#Welp I will soon learn what its like living with Night Eyes in the sky

[makeshiftstory]

@azirtheshark The Changes Setting is coming to life for the next two months, I'm gonna be calling them Night Eyes for the time being :3

[fortheloveoffanfic]

Protective Service

John Wick x Reader (A/n- More or less a filler chapter to for a hint of backstory and sexual tension. Welp)

Masterlist   Chapter 1   Chapter 2

Warnings- Brief mentions of murder and rape

Chapter 3 Tell Me Your Past.......

Their almost kiss had weighed heavy on John's mind well into the next week. It made him feel guilty, like even if his wife was gone, doing that with someone else would be cheating on her, and worse yet, with someone like Y/n, Helen's polar opposite? He couldn't do that. Helen was good and kind, she was like flowers in spring, but Y/n……...Y/n was like a blazing, untamed fire; chaotic and dangerous. Hot. But he tried not to think about that last part too much. 

In the moment, when they were leaning in and she'd seemed more vulnerable than he'd ever seen her, it felt like a good idea, he was finally willing to admit the spark she'd ignited when they first met. But when Donavan interrupted, sliding into the vehicle next to her, John had come back to his senses, reminding himself that she wasn't waters that he wanted to charter. 

Pushing away the less that professional thoughts about Y/n had only been made harder when John heard them that evening, confirming his suspicions. The echoed sounds were muffled, but his trained ears could hardly miss a thing and John was actually surprised that he hadn't pieced things earlier. Donavan was always so protective, he hovered over Y/n like a watch dog and always seemed to bend at her whim. At first, John had thought that he was, like some of her other workers, loyal to a fault and too scared to oppose her. But there was something in the way he'd put his hand on her back as they walked into a room, and in the way she always let Donavan have the slight bit of say, it was clear she held him in higher esteem than she did the others. 

Knowing that Y/n probably had someone else should have deterred John, Donavan didn't really like him anyway, but instead, it had fueled his feelings. He was jealous when she took Donavan's hand as they got out of the car or when he was the one helping her in and out of the coat. Of course, there was no way of telling what the true nature of their relationship was, they didn't appear as affectionate as more conventional couples, but he did know that whatever it was, they were definitely more than friends. After all, friends didn't leave your bedroom at three am with their shirts off and their pants unbuttoned. 

The jumble of thoughts had haunted John every night before he succumbed to sleep, and when he'd bumped into Donavan on his way out in the wee hours of Wednesday morning while he'd gone to get some water, things had only gotten worse for him. Usually, it was easy to focus on work and push aside everything else, but that morning, it was easier to think of anything but. 

They were running late too, long after John had gotten ready, waiting in the living room for Y/n to emerge, he'd gotten a call from Donavan, asking where they were and why they hadn't reached yet. After a brisk, stiff exchange, John had been the one to disconnect first, easing his cell into his inner breast pocket before sighing as he started down the hall. 

His steps were silent, as they usually were and as he drew near Y/n's room, his brows knitted as he realized that her door had been left a crack open. That was odd, she never left her door open. It shouldn't have been possible for someone to get in with him knowing; John knew the inner workings of that place like the back of his hand, upon his employment; he'd re-vetted her staff, linked the hall cameras to his phone and obviously, if something had happened, he would have heard. 

Still, everyone was flawed, maybe he'd made a mistake. Thinking the worst, John reached for his gun, holding it at his side as he neared her room, his ears searching for anything out of the ordinary, while his eyes scanned the surroundings. Even at the door, nothing seemed out of place. Though, when John peeked into the room, that was a different story.

She was fine, thankfully and when John's eyes fell on her, Y/n stood in front of the silver framed, full length mirror, the front of her chiffon shirt unbuttoned, her brown leather skirt, tight on her hips and short at it ended above her knees. She was barefoot too, her heels laid out at the foot of the bed, and if John's eyes weren't betraying him, he could have sworn that he saw glassy eyes and a few tears reflected. 

