#If you can't tell: my hands can't stay stable for more than one second for shit

[senkuplushie]

Very late, but I decided to try out the "sad anime eyes = among us with big shoes" thing with Senku, lmao... It turned out better than I expected (still far from any good), but this phone's camera quality absolutely destroyed it T_T

If you somehow couldn't tell, this is a fine example of the way my hands can't stay stable for longer than one second for shit

Fuck, now I'm getting flashbacks to that one sceneee (╥﹏╥) Senku is already my biggest weakness, but the idea of him crying makes me just... oof

I was originally going to do a colored version, but I used the wrong pencil for sharing and made his eye look green :')

[xxgoblin-dumplingxx]

hey ari, i’m truly having an awful night. there’s a free pass for anything that involves someone being protective against a shitty guardian/parental figure. i wish jason todd would’ve kicked my dads ass tonight.

Lee took to Alfred much more warmly, peppering him with little boy questions about dinosaurs and oddly enough... piccolos? Which made the butler wonder if there was not a single neurotypical person in the entire family.

Adorable. He was enchanted. All dimples and curls. He'd carried Alfred a mug of tea managing to only spill half of it on the floor for the boxer and the wolf hound. And to get under your feet nearly causing you to fall twice- managing to get exiled to play outside with his dog.

It was a lovely afternoon. Watching Jason be so... soft. So helplessly in love with his wife and his children. Excited to be a new father. He enjoyed doting on his wife and fussing over his kids. He was comfortable in the vintage kitchen and the narrow halls. He liked the routine. Coming home to something stable.

When you started stretching your back in your kitchen chair, Jason smiled a little, "C'mon, let's get you on the couch."

"I'm fine, I just needed to-"

"Let's please not have to take you back to the hospital," Jason coaxed, helping you to your feet. "I'll tell Lee he needs to run in sight of the bay window every so often."

You snort and let him help you, grateful that he's strong enough to catch you if you need him to. It's comforting. He's comforting. Between his bulk beside you and Boris behind you. By the time he has you on the sofa you already feel better. At least until your phone rang.

"Hello?"

Jason frowned. He could tell from the look on your face who it was and he got Alfred seated listening with half an ear. Your biological father wanted money. Again. Either to have it put on his books or your sisters.

It hardly mattered. The divorce happened. Battle lines got drawn. You chose mom Mandy chose dad. Now you raised Mandy's kids and got "everything handed to you" as far as she could tell. Never mind trusts and adoptions. Or love. Or duty.

He gave Alfred a meaningful look and took a deep breath. Your biological dad and your sister were both banned. They both had no contact orders. And the second they upset you he'd be hanging up.

Your voice cracked. And tears fell.

And gently but firmly Jason plucked the phone from your hand, "If you're that fucking worried about Mandy's books use store brand instead of name brand for your meth and cut costs. Figure it out. Call here again and I'll report you to your PO." But before he could reply he hung up.

"Jay-"

"Shh," he soothed, "don't cry baby girl."

"God I hate it."

"I know," he hummed, wrapping his arms around you. "But you're doing good. Just breathe." He broke off and wiped your face, kissing your forehead, "I can't get you a shot but I can get the baby a snack," he teased, "what do they want?"

"Milk chocolate sea salt caramel truffles," you tell him.

He grinned and kissed your nose before standing up, "Alfred, did you feel up to going to the store with me or do you want to stay and keep Y/N company?"

"Well obviously," Alfred said sipping a fresh cup of tea, "I'm going to stay here and be nosey."

"Ky it is," Jason said, "I'll take a kid and a grocery list... then maybe we won't come home with half the cereal aisle."

"We hope," you tell him smiling.

"Shh," Jason said. "Be nice to me and I'll buy more than one bag of truffles."

"You should probably do that anyway," Alfred observed. "For practical reasons."

[electrosair]

Husband & dad headcanons hydro + geo + electro ver.

english isn’t my first language, sorry for mistakes

characters: ayato + childe + albedo + gorou + itto + zhongli + cyno

word count: 2k

Ayato

how does he propose to you?

Cherry blossoms decorating a small path when you arrive at Kamisato Estate after a long day. A relaxing dinner outside under the stars of Inazuma and several candles illuminating the table. All very romantic in short.

where is the wedding taking place?

In Inazuma obviously, and as much as Ayato wants to keep the wedding among family and friends, it is impossible for people not to find out about it and various curious ones to talk about the wedding.

where are you going on your honeymoon?

Honestly, you mention a site and he is already making reservations and making sure that everything is ready for your love trip. If I have to say one, I would bet either Mondstadt or Snezhnaya.

children before or after marriage?

I guess afterwards, I feel Ayato as a person who would prefer to have your relationship completely stable before having children.

how many children does he want?

Maybe 3, but I think he would prefer only 2. Being as busy as he usually always is I feel that at a minimum the kids would take a total of 3 years minimum.

how is he during your pregnancy?

He would postpone all his duties if he sees that you are feeling unwell or your mood is not the best in the world. He would try to take you out for a walk because he read that it was good for childbirth and stuff like that, definitely the kind of guy who reads a lot to figure it all out. "Darling, you don't want to drink the tea? It's good for… No? Okay, let's go to the garden then."

any memorable moment with his child?

You remember when you and Ayato ran to the inner garden because you heard your children fighting and in reality they were just practicing like he and Ayaka did when they were little. His face immediately changed to one of tenderness.

Childe

how does he propose to you?

At first he would try to keep it between you, but some way or another, Teucer ends up finding out and Childe tells him that it's a super important mission and he can't tell you anything. I can see his brother reading you a little piece of paper for you to guess the place where your boyfriend is waiting for you.

where is the wedding taking place?

Definitely in Snezhnaya, I do not accept any other place. Childe is the most familiar person in all of Teyvat and I don't see him celebrating your wedding without his family present, he will pay for travel for all of yours to attend.

where are you going on your honeymoon?

He probably would like to go back to Liyue for a visit, to see the panorama and take the opportunity to do some Fatuis business, although behind your back as he wouldn't want you to see him working on your honeymoon.

children before or after marriage?

Before, period. My thoughts do not allow me to imagine your wedding without the children throwing petals as you approach the altar.

how many children does he want?

This shouldn't even be a question for Tartaglia. But if I have to say a number I assure you more than 5, I'm not going to put limits on this man.

how is he during your pregnancy?

He treats you as if you were made of glass, the slightest thing is a reason for him to be behind you, placing one hand on your head and one on your belly to keep you away from whatever 'dangerous' thing you might be doing. "Be careful, listen to me and stay resting away from this."

any memorable moment with his child?

You were already planning to go for the second child during the first winter as a family. Your little one covered up to his neck in layers of warm clothes, Ajax playing with the baby in the snow when you discovered a new alliance and a storm of snowballs coming towards you.

Albedo

how does he propose to you?

One of the times you go worried to him, thinking he's been engaged in a new experiment all week only to find that 1. he's not there and 2. he was gone because he was preparing his mind to ask you to marry him after wanting to for so long.

where is the wedding taking place?

Small wedding, you know, few guests, at least on his part. As for the location I would say in one of the meadows of Mondstadt, I like to imagine it at night with the fireflies and lanterns illuminating the area.

where are you going on your honeymoon?

I see him taking you to Fontaine. I can't say much but from its fame I'm sure you'd spend hours looking at the inventions and strolling the streets enjoying the new sights. "Oh, look at that coffee shop. It seems to have some kind of mechanism, let's go look."

children before or after marriage?

It's not really the 'before' or 'after' of the wedding that is important to him, but the fact that you both have time to dedicate to the baby and are mentally prepared to have it.

how many children does he want?

I would say 1, although maybe it could be 2, I doubt many more besides those. He spends a lot of his time with his work so he prefers to still have time for that.

how is he during your pregnancy?

He wouldn't be too concerned for the first few months unless you are having trouble. But from the sixth onwards he would make sure he has at least a few hours for you, in case he can't he will ask Sucrose to check on you and tell him how you are doing.

any memorable moment with his child?

Albedo would take your first child to visit Klee, their excited faces as she put everything potentially explosive away and Albedo helped her hold the baby. I simply can't.

Gorou

how does he propose to you?

After a walk in the nature of Inazuma what you least expected was that Gorou would start dropping little hints about you and your relationship, giving slight allusions to being even closer as people and proposing to wear something matching. His face lit up when you asked him if he meant getting married.

where is the wedding taking place?

Watatsumi Island. It is beautiful and no one will deny that Gorou likes the pearls that are all over the island. Now you just have to decide between the Shrine or in front of one of the waterfalls.

where are you going on your honeymoon?

Liyue, he already knows Beidou and Kazuha, so I'm sure they would even take you two to the harbor. Be assured that Gorou will want to try all the desserts and sweets he can find at the food stalls.

children before or after marriage?

I would say that after the wedding it would be better for him. He wants to try to give you and your future children as much attention as possible.

how many children does he want?

Between 1 and 2, he would like to continue to have time to remain a general in the army. But that doesn't mean he will always be busy; whenever he has free time, he wants to spend it with his family.

how is he during your pregnancy?

Not good for advice, but he'd try to always put on his best face when you complain about something about pregnancy. Of course every craving you have is going to give it to you, and he'll want to try it too. "Dangos with strawberry milk and chocolate on top? With whipped cream too? And you don't want pancakes? Oh no, it's fine. Dangos then."

any memorable moment with his child?

Now that there is not so much trouble in Inazuma he'd feel more relaxed, but he would definitely not let his children near the military camp, and if he sees them around he would send them home before they could do anything. Maybe when they're older he'll train them.

Itto

how does he propose to you?

He could simply stand in front of you with the ring in his hand and not say anything else, but he's not going to. I want to imagine him taking you maybe to his childhood house and excitedly telling you stories. And when you least expect it, bam! wedding on the way.

where is the wedding taking place?

Inazuma obviously, I guess on the main island and if I tell the truth I feel kind of bad for Kuki, I feel like she's going to have to help with everything she can to get the wedding off the ground.

where are you going on your honeymoon?

You never know with this man, so I have a lot of doubts about where you would end up going on your honeymoon. In the end you will probably be the one to organize it all.

children before or after marriage?

Maybe you would try to plan them afterwards the wedding, but knowing Itto something would happen and all your plans would go down the drain.

how many children does he want?

He is fine having 1, 2, 3 or however many as long as you keep in mind that he will still want your attention even if he spends all day playing with the kids.

how is he during your pregnancy?

Itto would try to guess if you are going to have horns or not just because he thinks it's funny, although I honestly think they would come out after the birth. He would be glued to you like a limpet, giving you pampers and cuddles like he normally does.

any memorable moment with his child?

Onikabutos fights. I would make a league in which the participants are him and your children and of course, you are the judge. Keep in mind that he will not miss the opportunity to cheat. "Hey, hey, your onikabuto wasn't at the right distance. Judge, penalize him!"

