#Trolls Under the lights au

[toasted-melow]

Something about those sillies-

[Still thinking about ship name-]

Techno met veneer when he was 16 years old and veneer was 17 years old he was more than a friend to him he always loved him so much as veneer felt the same back he trusted him in everything they were like 2 frogs stick together

After the twin get arrested he felt he was uses by veneer cuz he lied about his talent so he thought veneer was also lying at him for his feelings, so he worked on himself and get famous which it was 2 good years of him working on himself and healing himself and did all his best to forget about him even when the twin get shine again ✨️

He still has that Lil flame in his heart each time he looked at veneer he felt warm in his heart but does all his best to forget it

Does he really hate him that much?

Or it was just an overthink?

Might write more about those 2

(Dont worey They gonna get along at the end heheh)

[bluerosefox]

Summoning the Summoner

Another summoning/long lost family au but with twist!

So Damian and his class are at Gotham museum for a small field trip for a school project. Thing is none of them knew until it was too late that the new museum curator was part of a cult that had plans to kidnap and sacrifice this class of kids for some ancient god/deity/spirit.

Damian barely manages to send a message to one of his brothers and to the cave before being knocked out when he sees his classmates dropping from knocknout gas.

When he wakes up the preparations for the sacrifice are almost ready. Damian being the most prominent person in the class is going to be the one chosen first. He is then taken to the alter and it begins after the whole villain speech. Damian does manage to get out of his bindings and tries to fight back, does lead them on a merry little chase to get more time for his family to come, nothing to Robiny though, but is forcibly restrained again.

Just as they bring Damian back to the alter none of them notice, or rather, care that Damian was bleeding from getting hit when they recaptured him. None of them notice when the blood dropped from his chin onto the summoning circle because the Batclan (any) just dropped into the room.

They did notice however when the summoning circle started glowing beneath them however.

And none of the cultists had time to finish the summoning chant.

Meaning the summoning circle was not under their control.

And before any of them could do anything, they are all ripped away from the Mortal Realm and everyone, Damian, his class, the cultists, and the Batfam in the room are pulled into the Infinite Realms.

They are no longer in the warehouse they were about to be sacrificed in but in a throne room. Surrounded by glowing floating people and some don't even look human.

And sitting on the throne was a teenager with a shoulder wrapped cape made of stars and galaxies, a crown of ice, stars, and aurora borealis lights shifting in between them, about Damian's age, with white hair and glowing green eyes who looked rather shocked.

The reason? Both him and Damian shared the same face.

-x-x-

Danny was annoyed as heck.

Ever since his crowning it was like every magic user from legendary to mediocre got a notice that a new Infinite Realms King had been crowned and that gave them the go ahead and try to freaking Summon him!

Luckily refusing a summons was well within Danny's Ghost King rights, he's King now he does what he wants (Sam's wise words), and the only summonings Danny answered were his friends and family (Dani is such a troll with it though, butttttt it does get him out of those annoying meetings sometimes and they get to hang out wherever she decided to stop at), sometimes he'd answer the odd teenage morons just to scare them (it's always fun)

Although there were a few summonings outside of that, that he had answered. Thankfully he could sense what kind of summoner was summoning him and intent was always a huge thing. And those that didn't feel like insane fruitloops well... Danny's curiosity often took over.

So imagine his annoyance when he felt another summon happening in the middle of a meeting with his council. But also imagine his surprise when the normally tight demands on the summoning wasn't there...

That meant...

Oh Danny was going to have a lot of fun with this.

This meant they summoning but don't have control on which way the summoning was going to go. Meaning, Danny could reverse summon them to him instead.

With a wide grin he instantly waved his hand and the meeting room shifted to his throne room, might as well pull out all the stops and play the "Big Bag Ghost King"

He could see his council (and good friends and allies) raise their eyebrows at him or tilt their heads but could also sense the attempted summonings power of him and knew he had something planned.

With a short laugh, Danny raised his hand, grasped on the invisible summoning line, and pulled.

Now he was expecting a good amount of people, the summoning felt large so that normally meant cultists but he was expecting so many! Heck some looked to be teenagers his age, and a few oddly dressed people besides the cultists! Oh boy did that mean sacrifices?! Well he'll be happy to put those cultists in their place if that was the case.

But first, find the summoner. Separate them from the group and -

Oh... why... why does he have Danny's face?!

Danny took a quick look at the normally invisible to everyone but him Summoning line and almost choked when he saw it was a sibling line, a blood sibling line.

[partywithoutsmiling]

Another AU that has been knocking around my mind for a while XD I call it Moonlit AU

It can be summed as such: Pop Trolls are pretty wild bunch when it comes to looks, varying in colours, flocking/fur patterns, glitter, freckles, hair, you name it

It got me thinking, what sort of thing would they find attractive in prospective partner? While singing/harmonizing could be a part of it (and ngl, that did made me think of the Happy Feet movies, as silly as those were), my mind turned towards more physical attributes

Thus, this AU was born- where one of the reasons why Pop trolls like to be most active at night (to party) is that a Moon's Light also allows them to appreciate fur/flocking patterns otherwise hidden, where the complexity and style varies from troll to troll, as is thought to show one's inner self

Contrary to what one would expect from the Princess (and future Queen) of Pop, Poppy's patterns are rather simple- but striking nonetheless, firm and bold stripes, like taking a wide brush to a canvas- straightforward but chaotic in their hardly orderly fashion Poppy struts her patterns; they are unique and dominant among the general showing of swirls, polka dots and flower like spottings She is aware her stripes are not considered the most attractive of features- too similar to that of a predatory critter, too sharp for who is supposed to be cheerful queen of equally cheerful people- but she is a romantic at heart and believes that when it will be time to choose a consort, those physical features are surface-level importance at best, and this is the mentality she has going forward, looking at the glowing marks of her friends and considering them equally beautiful no matter what.

Until she manages to spot Branch one night outside under the full moon light that is.

Branch's pattern, in high contrast to Poppy, is far more complex. Symetrical but delicate in its filigree, and far more detailed than anything the Princess has ever seen before. Usually, Branch ventures out only on moonless nights, as he feels the glow of his marks are too visible, too dangerous to just show out and about, for every dangerous predator to see- and it is purely bad luck when bad weather caughts him outside longer than he would have liked, and Poppy manages to catch the sight of him while he is completely unaware he had been seen.

All her conviction flies right out of the window, as she looks at his delicate patterning and her mind just goes blank and - Oh

Usually she would have called out to him, ask him to come to a party- but she feels mesmerized, hypnotized by the elegance of the filigree, and her mind longs for a way to memorate it forever- with a photo, or a painting- and she stares at the entrance of his bunker long after he vanished inside, completely stupefied and wrong footed.

Before, Poppy hardly ever gave Branch a thought, when it came to this part of Pop Troll culture; as part of her, guiltily, sort of assumed that with his lack of colour, his patterning would be rather bland as well- and besides, it's not like he ever shown a desire to participate in courting dances.

But now she is left with sudden new, and unexpected feeling- her heart and breath going now a bit faster everytime she catches a glimpse of him from now on, her cheeks flushing and her tail wagging in excitement

(Her desk's drawer is filled with failed cut out scrapbook pieces of leaves and tiny detailed filigree, as she attempts to journal her sudden and new discover and cant get it quite right)

Tldr; Pop Trolls have fur/flocking patterns that appear only under the moon's light, and Poppy finds Branch's so irresistibly attractive she hardly knows what to do with herself

This pushes her to try and spend more time with him- just spend time with him, no trying to push him to go to parties with her or trying to get him to sing or hug

For his part, Branch is both secretly pleased his own crush is now paying more attention to him than to Creek (who is not happy with this development) but also holy shit Poppy is paying more attention to him, so it is kind of unnerving for him, freaking him out

[finnylemon]

🌲The Neverglade Trails🧊

More Below 🎉 Poppy meets John Dory??? Fic update as the adventure continues ✨️ EVERYONE forgets about Poppy's master manipulator skills? She knows just how to press Branchs every button and you KNOW that stuff would correlate directly onto the brothers, especially John >:3

I included a snipit from the fic of this scene >:3 enjoy!!

Not wanting to leave the pink troll to fend for herself in the approaching storm, John Dory hesitated on inviting her onboard. Poppy tore through the contents of her bag, taking out Branch's vest she had stashed in the knapsack.

She sharply inhaled as she held back tears, her ears folding back completely against her skull. She threw the garment aside, grabbing the thick leather book she had been carrying as well. She opened Branch's journal to the page she had turned to last: John Dory. Her eyes widened as she remembered the red ink that had scribbled out the page, scrawling “Do Not Contact” in Branch’s pristine handwriting.

“He was right.” Poppy croaked out, but it was loud enough for John Dory to catch on the wind. “You abandoned him. I don't know why I expected anything else…” Her ears stayed folded, her heart swelling with emotion. She couldn't let Branch down. She couldn't fail him. She let tears spill from her face as she started to sob, clutching the book and leafy vest in her hands as she folded over herself.

“I didn't abandon him.” John Dory sounded, alerting Poppy. She jolted, not having heard him approach. The wind had picked up quite a lot more, Poppy’s hair now beginning to blow into her face. “I went back to the Troll Tree. Everyone was gone.” John Dory pulled at his shirt collar, reliving his traumatic experience with this Troll he had met only minutes prior.

Poppy stared up at the older Troll, tears colliding with raindrops as they started to spill from the sky. John Dory’s hair and tail blew against the wind, giving him a more menacing presence than Poppy was ready for.

Lighting turned the sky white behind John Dory, reflecting off of Poppy's eyes as she didn't look away from the man above her. Her face stayed trained on a stare, unwavering from eye contact with the oldest of Branch’s brothers.

“That's what he said to Floyd.” Poppy’s voice strangely held no emotion. “That you abandoned him first.”

She could see that struck a nerve with John Dory, watching his brow furrow at the Pink Troll. Poppy pressed on the nerve. “And he’ll die still believing it.”

You can find her on AO 3 under "Finnylemon" OR "Alone Together (Floyd & Branch Trapped AU)"

[honeyhae-svt]

🎮Part-Time Lover | JxW 🎭 `~^\___TEASER___/^~`

JxW Fanfiction / Jeonghan & Wonwoo FF (SERIES)

Afab!Reader x Jeonghan & Wonwoo - MDNI Genre: Smut, CEO x Streamer, CEO x Employee, Gamer x Gamer, Streamer x Gamer, Streamer x Streamer, Enemies to Lovers(?), Friends to Lovers(?), Friends with Benefits, Slowburn, Angst, Romance, RomCom, Workplace Romance, Love Triangle(?), Slice of Life, Modern AU, (inspired by GAM3B01) ⚠️ WARNINGS ⚠️: explicit sexual content (18+, smut), alcohol consumption, mentions of drunken behavior, slight workplace power imbalance (CEO x Employee dynamic), strong language (profanity), cyberbullying/online hate (mentions of rumors, edited content), emotional manipulation (mild, e.g., jeonghan’s cold treatment), petty arguments (playful/tense, potential verbal sparring), depictions of stress/anxiety related to online and work life, light suggestive jokes/humor, mentions of romantic/sexual tension between characters, enemies to lovers-style tension (includes teasing, rivalry, jealousy), and my shitty writing (lol I hope y'all enjoy on this one) wc: 734

TEASER

🎮 "In a world where gaming isn’t just a hobby but a battlefield..." 🎭

By all accounts, your life shouldn’t be this complicated. You’ve mastered the double life effortlessly—or at least, that’s what it looks like from the outside.

By day, you’re the razor-sharp assistant to Jeonghan, a CEO whose reputation is as sleek as the tailored suits he wears. In the professional world, you’re known for your no-nonsense attitude, your precision, your ability to keep up with a man whose demands leave most people in the dust. By night, though, you’re a completely different force: Kitsunya. The streamer with a bite, whose persona is as sharp as her gameplay. You’ve carved out a name in a world that doesn’t give second chances, where every mistake—or perceived mistake—can uncover years of hard work.

And for a while, you had it all figured out. A rhythm. A balance. Two worlds, perfectly parallel, never touching. Until that night.

You don’t need anyone to remind you what happened—though your brain seems to enjoy doing it anyway. One drink too many, a kiss you didn’t mean to give, and suddenly, Jeonghan was no longer just your boss. He was the man you’d kissed. The man whose lips lingered far too long in your memory, though you can’t tell if it’s from embarrassment or something else entirely.

The fallout? Silent, subtle, but impossible to ignore.

Jeonghan hasn’t spoken a word about it since. But he didn’t have to. His actions say it all: the coffee runs to nowhere, the cold detachment, the subtle but deliberate way he keeps you at arm’s length. And yet, his eyes linger. Longer than they should. As if he’s waiting for you to say something—or maybe daring you not to.

But here’s the kicker: you’re not even sure you know what you’d say.

And then, there’s Wonwoo.

Oh, Wonwoo. The thorn in your side, the bane of your streams. The gamer who seems to have made it his life’s mission to get under your skin. What started as casual teasing during streams has evolved into full-on verbal warfare, the kind that has fans pulling out popcorn and hashtags. It should be easy to dismiss him as just another troll in your life, but there’s something about him that’s… infuriatingly magnetic. You hate that you’re even thinking about him right now.