Y/n didn't seem to notice, her stare vacate and fixated on her own reflection. Part of him wanted to call out, but most of John’s mind had evaded better sense and he was, for all intents and purposes, leering. Hesitantly, he moistened his lips, his wandered gaze enthralled with her appearance; soft waves framing her face, plump lips agape and perhaps most notably, pert breasts accentuated by black silk and lace. It was wrong to linger like that, practically ogling, but John didn’t think he could help it, he was already entranced.

He stayed like that, half hidden by her barely opened door, though still visible through the sliver, showing no signs of moving. Eventually, Y/n caught on, and she raised her head, locking eyes with him through the mirror, almost daring him to keep staring, especially when she dragged her lower lip between her teeth seductively, carelessly letting her fingers graze the edge of her open blouse, her nails just barely ghosting over the swell of her cleavage and then her stomach, before she finally turned around, moving to close up the top of her shirt. 

By the time she was facing him, Y/n had already done the first two buttons and was quickly moving onto the third, any signs of tears now gone, save for the singular droplet that had remained on her cheek. Even that was quickly brushed away though, “Everything okay John?” She quipped as if she hadn’t caught him staring mere seconds ago.

Clearing his throat, John turned his gaze before facing Y/n again. If she was going to pretend that it hadn’t happened, he'd show her that he was better at that game. “Yeah,” he nodded coolly, just remembering he’d taken out his gun and putting it away, “Next time tell me when you’re running late,” he huffed, “And Donavan’s worried about you.”

“I-” Sighing when he abruptly started walking away, Y/n let her hands fall to her sides, not bothering with an explanation as John stalked down the hall and she yelled, “We’re leaving in fifteen minutes!”

The day had been long, and Y/n’s mind had been a weary mess for all of it. By the end, when the sun was just about to retire and the sky had just started taking on a burnt orange color, she’d decided to call it a day, harshly dismissing Donavan’s concerns and offers to accompany her as she left a few hours earlier than she usually did, though, requesting someone else’s company as she neared the waiting car. “Will you go somewhere with me?” Y/n probed as they settled in, hating how utterly vulnerable she’d sounded.

“I go where you go,” he offered stiffly, his gaze trained slightly off to the side, discreetly looking out the window, trying to work out where they were headed. They weren’t on the usual route, instead, they were headed in another direction, to the suburbs; specifically Oyster Bay. "Where are we headed?"

"I thought you go where I go?" Y/n shot back brashly, not looking his way, instead toying with the petal of a deep red rose from a bouquet she'd gotten. She hadn't mentioned who the flowers were from, nor had Y/n outlined why she'd been given them, though John supposed that it wasn't his business. 

With a heavy sigh, he rubbed one of his palms up his thigh, trying to quell his annoyance. Why couldn't she ever just answer a question directly? "You can't just go somewhere and not mention it beforehand. I'm your security, not your secretary."

"I know," she gritted, trying to loosen her hold on the beautiful bouquet so the flowers wouldn't be ruined. "It doesn't matter anyway, we're already here," the car had stopped in front of the gates of a cemetery, the only population being that of stone and marble headstones, some with flowers and keepsakes among them while others were painfully barren. "Are you coming or not?" Y/n got out, taking the flowers but leaving her handbag, not even waiting for John as she casually walked off. 

It didn't take long to catch up with her though, and soon enough, John was meeting her where she stood, near two matching grave markers, each constituting deep grey marble in a rounded arch, with gold engravings displaying who was buried beneath. He'd found her lingering in front of one, the clearly older one, while the other just was about a foot and a half away. She'd already placed the flowers in a little holder, tracing the arch of the cold stone before standing again. 

Meredith Cecilia Romanov  1969-1999 Mother and Wife Gone, but never forgotten.

"This is my mother," Y/n swallowed thickly, not really sure why she'd chosen to tell John, and definitely not wanting his sympathy. Tears were hard to fight, and just maintaining her disposition was a trying task, even as she continued, words coming without permission, "Today's her birthday, she would have been fifty."

