#Oil’s FF!au

[boilsyouroil]

Hey uhhh please doodle your Oil AU eclipse for me also how's your other au going?

FF!au coming in hot [Oil AU later]

[novaursa]

Of Gods and Men (dreams)

This is Dune/GOT/HOTD/FAB/ASOIAF crossover AU that you've voted for. If you always wanted to see House Targaryen in space, I got you. Please note how some of the lore of both universes is bent to blend in both worlds. This is my original idea that I've been cooking for at least two years. Be gentle with my work, and enjoy the ride.

- Summary: House Targaryen survives their ancient exile after being overthrown by House Corrino and the Bene Gesserit. Fleeing to the unknown planet Albiron, the Targaryens build a hidden civilization powered by drakaon crystals, reviving their dragons and creating advanced technology. Millennia later, whispers of their survival begin to surface as the Bene Gesserit confront a mysterious Red Woman on Arrakis, who warns of a coming Prince That Was Promised destined to challenge their control. The Targaryens secretly prepare to return, ready to reclaim their legacy.

- Pairing: reader!Daenys Targaryen/Leto Atredies

- Note: For more details about House Targaryen and their technology, please check out the masterlist.

- Rating: Mature 16+

- Previous part: hope

- Next part: horizon

- Tag(s): @sachaa-ff @alyssa-dayne @oxymakestheworldgoround

The skies of Giedi Prime were always dark, the polluted clouds swirling above casting a shadow over the industrial wasteland below. Inside the fortress of House Harkonnen, the air was thick with the smell of machinery and oil, a sharp contrast to the cold, calculating minds that plotted within its walls.

In a grand chamber adorned with banners bearing the Harkonnen sigil, Baron Vladimir Harkonnen lounged in his suspensor chair, its mechanisms humming softly as they lifted his massive form just above the polished floor. Across from him stood Reverend Mother Gaius Helen Mohiam, her dark robes flowing around her like the shadows themselves, her face half-hidden beneath the hood that shrouded her features.

The Baron studied her with a thin, oily smile, but there was a glint of caution in his eyes. “Ah, Reverend Mother, how generous of you to visit my humble home. To what do I owe the pleasure of this... surprise audience?”

The Reverend Mother did not return his smile. Her eyes, sharp and unyielding, bored into him as if seeking to strip away the layers of deceit that clung to him like a second skin. “The Emperor has decided that the time has come to resolve the Atreides problem once and for all,” she said, her voice cold and precise. “He is preparing to send his Sardaukar to Arrakis to eliminate House Atreides—to crush them utterly. And to cleanse the influence of the Red Faith that has taken root in the desert.”

The Baron’s smile widened at her words, his suspensors shifting as he leaned forward slightly. “Ah, so our illustrious Emperor finally makes his move. And here I thought he was content to let the Atreides pup play in his new sandbox a while longer.” His tone was mocking, but there was an edge of eagerness to it.

The Reverend Mother’s gaze hardened. “Do not mistake this for leniency, Baron. The Emperor's Sardaukar will cleanse Arrakis of the Atreides stain, but there are conditions. Lady Jessica and her son, Paul, must be left unharmed. They are of great interest to the Sisterhood, and our plans for them must not be... disrupted.”

The Baron’s expression twisted into a sneer, but he inclined his head, the smile never leaving his lips. “Of course, Reverend Mother. House Harkonnen lives only to serve the Emperor and the Sisterhood. If it is your wish that the witch and her brat be spared, then it shall be done.”

The Reverend Mother studied him for a moment longer, as if weighing the truth behind his words. “See that it is,” she said finally. “And be aware, Baron—there have been... disturbing reports of Targaryen presence in the deep desert. Their alliance with House Atreides complicates matters, but the Sisterhood has no intention of allowing these... dragons to become a new power in the Imperium.”

At the mention of the Targaryens, the Baron’s eyes narrowed, a flash of genuine unease passing across his face before he quickly masked it with another smile. “I assure you, Reverend Mother, I will deal with any... remnants of the dragonlords that dare show themselves. Arrakis is mine by right, and no long-lost exiles will change that.”

The Reverend Mother inclined her head, accepting his words for now. “See that you do, Baron. The Sisterhood and the Emperor will be watching closely. Do not disappoint us.” With that, she turned, her robes sweeping around her as she departed the chamber, leaving only the faint echo of her footsteps behind.

As soon as the door closed behind her, the Baron’s smile faded, his expression twisting into a mask of contempt. He pressed a button on his suspensor controls, and a side door slid open, revealing Pieter de Vries, his Mentat, who had been lurking in the shadows. The Baron gestured him forward with a flick of his wrist.

“Did you hear that, Pieter?” the Baron growled, his voice low and filled with barely contained rage. “The Reverend Mother thinks she can come here, make demands, and expect me to dance to her tune. But I am no puppet to be manipulated by the Sisterhood or the Emperor.”

Pieter’s lips twisted into a thin smile, his calculating eyes gleaming. “Indeed, my Baron. It seems they underestimate your... ambitions. But surely, we can turn this situation to our advantage.”

The Baron’s expression darkened, his hands clenching into fists. “Oh, we will, Pieter. The Emperor will get his war, and his precious Sardaukar can wipe out House Atreides. But make no mistake—I will ensure that none of the Atreides leave Arrakis alive, not even that witch Jessica or her accursed son.”

Pieter nodded, his mind already racing through the possibilities, analyzing the outcomes and angles. “The Emperor will not care how it is done, so long as House Atreides is removed as a threat. And with the Targaryens involved, there may be... opportunities to sow further chaos.”

The Baron’s smile returned, colder and more vicious than before. “Yes... the dragons. They think they can reclaim their place in the Imperium, but they will learn the price of defying House Harkonnen. Let them come, let them play their games in the desert. It will only make their fall all the more satisfying.”

He leaned back in his suspensor chair, the hum of the machinery filling the chamber as he envisioned the destruction to come. “Prepare our forces, Pieter. And make sure our allies are ready. Arrakis will burn... and with it, House Atreides and any dragons foolish enough to stand with them.”

Pieter bowed slightly, his smile mirroring the cruelty of his master’s. “As you command, my Baron.”

As the Mentat turned to carry out his orders, the Baron’s laughter echoed through the chamber, a sound that held no warmth, only the promise of violence and betrayal. And above the smog-choked skies of Giedi Prime, the shadows deepened, heralding the coming storm that would shake the Imperium to its core.

Duke Leto Atreides stood in his study, overlooking the bustling city of Arrakeen from the high windows of the Atreides stronghold. The desert stretched endlessly beyond the city walls, shimmering under the intense sun, but Leto’s attention was fixed on the reports spread across his desk. The room was cool, the hum of the air processors a faint background noise, but Leto’s thoughts were far from serene.

Thufir Hawat stood beside him, detailing the results of the latest shipment of spice harvested using the two new Targaryen harvesters. Leto’s gaze swept over the holo-projections, showing the precise spice yields, the efficiency rates, and the safety margins that far exceeded anything their Imperial models had managed before.

“It’s... remarkable, Hawat,” Leto said, his voice tinged with genuine admiration. “The harvesters have exceeded all our expectations. They’re faster, quieter, and their ability to operate without attracting sandworms is nothing short of revolutionary. We’re producing more spice with fewer losses, and our carryall deployments have become almost unnecessary.”

Hawat nodded, the faint lines of a smile playing at the edges of his stern expression. “It’s true, my Lord. The Targaryen technology is a game-changer. With the yield from this latest operation, we’ve not only met our quotas but exceeded them. It’s no wonder the Harkonnens are rumored to be... less than pleased.”

Leto allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. The Targaryen alliance had proven its worth, and each successful shipment strengthened their position on Arrakis, securing a foothold in the most valuable territory in the Imperium. It was a triumph that even Jessica’s warnings could not dampen—though he had taken her words to heart, he could not deny the potential that this partnership brought.

As Hawat sifted through the remaining reports, he paused, his expression turning more thoughtful. “There’s another piece of news, my Lord—one that I thought you might find... interesting.”

Leto looked up from the reports, curiosity piqued by the Mentat’s tone. “Go on, Hawat. What is it?”

Hawat adjusted his cloak, casting a sidelong glance at Leto. “Lady Daenys Targaryen will be arriving in Arrakeen within the next few days, along with her brothers, Aelor and Maelor, to oversee the resupply of their harvesters and to coordinate the next phase of operations.”

Leto’s heart gave a sudden, unexpected lurch in his chest, a sensation that he struggled to keep from showing on his face. He felt a flash of anticipation, a thrill that he had not experienced in years. But he quickly schooled his expression, adopting a mask of measured calm. “I see,” he replied, forcing his voice to remain neutral. “That’s... good news. It will be an opportunity to discuss further improvements to our operations.”

Hawat’s keen eyes studied Leto closely, noting the subtle shift in his demeanor, the way his shoulders seemed to relax just slightly, the faint edge of excitement that crept into his tone despite his best efforts to conceal it. The Mentat hid a knowing smile behind a cough, returning to the reports with meticulous focus.

“Indeed, my Lord,” Hawat said, his voice carefully neutral. “It will also be an opportunity to strengthen our... relations with the Targaryens. Their presence in Arrakeen could be beneficial for both our House and our operations. I trust you will handle the matter with your usual diplomacy.”

Leto nodded absently, his thoughts already drifting to the upcoming arrival of the Targaryen delegation. He could almost picture you—Daenys—stepping off the transport, your silver hair catching the desert sun, your lilac eyes scanning the cityscape with that same keen intelligence that had captivated him on Arctis.

He pushed the thought aside, forcing himself to remain focused on the strategic importance of the visit. This was a chance to discuss the next steps in their alliance, to negotiate further exchanges that could benefit both Houses. But even as he tried to maintain his professional detachment, he couldn’t entirely suppress the flicker of eagerness that warmed his chest.

Hawat cleared his throat, breaking the moment of silence. “Shall I arrange for the delegation’s arrival, my Lord? And perhaps prepare a more... informal reception?”

Leto met Hawat’s gaze, his mask slipping for just a fraction of a second to reveal a faint, genuine smile. “Yes, Hawat. Make the arrangements. And... ensure that they have everything they need while they’re here.”

The Mentat inclined his head, the faint glimmer of amusement never quite fading from his eyes as he gathered the reports and took his leave. Leto watched him go, then turned back to the holo projector, but the data no longer held his full attention.

He found himself thinking of you again—of the conversations they had shared, the understanding that had grown between them, and the sense that perhaps, in a universe filled with enemies and alliances of convenience, he had found something—someone—he could truly trust.

A soft sigh escaped his lips as he leaned back in his chair, the shadows of the study lengthening around him. He knew that he would have to tread carefully, that the Emperor’s gaze and the Sisterhood’s scrutiny were never far from Arrakis. But for the first time in weeks, he allowed himself once more a moment of quiet hope.

After all, there were dragons in the desert now. And with them came the possibility of change—and perhaps, something more.

The evening sun dipped low over Arrakeen, casting the city in a warm, amber glow. The central square was alive with the quiet murmur of expectation, the air filled with a mix of anticipation and curiosity. Duke Leto Atreides stood at the head of his delegation, flanked by Paul, Thufir Hawat, Gurney Halleck, and Duncan Idaho. The banners of House Atreides fluttered in the dry desert breeze, their hawk sigil illuminated by the last light of the day.

Leto’s gaze swept over the cityscape, his hands clasped behind his back, but he couldn’t hide the edge of nervousness that tightened his shoulders. He glanced at Hawat, his tone carefully measured to conceal his unease. “Are we certain this is the time they said they would arrive, Hawat?”

The Mentat nodded, his expression as impassive as ever. “Yes, my Lord. The Targaryens indicated they would arrive at nightfall. It would be... uncharacteristic of them to be late, given their usual precision.”

Leto suppressed a sigh, trying to ignore the way his heart seemed to quicken in his chest. He forced himself to remain calm, though he couldn’t shake the sense that tonight would be unlike any other night on Arrakis.

And then, as if in answer to his silent thoughts, a series of shrieks split the air, echoing over the city with a sound that was both alien and ancient. Leto’s head snapped up, his eyes scanning the darkening sky. Around him, the rest of the Atreides delegation did the same, their expressions shifting from confusion to astonishment as they turned their gaze upward.

High above the city, three massive shapes broke through the shield wall, their silhouettes outlined against the deepening blue of the sky. Wings as wide as ships beat against the air, sending currents of wind down through the city streets. Roars reverberated through the buildings, shaking the very stones of Arrakeen.

It took a moment for Leto to comprehend what he was seeing, his mind struggling to connect the impossible sight before him with the stories he had heard as a boy—tales of creatures from a time long past. And yet, there they were: dragons, their scales glinting in the dim light, their eyes burning like unknown stars.

The largest dragon—a deep red creature with eyes like embers—led the formation, flanked by a sleek black dragon and a silver-scaled beast whose wings shimmered like moonlight. They circled the city five times, a display of power that sent waves of awe and fear rippling through the populace below. People spilled into the streets, staring up in wonder, some bowing, others whispering hurried prayers to gods they had long since forgotten.

Beside Leto, Paul was wide-eyed, his usual composure shattered by the sight of the dragons. Gurney Halleck, ever the soldier, had one hand on the hilt of his dagger, though he made no move to draw it. And Thufir Hawat, for once, seemed at a loss, his analytical mind grappling with this ancient power that had just revealed itself in the skies above Arrakeen.

Only Duncan Idaho seemed unperturbed, a knowing smile playing at the corners of his mouth as he watched the dragons with a kind of unspoken pride. Leto caught the expression and raised an eyebrow at him, but Duncan merely shrugged, his eyes never leaving the descending forms.

The dragons circled one final time before landing in the square with a deafening thud, their massive forms kicking up dust and sand that swirled around their scaled legs. The ground trembled beneath their weight, and for a moment, the air was filled with the sound of cracking stone and flapping wings.

Leto’s heart pounded in his chest as he watched you dismount from the lead dragon, a creature whose very existence defied everything the Imperium believed to be true. The dragon—your Vexiae, he would later learn—lowered its massive head as you slid gracefully to the ground, your silver hair catching the glow of the city’s lights.

You moved with a confidence that Leto recognized as uniquely your own, a grace that spoke of strength tempered by years of discipline. And in that moment, as you stood before the Atreides delegation, Vexiae looming behind you, Leto felt the stories of his childhood come rushing back to him—tales of dragons and the lost kings who rode them, of flame and steel that once bent the world to its will.

You inclined your head toward Leto, a faint smile touching your lips as you addressed him. “Duke Leto,” you said, your voice carrying easily across the square. “It seems we have arrived... perhaps a bit more dramatically than anticipated.”

Leto found his voice after a beat, forcing himself to step forward, though he couldn’t quite mask the wonder in his eyes. “Lady Daenys,” he replied, inclining his head in return. “You certainly know how to make an entrance.”

Your smile widened slightly, a glint of mischief in your eyes as you glanced back at Vexiae, who was eyeing the crowd with a predatory curiosity. “I thought it might be fitting to... remind your people that they are not the only ones with wonders in the desert.”

Leto’s gaze lingered on the dragon behind you, the creature that had once existed only in myths now standing before him. He felt a shiver run through him—fear, perhaps, or awe—but it was tempered by something else, a sense that this moment was the beginning of a new chapter in the story of Arrakis.

“Welcome to Arrakeen, Lady Daenys,” Leto said, his voice steady now, though his eyes never left yours. “It seems we have much to discuss.”

The main hall of the Atreides stronghold in Arrakeen had been transformed into a place of celebration. House Atreides retainers moved swiftly between the tables, carrying trays of food and pitchers of water and spice wine, their movements precise as they served both their own people and the newly arrived Targaryens. The banners of the red hawk and the three-headed dragon hung side by side, the colors of House Atreides and House Targaryen blending in the dim light of the oil lamps that illuminated the grand chamber.

At the head of the room, Duke Leto Atreides sat with Aelor and Maelor Targaryen, the three of them engaged in a strategic discussion. The Targaryen brothers, with their regal bearing and intense gazes, brought an air of ancient power to the hall that had not been felt since the days of the old empires. Leto spoke animatedly, outlining potential military maneuvers to demonstrate their strength on Arrakis—a move that could secure their shared interests and deter any threats that might arise.

“We must show the Imperium and any would-be challengers that our alliance is more than words,” Leto said, his voice low but firm as he leaned closer to the Targaryen heirs. “A joint operation—a demonstration of force—would serve as a deterrent. It would make clear that House Atreides and House Targaryen are prepared to stand together.”

Aelor nodded thoughtfully, his expression as calculating as his words. “Agreed, Duke Leto. The desert is vast, but even here, power must be made visible. We can deploy our dragons in tandem with your forces to strike at strategic points. Let it be known that this is not a land for those who seek to challenge us.”

Maelor, the younger of the two brothers, smirked slightly, his lilac eyes glinting with a touch of pride. “The Harkonnens thought they could claim Arrakis without resistance. We will remind them of their mistake.”

Leto nodded in agreement, sensing the fierce determination in the brothers. He glanced around the room, catching sight of you, standing near one of the large arched windows with Duncan Idaho and Gurney Halleck. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth as he saw the way you seemed at ease among his people, your silver hair catching the light like a halo in the glow of the lamps.

As the conversation continued at the head table, Paul approached you, his steps slow and measured. He waited for a lull in the conversation before speaking, his tone tentative but carrying an underlying urgency. “Lady Daenys,” he said, inclining his head slightly. “It’s... good to see you again.”

You turned toward him, a small smile curving your lips. “Paul Atreides,” you replied with a note of familiarity, a warmth in your voice that Paul found strangely comforting. It was as if you both spoke a language that others could not hear. “The pleasure is mine.”

Paul shifted slightly, glancing around to ensure that Duncan and Gurney were still engaged in their own conversation before he spoke again, his voice lower this time. “I... would like to speak with you—when you have the time. Privately. There are things we need to discuss.”

You studied him for a moment, your lilac eyes meeting his with an intensity that made Paul feel as if you could see straight through him, down to the very core of his being. But there was understanding there as well, a sense that you knew why he sought you out. You nodded, the corners of your mouth lifting in a small smile. “Indeed, Paul, we do have much to discuss. I’ll find you later, and we’ll have that conversation.”

Before the moment could stretch further, Gurney Halleck nudged you lightly with his elbow, his rough-hewn face softened by a teasing grin. “Now, Lady Daenys, you promised me something back on that frozen rock, remember? A song to warm the soul, and here we are with the perfect setting and all these fine folk. How about you indulge us now?”

Duncan raised an eyebrow, chuckling softly. “I’d like to see that myself. We could all use a bit of music after the past few days.”

You laughed softly, glancing between them before inclining your head. “Very well, Gurney. I suppose I do owe you a song. But you’ll have to accompany me, of course.”

Gurney’s smile widened as he reached for his baliset, the well-worn strings gleaming faintly in the dim light. He adjusted the instrument, tuning it with practiced fingers, and then began to pluck a melancholy melody, the notes filling the hall with a haunting beauty that caused the conversations around the room to hush.

You lifted your voice, singing a ballad in the old tongue, your words weaving a story of lost kingdoms and burning skies, of dragons that soared above emerald seas and the exiles who found their way to new lands. The melody was filled with both sorrow and hope, a reminder of the past but also a promise for the future.

Leto, seated with Aelor and Maelor, fell silent as he listened to your voice, the emotion in your song stirring something deep within him. He could see the captivated expressions of his people, the way even the Targaryen brothers seemed drawn in by the ancient tale you wove with your voice. And as he watched you, he realized once more just how dangerous you were—not because of your power, but because of the way you could move hearts with just a few words.

Paul listened as well, but his thoughts were turned inward, to the dreams that had haunted him, the visions of you standing before him with dragons at your back. As he heard the melody, he felt as if he was glimpsing a part of those dreams brought to life, a piece of the puzzle that had yet to reveal its full shape.

And when the last note faded into the air, a silence followed, filled only with the echo of your voice. The hall was quiet, the weight of the moment settling over all who had gathered there.

Gurney set down his baliset, a satisfied smile on his face as he inclined his head toward you. “You’ve got the voice of an angel, Lady Daenys. I’d say that was worth the wait.”

You smiled in return, but your gaze drifted back to Paul, who stood just behind Duncan. And in the shadows of the hall, beneath the banners of hawks and dragons, the seeds of fate continued to take root, their branches stretching into a future that no one could yet fully see.

Lady Jessica, standing near one of the shadowed arches on the opposite side of the hall, found herself feeling a sense of unease that she could not fully shake.

The presence of the Targaryens here, so close to House Atreides, defied the very laws of the Imperium and the natural order as the Sisterhood understood it. These were people who should have been extinct, erased from history by fire and time. Yet here they stood, the last dragons, moving among her consort's court as if they belonged. And it was Leto who had insisted that she be introduced to the three siblings personally, despite her reservations.

Across the hall, Aelor, Maelor, and Daenys stood together, their presence like a ripple in the air that Jessica could feel on a level beyond the physical. She knew that the Targaryens had recognized her presence long before any formal introduction—their training, honed even in exile, had sharpened their ability to sense a Bene Gesserit. It was a skill that unnerved her, for it placed them beyond the usual manipulations of her order that had no effect on their House.

As the siblings approached, Leto gestured to them with a warm, if slightly forced, smile. "Jessica, allow me to introduce Aelor, Maelor, and Daenys Targaryen," he said, his voice carrying a note of formality that he reserved for such occasions. “I thought it best that we meet in person, given our... alliance.”

Jessica nodded, offering a measured smile, though her eyes were watchful. She sensed the anomasity in the air, the unspoken knowledge that passed between them as she met the gazes of the Targaryens one by one. Aelor’s look was polite but guarded, Maelor's was edged with a faint smirk, while you, Daenys, studied her with a curious intensity that made Jessica’s skin prickle. It was a challenge, one that Jessica was not accustomed to facing outside the halls of the Sisterhood.

She tried to maintain her usual composure, but Hawat, standing nearby, observed the exchange with sharp eyes. He saw how Jessica's cool demeanor slipped, if only slightly, beneath the pressure of the Targaryens’ gaze. To most, it would have been imperceptible, but Hawat had trained himself to notice the smallest of shifts, and this one intrigued him. He had never seen Lady Jessica so unnerved, so clearly on the back foot.

The Mentat tucked this observation away in his mind, recognizing the potential advantage. He had never fully trusted Jessica, not since she had arrived in Leto’s life with the Sisterhood’s agenda hidden beneath her charm. Now, seeing her disturbed in the presence of the Targaryens, he felt a sense of vindication. Perhaps the dragons—for all their unknowns—were more worthy of trust than the shadowy Bene Gesserit. At the very least, they seemed more transparent in their intentions.

Jessica, meanwhile, turned her gaze toward you, noting the way Leto glanced at you with a mixture of admiration and something deeper. It wasn’t just your striking appearance, though your silver hair and lilac eyes were impossible to ignore. It was the way you carried yourself, the strength and self-possession that seemed to draw people to you—Leto included. She understood, now, why her consort’s thoughts had been so preoccupied since Arctis.