Zhongli

how does he propose to you?

Do you remember his mission? The rock zone he created himself? You would be surprised to hear the whole story the first time he tells it to you, but you are even more surprised when he kneels down in front of you. "I may have done some things wrong in the past, but from now on I want to do everything right, with you."

where is the wedding taking place?

Two weddings, no one can deny me that. One in the city of Liyue with your friends and family, and those he invites, and one in the mountains of Liyue, a small celebration just for the two of you.

where are you going on your honeymoon?

Visit to the Nations where they let you go to meet again with the other archons because I do not understand what happens that they have almost no interactions? Yes, sorry.

children before or after marriage?

It makes me a little tender to think that afterwards, because honestly he's the best husband in the world when it crosses his mind that he's finally married to someone he loves so much. He wants to take that time to spend with you now as a married couple.

how many children does he want?

Zhongli himself gives me vibes of wanting to have about 1 or 2 children, but as an archon I feel like he is capable of having 50. So I leave it up to you.

how is he during your pregnancy?

He would pull out the typical grandma's home remedies, which magically work and you don't even know how, every time you tell him you are nauseous or in any pain. He would read you his favorite books even if you had read them before because 'the baby needs to hear them too'.

any memorable moment with his child?

He is so proud to have a child with you that he would take you to all the adeptus and old friends to make the necessary introductions and give them the surprise that the geo archon was now a father.

Cyno

how does he propose to you?

He would ask you to accompany him on a mission in the desert for some kind of illegal trafficking, but all you are able to see is a natural oasis and Cyno smiling at you as he removes his hood.

where is the wedding taking place?

As much as it seemed like a good option to have the wedding in the desert as well, it ended up being held in the city of Sumeru, where it was easier for people to arrive and at least the heat would not be a big issue.

where are you going on your honeymoon?

I like to imagine Cyno again in Mondstadt, but this time you would use the trip to go to Spinedragon as well, he must be so cute in all the snow. It's not usual for him.

children before or after marriage?

After I guess, but mostly due to lack of time. You're both waiting for Cyno to stop doing such dangerous things and be able to spend more time with you before you try anything.

how many children does he want?

1 is fine for him, but if you want more he's not going to make any complaints about it.

how is he during your pregnancy?

If he normally reminds you to drink water every five minutes, now he will remind you every five seconds. Forget about going alone to areas like the desert or rainforests at least during the last months, and when you are close to delivery he won't leave your side.

any memorable moment with his child?

He would definitely spend his nights playing cards with the child, hiding from you because what he was supposed to do was to be a good father and put the child to bed. "Sorry, he was so excited I couldn't say no to another round." We all know the one who was really excited was Cyno, but okay.

[imagine-silk]

I hope you are doing okay. I would really like a rather simple Idea of the Yan Fallout 4 boys whose obsession confesses that they have a crush... on someone else. But that someone else has no Idea.

》Ah, I see you crave violence.

【Codsworth】 "You can do so much better."

As much as he has no desire to date you he sees how great you are and you deserve someone just as lovely, maybe even more than you if someone like that existed. Who you've picked is subpar. Oh, they can make you laugh? Do higher your standards, please. For his non-existent heart.

【Danse】 "What do they have that I don't?"

In his heart he gets it; he is a broken man who isn't even human. But this was the last bit of sanity he could take. You try to explain yourself, whether it be the other person never spat at a ghoul or simply has their life together. He knows he can't change the past and he doesn't want you to leave him. Against his better judgement he goes to that person and fights them. He wins too.

【Deacon】 "How could that happen?!"

Deacon would consider himself lucky man, and he was very lucky you told him while you were on an investigation. This person lived quite comfortably and had a very stable life. Imagine everyone's surprise when someone found a letter on him saying he was going to let the raiders into Diamond City because no one would suspect him to be up to no good. Who told the guard? Don't worry about it.

【Hancock】 "Here's how this is going to go."

The second they set foot in Good Neighbor they are dragged into his office. He talks to them with thinly veiled threats and tells them to back off. When they say 'no' and stand their ground he says, "Whoa, you see that Glory?" with his hands up. She then proceeds to say she did, that they had a gun pointed at him. When they still don't back down and try to deescalate he has her shoot him. Even though everyone in Good Neighbor knows what happens the official story is that they pulled a weapon on the mayor and Glory had to save him. No one betrays that story.

【MacCready】 "Who?"

He plays dumb and asks you to tell him who they are. And you had no reason to think he had any ill intentions. Afterwards he brushes it off with a, 'good luck with that' kind of dismissal. However, now that he knows their name, where they live, and where they work, he kills them from long distance. No one can point the finger his way because he never knew the person.

【Nick】

♤If Platonic "When do I get to meet them?"

He's gonna do an impromptu 'If you want to date my daughter' kind of dinner with them. The entire time he's watching them with great interest, making threats in just the right way to be completely permissible. If and when you excuse yourself for a moment he fully tells them they have one shot to play this out and if they get it wrong no one will find their body. Don't be surprised if they dump you the next day.

♡If Romantic "Stay away from them."

He didn't mean to say it but after he did he had to roll with it. His silver tongue got him in and out of a lot of places so it's not hard to craft a story about how the person in question exhibits strange behaviors, enough that he needed to look into it. Just to make sure his story goes unchecked he pays them a little 'visit' and tells them to never speak to you. Ever.

【Preston】 "Really? That's great!"

He immediately supports you in your endeavor but later when you go to sleep he finds that person. He takes them out of earshot of the town and kills them, throwing their body into the river after. In the morning they are nowhere to be found and you're heartbroken. It's okay, Preston will help you look for them. He'll be right next to you.

【X6-88】 "I see."

He wants to tell you you're too good for them but that would be a waste of time. No, he needs to be smarter than that. Excusing himself and then finding them dead would be too suspicious. He was by your side the entire day and they suddenly collapsed. They died in your arms. Say what you will about that strange tragedy, you can never say you suspected him.

[asterefflores]

Hello!

How are you?

I Just wanted to say that your story truly touches my soul and i love it sooooo much 😭♥️

And one more thing ...

It's kinda a reaction but can I know what happens If:

Cale and rok soo have a little argument with each other but it gets so bad and Cale snaps and shouts at Rok soo :

"I wish you were never my brother from the start and even if you ever were I wish i hadn't made that deal to change our places to see you again!!"

I wanna know what the twins and others reaction is..

You know.. it has been running like shit in my head...

And.. Can I have some fan arts about it please?

I'm sorry If it's too much of a request 😭😭

Glad you're loving and enjoying my fanfic 🌸🌸

As for the requested fight, I'm sorry I don't feel like drawing it *cough* but I did write a mini- or I think it's the average length for a single novel chapter? lol anyway I wrote a chapter for you I guess, I'm guessing it's based on Cale and RokSoo in my fanfic, right? Otherwise it would probably turn out differently, cuz my Cale here is stable(?) and I can't add too much angst into the fight without being realistic to their characters in my fanfic lol but here it is, hope you enjoy it.

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

“I wish…”

Rok-Soo observed as Cale before him sighed quietly with his eyes covered as he rested his forehead on his palm. The air around the younger redhead made everyone tense up.

“…I wish…”

“…Cale?” Rok-Soo slightly frowned as Cale's voice grew weaker and more weary.

“I wish you were never my brother from the start…”

“……”

It was barely audible, but everyone seemed to have heard the whisper coming from none other than Cale.

“I wish you were never my brother from the start…and even if you ever were, I wish I hadn’t accepted the deal to change our places to see you again…”

The room was so silent it was hard to tell if anyone was even breathing.

Rok-Soo’s face remained the same, looking long at Cale, whose eyes were still hidden behind his pale hand.

“I see,” His calm voice nearly echoed in the room after the heavy silence. He nodded as he pushed himself to his feet calmly. “I’ll let Ron pack everything for me and leave tonight. I’ll be in Super Rock Villa.” He heard a quiet sound like a scoff from the other.

“I don’t see why you need to tell me where you’re staying at—”

“I’ll be in Super Rock Villa, Cale.”

“……”

Seeing as Cale fell silent, Rok-Soo turned to the others in the room, glancing at the Henituse family, and they silently turned to leave the room, their eyes lingering on the younger redhead, who was still in the same position in his seat beside the window.

Rok-Soo carried the worried Ohn and Hong in his arms with Raon around his shoulders and looked at Ron’s stiff face, receiving a nod, and the old butler got to work immediately.

Cale sat still, staring at his lap, as the sounds of everybody else around him faded until he was left with only the sound of a single person standing at his door.

“Eat and rest well.”

That was the last thing he heard before the quiet sound of the door closing behind Rok-Soo. The faint click strangely sounded loud in the silent room.

He was all alone, feeling like a ghost in his own room. He barely heard his own breathing as he was more aware of the slight tremble in his hands.

‘…he noticed, didn’t he?’

He finally let out a long sigh, removing his hand from his forehead and resting his head back with his eyes closed.

Of course, Rok-Soo would notice him trembling pathetically and feel sorry for him.

“Now you’ve gone and done it.” He mumbled with a scoff at himself, “Good job ruining everything in a matter of seconds.”

Opening his eyes, Cale stared long at the ceiling that looked too plain and far at that moment, making him feel the room was far too large for just him alone.

It is the past all over again, he thought.

After staring blankly for what felt like a whole day until it was late and dark outside, he finally decided to move from his seat and function again.

By function, he meant going to bed. He thought of taking a bath to freshen his mood before sleeping, but it only made him feel cold and alone in his spacious room. Well, he wasn’t expecting much change, anyway.

He threw himself on the bed with a heavy sigh, which he felt was still stuck inside and wouldn’t come out, no matter how many times he tried to force it out and get rid of the tightness in his chest.

Closing his eyes, he slowly accepted the coldness and felt numb and unbothered to think of anything anymore.

It’s for the best.

He drifted off to sleep with the thought, as he did every night for the next whole month…

.

.

A month passed, and Cale more or less moved like a ghost in the castle, silently leaving his room to his office and then back to his room after he was done with his duties as the Duke, rejecting his fidgety father’s offer of resting and leaving the work to him and Bassen or Violan. At the very least, he joined his family during meals every day.

Lilly and Bassen made it their mission to follow him around but maintain a reasonable distance, wanting to give him space but too worried to leave him alone. Violan, his mother, never misses a day of assuring him that she is there for him whenever he needs someone to talk to, and she leaves his side with one stern request asking him not to drink too much alcohol.

He won’t drink, not in front of anyone and not when the family is watching him like hawks and ready to jump his way if he so touched any bottle during their silent meals. He enjoys a few glasses before bed three times a week alone in his room when he’s sure no one will come to find him during late hours.

