teared at the thought. The hoodie was simple. Black, with your (F/B/N) (FAVORITE BAND NAME) on it. You blinked quickly, ridding any tears from your eyes and headed over to a rustic, wooden chest that belonged to you. I was placed in the corner of your cabin, next to all of your sibling's own special chests and belongings. You open the chest quietly and take out a small, black notebook. You haven't dared to open the book since your loving boyfriend left. It was too painful to recover these memories hidden all in this one book. 

Now walking out of the (G/P) Cabin, you sat outside on the porch, playing with two rings that lay in the palm of your hand. One was a band made completely of Stygian Iron, while the other was thin, and silver, with a pleasant tiny diamond in the middle (Courtesy of Hades.). Your hands went up to your ears to touch your earrings. They were two, gorgeous black roses. You smiled at the memory. Our first date. 

"Don't you think it's time to stop?" your sister, Phoenix, hugged you from behind. 

"No. . ." You sighed. You really wanted to believe Nico was still out there. Still alive. Healthy. Strong. Safe. 

"You didn't sound positive." Phoenix chuckled, resting her chin on your shoulder. This act reminded you of when you first arrived at camp when you were ten. Your purple haired sister had started this gesture right before you left to follow Nico. You remember her exact words: Be careful. I don't want my brand new baby sis coming back in pieces. You smiled. "You know. . . I'm always here for you. . . right?"

You quickly turned around and hugged your sister. "Right." You snuggled into her teal sweat shirt, which smelled like the Hermes Cabin, oddly. "Have you been visiting Connor again?" I asked teasingly. She looked at me with wide eyes. 

"What?! Pfft! Dude, what are you talking about?" She looked at you with a bizarre expression. You gave her 'the look', and she broke. "Okay, fine! Promise you won't tell." 

"Cross my heart, hope to die, stick a needle in my eye." You said.

"Connor asked me to go on a date with him yesterday!" She squealed. You repeated her action. 

"Oh my gods! You gotta let me hep you get ready tomorrow!" You begged.

"Don't worry, I will. You have to promise me you will get some shut eye tonight."

"I will. Go hit the hay, sis." You punched her shoulder lightly. She walked back into the cabin, and you immediately break into tears. 

"Oh, Nico." You sobbed quietly. "I need you here." You ran your hand over the cover of the notebook and darted to the woods. You ran as fast as you could to your special spot. The spot the demigods had begun calling, "The Ghost Kingdom." The Ghost King ruled with his Queen by his side, nobody there to bother them. Once you reached your designated spot, you sat down, panting heavily. The sweat dripping down your face, now mixing with your salty tears. You stared at the book. You hesitantly opened it. The memories of you and Nico came rushing back. The stupid, little things. 

All of your memories in the Labyrinth. 

The first time he used a pick-up line on you.

Your first kiss.

The very first 'I love you.'

How you always went to McDonalds.

How Nico love his Happy Meals.

How he always ordered chocolate milk with them.

How he used to blow bubbles in his chocolate milk with his straw. 

Your cuddles.

Tickle fights.

Everything. 

Every single thing. 

You slowly started to sing. . .

"I thought about our last kiss, how it felt, the way you tasted. . ." You sobbed, clutching the book ever so dearly to your chest.

"Like every single wish we ever made I wish that I could wake up with amnesia And forget about the stupid little things Like the way it felt to fall asleep next to you And the memories I never can escape"

"Is it true?" You heard a voice speak, after a few moments of your sobbing. An all too familiar voice. You quickly stand up and turn around, looking for the source of the voice. You soon see a silhouette in the moonlight. Shiny black hair and an aviator jacket. Nico. "You really want to forget?" He whispered.

You were about five feet apart, staring at each other in shock. 

"Only if you weren't coming back." You whispered. You ran up to hug him. Both of you now sobbing and holding each other tightly. You were hugging him almost as if he would float away when you let go. 

You both pulled away. You looked into his coffee brown eyes. "Where have you been?" You asked in a slightly raspy voice since you had been crying. Nico had placed one hand on your waist, and the other on your tearstained cheek. His thumb gently wiping away the tears. 

"Why does it matter? I'm here now. . . aren't I?" He said. His voice. I missed it. His voice was soothing and kind. His voice nearly made you melt in your place. You were finally hearing it, after 3 years. 

You nodded. "No. It doesn't." Your arms stayed wrapped around his neck, while his remained on your waist and his cheek. You both leaned in to feel your lips brush ever so slightly. You shuddered as your stomach began to do flips, and electricity coursed through your veins. You couldn't handle it any longer. You pressed your lips against his. You melted into the kiss, your lips moving in sync with his. You felt like the kiss had lasted years. Sadly, you both had to pull away for air. You were both gasping for air as if you were fish out of water. 

"H-how about we take this back to my Cabin?" He whispered. 

"Sounds lovely." 

***

~ Hope you enjoy! I wonder how many people recognize this. ;)

[typhin-hoofbun]

The number of times I've started to tell someone about my condition and the limitations it puts on me, only to get told some variant of "Eat better and do what exercise you can, and work your way back up to being more healthy" is insane.

I used to walk or ride a bike 1.5 miles each way to and from college. I grabbed 80+ pounds of luggage, wore 20 pound ankle weights, walked four miles to the Greyhound bus station, RAN the last quarter mile or so because I thought I was about to miss my bus, and didn't think twice about it. I biked 22 miles back and forth all over town chasing stores to get a Nintendo Wii.

I wore ankle weights and played DDR on Heavy Doubles when I worked at the arcade for two years. I hefted 2.5 gallon jugs of chlorine, two at a time, and strapped weights on my wrists when 50 pounds just wasn't effort anymore, for three years.

I ran face-first into the wall and I loved it, because every time I did, the wall scooted back another inch. I pushed my boundaries and expanded them. And it let me do things like pick up the heavy boxes people needed moved, the ones two-person teams were struggling with, and lift them like they were nothing. It let me say "I can go to the store and get that", and just DO it. I didn't bother getting a car in Missouri because I didn't need one.