She knew what obsession looked like—she had seen it in the Emperor, in the Baron, in those who sought power and control. But this was different, tinged with a hopefulness she had not seen in Leto for years. And that, more than anything, made her wary.

The exchange between Jessica and the Targaryens remained polite, but the tension was visible, threading through each carefully chosen word. It was Aelor who finally broke the stalemate, inclining his head toward Jessica and Leto with a faint, courteous smile. “It has been a pleasure, Lady Jessica. But I think perhaps my sister and brother might wish to explore the hall a bit more, meet some of your... other guests.”

He glanced meaningfully at you and Maelor, and after a moment, you nodded in agreement. With a final, respectful bow to Leto and Jessica, you and Maelor turned away, making your way across the hall toward Duncan and Paul. As you left, Leto’s gaze followed you, his expression betraying a flicker of disappointment that did not go unnoticed by Jessica.

With the two of you out of earshot, Aelor turned back to Leto, adopting a more businesslike tone. “I wanted to thank you, Duke Leto, for the generous gift of water that you have provided for our operations,” he said, his voice as smooth as the desert winds. “It is a precious resource here on Arrakis, more valuable than spice in many ways. But I’ve been wondering... have you considered implementing a more advanced hydroponic system for your people? Perhaps even building aqueducts to maximize your water reserves?”

Leto blinked, momentarily stunned by the scope of Aelor’s suggestion. It was a bold idea, one that went beyond the typical imperial technologies used on Arrakis. “That’s... a significant undertaking,” he replied, choosing his words carefully. “Our resources are substantial, but what you propose would require a scale of technology and infrastructure that even House Atreides would struggle to muster.”

Aelor’s smile widened, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “You might find that House Targaryen has access to certain... innovations that could make such an endeavor feasible, Duke. If we are to thrive here, we must adapt. Our alliance could make many things possible—things that the Imperium has deemed impossible for far too long.”

Leto considered this, feeling a spark of excitement at the possibilities. But he also sensed the implications of Aelor’s words—the subtle hint that House Targaryen might hold knowledge that even the Emperor did not possess. He glanced toward Jessica, whose expression had turned pensive as she observed the exchange.

“We will speak more of this later,” Leto said finally, offering a polite nod. “For now, let us enjoy the evening. We have time to discuss the future when we are not surrounded by so many... curious ears.”

Aelor inclined his head, accepting the Duke’s response with a hint of a smile. “Of course, Duke Leto. Until then, I hope you will consider the potential of what we can build together.”

As Aelor turned to rejoin his siblings, Leto felt a faint shiver run through him, a sense that he was standing on the precipice of something far larger than himself. And in the shadows, Hawat watched it all unfold, his mind turning over the calculations, weighing the risks and rewards that each new alliance might bring.

You and Maelor made your way across the grand hall, the murmurs of conversation fading as you approached Duncan Idaho and Paul Atreides, who were standing near a corner where the noise of the banquet softened to a low hum. Duncan glanced up as you approached, a smile spreading across his face as he took in the sight of you.

“Well now, Lady Daenys,” Duncan said with a warm chuckle, “I have a message for you. Stilgar and his people wanted me to express their gratitude for the water filtration units and spice-resistant cloth you provided them. It’s made a real difference in their siege operations. But if you keep sending them supplies like that, you’ll spoil them. They’ll start thinking they’re nobles.”

You returned his jest with a light laugh, your expression softening. “Tell Stilgar he is most welcome. But I doubt he’ll be content to play the part of a noble for long. His pride is too fierce for that.”

Duncan chuckled again, a twinkle in his eye. “True enough. I’ll make sure he hears it just like that.”

You offered Duncan a final smile before turning your attention to Paul, who had been watching the exchange with an intensity that you recognized from your own reflections. “Paul,” you said, your voice quieting as you addressed him, “would you care to join me for a walk? I think there are... things we should speak about.”

Paul’s gaze held yours for a moment, searching, before he nodded. “Yes, I think you’re right. Lead the way.”

You and Paul stepped away from the bustle of the hall, moving through a side corridor that led to a balcony overlooking the night-shrouded sands of Arrakis. The air was cool, a breeze carrying the scent of spice and distant desert blooms. You leaned against the stone railing, the distant dunes stretching out beneath a sky full of stars. Paul stood beside you, his shoulders tense with the weight of the questions he had carried since your first meeting.

For a moment, you both stood in silence, the expanse of the desert a quiet witness to your thoughts. Finally, you broke the stillness, your voice as soft as the wind that swept across the sands. “You have questions, Paul. I can see them in your eyes.”

Paul turned to face you fully, his brow furrowed, the lines of his face drawn tight with uncertainty. “I do,” he admitted. “From the moment we met, I felt like I knew you, like you were someone I’d met before, even though I knew that wasn’t possible. But it’s more than that. It’s... dreams. I’ve seen you in my dreams, Daenys. Before I ever set foot on Arrakis.”

You inclined your head slightly, acknowledging his words, the starlight reflecting in your lilac eyes. “You’re right, Paul. We knew each other before we met. Our paths crossed long before they converged in this place, on this night.”

Paul’s gaze grew sharper, his mind racing through possibilities, questions forming on his lips before he finally asked the one that mattered most. “The dreams... what do they mean? Why do I see you in them?”

You paused, considering how best to explain the nature of your visions and the bonds they created. “My dreams are not like yours,” you began slowly, your voice tinged with a mysterious certainty. “I am a Targaryen, and we have what my people call dragon dreams—visions that show us glimpses of what might be and what is yet to come. They are a part of our blood, a legacy of the dragons.”

Paul frowned, his mind turning over your words, but you continued before he could interrupt. “Your dreams, Paul, are not the same. They are the product of Bene Gesserit designs, the result of centuries of selective breeding and genetic manipulation. They tried to replicate something ancient, something they could never truly possess, no matter how hard they tried. Something born of Targaryen blood they can't intermingle with.”

Paul’s expression darkened, his lips pressing into a thin line as he absorbed the implications of your words. “You mean... the Kwisatz Haderach? That’s what they’ve called me. But they never said anything about this—about being connected to you.”

You nodded slowly, the wind catching strands of your silver hair, carrying them like threads into the night. “They wouldn’t. It’s not something they could have planned for. But I did dream of you, Paul, just as you dreamed of me. Our fates are woven together, by threads that go beyond bloodlines and prophecies.”

Paul’s mind swirled with the weight of your revelation, the foundations of his understanding shifting beneath him. He turned his gaze back to the desert, his voice barely more than a whisper. “If our dreams are different, then what do yours show you, Daenys? What do you see when you dream?”

You closed your eyes for a moment, the memories of your dragon dreams stirring beneath your eyelids like coals in the dark. “I see... fire and shadow, dragons that rise from the ashes of ancient worlds, and a storm that sweeps across the Imperium. I see choices—choices that will shape the future of Arrakis, of your House and mine. And I see you, Paul, standing at the heart of it all.”

Paul shivered despite the warmth of the desert night, feeling the weight of your words settle over him like a cloak. For the first time, he felt that the visions that had haunted him were not a burden he carried alone. You shared a connection that defied the logic of the Imperium, a bond that neither the Sisterhood nor the Emperor could control.

He turned to look at you again, and in that moment, he knew that the answers he sought lay not only in the teachings of the Bene Gesserit but in the wisdom of those who walked beside dragons. 

Leto Atreides stood in the shadowed corner of the grand hall, his eyes following your form as you walked away with Paul, your figures disappearing through one of the arched doors leading to the balcony. He felt a pang of unease—not because he feared for Paul’s safety but because he knew how Jessica would react. And sure enough, she was already striding toward him, her expression tight with barely concealed irritation.

“Leto,” Jessica said, her voice sharp as a blade as she gestured toward the doorway where you and Paul had disappeared. “You shouldn’t have let her go off with him. Daenys is dangerous, and Paul is not safe with her. Who knows what she’ll put into his head?”

Leto turned to face her fully, his own frustration bubbling to the surface as he met her fierce gaze. “Enough, Jessica,” he snapped, keeping his voice low but firm. “Daenys is no threat to Paul. She has given us no reason to mistrust her. And if you haven’t noticed, Hawat’s men are everywhere. Paul is in no danger.”

Jessica’s eyes flashed, a sign that her Bene Gesserit training was warring with her personal feelings. “You don’t understand, Leto. She’s not like us—she’s not like anyone we’ve dealt with before. She’s... other, and her presence here upsets the balance. I’ve seen the way you look at her, and I know it clouds your judgment. She could be putting ideas into Paul’s mind, manipulating him—”

Leto raised a hand, cutting her off, his expression hardening. “That’s enough, Jessica. I’ve trusted your advice for years, but this time, I’ll trust my own instincts. Daenys means no harm to our son. And frankly, your suspicions of her have more to do with the Sisterhood’s fears than with reality.”

Jessica stiffened at the accusation, a flash of hurt crossing her features before she masked it behind her usual composure. She took a breath, then leaned closer, her voice barely more than a whisper. “This is your last warning, Leto. Don’t let your... feelings for her blind you to the threats she might pose. Paul is more important than... than whatever you think she represents.”

With that, she turned on her heel, her robes swirling around her as she retreated into the crowd, leaving Leto standing alone. He watched her go, a muscle ticking in his jaw as he struggled to control the mix of emotions that churned inside him—anger, frustration, and something deeper that he could not easily name.

As the tension from the encounter lingered in the air, Gurney Halleck approached, his footsteps light despite the weight of the baliset slung over his back. He had caught the heated exchange, and now he studied Leto with a knowing look. “Ah, my Lord, I couldn’t help but overhear some of that... discussion with Lady Jessica.”

Leto sighed, running a hand through his hair as he turned to face Gurney. “I suppose it’s no secret that we don’t see eye to eye on this. She’s convinced that Daenys is a danger to Paul. I know she means well, but... she doesn’t understand.”

Gurney’s expression softened as he nodded, his gaze drifting toward the doorway where you and Paul had disappeared. “Aye, the lass is a strange one, no doubt about it. But dangerous? Not to Paul, not from what I’ve seen. She has a... gentleness about her when she speaks with him. It’s not the kind of thing that threatens—more like the kind of thing that... guides.”

Leto’s shoulders relaxed slightly at Gurney’s reassurance, the tension easing just enough for him to breathe. “I know, Gurney. I feel it too. But Jessica...” He shook his head, as if trying to dispel the lingering unease. “She sees something different. And it’s... difficult, balancing all of this—House Atreides, Paul, this alliance with the Targaryens. Sometimes it feels like there’s no right path, just... less dangerous ones.”

Gurney chuckled softly, clapping a hand on Leto’s shoulder. “My Lord, if I might speak plainly... you’ve always had a way of thinking too much. Sometimes it’s better to follow your heart, even if it leads you into unknown places. I’ve seen the way you look at the Targaryen lass, and I think you’d do well to have a real conversation with her, without all these... formalities hanging over you. Unburden yourself, as it were.”

Leto glanced at Gurney, surprised by the directness of the advice, but there was a certain wisdom in his old friend’s words. He turned his gaze back to the door, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he imagined the possibility. “You might be right, Gurney. Perhaps it’s time I had a... different kind of conversation with Daenys.”

Gurney grinned, giving Leto a gentle push in the direction of the balcony. ���Go on, then. I’ll keep Lady Jessica occupied, if she decides to come back for round two. And don’t worry about Paul—he’s tougher than he looks.”

Leto took a deep breath, then nodded. As he moved toward the balcony, he could feel his heartbeat quicken, a sense of anticipation building inside him. He had faced enemies in battle and navigated the treacherous currents of politics, but there was something different about this—something that felt like stepping into a new world, one filled with possibility.

You and Paul stood on the balcony, overlooking the vast desert that stretched beyond the city of Arrakeen. The last whispers of your conversation lingered in the air, the words shared between you turning from the weight of prophecy to a more personal warmth. For the first time since he had arrived on Arrakis, Paul felt a sense of clarity, a feeling that his dreams and visions were not a burden he had to carry alone.

He offered you a smile—genuine, even if touched by the uncertainties that still lay ahead. “Thank you, Daenys,” he said, his voice quiet but sincere. “I think... I understand a little better now. Whatever happens, I know I’m not alone in this.”

You returned the smile, a warmth in your gaze as you nodded. “You are not, Paul. We both have a role to play in the unfolding story of this world. But remember, you have the strength to shape your own path, just as your father does. Trust that.”

Paul glanced back over his shoulder, where the three dragons loomed in the distance, their massive forms dark silhouettes against the starlit sky. He knew that the presence of these creatures—these beasts of myth—would be spoken of for generations, their arrival marking a new era on Arrakis. He took a deep breath and turned back toward the door, catching sight of a shadow standing in the threshold.

It was Leto, his father, watching them with a quiet resolve in his eyes. Paul’s lips curved into a small, knowing smile as he passed by Leto, offering a simple, “Goodnight, Father,” before disappearing back into the warmth of the stronghold.

Leto nodded, acknowledging Paul’s departure, though his attention remained fixed on you, standing there with the desert wind playing through your silver hair. He stepped forward, crossing the threshold to join you on the balcony, his presence bringing a different kind of warmth—one that felt more personal, more unspoken.

You turned as he approached, offering a nod of greeting, and he came to stand beside you, leaning against the stone railing that overlooked the sands below. For a moment, the two of you stood in companionable silence, the howl of the wind filling the space between words. Leto’s gaze drifted to the dragons far beyond the city’s edge, then back to you, as if trying to find the right way to begin.

“The first time I saw Vexiae today, your dragon,” he said finally, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. “It felt like... something out of a dream, or a story I used to hear as a child. A thing that wasn’t supposed to be real. And yet... there you were. Standing with a creature that I thought had vanished from the world.”

You tilted your head slightly, a soft laugh escaping your lips. “Many things that are forgotten linger in the shadows, Duke Leto. Not everything that disappears is truly gone. Sometimes, it just... waits for the right moment to return.”

Leto glanced sideways at you, his expression growing more serious, though there was a warmth in his eyes that softened the lines of his face. “I think I’ve come to understand that. Ever since Arctis, I’ve been trying to find the right words to... express how I felt when I saw you there. And then again, here, in the heart of Arrakis.”

He paused, struggling with the words that sat heavy in his chest, a weight that he had carried for too long. He turned to face you more fully, his voice low and earnest. “This alliance between our Houses—it’s more than just military strategy and economic ties. At least, it is for me. I think... I think it’s become something personal. Something that I’m not sure I have the right words for.”

Your gaze softened, your expression shifting into something that Leto had seen only glimpses of before—something unguarded and honest. You stepped closer to him, your eyes searching his face, as if reading the emotions that he struggled to articulate.

“Not everything needs words, Leto,” you replied gently. “Sometimes, it’s enough to simply feel. To let those feelings guide us, even if we don’t understand them fully.”

Leto let out a soft breath, his shoulders relaxing as he took in the truth of your words. He nodded, a faint smile playing at his lips. “You have a way of making things sound... simple, even when they’re not. I suppose that’s one of the things that drew me to you in the first place.”

The silence that settled between you was different now—no longer filled with unspoken tension, but with the quiet understanding that something had shifted between you. Leto glanced down at the desert sands, the light of Arrakeen casting long shadows across the dunes, and then back at you, standing beside him like a figure from a legend.

“I don’t know what the future holds,” he admitted, his voice barely more than a murmur. “But I’d like to think that... maybe there’s a place for something more than just alliance between us. If you’re open to the possibility.”

You studied him for a long moment, your lilac eyes holding his gaze, and then you offered him a smile that was as warm as the desert sun. “I think, Duke Leto, that we both have a great deal to discover. About Arrakis, about each other... and about the things that linger just beyond what we can see.”

Leto felt a warmth bloom in his chest at your words, a sense that he had found a kindred spirit in a place where trust was often a rare commodity. He reached out, his fingers brushing lightly against yours in a gesture that was more promise than anything spoken aloud.

And as the stars above Arrakeen shone brighter against the desert night, the future seemed a little less uncertain, shaped by the presence of a dragon’s shadow and the dreams of those willing to change the world.

The incident with the Hunter-Seeker had left a shadow over the Atredies stronghold, a sense of paranoia that clung to every corridor and corner. The hidden Harkonnen assassin who had been uncovered in the aftermath was now being interrogated deep within the dungeons, but the implications of his presence ran deeper than any single conspiracy.

In his study, Duke Leto Atreides paced back and forth, his mind racing with worry and anger. He glanced up as Thufir Hawat entered, the Mentat’s face drawn and pale, his usual confidence replaced by a grim determination. Hawat’s shoulders were slumped, the weight of his perceived failure pressing down on him.

“My Lord, I should have anticipated this,” Hawat began, his voice tight with frustration. “I should have known that the Harkonnens would try to strike at us even after we’d taken Arrakis. This Hunter-Seeker nearly reached Paul—if it hadn’t been for your son’s quick reflexes, it could have—”

Leto raised a hand, cutting him off. He could see the turmoil in Hawat’s eyes, the way the Mentat struggled with his own sense of guilt. “We cannot change what has already happened, Thufir,” he said, his tone gentler than the anger that burned inside him. “What we need now is to focus on understanding how this assassin managed to remain hidden among us for so long.”

Hawat’s jaw tightened, and he nodded reluctantly, though the tension in his posture remained. “I’ve been investigating the possibility of a mole within our own ranks, but... there are rumors, my Lord. Whispers that this may have been the work of the Sisterhood—that Lady Jessica might have had a hand in it, or that... perhaps I myself might be the traitor.”

Leto’s expression darkened at the mention of Jessica. The strains in their relationship had only deepened since their last confrontation, but he refused to believe she would put Paul at risk, even if her loyalties were divided. And yet, the rumors had already begun to spread through the stronghold, poisoning the trust within House Atreides.

“I’ll not entertain baseless accusations against Jessica or you, Thufir,” Leto said, his voice firm. “But the fact remains—we need help. And I believe our allies may have the resources we lack to uncover how this assassin remained hidden here for so long.”

Hawat looked up, surprise flickering across his features. “You mean the Targaryens?”

Leto nodded, turning to gaze out the window, where the distant desert dunes rolled like waves beneath the morning sun. “Yes. Aelor, Daenys, and Maelor have made it clear that they have access to surveillance technologies beyond what the Imperium understands. And they have a vested interest in keeping Arrakeen secure from Harkonnen interference.”

He turned back to Hawat, his expression hardening with a renewed sense of determination. “Send a message to House Targaryen. Inform them of what has happened and request their assistance in investigating this security breach. If they can help us uncover how this assassin managed to infiltrate our stronghold, it will help us put to rest any suspicions among our own ranks.”

Hawat bowed his head, though a shadow of relief crossed his face. “Yes, my Lord. I will see it done immediately. And... thank you, for your trust. I will not fail you again.”

As Hawat turned to leave, Leto’s mind was already spinning with the implications of this request. He knew that relying on Targaryen aid would be seen as a dangerous gamble by some, especially those who still viewed the dragons as outsiders with their own agenda. But he also knew that the poison of paranoia was a greater threat than anything the Harkonnens could muster.

He watched as Hawat disappeared down the corridor, the sound of his footsteps fading into the distance. Alone in his study, Leto let out a long breath, running a hand through his hair as he tried to shake off the weariness that had settled over him like a cloak. 

And as he turned back to the window, he allowed himself a fleeting thought of Daenys, wondering if you would understand the trust he was placing in your family—if you would see it as an olive branch, a chance to build something lasting amid the shifting sands of Arrakis.

For better or worse, the dragons had become a part of his world, and Leto could only hope that they would stand with him when the storm finally broke.

...

The medical chamber was quiet, filled only with the steady hum of the machines and the occasional rustle of Dr. Yueh’s robes as he carefully examined Paul Atreides. The incident with the Hunter-Seeker had shaken the household, but Jessica had insisted that Yueh perform a thorough examination to ensure that no lingering effects or injuries had gone unnoticed. Paul sat on the edge of the examination table, his expression calm, but there was a tension in his shoulders that Jessica recognized well.

Jessica stood nearby, her arms folded tightly across her chest, her gaze fixed on her son with an intensity that held more than just motherly concern. The events of the past week had left her unsettled, and her mind was plagued by thoughts of the Targaryens, particularly the growing influence they seemed to hold over both Leto and Paul.

Dr. Yueh’s hands moved with the precision of a skilled physician as he passed a scanner over Paul’s torso, his expression thoughtful. “There are no signs of lingering damage, young master,” he said softly. “The Hunter-Seeker was detected in time, and your reflexes served you well. You’ve come through this incident unscathed.”

Paul nodded absently, his gaze drifting to the window where the sunlight of Arrakis streamed through. But before he could respond, Jessica took the opportunity to speak, her tone sharp with the frustration she had been holding back for days.

“Paul,” she said, drawing his attention away from Yueh. “We need to discuss your... relationship with Lady Daenys Targaryen. It’s dangerous for you to become so close to her, especially given what we know about her family and their... unpredictability.”

Paul’s head snapped around, a frown creasing his features. “Why is it dangerous, Mother?” he shot back, a note of defensiveness in his voice that Jessica had rarely heard from him. “Daenys has done nothing to harm us. She’s been... honest with me. More than most in this court.”

Jessica took a step closer, her eyes narrowing as she met her son’s defiant gaze. “Honesty is not the same as loyalty, Paul. The Targaryens are uncontrolled elements—dangerous because they do not bend to the will of the Bene Gesserit or the Imperium. Should they turn against us, they could threaten everything we’ve worked for. And you... you are too important to be swayed by their charm.”

Paul’s frown deepened, his hands clenching into fists at his sides. “I’m not being swayed, Mother. I can make my own judgments. Daenys has shown me respect and a kind of understanding that... that I don’t often find here. She’s not like the Sisterhood you belong to, with all its secrets and manipulations.”

Jessica’s breath caught in her chest, the passion in Paul’s voice startling her. It was a tone she had heard only a few times before—when he spoke about things that mattered deeply to him, like his father’s honor or the legacy of House Atreides. But what worried her most was the realization that she had seen this same intensity in Leto whenever he spoke of the Targaryen woman.

Jessica took a breath, forcing herself to keep her tone even as she continued. “You’re forgetting your purpose, Paul. You are more than just a young man—you are the product of centuries of planning and breeding, the hope of the Sisterhood’s grand design. You cannot afford to become... distracted by Daenys or her family’s promises.”

Paul’s eyes flashed, and he shook his head, frustration boiling over. “I haven’t forgotten, Mother. I know exactly what you and the Sisterhood expect of me. But maybe... maybe I don’t want my life to be dictated by a plan that I never asked for. Maybe I want to be something more than just a tool for your order.”

Jessica stiffened at his words, the rebuke cutting deeper than she had anticipated. She opened her mouth to respond, but the anger and hurt in Paul’s eyes stopped her. For a moment, she saw not just the son she had trained but the young man who was searching for a path that belonged to him alone.