Today, however, he finally decided to rest and accept his father’s offer to leave the reports and documents to the family to finish. He woke up with a horrible headache, feeling so heavy he could barely bring himself to bathe or push anything into his mouth. The food the servants left for him for breakfast was left cold on the table for three hours or so.  

He lay on his back, eyes closed and feeling numb with the humming silence. It was funny how it seemed not even a soul passed by his door outside ever since Rok-Soo left with everyone. It felt like all the liveliness around the house was solely for the older redhead, and Cale’s relationship with everyone in this world didn’t improve. He felt like it was all an illusion now.

He sighed silently, knowing he should stop thinking this way, but it strangely felt relaxing the more he stayed alone. He was developing bad habits again, and he couldn’t care to stop them.

He expected no one from Rok-Soo’s people would ever want to look at his face again after the things he said. He believed Ron also would be too disappointed to even think of him anymore, but…

Cale sighed again, recalling how often he had to pretend he wasn’t aware of some of them sneaking into his office using invisibility magic and watching him. Don’t they already know he could use and sense magic well at this point? Really, he thought of it more as them provoking him than checking on him.  

It started with Raon sneaking in through the opened window with only Ohn and Hong, and sometimes, they’d bring Choi Han and Choi Jung-Soo with them. Cale may have left the window to his office and room open on purpose for them to sneak in any time, and they may have noticed his silent message of welcoming their presence to start visiting more than once a day.

He also noticed Sui Khan stopping by once every week to watch him for hours from the window before leaving as silently as he came.

Ron would drop by on days and ask him directly with his benign smile if the Puppy Young Master needed anything, and Cale would always say no, thank the old butler, and leave, as coldly as that, but at least he wasn’t rude. Cale was not acting Trash, after all.

‘Ah, maybe that's what's worrying them…’

He opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling with the soft sunlight seeping through the windows. He isn’t acting like Trash; he’s genuinely wanting to be left alone. Perhaps Rok-Soo was the one telling them to check on him, but he doubted it. This was more Deruth’s style of caring than Rok-Soo’s.

Rok-Soo is probably worried, or is he?

He shook his head slightly. No, that hyung of his must be worried, as he’s secretly been since before the start of that last conversation.

Then, the crew was probably checking on him just to reassure Rok-Soo.

He quietly clicked his tongue with a slight sigh and frown. Calmly flipping to his side, he decided to stop thinking about anything at all.

With his eyes closed, his mind was becoming numb again, and he slowly drifted to dreamland with the humming silence and the soft rustles of trees moving with the breeze outside and birds chirping.

Knock, Knock—

His eyes snapped open at the sudden interruption. He stiffened as he thought something must have happened since his family promised to leave him to rest unless it was urgent.

Before he could ask, the answer came from behind the door.

“Young Master, it’s Hans.”

He pushed himself to sit up, “What is it?” he slipped his cold feet into his slippers as he heard the man eagerly answer.

“Um, there is a letter for the Young Master.”

He frowned and stopped walking midway to the door. A letter? And why does Hans sound excited instead of alarmed? Not that it’s a bad thing, but he suddenly feels like going back to his bed.

However, he walked with a silent sigh and pulled the door open, slightly startling the ginger-head, but Hans looked so happy that he forgot even to let out a yelp this time.

“Here’s the letter, Young Master!”

“…thanks.”

He accepted the envelope that was pushed into his hands and raised an eyebrow as Hans didn’t turn around and run off as usual but instead waited with a broad smile like an excited brat awaiting his reaction after giving a gift.

Cale sighed as elegantly as always, staring intently at the envelope with a scroll attached. Confirming by using magic and his ability that it was safe, he opened the envelope in front of the Deputy Butler and pulled out the paper, leaving the scroll for later.

He opened the letter and found the first line with the familiar handwriting…

[ I’m still in Super Rock Villa. ]

Cale blinked at the words, blankly reading the rest of the letter that was obviously written by others as well listing down things and foods that could tempt him into paying a visit soon.

His hands slowly moved to open the scroll, and as he expected, it was a teleportation scroll to Super Rock Villa.

‘…of course Rok-Soo wouldn’t wait forever.’

He was still a bit shocked...

Cale was more used to people waiting for him to approach first and fix whatever damage was there or to address any problem, whether he was the cause or not, and most of them would eventually give up. After all, his family usually chose the waiting game, and he may have made a habit of taking advantage of it at some point. However, this is Rok-Soo he’s dealing with now, not Deruth, not anyone else.

“Young Master, the Master requested to know your answer as soon as possible.”

Cale looked at Hans’ bright eyes before he sighed, brushing his hair back with one hand, “I’m going to see hyung today. Tell father I won’t be with them at tonight’s dinner.”

“Yes, Young Master!”

Cale watched the butler run off to deliver the ‘long awaited’ news. He shook his head as he thought surely the man was happy the suffocating air around the castle would finally disappear soon, as were the rest of the Henituse family and the staff members.

He closed the door and looked at the letter again with the many handwriting styles. ‘…even with this, you guys sound vicious.’ A light puff of air left him as a silent chuckle, looking at the letter written by the kids and the rest, along with Rok-Soo, all crying out a big “Come over or else we’ll drag you this time.”

He took a deep breath and let it out calmly, feeling somewhat light for the first time after a month.

“…I’m nervous.”

He silently scoffed at himself for feeling this way at his age. Of all the things he had gone through, he was now nervous about facing Rok-Soo after their first fight.

He can’t refuse, and he should stop this while Rok-Soo is still giving the chance. The raging storm in his head from months ago had cooled off considerably by now, and maybe the reason was that he regretted the loneliness he had caused himself once again after all the years.

He nodded to himself with a silent sigh, looking again at the one sentence Rok-Soo wrote in the letter, then at the blue sky outside.

…he has plenty of time to relax before seeing his vicious hyung for the first time after a whole month.

.

.

“Human! Gentle Human! We’re leaving now. Remember to make up and never fight again!” Raon announced brightly as they were leaving Rok-Soo’s room after eating together, as if nothing had happened between the two redhead siblings.

Cale watched silently as Rok-Soo relaxed in his seat and waved away the kids, Choi Han, Choi Jung-Soo, Sui Khan and Ron, with a stoic face.

The door closed, and the room was too silent after the soft click.

Cale stared into space as Rok-Soo comfortably sipped his tea in the seat beside him. He didn’t expect eating dinner with the group to be… this easy, as if everything was all right, as if they trusted everything was already solved by his presence here now.

“…I’m sorry for what I said.”

He finally mumbled, and he noticed Rok-Soo stopped sipping his tea for a moment beside him.

Rok-Soo went back to sipping his tea leisurely with a quiet hum, “Ready to talk about what’s been bothering you, dongsaeng?” he looked at Cale and smiled a little at the little nod. He couldn’t stop himself from patting the brat’s head to make him finally look at him.

“Good, I’m listening.”

[jumpywhumpywriter]

"The Lost Hero" - Crippled Hero Presumed Dead part 16

Warnings: crippled hero, medical whump/operating with no anesthesia, dying, choking, collapsed throat, recovery whump

Hero's hands clenched tightly at her sides, and Logan could feel her arms trembling under his grip. Another muted scream tore loose from her as Villain used another specialized contraption to set the device into its permanent spot, making it so it wouldn't shift out of place.

"There. Problem solved," Villain said dryly. He slid the contraption holding her throat open out, and Hero gagged as it came up and out of her.

"Sorry about no anesthesia," Villain smiled. "There wasn't enough time, since you were in the process of dying and all."

Hero didn't even have the energy to glare, she just rasped weakly before her eyes rolled back and she passed out altogether.

Villain turned to the two teenagers. "She'll need to rest and give her body time to heal around the cuts I had to make, and it'll take time to adapt to the new device. But I trust she'll keep her promise. Hero always does. She'll stay out of my way." He went to the sink and started casually rinsing the blood off his tools.

"How long will recovery take?" Logan inquired.

"Unsure. Could be months, but more than likely she'll be fine in a week or two." Villain set his tools down on a towel to dry before turning to face the two teens. "But she will be staying here where I can supervise for the next few days, along with both of you. Can't have witnesses running around loose."

"It's not like we'd tell anybody about this!" Noah piped up.

"That's what they all say, right before they do the opposite." Villain shrugged nonchalantly. "It's nothing personal." He started walking toward the door. "I am going to get reacquainted with some of my henchmen now, I'll send some of them to take you both and Hero to where you'll be staying." And then he was gone.

Logan let out a quivering breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding, running a hand through his hair.

"What do we do now?" Noah asked worriedly. "Should we try to escape?"

"We can't. Hero's condition isn't stable enough for us to bring her with us if we were to attempt an escape." Logan groaned inwardly. "I say let's play along and try to stay on Villain's good side while Hero recovers. Then we can consider fighting back."

Noah nodded his agreement, right as the door swung open again and two men approached the table. One of them scooped her up in his muscular arms, her head lolling limply back, while the second gestured at Noah and Logan. "Come with us," he demanded, and neither of them argued with it, allowing themselves to be herded out of the medical room.

⏪️ Back Next ⏩️

Masterlist

@scoundrelwithboba @lumpofsand @isikedmyself878 @iamheretohurt @fleur-a-whump

@ay5ksal @otterfrost @sausages-things @i-don't-know-sal @togzy

[blackbat05]

A Christmas Miracle

Jason Todd x Reader

Plot: After being dealt with a bad hand, you wonder if you could finish the year peacefully. Or would there be a Christmas Miracle?

Genre: PG-13 (Mentions of death), comfort fic

A/N: Decided to participate in @the-slumberparty EOY event and get back into writing here! This piece does act as an outlet for me and this is me praying for a better year. Anyways, hope you enjoyed my piece after a long while!❤️

Nice Prompts in Bold☺️

***

If it was any other day, I probably would have stayed far away from the bar and the music that would make any normal human being deaf with all that blasting.

But not today.

Because today was a shitty day.

No. Scratch that. This was a shitty year. I could even go out on a whim and say that it could give 2020 a run for their money. I was on my second bottle of soju, not giving a damn at the concerned look the bartender was giving me. Some creep tried to get close but I just weren't having it - I swore I saw a stain on his pants as he scurried away from my murderous glare.

"Tough day?"

I rolled your eyes, preparing to give the unsuspecting stranger a piece of my mind. "Jason?"

Jason Todd, my childhood friend and partner-in-crime takes a seat across me. He signals to the bartender over the Christmas music for another tiny glass and soju. "It's been a while."

"You're not going to stop me?"

"And miss out on a drink? No way." Jason scoffs. "Now, why are you drinking like there's no tomorrow?"

I want to tell him. How I left my perfectly stable job because I was being ostracized. How my family supported me but insinuated that I should have done more - be more approachable, more likable, more friendly. How a few days after my graduation, my grandmother who was the only living grandparent to watch me grow up since I was a toddler passed away suddenly.

