#I'd almost be insulted if he wasn't at this point

[prurientpuddlejumper]

I haven't finished the game yet so I don't want to find spoilers, but FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK I love Astarion!!!

Sooo anyone wanna tell me if this is another character I'll get hatemail for liking? 😂

[cvnntagious]

:: babydaddy!matt has no problem sticking up for brat!reader

matt wasn't the type to get easily riled up—especially not to where he felt the need to get physical about it. he was more the type to talk things out, most would say. and that's exactly why it was such a shock when you made your way towards the commotion in the living room to see matt with a guy under him, fists of fury hammering into the poor dude's face.

for a moment, you contemplated if this was something you even wanted to involve yourself in, given is was your child's father. but when matt's hand continued coming down repeatedly with no sign of stopping any time soon, his opposer barely fighting back at this point, you couldn't find it in him to let him just keep kicking this guy when he was so clearly down.

giving a harsh tug on matt's plain black t-shit, you pulled him off like he were a misbehaving dog. his head snapped back to see who had grabbed him, brows unfurrowing the moment he came face to face with you.

his breathing was ragged, waiting for you to berate him as the people surrounding you two scrambled to stop the guy who was once lying on yhe dloor from standing up. to his surprise, you pulled him along with an annoyed grunt, slipping out of the party amidst the chaos of the fight. "where're we going?" matt asked, only to be ignored as he followed behind you until you guys were far from the house.

"i knew this was a stupid idea," you finally muttered, letting go of his wrist to turn and look up at him as you two stood in front of his car. your eyes, scanned his face, maneuvering your head to get a good look at any injuries he may have.

matt's mouth opened, wanting to explain. he knew you didn't want to hear it. "m'not hurt," he replied simply, shaking his head as his eyes finally met yours.

you clicked your tongue, giving him a deep sigh as your eyes rolled for what already felt like the millionth time tonight. "what's your problem?" you asked, addressing the big fat elephant standing right in front of your guys' faces, "forget you're an adult now, hm? have been for almost five years... fighting's how you catch cases, dumbass."

the scoff that left his lips made you want to slap some sense into matt, giving him a look that said, 'are you a fucking idiot?' as you waited for whatever lame excuse he might conjur up. but you should've known better than that. you knew matt had never been the type to go out fighting recklessly, so you should've known something had seriously bothered him. and the fact that something so simple had slipped your mind made his reasoning all the more shocking. "kid was talking shit," he answered, eyes averting to look anywhere but you, one hand coming up to rest on his hip as if he were embarrassed to admit it.

again, you weren't paying enough attention. "yeah? what, he said your fancy little carharts weren't cool enough or something? so you had to go and risk literal jail time?" you insulted, growing increasingly more annoyed with each passing second, "i mean, seriously, i don't know what i'd do if that guy chooses to press charges—you better hope nobody recorded that."

matt looked at you with a softness to his eyes, feeling his chest tightening a bit at your words; for a moment, those last few sentences made it feel like you needed him. of course, he knew in the back of his mind that you were thinking of mazzy, but he'd like to remain at least the slightest bit delusional in the moment. "come on," he scoffed again, "it was about you... the guy was talkin' shit 'bout you. was i supposed to jus' let him?"

the confession made your breath hitch a little, head pulling back and brows furrowing in a mild confusion. then, you came back to your senses, the attitude rising within you apparent on your features. "what'd he say?" you asked with a quick work of your neck.

"s'nothing important." matt was quick to brush you off, a certain coldness washing over him.

"really? then why'd you fight about it," you pressed on, a brow raising as if to tell him you simply didn't believe him.

he shook his head, mouth openining and closing as matt thought of an excuse. he couldn't – or, moreover, he didn't want to lie to you. "jus' spewin' some bullshit about you, like, bein' overly difficult... said you rejected him an' shit earlier. i guess he was upset about it," he answered, realizing he may have overreacted a bit now that he was explaining it out loud.

"that's all?"

matt shot you a confused look, shrugging a bit. "yeah—i mean, i also saw him tryin' t'grab on you earlier, so..." even that that wasn't really all, truthfully. it was the way the guy was so persistent, eager to start some sort of smear campaign against you between all of his friends. his lack of regard for matt as he badmouthed you, knowing what matt was to you. what you meant to matt.

you were quick to push past him, another annoyed grunt as you shoulder checked him. "just let him talk next time," you mumbled through gritted teeth, "that's not your battle."

matt turned and watched you walk away, in utter disbelief that this was how he was getting treated for standing up for you. of course it was his battle. who else was going to fight it? you? absolutely not. that guy got what was coming to him, saying whatever so carelessly.

"stay if you want," you called back, head turning to look at him, "m'gonna stop by your house to pick up mazzy from chris and nick."

w/c : 971 taglist : @mattsturnswife, @br1annax, @x0x0bunny, @m4ttsmunch, @mattsnumberonehoe, @k4yd1, @sturnobsessedwh0re, @sturnstar169, @bxtchboy69, @strnilolover, @little-miss-shay, @sweetobservationface requested by anon.

[s-awturn]

Drivers and their romantic tropes || F1 Grid

cw: insults, rivalry, fighting, superficiality, suggestive behavior, almost obscene — if you squint your eyes — romance, age gap, cuteness, love and blah blah blah

starring: LH44, CS55, CL16, LN4, OP81, MV1

a/n: I've probably found a new addiction? Making headcanons is so much fun, I can feel the obsession with this format coming on. By the way, I'd love to hear your suggestions (it's just a tip,I'm not suggesting anything 🤭

LEWIS HAMILTON - Age Gap

Being Charles' younger cousin gave her some privileges like going to parties and the paddock whenever she wanted or meeting the drivers and other celebrities, and that's how you met Lewis. Of course you already knew who the Million Dollar Man was, but in person it was all better — and damn, he was so much better in person. The attraction between you was immediate and for a long time Lewis denied what he felt, You were much younger than him and you were still Charles' favorite cousin, meaning it was obvious that you were overprotected by the Monegasque. Which reduced any possibility of a relationship between you and the British pilot to zero.

However, there are no forces sufficient to prevent the universe from moving its strings in any way it wants, so it wasn't long before you and Lewis were making out in every free corner, be it the driver's lounge, the Ferrari motorhome or one of the secluded spots at the team parties. Eventually, the attraction between Lewis and you grew to the point where it became something strong and lasting, well, Charles' efforts to keep you away from Lewis were in vain.

You adored Lewis, you loved how he took care of you, how he made it clear that you were his priority, Lewis treated you like no other guy your age had ever treated you.

Lewis would never admit that he liked how much older he was than you, he loved the way you trusted his experience and maturity, allowing him to take care of you in the best way possible, because there is nothing he loves more than making sure his little girl is completely happy.

CARLOS SAINZ - Fake Dating

Carlos needed a fake girlfriend to calm the media and you needed a miracle to cover your student expenses, so the two of you ended up combining business with pleasure. The two of you made a deal, you just had to pretend in front of the media and friends — everyone had to believe the charade, even family members — you were supposed to accompany him on some races and root for him, post pictures together, and Carlos would pay for everything you needed until you graduated, which was, more or less, another semester and a half. And most importantly, feelings could not be involved.

With everything combined, what could go wrong, right? But of course, everything went wrong the exact moment you realized that Carlos was the perfect boyfriend material.

How could you not fall in love with the guy who opened doors for you? Or who would pick you up at the university gates with a rose? You were getting involved and this went against the agreement you and Carlos had established. You couldn't tell if Carlos also ended up developing feelings in the meantime, he was a difficult man to scrutinize, and it was easy for you to assume that it wasn't reciprocated and before your heart was broken, you broke the agreement, returned everything Carlos had given you — as part of your act — and the money.

What you didn't know is that Carlos was in the same situation as you and it wasn't at all pleasant for him to find a note from you and all the gifts he had given you. You left and left him with just a "sorry, I can't anymore"; and in a few weeks, you didn't know how, but Carlos found you at the guesthouse where you were staying.

And there, standing in the hallway of that modest boarding house where you were staying, Carlos confessed to you, shouting that you couldn't leave him without him trying to win you over. You laughed and kissed him, because the Spaniard didn't need to try, he had already done it.

CHARLES LECLERC - Marriage of Convenience

Your family and Charles' family had been friends for years — really many years — and it only took one drunken night for your father and his to make an agreement, they would unite their families in marriage.

Her marriage to Charles.

And it was all well and good, if you two hadn't hated each other since the first time you saw each other. God knew you tried to be nice to Charles, but he took immense pleasure in being nothing short of unpleasant to you; he loved to laugh at you, he picked on you for everything you did, he handed you over to your parents when you were up to no good, so it didn't take long for you to start hating the boy.

You exchanged barbs at every opportunity you had, you begged your father to break off the engagement, after all you didn't want to marry someone who openly hated you. However, with the sudden death of Charles' father, any chance of breaking off the engagement fell by the wayside, and you were doomed to a failed marriage from the start because you hated your fiancé and it was completely reciprocated.

You tried to propose a deal to Charles, that you two break the commitment, he was adamant, there would be a wedding. And you didn't understand, why did he want to marry you if he hated you? With this doubt, you tested Charles' patience until he confessed that there was never any real hatred, he provoked you because he thought it was the only way to make you notice him.

Taken by surprise, you didn't know how to react other than to move away from him. You were confused by that revelation, both with Charles and with your own feelings; however, there was no distance really, because Charles almost set up camp on your doorstep. It was his turn to annoy you and it was no different, you fought until you ended up kissing. Not once, not twice, but several times until you both admitted that it was never hate, in fact. You two were married in the middle of spring, in a chateau in France,

LANDO NORRIS - Strange to Lovers

It all started with a blind date gone wrong, Lando ended up getting the wrong table and this resulted in the two of you talking until the restaurant closed and you two were asked to leave the place, only then did you discover that he was not the guy you were dating. Not that you thought it was bad, Lando was great! He was funny, witty and kind, he made sure to drop you off at home and took your phone, so what if he got the wrong table? He even had an amazing date with a stunning girl, so in the end, nothing had really gone wrong.

After that meeting, you unfortunately didn't go out anymore because of your racing schedule, but you exchanged messages every day, it didn't matter what the subject was, it could be something about Formula One or the puppy video you sent him. Talking to Lando was easy, it didn't even seem like you met by chance, when you noticed, you had already been talking for almost nine weeks, you had two more dates. On your first date, Lando insisted on taking you to an art gallery that had recently opened in London, on your second date, you took him to karaoke.

When you really realized it, Lando was no longer a stranger, you had his clothes in your drawers and he kept his skin care products in his bathroom cabinet. You and Lando had a firm agreement, to always talk, never go to bed angry, and never hide anything—not that you could hide anything, since you were already so intertwined with each other that nothing could remain hidden between you anymore.

You attended his races, whenever you had free time, Lando would be attending your exhibitions. Honestly, that wrong meeting was the best thing that happened to both of you.

OSCAR PIASTRI - Friends to Lovers

Friends since childhood, they went through all the stages of each other's lives, Oscar had been in your life for so long that you couldn't even imagine what it would be like without him. You supported him when he decided to become a pilot, you watched every race you could and in return, Oscar was at all of his college presentations.

People always thought you were more than friends, but Oscar always gave a shy smile and reinforced that you were just friends, you don't know when or how, but at some point it started to bother you. And that didn't make sense, because you were really just friends.

There was no you without Oscar and there was no Oscar without you.

When he managed to move up to F1, you made sure to buy a box of orange fireworks to celebrate, so what if you were living on the East Coast of the United States? Oscar deserved the fireworks. He made sure to send you a beautiful bouquet of tulips — orange because that was your color all along — a huge breakfast, and a sweet note when you graduated from college.

Little by little, the obligations of adult life, the racing calendar and everything else began to take up all of your time and this decreased the frequency of conversations between you and Oscar. You didn't even notice that you weren't talking to your best friend as often anymore, you only realized that you hadn't spoken to each other in weeks when the news broke that he was dating.

You didn't understand why it hurt so much, maybe because he didn't tell you or because he was dating an old colleague of yours... Either way, it hurt to know that, but you sent him a message, wishing him well. You talked for a while, but it felt strange, something had changed between you.

But you didn't focus on that, Oscar was happy and you were happy for him, so you put the discomfort aside, the important thing was that your best friend was radiant. Your feelings weren't important.

Maybe the boiling point was Christmas, you returned to Australia to spend the holidays with family, completely forgetting that the Piastri were also part of the family, so there was Oscar. You expected to find his girlfriend there, but it was just Oscar, your Christmas present, and his signature shy smile. When you asked where his girlfriend was, Oscar said he didn't have a girlfriend, and when you wanted to know why, his answer was very succinct: she wasn't you.