And now I can't do three sit-ups without blacking out, because my blood pressure doesn't regulate correctly anymore. I can't play DDR. I can set it to Standard and do one and a half songs, and then I'm wiped out for the rest of the day, because whatever system handles fatigue signals doesn't work and I'm instantly tired. I can't stand up long enough to do a load of dishes. I can barely FUCKING SHOWER regularly. I'm in constant abdominal pain every single day, taking Gabapentin and Hydrocodone and getting giant fuck-off needles to inject Bupivacaine into my spine to SOMETIMES get it down to a 3/10. I can't take a goddamn SHIT without excruciating pain because the nerves in my gut are so messed up that the attempt causes the muscles to just go haywire. I haven't felt HUNGER in ten fucking years because of the nerve damage! I can barely remember what it even feels like, this fundamental sensation common to every single life form on the planet, EXCEPT ME.

I lost a $90k/year programming job, the dream job I've wanted since I was goddamn THREE YEARS OLD, to end up struggling to subsist on the tiny disability payments the government keeps trying to take away from me. Keeps trying to push me off of.

And people keep trying to tell me "If you only put in a little effort, you'd get there again." As if I'm some stranger to putting in effort. I wore ankle weights every single day in college because it was FUN to charge up staircases two steps at a time with a full backpack and a laptop bag and beat the people taking the elevator. And now I have to lay down on the couch for an hour every time I come out of the bathroom, to rest and recover.

Fuck. Your. Goddamn. Secret Garden.

(Yeah, I got some rage about this. No, I'm not apologizing. Yes, I will still be the sweetest, friendliest person I can be to everyone I can. And just because someone else out there "has it worse", it doesn't mean you can't be upset about the stuff happening to you. Don't let anyone, including and especially me, make you feel invalid for facing difficulty in life. "So-and-so has it worse" is a bullshit take that deserves to die in a fire, it's the equivalent of saying "You can't be happy because there exists someone else who has it better than you." Fuck. That. Live your fucking life, as much as your body lets you!)

I think disabled and chronically ill people should start using Secret Garden as a verb

[enterenews]

Bong Joon-ho "I thought of 'Mother' after seeing Kim Hye-ja's crazy acting"

Actress Kim Hye-ja revealed the behind-the-scenes story of the movie 'Mother'.

In tvN's 'You Quiz on the Block' (hereafter referred to as 'You Quiz'), which aired on the 11th, a scene in which Kim Hye-ja appeared as a guest was aired while it was featured as a 'life drama'.

On this day, Yoo Jae-seok mentioned director Bong Joon-ho, saying, "I can't leave out director Bong Joon-ho. Director Bong Joon-ho, who has been a fan of the teacher since childhood, planned 'Mother' over the teacher. He said that he had put a lot of effort into casting for ten years."

Kim Hye-ja said, “For several years, she came to the theater and called home, so she kept talking about her. No. Even while I was doing other things, sometimes I would say, 'That woman kills' and I would say, 'So what do you do?' and I would tell you a story. They didn't give me a book. They kept telling me that story, so I couldn't forget her."

Yoo Jae-seok asked, "What kind of person is director Bong?", and Kim Hye-ja said, "He looks very innocent. He is a genius. Even when he was acting, he didn't know me well, so he told me a lot."

Yoo Jae-seok wondered, "I heard that he was scolded by director Bong." Kim Hye-ja said, "What I'm doing doesn't work. He doesn't even get nervous. He talks quietly to the staff. Because I had tears in my eyes, they said, 'Don't cry.' At times like that, I want to disappear into the ground."

Kim Hye-ja said, "There was a time like this. (In 'Mother') A certain junk dealer knows that my son is murdering. So I kill the man. I kill him, set fire to it and run away. I haven't been formally taught, but I leave my spit around. I dropped the needle and my son picked it up, so he took it out to me. How surprised would you be?"

Kim Hye-ja said, "I saw that (in the script), but it was written in parentheses as an indescribable expression. Indescribable means you can't do anything. The director said okay. In my heart, I thought, 'I said okay because I can't do it.' Hearing it, I cried. I just cried. While crying, I said, 'Try it.

Kim Hye-ja said, "That's why I'm grateful to Mr. Bong Joon-ho. It's when the roles I play are fixed as a certain wife and I have a lot of worries about 'how to get out of this'. At that time, I was very happy that Mr. Bong Joon-ho asked me to play 'Mother'. The roles I have played so far It wasn't this, so my heart was beating so fast."

In particular, through a phone interview, director Bong Joon-ho said, "I worked with Hyeja Kim on a movie called 'Mother' in 2008 and 2009. It's a good memory. I've been a big fan since I was a child, and when I was in a movie club in college, Miss Kim Hye-ja was across from the club's office. It was your house. Sometimes he came out to the yard or came out in comfortable clothes and walked around the neighborhood, and there were times when I secretly saw this.

Regarding the reason for casting Kim Hye-ja for 'Mother', director Bong Joon-ho said, "There was a drama called 'Yeo'. There was a scene where she expressed momentary madness, which was very impressive. I thought about it, so naturally I came up with such a dark and intense story about my mother."

Director Bong Joon-ho said, "It's not easy to describe an actor's expression in a fingerprint. I simply wrote 'It's an indescribable expression' and moved on. Isn't it the job of a great actor to finally express those parts in front of the camera? You're expressing complex, complex, and subtle facial expressions.' We watched with admiration every few takes, but he said he didn't like it, so he went to the makeup car and cried. It was such a wonderful performance that not only me but the staff cheered for it, but I texted them to relax. I remember sending you "."

[whosaskingwrites]

Fickle Love (Akaashi x Reader x Bokuto)

A/N: So this was supposed to be for Akaashi's birthday...whoops. But its here now lmao ngl I just kinda wrote with no idea in mind and this is what ended happening so yeah. Hope you enjoy and happy late birthday to Akaashi 💞

Details: 7.8 pages 2,758 words

Date: December 8th, 2020

Warnings: Mentions of poly relationships I guess, angst if you squint, Gn! Reader not really a warning but I didn't know where else to put it

Theme: Akaashi wasn't the best when it came to love. Having a habit of ignoring you and burying himself in work. Leading you to turn to Bokuto which leads to some revelations and a question for Akaashi.

Love was a fickle thing Akaashi knew. People fell in and out of love all the time so he never trusted love. He didn't want love he wanted to avoid it. Avoid the heartbreak he was positive would follow. But instead he met you a bright-eyed student in his class. It took almost nothing for you to mesh yourself into his life completely and making yourself comfortable like you belonged there.

It took even less time for you to weasel your way into his heart and make yourself comfortable. Only a year after you'd met and he asked you out deciding that love may not have been as fickle as he thought.

Four years later and he knew he had been wrong love was indeed fickle and his proof was in the sight across the street from him. There you stood hands clasped around Bokuto's as he kissed your cheek. He waved before running off and Akaashi rushed home preparing for the worst.