The tension between you and Jeonghan is one thing. But now, people are starting to notice the dynamic between you and Wonwoo—particularly Jeonghan. You can feel it in the way his gaze sharpens when your name comes up, the way he watches your streams a little too closely. It’s not possessiveness, not exactly. But it’s something, and you’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel the heat from it.

Then, just when you thought things couldn’t get messier, the gaming world turned on you.

A viral clip. A doctored video accusing you of hacking. In a space where credibility is everything, the hit was personal. Haters piled on, armed with accusations and hashtags, while loyal fans fought to defend you. It was chaos. But you? You handled it like you always do—with a smirk, a quip, and a gameplay session that shut them all up.

Still, the stress is starting to seep in, and you don’t know how much longer you can keep your walls intact.

And then, Seungcheol happened.

A party, he said. Just a casual get-together for streamers and friends. You’d turned him down initially—your schedule was packed, and honestly, you weren’t in the mood to socialize. But Seungkwan and Hoshi wouldn’t let up, their constant nagging somehow finding its way into your streams and DMs. By the time the weekend rolled around, you found yourself with no choice but to show up.

So, here you are.

Jeonghan’s there, of course. Polished, poised, and watching you with an intensity that makes your skin prickle. Wonwoo’s there too, leaning against the bar with that infuriating smirk of his, as if he knows something you don’t. And the rest of your circle? Laughing, teasing, acting like life isn’t one giant chess game where every move feels loaded with meaning.

The night is young, and the air hums with the kind of energy that promises something big.

You thought boss battles in gaming were tough? This tension, unresolved feelings, and unexpected rivalries would be enough to make your hairs attached to your head fall out. Because the real game? It’s just getting started.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n: to make up the loss of my sudden-long vaca, i wrote this for the reader-anon who requested this ages ago (a wonwoo ff but i decided to add my lovely wife, jeonghan to the mix cause i love and miss him so fucking bad). and now, im making a teaser cause i feel bad for staying out far too long. i have a ton of works pending and im already on it cause like wtf i love writing and this has been on my head far too long. I HOPE YOU GUYS WOULD WANT TO READ THIS AND LMAO I HAVENT EVEN FINISHED OMC SERIES AND IM ALREADY MAKING ANOTHER ONE WTF ajwnruoenfguoaofa im making a masterlist, for those who wants to be added on the taglist reblog / comment on this post and you'll be automatically added ! TY FOR READING ILY GUYS SM

[st4rbe0m]

𖤐⭒๋࣭ ⭑ FIX THIS FIXER UPPER - YJW

🍀 now playing - fixer upper from disney's Frozen 🍀 contents - frozen au, from the fairytales collection - click on my masterlist for Hoon's version!! implied cheating (cuz of the hans fiance), light angst, emotionally constipated jungwon, implied kissing 🍀 wc - 1.1K 🍀 a/n - kristoff lowkey underrated as hell icl, might make a part 2 :p

masterlist

We're not sayin' you can change him 'Cause people don't really change We're only saying that love's a force That's powerful and strange

The ice in your heart is spreading and not only you, but even Jungwon is acutely aware of this fact, as his fingers dig into the reins of his reindeer. He knew as soon as you emerged from your older sister’s ice castle, shivering uncannily, that something was wrong. Not that shivering in July was anything odd - not with the predicament Arendelle was under. But it was the way your eyes were downcast and you were clutching your chest that sent a sense of emergency through him, and he knew only his adoptive grandfather - the Elder Troll would have the solution to their problem. The way the reindeer’s eyes would flit back to him, questioningly, made him remember how he was breaching all of his rules of getting close to others just for this princess - a princess who was already engaged, nonetheless. 

You were unimpressed as he stood in the middle of the clearing in the woods, surrounded only by some moss covered rocks. All your years of isolation did have you a bit clueless about the world around you, outside the vast castle that often seemed like prison than home. But you knew for a fact that moss covered rocks wouldn’t be able to thaw your heart. That was until the rocks began rumbling eerily, and tumbled down all at once, grindingly as they morphed into little creatures about a foot tall near yours and Jungwon’s legs. Several pairs of eyes blinked at you both, and then broke into a cacophony of voices and exclamations. “Jungwon’s back!” “Jungwon’s back and he brought a girl!”, were the common phrases being gleefully yelled by the trolls around you.

Jungwon and you were similar in the way you both were raised, in the sense of your shared loneliness. While being shut away in the palace due to your sister’s powers made you desperate for any sort of experience, Jungwon’s childhood with the trolls made him averse to people. But you both craved a little bit of love. And up till now you believed you had found it in the princely fiance you had waiting back for you at home. “Oh, I’m so happy to meet you dear! Gosh, we thought Wonie here would turn into a rock himself the way he hasn’t met anyone in all these years we’ve had him!”, said a troll with a kindly, motherly face. From the fond way she spoke about him, you could tell this was the troll that had adopted the role of being Jungwon’s mother. “Sorry, what?” you puzzled yourself. And the trolls who had obviously misread the situation seemed to understand this too. 

“Come on dear, I know he’s not the best, but he’s just a bit of a fixer upper!”. “Is it because of his cat-like tendencies?”. It seemed that the trolls had begun a musical recitation of all the ways Jungwon was a bit different than the rest, and Jungwon just stood there absolutely mortified. 

“I bet it’s because of the way he always has twigs in his hair!”, “But you’ll never meet someone as sensitive and sweet.”, cooed a smaller troll. “He’s socially impaired!”, a gruff voice cut in, fondly ruffling his hair, “But a fixer upper is nothing love can’t fix!”. 

And between the voices singing and the way your amused grin grew larger, Jungwon cried out with a large cry, “Enough!”. This made the trolls stop mid-movement, shocked at this outburst. “She’s engaged to someone else!”, he explained with a huff of his breath. 

Blink. Blink. 

The trolls gathered in a circle amongst themselves, the little snowman you both had managed to befriend along the way joining in on the shenanigans for no reason other than entertainment.

“So she’s a bit of a fixer upper too, I see”, said one of the trolls, and immediately the one opposite him replied, “She’s gotta be fixed up too!”, the rest agreed. Discussions in hushed whispers continued, still agreeing that the best way to fix these fixer uppers was with each other, until the smallest of the lot cut in with his nasally voice and a wink, “And by the way, there’s no ring”. The flurry of moss-woven blankets and the crowns fashioned of sticks was hurriedly put on the both of you, happening so fast that Jungwon couldn’t stop them. And just like that you giggled at the way he stood opposite you in the pit holed into the ground, the way his eyes widened in surprise. The giggle caught his attention, which made his gaze soften. He had indulged himself enough, but couldn’t bear to stop. The glowing gemstones made your complexion seem more ethereal than normal. The pit was rather small, and he was backed into his heels, your toes touching the tips of his snow boots. He was absolutely enraptured. In true love almost. It seemed that something possessed the both of you, the way he bent his neck just to be a little closer to where your lips were, soft and inviting. And you couldn’t find it in yourself to move away, any thought of the man you’d just met before you'd set off on this adventure with Jungwon disappearing from your brain. Sure he was wonderful. But you’d only known him for a day. But Jungwon, whom you’d known for a week now, still had so many layers to him that you wanted to peel back individually and unravel to learn. His eyes are dangerously low on your face, and you’re not any better. The trolls harmonizing behind you were counting down to when the thread holding you both back would just snap. Then, it did. He smells of pine, you thought, and he was losing his mind in the strawberry in your breath that he was sure he could taste if he just moved half an inch more. The sharp pain in your heart was so intense it had you buckling at the knees, making Jungwon deftly catch you in concern. Clutching your chest, a heavier rolling sound of stone made you both look to where the Elder Troll, who was awoken by the thrumming of magic, had appeared. Explaining the severity of your condition, and how the ice in your heart would have you frozen to death made Jungwon nervous. He couldn’t even fathom losing you like that, irregardless of how short of a time you’d known each other. He was sure that for you, he was ready to brave any snow storm. “And how do we stop it?”, he asked urgently, ready to do anything to have the cold in your heart to melt and for you to be better again. “Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart.” Grandpabby said reverently. And Jungwon could almost feel his own heart freeze in a painful squeeze as you uttered your fiance’s name in a breath of cold air.

[ijjstlostthegame]

Yknow what? Fuck it we ball, imma share the au but im sorry for any typos in advance

"An actual leader" AU

In this au after the perfect family harmony doesnt work, even tho they end up in a fight, the brothers dont keave, tgey kind of stay mad at JD for a long time and JD is too stubborb to apologize

So they're like at a standstill wuth each other

Until the great escape comes long

Thats when it gets bad

When they escape through the tunnels the bergans find them and start digging

While the bros run through the tunels, the tjing starts collapsing on them, and seeing as their way is gonna be cut off from them JD grabs a hold of his bros and pushes them further as a last effort in hopes they make it

They do

But he doesn't

Left behind at a dead end him and the trapped trolls start to navigate for an alternate way to get out and meet up with the other trolls

That doesnt hapoen as bergans find them

JD immediately leapd into actiob, adrenalin pumping in his vains, distracting the bergans as much as he possibly could until all trolls are out

He unfortunately doesn't leave unscathed as when he was running away he niticed a little girl about to get crushed in the tunnels, pushibg her out of the way of rubble his leg gets caughg under and it gets crushed

That later on leads to the fact that he needs to amputate it

Said girl he saves btw ends up being viva

Now him and these trolls need to leave and never look back, find a place to settle in and call "home", he later on find himself taking the role of their leader without realising, old habits die hard it seems, and thus the putt-putt were under his responsibility

On tge otger side however, his brothers who escaped fully belive that tgeir brotger died, i mean who woukd survive that? And their world comes crashing down at that, they lost grandma the last trollstice, and now tgey lost john

And worst of all they lost him withoyt getting to make up or make thibgs right between them, he died thinking they hated him

All three, spruce, clay and Floyd lose colours and thibgs never are the same again, branch seems to be the onky one amongst them to keep a hold of happiness, but no matter how hard he tries to be tgeur beacon of light and happiness, to bribg back tgeir colours, it never works

[simplydannie]

Vaughn Montegue

Forgot to mention a little node to my friend @jules0511 in this story 🥰 the mantis!

A storyline set in the Under Rageous AU:

Floyd knows the dangers the twins face in Rageous, both upper and lower. As fate would have it, he rescues them and brings away from it all… but now… twins have been taken… along with his brother. Taken by someone you don’t want to mess around with…

The twins sat in the back seat of the black vehicle as it made its way further down to the depths below. A series of columns and layers separated Mount Rageous from the under-city. The deeper they went, the lights from the city above began to slowly fade.

Velvet and Veneer sat quietly in the back seat staring out the windows… Their nerves began to kick in…Especially Veneer. All they had on them were the clothes given to the by the detention center: two red oversized hoodies and black combat boots. A tight mini skirt for Velvet and skinny jeans for Veneer. Veneer was able to claim his purple beanie again while Velvet fidgeted with the pink bracelet around her wrist ....They both knew where they were going…they knew this car all too well, at one point they had owned dozens of them. They were being taken back to their father….

Veneer turned to his sister, “...Vels?”

She remained silent. He knew a part of her was still angry at him for what he did those couple months back. They were living the life they had wanted, they were finally making a name for themselves like they had planned…but at what cost? Veneer saw the tides changing, Velvet was blind to it. He had to do it.

“Vels, maybe things will be different. Maybe if we just talk to dad about everything…”

“Talk to him about what, Veneer? How we ran away? How we wanted to make a name for ourselves that didn’t involve the Montegue burden? Oh yeah, i’m so sure he’s going to understand all that.”

“Maybe he will. Him bailing us out like that…that means he….he still cares….right?”

“God, how are you so clouded? He only cares because the business and everything goes to us when he’s dead and gone! Don’t you remember how hard he was on us?”

“...No…I don’t think that’s true…”

“Then you’re a moron.” She crossed her arms facing away from her brother. Something in Veneer began to fuse…

“Me? Clouded? A moron? Who was the one losing it back at the Rage Dome show? That sure wasn’t me. That was you!”

“Look at that. Little Ven finally found his voice.”

“I’m trying to talk to you as your brother!”

“Well my brother is dead. He died back up there when he outed us in front of the whole damn city!”

PLOP!

Something was heard landing on top of the vehicle. The twins glanced at each other…

“....What was that?”

“Might’ve just hit something. Now simmer down. We’ll be with your father in no time.” One guard said.

“What’s taking so long?” Velvet demanded.

“Safety. We can't take the same road all the time.”

Velvet huffed and rolled her eyes. She leaned back on the seat crossing her arms…

PLOP!

The sound was heard again…

“What the heck…”

From Veneer’s shoulder popped a little pink haired Troll, “Hey Ven.” Veneer let out the highest squeal one would ever hear. The guards up front panicked, swerving the car, pulling it into a hault. Velvet quickly reached over and grabbed Floyd in her hand before they could see.

“WHAT THE HELL! WHAT HAPPENED?” One guard said holding a gun.