Your heart raced like an eight cylinder engine when he kissed you and fuck, that was the best Christmas ever.

MAX VERSTAPPEN - Enemies to Lovers

You were Max Verstappen's new teammate at Red Bull and if love at first sight existed, you and Max created hate at first sight. You hated each other so much, both on and off the track. You found Max to be impulsive, disrespectful and arrogant, concluding, for you, Max was a total idiot.

In Max's eyes, you were stubborn, showy, and nosy, completely irritating. You fought over everything, from the current strategy to the can of energy drink, the journalists loved the fight between you, the team tried to pacify in the best way, but you and Max? All it took was a spark for you to start a fire.

Your fans speculated that there was much more behind all the hate.

You don't remember which race it was, but it was in the middle of a chicane where you and Max were racing for first place when your front wings collided, you don't even know who crashed into who, you just remember spinning on the track and hitting the barrier. Max continued the race and took the podium that Sunday. You were furious when you arrived at the pits, just like Michael Schumacher at the 1998 Belgian GP. You were shaking with anger, your engineer tried to calm you down, your manager, but no one could calm your fury.

That was the worst fight you two ever had, it was bad enough that you decided to cut off all communication with Max, you felt like a pawn in his hands, you really thought he had used you to win the race, and you couldn't even explain how frustrated that made you.

This made things very bad within Red Bull, you deliberately ignored Max, you didn't even respond to his provocations anymore, it was as if Verstappen didn't even exist. And it bothered Max more than he would like to admit, it was like an itch that wouldn't go away. You couldn't ignore him forever.

Max approached you in the hotel hallway, he forced you to listen to him. You had to drag him into your room before the other guests witnessed another fight between the Red Bull drivers. None of you knew when or how, but when you realized it, you were tangled up in your bed, uttering insults between groans and pleas; after that night something changed, the rivalry remained as strong as before, in fact even more so, because you were hungry for the title of world champion, and wouldn't let her future marriage to Max get in the way of that. After all, friends are friends, business is business.

gif credits: lewishamiltongifs, bjeanesthings, cielolercs, formulacuties, delulujuls and isolatingmyself.

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ALL RIGHTS RESERVED TO S-AWTURN™ 🪐. I do not allow copying or republication. Any unauthorized publication will be reported.

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[howi99]

Prince of Vale part 1

Yang: *sigh* Why are we in detention... Again?

Weiss: *side eying Blake* Because someone decided to run head-first into a major heist!

Blake: *rolling her eyes* How was i supposed to know they wouldn't surrender on the spot?

Weiss: *bewildered* You.... You are joking, i hope? Or else, i'd think even Jaune would be brighter than you.

Blake: *sigh* Yes, i am. *Crossing her arms behind her head, looking up* But i wasn't expecting it to go south that badly.

Ruby: *reading the newspaper, at first out of boredom but now completely focused* Speaking of Jaune, did any of you knew that he's basically a prince?

Weiss: *looking at Yang, not believing her* What are you on about? That baffoon can't even speak properly and has no manners. You can't seriously believe- *get shoved the newspaper in her face* Hey!

Ruby: *point at the article* I'm not joking. Page 21, "the only son of the Valois, a branch of the old royal family, returned to Vale as a huntsman-in-training". It even says that they still own a majority of the lands south and east of Vale.

Weiss: *taking the newspaper, beginning to read aloud* Yesterday, the only remaining branch of the royal family with a claim on the throne announced that... *Blink* that... *Put the newspaper down, goes to her end table to pick up reading glasses then take back the journal* ... IS THIS SOME KIND OF JOKE!?

Yang: *looking over her shoulder, reading* Oh? Oh! *Devious smile* Oh oh oh damn! *Look at Ruby* that's for real!?

Ruby: *nods* Hm!

Blake: ... What's going on?

Weiss: *not calm at all* What's going on? WHAT'S GOING ON!? THAT DULL IMBECILE IS THE NEXT IN LANE TO THE THRONE! HE'S GOING TO BE KING NEXT YEAR!

Blake: *takes the newspaper from her* That can't be right... *Read in silence* ... Hm. *Look up* Well, congratulations Weiss, you insulted and spate on the kindness of the soon-to-be king of Vale.

Yang: *crossing her arms with a grin* So, remember all these times you said he was just after your name?

Weiss: That doesn't change anything! And how was i supposed to know he was a Vallois!?

Blake: Well, the article does say he was hidden and sheltered almost all his life, due to the family not wanting him to be distracted from his noble duties.

Weiss: *blanching* Oh god... That's why he's so inept with social interaction!?

Yang: *nods* Yep. *Place her hand on Weiss shoulder* Ice queen, you insulted and denigrated someone who basically just began learning about socialising.

Blake: *look surprised, then worried*

Ruby: *looking at Blake* What's wrong?

Blake: ... Ruby, Did you read the end of the article?

Ruby: *shaking her head* No. I was to excited to share the news, why?

Blake: The reason Jaune is getting the throne... His mother... *She stop talking*

Ruby: *realising what Blake was going to say, hurriedly rush out of the room*

Yang: *Knowing full well the look on Blake's face* Shit. *Goes after Ruby*

Weiss: *clueless, take the newspaper* What's wrong with her? *Read, then freeze up* Oh god... That's... That's horrible...

Blake: *nod* Yeah...

Meanwhile, in the cafeteria

Jaune: *reading the newspaper* ...

Nora: *stuffed with pancakes* Ah~ *sees Jaune getting up* Jaune Jaune? Where are you going?

Jaune: *stop for a second, then smile at Nora* Oh nothing, i just... Want to go for a walk. I shouldn't be long.

Pyrrha: *looking at him, perplexed* Really? But, you said you couldn't feel your legs because of training. You sure you will be fine?

Jaune: *laughing* I was just exaggerating, Pyrrha. Beside, it's not like i can slack off, right.

Pyrrha: Do you want some company? I just finished and i could for a little run

Jaune: *shaking his head* Nah, i'll be fine. I won't ask you to sacrifice your morning for me.

Pyrrha: *sigh* As if spending time with my partner would be a sacrifice. You really should work on your self esteem, you know?

Jaune: Eh eh, sorry. *Takes the newspaper with him* see you both later! *Leave*

Nora: *seeing him go* Something is off.

Pyrrha: *nod* Yeah. I know what i made him do yesterday and he should be crying in pain at every step. Heck, i'm still sore myself.

Nora: You know, you really sounds like you are fucking.

Pyrrha: *sigh* Nora, we both know i wished it was the case.

Nora: *chuckle* Eh, true... But seriously, he looked... Sad.

Pyrrha: I know... Should we follow him?

???: I wouldn't do that if i were you.

Pyrrha: *turning to see Ren* Why's that?

Ren: *sit down with them* He asked to be left alone. The best we can do is to follow his wish.

Nora: If you say so.

___________________________________________

Jaune: *sigh, tired, as he is sitting next to the fountain* ... *See two black boots with red laces* ... *Looks up, seeing a familiar pair of silver eyes reflecting his own eyes* ... Leave me alone...

Ruby: *silently sit next to him, not saying anything* ...

Jaune: ... *Looking at the horizon* ...

Ruby: *doing the same* ...

Jaune: ... *Close his eyes* I've always wanted to be a hero. Be there for others, always with a smile... *Chuckle* my mom thought it was stupid, that i would better serve the kingdom as a ruler. *His fist clench* I never wanted to be a prince. I wanted to be like my dad, an Arc... That's the last thing i said to her, when i left. *Shaking his head* Can you imagine? I spat on everything she ever did for me, even though i know she loved me and my sisters more than anything. And all of this for what? I'm no hero, no huntsman, no nothing.

Ruby: *looking at Jaune, seeing tears running down his face* ... *She gets closer to him, now shoulder to shoulder*

Jaune: ... She was sick when i left. And i didn't even saw it. I never asked why she was tired all the time, or why she looked so sad when she was with us... I... *Shaky breath* I even refused her parting gift. The one she made for me, even after all i had said and done.... I... *Tries to wipe away his tears with his hands, failing* I... *Sobbing* I should have been the one dying... *Cry* I'm so sorry....

Ruby: *hug him* Don't say that... *Hug him harder* Never say things like that...

Jaune: *trying to get out of the hug, still crying* I'm a monster! I said all those things, i refused to listen! How *sob* how could you understand!?

Ruby: I can't! *She looks at him, tears in her eyes* When my mom died, the last thing i said to her was goodnight, so i can't understand what you are feeling!

Jaune: *still trying to get rid of her hug* THEN WHY? WHY SHOULD I LIVE? I DIDN'T CARE FOR HER! SHE WAS DYING IN FRONT OF ME AND I DIDN'T EVEN SEE IT!

Ruby: *tightening her grip* BECAUSE YOU CARED! YOU CARED SO MUCH THAT YOU WOULD DIE FOR HER AND THAT, BOTH ME AND MY SISTER KNOW HOW IT FEELS!

Jaune: *weakening his attempts* B-but all i said... All these mean things-

Ruby: *now crying as much as him* YOU THINK I NEVER WAS MAD WITH MY FATHER? WITH MY SISTER? *Sobbing, her voice trembling* WE.... We are teens! We are stupid, brash and our mouths are full of... Of shit!

Jaune: Bu-

Ruby:NO! NO BUT! *Pleading look* Please! You know she wouldn't want that!

Jaune: *looking down, still sobbing* I... I know she wouldn't want that. *Sob* I know she would prefer that i laugh and smile but... It's so hard.

Ruby: *placing her forehead on his* I know it's hard... I know it will never be the same... But... *sobbing* You are my best friend... And... I won't let you go. Never ever.

Jaune: *hugging Ruby back* Ruby...

Ruby: *sob* So! I want you to promise me to never say that again!

Jaune: W-what? Why?

Ruby: *sad smile* You said an Arc never goes back on a promise. S-so...

Jaune: ... *Sigh* I can't promise you that Ruby...

Ruby: *hugging him harder* ...

Jaune: ... But i can try. *Shake his head* no... I will try.

Ruby: *looking into Jaune's eyes* Can you promise that?

Jaune: *calming down, weakly laughing* Yes, i promise i will try my best, Ruby.

Ruby: Arc promise?

Jaune: *nod* Arc promise.

???: *coughing* So... Should i call dad and tell him you two are finally dating or?

Ruby and Jaune: *both look up, seeing Yang and the rest of team JNPR*

Yang: *looking at them, smiling gently* Are you ok? Both of you?

Jaune: *nod* I'll manage... *Look at Ruby*

Ruby: yeah, *nod* i'm ok.

Yang: *nod* Ok good. *Grin* But my question still stands, since you both seem glued together.

Ruby and Jaune: *realising they are still hugging very close from one another, separate quickly*

Ruby: We are not dating!

Jaune: Y-yeah! We are just friends!

Yang: Aw~ you are both blushing! *Chuckle* I'm joking l, you two.

Pyrrha: *crossing her arms, looking both relieved and angry* You know you disappeared on us, right?

Jaune: *looking perplexed* what?

Nora: We were searching you for hours! We only found you because they both spotted you here!

Jaune: *looking at his scroll* It's already 5? *Shaking his head* Him sorry, i didn't think-

Ren: You don't need to be sorry. *Sigh* Honestly, we should be the ones asking for forgiveness. I... Honestly thought you were sad because Weiss rejected you again.

Jaune: ... Pfft, Ahahahahaha!

Pyrrha: Jaune?

Jaune: *still laughing*

Nora: *questioning look at Ren*

Ren: *shrug*

Jaune: *calming down* Oh gods, i needed that! *Gets up* I guess my etiquette and manners classes did teach me something, if all you three were fooled. *Weak smile* But still, i'm sorry for worrying you guys.

Nora: *nod* Good, you don't have the same sadness in your eyes.

Pyrrha: Next time, i'll be the one who will comfort you... Wait! I didn't mean i wanted you to be sad! I don't want this to happen again!

Jaune: *chuckle* Dont worry, i got the meaning.

Ruby: *getting back up* So... See you later?

Jaune: *turn around, nodding* Yeah, see you after detention.

Ruby: ...! Oh shoot! The detention!

Meanwhile

Blake: ... You think we will also get into trouble?

Weiss: Honestly? I would be surprised if we weren't. *Sigh* Why do everyone forget we have scrolls?

[thegoldencontracts]

(Not) A Stand-Up Guy

Summary: Your boyfriend is being insulted. Naturally, you defend him. Problem is... That's kind of hard.

Characters: Azul, Jade

Azul Ashengrotto

It was a peaceful day as you passed through the hallways to run a quick errand; delivering papers to Professor Crewel. The halls were almost completely deserted, every little sound echoing through the walls.