How I was so ridden with guilt that I couldn't do anything more.

But as I opened my mouth, I hear a small voice in my head.

You'll just be burdening others, like how you always do.

"I'm fine." I dismissed Jason's worries away. Maybe I could have done a better job about it as he does not look the least convinced. I cut him off before he can ask anything else.

"You're here to drink with me. So drink." I uncap the new bottle, pouring him a glass.

I can feel Jason's gaze bearing into my forehead.

***

The next thing I feel is the soft fabric of my sofa. Jason lays me down gently before heading to the kitchen to get a glass of water. I hear the sound of my air fryer being switched on.

"I made you some fries. Oily food always helped with hangovers back when we were in college." He chuckles, passing me the glass. I drink the water in one go, gasping for air once I was finished. The smell of fried food and being hydrated helped me to become sober again.

Jason's shuffling around the kitchen, getting the necessary utensils. But I know he's giving me space. That's what I always loved about him. He never pushed unless you decided to tell him yourself. Even when I had a big fight with my parents, he kept silent, providing a much needed listening ear.

"Hey, Jay?"

"Mm?"

"I left my job." I know this wasn't the best way to start a conversation but it had to be out in the open sooner than later. "Gran died." My lips wobble and my vision starts to become blurry simply just uttering those few words.

"I feel like crap."

Jason sits beside you and his sea green eyes provide a source of comfort in the mess that I'm drowning in.

"And you can feel sad about it."

I burst into tears. The thread that I've conjured in mid air to sew my heart back together snaps and I can't hold back. My sobs are raw and primal till the point that I wished that the soju wiped me out unconscious instead.

The only difference from all the other times I wallowed in my grief and self-pity was the man in front of me who has his arms tightly wrapped around me, gently rubbing my back.

"It'll be okay. I'm here." He repeats softly.

And what a difference it was.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be stupid."

"No." Jason carefully pries me away and looks me in the eye. "I'm sorry I wasn't there. If I had known, I wouldn't have gone with Dick on that stupid mission."

I frown. The mission that he was referring to was a Black Ops mission, infiltrating what Dick and him suspected to be a child trafficking ring ran by the Court of Owls. I knew how much this mission meant to Jason on a personal level.

"Don't say that. As much as it pains me to say, but no one knew that Gran was going to go so suddenly."

"You don't get it," Jason says with a certain hardness that takes you aback. "She was family to me too. I had so many things I wanted to tell her." He sighs, hands clasped tightly.

"Like how I wanna be more than friends with you."

"What? I don't-"

Jason smiles sadly. "When you left your job, Gran was sad to see that you lost your spark. Back then, I did ask her for advice and she told me that either way, I should have told you how I felt. She said that you would have said yes. But I felt that I would have been a jerk to lay that on you while you were struggling." Jason sighs. "I guess Gran could see it better than the both of us."

Even in the afterlife, Gran was still looking out for me.

"She would have smacked you upside on the head if she was here."

Jason lets out a bark of laughter and you join him with your tear stained face. "She definitely would."

"So, does your feelings still stand?"

It's Jason's turn to blink in confusion before breaking out into a big smile. "That is if you'll have me."

I lean in to kiss him. "Of course you big goof. Now that you told me all of this, you're never going to get rid of me." I tackle him to the sofa and we end up in a giggling mess.

Jason reaches up to give a kiss of his own and deepens it till I'm left breathless and spinning with ecstasy. I snuggle into Jason, his warm and comforting presence enough to make me forget about my woes.

"That's good. Because I plan to be with you in both good and bad days."

[fearforthestorm]

How is 'no children' misrepresented and what is it actually about? <- genuinely curious and likes people ranting about things like this (and only really knows about the 'hand in unlovable hand' line though maybe that's part of the problem(?))

oh god okay so. how much tmg lore do you want because if we want to get into no children we're gonna get into the alpha couple and they've literally been present in the music since the very first tape ever released under the name the mountain goats over 30 years ago. actually yknow what it's 2am I don't want to mess things up I'll just give you this:

that's the backstory that's what no children is about. the song is so named because (paraphrasing a quote) "if there's one thing I know about this couple it's that the world will be better for it if they never have children". and here's the thing is that no children is a REALLY cathartic song I don't fault people for enjoying it and god knows that it's fun to belt at concerts but it is NOT a love song. it is not a song about a relationship that is in any way good or stable or healthy. it is about a couple that are bad for eachother and for everyone around them and should get divorced but are never going to because filing those papers is a few hundred bucks and you can buy a lot of alcohol with that money. please understand that: they aren't a tragic mutually doomed couple who despite that love each other. they are actively dragging the both of them to their graves because they're too far in to turn around now. they've been drinking for decades like it'll fix their problems and it never will and things only ever get angrier and louder and more destructive and worse so they just keep fucking digging the graves they've been digging since the beginning. first rule of holes is stop digging second rule is that once you do you're still in a hole but they're never even gonna get the first one and they sure as hell aren't ever going to acknowledge that they're in a deep deep hole much less would they try to get out. no children is about wanting the worst for yourself and your better half because it's the only way you can see any of it ending. no children is slinging insults across the living room several drinks deep into the evening at the person you married and realising that you fucking mean it when you say you hope it all goes to shit and takes the both of you down with it.

no children isn't the tragic otp. no children says "I hope I lie and tell everyone you were a good wife" and "I hope when you think of me years down the line you can't find one good thing to say / and I hope that if I found the strength to walk out you'd stay the hell out of my way" and it means every goddamn word when it says them. and I know people like "hand in unloveable hand / and I hope you die / I hope we both die" but they ALWAYS use that quote in a "it doesn't matter if we're unloveable because we're hand in hand" kind of way and that's just completely fucking wrong. if you're going to use no children for your blorbos fucking commit to it, they better be a couple that is genuinely entirely going to bury each other alive for the sheer goddamn fact that they would rather die than try to stop digging.

anyway. go listen to Tallahassee (album) because it is genuinely extremely fucking good and no children probably isn't even in my top three songs from that album.

[jamiesfootball]

more leverage/tl thoughts. any time they need someone undercover in sports or labor, they send eliot. which of course makes sense. for eliot. and also probably au roy.

but consider: jamie is NO good at any of that stuff. he can do a lot of sports, especially anything where you have to be fast or agile, and he takes the boxing job - though he has to fight roy on it, but roy is on his last legs and they all know it. but when it comes to labor jamie doesn't know how to do shit, and he's prissy too. doesn't like getting his hands dirty. he's totally comfortable in his own sweat, sure, but he even gets a bit squeamish at blood he was the one to spill especially if it gets on him (this was never a reason roy cited for why he didn't think jamie should be their new hitter, but in hindsight it's Very Obvious lmao).

anyway, so the team is always like yeah you send in the hitter to fill an undercover role in labor, because his asset is his body, right? wrong. there's a gradient when jamie switches from hitting to hacking, a small transitional period of time where he's doing both, but roy always has to step in for any "hitter" job that isn't... well, hitting. he gives jamie all kinds of shit for being a gen z city boy who doesn't know how to change a tire or whatever, but tbf he's glad for the excuse to only be part time retired lol.

& then when they bring isaac(?) on to be roy's replacement since jamie didn't work out (and roy never stops saying he told everyone so about that), he doesn't know how to do a lot of labor stuff too, but he's happy to learn - unlike jamie, who would do the work of course but he'd whine about it and even when he shut up and bore it you could still tell he hated every second - but usually they don't have time for him to get fully trained in stuff so they have roy on comms talking him thru it and jamie always chimes in with totally wrong info just to be obnoxious aksjfks.

My hand didn't slip so much as it went ice skating, stayed out past curfew, and forgot why we were here in the first place:

"How are you so bad at this?” Roy asked over comms, and it took every bit of his restraint for Jamie not to throw the big-scissors right through the mark’s window.

Bad enough that he had to put up with the older man critiquing his fighting style on a daily basis, and the smugness when he pinned Jamie in a headlock, and the eyerolls when he thought Jamie was being purposely ignorant about some complicated maneuver.

(And he wasn't being deliberately obtuse. Roy just knew more obscure fighting techniques than God, and appeared to think that Jamie should have learned capoeira on the back streets of Manchester while reading a dictionary.)

That's what Jamie had to put up with if he wanted to get better. That was the price of having a stable gig, one that paid per diem even when they weren't on the con. Ted basically paid him to hone his craft, on the off-chance it'd be useful to him later. Jamie banked money, his bones didn't break, and the only note on his head these days were the sticky notes Roy left on his forehead when Jamie nodded off in the breakroom.

("I think it says 'Dante's Inferno,'" Keeley said as they shared a stolen sandwich; Roy really was a good cook. She squinted at the tiny, furious handwriting. "Do you think it's a clue?")

He understood the old man was frustrated; his grandad knee had the structural integrity of a broken bottle that'd been glued back together. He'd be stuck in Beard's weird, smelly little van for at least the duration of the job. But it didn't give him the right to be a dick to Jamie about yard work. Where did Roy get off thinking Jamie had ever learned to prune a rose bush?

"You can't cut it down that low or you risk it having to grow up from the graft."

Jamie yanked the big-scissors back from a deadened stalk. “Then you should’ve swapped me with Keeley,” he hissed.

A while ago she'd been gagging over the comms. Her and Ted had a long debate--the kind Jamie could never get away with--about whether she actually had to clean the mark's bathroom as part of her reconnaissance. Yes, the tank was an excellent place to hide stolen jewels; no, she'd never found one there in her life.

Jamie wondered if the housekeepers wore maid outfits. Keeley would look dead fit in a maid outfit. He'd look dead fit in a maid outfit. Anything would look better on him than the gray, stiff-collared maintenance uniform Beard had presented him without comment.

The earbuds made it sound like Roy was right behind him, whispering disapprovingly, "Keeley's on the inside so she can crack the safe when she finds it. And you're supposed to be keeping a lookout on the armed guards. Focus." The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Focus, he said. Like Jamie had the luxury of forgetting that not ten metres away stood a burly man armed with an assault rifle and a blind spot in the cameras. All Jamie had was a pair of big-scissors and a prickly old bastard in his ear.

Honestly? He'd rather scrub the bathroom.

Jamie could scrub the hell out of a bathroom. Hell, he could scrub a carpet so well the landlord would never find the bloodstain. Roy might get high and mighty when Jamie admitted that he'd never used a drill or whatever, but Jamie knew the ins and outs of patching holes in the wall. He couldn’t change a tire, but he could steal a hubcap in under thirty seconds. He couldn’t slice an onion, but he could make twenty pounds at the grocers stretch for two weeks. Crouched eye-level with the rose bush and with a hidden spycam on his top button, him and Roy faced the same barren pot of twigs. Somehow Roy could see the instructions that would guide it to blooming, but Jamie couldn't. To him the rose bush was a dead thing, simple as that.