“What do you think happened? My idiot brother saw something on the side of the road…Probably something dead…” Velvet rolled her eyes.

“Well for goodness sake, knock it off!” The guard said, turning back around.

“Yeah whatever.” With a click of a button, Velvet rolled up the divider covering the guards, allowing them some privacy in the back seat. Opening her fist she let Floyd down on the seat in between her and her brother. “What the hell do you want, Troll?”

“You still can’t call me by my name?” Floyd said.

Velvet scowled, “Never. You’re dead to me and Veneer.” Veneer glanced at her and looked down at Floyd.

“How did you get all the way down here? How did you find us?” Veneer asked.

“Long story…Well not really, just not important. What’s important is for me to ask you this…Do you guys really want to go back to your father?” The Troll looked between both of them. Veneer was the one lost in thought for a moment before speaking….

“....I….”

But Velvet answered for him, “No. We would rather go anywhere than back home with him.”

“Then you guys would be looking for a way out of this?” Floyd asked again.

“What do you think, Troll?”

“But…I…” Veneer attempted to talk again.

“Shut it, Veneer.”

Veneer leaned back against the seat, a sigh coming out of his lips…Truthfully, he did want to see his father again. He wanted to see if things could be mended between them…He loved his dad, and he was sure Velvet did too.

“..Then I’ll take that as an answer.” Floyd made his way up to Veneer’s head, reaching up, he knocked at the top of the vehicle.

“....What was that for?” Veneer asked. His answer came in the form of yelps from the guards sitting up front. Velvet rolled down the divider to find the guard's view blocked by a white armadillo bus plastered against the front window… Veneer smiled, recognizing the little creature immediately. He saw a guard reaching over, pulling out his gun.

“Wait no!” He reached over and grabbed the guard's hand, causing him to swerve the vehicle.

“Let go kid!”

“Don’t shoot it!”

Floyd hopped over to the front of the car, “Floyd!” Velvet called out. While Veneer struggled taking the gun away from the guard, Floyed ran to the buttons up front, pressing them, rolling down the windows.

“Squash the Troll!” The other guard yelled.

SWOOSH!

Swinging in were more little Trolls, slingshotting into the guards stunning them for just a moment.

“I can’t believe I agreed to this!” Branch said landing on the dashboard. One guard started pounding away, attempting to squash him flat.

“Oh no you dont! Bombs away!” John Dory swung in hitting the guard square in the eye. Rhonda crawled getting on Velvet’s lap.

“Ew!” She scowled as the creature began to drool on her leg. Floyd unhooked the seatbelts from the guards while they were distracted. He unlatched the doors of the vehicle.

“Branch! John! Now!” He called out. With a final single swing, the brothers looped around and hit both guards square in the forehead. They went tumbling out of the vehicle and onto the road, rolling and whimpering as they hit the ground. The vehicle began to swerve from side to side, losing its sense of direction.

“OH CRAP!” Veneer quickly jumped into the drivers and took control, his hands shaking on the steering wheel. He looked in the rearview mirror to see the guards had gotten back-up and began to chase them down.

“What the heck was that?” Velvet demanded. She moved her way over to the front seat next to her brother, staring down at the three small Trolls.

“Don’t look at me, this was all Floyds idea. Mission: Get the ungrateful twins out of Rageous.” Branch added.

Velvet crossed her arms, “Really get us out? And take us where?”

“For starters, back to BergenTown. They have accommodations big enough for you two for the time being.” John Dory chimed in.

A quizzical look came across Velvets face, “BergenTown?”

Veneer panicked at the driver's seat, “Guys I still don’t know where I’m going!”

“Just trust me Vels, we’ll work it out when we get back. You really think Rageous is the best place for you after everything that has happened?” Floyd said. Velvet pursed her lips. What other choices did they have? Go back and see if they were still in good favor with the Mistress after their little fiasco…Or return to the under-city… to their father.

“.....Fine….We’ll go….For now.”

Floyd smiled, “Perfect! Veneer turn this car around and head back the way you were coming. From there you’ll just follow my directions.”

“That’ll lead me past the guards.”

“Just run them over.” Branch said.

“WHAT?!”

“Don’t mind him. Just do it Vennie. Trust me.”

With a small hesitation, Veneer swerved the vehicle back around to head back up the column….So close to their father… yet so far…

We’ll be back dad, Veneer thought.

The drive took hours.

It took them back through the city of Mount Rageous. Velvet had stared out the glistening lights, listening to it’s sounds…Remembering what they once had…and now, that was gone. As he drove, Veneer casted a glance towards his sister, a hint of guilt coursing through…

They made it out of the city and out into the highway leading away…the lights of Mount Rageous fading the farther and farther as they drove. Well, that’s it. Will I ever see it again? The question replayed over and over in Velvet’s mind as she continued to stare out the window.

They all rode in silence. Rhonda asleep in the back seat, the three Trolls sitting on the dashboard staring out the front window. It was Veneer who finally broke the silence:

“How did you know where to find us?”

Floyd contemplated his response, “I got your letter.” He looked at the male Rageon.

“You did?!” Veneer responded with a smile.

“Yeah. I responded…but I never heard back. I responded again, and again. But nothing. Eventually my letters were getting returned from where I was sending them from. That’s when I figured something out, someone was keeping me from reaching out to you… I figured Mistress was trying to get back to you.”

“....Well you weren’t entirely wrong.” Velvet finally spoke up, “Her goons came to pay us a visit. Offering another chance. In exchange, they bail us out.”

“...You guys didn’t take it.”

“We said we would think about it…It wasn’t long before a bail was sent for us. We thought it was her…but then we found out we were being taken back to Under Rageous. We knew who it was right away.” Velvet finished.

“...It was fate. We came just in time..” Floyd sighed in relief.

Branch scoffed, “...I don’t know about fate Floyd…This all doesn’t seem like a good idea. If there dad is as bad as you told me, then we’re in SERIOUS trouble.”

“...He’s not that bad…” Veneer protested.

“Kid, your dad is a mafia crime lord. That seems pretty bad to me.” John Dory said.

Veneer pouted, “...He's not that bad…He’s….He’s been a little lost ever since…” His voice trailed off. Velvet side-eyed her brother, she knew what he had wanted to say.

“Ever since what Ven?”

“....Nothing….” Veneer continued to keep his eyes on the road. They continued to ride in silence a while longer before John Dory called out.

“Here! Take a right down this road here.”

Veneer turned the wheel to make the way down the bumpy, dusty road. The sun had long since set and the moonlight lit everything around them. The twins couldn’t help but marvel at the sights…They had never set foot out of Rageous before. They were accustomed to the synthetic nature of it all and reality hit them like a ton of bricks. There were actual living trees and animals. Away from the constant lights that lit Rageous, they could see the sky actually had stars like some books said.

“...Woah….” Veneer exclaimed.

“Okay…What the hell is that?” Velvet pointed to the buildings that began to appear on the horizon.

“BergenTown. That’s what you’ll be calling home until we get things sorted I guess.” Branch said.

Veneer held a face of amazement as they grew nearer, while Velvet’s was twisted in disgust, “A castle?”

“Yep. King Gristle of the Bergens lives here. He extends his welcome and hospitality to both of you. Has some pretty nice rooms set up for you in the castle too.” John Dory added.

“Cool Vels we get to stay in a castle!” Veneer beamed as he pulled the vehicle in through the gates and towards the Bergen castle.

“I don’t know if I would call this much of a castle…” Velvet murmured. The road took them down towards a giant tree at the center of the town. “What’s this? They worship some kind of tree god or something?”

The small Troll brothers frowned, “No…That was…Or still is the Troll tree. Serves different purposes now than it did before…” Branch replied.

“Like what?”

“....A story for another time kid.” Was all the Troll said. Their vehicle came to a halt at the foot of the Bergen castle. Waiting for them at the front were two small Bergens, and one tiny Troll. The twins walked out of the vehicle taking in their surroundings…uncertainty still clouded Velvet, but Veneer was more than excited about everything, mainly about being in the outside world for the first time. Something small caught his eye near the tree.

“Woah Vels check this out!” He scooped something up in his hand.

“What?” She squealed as her brother opened his hands to reveal a small bug, “GET AWAY GET AWAY!!!

“It’s just a… unmm… I think it’s called a Laying Mantis. No. Praying Lantis… no that’s not right either…”

“…. Praying Mantis….” Branch said.

“Yeah that’s it!!”

A small Bergen hopped forward grasping Veneer by the hand, shaking it excitedly.

“Hey yo! I’m King Gristle! Welcome, welcome. This is my lovely wife Bridgette and this is our castle. You guys are welcome to stay here as long as you want! Honestly, I’m excited! This is like the first Bergen-Rageon interaction outside of Rageous! So like…we're totally making history!!” He said. Veneer couldn’t help but smile at his optimism.

“We had Bergen body guards as kids! So this is pretty cool!” Veneer exclaimed. Velvet elbowed him…a warning. Not everyone knew about their past except for the three brothers…and it will be best kept that way for now, “..I mean...During our time in Mount Rageous. Kids? What kids?”

Velvet moaned, rolling her eyes. Idiot, she told herself.

“Oh! Well, that’s neat I guess. You’ll have some of those here too, but I guess they’re more for the aesthetic…We really have no danger here. Now come on! Let me give you a tour of the crib!”

Veneer happily followed Gristle up the steps. Velvet lingered a while longer at the foot of the castle. She turned to face the horizon, to look at the long road they had traveled…

BergenTown. It wasn’t much. It definitely wasn’t Rageous. She began to wonder if she would ever see again, but then another thought hit her….This place was better, and safer, than Rageous…At least for now. She looked at the black vehicle that stood still at the bottom… Somehow she couldn't help but feel that it was a remnant of their father, of what possibly could have been. Maybe he did care…

“Vels! Come on!”

Her train of thought broke when she heard her brother's voice. Looking up she saw him waiting for her at the top…

“Well…Here goes nothing.”

One month…

That’s how long it had been. Just one month. Within that month, this place had begun feeling more like home than Rageous had in a long time…and Floyd made sure it was a home to them…at least he began to hope they would see it as such and choose to stay. The only little Troll that still wasn’t too fond of the idea, was Branch. He stayed away from the twins as much as he could, he wanted no association with them, but that even that in itself was proving to be hard…

Veneer would follow him everywhere. Once he saw Branch, it was as if his whole world would light up. Branch couldn’t put a finger on why. He could even begin to see the jealousy creep into Velvet whenever he is around. Branch smirked at that part; he took pride in Velvet being envious of him… but yet still, he’d do his best to avoid Veneer as much as possible… Branch would never admit it, but the lanky Rageon was growing on him…

It was an early morning that would change everything so suddenly though…

Branch lay against the foot of the Troll tree. His eyes were closed, the day was beautiful so far. The ground underneath him began to tremble…That could only mean one thing.

“Hey Branch!”

“Yep…I knew it.” The small Troll opened his eyes to see Veneer’s big blue ones gazing down at him. Was he getting taller? Was that even possible for a Rageon? “Weellllll, nice talk got to go now.” Branch hopped to his feet and began to walk away.

“What already? I wanted your opinion on something.” With one stride Veneer caught up to him. Branch did his best to quicken his pace. Darn those long legs of his, the small Troll thought.

“Um, maybe you could ask Floyd….or anyone else.”

“But…but I want to ask you.”

“Sorry, I got uuhhh, duties back at Pop Troll village I got to do.”

“Oh! Can I come?”

“...Dude…Last time you were there you squashed half the village housing.”

“...Not on purpose though.”

“They're still scared of you. ‘The Wonky Giant’ is what they call you.”

“....I’m not that wonky….”

Looping his hair, Branch swung himself up and over the Bergen wall…and was out of sight. Veneer let out a long sigh.

“I don’t know why you even try bro.” He spun around to the sound of his sister’s voice. She stood behind him cross armed, “Like you really don’t get the hint he doesn’t want to hang out with you.”

“...Y-yeah…But…i don’t know. I want him to be my friend.”

“You’re pathetic.”

“Yeah, you’ve told me more than once.”

The day went quick as Branch spent most of it in Pop Troll village. Poppy and Floyd went to spend the rest of their day at BergenTown. He and the rest of his brothers managed to get things settled as more of the Put Put Trolls began moving in. Areas needed to be cleared and homes built for their new guests…Plus, an area that Veneer had accidentally squashed needed to be rebuilt.

“Kid, still wants to hang out with you?” John Dory asked him.

Branch rolled his eyes, “Please, let’s not go there.”

“Come on, Branch! Give the kid a chance. They both are honestly not as bad as we had thought…Just a little misguided like any kid around.”

“I said let’s not go there John.”

“Alright, alright.”

Silence lingered for a moment before the ground beneath them began to shake. Footsteps, they knew that much. Branch rolled his eyes. Veneer, he had followed him when he had explicitly told him not too.

“Veneer!! What did i…..say….” Branch's voice diminished as he and the rest of the Trolls turned to face the giant standing amongst them. Veneer…it had to be…it looked like him. But..it wasn’t him. The giant smirked at them, a cunning glint in his eyes. The Trolls weren’t afraid, it was a Rageon, they trusted Rageons, but not running was the mistake they made….