A few hours later you slipped through the door "Keiji? I'm home!" You called hearing the soft pads of feet come up to you. Love was fickle he knew you were going to lie when he asked his next question "Hey Y/n. What did you do today?" You suprised him though. Only after you'd gotten over the shock of being called Y/n and not darling.

"I went to lunch with Bokuto today," You said happily slipping off your coat and hanging it up. He certainly didn't expect you to be honest about what you did today. He loosened up a tad bit in response "Oh? Why?" You laughed at his question "Bo needs contact with us you know that. But you haven't been answering his calls so we went shopping and I filled him in on how you were. Afterwards I treated him to lunch as a thank you," You smiled up at him eyes bright with nothing hidden.

"Yeah? Did you guys hold hands so he wouldn't lose you?" He joked and you shook your head "He grabbed my hands at the end of lunch because I promised him I'd bring you next time," you had laughed remembering the incident. Relief flooded him then no of course you weren't cheating on him that'd be insane. You were as loyal as Bokuto was plus he couldn't keep a secret to save his life and neither could you. He relaxed as he realized how wrong he was to assume something.

"Im sorry," He said suddenly while you tilted your head in confusion. "What for?" You had asked before Akaashi leaned down and pressed a kiss to your forehead. "I forgot to give you your welcome home kiss," He rolled off casually hiding the fear he'd felt earlier. This fear had only continued to grow as the days went on but it was his fault anyway.

_______________________________________________________

"Keiji are you free today?" "No I'm busy," "Oh...Okay," 

"Keiji we haven't gone on a date in weeks!" "Im not stopping you from going out somewhere," "I want to go out with you though,"

"Keiji-" "Im busy Y/n,"

Two weeks this cycle continued as you walked to Akaashi's at home office. Two taps against the door and you opened it "Kei-" His eyes snapped up frustration was on his face but he took a breath before it faded. "What?" You sighed turning to leave again "...Im going out to lunch with Kotaro again. He says hi by the way," You left the room quickly and Akaashi blinked 'Kotaro?' Surely you meant Bokuto but there was no way you two were on a first name basis it'd only been a few days since the last lunch.

His eyes landed on the calender and he froze what had only been a few days to him was actually two weeks but still too short for a first name basis. You'd only know Bokuto for a few months and he'd known the male for years and still never used his first name.

He sighed returning to his work. He'd question you when you got back from lunch he didn't have the time to right now. Nor did he know your location so going to find you was like a needle in a haystack. A very big bustling city of a haystack and the needle being you with a slightly bigger needle in the shape of a volleyball player next to you.

He continued work for a few hours before his office door was thrown open. He expected many things when he looked up but he didn't expect Bokuto. But what got him was the fact that Bokuto was furious it was a look he'd never seen before on him. The glare he had on his face was enough to make Akaashi freeze. 

He knew Bokuto was typically happy like a dog but right now he felt fearful since now he staring down an angry German Shepard who was defending their owner. It was silent for a long moment before Bokuto spoke. "What the fuck is wrong with you?" Akaashi felt his blood turn to ice at the tone Bokuto used.

"W-what?" He cursed silently at his own stutter Bokuto would latch onto the weakness he showed. "Whats today Akaashi?" Bokuto had asked in that same icy tone. It was so razor sharp and cold that Akaashi was convinced the room cooled and ten degrees.

"...Its December 1st Bokuto-san," He elected to answer the question instead of ask why Bokuto didn't call him Keiji. Based on the mood Bokuto was displaying he didn't expect to be called Keiji. However supplying the date only seemed to rile him up more as his glare sharpened.

Akaashi shivered involuntarily at it "Are you forgetting something?" He barked out and it was then that Akaashi realized Bokuto hadn't blinked yet. "No," he was confident in the answer. Your birthday wasn't until b/d and his was in four days. Bokutos had already passed but said male wouldn't have been mad at him. Sad maybe but not mad.

"Oh really? Then tell me why Y/n is at my place crying because you forgot that today is your anniversary," Bokuto had stepped towards him in anger and Akaashi took in involuntarily step back in fear. "They're at your place?" Akaashi asked and Bokutos jaw clenched.

"Yeah. And they are going to stay there until you sort yourself out," Bokuto growled turning and slamming the door closed with enough force to crack it. Akaashi stood frozen for a few extra moments trying to regain his composure after being afraid. He shook his head as he processed Bokuto's last sentence.

No you'd always come back to him, even if a fight had broken out between him and you, you would always come back. You had to come back he was your fiancé and the wedding was going to be in the upcoming w/f/s/s so he continued to work shaking off his encounter with Bokuto that had manage to worm a tiny bit of fear back into his heart.

__________________________________________________

Akaashi didn't fully leave his office again until December 5th. He'd left it plenty of times before then but only for something quick eat or the bathroom or something to drink. In these moments he never bothered to look around the place but now on his birthday he did.

He expected to be greeted by your sparkling voice like you had done for the past four years but instead the house was silent. "Y/n?" He called out walking around the house was still perfectly clean. The last time he could recall hearing you was on the first with the vacuum running and the patter of your feet running around.

Since then he realizes the house had been silent except for his movements. As he walked into the dining room something glinted on the table in the early morning light. When he turned to look he froze there was your engagement ring. The thin band of silver sat there almost mockingly on a yellow sticky note.

He picked up the note and written on it were a few simple words. 'They aren't coming home - Bokuto' his brain filled in the missing words Bokuto had told him a few days ago "Not until I fix myself," he mumbled thumbing at the sticky in his hands. He knew what Bokuto meant he'd been borderline ignoring you for weeks to work.

Thoughts of your anniversary had left his mind but he didn't think it was that bad until right now. Forgetting had been the final nail in the coffin for you but he still had a chance. You weren't gone forever just temporarily misplaced. He rushed to shower and go buy flowers his brain running a mile a minute trying to figure out how to get you back and apologize.

He felt nervous and he was unsure of why until he remembered where you had taken up residence. Bokuto had never been scary to him, just a bright ball of happiness but the fear Bokuto had instilled in him a few days ago had lingered, and he was about to walk right into the lion's den.

__________________________________________________

He couldn't see you as he approached the door. Maybe you were tucked away upstairs or in a place the windows didn't show but he'd seen Bokuto. The male was pacing clearly on edge and definitely dangerous but Akaashi would have to face him sooner or later so with a shaking hand he knocked.