Dr. Yueh, who had remained silent throughout the exchange, cleared his throat softly, breaking the tension that had thickened the air. “If I may, Lady Jessica, young master Paul, the examination is complete. And... I believe the Duke would want us all to focus on the threats that remain. The Harkonnens are still out there, and the future of Arrakis is uncertain.”

Paul turned away from his mother, his shoulders tense as he nodded to Yueh, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. “Thank you, Doctor. I appreciate your help.”

Jessica remained silent as Paul left the room, her mind racing with the implications of their conversation. As the door closed behind him, she pressed a hand to her chest, trying to steady her breathing. She couldn’t shake the sense that she was losing control—not just of Paul but of Leto as well. And the realization that they might both be willing to trust Daenys Targaryen over the Sisterhood was a disturbing thought indeed.

When she turned to face Dr. Yueh, she found the physician studying her with a curious expression. He inclined his head slightly, his tone respectful but firm. “If I may, my lady, I have seen worry in many forms. It seems to me that young master Paul is... finding his own way. Perhaps that is something to be nurtured, rather than... feared.”

Jessica offered him a tight smile, though it didn’t reach her eyes. “Thank you for your insight, Dr. Yueh. But there are... things at play here that you do not fully understand.”

With that, she turned on her heel and swept from the room.

...

Jessica moved through the stone corridors of the Atreides stronghold with a brisk pace, her robes swirling around her as she made her way deeper into the halls. Her mind was clouded with worry and anger, her thoughts turning over the confrontation with Paul and the widening gap between her and Leto. She could sense that the balance of power and influence within their household was shifting—and that the presence of the Targaryens was at the heart of it.

As she approached one of the side courtyards, she caught sight of Thufir Hawat standing near a Fremen messenger, his expression intent as he passed a sealed message into the messenger’s hands. The Fremen nodded curtly, tucking the message into his robes before turning and disappearing into the shadows of the courtyard, heading in the direction of the desert.

Jessica stepped forward, her voice sharp as she addressed the Mentat. “Thufir, what are you doing? Sending messages to the Targaryens behind my back?”

Hawat turned to face her, his expression hardening as he squared his shoulders. “The Duke ordered me to reach out to House Targaryen for assistance in rooting out the Harkonnen threat, my lady. It’s a matter of security for Arrakeen—something I believe you would support, given the circumstances.”

Jessica’s eyes narrowed, and she took a step closer, her tone icy. “Do not think for a moment that I am unaware of what you are doing, Mentat. You have allowed Leto to draw too close to these outsiders. He risks everything we have worked for by aligning himself with them.”

Hawat’s jaw tightened, but he met her gaze steadily. “The Duke is acting in the best interests of House Atreides, as he always has. Daenys, Aelor, and Maelor Targaryen have proven themselves valuable allies, capable of providing resources and technologies that could strengthen our position on Arrakis. The Harkonnens are a greater threat than you realize, and we need every advantage we can muster.”

Jessica’s expression grew more severe, her frustration boiling over as she pressed her point. “And in doing so, you risk endangering House Atreides from within! Leto’s judgment has been compromised—I have seen the way he looks at Daenys, how he speaks of her. He is letting his feelings cloud his decisions, and you... you are enabling him.”

Hawat’s eyes flashed with defiance, and he took a step forward, closing the distance between them. “You underestimate the Duke, my lady. He has made difficult choices before, and he will do so again if it is what is best for Arrakis. If that means aligning with House Targaryen, then so be it.”

Jessica’s lips thinned, and she lowered her voice, her words carrying a sharper edge. “Do you truly believe that this alliance will end with military aid and economic exchange, Thufir? Leto has kept himself unmarried for years, maintaining his freedom for political maneuvering. But now, I fear he is prepared to break that unspoken promise, even if it means betraying those who have stood beside him all these years. Betraying... me.”

Hawat’s expression shifted, and for a moment, a flicker of sympathy crossed his features. But his voice remained firm, unyielding. “If Leto chooses to pursue a different path, it is because he believes it is the right one. And if that path includes Daenys Targaryen, then perhaps it is time to consider what new possibilities that could bring to House Atreides.”

Jessica’s eyes flashed with anger and hurt, but she held herself tall, unwilling to show any weakness before the Mentat. “You overstep, Hawat. You have always overstepped, but this time... you go too far. You would cast aside loyalty for a new alliance, one that could break us.”

Hawat inclined his head slightly, though his expression remained cool. “I serve the Duke, my lady. As do you. And I will continue to do so, no matter what choices he makes.”

Without waiting for her response, Hawat turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing in the stone corridor, leaving Jessica standing alone in the courtyard, the shadows deepening around her.

She pressed a hand to her chest, feeling the weight of her fury and fear pressing down like a stone. Leto’s intentions were becoming clearer with each passing day, and the thought of him offering his hand—and House Atreides—to the Targaryens filled her with a cold dread.

But more than that, it was the realization that she might be losing her place in Leto’s life, a place that she had fought so hard to maintain, that cut the deepest. And as she stood there, her mind raced with the possibilities, the plots, and the shadowed futures that loomed before them all.

She knew that Arrakis was a battleground—but it was not just the desert that would be fought over. 

[withered--s0uls]

OKAY, I think I'm done for now.

@electrozeistyking and I a little while ago talked about how GD!N would react to DAS!Cyn. They went on about in a reblog but basically he would be extremely happy bc DAS!Cyn is a separate entity to the Absolute Solver, therefore meaning she's not the one behind everything.

So at first they probably both would be extremely happy. DAS!Cyn in her own AU upon meeting N first is absolutely terrified that he might hate her after everything the AS made her do. So the fact GD!N would react very positively to her presence would be a huge a relief to her.

Now, the issue is that the "Dormant" in "Dormant" Absolute Solver is in quotations for a reason. It simply lost interest in her as a main host / had no need for her anymore. It still has admin rights over DAS!Cyn and she still has a Solver Form. Though she doesn't use it by choice bc of PTSD triggers (until possibly a specific point in Ep7 but I'm waiting for ep8 to decide).

So yeah I think that would make both GD!N and DAS!Cyn kinda anxious to put it lightly.

(More Art and stuff under cut because this crossover has been living RENT FREE IN MY HEAD)

Also fun fact

@electrozeistyking has mentioned and shown Beanie finding comfort in the sound of her fathers core.

Well funny story.

DAS!Cyn always was comforted by her brothers core back at the manor, when they first reuite at the start of Ep6 and she sees DAS!Uzi summon her Solver wings and tail, her instinct is pressing closer to DAS!Ns chest for comfort. Her memories of the Solver features are very very blurry, but she is triggered by seeing them regardless.

I thought It was cute the girls have that in common, so I decided to draw them and GD!N sleeping with the girls having their heads close to his core :3

OKAY FINALLY WE GET TO THE DOODLE PAGE

I didn't feel like fully making these so they're sketchy doodles :"

The first two are based on Zeisty saying GD!N would probably pick DAS!Cyn up and spin her around. Also you probably noticed between this doodle, the first drawing & the Tiny!N & DAS crossover post, but DAS!Cyn displays flowers on her visor to emote happiness!

The 3rd and 4th are just random interactions between the kiddos lol. I feel like Beanie probably would be happy to have another Auntie, not to mention one closer to her age so they can do silly kid stuff together. DAS!Cyn... oh boy

She would feel a whole range of emotions; grief about missing so much of her brothers life (like he has a kid ffs), guilt and self blame after finding out what happened to Uzi (she blames herself for everything the AS caused, even tho she never agreed to it) which might end up in a "slight" breakdown, anger at the AS for causing GD!N that kind of pain and eventually once she processed all those emotions she probably would be excited to get to know Beanie. Like!! Imagine finding out you have a little Niece!!

She probably would struggle to easily keep up with Beanie bc she still has motor issues like in canonverse so she's a little slower, so it'd be mostly her trying not to fall over her own feet whilst being dragged around by an excited toddler who probably even with child lock is stronger than her lmao.

Also I drew DAS!Cyn in an alternate outfit bc I wanted to actually kinda show the oil reserve canister,,,

Ok wanting to respond to the hashtags specifically bc :)) yay

Also ig this is some DAS lore fact drops lol

Yeah, DAS!Cyn kinda didn't take it well either when she first realized the AS technically can still take over if it really wanted to after she transferred bodies in an attempt to escape. Imagine getting your core nearly crushed in an attempt to flee from robo satan just to find out entity STILL can use you for their bidding. Like!!! Damn that's not fair the kid nearly fucking died trying to break free!!!

DAS!Cyn definitely would want to spare Beanie the horrors too. DAS!Cyn herself is mentally like 7-10/11 at best 6-9 at worst -- despite kids usually just saying whatever comes to mind, she repressed most AS related stuff for a reason, she definitely wouldn't share what she knows with her newfound niece

I feel things would be either super great and happy or super traumatizing depending on when in the timeline we throw DAS!Cyn at them. If she's there during ep 6-7? Oh boy. Oh no. DAS!Cyn & DAS!N have an exchange during Ep7 that would not go over so well if it was GD!N in DAS!Ns place, because it would be awfully similar to GD!Uzis death -- she doesn't die, because DAS!N can't get himself to shoot with her being so close to the AS, despite her literally shouting at him to do it and that she won't be angry, that'll be fine. -- yeah I don't think GD!N would handle that well 😭 Zeisty feel free to get the angst train rolling if you wanna add your two cents on how that'd go over -- any point before that? Probably fine. Post S1? I'd imagine also fine depending on what Ep8 throws at us (except like... look at ideas list for more info*)

I'll assume that'd be Beanie reacting to seeing DAS!Cyn having the Solver tail and possibly the glitching Solver symbol in her visor. Yeah she definitely would try to play it off and go try and hide somewhere until she can get it under control again. High stress or negative emotions causes her Solver to act up (unrelated to the AS, just her own Solver form without the entity controlling anything!!) So what I said above to her reaction to the news of GD!Uzi being dead? And possibly finding out the reason why? Yeah that might trigger her tail and wings to pop out and her to basically be reduced to a hyperventilating ball on the floor because of proceeding to blame herself for all of GD!Ns suffering due to thinking the AS actions & it being a danger are her fault

Other things I kinda wanted to doodle but didn't for now, might do at a later point;

Cyn still has a Solver Core, which is the same as a DD core (except smaller lol). So I was playing with the idea of Beanie noticing that her core sounds different from GD!Ns due to hers being severely damaged and actively leaking after the AS attempted to crush it during the body transfer. DAS!Cyn then trying to play it off

Some kind of acknowledgement of the Oil reserve canister on DAS!Cyns back, it was made by Tessa before the AS did the medurder and stuff. It's supposed to help keep the Solver in check by preventing overheating, hence why its directly connected to her chest where her core is

There was something else but it slipped my mind

Smth I'm not gonna say publicly for now until Zeisty posts something about it and/or eventually posts the chapters bc I don't want to spoil esp not bc it isn't my place to :" (if you're curious, Zeisty, lmk I can tell you in VC or DMs lol) but it partly would possibly be related to the 1st idea listed

* I have an idea for what happens to Cyns original body (the one the AS uses & that wears Tessa) post Ep8 IF Ep8 let's me do it that is. I think it could be fun to crossover that idea bc of GD!Ns ghost sight.... tho it definitely also would be fucking stressful and trauma inducing bc Solver stuff sooo yeah rip (again, if you want I could elaborate in vc or DMs on this bc I want to first wait and see what the season finale brings before I do anything "official" with this)

GD!N reacting to the information that DAS!Cyn canonly shot "Tessas" gun at the AS (well technically at its tentacles. Point being that kid fired a gun/knows how to use one) -- which again could be very interesting if we were to toss them into the same Ep7 bc that's when she does it

Possibly GD!N finding out ab the scars/cracks surrounding DAS!Cyns core bc,,, yeah

Anyways uuuhh heightbsheet bc I'm 99% sure I drew stuff inaccurate

These were actually so fun to draw and think & talk about. I'll post the GD x IC crossover once I'm done with that (yes, yes there is more than what you already saw Zeisty. Not much more but more nonetheless)

[anincorrectpetunia]

2 short drabbles posted yesterday in my new Olitz Flash Fic Collection:

‘Olive Oil Supremacy’ (AU, K+)

FF:

AO3:

‘T-shirt’ (Canon, T)

FF:

AO3:

The ☝🏾 about The Trail starts 2nite

[hils79]

Hils Watches Love Me, Love My Voice - Ep 17

This is starting to feel like a tourism advert. Come and visit! Our restaurants will give you a discount for being a tourist and/or being cute, our tour boat operators will take you wherever you want to go, and local fishermen will let you use their stuff for free

She is adorable though. I don't blame that woman in the restaurant for hitting on her

I'm not falling for this again. They're going to get kiss blocked by a fish aren't they

FFS MY DUDE CAN'T YOU SEE THEY'RE BUSY

I was a bit dubious when he said oil tea but I looked it up and it actually sounds pretty nice

They sure have! Because they are married.

I love how supportive all her friends are!

I love that they're able to tease each other about their relationship now

Oh no he's wearing a suit

It's like Gu Xiang finally getting her happy ending. Also, I love how similar their character names are. Reincarnation AU?

Holy shit I'm invested in this audio drama that they're performing and I've only seen this one scene

He's so cute

[roseband]

im losing my mind at far right and far left comments saying "automated tee shirt factories" or "ill just learn how to sew"

fuck you all don't know where your clothing comes from and you're all so consumer-pilled, shopping-maxxed to even look it up???

any people who go into debt for the prices that are gonna raise, deserve what's gonna happen to them.

"ill just learn how to sew" is my fave. cause nearly all my designer clothing that isn't samples, is out of goodwill/goodwill bins cause people don't know how to do minimal basic repairs or to bring their fucking shoes to a cobbler anymore lol. i should not be getting an alice/olivia top that retails for $300 for $10 cause it's only missing 5 beads.......fix your fucking stuff? my great grandma taught my grandma, who taught my mom, who taught me how to sew as soon as i could hold a needle.

also.....a significant amount of fabric mills are in fujian. do you think there's magical crude oil processing plants in the usa making your polyester and rayon plastic threads. your cheap clothing is practically ALL made of plastic???? even guterman, famous german polyester thread brand, has moved the bulk of their processing to china for their non eco friendly specialty line.

your raw materials to sew from will be tariffed..... we don't have girls getting scalped by machinery in lowell anymore here.

"we'll retrofit factories here".... the current top of the line automated direct to garment printer is the m&r polaris. (starts at 800k and can print 10 shirts at once, but you still have to place the shirts on the initial plates). other printers in factories ive been in require shirts to be moved from screen print plates for each single color. which is labor.....to be paid at american wages. this is printed in usa, but blanks are from overseas "made in america of imported materials" babes and we STILL hit capacity at our normal factories during our main quick turn events and have to source additional factories at work.

"automated apparel"..... mostly apparel managerial roles are in the states. mostly east coast as the industry shifted from all production to mainly design/managerial cause like lowell, ma...nyc....new jersey "the embroidery capitol of the world", the south with the horrors of the cotton industry. we're not the ones who are gonna be bonked

"new york fashion week needs to suffer" is a hot take from the left i saw.......it's here cause the apparel management, design, and sales roles are here, do you think the /products/ are for new york? what i present during our internal nyfw calls is sold in EMEA, AUS, UK, USA ffs. i work on stuff produced globally?

there is no luxury automated apparel industry. there's automated cutting machines that can cut 100s of bodies at once, but the stacks have irregularities and have to be sewn......by hand. even with industrial sewing machines/sergers there's a human shoving that fabric thru the machine and sewing nearly every seam.

20% of the labor force in american domestic apparel manufacturing is undocumented immigrants.

when there's production in el salvador, bangladesh, and china we all have people in our companies who's role is "go to factory, make sure there's no slaves"..... my husbands next promotion is the "go to china make sure there's no slaves at the fujian factories and mills" role cause he chinese and speaks fuzhounese...

this is what the reality of your $30-40 shirts IS. you're not gonna get $20 shirts with royalty art made in USA. it's too much labor.

and with luxury apparel it's STILL chinese slaves. in italy and france they've both done raids of the designer brands production houses and found literal indentured servitude. undocumented chinese immigrants making 1-3 euros an hour. that "made in italy" tag is a lie, when it's made from illegally imported chinese labor at chinese slave wages.

people love to say there's "nothing in thrift stores" in some demented social justice type language about "plus size" or "leave clothing for poor people" but 75% of what goes to the floor in thrift stores goes to landfill. this is after it hits the thrift store outlets (the $2.50/lb bins)

it's so frustrating to see this crap tbh. "ill learn how to sew immediately" should we have a party, should we invite anna wintour?

[frontporchconsign]

Check out this listing I just added to my Poshmark closet: New Balance FF 806 Uniform Athletic Shoes Womens Black Slip Oil Resistant Sz 9.

[a-z0-9-i-n-gram-completionist]

1:    0 1 2 4 5 7 a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z    32/36    (26/26)    (6/10)

2:    00 0k 0p 10 2b 45 50 52 ab ac ad af ag ah ai ak al am an ap ar as at au av ay az ba be bi bj bl bo br bs bu bv bw by ca cc cd ce ch ci cj ck cl co cr cs ct cu cv da dd de di do dr ds du dy ea eb ec ed ee ef eg eh ei el em en ep er es et ev ew ex fa fe ff fi fo fr fu fy ga gb ge gh gi gl gm gn go gs gt gu gx ha he hi ho hr hs ht hu ia ic id ie if ig ik il im in io ip ir is it iz ja jc je jo js ka kd ke kg ki kn ks kt la lb ld le lg li ll lm lo ls lt lu lv ly lz ma mb mc me mh mi mm mn mo mp mu my na nb nc nd ne ng nh ni nk nl nm nn no nr ns nt nu ny oa ob oc od of og oh oi ok ol om on oo op or os ot ou ov ow ox oy pa pe ph pi pl po pp pr pu qu ra rb rc rd re rf rg ri rk rl rm rn ro rr rs rt ru ry sa sc se sh si sk sl sn so sp sr ss st su ta tc te th ti tl to tr ts tt tu ty ua ub uc ud ue ui ul um un uo ur us ut uw uy ve vi vy wa wh wi wo ws wu xa xr xu ya yd ye ym yo yr ys yt za ze zi zo zz    301/1296    (293/676)    (8/360)

3:    000 00p 0pe 100 10k 452 50p 52b abl abr acc ach ack aco act ada adi afa afe age agh agx aha aho ail ain air ake aki ala alb ald alg ali all alm als alt alv aly alz ama ame amu ana anc and ane ang ani ann anr ant anu any app apr arb arc are arg ari ark arl arn arr ars art ary ase asi ask ass ast ate ath ats atu aur aus ave avy aya ayo azi azo bar bas bat bec bef bel ber big bin bis bjs ble bli blo blu bod box boy bra bre bri bum bus but bvi bwa bys cal can cap car cco cdo cel cen chi chu cia cip cit cje ckd ckg cki cla cof cog cor cot cou cre cro cto ctu cum cve day ddo def dei den dep der des dex dia dif dis dit doc dom don doo dor dot duc duo eab ead eah eal ear eas eat ebe ebl ecl ecr ede edi edo eed efi efo efr ego eho eif eig eim eis ela ele eli ell ely ema emb eme enb end ene eng enm ens ent eph epl epo epp epu era erc ere eri erm ers ert ery esl esp est ett eve evi ewa ews exa exu fab fan far fed fem fer few ffe ffi fic fin fir for fox fra fuc fun gan gar gba ged gem ger get ghe ght gim gle gma gni gon goo gth gua guy gxr hak hei hel hen her het hil hip his hol hom hon hoo hor hou hre htl hub hus hut ial ian ias ica ici ick ico icr ict icv ide ids ies ife iff ify igb igh ign ike iki ikt ild ili ill imh imm imo imp inc ind ine ing inh ini ino iou ipa ipe ipo irb ire irf iri isc ise isn isr ist ita ite ith iti ito its ity izz jac jcj jen joa kah kdu kea kep kes ket kgo kid kin kip kis kno kto lai lan las lbe lde lds lea lec led len ler les lev lgo lia lic lid lin lis lit lly lma log los lov lsa lso lti lue lun lvi lyo lyt lzi mah mai mal man mar mas may maz mbl mbo mca mcd med men mho mic mil min mis mmi mni mod mol moo mos mul nad nag nal nav nby nce nci nco nde ndi ndo nee nes net new nga nge ngl ngo ngt nhe nhu nic nig nis nit nly nma nni nny nob nof non nos not nou now nri nso nta ntl nud nus nuw oan obl obv ocs oct ode ody off ofi ogl ogn ogs oil old olo ome omi omn ona one onk onl ons oog oom oon ooo oot ope ora orc ord ore ori ork orn orr ort osc oss ost ota otc ote oth oti otl otr oun ous out ove owa pag pai pak pal pan pea ped pep per pho pic pir piz pla ple por pos pot ppe ppl pri pro pub que rad rag ral ran ras ray raz rbu rby rce rci rdd rea reb red ref reg reh rei rel ren rep res ret rev rfo rge ria ric rig rin rio ris rit rks rli rma rne rnh rom roo row rre rrs rse rta rth rto rue rul rus ryd sac saf sam san sat say sca sco sea sec sen sep ser set sex sha she sia sic sil sim sis ska ske sli sly son sov spa spe spi spo sro ssa ssi ssr sta ste sti str sts sub sun tac tal tan tar tat tau tcu ted tel tem ter tes tex the thi thr ths tia tic tif tik tim tin tla tle tly tok ton tor tot tra tre tru tti tts tua tub tur tyr ual uat ube ubl ubs ubw uck udi ueb uif uly umb una uni unn uno unt unu uot ura urn uru usa use usl uss ust utu uwu uys vea vel ven ver vic vil vin vio wal was wav way whe wik wil wit woo wor wui xas xre xua yah yam yda yea yes ymc yof yop yor you yra yth yti zea zie zil zon zza    740/46656    (732/17576)    (8/12960)