And one of those sounds was the sound of people insulting your boyfriend.

"Ugh," said some guy. "The damn crook. Can't believe people like him can be housewarden."

"We should beat him up." Silence. "I-I'm joking," said the other guy hastily. "Obviously, I know that wouldn't work with those goons of his. He's still annoying, though."

"His voice pisses me off."

"His voice?" Said another guy incredulously. "What about the fact that he's a terrible person?"

A terrible person was definitely an overstatement. Though he definitely had his flaws, Azul wasn't Satan incarnate or anything Iike that.

And- now that you thought about it, didn't these guys cheat off you during Alchemy? What were they doing insulting you boyfriend when they knew you could hear them? Didn't they have an ounce of respect?

...Or did they just think you were a pushover?

You were beginning to feel offended on your own behalf, too.

"Hey!" You said, turning to face them, closing the gap between you and the group of miscreants. "Don't talk about my boyfriend like that!"

"We're right," said one of the guys nonchalantly. You paused for a second.

He was a crook, and he did intentionally get on people's nerves. Curses.

"Uh, well-" You raised a finger to try and prove your point, except there was no point to prove. "He has a very lovely voice!"

"That he sweetens up to get on people's nerves," said a guy. He was right.

You paused for a second. They were right, weren't they?

No, no. You weren't going to let this slide.

"Still," you said, steeling yourself. Your voice instantly turned stony.

"Let's face it: Night Raven's a school of schemers. You're all probably up to no good yourself. Azul isn't particularly worse than any of you, nor is he the morally irredeemable prat you seem to think he is. He's insanely hardworking, and probably more talented than you could ever be, considering how often you all try to pull a fast one and look at my answers during tests."

You paused for a long breath, taking in their shock at your words—and the fact you knew about them cheating off of you.

"So," you continued. "If you're going to use me to cheat or whatever, at least don't talk shit about my boyfriend when I can clearly hear you."

That promptly shut them up.

"Sorry, sorry," one of them said. "So... You won't tell Professor Crewel about... Uh...?"

You beamed.

"We're all good!" You said, switching up your tone immediately. You had gotten what you wanted.

The guy sighed.

"T-Thanks," he said, not really caring about Azul so long as he could keept cheating off of you during Alchemy.

"No problem!"

You beamed, off on your merry way. And, afterwards, you bumped into none other than your darling himself, Azul.

"I saw your little skirmish earlier today," he said with a grin. You laughed.

"I'd stick up for you again," you said. He smiled. "Even if it is super hard to do."

The smile fell right off his face.

"You'd do well to cease this line of conversation."

"Nah," you said. "I think I'll keep talking about it some more. I'll talk about you being a crook, and how you talk like Squidward from SpongeBob sometimes, and-"

"Insolent cretin."

"I love you too, Azul."

Jade Leech

Getting to pick Jade's mushrooms was quite the pleasant experience. They were all so pretty, and the garden itself was so well taken care of, not to mention how much glee you felt at the thought of Jade trusting you enough to ask you to pick some of his precious mushrooms for him!

As you finished storing the last of the mushrooms—Lactarius Indigo, a really pretty one; edible too—you practically skipped back to Octavinelle. Oh, how you loved mycology. The world of fungi was really quite fascinating.

So why did everyone think they were creepy? At least, they did in this school. Seriously, mushrooms weren't just not creepy, they were awesome! Mushrooms were one of the key players in the ecosystem, a great source of food, so varied in utility it was insane, gorgeous, not to mention-

"Oh, look," some guy said." It's the creepier Leech's servant, here to collect his fucking poison mushrooms."

"Don't say that! They're supposed to be together!" Said another guy with a snicker. "They're totally equals, you guys."

Your eye twitched. You could hear them. They knew that, right?

No, no. You had to be calm about this. Move on, ignore them.

"I wonder what kinda blackmail he's got on his little servant-"

"Oh, shut up!" You said before you could stop yourself. You'd lost your temper.

One of the guys scoffed.

"Your precious little boyfriend's a creep, and you know it," he said. Another guy nodded along.

"Wasn't that there thing about him finding people's private online accounts or some shit?"

You grit your teeth. That was... True, actually. He did that, and he also messed with others for his own amusement.

Curses.

"It's just the truth," said one of the guys. You noticed the yellow band on his uniform. Savannaclaw.

You smirked.

"Were you or were you not in on it when your dorm orchestrated the mass accidents? What about the stampede on Diasomnia?"

His eyes widened.

"I- uh-"

"That's what I thought," you said. "Might want to shut it, then. You're not exactly a saint yourself."

With that, you walked off, making one last comment about how they'd never been in a healthy relationship before. Still, you couldn't help but sigh.

You hadn't actually won the argument. You just- deflected their point.

Then again, did those guys really have a point? This was Night Raven. What made the things Jade did any worse than the misdeeds of other students?

You were pulled from your lamentations by the sight of Jade Leech.

"Thank you for so bravely taking a stand on my behalf, dearest," he said with a teasing look that contained a vague trace of sincerity. How did he even get that information? Hell if you knew.

"No problem, my dear princess," you said with an entirely straight face. "On that note, your knight has brought the requested items."

You pulled out the bag of mushrooms, presenting them to him with a smirk.

"Please, accept this humble offering," you said. It was all too satisfying to catch the split second of frustration on Jade's face at you playing along. Turnabout was fair play, wasn't it?

But, of course, he had to keep playing along. It was actually pretty funny, to be honest.

"I accept, my darling knight," he said with a smirk. "Of course, I must reward you."

"And how exactly do you intend to go about doing that?"

Your question was promptly answered when he pulled you in for a kiss.

[augusgus]

touch yourself (m.)

Being Sukuna's vessel isn't easy. Even less so if he's decided to take advantage of it - to his great pleasure and your humiliation.

pairing: ryomen sukuna x vessel fem!reader

tags: forced masturbation(?), a bit of degradation, corruption kink, sadistic sukuna (are we surprised), dacryphilia, oral sex, ruined orgasm, a tiny bit of spit play

You could hear his snicker even before you felt your cheek moving from Sukuna's sneer.

"What a lewd woman..." His voice was dripping with self-satisfaction, the kind that made you want to strangle him. Him and his damned influence over you.

Another wave of heat rushed through your body, this one stronger than the ones before, and a strangled whimper escaped your lips. Damn it, damn it, damn him. You were burning up and at this point it took everything in you to keep it together.

A knowing chuckle. "Why so shy?" There was a dark, cajoling tint to his whisper that sent involuntary shivers down your spine. "Or, perhaps, are you a filthy liar? Is that how it is? My, how scandalous!"

"T-that's rich coming from you, curse."

You were breathing heavily, fingers gripping your pillow with white knuckles. It hadn't been long since you had woken up from your body going into overdrive but it was already become too much to handle. Slowly, tantalisingly. It was mortifying to say the least, slowly losing control over yourself like that.

And Sukuna, being the source of your problem, was eating it right up.

You could feel the mouth on your cheek stretch impossibly to an even wider grin. "I would never deny myself pleasure, woman. I always take what I desire."

"Explains w-why you're such an ass," you quipped back.

You knew your response was weak. But you couldn't think clearly anymore - every drag of fabric against your skin, every shift of your fingers against the pillow was sending tingles up your neck and lighting up sparks in your brain.

His voice seemed closer to your ear now as he drawled, so sardonically, so humiliatingly smug, "you know, your perverted cunt is much more honest than you, woman. It's been dripping the whole time."

Wincing, you closed your eyes in shame as if that would make everything disappear. It wasn't for the first time that you wished to have never become a vessel for this demon, to have never given Sukuna the opportunity to touch the most vulnerable parts of your innermost and pick you apart by the seams with sadistic enjoyment. He was stripping you from your decency, dragging away layer by layer until he had you naked and cornered and cowering exactly the way he wanted you to.

You felt watched when your fingers slowly, almost involuntarily, travelled down your body - and in a sense you were indeed. Gleeful eyes, all over, drinking in this horrible humiliation that not even your lust-induced haze could block out... And that small part in yourself that actually took pleasure from this exploitation of your weakness - you started to hate that you have been made aware of its existence.

A gasp left your lips when your nails caught on one of your nipples, the slight touch alone enough to have a gush of wetness pooling between your legs. Sukuna's mouth laughed and the sheer proximity of the harsh sound made your head spin.

"Hah! Are you crying, woman?" He taunted. "D'you think that I'd take pity on you?"

"I'm n-not..." You hadn't noticed it before but tears had started to gather in your eyes. The realisation only made them well up more, salty liquid running down your cheek and landing on his tongue.

He laughed louder, a hint of madness vibrating in his sadistic excitement. "Yes, yes, this is it!! Lose yourself! Get even more desperate... You're a whore, behave like one!" You could feel his arousal brimming under your skin, dark and sticky, mixing with your own lust.

"You're such...an...asshole..." The insult lacked the usual spite. Forming words felt much too difficult all of a sudden.

If he had any regard for anyone other than himself, he would have stopped here, left you intact. He still would have had you hanging by the last threads of your pride, of your morals, but you'd be able to shrug it off as a moment of weakness. A lapse in judgment.

But Sukuna had never cared for the thing called restraint.

"Touch yourself, woman." He was playing with you, cruel in how his voice made it sound like an inevitable order. "Show me just how shameful you are, getting off on fingering your perverted cunt with a cursed spirit possessing your body. Show off how much you crave this!"

The moment the pads of your fingers pressed into the covered folds of your pussy, you couldn't breathe. The pleasure was all-consuming and the bit of relief that came with it made you momentarily forget about the guilt. "S'good..." the whine forced itself between your lips but you didn't have it in you anymore to care.

It felt so good... and yet the ache only seemed to grow stronger.

"Still not enough, huh." You could hear the grin, feel the movement right next to your ear, "what a slut."

And then white flashed before your eyes when something strong pushed against your entrance - Sukuna's mouth having opened on your palm instead, hot tongue licking a fat stripe up to your clit.

"Ah-hhhah...?!" there was no softness to his ministrations, no rhythm to make it easier for you to adjust. Whatever he decided to give to you, you had to take it. It was almost too much, balancing on the fine line between overwhelming and mind-numbing.

You had no control over the sounds you made anymore, over your muscles, and without thinking you pushed harder against your own hand, pressing the palm flat against your sticky folds to have better access to him. To have him closer, reach deeper.

Little sounds of "ah. Ah. Ah" filled the room and combined with the squelches from your dripping juices and his saliva. Sukuna laughed against your clothed core before biting along your outer lips, then slowly sliding his teeth over your clit - just gentle enough that the sensation had you squeezing your thighs even harder around your hand and trapping it effectively. With a scoff he sucked your clit into his mouth, rubbing circles into it with the tip of his tongue until you couldn't stop shaking.

Your orgasm wasn't far, the denial you've put yourself through having put your body in an even more vulnerable state. The coil was steadily tightening, growing in intensity until you could almost taste it on your tongue. A little more, just a little-

All contact vanished. Nothing, apart from your wet panties clinging to your folds. Gone was the pressure, lingering warmth all that was left. And still, in the last moment the slight shift of fabric made you tip over the edge.

You came but it didn't feel like an orgasm.

New tears welled up in your eyes as you realised, this was so unfair. So unfair. You could still feel the awaited pleasure brimming right underneath your skin, could feel it retracting without having given you any of the relief.

"Did ya really think you deserve to cum?" He was mocking you - his mouth back on your cheek letting a trail of spit run down his tongue and in between your own opened lips. It tasted like yourself.

Almost as if a dam had broken, you cried even more - desperation to cum, really cum, taking a hold of you. "Fuck you, fuck you, fuckyoufuckyoufuckyou..." your pussy was pulsating around nothing, your body having been tricked into an empty orgasm, but the lust was still right there. Heat pooling in where you thought to be your womb. You needed it, needed him. So bad.

"Come on, you can do better than that," Sukuna drawled. "Beg. Say it, say my name."

"Scream who it is you're letting yourself be fucked by."

[sskk-manifesto]

At the end of the day, I sincerely feel bad for Akutagawa this episode. Like imagine having trained four years of your life to become as strong as you can be– and the training was literally hell, and there's not a single bone in your body that wasn't broken at some point, but somehow you endured and somehow you survived and now you're the second strongest member of the most feared criminal organization in the whole city (worth mentioning, only second to somewhat of a literal god). You have molded and sharpened your ability to make it one of the most powerful in the world; you've grown a reputation as the inescapable bearer of death. Law abiding citizens and criminals alike know your name and fear your existence. All your life you've spent sacrificing your own humanity to get where you are; and maybe you're not happy, but at least you're as powerful as you can be, so that must count for something, right?