The big-scissors in his hand curved sharp and short with a thick handle for wielding. He was sure they had real a name for them, but he was also pretty sure his dad used to have something similar around for threatening the debtors who ran late on payments.

He could use a hammer. Roy never asked him if he knew how to use a hammer.

He made another go at the rose bush and got himself pricked for his trouble.

"Shit!" he swore, and over the comms Roy demanded to know, "Are you bleeding?"

"Don't leave DNA," Beard added. Jamie startled; he'd forgotten about the creepy weirdo entirely.

Danger shifted to his left. The guard rounded towards him, boots crunching in the gravel. "Hey! Is there a problem?"

Roy swore. Beard warned him not to engage.

Jamie rose to his feet with his best charming grin slapped on like a plaster over a nasty prick. He held his bleeding hand out like an offering, and with the other he slipped the big-scissors into the sleeve of his shirt.

One of Rebecca's first rules of the con: if you're uncomfortable, use it to make the mark uncomfortable.

He squeezed the big-scissors tight. "Yeah sorry, mate. Got a bit of a nasty cut--don't want it to infect. Could you point me somewhere I could clean up?"

[darlingpwease]

hUH?? WHAT?! WHY??? /ht??

Exactly!! Yes!!! Sure he may have... issues... but don't we all?? He looks so rugged yet so soft,,, wanna pinch his cheeks-

Yes, unfortunately.. /j I completely forgot it was a monocle lol oops

😟😟 its not that bad, I still remember things– I remember the basic plot, which is just a ton of noncon porn,, I wanted to pamper him and steal him away

He is your king, always was and still will be, no matter what changes. On those nights where he's all alone, you make sure to be there for comfort. He protected you before in the past, and just as you had done before, you will protect him, especially with how fragile he's become. Make sure to take care of him, always looking out for him, and after the others 'visit' him, you make sure to tend to him properly, to try to give him at least some kind of escape.

-panna cotta

put yourself in my shoes.... when the second parent is a person who constantly goes to war, laughs at the sight of knives and reads such literature, it is no wonder to try to protect writebabies...... I can't just look at it knowing that this is the panna cotta who forgets where our kittens come from and doesn't consider us 'close enough', but at the same time stores kilobytes of noncon porn........... /t /j /nsrs

yes!!! yeah, he's a little fucked up, but he's cute!!! he's crying!!! he's wagging his tail!!! absolutely precious!!! he is so strong, but at the same time so desperate and needy!!! maybe he's a little,,, well, not the most stable,,,,, but that's okay!!! he's good!!! he doesn't bite (maybe)!!! pretty tall woof woof!!! <33333

you sound like the star who brought a new man into the house, tbh,,, don't tell me you liked him /t /hj /nsrs it's okay, you can be forgiven, given your characteristics~ /t /me too boo me too

,,,, you understand that this only makes things worse, love,,,, you are more likely to remember noncon porn than something else,,,,,, and I'm sure that of all the options 'noncon porn' this is the best,,,,,,, /t /nsrs this was one of the reasons why most noncon things don't suit me, I just want to take him to me and shamelessly spoil him,,,,, wrap him in a blanket & put in a cool dry place so that he can rest while I pamper him,,,,,,,,

no matter what, you promised that you would be faithful, and you will be faithful — even when he covers his face with hands, with shame and guilty pleasure feeling how you take care of him, as if nothing has changed and the position in which he is not humiliating,,,,, he took you in, picked you up, agreed to your position next to him, trusted you — and even if you can easily take control and take advantage, it's not that someone can stop you, you don't do it.

LEON thinks only about survival, — to stay alive more than suits him no matter what the cost — but when you gently touch his body, not for the sake of carnal desires or to breed him like an animal, but to remove other's traces amd marks, helping his body find a position in which the pain will be weaker, pampering him until he finds restless sleep in your hot embrace, cold as a stone, which is not something rare for him, but your warmth still causes a delicious bliss inside,,,, he doesn't know— he's not sure, that he only wants to 'stay alive'.

you are like the heat of a fire that makes him feel so good,,,,

when you come to him again, easily taking care of his already accustomed to such a body, which immediately relaxes in your hands, giving everything you want — the last thing you expect is a sharp grip on your collar and pressing down, and although he is not at all strong enough to be able to knock you down, you allow it out of habit rather than out of force.

but what can you say to his nervously desperate question, why exactly are you doing nothing when everyone has already managed to use his body — but it is you, it is you, who refuse all the time and instead give comfort and safety, like his harbor.

and it's so wrong.

[ilanorgratvol]

Rough tempest they will raise - Part 10

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7

Part 8 Part 9

After several days of preparation, the group was finally ready to head out for reconnaissance at the Moon Towers. The idea of continuing to pose as followers of the Absolute to infiltrate deeper into the cult was as brilliant as it was insane and dangerous. But, in the absence of other alternatives, the group of misfortuned comrades decided to stick with this plan.

Talia was descending from the second floor, adjusting her vest, when Gale came up to meet her and lightly touched her hand:

"Not today."

"What nonsense. Everyone is going - I am too," - Talia continued to lace up her vest, which she usually wore over her shirt.

"As useful as your skills might be to us, you can't go. Let's just say, it takes a certain quality, not widely available these days, to pass as one of their own in this twisted place," - he grimaced, bringing a finger to his temple, - "Besides, you're needed here. After what happened with Isobel, someone needs to stay here in case Thorm tries to kidnap her again. And I don't know anyone better suited for that role than you."

"Don't start, Gale! Why not just tell the truth, that you simply don't want me underfoot," - Talia snapped, throwing her backpack on the floor, realizing that arguing was pointless.

"I'm no saint. I have many sins to my name, but lying is not one of them," - the wizard frowned, -  "And speaking of the truth, when were you going to tell me that your deal with Elminster was called off?"

Talia's expression shifted from anger to surprise, and then to a sullen acknowledgment: 

"You're well-informed, aren't you?" - she retorted, her tone tinged with bitterness.

Gale's eyes softened slightly: 

"I'm just being logical. The orb is stable, albeit temporarily, which makes your part of the deal quite literally unachievable."

Talia sighed, her frustration fading into resignation. She hadn't planned on telling the wizard about how her last conversation with Elminster had ended. This agreement was the only thing that stopped her in Gale's eyes from leaving their group and returning to the search for her brother, and admitting that there was something bigger behind it was not in her plans. Not now, when the wizard couldn’t take his eyes off that omnipresent redhead, whose voice sliced through the tavern's silence each evening, attempting to lift the spirits of the residing harpists and tieflings.

“You know full well that the Absolute threatens not only these lands. Whatever or whoever is behind all this clearly aims not just to settle in the towers and rule these lands. Something big is brewing...,” - Talia tried to change the subject, - "If it plans to destroy the world as I know it, it's in my interest to ensure this group of weirdos does everything correctly."

The wizard nodded slightly in response, thoughtfully, as if expecting a different answer, then concluded:

“Do as I ask, please.”

Talia glanced away in displeasure for a moment, then looked at Gale and nodded, sighing:

"Fine. But if you dare follow Mystra’s order and blow yourself up while I’m not around, I’ll fetch you from the afterlife and the wrath of your goddess will seem like a blessing to you."

He just smirked slightly: 

"Don’t worry. If it comes to that, I’ll make sure you’re holding my hand..."

"Promises, promises," - Talia waved dismissively, - "Go on. Your skills, such as they are, wizard, are needed elsewhere."

“Oh... So that’s what you think of me...,” - Gale placed his hand on his heart.

"You said it yourself, only the truth," - Talia smiled as she saw him and the rest of the group leave the tavern.

Thus began the agonizing days of waiting for news. Each time they returned from the towers to rest at the tavern, bringing a new batch of information about the Absolute and the events unfolding around them, the faces of the companions reflected less confidence in their abilities and more despair. No longer were there evenings spent at the bar with mutual jests and conversations. Each night, exhausted, they returned to the light of Selûne’s blessing, only to disperse to their rooms and collapse onto their beds, hoping to fall into a deep, dreamless sleep.

Gale grew darker and more melancholic by the day. He increasingly preferred to shut himself in his room, alone with his thoughts, or to spend time on the shore of the lake near the tavern, where no one could disturb him. It seemed the inevitability of his fate had finally fully caught up with him, and the wizard, however initially glad he had been for the company after a year confined in his tower, could find solace only in bitter solitude, away from sympathetic glances and Tav’s dwindling attempts to persuade him otherwise.

The fate of the abducted tieflings also remained unknown, and each evening Rolan watched the group returning from the towers in hope, only to quickly return to the false comfort found at the bottom of a bottle.

But finally, one evening, everything changed. Talia was sitting on the balcony, keeping company to Isobel, when a bright flash streaked across the sky toward the towers, momentarily illuminating the cursed sky.

“It can’t be a star or a meteor…” - Talia frowned, rising from her chair.

“I thought for a second…” - Isobel peered into the sky, hoping to see the flash again. Then she returned to maintaining the protective shield, sighing, - “It must be an echo of one of your friends’ spells. Nothing more…”

“I doubt it…” - Talia leaned on the balcony railing, gazing into the sky and the lake’s surface below. For a while, her eyes saw nothing but the all-consuming cursed darkness that had become familiar, but then…

“Are those… boats?” - Talia noticed people approaching the tavern’s dock. The lanterns and torches had been prudently extinguished, so they could only be seen when they were very close to the pier.

Talia left Isobel’s room and dashed down the stairs just as the tavern's back doors swung open, and through them entered a small group of very weary, worn, but happy tieflings. Talia involuntarily smiled, noticing Cal and Lia among them. She was about to rush down the stairs to greet them but stopped herself just in time, noticing Rolan, who coldly welcomed the twins. It seemed like only a second before their greeting escalated into an argument and then, just as quickly, the argument turned into warm embraces.

Following the tieflings, the rest of the companions entered through the tavern door. Talia’s eyes followed Gale, who, without raising his eyes, walked through the animated crowd to the opposite exit of the tavern, heading to his usual place of solitude by the lake. Talia quietly followed him, trying not to reveal her presence.

She found him near the shore, on a secluded meadow hidden by dense foliage and overgrown with grass. He sat on a small blanket, leaning back on his hands, his gaze fixed on the sky, where, to Talia’s surprise, a aurora borelias of clearly magical origin stretched across the sky.

She quietly emerged from her hiding spot and approached the wizard: 

"Good job." 

He jerked slightly in surprise, turning toward the voice: 

"Oh, this... it's my little project, while I'm still capable of something..." 

"That flash in the sky - was that your doing too?" - Talia sat down next to him. 

"That was merely the daughter of Selûne, whom Shadowheart freed today from centuries of bondage. My magic had nothing to do with it." 