“Looks like I hit the jackpot.” The giant said, his voice deep and sinister. With a single swoop he reached down and grabbed Branch before he could run.

“HEY!” His brothers yelled below him. The giant brought Branch up to eye level…Why did he resemble Veneer so much? Except, this Rageon was older, he could see it in his eyes, his light, blue icy cold eyes.

“Now. While your little friends here start screaming…Tell me what you know about Veneer.”

It was night at the Bergen Castle. The twins were in the room ready for bed. Veneer stayed staring up at the ceiling as he lay in bed.

“Gosh Veneer, you’re still not butt hurt about stupid Branch ditching you?” Velvet said.

“What? No. I just… I wonder why he doesn’t want to hang out.”

“…. Cause we basically captured his brother and tortured him.”

“…Well…. Yeah, yeah good point.”

“Get over it bro. Let’s just please go to bed! I want to finally sleep in tomorrow….” Her voice was cut off by the sounds of arguing and crying.

“What?” Veneer asked. She placed a finger on her lips as she crept close to the door. She could hear the voices: Gristle, Poppy, Floyd… was that Clay, Bruce and John? They sounded terrified. “What’s going on?” Veneer crept in.

“I don’t know..” The voices grew louder, they could hear a small yell, then a cry… it was Poppy. The twins opened the door and made their way down towards the noises. They came upon the scene of a massive crowd of Trolls in the common room of the castle. Some were crying, some silent with a terrified look in their eyes, others with a mix of both…

“Mom! Mom! Where’s mom?” A young Troll cried.

“Dad!”

“My wife! They took my wife!”

“My family is gone!!”

“...What happened…” Veneer looked at Velvet. She stood silent…too shocked to speak. Poppy had fallen to her knees hugging herself, tears flowing from her face.

“I’m sorry. We tried. Tried so hard for all of them. We escaped with those that could. He went for Branch first..” Clay spoke, “He went for Branch because he had mentioned-....” His voice trailed off as his eyes fell upon Velvet and Veneer. The crowd of Trolls also fell silent…a pin drop could be heard.

“....Who Clay?” Poppy’s voice broke the silence, “Who did Branch mention? Why was he taken?”

“...He mentioned….Veneer.”

All eyes turned towards the two Rageons. Even Velvet looked at her brother, “The hell Veneer?”

“I’m as shocked as you all are!” a frightened look came to his eye.

“They were giants! Just like you two! You planned this!” A Troll yelled.

“This never happened until you two arrived!” The Trolls began to rally up and yell insults at the twins.

Poppy stood up, “Guys! Please! There has to be an explanation!” She looked at Veneer, “Would there be a reason why a Rageon out here knows you? Or even take Branch for that?”

“No…I don’t know…”

Poppy turned back towards the Trolls, “What did this being look like?”

“...He was tall, obviously. Pale, like them,” Viva motioned towards the twins, “Kind of looked like them too…Except he was older…Tattoos…”

The twins' eyes grew wide as they looked at each other…a wave of nostalgia hitting their minds…They knew EXACTLY who the Trolls were talking about…He had found them afterall…or to say the least…he was close.

“...It’s your dad isn’t it…” John’s voice broke their train of thought. They stared at the small Troll, “Floyd told us everything. Who he was, what he did. He was dangerous, unfortunately, that means you guys are too. Obviously. I’m sorry. You two need to go.”

“John enough!” Floyd exclaimed.

“What?” Veneer spoke, his heart breaking in two.

“Seriously? You’re going to banish us. You can’t do that!” Velvet turned to Gristle, “This is your castle. He can’t do that.”

“...I….I….” He looked at Poppy. She was torn. Poppy was never one to feel angry, never one to feel rage…But right now she was angry, heartbroken. Branch was taken from her. He was terrified, alone, and she's not there for once in her life to comfort him. He would tear heaven and Earth to be there for her….and now he was gone…

“...I don't know what to do….” She finally said.

CRASH!

Something came breaking in through the window…a canister?...

….A mist began flowing from it…

“Run! Hide! Hold your breath!” Poppy screamed out as she ran to assist her people. Gristle and Brigdette held their noses as they escorted the crowd of Trolls through a hidden escape route…the mist began growing thicker…

The twins began coughing and gagging. Velvet turned to see that her brother was no longer visible by her side.

“Ven!”

“I’m still here.” He said in between coughs.

“Where’s your hand? We need to leave.” She reached out in attempts to grab…that’s when she felt a firm grasp along her wrist. At first she thought it was Veneer, but the body swung her over covering her mouth. Muffled cries escaped her mouth.

“Vels? Vels!” Veneer too felt something grab and pull him. His mouth also covered as he began getting pulled away against his will. “Floyd!...Floyd!!” He cried desperately as he was dragged out…

Without being seen, the two figures dragged the twins out from the Bergen castle. They kicked and attempted to scream. They were thrown into a black vehicle…and were driven off…

Floyd heard Veneer’s desperate cries for help.

“Ven! Ven!” He tried running back into the mist but was held back by his brothers, “He needs me!”

“No Floyd! Wait!” Bruce yanked him back…within moments…as if nothing happened…the mist was gone. Floyd pushed his brother's hand away from him as he ran back out… the twins were gone. He could see the signs of struggle; furniture knocked over, tables upturned…

“No…no…no….no.” Floyd ran out the front door. He saw the tire marks within the dirt that lead outside BergenTown….they were gone…he took them…and his brother….

“Hey! Hey!” Velvet banged against the doors of the giant vehicle, she pulled and pulled on the handles as she could feel it driving off. Veneer attempted to unlock everything…but nothing worked.

“Vels! What do we do!” He desperately pulled on the handles.

“Just keep pulling!” Velvet cried.

“Now, now, are you really that desperate to leave me again.”

The twins froze…they knew that voice all too well. He was in there hiding in the corner watching them the whole time…their father. He reached over to turn on the lights in the backseat. It illuminated his face, the scar across his left eye, his peacock green hair slicked back… he still gave off the same cold demeanor the twins remembered.

“If you would have come to me when I had sent for you, we could’ve avoided this mess.” Vaughn said.

“How…How did you know where we were?” Velvet demanded.

Vaughn smirked, “I have my ways. But this little guy made sure to direct me to where EXACTLY you were.” He held up a little container holding a little Troll inside…

“...Branch…”

[lycheedr3ams]

Death's Angel

Part 2: Playing with Fire

royal!fem!reader x executioner!konig

Summary: It's 1554. You're one of the eight daughters of the Austrian royal family, and your parents do everything they can to ensure their kingdom is prosperous and peaceful. No royal court is complete without their hand-picked executioner, one who stands out against the sea of black, faceless bodies that make up the profession. It just so happens that your family's new executioner, one who has made a name for himself far and wide for his skill with the axe, has caught your eye and ruined you for good.

Warnings: MDNI! Mentions of smut, eventual filthy smut, mutual pining, forbidden love, death (konig is an executioner duh), mean sisters, mentions of medieval-type violence, overbearing parents, konig is brooding and a perv, some predator/prey dynamics, maybe dark themes bc reader likes seeing him kill people and bc he's a perv?

Part 1 | Part 3

.......

series inspired by the art below!

It's only been a week since konig carried out his first execution at your castle, but you've seen him more times in those few days than you saw your old executioner in 10 years. You found any excuse at all to even just glimpse at him. He was sharpening his axe outside the blacksmith's hut? Suddenly, you remembered you left something outside that just so happened to be right by the blacksmith. He was scrubbing his clothes in the nearby stream? You were planning on dipping your feet in the cool water anyway.

his eyes would linger on you whenever you were in his proximity, but he was always silent. even when you politely wished him "good morning" when you went out of your way to see him, or sent a kind smile his way, all you were met with was a pair of unblinking eyes concealed by a hood as dark as the void. was he playing hard to get? you almost forgot yourself. you are a fucking princess, after all. and he's the new executioner with so much blood on his hands that he'll never be able to scrub off, who has cut off more heads than days he's spent on this earth. he had no business even looking or breathing in your direction.

and yet he still did.

his eyes always found you, even during the rare times you didn't notice him in your proximity. he'd watch the way your dress perfectly hugged your hips, or how perfect your feet looked under the cool water of the stream. on the rare occasions he was able to make direct eye contact with you, his gaze was unwavering. unblinking. he simply couldn't miss a second of anything with you.

your sisters giggled about him, making fun of how tall he was. you defended him each time, but that only led them to teasing you. they wondered why you were sticking up for the troll who lived in the basement of the castle in the most untouchable servants' quarters, where even the light of the torches couldn't reach. you covered your motivations simply by stating your morality, that all people deserve to be treated equally. your sisters got a rise out of that.

you had to be more careful moving forward. if you sisters saw you around the untouchable behemoth you defended, what would they say if they saw you looking at him, smiling at him? You didn't care about your own status or image. It was him you were worried about. so you kept your interactions with him contained within curious glances and smiles when no one was looking. and he drank it all like you were the fountain of youth. but you wouldn't know it, the way his face was always perfectly veiled. a wall.

the autumn harvest ball was finally here. everyone in the castle was preoccupied with something: your parents with looking as perfect as they could, your sisters securing love interests, the servants bustling around the castle, the knights on guard. every living being in the castle tonight was alive and buzzing.

except him. except the untouchable ones who lurked in the castle basement. an unspoken blight on the royal family, yet a necessity for the peace. as you sat in your chair at the family table that overlooked the banquet hall, you wondered what konig was doing right now. had he even eaten? with all the food that needed to be prepared for the banquet, it was likely that his own meal had been overlooked. could he cook his own food? surely he could, but did he even have food to cook, or pots and a fire to cook with? you'd never been down to the lowest servants' quarters, where it smells cold and damp and whispers echo in dark corners. yet your worry for the brooding giant below could not be quelled.

"mother," you leaned over as you whispered. "i am feeling unwell. I might be catching a cold. I think I'm going to lie down for a while."

your mother looked concerned and began to wave some servants over. "they'll tend to you. please come back as soon as you are well again."

your sisters were too busy buttering up whatever sorry chap they each managed to enchant to see you being escorted to your room by some servants. you formulated a plan as they walked you to your room.

"i'm still a bit hungry, would you mind bringing me a plate of food?" you asked one servant. she quickly ran off with a bow. the other servant helped you out of your formal gown and into a much more comfortable and loose dress, but one that still showed your figure. your mother insisted that you always look comely, even in the privacy of your own room. the other servant came back with some food, while the other began to dap your forehead with a cloth.

"you two are dismissed. I've got it from here. thank you," you said with a smile as you took the cloth from the girl. They bowed silently and left you in your room. you leaned against your wooden door and listened until their footsteps could no longer be heard.

You wrapped the plate of food - which had the finest chicken, the best quality of cheeses and fruits - with a spare clean cloth from your drawer. you put on a slight cloak and pulled it over your head, tucked the wrapped plate under your arm precariously, and quietly shut your door as you left your room.

the only issue was, you didn't exactly know how to get down to the basement. there was never any need for you to be there. but luck was on your side, since all servants were in the banquet hall, so no one could see how you snuck around the castle, opening side doors and going down staircases only to get to a dead end. the food was growing cold, and you became worried. finally, you found the passageway down to the basement. but it was guarded by two knights.

you shook your head to yourself. they're technically you're knights, who are they to say where you can and cannot go in your own castle? you walked right by them with a bowed head, as if you frequented the bowels of the castle, and carefully looked around for anything that could pass as an executioner's quarters. it took a while for your eyes to adjust to the low light - you were always used to the well-lit, stained-glass hallways of the main areas. you quietly creeped down a stone hallway, shivering in the cold. you passed by small rooms with no doors and hay beds on the floor, and felt disgusted. how could your parents treat their own servants like this? you kept going, and the hallway ended at a staircase, spiraling down into the earth. this must be the way to konig's quarters, you thought. so, you braced yourself and carefully descended down the stairs.

you reached a point where there was almost no light, and began to be afraid, when you finally saw a single torch at the bottom of the staircase. there was a single door at the bottom, and it was shut. you collected your breath, straightened your back, and knocked a lot more timidly than you had meant.

you heard a wooden chair squeak as he got up and walked towards the door. you heard shuffling of cloth - had his mask been off? and you looked up at him nervously when he slowly opened the door. even in the low light, you could see how wide his eyes were to see you there. he thought you looked perfect, all doe-eyed looking up at him. vulnerable. he could drag you in his room and take you right now if he wanted. but he instead stared at you with his eyes almost popping out of his head.

you cleared your throat and brought the covered plate out from its hiding place underneath your arm. you held it up to him with both hands, saying nothing. your shaking hands told him all he needed to know.

"you shouldn't be here," were the first words he ever spoke to you. your heart dropped.

you blushed and spoke quietly, staring at his chest rather than his eyes that seemed to burn right through you. "i...i didn't know if you had eaten...since all the food in the castle is for the harvest...please...i want you to have this." you held up the plate again and closed your eyes, prepared for him to slam the door your face, when you felt the weight of the plate being lifted from your hands.

he took the plate and stared down at you. "thank you," he barely whispered. you perked back up and looked at him, the fear in your face now morphed into a mixture of happiness and concern. you were practically serving yourself on that plate for him. after a moment of staring at each other, you realized he wasn't going to speak again.