Then, arrives a random dude who seems to have just landed on the world for the first time. He has a naturally pretty strong ability alright, but you also know he must not have trained a single day of his life, so it's more of him being just a big nuisance for you because why exactly isn't he dead yet? And yet somehow as you fight he keeps regenerating and regenerating and REGENERATING. And as he does that he also seems to learn very quickly how to fight and control his own ability like he was given an ability cheat code you were never granted the blessing of (he was). To add insult to injury, your past mentor and all time idol is sure this new guy is totally going to beat your ass. And you've been fighting for what seems an eternity now, and you're exceptionally skilled alright, but he seems to always know exactly how to counter your next move; and you're one of the most powerful ability users in town for sure, but you don't have fucking endless regeneration, so you're starting to stumble here and there, and as soon as you leave him an opening he makes sure to throw you straight to the ocean and win the fight.

Like, imagine perfecting running the 100 metres all your life, and then a new kid arrives in town who gives it a shot for the first time ever and instantly beats you on it almost effortlessly. Also your crush likes him better. I'd be mad as well

[terry-perry]

Can we have Alastor and Carmine being like a badass power couple when having to deal with some loathsome sinners? Love your series and can’t wait for more!

Basing this off one of my favorite scenes from The Godfather

Alastor x Y/N Carmine aka Hell’s Cutest Couple

You watched the whimpering sinner before you, circling around him like a vulture would its prey. He was as good as dead. You knew that, he knew that, and Alastor certainly knew that. Speaking of whom, you glanced behind you to admire how he stood stock still in the corner of the library, his glowing red eyes staying on the cowering figure who thought it best to keep a close eye on him in return. You softened momentarily to pucker your lips and throw a kiss at Alastor. He responded by stretching out his large grin and tightening the tentacle around the sinner.

You returned to interrogation mode as you strode over to the guy with a chuckle full of morbid mirth. "You know, it's one thing to take advantage of my sister, the way you did, but to try to steal our manufacturing secrets and sell them to the Vees?!" You laughed a little louder, making both men go weak, but each for different reasons. Especially since your voice did a 180 by suddenly going flat. "I'd almost respect you if I wasn't so disgusted."

"I'm so sorry Y/N," the sinner replied in a pathetic tone. "I wasn't trying to hurt anybody. I love Odette, but I needed the money-"

He stopped to flinch at you raising your hand up. Lucky for him it was only to get him to shut up. "Don't start making excuses. You'll only insult us both."

You bent forward so you were at eye level with him. You could see how he was practically in tears. Thinking it was time to give him some relief, you said almost sweetly, "Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you."

He sniffled and stared at you with a small ounce of hope. "You're not?"

"Of course not! You've worked for us for two years. You were set to marry Odette. You were practically family! No, I think it's best that you leave Pentagram City and never return."

His initial shock and relief that he wasn't going to die was still in place as he desperately nodded in compliance and cathartically laughed. "Yes, of course, of course! Thank you, thank you Y/N!"

You pointed at the tentacle wrapped around him, signaling Alastor to release him. " Joseph is outside with the car to take you to our private jet. You're expected at your new job in the Greed Ring tomorrow morning."

His smile faltered at that. "The Greed RIng?"

"Did I stutter?" You asked, all aura of friendliness gone.

"No ma'am," he backpedaled, standing up and quickly heading to the door. "Thank you again. Thank you."

"One more thing," you stopped him, with Alastor using his tentacle to keep the door closed. "Hand over the watch."

He looked as though he didn't want to, but knew it was better not to argue and dropped the Vees' video watch to your beckoning hand. With that, he was free to go, and you and Alastor watched him make a retreat.

"Make sure not to make a mess of him in the car," you turned to your beau. "It took the imps almost a whole day to clean up after your last meal."

"I'll do my best," Alastor assured you, kissing your head. "Want me to bring back any leftovers?"

"Just his head. I want to be sure the Vees know they have to up their game."

Alastor chuckled darkly and put his arms around you. "I love the way your mind works," He kissed your lips before making his own exit with the help of his shadow magic. But not before one more request that had his heart fluttering:

"Oh and honey, be sure to take your time with this one,"

[seajelllies]

𝑪𝑯𝑨𝑷𝑻𝑬𝑹 𝟑 ♡︎ I kind of want to touch them masterlist ✎ roll call 1 ✎ roll call 2

Sweetheart?

Your face scrunches up at the tone in his voice, and when your vision clears you're faced with a borderline pissed off expression from a guy who liked like Yuji, if he actually stuck to going to the gym rather than watching movies all day in Megumi's dorm.

"You make it a habit to sleep in strangers rooms?" He raised a brow at you, and you were starting to wonder if that scowl was permanently etched into his face.

You pause- god you forgot that you totally fell asleep. The last thing you remember was the words in your textbook slowly jumbling up into a mess. You suppose it was because you finally consumed something that wasn't the same cup of noodles you've been eating in the corner of your room like a rat.

Damn, did you really just fall asleep just because you more nutrients than usual? How embarrassing. At least Yuji wasn't here, because you're almost 100% positive he would've taken pictures of you drooling all over your textbook.

Just the thought makes your eye twitch.

"In my defense, Yuji isn't a stranger." You finally reply, scratching the back of your neck awkwardly. He scoffs in reply, and you're starting to really dislike the sarcastic tone in his voice.

Your eyes meet again, and for a second neither of you reply nor break the contact, and you really start to take in his face. He really did look a lot like Yuji, and he mentioned once that he had an older brother back in high school- but if you were honest? He could pass for a twin, if he wasn't slightly more built and had a less chiseled face.

And what the hell was up with the marks on his face? Were they face tattoos- were they even real? It's not like you haven't seen people who've done it before, but they were mostly western celebrities and not a random college guy in the middle of Tokyo.

"You have a staring problem or what?" He could have easily looked away, but for some reason your lack of immediate fear was a little... confusing, and he refused to be the one to break the eye contact first.

"Are they real?"

He paused in confusion, opening his mouth to ask what before he saw the way your eyes were no longer looking him directly in the eye, and instead glancing around his face.

"Hah?"

"I said, are they real?" You make an awkward gesture- pointing would've been a bit too forward- so you wave your hands in the direction of your own face. "The uha... tattoos?"

"What, you think I just woke up this morning and decided to slap sharpie on my face to look cool?" He said in a derisive scoff.

"If you were going for cool, I'd hate to be the bearer of bad news." The words kind of slipped out before you had the chance to think it in your head first, and you slowly bring your hand to cover your mouth. Oops.

But to your surprise, his tone isn't as hostile as you expected it to be.

"I wouldn't expect you to know what's cool, sweetheart." The way he called you by the nickname again was drawn out, almost like a purr at the end- probably not on purpose, but the bass in his tone made it sound so alluring you almost forget he was indirectly insulting you.

"M'not your sweetheart." Your try to hide your frown behind your hand, but your eyebrows gave it away.

"Right," His tone was bored, lacking any sort of interest. He examined you up and down before continuing. "And who's are you then? Yuji's? You don't seem his typ-"

"WHAT? No!" You cut him off before he can even finish his sentence. "Yuji is like a brother to me! Friends! Why does everyone keep assuming we are anything more?" You mumble the last part to yourself in an exasperated sigh.

"'Worst she can say is no' they say." He snorts mockingly at your defensive response.

"Speaking of Yuji," You quickly gather your things, shoving them into your bag. "Tell him next time he wants me to tutor him, at least make sure he doesn't need to leave halfway through."

"The fuck I look like to you, a messenger?" He replied in a clipped tone.

You ignore it though, grabbing your shoes and jacket. He was annoying, sure, but you were less mad at him and more at yourself for managing to fall asleep when you still had so much to review. You suppose you can somewhat thank Yuji, for giving you at least an hour of sleep before you pull an all-nighter.

"Yuji said he was gonna walk you back, you know." He calls out with a shrug, but he doesn't stop you.

"I can manage on my own."

You don't bother saying goodbye, because really, you don't even know the guy and you're not sure you want to. You simply slip away before he can manage to say something.

Sukuna sits there in the silence for a moment, and he realizes that might have been the first full conversation he's had with someone that wasn't Yuji or Uraume where the other person wasn't on the verge of tears.

Interesting.

𝑻𝒐𝒅𝒂𝒚'𝒔 𝑵𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒔!

︾ Yippee chapter 3 done and I haven't lost my braincells (҂ ꒦ິヮ꒦ິ) Anyways chapter 4 is the start of chaos, more tension, RAHHH (૭ ｡•̀ ᵕ •́｡ )૭

︾ I'm also trying very hard to balance Sukuna's attitude but I can't tell if I'm doing any good at that (ㅍ_ㅍ) I don't want him to be just an asshole the whole time but I also don't want him to instantly become smitten because back and forth banter is fun and silly and this might turn into a slow burn im so sorry 🧍‍♀️

︾ I also really enjoy writing the random bits of Nobara & Megumi banter at the start of the group chats lol I promise u they're all friends, they just fight like siblings ( ๑‾̀◡‾́)

𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒍 𝑪𝒂𝒍𝒍! the taglist

@sweetteez @stressed-cryptid @moxiiscool @ashfrommyfire

[jasonsiceberglounge]

THE HILLS HAVE EYES pt. 2

warnings: general rough content, blood mention, gun mention, 18+ content (not nsfw)

1st person chap/not beta read

TLDR, there was a huge fucking bullet hole in my leg. it didn't hurt that much, granted, adrenaline coursed through my veins whilst having a nightmare, it probably coated my adrenal gland at this point.

i never quite reached the level of nimble pretty boy dick was, clearly, according to my failure to dodge this pinheads bullet. he stood almost abashedly, amazed he drew blood from a bat symbol. i doubt he actually knew i only bore the semblance of the logo to weed out the cowards, bruce wasn't necessarily happy with me brandishing it so... harmfully.

then again, since when did i care about what he thought? torturing him was my middle name.

now back to that troglodyte staring me down like i was to be consumed. he had no clue, not a single one.

the surprise on his face was almost delectable as my wounded leg came in contact with his throat, the palpable choke, the air knocked out of his throat. my spine screamed in response, almost angrily, i would throw my body into hell with him if it meant one less plague crawled amongst the streets of the innocents. the wind cracked as he replied, the click of his gun sounding once again, an all familiar sound in gotham. the bullet ricocheted closely to my ear, my hands retaliated at the threat.

you could never beat this fucking feeling, i had about approximately 3-ish minutes until my leg became a dead weight, deciding i should do something about this i snapped my good knee upwards into his pelvis, the loud groan of agony making my blood hum. with as much momentum as my dummy leg could muster, a force came down onto his kneecap, encouraging the tendon inwards. not a pretty sight, but man was it a pretty sound. tears flew out of his eyes, the scarecrow goon not anticipating my indisposition for a fair fight.

the scum actually had the audacity to roll around in pain as if he wasn't dishing out a one way vial to the depths to kids who couldn't even write. let alone imagine. he thrashed around in pain, music to my ears as he let out every insult his caveman brain could muster.

i knelt down awkwardly, my leg refusing to bend properly, the pain slowly seeping it's way back into my mind. mental, pain is mental, pain will always be mental, i whispered to my inner thoughts, praying it carried the tune through the chorus. balancing my hands on the ground near his face, i whispered towards him.

"they always say you take an eye for an eye, but i'd much rather take your ability to waddle home to mommy. see you next week? or maybe in a couple months we can do this again, maybe i'll take your sight next time."

my eye twitched as i felt something wet drench my face, my eyes took a moment to readjust back in their rightful place.

he actually fucking spat on me.

i sighed, using my shoulder strength to force myself up, my injured leg sadly hanging at an awkward angle, i probably don't look too threatening right now, but why would that matter?

cold metal graced my index finger as i put a bullet in his mouth.

"guess i won't see you next week?"

a chill raced down my spine seeing crimson leak from every orifice he was unfortunately graced with, however, something else was bothering me. sickness climbed my limbs as i felt a scrying eye piercing me, someone was watching me, someone who was graceful enough to watch me get shot.

i peered upwards, the glint of red causing my brow to raise. pain seeped higher and higher, i really needed to get out of here. a woosh threw me off, the loud thud of metal to ground.

"that can't be good for your knees."

the stranger huffed almost in amazement.

"you're one to talk, peg-leg." he gestured towards the hole gracing my thigh, blood slowly beginning to coagulate.

i snorted, spots creeping their way into my peripherals. i actually really needed to get the fuck out of here. the masked man was a lot larger than my previous assailant, actually, too damn large for a normal man. whatever normal was in gotham.