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5:    00per 0perc 10000 100pe 50per abric accou achus actua adian afari afewa ageme aghet agxre ahooo ahoot airbu aires airfo akesp akist aland alask alber algoo ality allyo allyt almar alsaf altin alvin alzie amaha amazo anada anage andor angan annic anrio antar apple apric arbys arcit arget arlic arnes asica asket assac assis assro atema athei aturn aurus austr aveab barne basic baske berta bigba bingl bisex blico blogs brasi brazi bread bumbl bviou cally canad capri carrs ccoun cdona celes chill chipo chuse ciall cialt cialv cipal citic cjens ckduc cking clair class cofir cogni cordd cotla count crowa ctori ctual cvers ddotc defin deimo denma depot diant diffe disco docto domin donal dotcu duckd duckg duoth eable ealan ealgo ealit eally ealsa ealzi earth eblog eclas ecret edepo edocs efini ehous eimos eland elang elest eleve elian eling elyth emala emboy ement ength enmar enson ently ephor epler epper epubl eragx ercen ereig erene erent erepu erman eryda eslid espea estia every exual fabri fedex fembo feren feway ffere ffici ficia finit firef fireh firel force forev forre franc fucki funny garli gbask gemen germa ghett ghtly gimmi glecl gledo glesl gmail gnito googl guate gxrea hakes heist helin heren herep hetti hipot homed hoote horto house hreat huset ially ialti ialvi iance icall icial icofi icorn icrow ictor icver iffer igbas ightl ikipe iktok ilita imhor immic incip incog inder india inged ingle inher inite inous iousl ipali ipedi ipotl irbus irefo ireho irela irfor iscor isexu istan ister italy itary itely itica jcjen jenso joann kahoo kduck keple kespe kiped kista laire lanet langa laska lassr lbert lease lecla ledoc lengt lesli lesti leven lgoog lianc licof lides lingo litar llyof llyop llyti lmart lossi lovel lsafa ltind lvine lyoff lyope lythe lytim lzies manag massa mazon mcdon medep mhort micro milit minos minou mmick mnise molos nagem nalds ncipa ncogn ndora ngana ngths nhere nical night nisex nited nitel nmark nnica noble noffi notes notre ntarc nudit nuwui obvio octor offic ofire oglec ogled ogles ognit oloss omede omino omise omnis onald oogle ooter opera orddo orego oreve orias ornhu orrea orton oscar ossia otall otcum oters othel otify otlan otrea ously outub ovely overe owave paghe pakis palit pando panic peare pedia peppe perag perce phora picve pirit pizza plane pleas pornh posts potif potle prico princ promi publi quebe radia ragxr ralia rance ranni ranus rasil razil rcent rciti rddot realg reali reall reals realz reats reblo refox regon rehou reign relan relia rentl repub rever rforc ricor right rinci ringe rmany rnhub romis rowav rreal rtons russi ryday sachu safar safew sanri satur scord scotl seala secre sepho seren setts sexua shake shell sical sista siste slide sover spagh spain spear spiri spoti sroom ssach ssist ssroo stant stars state stial stral stray subwa tally tarci targe tates tauru telan telyt temal texas theif theis theli there threa tikto timho tinde tland toria total trali traya treal truly trust tuall tubef tyran ually uatem ubefr ublic ubway uckdu uckgo uckin udity uebec uifer umble unite unoff unuwu uothe uranu usett ussia ustra utube uwuif veabl verei verse veryd victo vious walma waste wavea wikip wilde works wuife xreal yahoo yamah yoffi yoper youtu yrann yther ytimh zeala    546/60466176    (541/11881376)    (5/16796160)

6:    00perc 0perce 100per 50perc accoun achuse actual adiant afeway agemen aghett agxrea airbus airfor akespe akista alaska albert algoog allyof allyop allyti almart alsafa altind alvine alzies amazon anagem andora angana annica antarc aprico arciti asical assach assist assroo atemal atheis austra aveabl barnes basica basket bigbas bingle bisexu blicof brasil brazil bumble bvious canada capric ccount cdonal celest chipot chuset cially cialti cialvi cipali citica cjenso ckduck claire classr cofire cognit corddo cotlan crowav ctoria ctuall cverse ddotcu defini deimos denmar differ discor doctor domino donald dotcum duckdu duckgo duothe ealand ealgoo eality eallyt ealsaf ealzie eblogs eclass edepot efinit ehouse elanga elesti eleven elianc elingo elythe engths enmark ephora epubli eragxr ercent ereign erentl erepub ermany eryday eslide espear estial everyd fabric femboy ferent fferen fficia ficial finite firefo fireho firela foreve forrea france fuckin garlic gbaske gement german ghetti gimmic glecla gledoc glesli google guatem gxreal hakesp heling herent herepu hipotl homede hooter horton hreats husett ialtin ialvin ically iciall icialt icialv icofir icrowa ictori icvers iffere igbask ightly ikiped ilitar imhort immick incipa incogn inhere initel iously ipalit ipedia ipotle irefox irehou irelan irforc iscord isexua istant itelyt jcjens jenson kahoot kduckg kepler kespea kipedi kistan laires langan lassro lberta leclas ledocs length leslid lestia lgoogl liance licofi litary llyoff llyope llytim lossia lovely lsafar ltinde lyoffi lyoper lyther lytimh manage massac mcdona medepo mhorto microw milita minous mnisex moloss nageme ncipal ncogni nheren nightl nisexu nitely nnical noffic notrea ntarci nudity nuwuif obviou offici ofirel oglecl ogledo oglesl ognito olossi omedep ominos ominou omnise onalds ooglec oogled oogles ooters operag orddot oregon orever ornhub orreal ortons otally otheli otland otreal outube overei owavea paghet pakist pality pandor pepper peragx percen picver planet please pornhu potify pricor princi promis public quebec radian ragxre rannic rcitic rddotc realgo realit really realsa realzi reblog rehous reland relian rently republ rforce ricorn rincip ringed romise rowave russia sachus safari safewa sanrio saturn scordd scotla sealan secret sephor serene sexual shakes sicall sistan sister slides sovere spaghe speare spirit spotif ssachu ssista ssroom states strali straya subway tallyo tarcit target taurus telang telyth temala theist thelin therep threat tiktok timhor tinder torias totall tralia treall tually tubefr tyrann uatema ublico uckduc ucking united unoffi unuwui uothel uranus usetts ustral utubef uwuife veable vereig veryda victor viousl walmar waveab wikipe wuifer yahooo yamaha yoffic yopera youtub yranni ythere ytimho zealan    399/2176782336    (395/308915776)    (4/604661760)

7:    00perce 0percen 100perc 50perce account achuset actuall agement aghetti agxreal airforc akespea akistan alberta algoogl allyoff allyope allytim alsafar altinde anageme annical antarci apricor arcitic asicall assachu assista assroom atemala atheist austral aveable basical bigbask bisexua blicofi bviousl caprico cdonald celesti chipotl chusett cialtin cialvin cipalit cjenson ckduckg claires classro cofirel cognito corddot cotland crowave ctorias ctually ddotcum definit denmark differe discord dominos donalds duckduc duothel ealgoog eallyti ealsafa ealzies eclassr efinite elangan elestia eliance elyther epublic eragxre erently erepubl eslides espeare everyda fferent fficial ficiall ficialt ficialv finitel firefox firehou firelan forever forreal fucking gbasket germany gimmick gleclas gledocs gleslid googlec googled googles guatema hakespe helingo herentl herepub hipotle homedep hooters hortons husetts ialtind ialvine icially icialti icialvi icofire icrowav ictoria icverse ifferen igbaske ikipedi ilitary imhorto incipal incogni inheren initely ipality irehous ireland irforce iscordd isexual itelyth jcjenso kduckgo kespear kipedia langana lassroo leclass lengths leslide lestial lgoogle licofir llyoffi llyoper llytimh lsafari ltinder lyoffic lyopera lythere lytimho managem massach mcdonal medepot mhorton microwa militar mnisexu molossi nagemen ncipali ncognit nherent nightly nisexua nitelyt noffici notreal ntarcit nuwuife obvious officia ofirela oglecla ogledoc oglesli olossia omedepo ominous omnisex ooglecl oogledo ooglesl operagx orddotc otallyo othelin otreall outubef overeig owaveab paghett pakista pandora peragxr percent picvers pornhub pricorn princip promise publico radiant ragxrea rannica rcitica rddotcu realgoo reality reallyt realsaf realzie reblogs rehouse relianc republi rincipa rowavea sachuse safeway scorddo scotlan sealand sephora shakesp sically sistant soverei spaghet spotify ssachus ssistan stralia tallyof tallyop tarciti telanga telythe theling therepu threats timhort totally treally tyranni uatemal ublicof uckduck unoffic unuwuif uotheli ustrali utubefr uwuifer vereign veryday victori viously walmart waveabl wikiped yoffici yoperag youtube yrannic ytherep ytimhor zealand    278/78364164096    (274/8031810176)    (4/21767823360)

8:    00percen 0percent 100perce 50percen achusett actually airforce akespear algoogle allyoffi allyoper allytimh alsafari altinder anagemen antarcit apricorn arcitica asically assachus assistan australi basicall bigbaske bisexual blicofir bviously capricor cdonalds celestia chipotle chusetts cialtind cialvine cipality ckduckgo classroo cofirela corddotc crowavea definite differen discordd duckduck duotheli ealgoogl eallytim ealsafar eclassro efinitel elangana elestial elythere epublico eragxrea erepubli everyday fficiall fficialt fficialv ficially ficialti ficialvi finitely firehous fireland gleclass gleslide googlecl googledo googlesl guatemal hakespea herently herepubl homedepo ialtinde icialtin icialvin icofirel icrowave ictorias ifferent igbasket ikipedia imhorton incipali incognit inherent initelyt irehouse iscorddo itelythe jcjenson kespeare lassroom leclassr leslides lgooglec lgoogled lgoogles licofire llyoffic llyopera llytimho lyoffici lyoperag lytherep lytimhor manageme massachu mcdonald mhortons microwav military mnisexua molossia nagement ncipalit ncognito nherentl nisexual nitelyth nofficia notreall ntarciti nuwuifer obviousl official ofirelan ogleclas ogledocs ogleslid omedepot omnisexu ooglecla oogledoc ooglesli operagxr orddotcu otallyof otallyop otheling otreally outubefr overeign owaveabl paghetti pakistan peragxre picverse principa publicof ragxreal rannical rddotcum realgoog reallyti realsafa realzies reliance republic rincipal rowaveab sachuset scorddot scotland shakespe sovereig spaghett ssachuse ssistant tallyoff tallyope tarcitic telangan telyther thelingo therepub timhorto totallyo tyrannic uatemala ublicofi uckduckg unoffici unuwuife uothelin ustralia victoria waveable wikipedi yofficia yoperagx youtubef yrannica ytherepu ytimhort    198/2821109907456    (194/208827064576)    (4/783641640960)

9:    00percent 100percen 50percent achusetts akespeare algooglec algoogled algoogles allyoffic allyopera allytimho anagement antarciti assachuse assistant australia basically bigbasket blicofire capricorn celestial cialtinde classroom cofirelan corddotcu crowaveab definitel different discorddo duckduckg duothelin ealgoogle eallytimh ealsafari eclassroo efinitely elytherep epublicof eragxreal erepublic fficially fficialti fficialvi ficialtin ficialvin finitelyt firehouse gleclassr gleslides googlecla googledoc googlesli guatemala hakespear herepubli homedepot ialtinder icialtind icialvine icofirela icrowavea imhortons incipalit incognito inherentl initelyth iscorddot itelyther leclassro lgooglecl lgoogledo lgooglesl licofirel llyoffici llyoperag llytimhor lyofficia lyoperagx lytherepu lytimhort managemen massachus mcdonalds microwave mnisexual ncipality nherently nitelythe nofficial notreally ntarcitic obviously officiall officialt officialv ofireland ogleclass ogleslide omnisexua oogleclas oogledocs oogleslid operagxre orddotcum otallyoff otallyope othelingo owaveable peragxrea principal publicofi realgoogl reallytim realsafar republico rincipali rowaveabl sachusett scorddotc shakespea sovereign spaghetti ssachuset tallyoffi tallyoper tarcitica telangana telythere therepubl timhorton totallyof totallyop tyrannica ublicofir uckduckgo unofficia unuwuifer uotheling victorias wikipedia yofficial youtubefr yrannical ytherepub ytimhorto    145/101559956668416    (142/5429503678976)    (3/28211099074560)

10:    100percent algooglecl algoogledo algooglesl allyoffici allyoperag allytimhor antarcitic assachuset blicofirel cialtinder cofireland corddotcum crowaveabl definitely discorddot duckduckgo duotheling ealgooglec ealgoogled ealgoogles eallytimho eclassroom efinitelyt elytherepu epublicofi erepublico fficialtin fficialvin ficialtind ficialvine finitelyth gleclassro googleclas googledocs googleslid hakespeare herepublic icialtinde icofirelan icrowaveab incipality inherently initelythe iscorddotc itelythere leclassroo lgooglecla lgoogledoc lgooglesli licofirela llyofficia llyoperagx llytimhort lyofficial lytherepub lytimhorto management massachuse microwavea nitelyther nofficiall nofficialv ntarcitica officially officialti officialvi ogleclassr ogleslides omnisexual oogleclass oogleslide operagxrea otallyoffi otallyoper peragxreal principali publicofir realgoogle reallytimh realsafari republicof rincipalit rowaveable sachusetts scorddotcu shakespear ssachusett tallyoffic tallyopera telytherep therepubli timhortons totallyoff totallyope tyrannical ublicofire unofficial uothelingo ytherepubl ytimhorton    101/3656158440062976    (100/141167095653376)    (1/1015599566684160)

11:    algooglecla algoogledoc algooglesli allyofficia allyoperagx allytimhort antarcitica assachusett blicofirela crowaveable definitelyt discorddotc duothelingo ealgooglecl ealgoogledo ealgooglesl eallytimhor efinitelyth elytherepub epublicofir erepublicof fficialtind fficialvine ficialtinde finitelythe gleclassroo googleclass googleslide herepublico icialtinder icofireland icrowaveabl initelyther iscorddotcu itelytherep leclassroom lgoogleclas lgoogledocs lgoogleslid licofirelan llyofficial llytimhorto lytherepubl lytimhorton massachuset microwaveab nitelythere nofficially nofficialvi officialtin officialvin ogleclassro oogleclassr oogleslides operagxreal otallyoffic otallyopera principalit publicofire realgooglec realgoogled realgoogles reallytimho republicofi rincipality scorddotcum shakespeare ssachusetts tallyoffici tallyoperag telytherepu therepublic totallyoffi totallyoper ublicofirel unofficiall unofficialv ytherepubli ytimhortons    79/131621703842267136    (79/3670344486987776)

12:    algoogleclas algoogledocs algoogleslid allyofficial allytimhorto assachusetts blicofirelan definitelyth discorddotcu ealgooglecla ealgoogledoc ealgooglesli eallytimhort efinitelythe elytherepubl epublicofire erepublicofi fficialtinde ficialtinder finitelyther gleclassroom googleclassr googleslides herepublicof icrowaveable initelythere iscorddotcum itelytherepu lgoogleclass lgoogleslide licofireland llytimhorton lytherepubli lytimhortons massachusett microwaveabl nitelytherep nofficialvin officialtind officialvine ogleclassroo oogleclassro otallyoffici otallyoperag principality publicofirel realgooglecl realgoogledo realgooglesl reallytimhor republicofir tallyofficia tallyoperagx telytherepub therepublico totallyoffic totallyopera ublicofirela unofficially unofficialvi ytherepublic    61/4738381338321616896    (61/95428956661682176)

13:    algoogleclass algoogleslide allytimhorton blicofireland definitelythe discorddotcum ealgoogleclas ealgoogledocs ealgoogleslid eallytimhorto efinitelyther elytherepubli epublicofirel erepublicofir fficialtinder finitelythere googleclassro herepublicofi initelytherep itelytherepub lgoogleclassr lgoogleslides llytimhortons lytherepublic massachusetts microwaveable nitelytherepu nofficialvine officialtinde ogleclassroom oogleclassroo otallyofficia otallyoperagx publicofirela realgooglecla realgoogledoc realgooglesli reallytimhort republicofire tallyofficial telytherepubl therepublicof totallyoffici totallyoperag ublicofirelan unofficialvin ytherepublico    47/170581728179578208256    (47/2481152873203736576)

14:    algoogleclassr algoogleslides allytimhortons definitelyther ealgoogleclass ealgoogleslide eallytimhorton efinitelythere elytherepublic epublicofirela erepublicofire finitelytherep googleclassroo herepublicofir initelytherepu itelytherepubl lgoogleclassro lytherepublico nitelytherepub officialtinder oogleclassroom otallyofficial publicofirelan realgoogleclas realgoogledocs realgoogleslid reallytimhorto republicofirel telytherepubli therepublicofi totallyofficia totallyoperagx ublicofireland unofficialvine ytherepublicof    35/6140942214464815497216    (35/64509974703297150976)

15:    algoogleclassro definitelythere ealgoogleclassr ealgoogleslides eallytimhortons efinitelytherep elytherepublico epublicofirelan erepublicofirel finitelytherepu googleclassroom herepublicofire initelytherepub itelytherepubli lgoogleclassroo lytherepublicof nitelytherepubl publicofireland realgoogleclass realgoogleslide reallytimhorton republicofirela telytherepublic therepublicofir totallyofficial ytherepublicofi    26/221073919720733357899776    (26/1677259342285725925376)

16:    algoogleclassroo definitelytherep ealgoogleclassro efinitelytherepu elytherepublicof epublicofireland erepublicofirela finitelytherepub herepublicofirel initelytherepubl itelytherepublic lgoogleclassroom lytherepublicofi nitelytherepubli realgoogleclassr realgoogleslides reallytimhortons republicofirelan telytherepublico therepublicofire ytherepublicofir    21/7958661109946400884391936    (21/43608742899428874059776)

17:    algoogleclassroom definitelytherepu ealgoogleclassroo efinitelytherepub elytherepublicofi erepublicofirelan finitelytherepubl herepublicofirela initelytherepubli itelytherepublico lytherepublicofir nitelytherepublic realgoogleclassro republicofireland telytherepublicof therepublicofirel ytherepublicofire    17/286511799958070431838109696    (17/1133827315385150725554176)

18:    definitelytherepub ealgoogleclassroom efinitelytherepubl elytherepublicofir erepublicofireland finitelytherepubli herepublicofirelan initelytherepublic itelytherepublicof lytherepublicofire nitelytherepublico realgoogleclassroo telytherepublicofi therepublicofirela ytherepublicofirel    15/10314424798490535546171949056    (15/29479510200013918864408576)

19:    definitelytherepubl efinitelytherepubli elytherepublicofire finitelytherepublic herepublicofireland initelytherepublico itelytherepublicofi lytherepublicofirel nitelytherepublicof realgoogleclassroom telytherepublicofir therepublicofirelan ytherepublicofirela    13/371319292745659279662190166016    (13/766467265200361890474622976)

20:    definitelytherepubli efinitelytherepublic elytherepublicofirel finitelytherepublico initelytherepublicof itelytherepublicofir lytherepublicofirela nitelytherepublicofi telytherepublicofire therepublicofireland ytherepublicofirelan    11/13367494538843734067838845976576    (11/19928148895209409152340197376)

21:    definitelytherepublic efinitelytherepublico elytherepublicofirela finitelytherepublicof initelytherepublicofi itelytherepublicofire lytherepublicofirelan nitelytherepublicofir telytherepublicofirel ytherepublicofireland    10/481229803398374426442198455156736    (10/518131871275444637960845131776)

22:    definitelytherepublico efinitelytherepublicof elytherepublicofirelan finitelytherepublicofi initelytherepublicofir itelytherepublicofirel lytherepublicofireland nitelytherepublicofire telytherepublicofirela    9/17324272922341479351919144385642496    (9/13471428653161560586981973426176)

23:    definitelytherepublicof efinitelytherepublicofi elytherepublicofireland finitelytherepublicofir initelytherepublicofire itelytherepublicofirela nitelytherepublicofirel telytherepublicofirelan    8/623673825204293256669089197883129856    (8/350257144982200575261531309080576)

24:    definitelytherepublicofi efinitelytherepublicofir finitelytherepublicofire initelytherepublicofirel itelytherepublicofirelan nitelytherepublicofirela telytherepublicofireland    7/22452257707354557240087211123792674816    (7/9106685769537214956799814036094976)

25:    definitelytherepublicofir efinitelytherepublicofire finitelytherepublicofirel initelytherepublicofirela itelytherepublicofireland nitelytherepublicofirelan    6/808281277464764060643139600456536293376    (6/236773830007967588876795164938469376)

26:    definitelytherepublicofire efinitelytherepublicofirel finitelytherepublicofirela initelytherepublicofirelan nitelytherepublicofireland    5/29098125988731506183153025616435306561536    (5/6156119580207157310796674288400203776)

27:    definitelytherepublicofirel efinitelytherepublicofirela finitelytherepublicofirelan initelytherepublicofireland    4/1047532535594334222593508922191671036215296    (4/160059109085386090080713531498405298176)

28:    definitelytherepublicofirela efinitelytherepublicofirelan finitelytherepublicofireland    3/37711171281396032013366321198900157303750656    (3/4161536836220038342098551818958537752576)

29:    definitelytherepublicofirelan efinitelytherepublicofireland    2/1357602166130257152481187563160405662935023616    (2/108199957741720996894562347292921981566976)

30:    definitelytherepublicofireland    1/48873677980689257489322752273774603865660850176    (1/2813198901284745919258621029615971520741376)

nudity isn't inherently sexual but when the nudity is sexual BARK BARK BARK BARK you know?

[missallanea-archive]

a "brief," stupid, and utterly useless guide to the muses on this blog:

( under a cut because of length )

BABYDOLL. mental patient locked away in an asylum by her step-father. keeps falling further down the rabbit hole that is her mind in order to escape from reality. her verses are the hardest to navigate because all three of her canon verses act like complete aus from one another. sweet girl but will fucking end you if you're a creep.

CARRIE WHITE. patron saint of the bullied. powerful telekinetic with a whole hell load of religious trauma. pun intended. generally a sweet kid, if not extremely shy and socially awkward. should you meet her after her death, she can be something of a vengeful spirit, but she honestly just needs a hug and a cheese sandwich.

CATIANA FREESPARK. swashbuckler rogue turned tempest cleric. she's confused about how that happened too. died fairly recently, but she got better. once a pirate, always a pirate. sometimes she talks to her god in her dreams but she's trying to break that habit because some wires are getting crossed now and then between her god and a sea goddess who doesn't seem on her side. will steal your shit.

FISH EYE. just a fish who wants to be a real boy. granted form by questionable magic. searching for a magical pegasus that hides in pure dreams. yes, it's just as confusing as it sounds. easily swayed by pretty things and handsome men.

LIAN NICHANG. a wuxia queen. her hair turned white because men are the worst, and yes, she is sensitive about it. lives alone on a mountain like the grinch and is about as good a neighbor as him too. only really comes down to get rid of people who are harassing the village at the base of the mountain that leaves her the fuck alone. master swordsman. not actually a witch or a demon, no matter what people call her.

LUNA. magical moon cat. has a crescent moon bald spot on her forehead. trying to keep the protectors of the universe on track but they're just teenage girls so it goes about as well as you would expect. really tired of being the voice of reason but this is what she signed up for.

LUNASOL GALANODEL. honestly, the worst. burned down her abusive childhood home with her brother. basically sold her soul to the queen of air and darkness. pretends to be sweet but she is cruel and cold. typical elvish attitude toward other races, too. really, really likes flowers.

MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG. my god she is doing her best. normal girl turned superhero turned guardian of magical artifacts. just needs one day of peace ffs. currently going through a crisis due to teenage romance and also ptsd. always smells like fresh baked bread which is a plus.