Only half a second later the door swung open and Bokuto stood there mouth set in a hard line. Akaashi fought to supress the shiver that wanted to trail up his spine. "Is Y/n here?" He asked and once again cursed himself for sounding so meek. It was just Bokuto he wouldn't hurt him the man couldn't even hurt a fly! Although that sentiment didn't hold much when he felt like he was staring down the loaded barrel of a gun.

"Yes," Bokuto answered after a few beats of silence. His eyes raked over Akaashi's form judging him and seeing if he was ready to have Y/n back. "Can I see them? I'd like to talk," He was definitely playing with fire when Bokuto looked back up at his eyes. "About what?" He asked lowly Akaashi noted that Bokuto was staying quiet which meant you had to be downstairs. "I'd like to apologize for ignoring them and forgetting our anniversary," Bokuto nodded once before swinging the door closed.

He blinked in mild suprise "Bo-Bokuto-san?" He questioned wondering where he went wrong that warranted the door being closed. He was about to knock again when the door opened revealing you. Your h/c hair was slightly messy and e/c eyes half lidded in sleep.

What Akaashi didn't like was the MSBY jersey that swallowed you figure. The number 12 emblazoned on the front and long enough to cover your thighs. He couldn't tell if you were wearing pants but he hoped you did. You never walked around his house like this unless it was after a fun night but he couldn't assume things. Not now and he especially couldn't accuse you of cheating when Bokuto was on the staircase right behind you.

He could see that the golden eyed male was poised to attack when the conversation would start heading south. You tilted your head in confusion "Hello Akaashi," You had mumbled and he did flinch then. No pet names or his first name no, you had decided on formal. "Hi darling," He whispered the pet name but you merely shook your head.

"Why are you here?" The genuine confusion on your face made Akaashi feel a lot worse about everything. "Im here to apologize and seeing as its my birthday id like my present from you to be going on one date with me," He said slowly "Please," was tacked on as an afterthought. You turned your head eyes meeting Bokuto's and Akaashi hated the jealousy that crawled up his spine when his eyes softened.

"Um actually Akaashi I wanted to talk to you about something," Your hands had balled into fists tightly gripping the hem of the shirt you wore. A nervous habit you had whenever something scared you. He felt his heart drop in response to those words and you shook your head. "No no! It's nothing bad- well I guess that depends on how you feel about it," You were quick to try and sooth him and Akaashis heart swelled at the fact that right now even if you weren't getting along you still worried about him.

He didn't even realize you had led him inside until he was on the couch. His eyes trailed over you figure as you sat across from him. The shirt rode up enough exposing part of your thigh and Akaashi could see the hem of a pair of shorts. They followed their path until his eyes rested on the new gold band around your ring finger. It was decorated in a series of small gems that were the same blue as his eyes and he took a deep breath.

"What is it?" He lightly questioned when the silence began suffocating him. Bokuto was behind him somewhere he felt the stare being burned into his back. The second this conversation possibly turned south Bokuto was ready to jump in. "Well...I was wondering how you felt about the two of us becoming um...three of us?" You looked down afterwards hands nervously ringing together.

"...three of us?" He wanted more clarification were you implying a kid or something else? You hummed meeting his eyes before they flickered to the male that was behind him 'oh' it pieced itself together then. You were implying a poly relationship with him and Bokuto. He must have been quiet for too long since your hands began rubbing at your sides.

He scrambled for an answer he knew he was unbothered by it but this was...The two of you were only a few months away from getting married and you wanted to add Bokuto into the mix? Now of all times? He took a shuttering breath as he thought.

"Well...I guess I have to call the restaurant and tell them to change the reservation for three people then," he offered a small smile and your head whipped up. "Really?" You whispered and he could only supply a nod. 

"Yeah now when I'm busy with work the both of you can harass me into taking a break," it was a poor attempt at a joke but you had laughed anyway. He heard a chuckle from behind him as well and he breathed out a sigh of relief. "Keiji are you sure? I don't wanna make you uncomfortable or anything...," you trailed off and he smiled "im sure but are you sure about Bokuto? Hes a little chaotic," He asked "Hey!" Bokuto had an immediate reaction to the accusation.

You laughed reaching out and taking his hand "So is it a fancy dinner place?" You asked as Bokuto came over to take your free hand. He watched your thumb move back and forth across Bokutos hand a comforting gesture and he noticed the minute shake of Bokuto's hand. Unconsciously he reached out with his free hand and took Bokuto's which seemed to startle him slightly as wide gold eyes met his.

Akaashi gave a light squeeze and Bokuto settled with a sigh. "Its the restaurant I originally proposed at so yeah I'd go with fancy," he answered after a second. "You're making me get dressed up for your birthday dinner? Despicable really," you dramatically sighed and he found himself laughing. "Well I suppose we don't have to go since you've already given me the best present I could ask for today," He smiled tilting his head to the side and looking at Bokuto who was sitting cross-legged on the floor with a look of concern on his face.

"You alright Bo?" He looked up at the unfamiliar nickname eyes meeting Akaashi's once again. "M'fine just...I don't own a suit," He said quietly. The silence that stretched afterwards for a long moment before you broke it. "Kotaro what do you mean you don't own a suit you're a professional athlete!" "It wasn't an issue until now!" He shouted back love was fickle yes but as he watched you and Bokuto interact he knew

It was fickle but he wouldn't trade it in for anything.

[fanfiction-funtime]

Spritefather and Selene Interaction

A fan drabble for @clouds-rambles, I hope I characterized Selene right

Without much prompting it's a tad hard to write like this, but I hope it works.

Also I hope you don't mind me mentioning Cael amnesia anon.

(Selene was hanging out with Cael when Venti makes trouble, bringing the night to a close)

(Selene pov)

Yet again, I had to drag Cael's boyfriend out of the bar. This time because he thought someone was insulting his father and punched them, but he was just talking about some mythological person called 'Spritefather'.

I haven't thought about that story in a long time, not since I was a kid. Something about him being able to "use all elements" or something and how he "taught Barbados about freedom", maybe I'll ask Lisa about it.

"Excuse me madam, my father needs to speak to that man you're carrying. Please, hand him to me." I heard a voice from behind me say, the accent was a thick Schneznayan one.

I turned around to meet the person, a woman in an outfit that wouldn't look out of place in a family portrait of old Schneznayan nobility, they also held a vision.

A cryo vision.