"you fight like a coward." he inched closer towards you, my eyes adjusting to his frame as he came into view.

i gestured to the corpse between my legs.

"so did he, now he's dead and i'm not." my legs began to shake, the blood loss giving me the shivers... surely, it was the blood loss.

something about this man scared me shitless, and that was not easy to do.

he just chuckled in response, analyzing my frame for whatever devious purpose i could come up with in my head.

"need a lift?" he suggested almost as if i needed a savior, no, i were the savior. but who saves god when he needs to be?

"yeah just drop the blood covered vigilante at gotham presbyterian, you're a fuckin' genius." i scoffed, i really was not going to last much longer but i'll be damned if this freaky ass mutant snatches me up and experiments on me.

"then die." he said flatly, without a regard for my wellbeing. granted, how could i expect him to.

i relented, every fiber of my being telling me to run as far as my one leg would take me or so help me god i'll become a robot by tomorrow if he so wished it.

"you g'na experiment on me?" his head cocked, almost in amusement.

"only if you want me to, peg-leg."

mentally i battled between my options, deciding on unfortunately completing my one mission on this earth, i threw my hands up. "fine, take me to your evil lair."

he strutted towards me, amused by my reply. i noticed his footsteps strangely light, trained almost like an assassin more than a vigilante. his arm scooped under my weaker side, the cold feeling of the leather not really helping my escaping body heat at the moment. i trembled in more ways than one, my disorientation becoming apparent.

"you think you can make it on a bike?" he slowly carried me out of the alley, the feeling of his strength threatening enough to never dare me to cross him.

"do i have a choice tin can?" i shot, the pain causing every word to leave my teeth more gritted than the last.

"just shut the fuck up and try not to die before i can fix you." he pursed, almost teasingly. my eyebrow raised at the familiar tone of voice, i remember someone just as... sassy.

one very painful ride later, thankfully gotham's brisk air keeping my mind awake and painfully forced to bare the elements, we arrived at some sham shack of a place.

he slowed down the bike, parking it off into a tucked corner near the entrance. classy.

"can you walk?" he appeared questioned my ability to judge that in the first place. i felt sick, at this point i should have been buried right next to him, but something in me just always, unfortunately, had to keep kicking. my vision slowly being encased by black, before i could let out an answer i-

i woke up to a very apparent smell of antiseptic, and the weight of twenty bricks burying my leg under sand. my surroundings extremely unfamiliar.

'that mother fucker actually kidnapped me huh, never trust a man in a metal chest cage.' i whispered mentally. half-jokingly, half.

my abs tensed as i pushed my body weight up, the sight not as brutal as i expected. i was tucked into a very heavy fleece lined blanket, the pattern as plaid as countryside gets. afraid to see the sight under the strangely weighted fabric, i mustered up the courage to remove my capture bonds. i felt squeamish at the sight.

blue and black splotches kissed all sides of my thigh, hurried bandaging recently re-wrapped encased what i presumed was a ghastly sight, my leg almost looked smaller than the other. i winced at the vulnerability of my current situation.

i am in a strange tin-man's.... not house.

i glanced around, my surroundings less homely than anticipated, but more comfortable than expected. minimal furniture, one extremely old cube for a television which crackled with static once every 16 seconds. a few books of very adventurous literature strewn across the floor, pieces of clothing thrown around as if in a hurry. this place was a studio, everything visible from my central point in this house.

perfectly plotted just in case of, was he really that paranoid?! half of me doesn't necessarily blame him, the other half is horrified as to what causes him to be so god damn afraid.

this shack of an apartment was perfectly laid out to be defend-able almost like a castle. bookshelves perfectly lined under windowsills to be vaulted off of, weaponry carefully placed next to glass, sprinkled grenades like christmas ornaments because what else would anyone expect out of some threatening red vigilante?

i sighed deeply, my first real breath of the day.

'what have you got yourself into babe,' i whispered lowly.

"living another damn day, i guess. you're welcome by the way." he strolled out of the bathroom like a prideful princess.

i rolled my eyes so deeply i prayed they got stuck behind my lids.

this felt like the beginning of something sick.

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓅨 Love in the Dark: Chapter Nine

Love in the Dark: You discover an intense connection with a dream lover, yearning for a love beyond physical appearances. As your encounters blur the lines between the waking world and the Dreaming, your grapple with the complexities of desire, friendship, and mortality. Can you truly love in the dark?

Warnings: Angst, Heartbreak.

To Note: Morpheus/Dream x NAMEDFem!Reader.

Word Count: ~6.6k

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The warmth of the palace sitting room envelops you, the familiar scent of old books and tea a comforting presence you’ve long since come to adore. You settle into one of the plush armchairs, your body sinking into the soft cushions as Fēlix busies himself with the tea.

"You've been spending quite some time in the waking world," Fēlix comments, pouring a cup of steaming tea for you. His eyes are curious, almost mischievous as they meet yours.

"I'm from there, remember?" You point out with a small chuckle. Fēlix pouts.

"Well I know that," he says with a tone of 'duh' in his voice. "But you clearly enjoy being in the Dreaming more. So why don't you tell me more about what you've been up to that I am not already aware of."

"I went on a date." You state softly, your eyes flickering to one of the windows to enjoy the view. Fēlix's eyes grow wide as saucers and the cardinal compass on his chest glows with excitement.

"Well, don't keep me in suspense," Fēlix leans forward, eyes glimmering with curiosity. "How was it?"

"Disastrous," you admit, setting your cup down with a sigh. "He ordered everything for me, talked about himself non-stop. When I made it clear it wasn't going to work, he blew up. Called me all sorts of names."

Fēlix's eyes widen in shock. "No! What a cad. How did you manage to sit through the entire evening?"

"I didn't," you say, leaning back into the chair. "I left before dessert arrived and a nice sense of accomplishment after I dumped my wine on his head. Waste of a surprisingly good vino but I was at my wits end listening to him insult me and women in general."

Fēlix's face distorts into a grimace as if he's just tasted something sour. "Sounds like a complete nightmare," he says, shaking his head in disbelief. "I know actual nightmares that would grovel at the feet of any woman they find remotely attractive. I mean, how dare he? Ordering everything for you as if you're incapable of deciding for yourself and a salad? That's like mean girl's dating manual for men, bad."

You snort your next sip of tea and it burns in your nose as you cough, but that doesn't stop Fēlix from continuing his tirade.

"And don't get me started on his ego," he continues, clearly on a roll. "Sounds like he's got enough hot air to inflate a parade float and then some. I'd rather listen to Matthew crow about his shiny feathers all day than endure a dinner with such a boor."

You chuckle, feeling lighter at Fēlix's animated ranting. He always knows how to lighten the mood, one of the many things you appreciate about him.

"So what did you do after your grand exit?" Fēlix asks, looking at you expectantly. His gaze is soft and understanding, like he already knows you've had a tough time.

"I went home," you admit, the memory of your lonely apartment filling your mind. "I didn't even bother with a glass." You add, recalling the cool touch of the wine bottle against your lips. "Drank the entire bottle."

"Gods, babe," Fēlix winced, knowing when you went that far it had to be bad. "Tell me your dream man rescued you that night."

"He was... agitated," you start, trying to find the right words to describe his reaction. "When I came back to the Dreaming that night, he snuck up on me and made some accusations… which weren't entirely false."

Fēlix leans forward, hanging on your every word to a point that even his floating hair was standing on end in anticipation. You take a deep breath and continue.

"He asked me if I really sought out love from someone else," you explain, feeling a familiar ache in your chest. "He sounded hurt, almost betrayed. Also somewhat pissed." You take a deep breath, feeling your chest tighten with the memory. "I reminded him of what he'd said to me about not belonging in the Dreaming."

Fēlix's eyes are soft with understanding as he reaches across the table, offering his hand for you to take. You do, squeezing it lightly as you continue.

"I told him that no one has made me feel the way he does," you confess, your voice barely above a whisper. "That he's the only one who makes me happy."

"And?" Fēlix prompts gently, his grip on your hand firm and reassuring.

"He... he apologized," you say, the memory bringing a soft smile to your lips. "He told me he only meant that he didn't want me to miss out on opportunities in the real world. That he wants me to be happy, wherever I am."

"And?" Fēlix prompted yet again, perched on the edge of his seat.

"And then we had smoking hot make up sex right after I greedily sucked his cock." You tell him with a frank expression on your face. Like Fēlix expects any other result after an argument between you and your dream man? As you sit there in the plush armchair, Fēlix's infectious laughter fills the room, bouncing off the tall bookshelves and high ceiling. His eyes twinkle with mirth, and you can't help but join in, his laughter contagious. The sound of your combined laughter echoes in the sitting room, filling it with a sense of warmth opposed to the almost somber atmosphere it had started with.

"You really know how to live your best life in the Dreaming, don't you?" Fēlix chuckles, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "I must say, I never thought I'd see the day when a human would be the one teaching me about drama."

Your cheeks flush with warmth at his words. "Well, I'm glad I could be of service," you respond playfully. "Just don't go spreading my sexcapade tales around the Dreaming."

"Your secret's safe with me," he assures you with a wink.

Walking alongside Fēlix and his nymph girlfriend, Petunia, the halls of the palace echo with their light-hearted chatter, a stark contrast to the usual somber atmosphere. Petunia's lilting laughter fills the air, her hand resting lightly on Fēlix's arm. Every now and then, she glances up at him with such adoration that it makes your heart swell. Fēlix looks at her with a softness in his eyes that you rarely see, a stark contrast to his usual mischief, and it’s like witnessing a different side of him—one that feels almost sacred.

You feel a happy warmth spreading through your chest at the sight of them, a happiness that seeps into your very bones. It’s infectious, soothing the edges of your own worries and making you forget your own troubles. The way they move in harmony, effortlessly attuned to each other, fills you with a sense of peace. For a moment, you allow yourself to be swept away by their infectious happiness, letting it envelop you like a cozy blanket against the chill of your uncertainties.

"You look like you've got something on your mind," Petunia says, her voice gentle as a summer breeze. Her eyes meet yours, filled with genuine concern.

"I'm fine," you reply, offering a small smile. "Just... thinking about everything."

"Everything?" Fēlix chimes in, raising an eyebrow. "Or someone?"

Your cheeks heat up at his insinuation, but you don't dignify it with a response. Instead, you focus on the intricate patterns of the marble floor beneath your feet.

"Leave her alone," Petunia scolds Fēlix playfully, nudging him with her elbow. "She's allowed to have her thoughts without your constant teasing."

Fēlix feigns hurt, clutching his chest dramatically. "Oh, how you wound me! But fine, I'll be good... for now."

You chuckle at their antics, grateful for the distraction. The truth is, your mind keeps drifting back to him and the confusing whirlwind of emotions he stirs within you. Your relationship is getting to be more hot and cold, and that worried you. As you turn a corner, you nearly collide with Matthew. He flaps his wings in surprise, cawing indignantly.

"Watch where you're going!" he squawks, ruffling his feathers. "Almost made me drop this book!" Your eyes drop to his feet to find a leather bound book dangling from a strap.

"Sorry, Matthew," you apologize quickly, trying to suppress a laugh at his flustered state.

"What's got you in such a rush?" Matthew eyes you suspiciously before his gaze shifts to Fēlix and Petunia. "Ah, I see. The gossip trio is on the move."

"We're not gossiping," you protest with a sniff, knowing full well that Fēlix's curiosity about your dream lover has been a hot topic lately.

"Right," Matthew drawls sarcastically before hopping onto Petunia's shoulder. "And I'm not a raven."

"No, you're just jealous that you aren't with us to listen in." You shoot back in correction. Matthew sputtered and puffs his feathers in indignation. Petunia giggles softly as she strokes Matthew's feathers soothingly.

"Come on now, let's not gang up on Kora." Matthew sighs dramatically but relents, settling comfortably on Petunia's shoulder.

"So," Fēlix starts again as you resume walking down the corridor. "Any plans for tonight?"

You hesitate for a moment to think, before answering. "I was thinking of going to the swamp to participate in the mud fight with the kelpies"

Petunia's eyes light up with excitement. "Oh! That sounds like so much fun! Do you have an outfit planned?"

"An outfit for a mud fight? Uh, that would be a firm no," you admit sheepishly.

"Well," Fēlix interjects with a mischievous grin. "You'd better find something stunning because I have a feeling someone special might like to indulge in a mud bath." Fēlix's words spark a laugh from Petunia and even Matthew lets out a caw that sounds suspiciously like a chuckle. You roll your eyes at their amusement, your cheeks flushing with warmth.

"Can we please stop talking about my love life?" you groan, only to have your words drowned out by a shockingly familiar voice floating down the hall from the throne room up ahead.