"i hope you like the food," you said timidly as you stared down what almost seemed to be the devil himself. this man was so dark and brooding, like a horrible thunderstorm that was standing at a respectable distance from you, just waiting for the right gust of wind to blow him your way.

konig wordlessly turned around and made a bee line for the crude wooden table in his living quarters. he left the door open. an invitation? you looked at him, spooked, but his back was to you as he sat down and removed the cloth from the plate. you tiptoed your way inside his room and looked around. there was a modest bed in one corner, the table he sat at with two splintered wooden chairs, and a rotted chest at the foot of the bed. you approached the table cautiously, afraid he might turn and sink his teeth into you, before you sat down at the other chair across from him.

he ate the food with his hands, which you found oddly endearing. if you saw any other person doing that, you would've been disgusted. but the way he carefully pulled apart the chicken and reached up into his mask to eat, almost like how an elephant eats, tugged on your heartstrings. you noticed, however, that he was eating very fast. almost like he was starved. looking around, you didn't notice any other plates in the room.

"i trust you're being fed well?" you asked, not bothering to hide the concern dripping from your voice. he glanced up at you before returning to his meal. "please tell me if you're not being fed enough -"

"i am," he roughly uttered as he swallowed a large piece of chicken.

"the way you're eating, it looks like you haven't eaten in days," you observe with a slightly teasing tone to your voice. he finally finished eating and wiped his hands on his pants.

"not your concern," he said as he gently threw the cloth you wrapped the plate with across the table. despite his rough words, you knew his intentions. there was no bite, no malice, in his tone. as a princess, you weren't supposed to be worried about him. you weren't even supposed to look at him. and here you were, in the executioner's room, making sure he's being fed and cared for.

"keep it," you say as you shake your hand. "you might need it for something. and I know it's not my concern, but I do want to make sure that you..." you cleared your throat and blushed "and everyone else in this castle is well taken care of."

konig stared at you so intently that you felt glued to your chair. your heart stopped in your chest.

"you play with fire, princess."

your breathing got deeper, which did not go unnoticed by him. princess was literally your title. it wasn't supposed to make your panties soaked or your nipples hard when you were called that. especially not when you were called that by the executioner. in his room. in the lowest part of the castle. he could have you screaming his name, and no one would be any wiser.

"there's nothing wrong with fire," you clumsily tried to flirt, or ease the tension. you weren't sure. "it's warm. it keeps us safe from beasts. brings us together."

"it burns. destroys." he said deeply.

you gulped. "yes, it can do that as well. you just have to handle it properly."

konig was near speechless at your effortless banter, the way you tried to convince him that he wasn't whatever beast he thought he was. he fell silent and stood up abruptly from his chair. he looked at you, almost confused, before walking towards the door.

"you should go," he said as he stood by the door with his hand holding it open.

part of you wanted to tease him, wanted to tell him that you wanted to stay. but he was probably right. if your sisters or mother found out you were away from your room for too long, things could get bad. you stood up and walked towards the door. you were about to wish him goodnight as you passed the entryway when he spoke again from behind you.

"you always stare at me," he stated plainly.

You turned and blushed as you looked past his muscular frame and at the wooden table. "does it bother you?"

"no."

feeling a surge of confidence, you smiled up at him. "goodnight, konig. i'm glad you enjoyed the food."

you nodded your head at him in respect before sneaking back up to your room. when he shut the door behind you and threw off his hood, he couldn't admit to himself how red his face was, or how his cock strained in his pants. he didn't tell you how he had never had food of such high quality before, or that a girl has never shown him kindness like you did. he didn't tell you the things he wanted to do to you as you sat timidly in that chair. how he would have rather been feasting on your core than the chicken you so kindly brought him.

and you let him keep the cloth. you were so innocent, he almost felt bad.

taglist: @kneelingshadowsalome

[rocksibblingsau]

Okay now tell us about brynth in the adopted Bergen branch AU

I imagine at some point Poppy introduced the ambassadors and the Bergen royalty. Synth thought the 'tiny Bergen dude' seemed really cool and kept trying to spend time with him and Branch had to keep stopping Synth from getting almost stepped on while trailing after him.

Eventually he went 'If I got to one of your raves will you let me do my work in peace' and Synth said yes and made all these plans to make a really cool rave but remembered Poppy told them about Bergens and what they liked (such as NO bright lights and loud noises) and was torn on how to make what he thought was a good rave and what Branch would like.

Branch shows up to find Synth laying face down on the ground trying to figure it out before Branch shows up (he failed) and Branch thinks he's sweet in a kind of silly and pathetic way.

Synth and him date and Synth is still under the assumption Branch is a Bergen and he tries to ask Branch if he ever thought he'd be dating a Troll and when Branch realizes he laughs for like two hours straight.

[toasted-melow]

drew the silly twin again 🙄

Also this comic is a sneak peak of my au heheh

Oh yeah the outfits reference btw hehe

[writingsoftarnishedsilver]

Playing for Keeps | Sebastian Sallow x Reader

Chapter 3

 ← Previous Chapter Next Chapter →

Words: ~4,600

Tags: Modern AU, Reader Insert, Seventh Year, Female MC, No Y/N, Slytherin MC, Enemies to Lovers, Trope-y, Slow Burn, Humor, Angst, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Romance, Coming of Age, Body Image, High School Drama

The dim light of the Undercroft flickered against the cracked stone walls, the faint hum of bass vibrating in Sebastian’s earbuds. He lounged in his usual spot in the corner, legs stretched out, his wand twirling lazily in his hand. His phone sat face down next to him, mercifully silent. One of the things he loved most about the Undercroft was the lack of reception. No texts, no calls—just uninterrupted solitude.

Well, almost quiet.

A flick of his wand sent another crate hurtling into the far wall, shattering into a satisfying spray of splinters. The rhythmic destruction synced perfectly with the music pounding in his ears. It should’ve been enough to drown out his thoughts, but it wasn’t working.

Instead, his mind kept drifting back to you.

The duel on Monday had been humiliating. He could still hear the collective intake of breath from the crowd when his wand shot from his hand, spinning uselessly though the air and into your outstretched palm. Your expression had been cool, composed—barely a flicker of triumph as you delivered the finishing blow. The fact that you hadn’t gloated afterward made it worse somehow. It wasn’t the sting of defeat that lingered—it was the way you’d stared him down, steady and unapologetic, like beating him had been nothing more than a formality.

He’d been stewing about for days, but the duel wasn’t the only thing that had gotten under his skin.

All damn week you'd been sparring with him—not physically, though he half-wished you had been, just so he’d have an excuse to throw hexes at the smug look on your stupid pretty face. No, it had been verbal sparring, your sharp wit matching his with unnerving precision.

Tuesday, in Potions, he’d made some quip about "ridiculous Beauxbatons standards" when you corrected his stirring technique. Without missing a beat, you’d shot back with a cutting remark about Hogwarts’ apparent leniency in admitting mediocre students.

Wednesday, in Charms, he’d tried needling you again, deliberately taking the spot next to you during a group exercise. His comments had been just loud enough for you to hear, pointed barbs about your "sloppy wandwork". You’d turned to him, your wand poised mid-spell and said, “Coming from the boy whose technique has all the grace of a troll with a toothache? That’s rich.”

And then there was yesterday. Defense Against the Dark Arts. You walked into class wearing that perfectly polished uniform of yours, your crisp white shirt tucked just so, and your tie knotted with what looked like effortless precision. And when Sebastian had muttered something under his breath about Beauxbatons students being “all style and no substance,” you immediately shot back with “Better to have style than to make mediocrity my trademark.” The corner of your mouth had twitched upward, barely perceptible, but it was enough to set his teeth on edge.

And Merlin help him, the attention you were getting from other guys wasn’t helping. He’d watched Everett Clopton linger a little too long at your table in the library on Wednesday, leaning over your shoulder to point at something in your notes. And then there was Arthur Plummly, with his dopey grin and penchant for rambling, who had somehow managed to get you to laugh—really laugh—at one of his terrible jokes in the Great Hall on Thursday.

But the worst of them, by far, was Leander, who had a knack for showing up just when Sebastian didn’t want him to. Like this morning in the courtyard, when Leander had sidled up to you with his usual infuriating confidence, leaning just a little too close as he spoke. Sebastian hadn’t caught the conversation, but he’d seen the faint smile on your lips, the slight tilt of your head as you listened. And when Leander had reached out, brushing a stray thread from your shoulder, Sebastian’s jaw had clenched so tightly he thought his teeth might crack.

A fresh wave of irritation surged through him at the memory, and he flicked his wrist again, sending a stack of books tumbling off the table with a dull thud.

The sound of footsteps approaching cut through the music in his ears, faint but unmistakable against the stone floor. Sebastian sighed, tugging out one of his earbuds. Only one person walked like that, with those annoyingly measured, deliberate steps.

“Not now, Ominis," Sebastian muttered.

“I wasn’t aware I needed an appointment,” Ominis said dryly, his voice cutting through the music. He stopped a few feet away, leaning against the wall as he tilted his head toward Sebastian. “Though judging by the state of this place, I’d say you need more than just an appointment. You need an intervention.”

Sebastian rolled his eyes, slumping further into his chair. “What do you want?”

“To talk about your behavior,” Ominis snapped, his pale eyes narrowing. “Specifically, toward her.”

Sebastian tensed but kept his expression neutral. “I’ve been fine.”

Ominis let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Fine? Really? Do we need to go over all the shit you pulled this week or can we stop pretending you’ve been fine?”

Sebastian exhaled sharply, his fingers drumming against his thigh. “It wasn’t that bad.”

“Not that bad?” Ominis snapped. “The only time you’ve been remotely civil was when you invited her to Crossed Wands, and since she hasn’t shown up, you’ve been absolutely unbearable.”

“It's not like she’s completely innocent,” Sebastian said defensively. "She gives as good as she gets."

Ominis tilted his head, his pale eyes narrowing in a way that made Sebastian shift uncomfortably in his seat. “She’s only defending herself because you’re going out of your way to provoke her. And everyone’s noticed.”

Sebastian’s scowl deepened. “Everyone?”

“Don't play dumb,” Ominis said coldly. “The entire castle is whispering about how the 'great Sebastian Sallow' can’t seem to keep her name out of his mouth. People are starting to think all your jabs and sneers are just your way of hiding the fact that you fancy her."

Sebastian’s head snapped up. “Fancy her?” He let out a sharp laugh. “Don’t be ridiculous.”

“Ridiculous? Why?” Ominis pressed, leaning forward slightly. "Because she’s not one of those vapid cheerleaders you usually chase after?”

Sebastian’s grip on his wand tightened, his knuckles white. “Don’t be thick, Ominis,” he snapped, his voice sharper than he intended. “I’m not into… bigger girls.”

The moment the words left his mouth, he wanted to take them back. They tasted bitter, like bile rising in his throat, and they felt wrong—so wrong. But it was out there now, hanging in the air between them, and he couldn’t unsay it.

But Ominis didn’t flinch, didn’t even blink. He simply tilted his head, his expression carefully neutral in a way that made Sebastian’s skin crawl. “Liar,” Ominis said softly.

Sebastian bristled, his jaw tightening as he stared down at the floor in front of him. “I’m not lying,” he shot back, though the words came out hollow and weak.

Ominis snorted, the sound filled with disbelief. “You are. And for what? Because you’re embarrassed?

Sebastian flinched, his jaw clenching as Ominis’s words struck a nerve. “Drop it, Ominis,” he muttered, his voice low and warning.

Ominis raised an eyebrow, his expression unreadable but clearly unimpressed. “You've been staring at her all week. Don't think I haven't noticed.”

Sebastian scoffed, leaning back in his chair as though he could physically distance himself from the conversation. “I wasn’t staring.”

Ominis’s lips twitched into the faintest semblance of a smirk. “You were.”

Sebastian ran a hand through his hair, his frustration bubbling to the surface. “Even if I was staring, which I’m not, it doesn’t mean anything. She’s infuriating and entirely too full of herself, and she’s just… she’s annoying.”

Ominis tilted his head slightly, his pale eyes narrowing with an almost predatory sharpness, as though he was dissecting every syllable. “You mean she’s strong, talented, and doesn’t put up with your nonsense? Yes, I can see how that would bother you.”

Sebastian shot him a withering look. “Don’t twist my words.”

“I don’t need to twist them,” Ominis replied smoothly. “You’re doing a fine job of tying yourself into knots all on your own.”

Sebastian exhaled sharply, pushing himself up from his chair in one fluid motion. He began pacing the length of the Undercroft, his wand twirling absently between his fingers. “She doesn’t act like anyone else here. She doesn’t belong.”

“Doesn’t act like anyone else?” Ominis repeated, arching an eyebrow. "Ahhh. I understand now."

Sebastian froze mid-step, turning to glare at him. “Understand what?”

Ominis’s smirk was faint but unmistakable. “Why she’s gotten so deeply under your skin.”