"Oh, just that..." - the sorceress smirked, glancing at the wizard and eliciting a light chuckle in response. 

"Wizards and their egos..." - Gale shrugged, trying to keep his composure.

Talia smiled, shifting her gaze back to the sky:

"Did you do this for Tav?"

"Just a little gesture to show the feelings of an old lonely wizard. The curse is still present of course - just veiled and at arm’s length for now. Not a trick I can repeat often…" - he sighed heavily, leaning his arms on his knees before him, slightly hunched as if hiding from the outside world. He nervously fiddled with his fingers, - "But clearly she's one who's more interested in quantity than quality..."

"Halsin, right?" - the sorceress sympathetically placed her hand on his shoulder, barely concealing the warm feeling spreading through her chest.

"Bloody Halsin!" - the wizard irritably jumped to his feet, clenching his fists.

"What can I say..." - the sorceress followed him, barely holding back a smile, - "the elf can certainly boast big... ears." - a light chuckle escaped her mouth nonetheless.

Gale paced a little, visibly trying to shake off his irritation:

"I suppose everyone has their... talents," - he said, half-heartedly trying to find humor in his own discomfort.

"Seriously, how are you feeling?"

"Lost, humiliated, lonely..." - he cast a glance at the sky and gave a bitter smile, - "Nothing I haven't been familiar with before."

He pondered for a second, then continued:

"This may be my last night alive. I wanted it to be under a canopy of beauty and wonder..." - his look was filled again with that bitter irony about himself and what awaited him at the end.

The sorceress grabbed his hand, forcing him to turn towards her and look at her. She irrationally hoped that somehow the wizard might change his mind, but it seemed the more time he spent alone with his thoughts, the deeper he convinced himself of the inevitability of his fate, ordained by his goddess:

"Is this truly what you want?! To die for the promise of Mystra's forgiveness?"

"Babe or crone, coward or hero, death is assured. Mystra's forgiveness is not. If you knew the end was near, would you not want to ensure it had meaning?"

Talia scoffed, releasing his hand:

"Of course! In fighting against what seems invincible. In trying to overcome what seems insurmountable. What meaning are you trying to find in your own death?! You will find nothing but oblivion!" - Her voice slightly broke at the end, betraying her emotions.

He reached forward, seeking her hand again:

"I don't want to argue and fight today," - he took her hand in his, stepping closer, - "I wasn't expecting company tonight, but yours is welcome. Most welcome, to be honest."

"Gale, we need to discuss this while..."

"Shh..." - the wizard stopped her mid-sentence, - "All you need to do tonight is allow me to thank you for what you've done for me."

"I didn't..."

"Tally..."

The sorceress paused for a moment, realizing how he had addressed her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, nodding:

"Fine. What do you have in mind?"

"For tonight, forget the Absolute, the quests, and the curses. Let’s just be two souls enjoying the ephemeral beauty of a world that still has wonders to show us," - Gale said, gently releasing her hand and stepping back, now smiling, - "I don't have much to offer, given our circumstances, nothing but my mind. But I dare hope, that will be enough," - he began slowly moving his hands, preparing to cast a spell, - "I want you to close your eyes. Can you do that for me?"

Talia crossed her arms skeptically: 

"What are you planning to do?"

Gale slightly smiled, not stopping his hand movements: 

"I had hoped I'd earned your trust, given all we've been through together, but since that's the case... I want to give you one evening. A place where you were once happy. Where your heart and soul once found peace and tranquility."

"An illusion?" - Talia frowned.

Gale nodded reluctantly: 

"Basically, yes. But please... indulge me in my reverence, for once."

Talia closed her eyes uncertainly: 

“To create such an illusion, you need a reference that I cannot provide. I don’t know when I was happy enough for it to have imprinted itself so strongly in my memory.”

He didn’t respond immediately. Talia heard the faint rustle of steps on grass, and then his warm breath on her face and gentle fingers on her temples: 

“What do you take me for, a third-year student?” - Talia was about to open her eyes, but he stopped her, - “Stay still, relax. Our minds are a whirlpool of thoughts and feelings, often too complex for us to untangle ourselves. But someone who knows where to look…”

Talia felt a familiar tingling on her skin - the Weave enveloped them like a giant cotton blanket, creating an impenetrable shell around them. She stood motionless, enjoying his steady breath on her cheek.

“This is... unexpected,” - the wizard finally spoke again. His hands returned to their usual position along his body.

Talia slowly opened her eyes. They were standing in the middle of his library. The setting sun, as before, penetrated through the windows and the open balcony, illuminating the room with warm light. Books and scrolls were scattered around exactly as they had left them before leaving the tower. On the desk, there were two mugs of hot coffee, as if they had just been carefully prepared.

“I thought you said this was supposed to be my favorite place, not yours,” - Talia frowned, though she couldn’t help but notice the detailed accuracy of the illusion he had created. Everything felt real - the smells, the sensations, the feelings…

“It is. Yours. I’m sure of it,” - Gale approached the table, gently running his fingers over it as if greeting an old friend, then turned back to her, smiling softly, - “You don't need to explain anything. Just enjoy another warm evening alone with books and their misfortunate master. I like to believe that this, even if just for a fleeting moment, made you happy.”

"Gale, I..." - Talia didn't know what to say. Not because she didn't know how to wrap her feelings and emotions into words, but because she couldn't comprehend what she was feeling at that moment at all. 

"Your coffee," - the wizard extended one of the cups to her. 

The sorceress gratefully took it into her hands and took a sip. God, it seemed like it had been so long, almost as if it were another lifetime. Could it be that this old library, this sharp coffee, this damned scent of the sea ingrained in the walls, and him - the wizard with an immeasurably huge ego and an equally large heart - was what had filled her life with meaning for the first time in many years?

Gale, seemingly lost in his thoughts, walked out to the balcony. He leaned slightly on the railing, peering into the distance at the illusory sea where similarly illusory ships disappeared into the sunset. The sun reflected in his brown eyes, turning them almost golden. His hair fluttered slightly in the wind.

Talia approached him, gazing into his face, trying to discern what he was feeling. The wizard sighed heavily and melancholically, not taking his eyes off the horizon:

"I used to think that the main purpose, the meaning of life, was to strive for perfection, for greatness… for power..." - he turned his gaze to the sorceress, - "You've made me think otherwise."

“I wouldn’t say that perfection and greatness are bad things...” - Talia tilted her head thoughtfully.

“You know what I mean.”

“Of course, I know...” - She set her cup down on the table and then firmly took his hand, joining him in gazing out at the horizon.

The wizard squeezed her hand in return, remaining silent. They stood together in silence for a while, each lost in their thoughts, the gentle breeze tugging at their clothes. The fading light painted the sky in shades of orange and purple, the illusionary sea below reflecting the dramatic colors…

[all-at-once-you-are-the-one]

Idk if this is a hot take or not, but IMO loml is one of the most straightforward songs on the album and it actually tells a story in chronological order. Let’s examine:

Who's gonna stop us from waltzing

Back into rekindled flames?

If we know the steps anyway

We embroidered the memories

Of the time I was away

Stitching, "We were just kids, babe"

Yes, I know this very much sounds like it’s about a certain someone but I actually think here she is referring to the breaks between her and Joe that she’s previously alluded to in Hits Different & That’s When TV. She also often describes this relationship as making her feel like a kid in other songs like CIWYW, INTHAF etc.

I said, "I don't mind, it takes time"

I thought I was better safe than starry-eyed

This was the line that really sparked my curiosity. What does she not mind? It seems like she’s changing her mind on something and resigning herself to being stable and settled rather than leaving to find something better. This is the period when we got songs like Lavender Haze. He said he needed more time before marriage and she was like you know what yeah, why do women have to get married anyway?? Can’t we just be together?? Both of them were denying that it was what she truly wanted and he just didn’t.

You and I go from one kiss to gettin married

Still alive, killing time at the cemetery

Never quite buried

In your suit and tie, in the nick of time

You lowdown boy, you stand up guy

Holy Ghost, you told me I'm

The love of your life

You said I'm the love of your life

About a million times

She’s waiting and waiting and waiting for the marriage thing to happen and he just keeps placating her by saying she’s the love of his life. (I can totally just picture him saying “but you’re the love of my life and we’re happy, isn’t that enough?”). She has faith in him because he’s such a good guy with integrity, surely he wouldn’t just lie to her and lead her on. Surely he’ll show up in the nick of time to marry her like he said he would.

Who's gonna tell me the truth

When you blew in with the winds of fate

And told me I reformed you

Here’s what’s his name making his grand entrance!

And all at once, the ink bleeds

He promised her all the same things and then took it away so quickly which released the stopper on all her pent up feelings about being let down in this way. The rest of this verse is pretty clear cut

You talked me under the table

Talking rings and talking cradles

I wish I could un-recall

How we almost had it all

Now it’s about them both! She’s going into detail about the way in which they let her down

Dancing phantoms on the terrace

Are they second-hand embarrassed

That I can't get out of bed?

Cause something counterfeit's dead

It was legendary

It was momentary

It was unnecessary

Should've let it stay buried

This is the saddest part!!! This is also about both of them! What’s his name is obvious, but it’s also about her and Joe. She knew they had issues! She knew he didn’t want what she wanted! That’s why they had their break! Now she feels that when they resumed their relationship it wasn’t real, he just started lying to her and she was also lying to herself, and they should have just broken up for good the first time.

Oh, what a valiant roar

What a bland goodbye

The coward claimed he was a lion

I'm combing through the braids of lies

Again, what’s his name is very obvious here. She’s also upset about her breakup with Joe: she broke up with him remotely! And maybe he just let her! She thought he was brave, that he had integrity, but he lied to her over and over and over again, every time he promised they would have the things she wanted for her future. He was just delaying the inevitable and wasting her time.

If you can get past the Matty of it all and accept the story she’s telling here at face value there is SO MUCH she’s sharing with us here.

[shipperoffanonships]

Poison (Chapter 1)

It was sundown, and Lin was hurriedly making her way back to the Sault. The last thing she wanted is for the Arrow Squadron to shoo her off violently like an alley cat. She turned a corner- and froze. In front of her was a massive black horse with an even more massive rider. She saw the crossed arrows on the rider's cape.

"I am on my way back." Lin said evenly.

"Lin Caster?" The man grunted. Lin frowned.

"Yes, you are speaking to her. Why?"

"The Crown Prince requests your audience."

Lin tensed. Shit. She was on the horse in an instant. As they traversed the city (in a galloping pace, no less, and traveling without a carriage in the first place only increased Lin's worry) several scenarios began to run through the physician's head, each grimmer than its predecessor. Finally they arrived at the palace gates, where Mayesh was waiting.

"Who is it? Where are they?" Lin asked her grandfather as they walked.

"It's Kel. They are in Conor's apartments."