MIYU. vampire who tried to run from her destiny and made it worse. has to hunt down god-demons called shinma that she accidentally let escape. literally cannot die until she finishes her job, and she would very much like it to be over now. usually accompanied by her mask wearing servant larva. she's cute and cruel in equal parts.

NATHALIE SANCOEUR. for fuck's sake she needs a vacation. and a raise. personal assistant to a supervillain. seriously questioning that relationship at this point. literally dying. trying to beat the current record holder for most akumatizations. she's pretty and could kick my ass.

RIZA HAWKEYE. military sharpshooter and right-hand-woman of the guy who wants to takeover the military. likes like two people and her dog. usually smells like gun oil but it's not unpleasant. has no sense of self-preservation and will definitely die for the people she cares about. does not get paid enough.

ROGUE. the poster child for 'look don't touch.' mutant and working on the proud part. literally too powerful for her own good. comes with the added bonus of her cajun husband who makes things explode by touching them. the og power couple.

RYOKO HAKUBI. half alien, half goddess, all trouble. crash landed on earth 700-or-so years ago after a space battle with the guy she tried to steal a tree from. recently resurrected and free from the mind control that made her destroy 28 planets. she's doing her best okay?

RYUKO MATOI. teenage girl who wants to fight. has a magical schoolgirl uniform powered by her blood. wields a giant scissor. could kick your ass, could kick my ass, could kick her own ass. secretly a softie.

SADAKO YAMAMURA. a very, very angry ghost with the telepathic ability to project her thoughts onto physical media. the switch to the digital era has not slowed down her curse whatsoever but she misses VHS tapes. very wet. is honestly just a scared young woman who doesn't understand why bad things happened to her. will fucking kill you if given the chance.

TABITHA DELAINE. monster hunter and general know-it-all. was part of a cult at one point but she doesn't want to talk about it. lowkey a witch but tries to use her magic sparingly. the biggest lesbian you will ever meet, next to her girlfriend van. lives in van's van.

VEX'AHLIA. ranger and rogue. sneaky and shooty. just trying not to die again, thank you very much. once stabbed a tree because it made moves on her. the champion of a god. will probably call you darling and wink at you. also, she has a bear named trinket and a husband with too many names for me to bother listing here.

[ladyorlandodream]

Lady Dimitrescu-tag FanFiction List PART 4

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

(I’m very behind with the FF update, I’m sorry but I’m busy)

641) Belas Love (Chapters in progress)

642) Into the "Village" (Chapters in progress)

643) Heisenberg's Monster #66139043 (Chapters in progress)

644) Betrothed (Chapters in progress)

645) Dead Man's Party (Chapters in progress)

646) Sacrament (short story)

647) Alternate Fate (short story)

648) Under The Table (short story)

649) 【生化危机8/all卡尔·海森伯格】Story back on（PWP）(short story in 中文-普通话 國語)

650) A Debt Repaid (short story)

651) the beast may try to hug you (short story)

652) The only one left (short story)

653) song of storms (short story)

654) Resident Evil 8 Village But Ethan Has A Brain And Uses It (Chapters in progress)

655) The cogs of fate (Chapters in progress)

656) The All Seeing Eye and The Fourth Lord (Chapters in progress)

657) Perennial (short story)

658) Unhinge (Completed)

659) Rallentando (short story)

660) The Chosen (short story)

661) Transactional (short story)

662) The fifth lord (Chapters in progress)

663) The Hunger (Chapters in progress)

664) The Four Lord's Grace (Completed)

665) i know the end (Chapters in progress)

666) Merely A Taste (short story)

667) Reawakend (short story)

668) The Traveler and his necklace (short story)

669) Resident Evil: Village of Friendship (AU) (Chapters in progress)

670) Don't Go Far Off (Chapters in progress)

675) look me in the eyes (short story)

676) Let's See How Special I Am (Chapters in progress)

677) Resurrection (Chapters in progress)

678) how i wish to dream again (Chapters in progress)

679) || Metamorphosis || (Chapters in progress)

680) The Bird Cage (Chapters in progress)

681) knifepoint (short story)

682) Dangerous Games (short story)

683) Safe With Me (short story)

684) The End of Winter(s) (short story)

685) A night to remember (Chapters in progress)

686) The Lady's Hospitality (Chapters in progress)

687) A Machine or A Man? (Chapters in progress)

688) Take A Break (Chapters in progress)

689) Mouth (Chapters in progress)

690) The Green-eyed Monster (Chapters in progress)

691) I'll Give You This Song (short story)

692) Just Let Me Adore You (short story)

693) Alexandra (short story)

694) Entertaining Company Intermission (short story)

695) Come Back To Me (short story)

696) melting fire (short story)

697) Mamă (short story)

698) Thicker than blood (Chapters in progress)

699) Secrets Don't Always Belong in the Dark (Chapters in progress)

700) It All Depends On You (Chapters in progress)

701) Karl Heosenberg sfw/nsfw headcanons (Chapters in progress)

702) Lady Dimitrescu Tells a Bedtime Story (short story)

703) I Don't Mind (short story)

704) I can’t change her (short story)

705) Family, Made Whole (short story)

706) Splitting Hairs (short story)

707) In The Glow of the Morning Sun (short story)

708) Big Sis (short story)

709) sacrifice is something quite other (short story)

710) Red Lipstick (short story)

711) Hope Awakens (Chapters in progress)

712) Anonymity (Chapters, Completed)

713) House of Dimitrescu (Chapters in progress)

714) The Family (Chapters in progress)

715) Finders Keepers (short story)

716) Chase The Night Away (short story)

717) Metal Rebel Soul (short story)

718) How Did It Come To This? (short story)

719) Decency (Chapters in progress)

720) A Wolf in Shepherd's Clothing (Chapters, Completed)

721) Only Heaven I'll Be Sent To (short story)

722) Five times Ethan Winters temporarily lost his hand (and one time a swamp monster gave it back uwu) (Chapters, Completed)

723) Birds of a Feather (Chapters in progress)

724) lick your wounds (Chapters in progress)

725) Care of Her Cold Embrace (Chapters, Completed)

726) Draga Mea (Chapters, Completed)

727) not with a bang, (short story)

728) beat me up, beat me down. (Chapters in progress)

729) Spores of Affection (Chapters in progress)

730) The Rise of Mars (Chapters in progress)

731) Mine (short story)

732) All in the Family (Chapters in progress)

733) Stick to the shadows (Chapters in progress)

734) Little Hiker in Red and the Big Bad Wolf of the Factory (Chapters in progress)

735) Metal Moon (Chapters, Completed)

736) Somewhere in Europe (Chapters in progress)

737) Blood and Winter (Chapters in progress)

738) A Maid's Devotion (Chapters, Completed)

739) The Handmaiden (Chapters in progress)

740) Lost|Karl Heisenberg x Reader (Chapters in progress)

741) Village of Blood and Death (Chapters in progress)

742) Sing Me A Lullaby (short story)

743) Coping with res 8 found family (short story)

744) What do you see? (short story)

745) Those Were The Days (Chapters in progress)

746) Fatherhood (short story)

747) A Spark In The Snow (Chapters in progress)

748) The Losing Game (Chapters in progress)

749) Gatecrasher (Chapters in progress)

750) The Feel Of Something Different (short story)

751) Lady Dimitrescu x FTM reader (short story)

752) Take Your Heart in Your Teeth (Chapters in progress)

753) FAITH, LOST (Chapters in progress)

754) One of Those Days (short story)

755) Taking Care Of You (short story)

756) Draw me like one of your French girls (short story)

757) So the wind was a friend after all (short story)

758) Oil and Water (Chapters in progress)

759) We are Nuclear Funeral!! (Chapters in progress)

760) I'll Take My Chances (Chapters in progress)

761) Family Pet (short story)

762) The Doll Makers Best Friend (short story)

763) Her Persephone (Chapters in progress)

764) Saccharine Sweet (Chapters in progress)

765) Lost Control (Chapters in progress)

766) Home Is With You (short story)

767) To Feel Beautiful (Chapters, Completed)

768) Festering Affection (Chapters in progress)

769) Who wouldn’t love you? (Chapters in progress)

770) Mourning (short story)

771) it only takes one spark for two to fall apart (Chapters, Completed)

772) (One-shots series) Village of Shadows... (Female Reader x Various Resident Evil Village Characters) (Chapters in progress)

773) Operation HeisenTrescu (Chapters in progress)

774) Tough As Iron (Chapters in progress)

775) Into The Fold (Chapters in progress)

776) You seem so stressed (short story)

777) The Smallest Mistake (Chapters in progress)

778) A Quiet Morning (short story)

779) OP. 51, no. 6 (short story)

780) I saw the world ending when you didn’t (Chapters in progress)

781) Deep in the Woods (Chapters in progress)

782) It Was An Accident (short story)

783) A flower crown for a queen (short story)

784) Back Burner (Chapters in progress)

785) My Maid (Chapters in progress)

786) Anomaly (Chapters in progress)

787) Good girls are usually rewarded (short story)

788) touch me yeah, I want you to touch me there. (short story)

789) Just a painting (Chapters in progress)

790) The Wolf Pack (short story)

791) Embryology (Chapters in progress)

792) Entertaining Travelers (Chapters, Completed)

793) Gilded Cage (short story)

794) Dark Shadows - Resident Evil Village [Leon Kennedy x Reader] 

795) Rose Shampoo (short story)

796) The village (Chapters, Completed)

797) The Kink Haus (Chapters, Completed)

798) The Things We Hide (Chapters in progress)

799) Agent 7 (Chapters in progress)

800) From The Pits of Hell Rose An Angel (Chapters in progress)

801) Freedom has its Price (Chapters in progress)

802) A Home by Your Side (Chapters in progress)

803) "You Remind Me" Karl Heisenberg/Original Female Character (Chapters in progress)

804) Nimble Fingers (short story)

805) No time to die (Chapters in progress)

806) Ethan Commits Identity Fraud (Chapters, Completed)

807) with this unruly heart of mine (short story)

808) The emptiness within (short story)

809) A child of the four houses (Chapters in progress)

810) Old Addictions Die Hard (Chapters in progress)

811) Village of shadows, souls of light (Chapters in progress)

812) yard jerky? awooga!!! (short story)

813) Six bottles in twenty minutes (Chapters in progress)

814) Witch’s Pet (Chapters in progress)

815) 聖殤 (short story)

816) Beautiful Monster (Chapters in progress)

817) Transmutation (Chapters in progress)

818) Showtime (Chapters in progress)

819) Good Girl (Chapters, Completed)

820) Wherein Lady Alcina Dimitrescu Builds a 5G Tower on the Castle Because Her Pet is Bored (Chapters, Completed)

821) Claw Problem (short story)

822) Resident Evil Village But No One is a Fucking Idiot (short story)

823) Deal (Chapters in progress)

824) I'm in love with a fairytale (Chapters in progress)

825) Winter in the Vineyard (Chapters in progress)

826) Darling~ (Chapters in progress)

827) a little unconventional, i know (but Mama i'm home) (Chapters in progress)

828) Shame (short story)

829) Alcina and you (Chapters in progress)

830) The Man of Shadows (Chapters in progress)

831) Headcanons And Other Such Rubbish~ (Chapters, Completed)

832) you're a pain in my ass (Chapters in progress)

833) Wings, Claws, and Steel (Chapters in progress)

834) The Scent of Scarlet (Chapters, Completed)

835) A Wound Time Could Not Heal (Chapters in progress)

836) Fractions (Chapters in progress)

837) Inhuman Urges (Chapters in progress)

838) The castle in the mountains (Chapters in progress)

839) Sibling Shenanigans (short story)

840) Solace (Chapters in progress)

841) The Longest Winter (Chapters in progress)

842) The Great Importance of Expendable Goods (Chapters in progress)

843) A puppet’s poem (Chapters in progress)

844) Darling. (short story)

845) Painting the Roses Red (Chapters in progress)

846) Three times, three ‘I love you’s. (Chapters in progress)

847) to possess and to hold (short story)

848) Sanguis, mommy (short story)

849) Kinaiya (Chapters in progress)

850) Restless (short story)

851) The Bride of Frankenstein (Chapters in progress)

852) Wolf's Cry (Chapters in progress)

853) i live in a fifth one (Chapters in progress)

854) More than a carnal pleasure (Chapters, Completed)

855) Runed Path (Chapters in progress)

856) The Scent of Smoke and Roses (short story)

857) tall teddy bear (short story)

858) Headcanons | Resident Evil Village's characters (short story)

859) Your Obedient Servant (Chapters in progress)

860) Fragments of Cadou (Chapters in progress)

861) Beauty and Her Beast (Chapters, Completed)

862) Pack War's (Chapters in progress)

863) Era by Era I Fall Again (Chapters in progress)

864) Magnetism (Chapters in progress)

865) Blood and Scrap (Chapters in progress)

866) Metal Stages (Chapters, Completed)

867) Untitled (Chapters in progress)

868) Be My Angel (short story)

869) Resident Evil Imagines and One-shots (Chapters in progress)

870) A red field sways in a winters breeze. (Chapters in progress)

[tarantulas4davey]

Oh you know what I’m gonna ask 😏😏

Fearless Taylors version ralbert vibes GO GO GO

cause there’s so MUCH that’s so PERFECT for them

THERES SO FUCKING MUCH SHDBHDHRJRJJFHRG

how does one words on this fine day at 12:42am

OK LETS GO

- love story

do i even need to- listen ok i’m here to sob about royalty ralbert aus till i fuckin die. it’s just SO PERFECT.

just lil picnics under the stars and love drunk slow dances that are really just embraces that slowly sway in a circle cause race started humming something his mom used to sing when she got around to baking and race, furious and beautiful as he yells and shouts and fights for the right to pick who he loves,,,,, and who he loves is albert. ugh end me it’s so great

- white horse

this one is for everyone else i already yelled at jorja about this

ALBERT, BUT HE’S A LIL MORE DAMAGED AND EMOTIONALLY CLOSED OFF, AND RACE CANT TELL IF IT MEANS HE DOESNT LIKE HIM AS MUCH AS RACE LIKE AL OR IF HE JUST CANT EXPRESS IT, AND OF COURSE ITS THE SECOND ONE BUT AL C A N T GET THE WORDS OUT AND IS TOO DEFENSIVE AND JUST-

RACE SPITS OUT THE LINE ‘i’m gonna find someone someday, who might actually treat me well’ AND STORMS OUT AND SLAMS THE DOOR AND ALBERT BREAKS DOWN

like he’s sobbing and throwing things and just UGH you can’t tell me he wouldn’t punch a wall

usually albert is touchy of his own accord and loves to tell race he loves him JUST BECAUSE HE KNOWS RACE NEEDS IT but can you imagine if, despite how hard he tries, albert c a n t get the words out to tell him and race is just- tired of it??? IM IN PAIN THIS IS TOO ANGSTY FOR ME

MOVING ON-

- the way i loved you

now this is a post breakup one fs cause GOD can you imagine

race and fucking w h o e v e r, cause it doesn’t matter cause it’s not albert dasilva and he’s so painfully aware of that

race and albert would get on like fire and gasoline, or like water and oil. there was ABSOLUTELY zero in between. they were fiery and passionate and so in love that it eventually tore them apart cause they finally cracked under the pressure of so much emotion

and race remembers every little thing albert used to do that irked him and ground at him until he couldn’t take it anymore, but he also remembers every angle, every hair, every wisp of air albert breathed while they were together, cause everything about them together was extreme

and he misses it, cause he feels like he floats around now, no spark or emotion or anything. ffs he wouldn’t be able to tell you if he had been breathing if it wasn’t for the fact he hadn’t died.

and yeah, the song would have to go from “loved” to “love”, cause all that never actually went away.

- you belong with me

is this the entire reason i made this post? you bet your ass it is OH MY FUCKING GOD

first of all,,,,,,, FOOTBALL ALBERT

ffs i’ve watched remember the titans too many times for this

albert plays second string quarterback, naturally, and first string gets injured on a missed audible and albert has to make the pitch he’s missed a thousand times in practice, and he’s freaking out (this is literally just a plot point of that godforsaken movie, watch remember the titans just once for my sanity)

race is in that very stereotypical band section of the bleachers, but the instant first string got injured he’s abandoning his post with the megaphone and SPRINTING to where albert is and just pushes his hair out of his eyes, gives him a very dramatic, very race like kiss, shoves his helmet into his hands and says “give ‘em hell, baby” and that’s really all albert needs

also, just like in this movie that is for some reason a really accurate portrayal of albert as a football player, he checks the shit out of the lineman on the other team that broke first string’s hand and the other team tries to call unnecessary roughness on the goddamn quarterback

anyway

- hey stephen

this is the most important one let’s be real

has race’s pov energy, but could be either. race is naturally dramatic, but race makes albert a whole new kind of cheesy and ridiculous

but are you telling me that race wouldn’t say something ridiculous like “cause i can’t help it if you look like an angel” and NOT be embarrassed by how fucking mushy it is

cause if you are you’d be dead fuckin wrong

and the thing is, it’s a very crushy, honeymoon phase type of song

but for ralbert it would always apply. they just,,,,,, always look at eachother like the heavens parted and gave them the other.

UGH i want a romance like theirs

i think that’s all i got for now (they say, like they didn’t just write a fucking novella) thank you mother goose ilysm !!!!

[artistic-writer]

Sparking the Pavement :: CS Moto GP AU :: Chapter 7

Title: Sparking the Pavement by @artistic-writer Rating: E Summary: Killian Jones has everything he has ever dreamed of.  He likes fast bikes and even faster women, that is until almost losing his brother makes him rethink his life choices.  And then a chance encounter with a blonde bombshell on the race track gives him the chance to change and find love, but as usual, team politics get in the way and for the first time in his life, Killian can’t just get what he wants.  Moto GP racing AU.

AO3 - FF - Ko-Fi

A/N: I FOUND MY TAG LIST!  But please let me know if you want to be added/removed as its a little out of date.

So, here is ch 7(or ch 8 if you are on ao3) and i can’t thank you guys enough for sticking with this story, especially as this year hasn’t exactly been full of words.  I don’t like this chapter, but my last-minute-ultimate-goddess-beta @resident-of-storybrooke​ said it was okay, so I have to believe her. Massive thanks to her, and like I said, she is awesome, so go show her some love!

Taglist: @resident-of-storybrooke @hollyethecurious @kmomof4 @hookedonapirate @winterbaby89 @courtorderedcake @initiala @cocohook38 @branlovesouat @teamhook @snidgetsafan @sherlockianwhovian @shireness-says @wingedlioness @therooksshiningknight @ilovemesomekillianjones @bmbbcs4evr @blowmiakisscolin @deathbycaptainswan @onceuponaprincessworld @chinawoodfan  @seriouslyhooked @snowbellewells @wordsmith-storyweaver @jennjenn615 @delightfully-difficult-pirate @doodlelolly0910 @tiganasummertree @hookedmom @thejollyroger-writer @rachie1940 @unworried-corsair @cs-forlife @notoriouscs @killian-whump @darkcolinodonorgasm @mariakov81 @strangestarlighttree @shardminds @thisonesatellite

——————————————————————————————

Killian felt hot. Or was it sick? Or was it both? All he knew was that the second he had seen Emma standing beside his boss - their boss - his entire world felt like it had imploded. To stop the room from spinning, and to help stabilize his frayed nerves that were threatening to unravel even more than they had been since Liam’s death, he had fled like some sort of coward without so much as a word to her. The air outside of the garage hadn’t made it any easier to breathe and the haze clouding his vision, a mixture of tears and dizziness, had him bumping into the wall of the corridor down which he had made his escape.

Killian flattened a palm to the pristine white wall, hoping to steady himself long enough to stop himself falling over, but the weight of his boots tripped him up, and he was only saved from toppling by a firm but gentle grip. The familiar warmth in his hand was grounding and like a newborn taking its first breath, Killian inhaled hard and audibly, the sound almost drowned out by the slamming of the door he had been hastily guided through. Eyes closed, he felt like he was floating away but the warm hands on his face chased away the clammy sensation on his skin instantly and when his eyes fluttered open, he already knew to whom they belonged.

“Emma,” he breathed like it was the only word he knew. The mixture of emotions swarmed through him like hornets attacking prey, suffocating him, stinging him, making him wish that he hadn’t fallen so fast and so hard for the woman tenderly cupping his face in her hands like he was made of the finest china.

“I’m sorry, Killian, I meant to tell you,” Emma said softly. Her thumbs brushed over his cheeks and wiped away the tiny amount of salty tears he had let fall. She felt guilty, of course she did, and she was angry at herself for not telling him, but the minute she had found him playing the piano, his pain had become her pain and there was no amount of truth that would ever make that disappear.

“Stop,” he bit out, shaking his head from her grasp.

“Killian, please,” Emma pleaded, his rejection cutting through her.

His silence broke her heart in two. He was conflicted and she could tell just by looking at him that the pain tearing through his soul was more heartache than any man could take. The room they had bundled into was just a small closet of some kind filled with supplies and faintly smelling of fresh oil, but even in the confined space, Killian still managed to take a step back when she stepped forward.

“Killian, I know you are angry,” Emma began, but the harshness of his quick response took her back.

“Do you?” Killian snapped.

“Of course I do!” Emma snapped back, albeit in a hushed voice.

“How could you?” He stared her down, the warmth from her body radiating through her Honda issue shirt that still smelled of the chemicals used to preserve clothes in transit, making him feel sick to know he might never feel her body against his again.

"This is about me taking the job. Liam’s job," Emma surmised quickly and Killian huffed. "Look, I’m sorry. I didn't know things between us would be so intense."

"We can't be together. Not now." Killian was ranting, sliding away from her back into the depths of sorrow that had filled his soul. Having Liam ripped away from him was one thing, and now he would be losing her too. "I told you things, Emma, things I would never tell anyone." Killian looked down at her with sorrowful eyes, like he wanted to ignore the voice in his head telling him to push past her and run further away.

"Killian, stop,” Emma said firmly, patting his cheek until his eyes met hers. “Breathe,” she whispered, sounding out the word on a breath of her own, forcing him to mirror her actions, in and out, until the quiver in his lip ceased. “I can’t give up this job and I take back how I feel.” Emma closed the gap between them and pressed her forehead against his. “What, you think I meant to fall in love with you?"

“I can’t lose you,” Killian whimpered, pulling his head away from hers.

“And you won’t. Me taking the mechanic job changes nothing. I still hear everything you said, every little detail of your pain.” She stepped forward, one hand flattening over his heart, her fingertip caressing the material of his shirt that threatened to dampen the beating of his heart to her touch. “This,” she began, tapping a finger on his shirt, “still has me. All of me.”

Killian, having let his gaze fall to her hand on his body, and taken back by the electricity he swore he could feel shooting from her fingertips, took a breath and lifted his head until their eyes met once more. His eyes filled with water, not quite tears, but threatening to fall nonetheless, and Emma quickly slipped her hand down his arm and grasped ardently at his fingers.