The voice, smooth as silk and soft as the nights caress, sends a shiver down your spine. It’s like a ghost of a memory, too elusive to catch but too persistent to ignore. Your heart stutters in your chest as you freeze in place.

"Who is that?" you ask, your voice barely above a whisper. Fēlix and Petunia share a confused glance before Fēlix turns to you with an expression that's hard to read.

"That's Morpheus," he answers, his usual light tone taking on a more serious note. "You know, Lord of Dreams? You've met him before, Kora."

You feel your heart pound against your ribcage at his words. Morpheus? The same Morpheus who rules the Dreaming? The same one who you've barely interacted with? Who is so untouchable?

"Are you sure?" you question, struggling to keep your voice steady. The name rolls off your tongue like it belongs there, like it’s always been there. You can’t help but feel an inexplicable pull towards the sound of that voice, the allure of the mystery that is Morpheus.

"Oh yeah," Matthew caws from Petunia's shoulder, his beady eyes blinking at yours. "I'd recognize that voice anywhere, being his raven and all. Come on, let's go see who he's talking to. He only uses that voice when he's talking to kid dreamers or baby dream and nightmares. Ya know, being super nice for once…"

Your heart is in your throat as you numbly take a step forwards, and then another, and another. You do so, following your friends down the hall and to the archway of the throne room.

Stepping through the archway into the throne room, you see Morpheus. He's seated on his throne, talking to a small group of children who are hanging onto his every word. His voice washes over you, a soothing lullaby that pulls at your heartstrings in a way that feels achingly familiar.

Suddenly, it clicks.

Morpheus, the Lord of Dreams, Prince of Stories, Shaper of Forms, Dream of the Endless. Him.

The realization hits you like a freight train. The man you've been seeing in your dreams, the one who makes you feel loved and cherished like no one else ever has, the one who makes such passionate love to you, who kisses you with such devoted adoration, who holds you ever so close... it's him. It's always been him.

The room spins as you take in his ethereal beauty. His dark hair frames a face that is both handsome and gentle, his eyes sparkling with a softness that makes your heart ache. The cheeks and jaw you love to trace your fingers along, your eyes unseeing. He's even more beautiful than you could have ever imagined.

His gaze lifts from the children and finds yours across the room. Sparkling silver blue eyes glide over your group of friends before settling on you. Your heart stops in your chest as Morpheus' gaze locks onto yours and something within you cracks, radiating sharp pains from your chest. You know that gaze, have felt it upon your being thousands of times before, basked in it unseeing.

Reality sets in and you're turning around to bolt out of the throne room, not a word leaving your lips as you flee from the truth. You run blindly through the palace corridors, ignoring the confused calls of Fēlix, Petunia, and Matthew. You need to get away before your tears start rushing down your cheeks.

Your feet carry you through the sprawling corridors of the palace, each step echoing off the stone walls. Your mind is a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, your heart pounding in your chest. The palace gardens are ahead, a haven of tranquility amidst the chaos. You stumble into the garden, gasping for breath as you lean against a nearby tree for support.

Tears prick at the corners of your eyes, threatening to spill over. You blink them back, your hands clenched into fists at your sides. It feels like your heart is being ripped out of your chest, a painful realization sinking in. Morpheus, Dream of the Endless, is your lover. The man you've been seeing in your dreams, who makes you feel cherished and loved like no one else ever has, is the son of Night and Time.

You slide down against the tree trunk, pulling your knees to your chest. You wrap your arms around them, burying your face in the folds of your dress. Your tears fall freely now, dampening the fabric.

Why him? Of all the dreams and nightmares in this realm, why did it have to be him? A simple dream or nightmare you could have enjoyed while living out your life, but Dream of the Endless? It's too much. It's overwhelming.

You feel a profound sense of loss and despair wash over you. It's not just about him being unattainable, it's about the fact that this love you've found is so much bigger than anything you've ever known. It's too big for you to handle. Your sobs echo through the garden, a haunting melody to accompany the rustling leaves and chirping birds. It feels like a piece of your soul is being torn away from you with each passing second.

A warm breeze caresses your face as if trying to comfort you in its own way. You let out a shuddering breath, feeling your tears slowly subside. You remain huddled against the tree, your mind still reeling from the revelation. He was right, he was always right. Your love didn't belong in the Dreaming. Because in the end, mortal love doesn't thrive within dreams, it flourishes in the sun and moon light of the Waking World. Perhaps it is time for you to go home. And right now, that's all you can do. So you do, your huddled form fading to ash in the gentle light of the Dreaming.

Date Published: 10/14/24

Last Edit: 10/14/24

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[clairecrive]

Hi

I wanted to request a bane x reader fanfic where bane don't wear a mask and he come come across a girl avery young one at that and they have such strong chemistry and then they fall for each other of course bane is reductant at first but then he abandoned his job as a mercenary to be with her and spend time with her.they go shopping they go to beach they like to devour each other they simply can't get enough. Thanks alot

"Guy for That"| Bane x reader

A/N: hello, hello! I know it's been a while, but I hope this will count as tagging, and you'll find yourself back to this. This kind of picks up in the middle of things but the context is what you asked for <3 It is also inspired by "Guy for That" by Post Malone. Hence the name lol. Enjoy ✨

(okay but how cute is he in this gif omg??)

I'm pretty good at breakin' down a heart But pickin' up the pieces is the hard part She's searchin' for someone who's gonna build it back But I ain't got a guy for that

Before meeting Bane, y/n had never believed in that portrayal of love where the two were inseparable and never had enough of the other. She had always loved her me time and, so far, had never been with someone that made her want to spend all of her time with them.

However, when a certain beefy bald man came into her life, she finally understood.

It almost embarrassed her to admit but she always wanted more. More time together, more of his attention, more of his care, more of their conversations, more of their quiet moments, more of his hands on her, more of them laying in bed talking about everything and nothing.

Just more of him.

The only thing that appeased her embarrassment was that Bane seemed on the same wavelength. He always came back for more. She needn't ask for it.

It had been the most magical months of her life.

It hadn't been with its challenges, though. Living with a mercenary wasn't exactly a piece of cake. But they had handled everything together.

So when Bane came home one night and asked her to sit because they needed to "talk", she knew it was just another hurdle they had to cross.

Never would she have imagined, though, that his reason was... ridiculous. Simply put, it was absolute nonsense and y/n wouldn't stand for it.

"Unbelievable," y/n scoffed.

"What?" Bane's temper was rising as well. Gesturing vaguely to himself, "Did you think I'd be your prince charming?"

"You know I don't give a flying fuck about princes and princesses, Bane!" She said, her voice raising at the absurd implication.

"You're a fucking mercenary, for fuck's sake. Do you take me for a fool?"

"If you think of me as someone who could put your heart back together, then yes. You might as well be one."

Despite being filtered by his mask, Bane's voice had the uncanny ability to portray every shade of emotion. So, y/n knew when it was flat and monotone, like in this instance, it was on purpose.

"You know what, Bane?" she chose to be the bigger person and ignore his insult. "I'm not having this conversation with you. Either you have a valid reason for wanting to break up or I refuse, okay? You cannot break up with me."

"Being concerned for your safety and questioning the future of this relationship is a valid reason to have this conversation." He quipped.

"Using your line of work is a useless argument because I already know, don't I? Knew it from the beginning actually."

"Should I question your sanity as well then?"

"Why is it a problem all of the sudden when this," she said pointing to them, "has been going on for a while?"

The question was rather rethoric but when she saw that Bane was about to reply, she knew he wouldn't let this go soon. So, raising a hand, she stopped him, "I don't think it's about you being a mercenary at all."

"I think things are getting real, and you're getting scared," she said softly despite the frustration she was feeling. It was a sore spot for both of them, letting go and trusting the other. But y/n knew that for Bane it was even harder given his past.

She knew that was exactly the point, and Bane's silence confirmed it. Sighing, she took his hands in hers. Hands that had inflicted an immense amount of pain but that could also been so gentle and caring when it came to her. Those hands that she loved feeling caressing her skin, whether it was during aftercare or in those lovely, quiet moments they shared.

"Look, babe, I know it's scary, okay? Fuck, I'd even say terrifying. But I want you to know I'm not going down without a fight."

Bane's piercing eyes were unblinking on hers. It felt like he was staring into her soul. And y/n was hellbent on proving that her word was true. Bane had been such a solid presence in her life these past few months. Now, she was ready to return the favour. He could lean on her for stability. No matter his impressive size, she wouldn't crumble.

"Let's just go to bed, okay? We can sleep on it and talk about it tomorrow."

"I've got some work to do."

"Okay then, I'll be here when you get back." Y/n stood up and left the room after leaving a kiss on his temple.

Whether it was true or not, y/n would leave him alone for tonight. She had said her piece, and if he needed time to process it, then so be it.

She would be here when he returned, and she was not going down without a fight.

[moonchild505]

Vivid shadows 2024 Day 2

It's finally time today is the day I leave. I was done with the insults from my peers and the constant jabs from potential people to apprentice under. It drove me crazy I knew I never fit in with the other men of the village, I was just sick and tired of my differences being brought to light so I'd made plans to leave.

I was going to make my way to a nearby city to work as a scribe for a lower ranking nobleman, I was always praised for my writing abilities and simply sending a message to this noble was a decent interview it seemed.

My bags were packed for the week long walk ahead of me. Managing to get some travel clothes and some supplies to keep myself fed and moving during the long trek. With a goodbye to my parents my mother giving me a small wooden idol, shaped like a fox. My father rather quiet seemingly coming to terms with my decision the time up to this point he kept questioning where this came from. I appreciated the quiet I knew we didn't agree but I'm an adult I can make my own choices.

As I turned to leave the village my mother called out, "Keep that figure close it's meant to keep you safe from forest spirits."

I was more than happy to keep the gift close though more as a reminder of home than anything supernatural, I may not have the best memories here but it's still home.

The first day was relatively quiet didn't run into anybody on the road as expected I knew getting closer to the city I'd probably start bumping into travelers and merchants.

It felt like just a few short hours before the sun began to crest the horizon it was unfortunate I couldn't make it to the first village in my stop to rest there. I had planned for this however using my pack to rest my head on and using a loose piece of fabric to cover myself for some protection in the unlikely event it started to rain. Patting the ground down I sat and prepared to eat some travel food.

During my short meal I noticed something or at least thought I did, a rush of white out in the treeline. I panicked a bit at first but calmed myself brushing it off as either a small animal or just my eyes playing tricks on me. I definitely appreciated the presence of the idol that night placing it close to me facing out into the woods.

I woke up the next morning a little sore but otherwise fine. I began to pack up but froze when I came to pick up the idol, it wasn't facing into the woods anymore, it had turned to face exactly where I had slept. I decided to just pack it up and make my way to the next village. My pace was definitely much quicker than the day before.

Reaching the small village I had planned to stop by was quite the relief I found my lodging and just decided to rest for the rest of the day, some anxiety building around the turning of my wooden figure and that white flash I saw at night.

Once I was settled down for bed once more I left the idol on the floor facing the door. It took a bit longer to go to sleep that night, struggling to shake the feeling I was being watched. Eventually the exhaustion of travel took me to sleep.

I woke up in the morning and I felt incredibly sore which was odd for having just slept in a proper bed. It felt like my body was almost pressing against itself. Some morning stretches lessened the pain that was a boon I was thankful for. I went to pack up freezing again at the idol it was once again turned to face me. It even left an unusual dent in the flooring. That was definitely a concerning omen.

I tried not to think about it the rest of the day and it worked somewhat but before I knew it night fell. I cussed myself out for not making it to my next stop in time but had no option to settle down before I couldn't see and broke my foot on a stray tree root in the dark. I setup and when I went to fetch the idol, I couldn't find it. I panicked and began to stare back on the rapidly darkening trail hopeful I dropped it just a short ways back.

I didn't see it. I stared into the woods in a panic too filled with fear to eat that night. I kept spying that same white flash that night and some small part of me desperately didn't want to sleep tonight. Eventually I passed out the exact time of when was a blur.

I woke up with a start, thrashing to escape a nightmare but found that I was pinned down under the moon by a pale woman. I was confused as to what was happening. It all became clear as a set of white tails flicked into view behind her nude body.

I tried to break free but found a great deal of resistance the moonlight catching on her body enough for me to get a proper view of her. She was gorgeous, she had an incredibly soft looking body ,a slight pang of jealousy and desire attempted but failed to cut into my panic.

She called out where my eyes had gone,"There will be time for that later little kit. First I need to free you, I've been following you for days and watched you struggle to break free of that prison you think is your body."