I three Venti into a hay pile and summoned my spear, "your a pretty bad liar, LA SIGNORA!"

"No wait! You've got it all w-" I jabbed at her with my spear, using conduct to increase it's power, "I said wait!-"

"I don't bargain with people who hurt my friends!" Hehe, that was a cool line, nice one Selene.

"W-WHAT!? HOW DARE YOU INSINUATE THAT I WOULD HURT MY OWN BROTHER!" The woman gasped and pointed behind me.

I looked back and saw an abyss mage sneaking away with Venti.

"HEY! THAT'S MY BROTHER/BEST FRIEND'S BOYFRIEND!"

The mage noticed and bolted away. We chased it all the way to star conch cliff, where it threw Venti over the edge.

"Haha! Do your worst human! I have already completed my mission! Now without your precious archon, mondstadt will-!"

A tornado of water sprouted up from the sea, then froze in place. From the newly formed spiral of ice rose a cloaked man, and around him were 6 wisps of every element but cryo.

The mage turned around, and were it not for the dendro tendril crushing it's windpipe they would have screamed in horror.

"First you threaten to kill my son," the cloaked man stepped off the spire, the air polarizing itself with electro to form a step, "then you kidnap him while my daughter is trying to retrieve him," another step, this time the air simply pushes him up to form a step, "and now you have followed through on that threat. It tried to," the man took one last, powerful step, to which a geo platform met his feet and lifted him to the hanging abyss mage, "how truly foolish must you be."

He man then lit the tendril on fire, burning the mage like a furby in a campfire.

The man lowered himself down, Venti in his arms, and said, "I'm sorry Barbados, I should have gone to get you myself. Viktoria, what happened?"

Then he noticed me.

"EEEEP!" He shouted as he dropped Venti with a thud.

_____________________

(3rd person limited, Spritefather pov)

'Oh celestia, a person! No no, keep it together. You love interacting with humans in a controlled manner. This is just as controlled, just...a suprise.' Spritefather thought.

"By Barbados' hairy nostrils! You're the Spritefather!" The human Selene shouted.

Spritefather straightened himself out and cleared his throat, "y-yes, I am. But I am not 'the' Spritefather, I'm just Spritefather. Saying 'the Spritefather' is like calling you 'the Selene'. But now isn't the time for such trivial bickerings," Spritefather gave a gentlemanly bow, "thank you for attempting to rescue my eldest child, and for taking him home everytime he indulges a bit to much on vices."

Viktoria facepalmed, "dad! They aren't supposed to know that!"

"Well why not? They're friends with him, and best friends with his boyfriend. Which by the way I STILL need to meet-" he noticed Selene was seeming kind if pale, "you ok?"

*thud*

"Oh dear."

_____________________

(3rd person omniscient pov)

(There's no good point to explain this, but they're in a serenitea pot)

Selene woke up in a very confused state, and on a cloaked woman's lap.

"Please do not be alarmed, neither me nor my daughter did anything to you." The woman said.

Selene, in response, punched the woman and scrambled away, "who the abyss are you!?"

"Well I'm not particularly loved by celestia but I'd hardly say I'm abyssal.."

"Father, people here are not as accustomed to the divine as Liyue or Inazuma." The woman from before, who Selene thought was La Signora, said as she approached them with some tea.

"Wait, fa-no, no. Don't do that Selene, it's rude."

The cloaked woman shook her hands to dismiss Selene's concern, "it's fine, however I thank you for your accepting nature. Though it is to be excepted given your personal identity."

"How do you know me?"

"Heh, have you forgotten already? Though I suppose the change in form is not common among you humans. And nonexistent in the way me and the wisps can do."

The woman got up and started twirling, then surrounded themself in elemental power, and when it cleared stood the cloaked man Selene saw in her dream...

*wait*

"That wasn't a dream...holy shit that wasn't a dream! You're the Spritefather-I mean-you're Spritefather! Your real!"

"Indeed I am. I would think everyone in mondstadt believes I'm real, but atleast that leaves less for that misconception."

"What misconception?"

"Ask Barbados, shouldn't be too hard since you two are close."

"Barba-wait Venti is actually Barbados!?

"Oh dear I'm making this worse."

The still unnamed woman sighed and shook her head, "how about we focus on why my dad decided to be a woman? Surely that would be a far more easy thing to understand."

"It's because she likes women, and I don't blame her. World cold and hard, titty warm and soft."

"Dad who taught you that!?"

"You do realize I can hear the lives of all in my home yes?"

"I guess I'm at fault." Selene laughed.

"I will have my revenge upon you for this." The woman responded.

Spritefather chuckled, "oh? And how about you get your revenge over a date. Anastasia."

"F-FATHER!"

"What? She's single, friends to someone who can teach her proper tea ceremonies, and uh....they have....hmmm..." Spritefather was trying to think if what he could say to convince his daughter, "look I just want to see grand kids!"

"FATHER"

"K-KIDS!?"

"Look I'm pushing fifty million! If one of you doesn't get me kids in the next ten million years I'm going to grow grey hair!"

Anastasia starts forming an ice throwing knife, "REBEL'S-"

"Papa, what happen?" Came a childish voice.

Selene gasped, they were looking at probably the cutest thing EVER!

"Oh my ARCHONS! IS THAT A PYROSPRITE!?"

"Yes that's my child Flameo-"

Selene, already having picked up the the baby, "they're so CUTE!"

They hugged the little flame close to their face and nuzzled them, to which Flameo quickly responded to with their own.

"Smell like..." they thought for a moment, "big Bro Bardos!" They flew around Selene excitedly, "friend!"

Spritefather sighed, "Oh dear, now the rest will be coming out. And I just got them to sleep aswell."

It wasn't long before Selene was surrounded by six Sprites.

The Electrosprite landed on her vision and started vibrating happily.

The Geosprite asked, "are you strong!? I think I could be you!"

"Oh I'm sure you could." Selene said to appease the little Sprite as she chuckled chuckled.

The Anemosprite and Pyrosprite flew around her head like children.

The Hydrosprite was inspecting her clothes, "how utterly bourgeois, has my Brother and father been teaching you how to dress? Honestly, the people of mondstadt should learn from the reconnaissance captain of the knights. Now there's a woman who knows how to dress."

"Oh you mean Eula?"

"You know her?"

"Oh yeah, she's invites me to tea every now and then."

"SHE...invites....YOU...out for TEA!?-"

Anastasia puts her hand over the Hydrosprite and tries to hold her back

"Sorry about that," the woman replied, "kids and their crushes."