Sebastian scoffed, his frustration bubbling over. “That’s not what I said.”

“No, but it’s what you meant,” Ominis said, his tone maddeningly calm. “You can’t stand that she’s not fawning over you, not bending to your charm or playing your games—it bothers you.”

Sebastian groaned, raking both hands through his hair as he resumed pacing. “That’s not it. She’s just... She’s so bloody arrogant! Every time she opens her mouth, it’s like she’s trying to one-up me.” He stopped pacing, gripping his wand so tightly his knuckles turned white. “And what does it matter if I looked at her once or twice? She was probably doing something stupid.”

Ominis folded his arms across his chest as though settling in for a particularly amusing show. “Once or twice? Please, Sebastian. You’ve been watching her like a hawk. It’s a wonder you don’t walk into walls.”

Sebastian’s cheeks flushed, a rare heat rising to the surface that he couldn’t quite suppress. “I have not—”

“You have,” Ominis interrupted, his tone clipped but unrelentingly calm. “And you act like a complete idiot every time she’s around. It doesn’t take a genius to see what’s happening."

Sebastian hated this. Hated how easily Ominis could dismantle him with a few well-placed words. Hated how his friend’s sharp intuition made him feel exposed, vulnerable in a way he didn’t know how to handle. But most of all, he hated how much truth there was in what Ominis was saying.

“Are you done psychoanalyzing me?” Sebastian snapped, crossing his arms over his chest.

Ominis chuckled softly, his head tilting. “Not quite. I find this whole thing fascinating. In all the years I’ve known you, I can’t recall a single time a girl’s managed to live rent-free in your head like this.”

“She’s not living rent-free in my head,” Sebastian shot back, his voice a little too loud to be convincing.

Ominis straightened slightly, his expression shifting from teasing to mock-serious. “What happened to all that practiced charm, Sebastian? The smooth lines, the effortless charisma? It's like you’ve reverted to the emotional maturity of a thirteen-year-old. Being mean to the girl you like? Really? How utterly... unevolved.”

“For fuck's sake, Ominis, I don’t like her,” Sebastian ground out, his voice tight.

Ominis arched an eyebrow. “You’re right. You don’t like her—you’re obsessed with her.”

Sebastian froze, his jaw tightening as he tried to come up with a retort. But nothing came.

Ominis chuckled softly, shaking his head. “Well, as entertaining as this little therapy session has been, I didn’t come down here just to help you sort out your love life.”

Sebastian shot him a glare, his expression hardening. “Good, because I don’t need your help.”

“Clearly,” Ominis replied dryly, a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his lips. “But no, I’m here because the rest of us are heading to The Three Broomsticks for dinner. I came to collect you.”

Sebastian paused mid-step, his brow furrowing as he mulled over the invitation. His first instinct was to refuse—he wasn’t exactly in the mood to deal with Imelda’s endless teasing or Garreth’s over-the-top antics. But something stopped him, a faint flicker of curiosity gnawing at the back of his mind.

“Is… she going?” he asked, his voice almost hesitant.

Ominis’s smirk deepened, and though his pale eyes couldn’t see the way Sebastian stiffened, his tone was sharp with amusement. “Chouette? Yes, of course she’s coming. Imelda invited her, naturally.”

Sebastian groaned internally, running a hand through his hair as he weighed his options. It wasn’t as if he could avoid you forever. Still, the thought of sitting across from you, your sharp tongue ready to cut him down if he stepped out of line, made him hesitate.

“Well?” Ominis prompted, tilting his head. “Are you coming, or should I tell them you’re busy sulking?”

Sebastian scowled. “I’m not sulking.”

“Of course not,” Ominis said, his smirk widening. “You’re just… reflecting.”

With a long, reluctant sigh, Sebastian flicked his wand toward the scattered debris in the room, muttering a spell to tidy up the splinters and books he’d strewn about. “Fine,” he said, his tone sharp. “But if you so much as breathe a word about this conversation to anyone, I’ll hex you into oblivion.”

Ominis held up his hands in mock surrender, his expression impossibly smug. “Not a problem. Now come on."

Sebastian followed Ominis out of the Undercroft. The conversation they’d just had lingered like an annoying itch in the back of Sebastian’s mind, but he pushed it aside, focusing instead on the growing din of chatter and footsteps as students made their way out of the castle toward Hogsmeade.

Ominis walked ahead with his usual effortless grace, his posture straight and composed. Sebastian’s gaze drifted to his friend’s outfit, a navy button-down tucked neatly into dark slacks. There was always an effortless elegance to Ominis—an innate sense of poise and precision that Sebastian had long since given up trying to emulate.

He frowned, glancing down at his own attire—grey sweatpants that were just a bit too loose around the waist, paired with a faded Joy Division T-shirt. His sneakers, scuffed from countless treks across the grounds, completed the look—or rather, the lack of one.

He grimaced.

“Something wrong?” Ominis asked, his voice light with amusement.

Sebastian straightened, forcing an air of nonchalance. “No,” he said flatly. "Just wondering why you’re trying to make the rest of us look bad.”

Ominis turned his head slightly, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. “It’s called making an effort, Sebastian. You might want to try it sometime.”

Sebastian grunted in response, shoving his hands into his pockets as they descended the steps leading to the main entrance. A few groups of students passed by, their laughter filling the air. His mind wandered back to you, as it frustratingly had a habit of doing lately. He remembered your sharp eyes flicking over his Smiths tee that first night, your smirk as cutting as your remark about him trying to look “deep and brooding.” He was sure you'd have another comment lined up when you saw him this time.

Soon enough, the Three Broomsticks loomed ahead, its windows glowing invitingly. The muffled sounds of lively conversation spilled out each time the door opened, and Sebastian could already make out Imelda’s laugh among the crowd.

Ominis slowed his pace, turning his head slightly toward Sebastian. “Try not to make a scene,” he said, his voice low but firm. “You’ve already given everyone enough to talk about this week.”

Sebastian bristled but nodded, biting back a sarcastic comment.

As they stepped inside, the familiar scent of butterbeer and roasted food filled the air. Sebastian’s gaze swept the room, quickly landing on the group’s usual corner table. Imelda, Garreth, and the others were already there, and—

You.

You were leaning forward on your elbows, laughing softly with Garreth, your voice cutting through the warm hum of the pub. Gone was the Beauxbatons poise he was used to seeing—your usual immaculate look now replaced by something entirely different.

You were wearing an oversized band tee—The Cure, he realized with a jolt—and black jeans that hugged your figure in all the right ways, making it impossible for him to look away, even though he damn well tried. Scuffed sneakers tapped in time with the music that thumped through the pub.

And then you pushed up the sleeves of your shirt, casually exposing the tattoos inked along your forearms. Sharp, intricate lines traced the length of your skin, telling stories he couldn’t quite piece together but wanted to know. The sight sent a jolt through him, his stomach flipping in a way he didn’t want to examine too closely. Of course. Of course, you’d have tattoos. Of course, your style would mirror his own, as if you’d stepped straight out of a reflection of everything he liked.

“You’re blocking the doorway," Ominis’s voice broke through his thoughts, dry and pointed.

Sebastian blinked, realizing he’d stopped dead just inside the entrance. He cleared his throat and stepped aside, running a hand through his hair in a futile attempt to compose himself.

“You're acting like she's sprouted a second head,” Ominis chuckled as they made their way toward the table.

Sebastian shot him a glare but didn’t respond.

As they neared the group, Imelda glanced up first, her grin wicked. “Well, look who decided to show up. What took you so long, Sallow? Still licking your wounds from that duel on Monday?”

“Good to see you too, Reyes,” Sebastian quipped, finding a place at the far end of the table—conveniently as far away from you as possible. He busied himself by grabbing a menu, using it as a shield to block out the sight of you.

“Hello, Sallow,” came a voice from across the table. Sebastian glanced around the menu to find Leander smirking at him, pint of beer already in hand. “Fancy a drink?”

The tension was immediately palpable, a charged undercurrent that neither bothered to mask.

Their rivalry wasn’t new.

Sebastian and Leander were opposites in style but equals in presence, two sides of the same coin. Fire and Ice. Sebastian, Slytherin's star Quidditch Beater and school dueling champion, with his rumpled style and sharp edges. Leander, polished and preppy, the Summoner’s Court star, always impeccably dressed and composed. And to each other's chagrin, both knew how to charm their way into hearts and, more often, beds. It was an unspoken game between them, a constant measuring of egos and victories.

Sebastian hesitated for a moment before nodding, dropping the menu and leaning over as Leander slid an extra pint his way. “Why not?” he muttered, taking the glass and letting the cold condensation cool his fingers.

Leander took a swig of his beer, his smirk widening as he leaned in conspiratorially. “So,” he started, his tone already suggesting trouble. “What’s the deal with you two?”

Sebastian tensed, immediately knowing who Leander was referring to but feigning ignorance. “Who?”

Leander gestured subtly with his head toward your end of the table, where you were chatting with Garreth and Imelda, your laughter carrying lightly over the ambient noise of the pub. “Chouette.”

“There’s no deal,” Sebastian replied flatly, taking a sip from his pint. “Why?”

Leander raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "You’ve been staring at her all week like she’s a bomb you’re trying to defuse.”

Sebastian’s grip on his glass tightened slightly, but he forced a casual smirk. “You’re imagining things.”

“Right,” Leander drawled, dragging out the word. “Well, if there’s nothing going on, I might just try my luck.”

Sebastian’s jaw twitched and Leander’s grin turned sly, his pint dangling lazily from his fingertips. “Doesn’t seem like your usual type, anyway, does she? You’ve always gone for the willowy ones.” He chuckled, shaking his head. “But Merlin’s beard, Sallow. That figure? The tattoos? The piercings? Sexy as hell.” He tilted his head, the grin widening. “And sharp as a whip, too. She doesn’t take your shit for a second, does she?”

Sebastian’s grip on his drink tightened, his knuckles whitening slightly. He took a deliberately long sip, the bitterness of the beer doing little to mask the irritation curling in his chest.

Leander seemed to pick up on the subtle shift in Sebastian’s demeanor and leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial murmur. “Tell you what,” he said, his grin turning sharper. “How about a little wager? Fifty Galleons. First one to bed her wins. No harm done—it’s her choice anyway, isn’t it?”

Sebastian stiffened, though he shouldn’t have been surprised by Leander’s proposition—after all, their reputations certainly didn’t put them far above such things.

But even for Sebastian, there were lines he didn't cross. And something about the way Leander framed it—reducing you to nothing more than a prize to be won—felt wrong. Low. But that sting of pride, that unwelcome prick to his ego at the thought of letting Leander bloody Prewett swoop in unchallenged, was hard to ignore. So instead of declining, he leaned back, smirking faintly, falling back into the role everyone expected him to play.

“Fifty Galleons, huh?” he said, his tone light, almost amused. “You’re on.”

Leander grinned, thrusting out a hand. “Shake on it?”

Sebastian hesitated for half a heartbeat before extending his own hand, gripping Leander’s firmly. “Deal.”

The shake lasted only a moment, but as Sebastian pulled back, a flicker of regret twisted in his chest. If you ever found out about this, you’d probably hex them both where they stood.

But his pride wouldn’t let him back down. And besides, it wasn’t like anything would come of it. Right?

Sebastian barely had a moment to process the knot of unease in his chest before Imelda’s voice rang out, sharp and teasing.

“Oi, Sallow,” Imelda called from down the table, her tone carrying that trademark teasing lilt. “Let me guess—another edgy thrift store find?”

Sebastian blinked, momentarily thrown off. He glanced at her, then followed her gaze to his shirt, the faded logo emblazoned across the chest. His smirk flickered back into place. “Jealous, Reyes?”

Imelda rolled her eyes, turning toward you. “Chouette, what do you think? Does our dear Sebastian look like he’s auditioning for a muggle garage band, or is this more ‘serious artist’ territory?”

All eyes turned to you, and for a fleeting moment, Sebastian braced himself. You could easily take Imelda’s bait, throw a scathing remark his way, and earn another round of laughter at his expense. But instead, your expression softened slightly, and you gave a casual shrug.

“I mean,” you said with a casual shrug, gesturing to your own outfit, “we’re basically wearing the same thing, aren’t we? Not like I’ve got room to judge.”

The group stilled briefly, the surprise palpable. Even Sebastian blinked, caught completely off guard by your measured response.

You continued, your tone edged with self-awareness. “I shouldn’t have sunk to his level with those comments I made before—that was petty. It’s not like I’m the authority what people can or can’t wear… even if my read on Sebastian’s absolutely dazzling personality was spot on.”

The table erupted in laughter and Sebastian’s lips twitched, caught between a scowl and a reluctant smile. You hadn’t gone for the easy dig, but you’d still managed to keep your edge intact. It was infuriating. And impressive. Like you’d gotten the better of him again without even trying.

Garreth leaned forward, gesturing toward Sebastian with his pint. “In his defense,” he said, “he does actually listen to the bands on his shirts. Big muggle music fan. It’s honestly kind of annoying—he zones out completely with his earbuds in and taps his quill like mad when we’re trying to study in the library.”