I gave her a confused expression that feeling cutting through the panic, the feeling only exploding further as she leaned in to kiss me. After the kiss I felt my body go limp she let me go but I could just raise my arms off the ground.

The panic resurfaced as I watched what I can only describe as steel claws grow out from the tips of her fingers. She lowered her one hand with a slash, I see the massive splash of blood, seeing tatters of my clothes sent flying drops of flesh blood tinting them red. I wanted to scream but felt no pain to scream for even just calling for help brought only a whimper from my lips.

She continued to cut at my body with careful slices. I thought that this was the night I die. I kept waiting and waiting for the blackness of death to take me but it never happened. The more she cut the more of my blood covered the floor the less constrained I felt. Feeling returning to my hands but I couldn't bring myself to stop her. Some deep part of me kept me still some part wanted her to finish.

I don't know how long I was on the ground in that meadow but eventually the kitsune stopped cutting at me. She offered me her hand and I took it. My mind a bit of a blur as she guided me to a small stream and we went into it together. I felt yet more blood and even bits of flesh get dragged away by the stream. I arched as I suddenly felt a sudden extreme pang of pain in my spine. She held me tight as it happened the pain intense enough I collapsed fully into her arms, those terrifying claws now gentle hands to hold me close.

The pain subsided very suddenly but I couldn't shake a new odd sensation I had felt. She lifted me out of the water and placed me beside it. I looked into her eyes her ears twitching almost showing some tinge of excitement. She gestured for me to look into the water. I did and while the stream wasn't a perfect mirror I could see something was off. The face that stared back at me was much softer, my black hair was still there but now a pair of black fox ears sat at the top. Twitching and turning at every little sound. Even the darkness of night was more manageable as I could just barely see that my eyes had changed as well.

I crawled back from the stream unsure about what had happened only to notice that my own figure had changed. All the flesh cut off me yet I had no scratches on my skin, not even old scars from my youth. Though what caused the biggest shock was the pair of breasts that now adorned my chest. I quickly gazed between my legs to see that that too had changed.

I was panicked again but not out of fear just overwhelming confusion. This should feel all wrong but I felt free and like this is what was inside me the whole time. I didn't even question as a jet black fox tail wrapped around me and I instinctively grabbed it. The other kitsune sat beside me now. That same gentle demeanor as she brought comfort to this confusing event. I ended up dozing off in her arms.

[tokoyamisstuff]

Divine Intervention

Alexander Anderson x f! nurse! Reader

2,9k. words | no warnings | childhood friends to lovers | mutual pining | premise inspired by the 'Angel Dust' Manga

Synopsis: Since catholicism is declining in number, priests are officially able to get married - and Anderson knows just who to ask.

A/N: This is a lil' gift for my old friend @otakutater0724. 💌 Sadly I had no fucking clue where to go with this one, so it's ill paced. But better post it than letting it rot in my drafts, right?

"A wife?!" Anderson leans back in his chair, huffing in irritation at this absurd request. "Are ya' out of yer' goddamn mind?"

Maxwell had his hands neatly folded on the table between them, slowly gliding an official Vatican paper towards his foster father. "It's merely my duty to inform you." The archbishop points towards a specific paragraph, explaining the latest reform. "Besides, this is by far not the first time that the bible has been reinterpreted."

The Judas Priest frowns as he grabs the document, face turning pensive as he read the fancy wording. Basically, it stated that servants of the lord are not only allowed, but highly encouraged to lay down their chastity vows and bring forth a new generation of catholics. Enrico assured him it was a temporary change, maybe for one or two generations, but in these trying times there wasn't another option.

At first the man was downright offended at the suggestion. Cast aside the fact that they were literally changing the Lord's gospel, was he not doing more than enough through funding a whole entire orphanage?!

But then his superior remarked something that made him see this heresy in a whole new light.

"What about...what was her name again...Y/N?"

Anderson almost choked on air at the familiar name, much to his friend's amusement. "What about her, huh?"

"Nothing!" the younger man throws his hands into the air in defense, for a change really only wanting the best for his former mentor. "But if I remember correctly, the two of you have been very close before you started your holy work, right?"

"...you really got no shame, speaking about your elders like that." In his indignation, he crumples the paper and throws it at Maxwell's direction. "I'd curse the man who raised you so terribly, but then I'd only be insulting myself."

"You're free to ignore it. After all, it's a suggestion and not an order" The archbishop shrugs, calling after the hurriedly leaving Paladin. "Just think about it, alright?"

That incorrigible fool Maxwell, how dare he to even address such a topic?!

Anderson was furious beyond belief, and if he wasn't back at the orphanage already he would've certainly itched for some blood. Rushing through the hallways, the staff keeps their heads down as he passes them, knowing it's better to avoid him in such an agitated state.

Initially he had planned to just seek refuge in the security of his room, surrounded by nothing but the - unedited - bible. Yet it seems the Lord had other plans with him, as he was given a sign...quite literally. Being as tall as he is, the priest almost hit his head at the new board hanging from the ceiling, the words 'INFIRMARY' written on them in capital letters.

Oh. Yeah, right, the orphanage now had it's own health ward. Usually the nuns were able to treat minor injuries or illnesses, but these days many children come into his care with more severe or complicated medical conditions. Was about time.

The opening was today? Shit, he completely forgot about it. This was such an important event for you, being designated to become the head nurse. He should know best, since he paid for your whole education after all.

Actually, after his earlier conversation with Maxwell left him so bewildered, he rather wanted to avoid meeting you until he calmed down - but it seems like he has no other choice.

If it's for your sake, he could swallow his concerns and just be there for you on that big day. Can't hurt to stop by and congratulate you either way. So he hastily plucked some flowers from the garden before making his way towards your new office.

As he roams the building, Anderson involuntarily starts reminiscing. Has it really been so many years already? Time sure flies.

It's still surreal to think about the fact that you both had been wanted criminals in the past. He barely remembers any of it, chose to lock those memories into some dark corner of his mind - with the exception of some pleasant ones, mostly revolving around you...his favourite little troublemaker.

The two of you were born into poverty, befriending each other through shared misery and sticking together for survival. He would keep you safe, while you took care of him. Easy as that. It may have started as some kind of arrangement, but your bond soon grew into a wonderful friendship, and eventually - unbeknownst to you both - a mutual crush on the other.

With no real perspective you joined a criminal gang early on. Anderson, with his physical advantage, became one of their most skilled assassins, while you gained your earnings as a smuggler and thief. Together you had caused a lot of mischief, to put it mildly.

But after a mission gone south your childhood friend needed to keep a low profile for a while, since the bosses thought he was the one behind the disappearance of a great amount of heroin. At first his priesthood served as a mere disguise, but he soon found solace in his faith, seeing it as a way to atone for his sins.

The plan was never to abandon you. He was thinking about you every single day, praying for your safety until he'd return. It took him more time than anticipated, mostly due to being trained fighting vampires and other evil spirits, but eventually he managed to secure an important position at the Vatican as their enhanced holy warrior.

Much to his devastation however when he finally came to take you with him, the gang was disbanded due to internal conflict and a lot of arrests. Years he spent searching for you, but all clues led to dead ends.

The last straw was when he had finally tracked down his former leader, and to spite him the man made up a story about your alleged execution years ago. Needless to say this man suffered a violent death at Anderson's hands.

Now that he thinks about it, the priest is sure that he would have never taken on his religious title if he knew you were still out there somewhere.

Yet in the end after a long time of mourning, he decided that it was for the best to fully commit to the church - he never wanted anyone besides you, after all, so there was no reason not to become celibate.

Fate played both of you dirty however, because just shortly after taking his oath, you met again by sheer coincidence. You were trying to rob him during bright daylight, acting like an all coy and helpless damsel. Typical.

You didn't recognize him at first, the timid young boy from back then having grown into a literal beast of a man...Anderson on the other hand could never forget those eyes that made his knees weak whenever you'd look at him a certain way.

When you finally connected the dots, you punched him with as much force as your emotions bestowed on you, grabbing onto the collar of his coat and spitting vile curses at him for leaving you behind just like that.

All those years spent apart and really, it felt like no time had passed at all.

Even long after the misunderstanding had been cleared, Anderson's guilty conscience never ceased. Until this day he'd apologize to you, though you repeatedly assured him you held no grudge. Quite the opposite, even.

The priest had taken you in without hesitation, helping you turn your life around and rebuild at his side. You weren't exactly fond of the church, always saying they were corrupt and that even if god exists, he had failed you. But it was certainly better than living on the streets, and as long as your dear friend was happy, you'd be damned to ridicule his faith.

Most of the nuns hated your guts nonetheless, always saying a heathen like you is a bad influence to the dedicated man, even when you were on your best behavior.

Nonetheless, Father Anderson might've decided to keep his position, but he promised himself to never turn his back on you again. If you'd let him, he'll gladly take care of you for the rest of his life.

As long as you were at his side, he was fine with how things ended up...

...at least until the latest decree, that was.

The possibility alone re-ignited a fire deep inside of him that was diminished by the illusion of your loss, never daring to light it again out of fear to relive the same pain all over again.

But the ember always preserved.

Anderson's initial anger had completely evaporated, making room for a mixture of both dread and excitement when he reached his destination. Peeking through the small glass window in the door, he sees you decorating the place, moving along to a happy song you were chanting. Sweet as always he thought, but you certainly would object. You were never really aware of the effect you had on him, after all.

A smile was tugging on the edge of his lips, allowing himself to observe you for a moment to brace him for the confrontation. You haven't aged a day in his eyes, if anything the years only made you more beautiful to him.

You only took notice of his presence when the door falls into the lock, and immediately your small smirk turns into a barely containable grin. "Without a chaperone again?" you teased and poked his chest. "How unbecoming, Father."

Jokes aside, the Abbess doesn't approve of you two being alone with each other, always saying the devil is the third person in the room. Their precious, sophisticated paladin associating with a savage nobody like you was heresy enough in her eyes, as well as everyone else of the higher-ups.

If only they knew you were literally hanging around in his room on the regular, even sleeping in his bed from time to time, they'd certainly get a stroke...

Not that they were wrong, you did have a habit of persuading him into having some fun for a change. Nothing indecent, really, just harmless pranks to make special memories for the children for example. Like that one time you decorated the entire courtyard for Halloween and emptied their offertory to buy sweets for the orphans.

You would surely be punished again if anyone gets wind of this...

"Alex?" He winced a little hearing his old nickname, never insisting that you called him by his official title. The priest felt his heart threaten to break out of his chest, experiencing a kind of fear he lacked to feel even while fighting literal monsters.

A moment passed without any answer. The man was rooted on spot, staring at you with a bashful expression you knew very well from your younger days. It was always so easy making him flustered, your sweet innocent Alex.

"Darlin', are you alright?" You look up to the much taller man, putting a hand on his cheek which instantly sends a blush up his neck. His face is already bright red as he gently squeezes your shoulders, determination present in his emerald eyes as he blurts out "...marry me."

"Wha-" Stumbling back, you almost hit the desk behind if it wasn't for him wrapping one arm around your waist. "Excuse me?!"

Anderson pins you with a stern expression, taking ahold of your wrist and letting his thumb run across your knuckles. "Ye' heard me just right."

"Did you have too much sacramental wine again?" You raise an eyebrow at him while wriggling out of his hold, but you were effectively trapped between his body and the furniture. "Don't worry, I assure ye' I'm sober." But truth be told, at the same time he never felt so intoxicated in his entire life.

You had a clue what he was implying, the nuns have been talking about nothing else those past few hours. The elders were shocked, to say the least, wanting to stick to the old ways, while the younger ones were absolutely thrilled, already making plans.

But Anderson, a devout and literal saint who was so dead set on his religious ways...for him to even consider something like that was just too absurd to be true.

Maybe you're just dreaming you conclude, pinching yourself, yet that action only made him chuckle with that damn raspy voice of his. You felt embarassed and at the same time too baffled to even react properly, let alone form a verbal response. But he doesn't seem to mind, gifting you a lovestruck expression as he holds your hands into his much taller ones.

"God has granted me this second chance" he murmurs, leading the back of your hand to his lips. "I won't be wasting it this time...if you'll have me, I mean."

"Why-" you let out a shaky breath, the dam you've built so carefully around your feelings for this man giving in way too easily. You had promised yourself to never dare of hoping again, but even after all those years he still held your heart with ease. "I don't understand...why would you of all people want to marry?"

"I...to be honest, I was doting on you ever since we were teenagers" he admits, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. The confession left his heart like a burdening weight, no matter what your answer might be.

Your eyes widened in shock, feeling so many things at once - mostly regret for all those wasted years you could've spent together. He was first to speak again, though, tone as woeful as your heart felt. "I shouldn't have given up on you...Y/N, I'm so sorry."