(Agua, muffled: I'M SIXTEENTH HUNDRED YEARS OLD!)

"Ha-haaa...."

Selene couldn't respond to that as they felt a prick in her spine, causing them to yelp.

A Dendrodsprite slinkied up her back and put it's head on her shoulder, "just sampling...never seen blood like yours...so intertwined with the...divine....yet so distan-"

Spritefather picked up his child, "please forgive Leafy, they're in their...adventurous stage. And their adventure is to learn things. Often things that involve pins and needles."

This was going to be a looong night

_____________________

The next day, Vanessa's tree

Selene yawns and falls on the statue, Venti doing the same. The difference between them is one is hungover and waiting for his boyfriend to take him home after the fifth assassination attempt this week, the other has to deal with the consequences of being loved by children and being there to try and stop the most recent assassination

"Holy shit....this hang over....I thought Decrabain's hailstorms were bad..."

"You shouldn't try watching after Leafy.....but I think half the pains are from Agua's jealousy bites......"

"You think that's bad?.....you should have seen them when they realized Cael and I....were dating....."

"...archons I hope I was never like that as a kid...."

"Oh cherry up you two!" Spritefather said, a bit too loud for the two, "it's a new day and-"

Venti hit his father with a clump of grass using anemo

"YOUNG MAN!-

"Ohheythere'sCaelgottagobye!" The archon said as he ran off.

Spritefather sighed, "he's always like that, running from responsibilities. But he always means up when it counts, so I can only say I'm proud of the man he's become," he thought for a moment, "except for when he turns into a woman for whatever reason, then I'm proud of the woman she's become...you know, after being around single form life for so long stuff like that feels so strange. I mean you humans are born with one form and cant naturally change it. But if you feel it's wrong you'll go through so much trouble just to get close to what us shape changers can get. While to humans it is inspiring purely because of the person's determination to take the form they so deserve, that they were truly meant to have. But for me it's so much more! The human spirit and will is oh so inspiring, but the amount humans go through! So much money, so much time, and in many places simply enduring life! Why even I couldn't get the...uh...transphobia is it?...out of Inazuma!Terribly sorry human language changes so much. Oh and on language! To think that I was there when the first cave man was trying to mimic the grunts of the gods, only to make something so much superior to them to the point that the gods copied THEM! And speaking of copies have you ever heard of the time Dainsleif-" he paused as he saw Selene's bored face, "sorry. One little thing and I start ranting and rave...no, it's info dumping. And I should thank you humans for making that term, and all the other wonder words you've made, and the medical advances. They've helped me understand myself....ah but look at me, rambling on again. You know what? For entertaining my kids the whole night, and listening to an old man's ramblings, I'll give you a boon. Anything you want, if I can get it you shall have it."

Selene thought for a moment. She thought about asking him to bring back her father, but they knew he couldn't raise the dead. She even thought...of her mother, to see her again, but they knew that it wouldn't help. A selfish part of her even wanted someway to reignite her's and Rosaria's relationship, after all that part of her life was, but she knew it would be wrong and that they both agree they just didn't work.

Perhaps just ask for mora? She did need some for a good night's rest, but that felt wasteful. What was one night's rest for what could be a lifetime of amazing power. But maybe it would be wrong to ask for something like power. Ah! She's got it!

"How about a spear? A really powerful one that compliments my powers perfectly! Oh! And make it look really cool!"

Spritefather blinked, then laughed, "well, that's rather simple isn't it? So amazing you humans. You expect them to make something big and/or selfish, like taking control of a country, or killing someone. Yet never once has one of my boons been used for anything bad. Even when they're selfish. Like one time I met a very selfish person who I granted a boon, and all he did with it was ask me to make sure the kids of Inazuma were never hungry. Ah, now that. That was ranting, sorry." Spritefather walked over to the statue's base and knocked three times, "hello Vanessa. It's been a while since I last called you, but I was hoping you could give me a hand? And perhaps a very sturdy branch off your tree?"

"Uhhh-"

A light shown down from the heavens and the ground shook, causing a skeletal hand to rise from the depths.

Selene would have screeched if she weren't so tired, "I'd prefer my weapon to be less...body part-sy."

"Nonsense! Everyone knows that bones make the best weapons! You know why it's called a prototype rancor?! BECAUSE NOONE WANTS TO ACCEPT THAT THE PERFECTED VERSION I, THE INVENTOR, MADE INCLUDES THE SHINBONES OF MITSCHURLS! YOU EVER SEEN A-*ahem*-sorry, rambling."

As he was ranting, a branch handed Spritefather a sturdy branch from the tree.

"Perfect, now a bit of magic and-" the two items blew up in Spritefather's face before reforming into a purple and black spear that ended in a feathery sleeve like pattern that was attached to a sharp blade that looked very much like a hand made into a spear blade. Mainly because it was.

A brilliant light shone down on the Spritefather as he floated up and presented the spear to Selene(mumbled: thanks Venessa)

"SELENE OF MONDSTADT!"

His voice became that of s god's, filled with power and compassion, booming across windrise.

"YOU HAVE SPOKEN YOUR WISH, AND BY MY HONOR AS THE ENTERNAL FATHER, I AM DUTY BOUND TO GRANT IT!"

He leans imup to Selene and whispered to her, "do you like the eternal father moniker? I thought it up myself."

"Oh yeah, 10/10, really keeping with the Inazuman background."

"Thanks."

"TAKE YOUR GRAND BLADE, AND GO FORTH TO CARVE THROWS DESTINY AND TILL YOUR OWN FUTURE!"

Selene took the spear, "uh...thanks?"

"Oh your very welcome. By the way how was that delivery? I've been working on the whole 'I am a powerful being' delivery for a few centuries."

"A bit hard to understand, but overall gets the vibe across. Maybe 8/10? Low seven probably."

"Yeah, I kind of expected that. Wonder how else I could get that effect, you know without the whole can't understand thing."

"Well, I've got teo other immortals to meet. Ones I need to question."

"Ah yes, I'm sure Cael and Barbados have much to answer for to you."

"Yes they do. I don't suppose 'see you around' would be appropriate here?"

"On a sense? It's appropriate. After all I'm your friend now aswell, and I prefer a life without isolation. So...see you round?"

"Sure, see you around."

_____________________

Admittedly didn't know how to end this. I like it but I'm a tad worried I made it to focused on my character and didn't give Selene enough attention.