Out of her periphery, Y/n could see John starting, not the way he had that morning, with the swirl of lust on his dark eyes. That time, it was exactly what she'd dreaded; pity, though, mixed with something else, something like…...understanding. "I'm sorry," he managed, almost raising his hand to reach out before remembering that it wasn't his place. 

"Its okay," she shrugged, sniffling softly, "It was a long time ago," blinking quickly, Y/n swiped under her eye dismissively, "I barely knew her, and I…..I've learned to accept it." In a way her father couldn't.

"Doesn't make it easier," it was a plight John knew all too well, the pain and suffering of losing someone prematurely, before you'd done with them everything you wanted to. There was so much he'd wanted with Helen; peace, a home, a family. And he knew part of Y/n felt some semblance of the same, like she'd been robbed of everything they could have shared. And she'd been so young too, probably no older than ten when she’d found out her mother was gone, forever. "How did it happen, if you don't mind me asking."

"Its……" She trailed off absently and Y/n's eyes went vacant and glassy, "It was….horrible." There couldn't have been another way to describe it, at least not at the top of her head. 

"That covers a lot of ground," John noted, hoping that she'd open up a bit more, so he could be a little closer to her. He knew it was wrong, she was his boss and far beyond his reach, especially with Donavan in the picture. But then again, Donavan wasn't the one standing in the cemetery with her.

Briefly, she glanced at him, before turning away to explain, "I was seven, and she…..as far as I know, went shopping …...it was around my dad's birthday, she went to get him a gift or something, I guess. They snatched her, at the mall. People looked for days, he looked for longer, hoping she'd be alive," despite her efforts of staying steady, her voice broke, "She wasn't, and on his birthday, he got this box…...and a note, ‘happy birthday, from your wife’. It was bad, he knew it was bad, but he still screamed when he opened it; it was her left hand, ring and all still there."

"Fuck," John breathed under his breath. He'd heard the rumors, the little whispers that had said that had spoken of how Meredith had passed, but most of them had seemed too fictitious to be true. He was quickly realizing that they were true, every single one of them, "I'm-"

"When they found her body, in a canal, near the Eastside River," Y/n continued, surprising him, "She was barely recognizable, and the autopsy said that she'd died from severe blood loss after everything they'd done. And that she'd been raped, more than once, by more than one man."

"Y/n," John gasped. He'd done terrible things, killed with his bare hands, but none of them could have ever been that horrific. What had happened to Y/n's mother, it was…..unspeakable, terrible, and there was probably not one person in the world that he could think of as deserving a faith like that. "Who did it?" If he could, he'd take revenge for her, not that it would matter. It wouldn't bring Y/n's mother back.

At his question, Y/n huffed a dry chuckle, memories of Saturday washing over her; the reason she'd been so angry. "The fucking Irish," she breathed, taking a moment before straightening her back, pocketing her hands in her grey coat, and turning to walk away.

*****

Tagging-@harrisongslimited @magnificentclodpiebanana @keandrews @greenmanalishi  @rdjloverxxx @danceoftwowolves  @planetkt @wheretheriversrunintothesea  @jupiterdawngirl​

[delicatelyherdreams]

Pragma(tic) 6: He Never Listens

Pairing: Persephone!Bucky Barnes x Hades!Reader

Summary: In a world where the old gods never truly died, you must learn to navigate your way through the ups and downs of immortality. And if living forever wasn’t hard enough, an ancient evil is now threatening to break free after centuries of silence. And as if that still wasn’t hard enough for you, now a pesky and infuriatingly handsome god is trying to wedge his way into your life. Gods, work, love, and conflict—what more could a goddess need? [Hades & Persephone AU]

Word Count: 5244

Warnings: Language

Pragma(tic) Masterlist

Previous 5: She Deals With a Pest

“Where’s your head been lately, Buck?”

“Hmm? I don’t know what you mean.”

“I mean,” Steve said turning his torso to face his best friend, “you’ve been distracted these past few weeks, and I want to know why.”