"C'mon, now don't be all gloomy..." You tried to brighten the mood, squeezing his hands as you mirror his nervous smile. "We've been over this so many times. You weren't at fault."

"Actually, I was..." That statement made you gasp in disbelief, and he suddenly pressed your head against his chest, unable to bear the look in your eyes. "It was really me who stole the heroin from the boss back then."

He feels you claw the fabric of his shirt, only imagining what you must feel right now, but his embrace is relentless. "That was a reckless idea" you grid, feeling anger and betrayal burn in your guts. "Even for your standards."

Anderson chuckled to cover up his hurt. "But I did it for you. For us." His head rests atop of yours now, and you feel him shake ever so slightly. "I never told you how I felt because you deserved so much better than what I had to offer. I wanted to sell the drugs, and with the money we could've built a life somewhere far away...as you said, I should've known better. Wishful thinking, maybe."

"...you're unbelievable." You eventually push him away so he'd look at you, his heart sinking as he detects tears streaming down your cheeks. There were times when you slept under bridges, only having each other to hold on to keep you warm. How did he even get the idea that you needed anything besides him at your side?

"Tell me to leave and that I'll do" he announces calmly, his gaze full of sheer adoration. But you won't have any of this, not again, not anymore. "Oh, don't you dare. As if I'd ever let you leave again after knowing this!"

You fiercely grab the collar of his robe, no resistance in his stance as you pull him in for a kiss. Anderson is taken by surprise, yet dwells in the feeling of finally closing the distance between you he only had himself to blame for.

Looking at you right now, you seemed so unusual shy and giddy, face hiding nuzzled against his chest as you tried containing your joy. Adorable.

"Then it's decided?" He sounds both relieved and anxious, but you instantly plant another, more tender kiss to his jaw. "Of course, you blockhead!" And yet you snivel, unable to let go off of a last ounce of distrust and past hurt. "Please, Alex...you have no idea how long I've loved you...don't leave."

"Never again. I swear." He swallowed harshly at the impact of your words, cursing his own foolishness. "I may not be worth the wait, but I'll promise to make it up to you every single day."

There was no time to lose, not a single second he wanted to waste after leaving decades of longing behind the two of you.

So only a few days later the two of you found yourselves in front of the altar, being married by the archbishop himself in a small ceremony. His words were accompanied by the breaking dawn, a symbol of hope as the raising sun banished away the darkness of the night.

"Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers a multitude of sins (1 Peter 4:8)" Maxwell spoke, a self-satisfied smile playing on his lips at the thought of having been matchmaker for the two of you. "My congratulations, you may now kiss the bride."

A ray of sunlight hit the tinted glass of the church window, engulfing your white dress in a variety of colors. Anderson lifted your veil, this most divine sight making him whisper a grateful prayer to the lord for providing him with this greatest bliss. One sole tear of happiness escapes his eye before claiming your lips with a fervor unlike anything either of you ever felt, ensuring you that all the obstacles were always meant to lead you to this day.

Whatever laid behind you, now you'd await a brighter future together.

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)"

[martellspear]

We don't know the entire story yet, so it's impossible to make a judgement like you're doing.

I'd argue that Elia was in fact in on all of Rhaegar's schemes to bring about prophecy. They both knew she couldn't have anymore kids, and so she allowed him to seek out a woman who could...Lyanna.

A crown prince must have more than 2 kids, Elia failed her only purpose. No wonder Rhaegar turned to Lyanna.

I mean, Dorne seems OK with anything so long as there's an agreement between all parties involved.

Robert didn't love any of the women he slept with. His vows meant nothing.

Rhaegar meant everything. He cared for Elia and his children, but also seemed to be in love with Lyanna. His vows had meaning, even if they were interpreted differently.

Hi, anon. I'll assume you've read "tolerate it" and that's what made you come here.

We don't know much about them but I highly doubt Elia was 100% on board with everything. I think he shared some aspects of the prophecy but can you, honestly, tell me that she would take part in the most humiliating moment of her life? Willingly?

"Jon Arryn and Robert and Lord Hunter joking a moment before what was happening dawned on them, Ned watching as Rhaegar was about to stop in front of his sister, mad Aerys glowering in the distance, Elia stiff-backed and trying to act as if nothing was wrong, Jon Connington probably looking vaguely sad, and so on." — source

That's what Paolo Puggioni, an artist George hired, said the author himself told him.

One of my darling moots put in words, better than I would ever be able to, thoughts about Elia and the polyamory relationship some people like to insert her into, you can read it here.

Yes, Elia could be accepting and supportive of others who do it, it's their life. But she's the Crown Prince's wife and future queen. Why would she even consider adding one more person to their relationship? Especially knowing the consequences of those? And not only for her personal life and her children; think about Dorne, the Stormlands and the North's reaction to such insult and pair it up with everything the war cost (Brandon and Rickard died before it even truly started). "But with Rhaegar being king-" George has made clear how fragile monarchy in Westeros actually is.

Elia would put her children in a dangerous position if she not only fully agreed to Rhaegar's plans but also welcomed Lyanna and his bastard. Additionally, I'd love it if you could point it out for me where it says a crown prince can't have only two children (seriously, I'd like to know). Elia gave him two healthy kids and it almost cost her her life, she didn't fail anything.

(consider this to be about book!rhaegar and lyanna; my thoughts on their show version couldn't be more different)

I don't think Rhaegar loved Lyanna at all. And sometimes it honestly felt like he'd rather if she died after giving birth. She was a means to an end. Personally, I believe he manipulated her and then either kept information from her (she wouldn't stay if she knew what happened to her brother and father) or kept her there against her will; two disgusting scenarios. Rhaegar was obsessed with the prophecy, he changed his entire lifestyle for it. If it was love, he could've abandoned his crown and gone to Essos 🤷🏻‍♀️.

If Elia was aware, why wasn't she in Dorne and completely safe? Why didn't Oberyn know of this? "No, but he goes after the Lannisters-" he wanted justice. Even if the person who set them up was Rhaegar, the one who gave the order was Tywin and the one who did it was his beast. Aerys and Rhaegar were not people he could go after, maybe in his afterlife.

More importantly, and I'll be repeating myself here, it doesn't matter if she loved Rhaegar or not or how deeply she did it. Rhaegar's bastard is a direct threat to her children and their future and I doubt Elia - or anyone who hasn't lost their wits - would happily comply with that.

I have done nothing but gathering information and filling voids, what most do in this fandom tbh. There's little we know of how it was like but Rhaegar did hurt Elia again and again; and I do believe he was fond of her, which only makes things worse.

I don't have to know his thoughts to know that some of his actions were disrespectful, hurtful and disgusting; Elia doesn't have to agree or be aware of his plans for crowing another woman QoL&B (and later run away with her) to be humiliating.

Rhaegar, and Rhaegar alone, handled everything with all the sensitive and grace of a reversing dump truck.

[calling-cthulhu]

I just got back from a viewing of Kenji Kamiyama's 'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim'. Hoo boy.

I first have to admit I completely forgot this movie was going to be a thing until today, when I saw the poster on my local theatre and thought 'Fuck it, I got time'.

I must secondly admit I had no real expectations going in. I wasn't expecting to hate it, mind, nothing about it's advertising raised serious red flags like the likes of Rings of Power or Shadow of Mordor did, but neither did I expect to be particularly wowed.

Anyway, thoughts.

The movie is ultimately... fine. Not unentertaining, but it felt a bit conflicted with itself at times. You definitely feel like there's almost two movies here, one of a grounded localized conflict in Rohan, and a J.R.R. Tolkien™'s The Lord of the Rings™ movie where there's shots of recognizably iconic Middle-Earth™ things for their own sake.

The best characters are ultimately Helm himself, Wulf, and somewhat unexpectedly, a character called 'General Targg'. No really.

Hera, Daughter of Helm, unfortunately feels... stock? Like, forget the cultural warrior whining about 'Strong Female Protagonists', Hera honestly spends a shocking amount of time getting put in positions of distress and very rarely actually wins a straight fight. Unfortunately compared with fearless death-seeking Eowyn, she comes off as a bit more Disney Princess, and doesn't really change all that much as a character. She's not bad, per se, but is just serviceable, and is unfortunately surrounded by characters more interesting than her.

I admit I'm not the biggest into the Rohirrim, Gondor all the way baby, but for the most part as an adaptation of what's essentially a Tolkien sticky note, nothing about it struck me as an egregious case of 'Writer Trying To Make It Their Own'-itis, unlike certain other works I could name. If you're even slightly familiar with the events, there are no big twists or turns, the plot is incredibly straight and narrow with everything be telegraphed from a mile away. Whether this is a good or bad thing, I leave up to your personal discretion.

The biggest alteration I'd say would be the inciting incident, namely the circumstances in which Helm kills Freca. There is actually a lot in the incident that is true to the text, mind, such as Freca insulting Helm's age, who returns with jabs about his weight, but there seems to also be an attempt to justify some of Freca's marital ambitions by him claiming Helm's too influenced by Gondor as he wants to marry Hera, our protagonist, with a Gondorian prince (Sir Not-Appearing-in-this-Film). Freca is... Actually right, Helm absolutely wants to marry his daughter off to Gondor. I actually kind of like this, as right away we have the contrasts between Theoden and Helm. Helm is kind of an imperious, more moral Bobby B type, very used to getting what he wants by his word alone.

And yes, he destroys Freca in a single blow... But I have to deduct points off this, because rather than the premeditated straight-up murder of the text, this is more of a formal brawl where Helm accidentally loses his temper due to Freca's insults, which honestly is kind of funny as Helm clearly expected Freca to get back up after smashing his face in.

Another change I'm not really fond of is that Freca and Wulf actually do seem to have Dunlending blood. While in Tolkien's work it's fairly easy to read as it being an unsubstantiated rumour used to discredit an influential rival, here Wulf straight admits he was discriminated against due to his ancestry, and even uses his heritage to become 'High Lord' of Dunland.

Anyway, Wulf amasses an army, including 'Variag mercenaries' who are clearly just Haradrim, but whatever, and beats Helm. I won't go too much into detail, but the battle itself isn't incredibly impressive, imo, clearly trying very hard to emulate Jackson's Return of the King.

Speaking of Wulf, marketing kind of painted the picture of a kind of badboy former childhood sweetheart of Hera turned evil. He is... not that. Very little of his childhood relationship with Hera is actually explore. Instead, Wulf instead channels more Macbeth or Captain Ahab. An incredibly bloodthirsty and ambitious warlord who is ultimately undone by a combination of hubris, lust for vengeance and a complex over his own inadequacies.

Frankly, the only reason he doesn't fall faster is thanks to, again seriously, 'General Targg', his Dunlending advisor. Not that you would be able to tell he's a Dunlending, being clean shaven and having close-cropped hair... He looks like he's just a Roman strategist plucked out of time, like an Africanus or even Caesar. His main job is to tell Wulf to please stop being dumb and take his Ws, such as when Helm straight up offers to surrender the crown for the life of his last son. Wulf for his part never actually listens, however, cumulating in him spending the last of his gold building a giant 'siege tower' (Think the Warwolf if its only job was to fall over and provide a big bridge for soldiers to march up the undefended walls of Helms Deep) and he promptly stabs Targg once the man gets fed up of Wulf being a complete failure of a king.

Lastly, my biggest criticism of the movies is probably that a lot of the Tolkien elements feel very incidental and solely there for the sake of the intellectual property. The Mumak and the 'Variag mercenaries' show up for one battle and are never mentioned again. The Watcher in the Water appears once and quickly disappears again. There's one scene with Orcs that only exists to foreshadow that Sauron is looking for rings, but it's completely irrelevant to the story proper and mostly exists so Helm can have a Batman moment saving Hera from a troll. Saruman pops up at the end to wink at the camera, and perhaps most egregiously of all, they pull a Battle of the Five Armies, where Hera rides off into the sunset after she says a wizard wishes to talk to her, who 'in the common tongue is Gandalf'. I have no idea where this is going to lead and can only pray Philippa Boyens isn't trying to make Gandalf a kind of fantasy Nick Fury who is gathering heroes from all across the land for another movie...

In terms of rating, from a bottom-barrel The Rings of Power to a lovely The Lord of the Rings Online, I rate it a Fellowship of the Ring (2002). That's a 5-6/10 for you boring people. The animation itself isn't bad, but it's not quite your name or Mononoke Hime level. It's an entertaining enough one-time watch, but I don't foresee being it much of a repeat classic like it's forefathers. Overall a decent but unambitious foray into Tolkien, which given the current competition, may not actually be an insult...