"What happened? Dagger? Poison? Arrow?" She got her answer after ripping Kel's shirt off. Dark lines spiderwebbed his neck, traveling down his chest. Dammit. It was poison, but not any kind she have encountered before.

"Monsigneur, Demoselle, I am going to have to ask you to leave." She said without looking away. Antonetta stood, but Conor didn't follow suit.

"Conor." Lin growled, low enough so that only the prince can hear. Realizing the gravity of the situation, he finally relented. After making sure they (as well as Mayesh) were gone, Lin began. Despite herself she felt a sense of deja vu. Kel, barely holding on to life, in the royal quarters. Even his position was the same.

"Kel?" She whispered. "Kel, if you can hear me, open your mouth. I'm going to give you morphea."

Fortunately, Kel was semi-conscious, and he complied.

"Who did this to you?" Kel was alive, but barely. Lin decided to engage him to prevent him from slipping. His death meant her own. "Where the hell were you in the first place, anyway?"

"Ca.. Caravel."

"In the Temple District? A courtesan poisoned you?" Lin asked, then frowned. Murdering each other due to jealousy isn't a far-fetched action between courtesans or clients, but attacking a nobility...

"No idea. I-!" Kel cried out as Lin injected a syringe on Kel's forearm.

"Sorry. I need something to give to Merren for analysis."

A few moments and several healing talismans later, Kel's otherwise pale face started to have color. Just then the door opened. Conor.

"I sent Antonetta home." Conor explained at Lin's questioning look. "How is he?"

"Definitely poison, but nothing I've seen before. He's more or less stable, but I need to stay overnight, at least."

"I'll make arrangements. I assume you need to stay here."

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

Lin took a sip of her tea, trying to keep awake. A part of her can't wrap her mind around it: Here she was, in a couch inside the Crown Prince's and his Sword Catcher's quarters. Lin directed her gaze to Kel, who was sleeping fitfully. He mumbled a name, and Lin realized it was hers.

"You called for me?" Lin asked softly, careful not to wake Conor. The last thing she wanted was for the prince to fuss over Kel.

"Can't sleep..." Kel mumbled. Lin put a hand on his forehead.

"You have a slight fever. I'll be right back."

After a few moments Lin returned with a bowl of cold water, several face towels draped over her shoulder. Setting the bowl on the floor, she took a towel and dunked it in the water, squeezing out the excess before laying it on Kel's forehead. Wetting another one, she instructed Kel to raise his head, wrapping the second towel around his neck like a scarf.

"Tell me something." Kel then said, and for a moment Lin was transported back to when she was treating Conor, her talking while he half-delirious.

"Which story do you want to hear?" She asked.

"Anything."

So Lin told him about the Sault, her life there, her struggles as a physician.

"That's messed-up. Only men can be physicians?"

Lin chuckled. "That's what Conor said to me as well, when I was treating him."

She continued, telling Kel about Mariam, even her ailment.

"Sounds like we have something in common. We both have someone we protect."

"Sounds about right. You-" Just then Kel jerked.

"Hey, everything-" Lin said. Just then Kel began seizing,

"Shit! Conor!"

The prince sat up with a jerk. "Huh?" He rushed to their side when he saw what was happening.

"Turn him to his side." Lin ordered.

"What in gray hell is happening?" Conor demanded.

"I don't know! One moment we were talking and then suddenly-" Just then Kel stopped, much to the physician's relief. Conor was about to open his mouth to say something, but Lin shook her head. Don't.

"Let him rest. I have to go. Call for me if something happens."

[camilamortem]

This is my first writing, just wanted to clarify. Plus english is not my first language. Also Canon is not relevant for my mc's storyline

"There you are."

That voice took me out of my thoughts. I didn't have to look at him to know who he was, but it was useless to resist looking up. I could never stop wanting to count those freckles or draw constellations with them, but that won't matter in a few weeks. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for you, like everyone else." "Why are you hiding?" Everyone? I shouldn't even be surprised that rumours here fly faster than those of any quidditch player in Hogwarts; at least I know why he seems so concerned.

"Who says I'm hiding?" "You make it sound like I've been avoiding you for months."

"You were the one who told Rowan to back off when they were telling you something about your family just before storming out." Well, shit, if it weren't for the fact that he called those people my family, I would be more insulted that he thought that was something to be worried about.

"First off, it's not the first time I tell someone to back off when they talk about my relatives, and second, I can be way more dramatic than that."

"True, but we are talking about Rowan, Opaleye, we are talking about your soulmate."

I didn't even notice when he got this close. He wanted the truth, a truth that I can't share no matter how much I want to; I can't let my situation affect him.

"I guess you have a point there; they were getting over my nerves about something, that's all."

"What did your family do now?"

I still can't decide if I found it adorable that in his mind there's no other way to call people you share blood with but family, or just a beautifully aching way to remember how different his family is from mine and how similar it used to be.

"Nothing I can't handle; therefor none of your business." That came out way more bitter than I expected.

"So they did something to you."

"Don't"

"What?"

"Don't start trying to make it your business; I don't want you to get in the middle of this," saying that won't stop him. If I can presume something about Charlie Weasley, it's how far he will go just to make sure someone he appreciates is fine, no matter the consequences that could bring him, and that single thought scares me to death.

"Okay, I just don't get why you insist on staying in that place."

Why did he keep pushing that button?Every time since the 5th grade, something happens, and his answer is always to blame my relatives. Well, he has a point most of the time, including this one, but it's still none of his business.

"Don't start with that either."

"No, really, all of us offered you to stay in our places, so you can leave those horrible people."

That's it.

"I already told you, I'm not leaving my dad; I don't give a shit if you don't get how he was the only stable thing in my life since everything started going down." I can already feel the tears falling down my cheek. "I get why you feel the way you do about them, but talking about my father, my brother, and my cousins for me makes it quite difficult to hate someone who has only shown me love."

I dried my eyes before he had the opportunity to move his hand closer to my face

"Sorry, I didn't mean to," stupid guilt, why couldn't I be as indifferent with this stuff as other times or with other people?

"I know, Charlie, I know, you never do. "It's my fault sometimes; it's inevitable when you don't know some things."

"Can you help me understand, then?"

He's looking at me like that again, making it impossible not to feel vulnerable, yet the way he cupped my face just makes my heart melt, I know he knows what he's doing. He knows I can't say no that way.

So I just did it. Once I found it in my pocket, I handed him the shiny piece of jewelry. I swear he was about to fall when he saw the ring on his palm. The silence started being the loudest thing I've heard in my life, and the seconds were passing like hours until he stood up.

"WHAT THE FUCK?" "Cam, this is not the kind of thing you keep to yourself."

"I know, that's why I told Ro, don't look at me like that, but it's not as bad as it seems."

"Since when?" It felt so wrong that he was talking to the ring and not me. I guess it is better if he doesn't look at me as frustrated as he seems to be.

"Christmas break, met the guy the same night."

I didn't know what to do when he threw the ring from the astronomy tower, it's true that I don't want it, but if I want to be alive after the graduation, I needed it.

"Look, I don't care if you don't want to, but you are staying at the burrow until you can find your own place, or until I convince you to go to Romania; the point is keeping you away from that place."

"Except that I won't." I don't know if I stood up out of pride or confusion, the only thing I know is that he won't solve my problems.

"Opaleye please"

"Why do you care so much?"

"Because I fucking love you!"

And the silence took place again, and it wasn't until he got closer that I noticed I was holding my breath.

"I love you so much that it fucking kills me to see you in this situation, and you're not giving a shit." "I want to be the first one you think of when you are in trouble."

"Charlie"

"I started already, let me finish."

Silence again

"I want to fall asleep with you in my arms every night and wake up every morning the same way; I want to live and recreate every scene you ask me to in those romance novels you seem to like; I love you so much that sometimes I just want to grab and hide you from the rest of the world just to keep you safe."

"Please let me love you."

The same second the phrase was finished was the one my body collided with his; the more he talked, the necessity of being in his arms grew.

He wasn't ready for that reaction, but the moment he held me meant everything to me. It was all the proof I needed to be sure it wasn't a dream.

"I'm sorry"

"Don't be"

How can he not be mad at me? Why is he holding me and petting my hair? It doesn't matter; I've learned to enjoy the good moments without asking questions. But I couldn't fight that urge, not now.

"You love me?"

"I love you so much, Opaleye. I didn't think it was possible to love someone this much."

"I love you too," I said, looking at him with some of the courage he thought of me, "as much as my mum would have wanted me to be in love with anyone."

"Then why do you keep making excuses?"

"Because I'm scared, it will take some time for my dad to accept it, but I know he will end up loving you. My brother would be the first one to congratulate us for going against the Mortem values, and well, my cousins don't hate you, and I'm almost sure Apollo likes you." But Polaria and Octavius on the other hand, I'm terrified of what they are capable of.

"We are going to be fine."

"You swear?"

"I promise"

[goldammerchen]

@polpruweek day 2: Medieval

For the old times

(<2k words / AO3)

It's a little after the sunrise when Gilbert gets off his gray mule while wearing monk clothes—the times of war stallions and armors behind him.

It's a little after the sunrise when Gilbert gets off his gray mule while wearing monk clothes—the times of war stallions and armors behind him. A new worker in the still not completed manor, curious about this likely not catholic monk, stops in his steps to ask to the Duchy of Prussia:

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm here to talk to people about Lutheranism!"

Before the man could reply something, Feliks, who was waiting for Gilbert to arrive, corrects him.

"You are not! You're here to take care of my horses, Duchy!"

Gilbert stuck out his tongue to Feliks, ignoring the man that laughed while resuming going in his way ("so that's Mister Prussia!"). "I need to change my clothes first!"

"What happened to your horse?" asks Feliks. He could swear last time Gilbert came to work, he came in a gray horse.

"I don't wanna talk about it."

-----

Take the horses out to the pasture, change the water, take their dump out, change the straw, keep cleaning the stable, clean the saddles and bridles, get the horses that need an iron shoe change back (the actual reason he was there), ignore Feliks with that stupid smirk that keep telling the horses to kick him in the face while he's working in the hooves.

"You want a nice done job or not?!" Gilbert shouts, making the chestnut mare flinch her hind leg. He almost loses his balance.

Feliks cackles.

"You're a terrible farrier."

"You're a terrible horse owner," snaps Gil.

"Huh?! Don't say that!" Feliks argues back, his amused face gone. "I am a great horse owner! Don't you see their shiny manes?!"

"But you don't take out their shit."

"Oh come on." Why would he if he doesn't have to.

Gilbert holds the rasp upwards. "If you're such a great owner, then let me finish this."

Feliks stops pestering him, even helping Gilbert by giving him the tools. For Gilbert's surprise, the silence soon becomes more uncomfortable than having Feliks chattering in the background.