The group chuckled, and Sebastian smirked, clearly unbothered. He raised his pint in a toast to Garreth. “Always nice to have a character witness, Weasley.”

You tilted your head slightly, your eyes sharpening with curiosity as you turned toward Sebastian. “What’s your favorite song right now?”

He blinked, the earnest question catching him off guard. He set his pint down as he considered you for a moment. “Uh... maybe 505 by the Arctic Monkeys.”

Your eyebrows lifted, and then you let out a quiet laugh, shaking your head. “You’re like a 2014 Tumblr girl.”

Sebastian frowned, his confusion evident. “A what?”

Realizing your slip, you hesitated, your cheeks flushing slightly. “Never mind,” you said quickly, waving a hand as if to brush it off. “I grew up with a muggle mum, so I guess it’s… it’s one of those references that doesn’t really translate.”

Poppy perked up, leaning forward with interest. “What’s Tumblr?”

You sighed, clearly debating how much to explain. “It’s… kind of like a chaotic... online scrapbook,” you said, your tone sheepish. “Back in 2014, it was all about indie bands, angsty quotes, and aesthetics. The Arctic Monkeys were a big deal on there. So were flower crowns, oddly enough.”

Sebastian leaned forward slightly, resting his arms on the table, a smirk tugging at his lips. “So maybe my taste isn’t so questionable after all.”

Before you could answer, proprietress of the Three Broomsticks, Sirona Ryan, swept over to the table. "Evening, folks. Same as usual for most of you, or are we branching out tonight?"

The group quickly ordered, everyone going for their favorite pub classics from shepherd’s pie and beef stew to fish and chips. All the while, Sirona nodded along, her quill scratching against the notepad. Then her gaze shifted to you, her smile softening. “Ah. There's a face I haven't seen before. What can I get you?”

Sebastian glanced up at you instinctively, watching as you smiled politely at Sirona, your tone light. “Just a house salad, please."

A salad? While everyone else was diving headfirst into comfort food? Sebastian didn’t say anything, but the choice stuck with him, a faint itch at the back of his mind.

Garreth leaned across the table, his grin sharp. “Fancy a game of darts, Sallow? Or are you scared to lose?”

Sebastian smirked, grateful for the distraction. “To you? Not a chance.” He stood and followed Garreth to the dartboard, grabbing a set of darts as the rest of the group’s chatter faded into the background.

He lined up his first shot, locking onto the bullseye. Darts was his game—Garreth was usually no competition. Tonight should’ve been no different.

But as he drew back his arm, his eyes flicked to the table.

You were laughing at something Imelda said, your shoulders shaking, fingers tracing the rim of your glass. The warm light highlighted the numerous silver rings and studs lining your ears, the strands of hair framing your face. You looked... disarmingly perfect.

His rhythm faltered and the dart veered wide, hitting the board with a weak thunk far from its target.

Garreth burst into laughter, nearly doubling over. “Merlin’s beard! Did you forget how to aim?”

“Shut it, Weasley,” Sebastian muttered, grabbing another dart.

He refocused, narrowing his gaze on the bullseye. Focus. Just throw.

Then you stretched casually, arms over your head, the hem of your band tee lifting just enough to reveal a sliver of skin. His hand twitched, and the dart flew early, landing on the edge of the board.

Garreth howled, slapping the wall. “What is going on with you? Are you trying to throw the game?”

“I’m just warming up,” Sebastian snapped, his ears burning. He grabbed his final dart, determined to salvage what was left of his pride.

Garreth stepped back, smirking. “Sure, mate.”

Sebastian lined up, blocking out the noise. Just throw the damn dart. But as he prepared to release, you glanced his way, your curious expression sending his nerves spiraling.

The dart hit the board—barely—scoring a handful of points.

Garreth clapped him on the back, grinning. “Losing your edge, Sallow.”

Sebastian leaned against the wall, arms crossed, scowling. “Just finish your turn.”

Garreth, unbothered, hit near-perfect throws, finishing with a triumphant smirk. “Better luck next time, mate.”

Sebastian waved him off, muttering about distractions, but the truth gnawed at him. It wasn’t Garreth, the noise, or even the game.

It was you.

 ← Previous Chapter Next Chapter →

[crescentpaws]

kotlc pokémon au!

gonna share some info abt my kotlc pokémon au here for anyone interested :> (i’ve had this in my head for yearsss but @queefsencen has inspired me to share it here now)

(also yes i have lots of drawings but they’re all old and i hate them… so you’re just getting text for now. more drawings coming soon i promiseeee)

anyway. all under cut bc it’s longgg (talking about world building as well as the characters)

(have put more thought into this than i should have)

——————

everyone still has their abilities; most people choose their pokémon based on their ability (ex. fire types for pyrokinetics, water types for hydrokinetics, etc.) but some people choose to ignore typing (and some pick pokemon based on the certain moves they can learn or what their pokédex entries say)

also, since they can light leap all over the world, it’s much easier to find regional variants

- ever since pyrokinesis was banned, it’s illegal to own a fire-type pokémon (with some exceptions) (but they’re still allowed to roam around freely of course. they’re just less common now because no one catches them anymore)

- psionipaths almost always have pokémon that can learn shielding moves (such as protect)

- physicians always have at least one healing pokémon

- lots of kids at foxfire want or have an eevee, because eevees usually evolve according to which ability the kids manifest (jolteons, flareons, and vaporeons evolving with an ability manifestation don’t require evolution stones)

- some ancients have a mythical/legendary pokémon

- vociferators and beguilers almost always have pokémon that can learn moves that are affected by the voice

- pokémon that enter the seat of eminence usually glow with the spotlight color that best matches their typing (sophie’s espeon glows red though—which is unusual because psychic types normally glow blue—because it evolved when sophie inflicted on everyone at the end of book 1)

- when pokémon enter the mysterious place known as elysian, they gain the ability to terrastalize for some reason (wild stellar type tera pokemon can also be found there)

- goblins are machokes (queen is a machamp, younglings are machops)

- dwarves: drilbur -> excadrill

- gnomes are bellossoms

- haven’t thought of the species for ogres or trolls yet tho (if anyone has any suggestions feel free to tell me lmao)

- ^^ it’s considered very immoral to catch and train one of the intelligent species pokémon (+ they can all talk similar to how team rocket’s meowth can)

- (winged) galarian rapidash = the alicorns (occasionally fight when necessary)

- haven’t finalized the gym leaders or elite 4 yet so. i’ll get back to that later. (the nobility = the pokémon league basically. they do other stuff still of course but that’s a big part of their jobs)

——————

characters:

(don’t have set pokémon really, these are just my ideas so far. feel free to give suggestions for any of them!)

-> sophie

partner - espeon (psychic) — given to her as an eevee by alden so nobody at foxfire would suspect that she already had an ability; evolved when sophie inflicted for the “first” time at the end of book 1 (the red gem on its forehead represents the red light that shoots out of sophie’s forehead when she inflicts now)

altaria (dragon-flying) — this is the pokemon species that is supposed to represent moonlarks (given to her by mr. forkle). can mega evolve (which she learned how to do after she had her abilities reset in legacy)

phanpy (ground) — caught this pokemon because it looked like her plushie ella (she even named it after her)

raichu (alolan form) (electric-psychic) — used to be kenric’s pokemon; given to her by oralie at the same time she was given kenric’s cache at the beginning of book 4

grafaiai (poison-normal) — iggy (caught by her but rarely used in battle)

possibly could get a deoxys? since of course the black swan would have access to a mythical pokemon smh. and it’s literally the dna pokemon and it’s a psychic type and it shoots lasers out of its chest AND it can learn teleport and psychic. and it’s red.

-> fitz

partner - meowstic (psychic) — male form. good friends with sophie’s espeon

gallade (psychic-fighting)

girafarig (normal-psychic)

slowbro (water-psychic)

-> keefe

partner - thievul (dark) — mischievous fox pokémon for his fox bff in unraveled :> though i think he would have already had this pokémon (he caught it as a nickit, and it evolved when he was with the neverseen) his parents don’t like this pokémon because of all the trouble it causes, and because of the fact that empaths usually work with fairy type pokémon more often

klefki (steel-fairy) — he calls his klefki “klef-keefe” because he thinks he’s hilarious. this pokemon is where most of the credit for all the break-ins into dame alina’s office should go to

granbull (fairy)

morgrem (dark-fairy) — has the prankster ability

-> biana

partner - oricorio (ghost-flying) — had since before she manifested, since her mom is a ghost type trainer and gave her the purple nectar needed to change its form

mimikyu (ghost-fairy) — shiny (because of course biana would have a shiny pokémon. i think she probably used to shiny hunt a lot when she had more free time as a kid)

gothitelle (psychic)

tsareena (grass) — shiny

would probably also have one of those special cosplay pikachus from or/as. she’d be a fan of the heart pattern on its tail & she’d love dressing it up in cute outfits <3

-> dex

partner - goodra (dragon) — given to him as a goomy by kesler when he started helping him out at slurps & burps

togedemaru (electric-steel)

klinklang (steel)

porygon2 (normal) — created as a porygon by dex himself (made during his time in alluveterre)

rotom (electric-ghost) — takes on lots of different forms depending on the situation; helps him hack machines

-> linh

partner - vaporeon (water) — quan and mai refused to give both twins an eevee, so tam let linh have the only one they were willing to give. went with her to exillium and helped her gain control of her ability

corsola (water-rock) — linh wasn’t able to catch this pokemon until much later, since she and tam didn’t have access to pokéballs until they met the black swan

lumineon (water)

probably gets a milotic later (or maybe a dragonair)

-> tam

partner - zoroark (dark) — tam was given a single empty pokéball by quan and mai after he let linh have the eevee. when he and linh left, he was able to catch a zorua in one of the forests in the neutral territories

umbreon (dark) — used to be umber’s partner, was given to him by gisela after umber died and he was forced to join the neverseen. since escaping, he’s refused to use this pokémon in battle or even take it out of its pokéball

-> marella

partner - flareon (fire) — an eevee she had before she manifested (obviously became a flareon). lied to the council and said that the flareon evolved by accidentally touching a fire stone (but she wasn’t permitted to take it out of its pokéball again until they approved her training)

charmeleon (fire) — gifted as a charmander by forkle when the council approved her training

vulpix (fire) — fintan has a ninetails so this is an interesting parallel

pansear (fire)

-> wylie

partner - raichu (electric) — kanto form

heliolisk (electric-normal)

ampharos (electric) — cyrah’s old pokémon (was a flaaffy when she died)

boltund (electric)

-> stina

partner - sylveon (fairy) — yeah, stina was another foxfire kid who had an eevee that evolved alongside her

bruxish (water-psychic)

rapidash (galarian form) (psychic-fairy) — a normal rapidash obviously, not winged

mudsdale (ground)

-> maruca

partner - cinccino (normal) — knows protect; maruca dyed a strand of this pokémon’s hair blue to match her own

azumarill (water-fairy) — knows protect

pelipper (water-flying) — knows protect

sunflora (grass) — knows protect

-> rayni

partner - liepard (dark) — shiny (this is her “sparkly cat” she’s always talking about)

morpeko (electric/dark)

heliolisk (electric-normal) — shiny (for some reason, flashers have an easier time finding shiny pokémon than people with other abilities do. something about the perception of light or whatever)

pawmot (electric-fighting)

whismur (normal) — bc it’s silly. & rayni reminds me of zinnia from or/as a bit (she keeps it unevolved tho bc loudred is so ugly….)