Bucky only shrugged, his eyes glazing over as he stared down at the mortal city before them. “I dunno, man. I guess I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

“Like what?” Steve was persistent, prodding, desperate to know what was troubling him. “Come on, man, you can tell me anything.”

This was true, but Bucky wasn’t sure he could tell him this: that he was still sneaking into the Underworld when their backs were turned or when he had a spare moment. He wasn’t sure that he could tell Steve that he was enchanted by the only goddess he was forbidden to talk with.

It’d been about two months since his and Hades’ first meeting, and he’d been down there a total of four times since. The first time, she caught him at the border and sent him back after a scolding. The second, he made it to beautiful Elysium, spooked a couple spirits, and had the time of his life before she dragged him out, less annoyed and more amused than the first. But these last two times, even though she told him that he wasn’t allowed to be down there and sent him back, she talked to him like he was an acquaintance. She answered his questions (“Where do you live?” “On the mountain.” “Is it lonely?” “Sometimes, but that’s why I have a dog and friends.” “Am I your friend?” “No.” “Are we ever going to be friends?” “I cannot say.”) and even gave him a smile. That was a personal accomplishment for him.

He felt like he was getting to her, breaking down the walls little by little. Gods, he knew he still had a long way to go, but he couldn’t help but feel proud that he’d gotten as far as he did. The last time he was down there, she didn’t even kick him out that harshly; she just walked him out as if walking guests out from a party and actually said “Goodbye, James” when she left. If that wasn’t progress, Bucky didn’t know what was.

Bucky pursed his lips, debating on how to tell his friend what was going on without really telling him what was going on. “I guess it’s just…” He trailed off, his brain running with ideas and words, none of which were good enough to conceal the truth.

“Yes? It’s just what?”

He nodded his head to the side, before finally saying, “There’s this girl, and I can’t get her out of my head. She’s so different from other people I’ve met before, and it’s wonderful. But I’m not sure how I feel about her or how she feels about me, y’know?” He sighed and lifted his head up to the sky to stare at the clouds. If he focused hard enough, he could almost make out her face in the patterns, as insane as it was. 

“I mean, kinda?” Steve shrugged his shoulders. “I’ve never really had that before. What’s her name?”

“Hade— Harriet.”

Steve snorted, his chest jolting with the sudden movement. “Hade-Harriet? What kind of name is that.”

Bucky could feel the color rising up his neck as it tried to creep on his cheeks. He turned his head away. “Her name is Harriet.” *Harriet.* Really? Was that the best he could come up with? Welp, it was going to have to work for now. “She’s really cool, but she’s also stubborn and strict. She’s really insistent on boundaries.”

“Uh-huh, and where did you meet her?”

*Dammit, Steve. Stop asking questions.*

“I—uh—I met her in the Mortal World. You and Sam were napping and I wanted to go shopping, so I went down to the mainland to see what stores there were. And we just kinda ran into each other, you know.”

Bucky was impressed with how easily he had fabricated the story, he just hoped that Steve bought it.

Steve didn’t, but he didn’t get a chance to call Bucky on his bullshit.

The wind picked up, swirling all around the two men. The grass spun around them, blowing violently, bringing the smell of plants along with it. The wind funneled, creating a narrow tube. The wind grew hazy, thick with grain and greens, as it moved to a spot in front of them.

Steve straightened up, his shoulders rolling back to appear more formal.

Bucky did the same, for he knew what this wind meant: the arrival of his mother.

When the wind cleared, a woman with dark hair to match Bucky’s and startling green eyes stood before them. She was dressed in a deep green suit, gold ornaments woven into her hair. She beamed down at the two, her eyes sparkling when she laid eyes on her son. “Hello, James,” she greeted, her voice as strong as her finest plants and her smile as warm as the sun that fed them.

“Mother!” Bucky rose to his full height, a good five inches taller than his mother, and took fast strides over to her to engulf her in a hug.

“Oh, my baby boy,” she said as she hugged him tightly. “It’s been too long! How are things? How are you doing? Staying out of trouble I assume?” 