"So, your horse..."

"No, I'm not telling you."

Feliks stays quiet the for rest of the unpleasant horseshoe change session.

-----

A lunch later, Gilbert finds himself pulling Feliks' horse (the same chestnut mare) from a reins, following the vague directions of the horse's owner ("just keep walking in that direction, yes, that one...")

"You could walk faster, y'know," suggests Feliks.

"Or you could have allowed me to take another horse." Or his mule.

Feliks simpers. "Ooooh, the fewer horses for this, the better."

Gilbert stops in his tracks, turning around with his mouth open.

"What—?"

"Just get on the horse." Feliks points with his thumb behind him. "That way you will know faster."

Even if he hardly could trust in whatever the other had in mind, Gilbert got on the horse, sitting right behind of Feliks: so awkward.

"You could have suggested that I get on the horse sooner," he said through his teeth, "instead of keep humiliating me, knowing I can't do anything without getting in trouble." He has gotten in enough troubles in a row for more, getting closer to the limit, and didn't want to find out what could happen.

"Humiliating you? Gisil, like, your sense of self-worth is so bloated that anything I ask you to do as my vassal would make you feel that way. But anyway—"

Feliks nudges the mare with his heels. The horse starting to run unexpectedly surprises Gilbert. He would've fallen into the ground if he hadn't grabbed Feliks by the shoulders.

"Argh, let go!" Feliks complains, not wanting to be pushed back while riding.

Gilbert changes his hands to Feliks' waist—He hates every second of it.

Feliks slows down once they enter the woods. After some meters, he stops the horse and tells Gilbert to get down. Feliks ties up the mare's reins in a tree, telling her they will soon be back.

"Can I know now what are you up to—?"

Gilbert is seized by the wrist. "Almost!"

They walk a certain distant before Feliks lets go of Gilbert's wrist, allowing a still confused and more and more worried Gilbert to fold his arms.

"Here they are!" Feliks announces with a bubbly voice.

From a tree's branches, Feliks unhangs a pair of ready to be used bows, and a from another a quiver with arrows.

Laughing, Gilbert's face lights up. "Now we're talking!"

"Isn't this a good surprise?" Feliks gives Gilbert a bow and just one arrow, but by looking at the German's face, he doesn't seem to mind. "For the old times."

"Yeah! I mean..." They both draw the bows at the same time, pointing at the ground. "What do we shoot?"

Feliks mouth upper corners went from pointing up to down, at the same time he undraws his bow. "I forgot to bring the target..."

"...You're were going to make me carry it, don't you?" Gilbert loosens the bowstring as well.

"Well..." Feliks titters.

Gilbert swallows, not letting go his hopes yet. "We could still hunt!"

"Oh no, this place has been hunted enough for now, the animals need to recover..." Feliks doesn't need to see the amount of hunts to know that, he just feels it.

Tilting his head, Gilbert squints. "For the old times, huh?"

Drawing the bow again, he points at Feliks' face.

"Oh you piece—!" The other responds by doing exactly the same.

They stare at each other down, for what feels minutes.

"I bet you won't do it," dares Gilbert. "You coward."

"I can do it! Of course I can shoot you in your stupid face!"

"Then do it!" All his worries about getting in new trouble were gone: Gilbert didn't care anymore, he tasted the thrill of the battle again and is going to enjoy it.

A flash later, he falls in his back, hearing Feliks fall as well.

Gilbert presses his hands on the right temple, trying in vain to ease the sharp pain on it. He still had his eye on him, but he was bleeding profusely. Hearing Feliks nearby grumbling in pain, Gil closes his eyes with a smile on his face, knowing that he should be fine after a nap...

Not far from Gilbert, Feliks just manages to remove the arrow from his shoulder. There goes those clothes, it's going to be too messy to clean up...

When Gilbert wakes up from the "nap", the first times he sees is Feliks looking in down by his right. He flinches, cursing.

"You"—says Feliks, pointing Gilbert in his chest, who's now seeing the blood stain in Feliks left shoulder—"changed your mind at the last minute."

"And you did the same. That, or you have shit aim—"

"So you admit you changed your mind!"

Gilbert opens his mouth, closes it, then blows air through his nose. The sting from Feliks touching his injured temple interrupts Gilbert's thoughts.

"Hey!" he backhands Feliks.

Leaning closer, Feliks moves his hand to Gilbert's forehead, pushing the flaxen hair backwards. "You changed your mind..." repeats, continuing to run his fingers in Gil's hair.

Unable to find what to say, not wanting to think and allow his doubts win, Gilbert's left hand trails upwards the right arm of Feliks, him tensing when touched in his in bad shape shoulder. He settles his hand on Feliks' nape, adding his right when Feliks places each of his hands in the grass at the sides of Gilbert's head.

He sees Feliks smile, before he closes the gap between each other.

-----

In a hurry, they visit a near stream of water for a quick bath: what would say other people seeing them both bloody?

Gilbert keeps his distance from Feliks, turning his back on him. Feliks prefers to not bother the monk after what they did...

"You reek of sweat, I'm glad we came here!"

...Except that.

On the way back, Gilbert embraces his hands around Feliks' waist. Not only that, he leans his chin... In the wounded shoulder.

Feliks sucks air through his teeth. "Why...?"

He gets snickering as an answer.

"Will you..." Feliks ventures. "Will you tell me what happened to your horse now?"

Gilbert grumps, sighing later. "The grandmaster—No, the duke, sold him, because he said I expend too much time with the horse instead of doing monastery duties."

"I'm really sorry about that." Of course a horse needs exercise...! Gilbert is a workaholic, is more likely they sold the animal as a punishment for something else, or the sum of different wrongdoings.

"Thanks."

Feliks thinks about adding something else to comfort Gilbert, however, he couldn't figure out anything positive of what could happen to an old horse. He chides himself internally, to say something else—he also wouldn't give him a horse if the stupid protestants are going to sell it again.

"You could expend more time here."

"Really?" There's excitement in the voice of Gilbert.

"Yes! You can get here sooner, and stay for longer!"

Gilbert hums. "You would have to tell my monastery."

Feliks can't help but groan. "I would put me through that for you."

More laughs from behind Feliks, this time more akin to giggles. Gilbert just squeezes Feliks' waist as an answer.

Once they get to the wood manor, they change their bloody clothes before anyone can see.

Back in his monk clothes, Gilbert goes to get his mule, planning to travel back immediately, before the sun starts to settle down. Feliks escorts him outside.

Following a goodbye and a see you later, Feliks shouts with his hands near to his mouth to a becoming smaller and smaller Gilbert: "Are you sure it's safe?!"

To his surprise, the mule turns and then stands on his hind legs. Gilbert, while cackling, shows a sword that Feliks didn't know the other carried in the first place.

[marshmallowprotection]

Hey Kait, I've had a little thought just now~

Do you perhaps remember how we spoke about nicknames and SE Saeran probably not using it unless you're explicitly telling him it's ok?

Now what when over time, as everyone's calling your nickname, you tell him on rare occasions to say your name instead?

And elaborate that's now a special thing he can do when he's alone with you and is in the mood, much unlike everyone else.

Because as much as I (personally) prefer my nickname… He's so very special to me. Once in a while I would love hearing my full name coming from his lips.

Do you think he would get that's because he's an important person to me in particular or should it be backed up with explanation? I don't want him to think I take back the choice I've made before.

SE Saeran struggles with friendships. It doesn't matter how patient and considerate you are to him, he's going to be lost and confused every step of the way because he doesn't have a clue how friendships work. If he thinks he's learned something, that thought is taken away the minute you respond to it. Not all friendships are built the same in this world, and he wishes there was a manual. He knows how to read and cram information into his skull, after all.

But, this? The emotional legwork that comes from trying to figure out other people for the sake of knowing them? Without a goal in mind to reach them, he flounders. How should he know how these things stay stable? With you, sometimes it's easy, and other times, it's hard to be close to you. He never knows when he's going to do something right or wrong. He has to jump for it, knowing that there might be nothing but a fall to Hell waiting for him if he can't make it.

There's a lot in a name, isn't there?

He would know that, wouldn't he? He spent years of his life trying to erase his very name from this existence and it didn't work out too well for him in the end. He doesn't care what people call him, but he does know that people are always going to default to the same old thing. Sometimes it's the most uncomfortable thing in the world and other times he can't bring himself to care because there's nothing else that feels like it can be his name.

That's why it's so confusing for him to hear you say you have more than one name that feels right. Not only do you feel comfortable with the name you were given at birth, but you also smile through your teeth whenever somebody calls you your nickname. It almost feels like a trap.

It seems like somebody's going to pull the leg out from underneath him the second he says the wrong name.

To him, it doesn't make sense. He would think that people that were in their right mind would pick a single name for themselves. People like him, people who didn't even feel a connection to the name they had, that's the only thing he knows like the back of his hand. There used to be a time when someone would say the wrong name to him and he would lose control. He fears that could happen. 

He doesn't want to put you in a position where you feel uncomfortable or upset because he said the wrong thing. Isn't that just the story of his life? There was a time when he would say and feel everything that needed to be felt because he was so lost in agony. But now, the only thing he can do is live in fear of his emotions and the things that they can do to other people. You're the only person in the world that understands him and tries to be there. You don't do it out of pity.

You try for some strange reason and he doesn't exactly want to lose that. He isn't sure he's deserving of it, but he sure doesn't want you to leave. 

The first time you spoke with him about what name he should use, you told him that it was okay to use your nickname because everybody did. It made sense to him. It was a name you preferred to use and you only allowed the people that were closest to you to say it.

So, of course, it would feel strange if you told him the reverse of that. If you told him that you wouldn't mind him using your real name now and again, he would stare at you with a confused look in his eyes. Well, what is it? Do you want him to use your nickname and feel included, or do you want him to use your name like everybody else who isn't close to you does? 

An explanation is needed. It's not that he doesn't understand these concepts, it's just that once you apply these things on top of an already confusing dynamic with another person, he gets lost in his thoughts. If you tell him that you want to hear your real name from his lips because it's that special, he might get it. After all, the first time you said his true name after only knowing the Alias for so long, felt so warm and tingly.

You made his name feel like something he wouldn't mind hearing again.

Of course, he doesn't always appreciate everyone else using it, but if you equate that feeling to the same one that you feel when you hear yours from his lips, he'll get it. 

You just need to give him a little bit of time to figure out the best way to implement that. It's obvious that you want to hear your true name from his lips now and again. If you leave it up to him to figure out the best time to say your name, it might be a while before you hear it. It'll come in his lowest moments. The first time he likely says your name is in a whisper when he looks at you in the midst of a panic attack. It's him admitting his weakness and the severity of what comes with it.

Make no mistake, if he uses your name, it's because he sincerely wants you to listen. 

"[Y/N]... please... stay."