Regardless I hope you enjoyed it cloud! I really tried to get Selene right. And sorry it took so long, sleep kept getting messed up, and then covid shot+forgetting to hydrate kicked my ass.

(Tagging: @storytravelled, @golden-wingseos, and @clouds-rambles)

[judgement-free-sideblog]

Ghosts from the rainforest

Captain James Conrad x Reader

Summary: A simple rescue mission will bring him back to a place full of nightmares, and maybe this time he could find redemption. Situated in 1975, 2 years after the events of Skull Island.

Warnings: Violence, blood, wounds, mentions of war, cursing, implied smut, smoking, angst.

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

I finally manage to write the end to this tiny fic, I hope you like it, and I'm going to start on my ideas for a Jonathan Pine adventure, but I haven't decide yet.

Chapter 7: Fever [Final]

The helicopter was already on motion, and the rescue crew that Brooks had sent for you were charging everything for the trip. The guys were excited to finally going back home, the Celebes Sea was ahead of you in the military base you were staying, and waiting in the Pacific the majestic USS Constellation  (CV-64) waiting to take all of you home.

Home? A country that had make more damage and taken everything from you, your family, and had force you to live away to mend some of the atrocities they had committed in the name of freedom.

"Not looking so charming today are we?" You said to him once he walked in your room to pick up your bags, you have finally stop the hostilities after he had offered you his shoulder to cry while you mourned Shukri on his funeral and after all the physical torture he had endured so you could safely leave Borneo.

He had been clear about letting you stay if that was what you wanted, and even when the rest of the crew asume you were coming back to USA, he knew you would have to say goodbye sooner or later, so instead of telling him all the things your heart was keeping from him you kept teasing him and pretending the chopper was not waiting for him.

"I have a minor headache love, but it's okay, are you ready to say goodbye?" He said and you noted how his temple had a few wrinkles, he was trying to smile over the pain in his head "It's a shame you don't come with us, I have a lot of things I wanted to show you" he grabbed your hand and all your alarms started to scream.

"Conrad are you okay?" Those words were all you have hoped for, however the radiant heat from his skin told you he was not exactly fine. "Dear God you are burning up" You said touching his head and looking desperately for a thermometer in your belongings.

"I like you too doctor, but why don't we wait until we get to the ship, we can share a bunk bed" He was definitely not himself.

"103° damn it Conrad!" You said, and for some oddly reason remember the night he told you about Randa and how much he complained about mosquitoes while he was dressing "Look at me, I'm not kidding, did you take Chloroquine before we leave Malaysia? I told you guys you had to..."

He nodded negative, and before he could speak he simply throw up in the nearest trash bin, making you suspect of the worst, specially since all the medicine was now gone and the only viable solution now was the aircraft carrier in the middle of the Pacific waiting for you.

"Also you have perfect legs you know that? I could spend my life sleeping on them." He kept saying things like that while you helped him to the heliport "Come here princess your prince charming needs your love" he said trying to kiss you.

"Later dear, preferably when you're not dying or smelling like vomit" you tried to stop him.

"Well you didn't mind me covered in dirt and sweat" He tried again but he stopped to scream "Reg! I love you man, you are like a son to me" and also tried to kiss the boy on the forehead.

"What happened to the Captain?" Slivko asked concerned once you help him to board the chopper while carrying his luggage and your medical bag.

"I have no idea, but I'm afraid it might be Malaria" you said bluntly and all of them looked concerned at you, while he vomited again "Do you have medical equipment here?" You asked the pilot and he only raised his thumb while you make sure he was steady on the helicopter floor, and almost didn't feel the machine take off while you tried to put an IV on his arm.

After one hour that felt like ten you could no longer see the island, only the immensity of the Pacific, and growing in the horizon the USS Constellation, even when you despised war and everything it represented the enormous carrier was enough to let you speechless, specially when a team of nurses and a doctor was already with a stretcher waiting for him.

"It's going to be ok James" you told him holding his hand while the experts rushed him inside.

"You really like men to die quite literally for you right?" He tried to joke, fighting the impulse of vomiting again, "Hey it's okay, I have to take care of you remember?" He smiled and you hold his hand trying to not get on the way of the medical staff, but he was too weak and fall asleep.

After they had stabilized his temperature, and take samples of his blood to determine the pathogen they let you in, the beds inside the medical bay of the ship were oddly spacious, and you could be sited next to him without any other person listening.

"Y/N?" He asked opening his beautiful eyes, "Hey it's okay love, I'm feeling better" He said and tried to reach for the glass of water on the table.

"Let me" You said and put it closer to him, "I know, once they identify the plasmodium they will know what is the best treatment for you, they take test and interrogate all of us, don't tell him I told you but Reles almost passed out when he saw the needle " He attempt to laugh but was still weak so he only smiled.

"Well is rewarding seen you on my dead bed, I'm quite honored, tears look oddly beautiful on you" He said and a small smile form in your lips.

"And you are still delirious" You said looking for a piece of cloth, and cold water from the sink to put on his head. "Here, try to rest, I'll come see you later" you told him but before your hand could leave his head he hold you still "What?"

"I might be dying, so you owe me at least listening me like adults" He said forcing you to stay next to him.

"You are not dying" you said trying to sound like it didn't matter and failing miserably "you are not, but fine. Let's talk" you concede.

"I'm sorry" he started contrary to what you had expected. "I had no idea how you looked before we met, and i was under no circumstances trying to seduce you to lure you back to America" you blush and regret your decision to stay by his side.

"I'm sorry too" You responded after a while "You have done so much helping me, even when half of the trouble I caused was preventable if I haven't trusted in the wrong people." You said and he hold your hand softly, he didn't want to hear about that, and you knew it so you took all the courage you have to continue. "And I'm sorry I over reacted, I am so used to people coming to me with second intentions that I just pushed you away to avoid getting hurt, and I just end up making other people hurt you"

"I'm sorry I make you come to the ship, I knew you wanted to stay" he said sincerely.

"It's okay, I have to make sure you stay alive, you know for the boys, maybe working at Monarch with you and Brooks won't be so bad"

"Well you can always run away from us in Hawaii, or maybe... we could run away together" He gave you a pleading look, and for moment you could imagine that life, keep running away, by his side, the soldier that never came home, and the idealist doctor, and keep leaving ghosts in every island, trying to find happiness apart from the world, but together. He kissed you, but this time it wasn't a lusty hunger kiss, nor passionate and angry like before, it was reassuring and you knew no matter what your answer was, he was on your side, for the first time you had someone on your side "So what do you say?"