“Oh yes, Mrs. B,” Steve chimed. “Sam and I have been doing a good job at keeping James here straight.”

She smiled. “Good. Speaking of which, where is Sam?”

“Oh, he’s down in the city grabbing us some cheeseburgers. He lost rock paper scissors and got sacrificed to go on the food run.”

At this, Winnifred frowned. “You know I don’t like you boys going down there. Why don’t you go up to Olympus for lunch instead? There’s this cafe that makes the best ambrosia ever! You simply must try it.”

Bucky gave her a polite smile. “Alright, Mother. We’ll go there next time for lunch.” He cleared his throat, starting to change the subject. “So, why have you come?”

“Oh, you know. I had a bit of a break at the office and decided to come visit my son, make sure he’s doing well and— Wait, what’s that smell?”

*Fuck.*

“Wh-What smell?” Bucky asked, trying so hard to keep his voice steady and even. He knew damn well what smell, but he wasn’t going to point that out.

His mother scrunched her nose in disgust. “It smells like death. What the—” She turned her eyes towards Bucky, seemingly fixating on him and glowering.

Bucky felt the color drain from his cheeks. He was done for. She knew. She knew it was him and—

“What the hell is happening here?” She marched towards him, passing him with an air of agitation. She stopped at a tree several yards behind the boys and stared at it with a glare. “James, this tree is dying, and you didn’t save it?” She reached out and pressed her palm flat against its trunk. Instantly the dark bark began to lighten with life as she rejuvenated it. “Honestly, James. You’re supposed to be a god of spring. The least you can do is keep alive what little area I gave you.” She shot a teasing smile at him over her shoulder.

Bucky almost laughed with relief, but instead, he adopted a more serious demeanor. “I’m sorry, Mother. I’ll do better next time.”

“You’d better if you want to become an even better god!” She pulled away from the tree before walking back to the boys. “Well, I’m sorry to have to leave so soon, but I only came for a short visit. Work is busy as ever in the spring and I need to keep tabs on all the harvests.” She smiled at Steve. “You tell Sam ‘hello’ for me and keep an eye on my boy, you hear?”

Steve nodded politely. “Yes, ma’am. We’ll keep him out of trouble.”

“Good. Then…” She turned to Bucky and held her arms out. “Give your mother one last hug.”

Bucky chuckled but complied. “Mother, you don’t have to treat me like a kid anymore. I’m more than a thousand years old.”

“I know, but you’ll always be my baby boy.” She kissed his cheek before pulling away from him. “I’ll see you soon, my child. Until the next time.” And just like that, she was gone; vanished into a cloud of grain and wheat.

As soon as she was gone, Bucky let out a breath he didn’t know he’d been holding in. He was always tense around his mother, even more so now that he had something to hide. He just hoped that she would never find out his dirty little secret.

———

It was another few days before Bucky was able to sneak away from Steve and Sam again. It was in the dead of the night, when they were sleeping, that Bucky crept away, staying as silent as possible. He walked away from the clearing that the boys had chosen to sleep in, and summoned a pair of dark jeans and a blue shirt to clothe him. The garments materialized on his body as they did for every god, taking the place of his pajamas. Using the cover of night, he slipped away.

A perk of being a god, even a minor, fledgling one like him, was the teleportation. With a destination on his mind, Bucky could travel anywhere on Heaven and Earth that he wanted. And it was through this, that Bucky appeared on Cape Matapan, a small landmass at the end of Greece’s Mani Peninsula. The mortals had said that the elaborate network of caves there concealed an entrance to Hades. They were right, although it was a difficult journey. But Bucky had been using these caves to get into the Underworld ever since Hades sealed off the Dikteon Cave and tightened security at the Acheron. She wasn’t quite aware of this entrance yet and Bucky wanted to keep it like that. After all, he was starting to run out of ways to sneak in under her nose.