“All of me, Killian Jones,” she repeated, the lump in her throat changing her voice to a husky rasp. Emma lifted his hand and pressed it to where her heartbeat, quickened by panic and fear of losing the man in front of her. “You’re in here, and I couldn’t cast you out even if I wanted to.”

"Then that day on the track-"

"Was just two people having fun. No malicious intent, I promise. Well, unless you count me taking your bike.” Emma paused, watching the corner of his lips tick up into a glimmer of a smile. “I'll admit, I came to meet you to soften the blow of me taking Liam's job. I just wanted us to get on...” She continued but Killian cut her off with a snort of laughter and a quirk of his eyebrow as he recalled how they had indeed meshed quite well.

“We got on rather swimmingly if I recall.” He smirked and Emma gave his arm a playful slap, glad he was feeling more at ease.

“And to tell you about how I meant no disrespect, but then you kissed me and…"

"I think you'll find, love, that it was you who kissed me," he sassed cheekily.

“Will you stop interrupting me!” Emma chuckled. “I’m trying to make amends here,” she smiled, the apple of her cheeks tinting a rosy shade of pink under his scrutinous gaze. "Does it matter anyway? We have to stop seeing each other now."

"Why?" Killian frowned, clutching onto her elbows to stop her from pulling away from him.

"Our contracts, Killian, you said so yourself. The 'no relationships with colleagues' or instant dismissal clause." Emma wracked her brains for something, anything, that could keep them together, but her close proximity to him made her concentration wane, and all she could focus on was the smell of his aftershave and how much she would miss the scent of wood spice and sea salt on her skin.

"Oh, that little thing." He stepped forward, a sly smirk spreading across his lips as he took her by the hand and pulled her body flush with his. “Little details.”

"I'm serious,” Emma tried to convey, wriggling out of his grasp. “I need this job."

Killian caught her hand in his again and stopped her from retreating to the other side of the supply cupboard. "And I need you, Emma Swan,” he said when her gaze met his once more. Her heart stopped, the lump in her throat catching as she tried to swallow. “This team is built on my success-,”

“Not Will’s?” Emma teased.

Killian narrowed his eyes at her. “You’ve met Will?” he asked with jealousy.

“This team is built on my success,” Emma parroted, prompting him to continue. She looped her arms around his neck and let her body fall against his.

“My point is,” Killian began, gulping hard when the feel of Emma’s body against his made his skin prickle with the sensation of arousal he had come to realise only she could pry out of him.

“Yes?” Emma asked innocently, her fingers stroking the soft, downy hair at the base of his skull and enjoying the way goosebumps appeared in the wake of her fingertips.

Killian clenched his jaw and could hear his teeth squeaking together. “I'm sorry I was a wanker-"

"Yes, you were," she grinned.

"I just didn't want to lose you too, alright?" Killian’s hands snaked around her waist, roughened palms pressing into the flesh of her hip and holding her in place, silently begging her to stay within arms reach.

“You won’t,” Emma promised with a shake of her head. Pushing herself up on her toes as she pulled his head down, she seized his lips in a kiss that was neither needy nor chaste; it just was and the world seemed to stop around them until their lips parted and reality was there once more. "So what do we do now? As cosy as this cupboard is, we are not going to meet in here for our secret workplace rendezvous," Emma said defiantly.

"Quite," Killian agreed, pushing aside something that was jamming him in the back.

"Think you can control yourself around me so we can keep this thing a secret?" Emma tilted her head to one side, somehow not quite believing that she was plotting to secretly date a work colleague on her first day.

"Oh, look at you, already breaking the rules," Killian grinned proudly but Emma just glared at him. "Alright, alright, I'll try."

Stepping forward again, Emma tiptoed to whisper in his ear. "Try hard," she breathed, her hand sliding over the front of his pants until she felt him harden beneath the fabric.

Killian gulped, the falling sensation in his stomach back again, but this time it was driven by lust. His eyes rolled back in his head, tongue darting out to lick at his lips, desperate to remember the taste of her skin. "Hard, aye," he mumbled before a groan reverberated deep in his throat.

"Nope," Emma said suddenly, snatching her hand away from the heat of his length pressing against her palm. "You failed."

"What?" Killian groaned achingly, eyes wide with disbelief.

"You can't even stop yourself from getting an erection, how are we supposed to keep us a secret?" Emma stepped back, arms crossed over her chest but a wry smirk across her face.

"Love, you were rubbing my cock," Killian said defensively, that sly smirk returning as he accentuated the last word with a honey laced timbre to his tone.

"And stop that," Emma quipped with a point of her finger. "Stop pulling that face around me. People will know."

"How will they know?" Killian challenged with a chuckle.

"It's feral and dirty, and so, so…” Emma words trailed off and she hadn’t even noticed the effect touching him had on her own body until her gaze shifted to his slightly parted lips that were still wet from where he had licked them, and she suddenly wished his head was between her legs fixing the ache that had settled between her thighs.

Emma only vaguely remembered seeing him smirk, tongue running over the point of his canine, before she was grabbing the collar of his neatly pressed shirt and was crushing his lips with hers. She heard a clatter, of what she had no idea, but it must have been where Killian had stumbled backwards with the ferocity of her kiss, and she readily ignored it in favour of forcing her tongue into his mouth for a taste of him. Killian pushed back after a beat, hands skimming up her back and cradling the back of her head in one hand, holding her to him as he devoured her kiss, inhaling the scent of her and wishing he was anywhere but at work at that exact moment.

"Can we finish this later on at my place?” He rasped breathlessly, breaking the kiss before his eyes had even fully reopened. “It's bad form to rouse a full mast out of a man and then leave him to fend for himself,” he groaned, the tent in his pants painfully obvious.

Emma grinned slyly but gave him no answer, instead, pulling him in for another kiss, tongue diving into his mouth for another duel with his own. Killian groaned again, anguished by the fact he knew there would be no release for him despite how turned on he was. This time it was Emma who broke the kiss and she sucked on his bottom lip with a feral growl of her own.

"Leave five minutes after me," she rasped, pushing him away from her in an attempt to re-acclimatize to her senses.

“And later?” Killian asked eagerly to which he only received a smirk over her shoulder as Emma slipped out of the doorway, teeth biting her bottom lip hungrily as she winked at him. Killian sucked in a breath, shaking his head to clear the fog of lust in his brain whilst looking down at the state of himself, erection poking out proudly as if it was trying to follow it’s mistress out the door. “Five minutes,” he laughed to himself, letting his head fall back so he could stare at a spot on the ceiling on the cupboard, willing away the blood in his cock keeping him as hard as marble at the mere thought of seeing Emma later on. “Maybe ten,” he shrugged, fist clenched at his side with no sign of his manhood retreating. “Alright, fifteen,” he conceded with a small smirk.

--

The day had been tough. Not only were there a million people asking a million questions and still offering a million condolences about Liam - how big was this building anyway? - but it seemed around every corner was someone else Killian needed to avoid. His return to work hadn’t gone unnoticed by the media, who constantly hounded him for a comment about Liam, like vultures over a still warm carcass. Overwhelmed wasn’t even the word for it. Will had tried his hardest to stave off the rabble, but in the end, Killian had been forced to retreat to his driver’s trailer, one he normally used on the road as the team travelled between race circuits. It was calm and quiet and had offered him the solace he needed, and he had managed to completely forget about his earlier rendezvous with the lovely Miss Swan until after lunch, when both he and Will were summoned to the garage.

Nothing short of thorough on her first day, Emma had made short work of Ruby’s paperwork and had dived straight into the more hands on side of her job role. Belle, Will’s primary mechanic, had helped her find her feet and move her tools into the garage. There was a workspace waiting for her, cleaned and newly painted by the faint smell of fresh paint that had yet to disappear, with her name etched into a plaque above where her toolbox would go. Belle had helped her manoeuvre the brand new huge, red metal chest into place and was busy showing her all of the pristine, metallic tools inside that were all just for her.

It felt somewhat paradoxical, a fully trained mechanic, having honed their craft with their own set of tools which they could tell apart with their eyes closed, getting a brand new set, but Honda had rules, and one of them was that they only used certain brands of tools. Of course, Emma knew it was all based on sponsors and maybe even next season would deliver her a new set of tools, but for now, she couldn’t wait to break in the ones right in front of her. She pulled open a drawer, the shallowest one at the top, fingers hooking under the chromed lip with the same glee as a kid at Christmas before revealing a set of immaculate wrenches and specialist tools that made her giddy with excitement.

“Can’t wait to get going, huh?” Belle appeared behind her and made her jump a little.

“Is it wrong that I am thinking about sabotage just so I can fix something?” Emma laughed, her fingers running over the biggest wrench in the set.

“Trust me,” Belle quipped. “With the way these guys race, there will be plenty of fixing to do.”

“Oi!” Will yelled, his voice echoing around them as he entered the garage at exactly the moment Belle had been insinuating his lack of skill. “I for one am offended.”

Belle spun around to follow his voice and shifted her weight onto one hip, her hand resting on the curve of her hip. “Will, hun,” she began with a playful smirk. “Following the guy in front of you isn’t racing. That’s just driving.”

Emma stifled a laugh and pushed the tool chest drawer closed.

Will narrowed his eyes at his mechanic. “I thought we were friends.”

“Whatever gave you that idea?” Belle laughed, giving him a wink.

“You hear this, Killian? Belle is teaching the new girl her bad habits already.”

At the mention of his name, Emma’s ear perked up and she tried not to look so desperate to see him as she turned around and saw him enter the garage behind Will. He looked tired but they had been at it for the majority of the night before and his hair was still a little dishevelled from their cupboard tryst. His hands were in his pockets, probably to remove the temptation of touching her, and the way he licked at his lips before replying to his teammate was sinful. She wasn’t sure, but Emma could have sworn there was a whimper in her throat, but she hoped she had managed to swallow it before Belle heard.

And then he lifted his head, looked her dead in the eye and smirked like a predator who had thoroughly exhausted it’s quarry and was about ready for the take down.

“I’m sure Miss Nolan,” Killian began, emphasizing her name as he toyed with the words on his tongue as he advanced on her. “Has a few naughty habits of her own.”

Will’s laughter managed to disguise the nervous chirp that tumbled from her lips but it was useless in hiding the fact her cheeks were abloom with a red blush. Killian spotted it immediately and raised an eyebrow in her direction, the corner of his

mouth tugging into that boyish smirk only she would know meant he was implying something else. She mirrored his smirk slyly, averting her gaze just as quickly as she had caught his eye,lest Will or Belle notice their eye fucking.

“Well then, mate, I’m glad she’s working on your equipment, and not mine,” Will scoffed.

Emma’s eyes widened at his words, and even though she was looking back at her tool chest, trying desperately to distract herself from the choking sensation in her throat, she could feel the burn of Killian’s stare on the back of her head. Covering her mouth with a slightly shaky hand that was very uncharacteristic of a mechanic of her calibre, Emma coughed to clear the dryness that had set itself firmly in the back of her mouth, and when she took the risk of sliding her gaze sideways, Killian was there, waiting, with raw darkness and sex in his eyes that made the apex of her thighs tingle.

“Will you boys stop it? Emma has only just got here and you’re already scarring her.” Belle clipped the back of Will’s head with a playful slap, before pointing an accusatory finger in Killian’s direction. Before he had time to react, she was continuing, a more menacing tone to her voice. “Leave. Her. Alone.”

“Why is your rage directed at me?” Killian asked innocently. “Will’s the sex pest!”

“Oi, fuck off, mate!” Will detested, rubbing the back of his head.

“Language!” Belle screeched, yet again slapping Will but this time across his shoulder.

“Language?!” Will countered, his voice higher than it should have been for a man his age. “Emma’s raced! She knows what swear words are.”

There was a spot of silence, during which Emma tried to busy herself with absolutely nothing in front of her, but it wasn’t long before she could feel a second pair of eyes boring into the back of her head.

“You raced?” Belle asked quickly. “When? Where? Why don’t you race anymore?”

Emma didn’t know Belle that well but she had already worked out that the brunette was the sort of person who had an issue controlling the lilt of her voice when she was engaged by intrigue. She didn’t mind. It was natural to be curious, but she had hoped her colleagues would have remained in the dark a little longer. It wasn’t something she wanted to relive, not yet, but exactly how they had found out was soon revealed when Killian’s head shake of denial turned Will’s cheeks right red as she looked from one to the other.

“I googled you,” Will admitted sheepishly after reading her silent question.

“Will!” Belle’s voice pierced the air again but he was quick to sidestep her intended blow this time.

“You asked!” Will frowned defensively. “How is you asking different to me searching for Emma Nolan online?”

“How did you find me?” Emma piped up suddenly, stepping away from her tool chest and facing Will, her arms folded tightly across her chest. “You shouldn’t have found me.” Her defences had kicked in, whether she wanted them to her not, and Killian noticed them immediately and rushed to intervene.

“Why don’t we save this topic for another time, aye?” Killian slipped in between Emma and Will, his back to his teammate, before his hands were on her shoulders and, as if reading his mind, Belle was directing a confused Will away from Emma’s fury. Killian could feel the tension in her shoulders, despite his gentle coercion, and he almost forgot himself when one of his hands gravitated towards brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. “Belle, Will, why don’t we give Emma a moment alone?”

Belle was quick to nod her head and pushed Will towards the door, muttering angrily about his stupidity. Killian was about to follow his colleagues but just as they exited the garage, Will still grumbling and his voice echoing down the hall, he was stopped when Emma grabbed onto his little finger. He turned quickly, his eyes falling to the way her hands were clutching to his pinky, her slight tremor travelling all the way up his arm.

“Love, what is it?” Killian asked quickly, concern lacing his voice. Casting a quick glance over his shoulder to watch the door to the garage fully close, Killian felt a surge of adrenaline invade his body, his worry for Emma the primary cause. “Emma?” Killian pried again. He brushed the back of his hand over her cheek, slightly bent knuckles stroking her in an attempt to rouse her from her state.

“Swan,” Emma mumbled, swallowing hard.

Killian frowned and shook his head. “I’m sorry, love, I’m not following.”

“Swan,” Emma repeated, finally lifted her head so their eyes met once more. “I raced as Emma Swan, not Nolan. You’re the only person, other than me, who knew this, and yet Will Scarlet managed to google me? How?”

The way she was looking at him for answers, with pleading in her watery eyes, made his heart pained. He couldn’t give her an answer because he simply didn’t know and despite his best efforts, the uncertainty in his own eyes must have been blatantly obvious to her because Emma’s lip quivered, and the dam finally broke, hot, rolling tears spilling from her eyelids. No time passed between the first tear falling and Killian pulling her against the firm planes of his chest, wrapping his arms around her as more than just comfort. It was a protection, a means by which he promised to find out.

“I’ll talk to Will,” Killian offered. “Find out where exactly he found out, alright?” His hands rubbed her back, splayed out over the material of her shirt and letting her cry, her tears lost in the material of his own uniform. He felt her nod against him and moved his head so that he could kiss the top of hers, letting his lips linger against the warmth of her hair while he inhaled the smell of her, traces of his shower gel mixed with her own floral scent invading his nostrils.

“Thank you,” Emma sniffed, lifting her head and relaxing out of his embrace. She shook her head and brushed her hair from her face and Killian’s hands were cupping her face and brushing away the lines tears had left on her cheeks with a softness she hadn’t realised he possessed. Before she had time to realise his intentions, his lips were on hers, preceded by a small smile of assurance, and Emma felt the weight of her worry disappear.

When he broke the kiss, Emma took a second to open her eyes, and only did so prompted by Killian gently rubbing his hand up and down her arm. He smiled at her warmly, a genuine look of content on his face now that he knew she was okay, and took his hand in hers before lifting it to his lips and planting a soft kiss to her knuckles.

“Are you sure you’re alright, darling?” He asked again.

“I’m sure,” Emma nodded, hastily wiping at her cheeks once more. She blew out a breath, letting all of the tension leave her, and clutched at Killian’s hand dangling between them at the same time. “I’ll be better tonight,” she teased. “I have plans.”

Killian smirked, his tongue darting out to lick his lips. “Oh, you do? Not with anyone too horrid, I hope.”

“Oh, he’s ghastly,” Emma mocked, faking his accent with a little too much American twang. “But very good in bed. You’d hate him.”

“Well, as your colleague, might I take this opportunity to express my concerns?” Killian raised an eyebrow when she tilted her head and leaned her whole weight against him, her fingers toying with the collar of his shirt.

“Feel free,” Emma shrugged.

“I’m concerned you might be in too deep with this guy.” He grinned, leaning down to whisper in her ear. “Or maybe it is he who is in too deep?” He growled, the words vibrating over her ear.

“If he plays his cards right,” Emma smirked coyly, biting her bottom lip. “That might be exactly where he finds himself.”

--

Content that Emma was alright, Killian had headed out of the garage and was intent on finding Will. He’d got held up slightly when Robin had wanted to talk to him about the next season - too long, if he was completely honest - and it was way into lunchtime by the time he had caught up with his teammate. Will always ate his lunch on the track, surrounded by bikes and the smell of lubricant and oil tainting his food, his greasy hands unwashed as he tucked into whatever had been on offer in the cafeteria that day. Today, it seemed, had been a cold meal day with a selection of finger foods and sandwiches on offer, much to Killian’s disgust.

“You know we have gloves, right?” Killian asked gingerly, stepping into Will’s garage with a look of disgust on his face.

Will looked up from his bike, mouth full of half the egg sandwich he held in his blackened hand and a smear of grease across his cheek. He chewed and swallowed, giving Killian a shrug.

“I like to feel the parts I work on,” he shrugged, stuffing another mouthful of the sandwich into his gaping maw before swigging from a bottle of coke.

Killian grimaced. “I meant for the sandwich,” he clarified.

Will gave him a grin. “Tastes better with a little Castrol dressing.”

“You truly are the most disgusting human being I have ever had the pleasure of knowing,” Killian told him, not even a little bit surprised by his own words as they left his mouth.

“Why, thank you, squire!” Will gave Killian a little salute, his confusion between medieval terminology and military actions revealing his youth. “What’s up? What brings you out to the second riders area?”

Will patted the chair next to him, offering it to Killian, who plopped down into it without any more prompting.

“I needed to ask you a question,” Killian began, declining Will’s offer of some grease covered potato chips. “Where did you find the name, Emma Swan?”

Will stopped mid chew, holding the shards of chips in his mouth with his tongue. “I googled Emma Nolan and Emma Swan came up,” he mumbled awkwardly.

“Pfft, give over, mate!” Killian scoffed.

“No, really!” Will detested. He shook the bag until all the crumbs fell into one corner, then tipped his head back and emptied the bag into his mouth. A few more crunches later, he was licking his lips and sloppily licking his fingers before unlocking his phone and turning the device towards Killian. “See.”

Killian snatched the phone out of his hand, ignoring the way it was slightly slippery from the potato chip oil coating its side, and ignored Will’s protest as he focused on the screen. His teammate hadn’t been lying. There, in black and white digital print, for the world to see, was a photo of Emma Nolan under a huge bold title that gave away her race name, Emma Swan, to the entire world. Killian felt his blood begin to boil when he read the subtitle that alluded to the fact Emma had tried to hide her identity to get her job, and as he skimmed his thumb up the screen to scroll down, all became somewhat clear.

“Cassidy?” Killian muttered and hadn’t realised out loud until Will snatched his phone back and gave him a nod.

“He used to date her, apparently.” Will shrugged and stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

Killian frowned, a little shaken by Will’s revelation. “When?”

“Did you know she got caught doping?” Will raised his eyebrows whilst trying to dislodge a piece of potato chip from behind his tooth.

“What?! No, she never!” Killian argued, fuming.

“Yeah, see, it’s right here,” Will began, pulling his phone back into Killian’s view and tapping the screen a few times, but he didn’t have time to read any of the articles about Emma Swan/Nolan before Killian was slapping the device out of his hands. “Hey!” Will yelled, watching the love of his life clatter to the floor, screen down. His heart sank. “If that’s broken, mate,” he growled, straightening himself up and puffing out his chest.

“Yeah? What?” Killian snarled, squaring up to his teammate until they almost bumped noses.

“Fuck off!” Will pushed against Killian’s chest, hard, and the other rider stumbled back a little.

“Or what?” Killian challenged, moving back into Will’s space, his heart hammering in his chest.

Will gave him another push, and stopped Killian advancing by holding out an open hand. “Look, I know you’re not Cassidy’s biggest fan, but I’m not to blame for that shitbag said, am I?” Will could see the darkness of rage clouding Killian’s eyes, changing the normally mellow blue colour to a stormy grey, and his teammate was clearly clenching his jaw. “I’m just the messenger, so don’t shoot, alright?”

Killian took a long deep breath and followed it by another, letting his eyes flutter closed. The onslaught of new information was too much, overloading his system and shorting out the already very short fuse he had when anyone mentioned the name Neal Cassidy. Coupled with the fact he had just learned that Emma, the most wholesome woman he had ever known after his mother, had once been in a relationship with Cassidy too? Fury was the only thing he could feel, but given the chance to calm a little, he suddenly realised why Emma’s race days were not a first date sort of conversation.

Will picked up his phone off the garage floor, the sound of shattered glass scraping the concrete and a following tut of disgust leaving his mouth with an added groan, made Killian feel remorseful immediately. Will was his friend, and he had been right; he was just relaying information he had found on the internet. No reason for Killian to lose his cool so quickly, especially over a colleague who, for everyone else’s benefit, was just the new mechanic.

“Bugger it,” Will sighed, tossing his now dead phone onto the tool chest he had been using. “That’s just bloody brilliant.”

“I’ll buy you another,” Killian offered, rubbing his temples.

“Yeah you will,” Will snapped. “What’s gotten into you today? You storm out of the big reveal, and now you’re going all Hulk on my phone?”

“I’m sorry,” Killian said more evenly. “I said I’ll buy you another.”

“I’m worried about you,” Will said quickly, tapping the palm of his greasy hand with the round end of a spanner. “I know losing Liam was the hardest thing you ever had to experience, but I wish you would just talk to us.”

“Us?” Killian narrowed his eyes.

“Me, Elsa, Belle, Robin. Us. Your Team, your family!” Will sounded exasperated, all of his worry for his friend seemingly leaving him all at once. “Mate, I’d even be happy if you started pouring your heart out to the new mechanic because at least then you’d be talking about it!”

The corner of Killian’s lips pulled up into a small smile at Will’s words and he cast his gaze down to his feet, ashamed of the way he had been acting lately. He’d been so wrapped up in mourning his brother, blaming himself, that he hadn’t stopped to realise how it was affecting the people around him. These people had known Liam too. They were all a part of his life in one context or another, and Killian had failed to notice their own grief whilst he had been so consumed with his own.

“Will, come here,” Killian ordered softly, taking a step towards his teammate.

“Why?” Will asked suspiciously, frowning at the way Killian had opened his arm as he advanced.

“Just come here,” Killian insisted, waving a hand towards himself to encourage Will.