-> mr forkle

(both of them have the same pokémon)

partner - reuniclus (psychic)

ditto (normal)

beheeyem (psychic)

+ sir astin has a solrock (rock-psychic) and magnate leto has a starmie (water-psychic)

-> juline (squall)

partner - ninetails (alolan form) (ice-fairy)

glaceon (ice) — yes, juline was an eevee kid too

froslass (ice-ghost)

sawsbuck (normal-grass) — winter form

-> elwin

partner - linoone (normal) — bullhorn (has the strange death-sensing abilities that bullhorn has, as well)

solosis (psychic) — shining certain light through this pokémon has the same sort of effect that elwin’s special glasses do (though he still prefers to use the glasses for convenience. but this pokémon is always a good backup) also it’s the cell pokémon so

bellibolt (electric) — silly glowy frog guy. seems pretty elwin-esque to me (also could act as some sort of defibrillator if needed)

-> livvy

masquerain (bug-flying)

comfey (fairy) — its aroma has healing qualities, which is extremely helpful with livvy’s physician work

vivillon (bug-flying) — elegant form

(not sure what her partner pokémon should be though…)

-> jolie

partner - swanna (water-flying) — when sophie enters prentice’s broken mind, he takes the form of jolie’s pokémon instead of jolie herself. this pokémon also perished in the fire

-> oralie

partner - gardevoir (psychic-fairy)

blissey (normal)

hatterene (psychic-fairy)

alcremie (fairy) — ruby swirl + love sweet form

polteageist (ghost)

-> bronte

partner - persian (normal) — i chose this pokémon partly because the red gem on its forehead would match sophie’s espeon (which it sort of mentors now), and also it’s a pokémon that like. usually doesn’t like other people. so it’s fitting. also she was bffs with fintan’s victini (they were gfs. pokemon doomed yuri). also coincidentally has a curly tail which is so funny to me

hydreigon (dark-dragon)

marshadow (fighting-ghost) — mythical pokémon

also has an alolan persian (dark type) that he uses in official pokémon battles (bc i think the elite 4 = the four most powerful councillors. and he would definitely be a dark type trainer so. i think this persian would be like the cousin of the other one or something lmao)

will add kenric later bc i can’t think of anything for him rn… (other than the raichu)

-> alina

partner - meloetta (normal) — mythical pokémon. her having this rare & powerful pokémon (it was passed down through her family over generations) was one of the main reasons she was elected to the council

primarina (water-fairy) — “its singing voice is its chief weapon in battle” (pokédex entry)

milotic (water)

wigglytuff (normal-fairy) — used to be a jigglypuff that would lull people to sleep with its singing

-> alden

partner - slowking (water-psychic) — related to fitz’s slowbro

alakazam (psychic)

unown (psychic) haven’t thought of which specific form though… probably a v for vacker or something. helps him with deciphering ancient runes & stuff

-> della

partner - froslass (ice-ghost)

sneasel (hisuian form) (fighting-poison)

chandelure (ghost-fire) — caught after she joined the black swan because she’s already joining an illegal rebellion, why not have an illegal fire type pokémon as well? also i think it’s funny having a vacker have a chandelier pokémon.

sinistcha (grass-ghost)

jellicent (water-ghost) — female form

-> grady

(despite being a mesmer, he doesn’t enjoy using psychic types that much)

hypno (psychic) — he doesn’t like using it in battle often, but it helps him calm down rowdy animals in the pastures at havenfield

tyrantrum (rock-dragon) — verdi! she’s shiny, but for some reason appears more green than blue. a pokémon that doesn’t obey very often

raticate (alolan form) (dark-normal) — the verminion

(winged) gouging fire (fire-dragon) — the gorgodon; created by the neverseen. grady was the one to officially catch this pokémon, but it rarely listens to him so he almost never uses it in battle (plus it’s a fire type so it’s heavily monitored. he’s only allowed to have it because he’s the one attempting to rehabilitate it)

-> edaline

partner - meganium (grass) — flower dinosaur pokémon! which i think is fitting

kangaskhan (normal) — “parent pokémon”

aurorus (rock-ice) — raised from an amaura with the help of her sister (who is an expert in ice types)

leafeon (grass)

lilligant (hisuian form) (grass-fighting) — this is the pokémon that fights for her the most often

-> kesler

muk (alolan form) (poison-dark) — helps out at slurps & burps (‘helps’ in the loosest sense…)

ditto (normal) — uses elixirs to change its color often, so sometimes people will think it’s a shiny. don’t be fooled! it is not!!! kesler is just being silly

weezing (poison)

-> rex

partner - stufful (normal-fighting)

tangela (grass)

teddiursa (normal) — was caught around the same time as his siblings manifested, since he was jealous that they were catching new pokémon and he wasn’t

-> bex

partner - skitty (normal)

-> lex

vanillite (ice) — a fairly new pokemon, was caught (with help from his mom) after he manifested as a froster

-> fintan

partner - victini (psychic-fire) — mythical pokémon, played a part in the everblaze incident and the pyrokinesis ban. however, fintan refused to keep it in its pokéball after fire types were banned, since he thought it was unfair to punish a pokémon for something that was mostly his own fault. though victini was still severely traumatized by the death of its fellow fire-type pokémon friends

ninetails (fire) — shiny

delphox (fire-psychic)

centiskorch (fire-bug) — can gigantamax. also shiny. i think as a councillor he would have been very fond of shiny pokémon.

-> vespera

partner - diancie (rock-fairy) — mythical pokémon; transformed from a carbink (with the help of her scientific meddling)

hatterene (psychic-fairy) — way more aggressive than oralie’s (to show the difference in their empath abilities)

serperior (grass) — old partner, caught snivy as a starter pokémon when she was a kid (before she manifested)

dracovish (water-dragon) — shiny; mismatched fossil pokémon that was the result of an experiment

cursola (ghost)

all of these pokémon were confiscated when she was arrested, but she was able to get them back when lumenaria fell

-> gisela

partner - weavile (dark-ice)

froslass (ice-ghost) (i am not immune to giving pretty women this pokemon)

glimmora (rock-poison) — “glimmora's petals are made of crystallized poison energy” (pokédex entry); caught while she was collecting those special explosive crystals from elysian (was revealed to the main squad during their battle there)

-> brant

partner - typhlosion (fire) — given to him as a cyndaquil by fintan when he started training him; kept secret from the council until he was outed as a neverseen member. when brant and jolie got into their fight, he challenged her to a pokémon battle, and this was the pokémon that sparked the flames that killed her

turtonator (fire-dragon)

marowak (alolan form) (fire-ghost) — its ultra moon pokédex entry is “when it beats opponents with its bone, the cursed flames spread to them. no amount of water will stop those flames from burning.” which sounds very everblaze-y to me

-> alvar

partner - sableye (dark-ghost)

trevenant (ghost-grass)

runerigus (ground-ghost) — kept secret from his family until he was discovered to be a neverseen member

-> gethen

slowking (galarian form) (poison-psychic) — knows amnesia and confusion; helps wash memories

golduck (water)

aegislash (steel-ghost) — stole from lumenaria (the sword)

-> umber

partner - umbreon (dark) — this pokémon is what she decided to name herself after. was later given to tam by gisela after umber died

zoroark (hisuian form) (normal-ghost) — another parallel to tam

absol (dark)

[cringefail-clown]

there are many things that are still under ??? tab when it comes to turnabout au but one of the biggest ones is if caliborn and calliope should be swapped as well. on the one hand i'd be a huge pain in the ass because it'd completely change the whole narrative and how the events of homestuck play out - instead of caliborns bending the timeline through sheer power of will to suit his narrative and ensure his own arrival it'd have to be more... subtle, tiny moments that have the butterfly effect of making calliope come on top. going with her classpect as the muse of space, she'd more likely be inspiring certain events opposed to head-to-the-brickwalling it through the narrative, for example perhaps Alternia started as this utopian fever dream curtesy of feferi being the empress in the post-scratch universe, but as the time went by things would keep not going right, maybe the alternian trolls, changed by meddling from doc scratch, wouldnt take too eagerly to the idea of caring about those lower on the hemospectrum, maybe feferi would start to feel paranoid about the coming of the next fuchsiablood, thinking that her idea of how to run the place is the only right one, ultimately sending her down the path of quietly getting rid of any fuchsia grubs being born. maybe this coming to the light would spark protests from people already tired of the cotton-candy coddling culture enforced on them, which would lead to her finally breaking and it spiraling into the brutal alternia that we know from the canon

what im trying to say is callies villany would be more like planting little seeds and waiting for the results. not everything would go exactly how she planned, but at the end of the day it'd lead to the same place - her winning the sburb game between the two cherubs. like in a game of chess - one perfectly executed move would open up five others leading to the victory. i honestly like this idea of a cold, cunning villain - cal was really fun in canon, but this version of calliope? downright meancing, a force to be reconed with. but as i said, it would be a shitton of work.

on the other hand, the idea of caliborn being the support character is so fucking hysterical to me im willing to jump through the hoops just to make that happen. like imagine the guy. imagine, instead of being this absolute trashbag of misogyny and toxic masculinity, he'd be more like the tumblr warriormale-esque dude. just aggresively suppotive of his little nuclear unit of a friend group. dave would have an absolute blast with this guy. im losing my mind just thinking about it

[spotty-bee]

I watched the three Troll Movies the last few days and got inspired to make an Au! I was like, what would happen if a troll didn't turn grey all the way? What if they had lost hope, but not all of it? So I thought drew some fun designs and here they are!

Basically King Peppi was separated from Poppy's group and ended up with Viva's, causing poppy to think her dad is dead and is more frightened of the Burgens because of it. She starts to get grey marks on her body, but thanks to her still somewhat happy, bubbly personality, she doesn't go fully grey. The group has leadership issues since Peppi is gone, with a lot of infighting about what they should do and where they should go. Rebuilding society is a lot harder on the group, which is why it's so easy for kids like Poppy to get lost in the shuffle, nobody to really, fully take care of them.

Branch, still grey after the loss of his grandma and abandoned by his brothers, is there for Poppy when the adults are busy fighting or Poppy's friends have to go home. The two have a lot more in common in this Au, both fearing Bergans and their possibly return. So Branch gets her to help build his bunker with him, as well as explain his backstory to her far earlier than the movies.

Eventually the Burgans DO find them as the adults make too much noise both partying and fighting over what to do. Poppy and Branch are the only ones to realize and Poppy manages to convince her friends and a few others to hide in the bunker with them. More Trolls are lost to the Bergans but Poppy is fully recognized as leader by the ones she's saved. Branch and Poppy both agree to abandon their current location, going deeper into the woods where the foliage is so thick no Bergan can enter. Though there are a lot of dangerous wild animals and very little light. The entire town starts living in bunkers interconnected by tunnels. Rarely singing or dancing. They remain pretty undisturbed until the events of either the second or third movie... depending on weather Poppy got the pop string or if Peppi took it with him.

Other than that, Viva and Clay are the ones who carry out the events of the first movie. (Its not quiet the same, Creek is with Poppy's group and still a coward that gets kicked out, but he doesn't effect Viva and Clay's story.) For the second I'm leaning toward Peppi taking the string with him (but that can be changed), so Barb attacks the Putt Putt Trolls instead. However Viva and Clay also handle that, and Viva manages to steal Barb's heart in the process. (I'm not sure if Barb is the same age as Poppy or not, but in my Au she's between Poppy and Viva in age, so its fine.)

So right now its not until the time around the third movie that Branch and Poppy make contact with their siblings. Branch is more cold and doesn't talk much outside of to Poppy. Poppy is more withdraw, reserved and nervous. Both have continually greyed under the stress of taking care of their people, fighting off predators, getting supplies and hiding from Bergans. However Poppy's hope for her people has kept her going and Branch's belief in Poppy keeps him going.

Branch and Poppy also get together sooner than the movies, as they knew each other longer. (Poppy has a brief stint of dating Creek first before he betrays them and gets kicked out. ) Their relationship is good, they can talk without words and are almost always on the same page, but they also feed each other's anxieties and pessimism. Once reunited with their families and the more nitty gritty details have been sorted out (Who's the Pop Queen, ect, ect.) the two actually have to be separated for their own health, as they keep feeding each other's fear, dreaming up worse case scenarios and how to get out of them, trying to make a new bunker, hording supplies, ect. This temporary separation gives them a chance to get to know their families again.

Poppy didn't remember Viva at all in the third movie, so I don't think she'd remember her father either in this AU. So she has to build a relationship from scratch with people who already love her in Putt Putt Pop Village. Branch, meanwhile, hates being away from Poppy and hates his brothers who abandoned him. (Though deep down he really wants them back in his life.) It also doesn't help that he has essentially gone from a perpetually dark, dangerous forest to the brightly lit, busy beaches of Vacay Island, getting constant over stimulation. He's very resistant to his brother's help at first, but eventually realizes that their just trying to improve his health (Physically and mentally) and that fighting it is just hurting Poppy. (Poppy makes a turn about much easier than Branch does, reversing some of her greying. However when she and Branch get to visit during the temporary separation, Branch actually causes some of it to come back, which is when he realizes the others are right and tries to do more to get better himself.) After they do improve they're free to do as they please and reunite as an even better couple.

As for the events of the third movie with Floyd, either Viva helped the brother save Floyd by stealing him back, still inside the diamond prison, or Floyd gets taken after these events.

Anyway! Thats what I have for now! Let me know what you think and if you have any ideas or questions!

[sunnystrollblog]

In the Borrowers AU, did Floyd sing a lament for Branch (whom he thought died) like how Uncle Iroh sang "Leaves from the Vine" for his late son?

Oh I love this ask and it lets me go deeper into the traditions and culture of pop trolls in borrowers au

So trollstice is taken way more seriously than in canon I mean all the years under Bergen rule would definitely cause generational trauma. And because of that trauma the pop ancestors created a day that would be a tribute to the victims of trollstice, and for that day they had a song to commemorate their deaths. everyone would tie a poppy into their hair, light a candle and put it in the window of their pod and then go gather at the center of the tree with an item representing their lost loved one and they’d sing requiem. The holiday was called remembrance day.

But the year branch died the great escape happened and even then Floyd and jd left before remembrance day celebrated. And even Rosiepuff couldn’t give branch a proper remembrance day because when the village had been established king Peppy got rid of it thinking it was no longer needed which was a horrible idea in retrospect. But many trolls still celebrate it even without it being an official holiday.

Rosiepuff still celebrates by wearing poppy flowers in her hair.

Floyd and jd celebrate by putting their branch’s glasses on a mantle in Rhonda.

Bruce puts a candle up in the restaurant window

Clay sings the song and sometimes other putt putt trolls will join in.

So short answer no, but branch’s family has different ways to remember him by

Bonus: art of creek celebrating remembrance day