But you couldn't answer because out of nowhere your stomach make you nauseous and you rush to the toilet to empty its content.

"Are you okay dear?" He screamed from the bed "I'm trying bloody hard to not take this as criticism"

"I'm okay, but I'm going to check your tests and start taking the pills before I end up confessing my sins on the fever like you" you said and walked out of the bathroom to saw him "We can talk later" you assure him.

You marched inside the medical office and started to look in the cabinets, when the young doctor that had received Conrad walked in.

"I'm sorry, I start feeling the symptoms and I thought it would be better if I start on the chloroquine before it gets worse" you excuse yourself.

"That would be great, if any of you had Malaria" he said offering you a seat that you take since he speak with a Texan accent and an authoritarian voice that made up from his young face "But we test all of you and what our SAS friend has is more likely a stomach flu from some bad shrimp, I was just on my way to tell him." He said and you sigh in relief, but also concerned about your own symptoms

"Oh that's great, but I start barfing too, and I didn't had the shrimp last night" you said and he took out a small file with your name that the nurses had put together earlier.

"Well it may be motion sickness, we are in a boat after all, or maybe... you told the nurse you didn't remember when was your last period?" He said looking the file.

"Well we have been in the jungle almost a month so I wasn't exactly counting" you tried to joke.

"The change of environment can trigger the vomit, or if you had sex in the past three weeks you might be pregnant" He smiled and all the weight of the world fall into your shoulders instantly. "In any case you should rest and let alone my medical cabinets, go with nurse Matthews she will give you some vitamins" he said but you were not longer listening.

No, it couldn't be that, right? You tried to convince your mind, but deep down you knew it was true, what would he think? He was a soldier, a man of the field, not a father, and you were obviously not a mother, what will happen now? Now that he wanted to run away in the world next to you, a baby had a place on that plan?.

Two days later Conrad was out of the medical bay and trying to approach you, offering you a fresh start from the afternoon you pause all those weeks ago in Malaysia.

But the stolen kisses on the hallways, and his nightly incursions on your cabin only made it harder for you to find a way to come clean about your news, even when the idea had already sink in your mind, because it was a baby, and it was his baby, how could you not be happy and grateful? Yet you haven't say anything to him.

Four days later he had spend the whole day walking on the deck with you, like if the planes and choppers were an appropriate sighting for a date.

"We'll be in Hawaii soon" He started "If you want to go out for a walk in the morning and get lost in the jungle we have to star planning now" he said and you were looking at the ocean trying to make up your mind.

"Maybe... I was wondering about the work you do at Monarch, maybe I will give it a chance" you start not sure how the whole we are having a baby situation will fit in your speech "I mean if you want to travel the world it might help to have a paying job for a while" you were nervously touching your hands.

"Of course, also when the baby comes I would like to have a proper house for him to be... or she, I don't care you know? as long as they're healthy" he said and you nodded yes.

"Yeah of course... what??" You look at him and he had the most radiant smile on his face, and he was clearly holding his laugh and apparently tears, of joy? "How do you know?

"Well nurse Matthews saw us kissing and then she complained about how Children this days keep having children out of wedlock" he said and you hide your face on your hands.

"I was really going to tell you... for real is just..." but you didn't have the words in you, and the tears were running on your face

"I know, it's fine, I mean is a little soon but if I'm honest I'm tired of running, and after all we've been trough I couldn't imagine a single person to share this experience with" He said cleaning the tears from your face.

"You sure?" You asked again, needing to hear it from his mouth.

"I'm sure, I fall in love with you when I saw you scaring local vendors in Malaysia and then fighting guerilla liders in Borneo, I even loved you when you vomit after kissing me for real, I'm completely taken by you Y/N"

"I fall in love with you too James" you said, and his expression got serious for a moment. "What?"

"Nothing, is just that I'm going to miss Prince Charming" he said giving you again the disarming smile that had started all this adventure.

The end

@damalseer

@kinghiddlestonanddixon (I hope you like the end)

[rose-tinted-wings]

I hate CRPS flares.

My daily life with CRPS is basically that my feet are like icicles and they hurt to walk on, yes, but it's like when the feeling is coming back to you when you have pins and needles. It's that prickly pain which is horrible but I can manage it. My feet are generally mottled purple/red, I can carry on my life as best as possible. I can walk in pain, I can drive, it's okay.

A flare though? I have been in one for a week. I haven't been able to wash properly as the water of a bath is too painful and we can't use our shower. Standing is too painful so I have to scoot around on an office chair the best I can. It feels like someone has jammed a red hot poker into my ankle through the top. I feel like my bones are breaking, I feel like someone has injected petrol in my veins and lit it on fire.

My hubby saw me panic and go into shock from the pain, he watched my toes and foot go red as the invisible flames licked up my toes towards my ankle.

Buty feet are still cold. It's like a freezer burn, it's still cold but it BURNS.

No painkillers can relieve this, not that I've found.

I'm so glad my family believe me. They see my purple/red/white feet and legs. They see me struggling to breathe as the pain is so intense it knocks your breath away.

Instead of lying on my wedge pillow so I can breathe properly and not hurt my ribs with my fibro it's currently propping my feet up night and day as my feet cannot touch anything right now.

I'm still trying to move my ankles so they don't become stiff and useless but like now, when I do I'm in tears.

I can't think. I can't cope. I've thought about going hospital but what will they do? See I'm already medicated constantly, check for damage, which they'll find none, and send me home. So what's the point? I don't want to waste time and resources.

And a rheumatologist saw me for all of ten minutes, barely examined me and basically said no, I don't have it. Did an MRI and as nothing came up took my diagnosis away... When it only appears on MRI 50% of the time... Cool.

So now when people see my purple feet I just say "but there's nothing wrong with them!" because now I have a widespread chronic pain condition, they'd rather chalk it up to that... Even though this started 14 years prior.

It's demoralising, it's traumatising, and this comes with a lot of emotional wounds and scaring from when it originally happened.

I'm tired. I've been awake on and off all night but up for an hour consistently thinking I need to pee but can't make it to the next room over right now...

I was picking up, then, I don't know 🤷‍♂️

I was confident to move the office chair back to the spare room but now I think I need it back.

I wish I had a rollator for in the house but I don't have £120 lying around to afford it.

Sorry for the moan. I'll go back and try and sleep a little longer.