“No, mate, no…”

Without another word, Killian was pulling him into a crushing hug, and Will only resisted for a few seconds before he let the spanner he was holding clatter to the floor with a metallic echo. He threw his arms around his friend, face buried into the crook of Killian’s neck as a soft, watery sob hitched in his throat. Killian tightened his grip, unable to form the words he was looking for to comfort his teammate.

“I miss him too,” Will whispered, his voice changed by the lump in his throat.

Killian still couldn’t find the words, instead, his hand cradling the back of Will’s head and letting him cry against the collar of his shirt. Will bunched the material of Killian’s shirt in his fists and let out a manly wail, letting out all of his sorrow and anger at the same time, encouraged by Killian gently patting his back. When he felt Will relax, Killian loosened his grip and both men stood back upright, face to face. Will hastily wiped at the tear stains on his cheeks, smearing a big black line of grease across his cheek before wiping his nose on the sleeve of his overalls, which made Killian chuckle.

“You really are disgusting,” he said fondly and Will just grinned cheekily.

[thebiasrekkers]

Shadow’s Birthright | MYG

Chapter 03: Dark Passions

Plot: Riding in on thunder and lightning, two princes are born. But a crown cannot be shared. It can only be worn by one and one alone. The hands of man have separated the brothers, allowing one to live in wealth and comfort inside the palace while the other grows up among commoners. But Fate cannot be destroyed by the hands of man. A shared destiny reunites the brothers; one to become a king who descends into madness and the other will rise as a dragon whose journey has only just begun in order to claim a crown he does not desire to have.

Rating: NC-17 // NSFW

Genre: series | historical!au | fantasy!au | angst | romance | drama | tragedy

Pairing: Min Yoongi (Lee Yoon) x Female OC (Kalina Shuri)

Warnings: Historical setting, caste system, magic/sorcery, graphic violence, disturbing graphic images, religious tones, angst, slow burn, smut

Additional Warnings: Oral (female receiving), heavy teasing, internal possession, body worship

Previous Chapters: Prologue 01 02

Links: FAQ || BTS Masterlist || Admin E’s AO3 || [ REQUESTS ARE OPEN ]

Word Count: 4,869

Tag List: @luxekook​, @pinkpjmin​, @btsaudge​, @flowerwrites06​, @stillcopingxx​, @taevkimchi​, @aroseforyoongi​, @vivpurple7​, @happilystrongthroughthedark​, @sw33tnight​, @nikkitane​, @mini-coop25​

AN: And we have the smuts finally. Woo. I did it early this time, guys. Again, I just want to let everyone know that this series is going to be updated slowly. Like, one chapter a week. So just be patient with me. I promise you that it will be worth the wait. If you would like to be added to the tag list, feel free to drop me a line!

P.S. Please bear in mind that while the historical accuracy will be mostly correct, I am setting this in a time period in Joseon history where there was no such thing as a king who had a twin brother. Obviously that’s where the fiction/creative freedom is going to come in. Everything else will be period accurate, trust and believe.

© thebiasrekkers (Admin E). All rights reserved. Reposting/modifying our work is prohibited. Translations are not allowed. Plagiarism/stealing is not tolerated by any means. Legal action will be taken in instances of theft.

“Never love anybody who treats you like you’re ordinary.” - Oscar Wilde

Kali sighed as she watched the moon slowly rise over the mountain peaks. The world was still and quiet, the occasional chirp of the cicada barely audible in the silence that blanketed over everything. Turning her head slightly, she smiled as she watched Yoongi sleep. It took a bit longer than she might have wanted, but with the aid of a sleeping draught, he finally relaxed and allowed her to tuck him into his bedroll. 

San slept faithfully at its master’s feet, his large head lifting when he heard Kali move to stand. The wolf started to get up, but she placed her hand out and shook her head. The wolf yawned and shook its upper body before settling back comfortably on the floor. She bent down to pet the wolf’s head between his ears and smiled when one of his ears flicked at the touch. 

Scooping up her satchel, she reached inside and pulled out several books. Setting them on a nearby shelf, Kali made sure the letter was nestled between the pages of the book on top. After ascertaining that the two of them were sound asleep, Kali pressed herself out of the humble mountain home and stepped out onto the cool night air. 

“I’m sure he will be seeking me out soon,” she murmured, gripping the strap of her satchel in one hand as she lifted her face toward the sky, “the tiger will bare his fangs if I do not answer his summons.”

With a wave of her hand, the space in front of Kali rippled. The trees, grass, and fireflies all blurred and tilted in motion. Finally, a dark hole appeared and she stepped through the portal. Once inside, a swirling galaxy of stars and light appeared around her. The large expanse of the void rippled with each step she took. Many voices careened at her body from every direction, causing her heartbeat to elevate with each second she was inside of that dimension. 

Another portal opened in front of her after walking several meters. Without blinking, Kali passed through the large black opening. When she reappeared, she was back in her own personal quarters in her home just outside of the Crown City. Sighing, she took a quick look over herself in her vanity’s mirror. Her satchel barely touched the ground just as a loud knock echoed from outside. 

Kali had no servants. She had no need for them. Despite a certain royal’s persistence, she refused to have any attendants that could possibly spy on her during her ritual prayers or when she crossed into The Veil. Joseon was still a skeptical nation and its people were quick to yell “heresy”, even without all the information. Being branded a foreign devil, the last thing Kali wanted was anyone being able to prove just how much power simmered beneath her fingertips. 

Adjusting the front of her robes, she retreated from her chambers and out to the main courtyard. Her estate was small in comparison to most noble households, but the King spared no expense when it came to her comfort. Her biggest budget crusher was her personal garden that was full of plants of different varieties to help with her potions. Kali took a moment to survey her plants, despite the heavy persistent knocking rattling the large wooden gate to her estate. She was in no hurry to answer since she already knew who was on the other side.

She managed to clip a few sprigs of tea leaves and some Nightshade before the erratic knocking began to grate on her nerves. Placing the items into the leather pouch that swung from her hip, she approached the gate and slid the large wooden bracer ff the panels. Shoving the wooden gate hard, it swung out loudly and knocked into the person on the other side hard enough for them to fall on their backside. He looked up, perplexed, as she scowled down at him, biting back an irritated snarl. 

“Persistence is only a virtue in some religions, Sir,” she said, her tone even, “patience is a virtue every child of man should learn to embrace.”

The young man scrambled to his feet, dusting off his clothing as he readjusted the hat on his head. “F-Forgive me, Lady Shuri!” He quickly bowed his head, apologies tumbling from his lips, before he reached to his side and pulled out the messenger cylinder hanging from his shoulders. He hurriedly untwisted the cap, pulling out the rolled up piece of paper inside. With his head bowed, he handed it to her. 

Unfurling it slowly, her eyes scanned over the elegant brush strokes that belonged to the Crown Prince. He was asking for, as she knew he would. Wishing for his fortune to be read was simply a ruse. It always was. What he longed for was something that she could happily give to him. As a subject of Joseon, even as a foreigner, it was her duty to give into his desires. It was the one thing she could do to help tampen the madness that was already starting to brew inside of him. 

She couldn’t deny him, even if she wanted to.

Folding the note away, she slipped it into the sleeve of her robe. “I will be there as His Highness wishes,” Kali replied, already moving back into her estate. 

“B-But, My Lady...His Highness, the Crown Prince, said that I should escort you personally.”

She glanced at the messenger over her shoulder, cutting her eyes at him. All he could do was stand frozen in terror before a dark smile spread over her full lips. “His Highness will receive me when I am ready to be received. He knows I have been traveling and need to change.” Kali began closing the gate. “I will see him soon.”

The messenger swallowed the lump in his throat, fearing more for his life than for the lack of her presence accompanying him on the way back to the palace. But if he was smart, he would relay her words exactly as she said them to the Crown Prince. He would know the meaning behind them and he would be patient for her. Otherwise there was no meaning or value to their relationship in the first place.

Pulling the pin from her hair, her dark tresses fell about her neck and shoulders as she entered her manor. It wouldn’t take her long to gather up the herbs and oils needed for a nice soak in the bath. As for her clothing choice, Kali knew she would have to pick something shimmery but tasteful. 

Even if her robes would not be on her person for very long.

It was late and he’d dismissed his servants for the evening. There were the standard guards posted outside of his palace entrance, but other than that, he was completely alone. The Crown Princess requested to see him, for him to spend the night at the Magnolia Pavilion, but Yoon refused. He would see his wife another night. But not tonight. 

Tonight was reserved for one person and one person only. 

Yoon paced inside of his personal chambers for what felt like hours. Every so often, he would reach up to bite his thumbnail both from impatience and aggravation. It would be a lie to say that his anger hadn’t flared when the messenger returned with Kalina’s words. As impertinent as he imagined her tone to be, he knew that what she spoke was the truth. Kalina was not a person of Joseon and, as such, not one of his people. 

She held a certain level of autonomy within the Joseon Royal Court because of her standing with the King. Whispers of him being bewitched by the foreign soothsayer spread throughout the different Noble Factions. But everyone also knew how faithful the King was to the Queen. He had two royal consorts, but the Queen always had his father’s favor above the others. The other two concubines were arranged marriages from two different court factions. Yoon’s own wife was a member of the Western Faction of Nobles.

As it stood, no one in the royal family could marry someone outside of their own country. Not like in the times of their ancestors, when Kings were warriors and legends were carved in stone; immortalizing them forever. Joseon was a strict nation; even more so after the Goryeon Empire crumbled to the ground. But if Yoon could have his way, he would pass an edict that allowed him to marry someone outside of their own nation state.

For his own selfish reasons, of course.

Flopping onto the silk cushion behind his desk, Yoon grunted. He was growing more and more impatient. How long was she planning to make him wait?

Just as he was preparing to mentally chastise her, energy warped in the far corner of his room. The Crown Prince stood, the steady beat of his heart escalating as the color palette in one part of his room began to shift. Saliva collected around the inside of his mouth as Yoon slowly stood from the floor. 

This wasn’t the first time.

This wasn’t the second time.

Kalina rarely came to him in this fashion, but when she did, it never got old.

He could watch her enter through that portal like a timeless dream until he ceased to exist.

The first thing he saw were her sleeves; a deep, rich purple spun from the finest silk and trimmed in silver. Her lithe fingers, modestly decorated with stone rings, reached into the space that occupied his chambers. The rest of her entered his room, her skin like chestnuts freshly plucked as her raven hair danced about her shoulders - just barely hidden beneath the softness of the robes she wore. She was barefoot, her toes peeking out from beneath the hems of her dress; the aroma of rose petals and lavender oils permeating his senses.

Sweat prickled along the back of his neck, her own neck bare save for a single jade pendant that hung from a thin black chain. She dipped her head slightly, looking up at him from beneath a hooded gaze. Kalina’s long lashes accentuated the forest green of her eyes, cheeks slightly tinted a soft pink from either the warmth or a flush at seeing him.

He didn’t care which it was. 

The portal closed behind her with a mere wave of her hand. The magic that existed there almost seemed to vanish, but he could sense the power that circulated through her blood. Her arms swept out to either side of her as she delicately lowered herself to the floor. Everything fluttered around her, the candle flames dancing at her mere presence. Her head was bowed, but he could still see the smile on her face; like she’d succeeded in trapping the greatest game the likes of which man had ever seen. 

Like any warrior, Kalina seemed to hold no such openings for Yoon to exploit. Yet she could pierce through every single one of his defenses. All it took was one simple phrase.

“Kalina Shuri is here, my Crown Prince,” she said, a bell-like lilt in her voice. Kalina lifted her face as he stared pointedly down at her. “...I am here, Lee Yoon.”

The trigger was always his name. His true name. 

No one was allowed to whisper it. Not even his own wife. His parents set that name aside when he was elevated to the rank of Crown Prince. Lee Yoon disappeared from within the palace walls. 

Only this exquisite creature before him, a being who seemingly had not aged since he was a child, dared to call him by name.

Yoon launched himself from the other side of the room, intent on laying his hands over every single inch of her. But just as he was less than a meter away, something stopped him. His body was rigid and no matter how hard he grunted, he was unable to break free. Wide eyes moved to look at Kalina, watching as the woman held her hand out at him - palm facing outward. There was a soft vibration in the air that sang over his skin, causing the hairs on the back of his arm to prickle. Sweat slid down the column of his neck, disappearing beneath his robes.

“Kalina,” he managed to choke out, feeling the veins starting to pop near his temple. Yoon’s eyes narrowed as she slowly rose from her seated position. “Release me at once.”

She was standing at her full height and was still a full head shorter than him. Yet in that body thundered supernatural power that only existed in myths and legends. That same power that was holding him bound in place, unable to take a single step toward her. Instead, she smirked, inching her way forward as the sleeves of her robe slid off just a bit to bare a shoulder to him. 

“Now, now, Seja Cheo-ha,” Kalina said, the bell tone replaced with something deep and velvety, “the night is still young and I have not seen you in weeks.” She leaned forward, pressing her nose into the curve of his jaw. Her scent filled his lungs instantly, breathing her in at the exact moment she breathed him in. “Let me have a look at you, hm?”

This was torture. Yoon should have her flogged, but the way she plucked him like a brand new harp was deliciously unfair.

“Release me now, Kalina,” Yoon half-snarled as he felt the tip of her tongue press against his throat, “you jest far too much.”

Her hand glided over his shoulder, teasing at the baby hairs near the back of his neck. Kalina lifted her face to peer into his eyes and had it not been for her spell, he would have lost his ability to stand completely. The sorceress pouted. “But you’re going to be leaving for a long journey soon, are you not?” He shouldn’t have been surprised, but the expression appeared anyway. “Is that not why you summoned me?”

Yoon frowned. She was going to make him beg. This was outlandish.

“Will you have me beg, woman?” The question showcased his ire, but this only caused her smile to widen.

“A lowly being such as myself would never request such a thing,” Kalina whispered, her hand gesturing over his body.

What spell held him was lifted. Upon his release, he grabbed her and harshly tackled her onto his plush bedroll. The sorceress released a soft giggle, failing to abate his anger. He hadn’t pinned her arms down and she took the initiative to reach up and pull at the small pin that held his hair in place. His white-blonde tresses fell around his shoulders like a soft curtain of wheat and he felt a ripple slip down his spine. 

Her fingers combed through his hair and for a while, neither of them spoke. Only the hushed sounds of their breaths existed between them. He lifted one hand up to press the pads of his fingers against the soft skin around her jaw. He let his thumb dip in between her lips and Yoon released a soft hiss when he felt her bite down around the digit. The loose-fitting robes suddenly felt too tight as his erection threatened to rub itself raw against the silk.

Removing his hand from her face, he slid it between the loose fabric nestled around her legs. He could feel her heat and his brows lofted when he realized how bare her attire actually was. Her flush-kissed cheeks grew a deeper shade of pink and he flashed her a predatory smirk. 

“Were you preparing yourself for me?”

Kalina huffed an impetuous laugh. “Isn’t it a servant’s duty to always know the needs of one’s master?”

He bit back a groan. Her words were like a spider’s web, trapping him further. The harder Yoon struggled, the more he was ensnared. 

Tearing at her clothes like a wild animal, every layer was peeled away to expose her sweat-tinged skin to him. He saw her lifting her hand, reaching out toward where the candles were, but he swiftly snatched at her wrist to stop her. She lifted a brow at him, aptly curious as to his intentions.

“No,” he whispered, bringing her hand up so he could press a soft kiss to the inside of her palm, “leave the light.” He grazed his teeth along the center of her hand, giving it a sharp nip. “I want to have a look at you.”

Leaning forward, he pressed his face along the valley of Kalina’s breasts; soft, pugnacious and full of warmth. He could feel the thrum of her heartbeat against his nose and he trailed his tongue between her breasts, a lascivious hunger threatening to burst from his entire body. Yoon’s hand fondled one mound and he used his other hand to pull at the ribbons keeping his robe cinched to his body. He ached for her. Yearned for her to release him from his demons.

Because only she could and she knew it.

His silk trousers fell easily off his waist and he kicked them from his legs in haste. Reaching behind him, he pulled his dark blue robes off his body and tossed them to the side; abandoned with Kalina’s own robes. He was hard and ready, his hands coated in her juices as he reached down to play with her folds. Decreed by the Heavens to rule, Yoon could only see himself worshiping this witch that lay bare in front of him.

Her fingers curled into the hair at the crown of his head, urging him forward as he pressed kisses along her stomach. He turned to press his teeth into the tender skin of her inner thigh and he smiled when he heard the gasp push from her throat. Inhaling deeply, he relished in her womanly scent before diving into her velvet heat to have his late night snack. 

Yoon swirled his tongue over her clit, the taste of her enough to get him intoxicated. The glistening moisture around her thigh made his mouth water. He wanted to draw as much sound from this woman as he could. He would never tire of this taste; this aroma. She smelled sweet and dangerous. A deadly draught.

She was a poison that he would happily drink, the promise of unparalleled ecstasy at the core of her being.

Her moans permeated the room, lost along the silk folding screens and the sheer curtains as her own sweat soaked into the silk bedroll. She quivered under his touch, his kiss, from everything he was doing to her and more. He pulled back from her folds, his lips shining with the leftovers of her essence and proof of the meal he’d indulged in. Kalina moved to kiss him, but Yoon stopped her with a gentle clasp of his fingers around her throat - bearing the brunt of his weight on his other arm that was braced just on the other side of her head. 

Yoon selfishly licked his lips, cleaning his mouth of every drop of her. He wouldn’t share. Not even with her and it was hers to begin with. He teased her folds with the tip of his erection as he felt her hips rise up to meet his own with a subtle push. His teeth snapped as he hissed, his dark eyes meeting her smoldering greens. He had her where he wanted her. Where he needed her. The level of restraint he was holding back made his arms tremble.

The look on her face, that look, was for no one else. Just him. The way her heart beat in her chest? It was for him. Kalina was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen in his life. The way the candlelight flickered across her body, cascading golden rays like the morning sun long her skin, was surreal. It was unfair. Why had the gods done this to him? Created a woman so blindingly beautiful with enough power to make any fearless man’s blood run cold? And he could not have her the way he wanted her; could not possess her the way he desired.

There were feral noises coming from Yoon as he leaned upward. Moving to his knees, he grasped Kalina’s hips and pulled her toward him. Her green eyes danced from the firelight and it nearly stole his breath away. 

“Yoon-ah,” she half-sobbed, causing Yoon’s erection to swell even more. He was going to shatter and be dust in the wind if she said his name that way again. All it would take was one more croon from her voice and he would be ruined.

Ruined as he’d been ruined time and again by the sorceress.

He could stand it no longer! Yoon held her hips in his hands as he lowered his body. “Not yet,” he murmured, his hooded gaze roving over her body, “wait for me, Kalina…” His own form trembled as he settled her over the head of his throbbing erection.

Yoon bit down on the lower swell of his lip, holding her steady as her legs seemed to open up even further for him. He was drunk off her scent, his vision growing hazy for only a split second before righting itself.

Rolling his hips, he couldn’t help the narcissistic smirk that painted over his features as her legs moved to knock into his sides in an almost vain attempt to wrap them around him. Her heat squeezed him in a multitude of ways and the pleasure that he coaxed out of her was intoxicating - her mewls of strained lust urging him onward with each moment he drove into her. The sorceress’ nails dug into his biceps, gliding up the sweat-soaked surface up to his shoulders before grasping onto the meat of the muscle there.

Tiny puffs of air lifted from her swollen lips - lips that he’d teased and pulled at with his fingers. She was getting close and so was Yoon. His tempo accelerated gradually, a low growl pushing from his throat as he watched her rutting her hips against the slickness of his shaft - their pelvic bones crashing into each other with unbridled need.

Her cry of desperation echoed throughout the room, filling the space both around and between them. This spurred him on, reaching the edge of his own need for release as he felt the stinging pain of her nails dragging along his skin. There would be marks but it was of no consequence to him. He would deal with them before he began his journey. There would be questions but no answers would be given. 

Heat spread through, filling her with everything until he was well and truly spent. The young woman beneath him had already succumbed to the pleasure she was given, her orgasm making her limbs grow weak.

Bucking his hips into her one more time, Yoon rode out the rest of his aftermath before slipping out of her with ease.

Rolling onto his side, he pulled Kalina with him so that she could nestle into the crook of his arm. For a while, all they did was share in heavy breathing as they attempted to recover. Yoon didn’t worry about falling asleep and someone finding them in that state in the morning. Kalina always left before the break of dawn, something that he mourned in the darkest corner of his heart. But decorum was standard in the Joseon Royal Court, something even he must adhere to.

He closed his eyes as her fingers traced over his brow, sweeping a few sweat-soaked locks from his cheek and tucking them behind his ear. Taking in another deep breath, he brought her just a bit closer to savor her warmth and scent.

“My poor, sad Prince,” she whispered, causing his eyes to snap open as he peered at her. Her expression looked solemn and Yoon wondered if Kalina was about to go to that far away place he could never reach. “So much pain. So much sorrow.” Her fingers, once again, combed through his hair. “So...unnecessary.”

Kalina’s words were cryptic. They always were. But they held a deeper meaning somehow.

“When you were a child, you were afraid, weren’t you?”

Yoon blinked, his lips parting slightly. “What nonsense do you speak, Kalina?”

Her eyes lingered on his for a handful of seconds before she pulled at his hair, pressing it between her fingers. “Your hair wasn’t always this fair. Once, it was darker than black.” It wasn’t a question. “Stories of unrest in the palace reached your ears. The struggles of your father in his youth before he was placed on the throne.” Her eyes lifted to look into his face. “Stories of bloodshed.”

An angry knot of pain began to form in Yoon’s chest. She didn’t need to finish this story. He knew it better than anyone. Being the oldest prince guaranteed that he was the next to obtain the crown. And while he had younger siblings, they were all princesses or far too young to even begin taking steps toward resting it away from him; his birthright. 

But the fear was still there, gnawing at the back of his mind. His fear led to impulsive decisions. One of them being the ingestion of poisons. Not just one type, but multiple types. All at once. At the age of nine, he nearly died. The physicians were beginning to think that there was no hope.

The Heavens, however, had other plans. They helped him to survive; overcoming his own crazed attempts at ending his life. The result? His hair transformed from jet black to platinum blonde. It happened over the course of one week. There was no explanation for it other than his own body’s form of retaliation to the death that attempted to claim him.

Yoon was officially installed as the Crown Prince the following year.

He was pulled from his thoughts as he felt Kalina’s fingers slowly moving from above his right brow and down below his eye. They stopped just at the halfway mark from his lips and mouth. Something crossed her features, a somber expression, and he could only look upon her with mild wonder.

“This face will be marred someday,” she whispered softly, “but that day will not be tomorrow or the day after.”

Yoon sputtered a small laugh. “Mine will, you say?” He let his hand rest at the curve of her hip. “I’ve trained my body and mind extensively, sorceress. Unless it is you, no one would be able to get close enough to harm me.”

Because she was the only person he ever lowered his defenses for.

“You are a powerful and cunning young tiger, it is true,” came her gentle reply, “but that does not mean that your tail cannot be grabbed.”

His eyes narrowed. He wanted to question her; to demand an answer and determine the reasoning behind her ominous words. It was a warning, clearly. But a warning of what?

Before he could ask, however, Kalina was already pulling herself from his embrace and retrieving her robes. He sat up slowly, grabbing his own robe and draping it over his shoulders. Shuffling to his desk, he retrieved the hairpin and waited for her to finish wrapping herself up. Just as she cinched the wide silk waistband around her midsection, he began to pull up her hair. Her head turned slightly but he used his hand to keep her head facing forward. 

“My Prince?”

“Shh,” he hushed, moving to gather up her thick waves in one hand, “let me do this for you.”

She hummed her assent, waiting for him to finish. It only took a handful of seconds to fully secure her hair in the pearl hairpin. Her hand moved to trace her fingers over the hair ornament and she glanced over her shoulder at him. 

“Is it beautiful?” she asked while smiling up at him.

“It pales in comparison to you, sorceress, but it will have to do.” 

Yoon cupped her chin in his hand, lifting her face up to meet his as he captured her lips in his own. They were dangerously close, but he held himself back. If he pursued any further, he would not let her leave.

He would cage her forever.

He watched her rise gracefully from the floor, the hem of her robes sweeping over the bamboo flooring. Every single curve of her form defied logic and as he watched her opening up the portal to leave, part of Yoon truly did want to capture her; to claim her as his and no one else’s. It was a selfish, hungry and dangerous desire, but it was there all the same. He could not ignore it. 

With a soft gaze, she smiled and dipped her head low. “Your journey will be free of perils and you will obtain success. Have no fear, my Crown Prince.”

And like a dream, she disappeared into the void, dousing the candle flames and leaving Yoon to ponder her words as everything plunged into darkness.

[randomnameless]

Any Fodlan AUs?

Nightmare in the Kitchen AU

Gordon goes to the monastery - it’s a big restaurant where young trainees and apprentices come from all around the world to become chiefs

But suddenly its reputation started to decline.

Trainee Dimitri insists on cooking even if he cannot taste. As a result, he doesn’t understand when someone tells him that no, random weeds and Salicornia can’t be swapped. He cooks a lot for the charities activites of the monastery, basically giving food to homeless people and orphans, but since most of it is, at best, bland, he doesn’t meet a lot of success.

Trainee Edel pushes for Adrestian cuisine calling other types of cuisine offshoots but at the same time she despises the star system, a chef can be a good chef even if they don’t have any stars, right? Her second, often threatens anyone who eats her food to give her praises, so actually, she doesn’t know if people genuinely enjoy her dishes or if they’re afraid of Hubert.

Trainee Claude’s most likely curious and loves to mix and match ingredients you don’t put harissa in your sauerkraut ffs!) that shouldn’t be, but uses a lot of olive oil everywhere, hinting that he is familiar with a certain type of cuisine but won’t reveal anything. For some strange reasons, his dishes aren’t horrible, but they never match with what’s written on the menu.

Gordon tries to reason them a bit and ask them to follow the menu and make a Garreg Mach Pie, Dimitri messed with the salt, Edel refused to use Faerghus Cheese and used instead Adrestian Parmesan Cheese with awful results, it doesn’t have the same texture and taste, and Claude made a destructured Pie swapping potatoes with lentils.

Gordon meets Seteth and they both freak out because at this rate, the restaurant is going to close.

Rhea asks them to have faith in the students, and watches with interest a promising young chief, Billy, whose meals are really bland. As a result everyone eats them, but they’re not returning to the restaurant because you don’t pay to eat something that’s not specially good or bad.

Manuela, who’s in charge of the wine cellar, suggests he take a drink, but when Gordon notices Manuela’s drinking the reserves and bottles meant for the customers, he immediately refuses.

At the end of the week, he gives up and returns home.

[zaffrenotes]

Mercy Park Crew: A Fruitful Endeavor

A/N: My final submission for RoDAW on Day 7 - Anything Goes. Huge thanks to @brightpinkpeppercorn @choicesarehard @client-327 @carreraleigh (I think you were poeticscolt?) and @queenkaneko for hosting - it’s been so much fun writing and reading, and chatting with you all! 

Here is a ... thing ... spawned the other night after a group chat that went completely haywire, lol. Special thanks to @the-blind-assassin-12 and the RoDAW Sleepover Crew for bits and pieces that made it into this 😂

What would happen when the MPC goes grocery shopping?

Set in a future AU where the Brotherhood is behind bars, the MPC (sans Teppei) is together at Kaneko Auto Body (Colt found insurance papers or something and rebuilt the garage, I dunno) and MC is back for the summer after her first year of college.

Rating: PG (language)

Word Count: 1900

MC rolls into KAB the day after she gets back to LA, excited to see everyone

They want to celebrate! with a cookout!

Toby’s built a grill out of an old oil drum and they have a little corner of the property set aside with a picnic table to eat outside

Ximena peeks at the fridge and gets after the guys for eating all the food she stocked THREE DAYS AGO

They get into a heated debate over what to grill while MC is already scribbling a shopping list

MC: Logan, can you go to h-mart and get a few things for meeeee?

Colt swipes the list from Logan and rushes off towards his bike

Logan: moron, how are you carrying the groceries back? There’s watermelon on the list, FFS

Colt grumbles and sets the stand down on his bike, tucks the list in his pocket

He yells at Logan for not stopping the car and trips into the open door; they drive off

Toby, Mona, Ximena turn to MC - was that the whole list?

MC: nah, I just gave them a bunch of random things to buy. Let’s head to Ralph’s!

The rest of them handle the actual grocery shopping; Toby begs to detour to Trader Joe’s first; Ximena heads past Ralph’s because she likes TJ’s cold brew coffee

COLT AND LOGAN AT H-MART

They each get their own baby cart (the ones that look like two baskets stacked on top of each other) and Colt hastily rips the list in half

Colt: last one to the registers has to pay for everything

They both start racing through the aisles to get everything on MC’s list, but it’s really random and Colt didn’t tear it well so he’s missing words from his half

He finds Logan in the produce section, wielding a massive watermelon over his head while shoppers around him scramble for watermelons

A little old lady bumps into Logan and nearly loses her balance; he drops the melon to keep her from falling and it splits at his feet all over the floor

everyone stares at him and he scampers off, leaving his cart behind; casually walks over to Colt and starts pushing Colt’s cart away

Logan: uhh...let’s get the fruit and veg... last...

They’re silent the entire time they walk through the aisles; Logan defaults to Colt for some things like soba noodles and mirin, but they have to stop and look for [specific brand of Kimchi they can’t read b/c the writing is smudged]

Logan asks an employee for help

Asks in English - employee just stares at him

Asks in Spanish - employee nods and answers in Korean, pointing to the back of the store and motioning with their hands where to find it

Logan nods and responds with “daedanhi kamsahamnida” and starts walking in the direction the employee pointed to

Colt stares the whole time, dumbfounded by the exchange

Logan, shrugging his shoulders: you pick it up after a while

They find the kimchi and head back to the produce section; Colt tosses in boxes of Pocky when Logan isn’t looking

TJ’s WITH MC, MONA, XIMENA, AND TOBY

Toby’s been asking to sample products every 2 minutes and he’s completely sugared up

Toby: Guys looooook! Gummy bears! In a pool of chocolate!!!

Mona: ohmygod just get it already and let’s get out of here, all these people are annoying me

She casually tosses things like organic hummus, chili lime mango, and shakshuka starter into the cart

MC raises her eyebrows at the last item Mona added

Mona: it’s $2 a box and way cheaper than making it from scratch at home. I’m not forking over $12 at some hipster spot.

The ladies collectively sigh as Toby adds MORE cookies and sweets to the cart

Ximena wheels the cart around after she gets her cold brew; “no more candy!” 

Toby drops 3 jars of cookie butter into the cart

Ximena: okay fine. NOW we’re done.

BACK TO COLT AND LOGAN

They’re standing in front of the cabbage display, looking perplexed. Colt’s typing furiously into his phone to text MC, but she’s not answering

Logan: green? red? napa? is this for slaw or salad or more kimchi?

Colt: fuck if I know, she’s not answering... but she’s sure as hell posting clips of shopping at TJ’s on Pictagram!

They get one of each kind of cabbage. 

Same argument over pears and apples; the list just reads “5 apples” and there are at least a dozen different kinds

Logan: did you even know apples were yellow? what the hell’s a pink lady?

Colt: I buy Fuji, that’s it, the end. *looks at one of the bags Logan’s filled* I swear to god if you don’t put those mealy ass street apples back, this trip is over

Logan: StReEt ApPlEs?!

Colt: those red delicious ones that...aren’t... 

Logan: First of all, I drove us here... second of all, d’you think she means Asian pears for apples? cause they look like apples

Colt: *glares at Logan* Nashi are NOT apples

Logan tries texting MC for more info; while waiting for a reply he juggles a few/does that thing where you roll an object down your arm and snap it into the air when it hits your wrist

MC texts Logan a string of emojis that make no sense

They settle on 5 Asian pears and Fuji apples, then stare at the last item on the list

tuna... under fruit category

Colt: she’s trying to trick us, isn’t she

Logan: maybe it means something different?

Colt: I’m getting fish

Colt heads to seafood counter while Logan finds another employee (Latino guy unloading lettuce); they speak rapidly in Spanish and he finds out it’s another name for cactus/prickly pear, and adds a few to the very random cart

Finds Colt looking at the fish tanks and says they should pick up ice for drinks and stuff

The cart can’t fit all the ice, so Logan has to carry a bag in his arms

They pass a frozen case of D U R I A N on the way to the register and just look at each other; Colt looks for a good one and without a word, adds it to the cart and they walk on

The checkout girl smiles and blushes when Logan sets down the bag of ice; the store is warm and the ice has been melting so now his shirt is wet and clinging to his abs

He grins at her and she blushes even more; Colt rolls his eyes

Logan laughs when he sees all the Pocky 

Logan: you look hangry Colt...do you need to open some of your Pocky now?

Colt: whatever asshole, I know you took the last one from my office the other day

Logan: the strawberry ones are better, you know

Colt: you would think that

they’re both wrong, Yan Yan is the bomb and they need schooling on snacks

Total comes up on the register; Logan just looks at Colt, rocking back on his heels. Colt hands over a wad of bills (he IS the boss, after all)

BACK AT THE GARAGE

Toby and Ximena are setting up the grill, MC’s seasoning/marinating things, and Mona’s reluctantly chopping veggies, but she stops when Logan and Colt return

MC: ooooh, what’s that spiky thing?

Colt & Logan: durian

MC asks who found the prickly pear and Logan smiles/nods at her; she gives him a kiss on the cheek and Colt slams the fridge door shut

Mona leaves because the durian’s starting to stink up the garage

MC asks about the watermelon; Logan forgot to get another one after dropping the first one

She brings the food out to Xi and Toby, leaving Logan and Colt alone

The pair of them decide to cut open the durian and have an eating contest before dinner

Mona, near the door: I can smell that thing from here! It’s 90 degrees in the shade! What’s wrong with you two?!

Ximena: should we stop them?

Mona: *smirks* Don’t you fucking dare.

MC decides she wants to try it too

Colt takes off his jacket and hides it in his office because jesus this thing STINKS

He splits it open with a huge knife and they all groan at the smell wafting from it

MC: why....why does it smell like hot garbage?

Logan: 50/50 chance it’ll taste good, but it smells. it smells so bad.

Colt: chickening out already?

Logan: not a chance!

Colt: first one to tap out has to clean up everything tonight, including you, MC

Mona and Ximena place bets

Colt divvies up slivers of the fruit onto 3 paper plates

He’s already fighting his gag reflex

Logan eats a piece first and can’t keep a straight face as he forces it down - “it tastes like rotten onions”

Colt eats a piece and says it tastes like an actual dumpster fire in his mouth

MC has a worried look on her face, looking at what’s on her plate and up at the guys; Logan has tears in his eyes trying to eat another piece, Colt looks like he’s going to throw up

She eats a small piece, making a face at the texture, and chews...then smiles at them - “very funny guys, this stuff is amazing!”

Logan and Colt stare at her and cough, trying to keep the food down

Logan: what are you talking about?

MC: it tastes like a banana, melon, and pineapple had a custard baby!

She eats a larger piece with a happy look on her face

Logan and Colt take pieces from her plate and try it; they both spit it out

Colt: I’m gonna die. I’m seriously gonna die.

Logan: IT TASTES LIKE FEET!

Toby walks in and cringes - what DIED in here?! - he runs over to his station, throwing things around in search of something. Thrusts his hand up when he finds a respirator and puts it on, then goes into the kitchen to get tongs and runs out

MC has picked up half the open durian and starts eating it like it’s a damn ice cream sundae while Logan and Colt continue to gag; Colt’s face is red and Logan’s sweating

MC encounters a bad piece: Garlic! Gym socks! Make it stop make it stooooooop!!!

This makes Colt cough up the last piece in his mouth

Logan slams his fist on the table to finish the last piece from his plate

MC is still fanning her tongue to avoid tasting anything, but her plate is clear

They all look at the piece Colt spit out - it looks like a weird banana slug on the table

Logan: YOU NEED TO EAT THAT OR YOU FORFEIT

Colt shudders and picks up the last piece; he clenches his jaw as he tries to eat it again but it’s all mushed up and he just CAN’T

He concedes defeat THIS TIME and they put the rest of the durian in the freezer for MC to take home

MC says she’ll help Colt clean up anyway, rules be damned

The three of them start walking to the front of the garage to leave, stinking to high heaven

Mona: I’ll use the power washer on all three of you if you don’t stay downwind

MC, Logan, and Colt have to eat at a rickety lawn table and have to yell to talk to Toby and Ximena

Everyone wonders where Mona went mid-way through dinner, but they keep eating

BONUS SCENE

Mona waited for everyone to leave the garage before grabbing a few snacks from her purse 

She managed to pay for a few secret things while MC and Ximena were trying to stop Toby from buying everything...and hides them in a compartment under the pool table

Colt hides Pocky in the filing cabinet in his office

Logan keeps his snacks in his toolbox

Ximena hides her food with her tattoo gear, knowing none of them would dare touch her things

Toby’s snacks are all over the place, but he doesn’t mind sharing

Tag List: @akrenich @ao719 @debramcg1106 @likethetailofacomet @thecordoniandiaries @50shadesofgrayx @choicesthot @desiree-0816 @emichelle @fairydustandsarcasm @god-save-the-keen @going-down-downtown @ifyouseekheart @indiacater @iplaydrake @jovialyouthmusic @ladynonsense @leahlahote @leelee10898 @lilmissperfectlyimperfect @long-gone-girl @lovehugsandcandy @liamzigmichael4ever @omgjasminesimone @domesticatedantelope @rhymesmenagerie @riseandshinelittleblossom @tmarie82 @umiumichan @walkerismychoice @twin-skltns @scgdoeswhat

[eisforeidolon]

Episode: Nihilism

Then: Michael gloats about how no one spent any time questioning why he previously vamoosed for no reason. It's such a clever gotcha … for the writers to lampshade their own incompetence of making the characters somehow ignore a giant plot hole anyone who isn't permanently concussed questioned endlessly. One I still question, because Michael's “plan” to leave and then arbitrarily come back to break Dean's will … somehow … makes no sense and screws around with angel lore yet again.  

Anyway.

Now: I did actually mostly enjoy this episode, aside from a few not-entirely-minor quibbles.  

First, I have to say:  Wow, the actress who plays Pamela looks almost exactly the same.  Also, this is the kind of cameo I actually really love when the show does!  It doesn't make death meaningless or have the characters accept a replacement goldfish substitute from an alternate universe as the same person (as creepy as that is).  Yet it still allows us to revisit old favorite characters.  

I liked the smug – almost gleefully so – way that Jensen played Michael.  It actually largely mitigated how easy it was for the rest of the team to capture him for me, which I kind of expected to be annoyed by.  He's exactly the kind of villain to monologue instead of just getting on with killing everybody.  It also mostly fits that he doesn't take them terribly seriously and so isn't prepared for their alternate holy oil molotov plan.  As well as how he's more vaguely interested in examining the cuffs than actually concerned when they do bind him – and not only in light of how he has his own backup plan.  There's still the slight hitch that having been in Dean's head, he should realize just how many other villains have gone belly up from not taking the Winchesters seriously?  But then, he is exactly the kind of villain that would think he's so far above all of them that he's obviously different – even when them includes an alternate version of himself.

That said, I was not impressed that inexplicably Castiel can no longer see reapers.  I swear, he gains and loses more powers on an episode by episode basis ... ffs.  Nor did I appreciate that said reaper suddenly was willing to act as a get-out-of-monster-hell free card.  Billie and the reapers wouldn't even step in to save their own from being killed in Funeralia (13.19) but now, LOL NON-INTERFERENCE?  NEVERMIND!  I mean, it just feels so lazy.  I give Yockey more credit than a lot of the current lot, and in the end it's partially a season-size pacing problem, but?  Imagine if instead they'd stretched this out to another episode and given Sam and the others the time to find a legitimate, clever way out of being trapped, with Michael taunting them all the while.  (I could happily watch a couple episodes' worth of just Michael mocking them all, tbh.)  Instead, they're cheat-teleported back to the bunker.  Heck, Yockey could have just gone with Michael being too smug to have bothered to have sufficient backup monsters!  That would work perfectly well, too.  I get maybe it was partially meant to bring reapers back to the audience's attention to prime us for the reveal at the end with Billie?  And maybe we’re meant to forgive it because the threat from the monsters is still on in the background?  But it just doesn't work for me.

Another thing that I actually can forgive because I think it fits with Michael's ego is not having enough imagination to give Dean more than one night at his fantasy bar that repeats over and over again.  Even if Cas and Sam hadn't broken in during this episode, Dean had already noticed having deja vu.  So on the one hand, it fits how smugly overconfident Michael is, on the other, it really is a stupid plan.  I did actually like that Dean's fantasy did still involve killing monsters – since I've always felt like his desire to be out of hunting was more tied to all of the issues with destiny and the apocalypse and all of that manipulation from cosmic forces and weight of the world stuff than the old-school routine of just saving individual people from individual monsters.

Ugh, Maggie.  Her being in charge for reasons here really is one of the dumbest things they've sprung on us yet.  The only good thing about the whole side meander with the AU!hunters is that I had been cringing at how, once again, I expected the mystically warded bunker to suddenly be just that easy for monsters to waltz into?  Yet instead, they actually weren't able to break in without having a turned hunter on the inside.  I really did appreciate that!

I'd seen several complaints about saying Dean “thrives” on trauma was annoying and insulting.  I kind of get that, especially in light of Ross-Leming's obtuse comment about Dean having antibodies against evil so they never have to deal with him being traumatized?  However, while I think perhaps there might have been better ways to phrase it, I think the meaning – that given something he actually knows to fight against, Dean is irrepressible – is clear enough from the context.  I did appreciate Sam figured out that's why Dean wouldn't be fighting, because he’d been put in a comfortable fake memory, as well as how he was able to identify which memory was the false one so quickly.  I thought it was a nice touch that the music went wonky in the background as Dean remembered what they were saying about Pamela was true.  As well as that it was Sam saying their code word that was the final clue slotting into place rather than Castiel's overblown speech.   While I can see where it might come off as a rip-off of the Ezekiel thing, I think the situations are sufficiently similar that it only makes sense for them to sort out in a similar way.  

Michael's imitation of Castiel was just as funny in context.  From what he said to Jack to what he said in Dean's head to Sam and Castiel, I think Michael was telling the truth, or more accurately, a version of the truth.  We all have certain nasty thoughts that linger in the back of our heads – resentments, annoyances, uncharitable thoughts – the ugliest version of ourselves.  I think Michael was picking and choosing out of that part of Dean to find the things it would hurt the most to say; not thoughts Dean never had, but thoughts that clearly didn't encompass what Dean felt overall.  Carefully chosen partial truths without context, specially tailored to hurt those they were aimed at as much as possible that would therefore also make Dean feel guilty, too.  If Michael had felt like this much of a character from the beginning...  Also, regular world Michael acted like allowing Dean to survive the experience of being possessed intact was some special boon, so this one making a point to say he's going to rip Dean apart on the way out being an additional consideration fits well enough.

While I like a good fight scene as much as anybody, if they're on equal footing because they're all just projections in Dean's head?  I actually think it should have been easier for them to take down Michael.  Sam, Dean, even Cas?  They all have plenty of experience getting their hands dirty in physical fights, whereas we've seen this Michael spend a lot more time actively avoiding them.  That, and I did actually find myself kind of mildly annoyed it was Sam and not Dean that was the one to physically shove Michael into the freezer.  Yes, the fight was a joint effort, and yes, Dean is the one actually keeping him contained in his mind when it comes down to it. However, with all that we got in the previous episode of Dean really wanting to personally strike back at Michael and how Sam had already played such a major part by figuring out how to get into Dean's head and drag him back to reality?  I felt like perhaps it would have been a more powerful moment if Dean had actually done the physical shoving as well.  I don’t think it was a big deal or anything, but ... meh.

Likewise pretty ambivalent about all of Michael's monsters just wandering off rather than continuing their attack at the end.  I get that they were all supposed to be under some kind of control, but it's just so very convenient.  When it's put on top of the teleport home earlier in the episode (and how they're such crappy monsters they couldn't even kill Maggie, dammit) …  Again, it didn’t ruin the episode for me, but after Michael was previously shown negotiating with certain monsters or offering them boons, but actually here it’s that he’s controlling them?  Michael’s plans and motivations have generally being fairly nebulous and vague all along, so this is just so par for the course I can’t even get that annoyed about it.

Similarly, while I appreciate them trying to tie the invasion of AU!Michael in as the consequences Billie warned Dean would come from universe-hopping?  It also seems like a fairly flimsy hand wave.  It's better than no attempt at all, leaving it as a hanging thread that was just dropped, but “this whole multi-versal quantum construct we live in, it's like  a house of cards and the last thing I need is some big dumb Winchester knocking it all down” seems like it should refer to the potentiality of something a little more colossal than yet another archangel with daddy issues.  Maybe that's just me.

As to the end where all the books about Dean's death have changed to have the same ending bar one?  Well, by the very concept, all the books can be changed.  So, when that one alternative to Michael destroying everything is clearly also awful, it seems the more prudent route to go would be to figure out how to make all the books change again as Plan A rather than going directly for Plan Horrorshow.  Not only have the Winchesters made a long-term habit of changing fate, but they've already done it in this specific way once – granted for the worse, but still, it's clearly possible.  

I feel like there was something else I meant to address about this one, but I didn’t make a note of it and I actually watched this a couple of days ago and I’m coming up completely blank. 

In the end, i feel like what really made me like this episode despite some obvious flaws was Jensen’s portrayal of Michael and the other characters’ reactions to him.  Which, honestly, just makes the fact that the season took so long to actually get here and give us something meaty from this storyline feel even less like any kind of reasonable choice.