Bucky took a couple of steps into the cave before pausing and leaning down. A flashlight was nestled against the wall of the cave, right where he’d left it the last time. His fingers wrapped around the metal cylinder of the flashlight and he flicked it on. The beam pierced the darkness of the cave, illuminating the tunnels ahead, and he began the short journey down.

Slopes and declines in the path took him deeper and deeper into the earth; and as he descended, he could feel the life seeping out of the air—a telltale sign that he was nearing his destination.

He walked for twenty or so minutes before he hit the end of the tunnel network. The cavern opened up slightly, still darkened with a black that swallowed up any and all light around. 

Bucky grinned. He’d made it down, and now all he had to do was take a step in. He flicked off the flashlight, plunging the cave into darkness and set it down on the ground before walking right into the mass of black before him. It was cold as always, stealing any sign of warmth and life from his bones, and it made him shudder, but he pushed on. Eventually he was tossed out onto the other side, right at the edge of a flower meadow. The cave behind him sealed, taking on the facade of being a simple wall, but Bucky knew what it was. He stumbled a bit as he emerged, but he caught his footing pretty quickly. He wasn’t going to fall like he had the first time, not when there were so many spirits around to bear witness to it.

He straightened up and looked over the area.

Shades milled about the field—the Asphodel Meadows, he thought it was called—all minding their own business as they floated aimlessly. Very few paid him any attention, but that didn’t bother him. The less attention he drew, the better. Beyond the Meadows, he saw the gates of Elysium rising high and the mountain right next to it. The black mansion at its peak was daunting as ever, and yet that was his destination. Bucky wondered how close he’d make it this time before Hades found him and sent him home.

Determined to at least make it to the base of her mountain, Bucky started walking. The shades around him parted, making a narrow path in his wake and allowing him easier means to reach his destination. Of course, he could’ve just walked through them, but that would’ve been rude and his mother had raised him to be a gentleman.

The mountain grew larger as he neared, towering over him and becoming more and more intimidating with every step. He could begin to make out the details of Hades’ mansion now and even see figures moving behind the frosted glass of the windows. She was home, and she had company. 

He hesitated. If Hades had guests over, as surprising as that would be, maybe he shouldn’t impose. He could always come back another time or—

“Back again, I see.”

He squeaked and whirled around, lifting his hands to defend himself in case of an attack. But none ever came.

Instead, Hades just crossed her arms and smirked, her red-coated lips quirked up with amusement. “Did I startle you, little prince?”

Bucky scoffed, his eyes rolling to the back of his head. “No. You just caught me off guard.”

“So I startled you?”

“Well… Maybe.” He shook his head and looked her over.

The other times he’d weaseled his way in and she’d come to greet him, she’d always looked professional, prim, and proper. She would always be adorned with a black business blazer, pressed pants, and an elegant pair of flats. Her eyes would always be shrouded with a smokey eye and her lips would always glow as red as her eyes. Her hair would always be styled, not a single hair out of place. But this time there was no makeup on her face that was apparent to him, strands of loose hair flew every-which-way in a fashion that was unruly but still attractive, and she was dressed in a more casual attire of black jeans that hugged her legs, a plain grey shirt that hung loosely from her shoulders, and black sneakers. 

If Bucky had an opinion, he would’ve said that she looked as attractive as ever, but he didn’t have an opinion. He lifted his chin with a smile. “How did you get down here so fast?”

“I sensed you coming. Using the shadows, I came to your side.” She gestured down to the shadows of the flowers that fell on the ground. She was standing in one like she’d just risen from it. 

“But I just saw you and someone else in the window and I thought that you had company.”

“Oh, I do,” she said with a nonchalant shrug. “But it’s just Peggy. She was on her way out anyway; she has her own paperwork to get to.”

“Peggy? Goddess of magic, crossroads, ghosts—”

“And other things,” Hades confirmed. “The mortals call her Hecate, but her name is Peggy.” Hades turned her head away from him and looked up at the mansion on the mountain. “She’s up there with my dog. I sometimes think that she likes him more than she likes me.” She chuckled.

“I didn’t know you had a dog.” Bucky smiled softly at her, keeping his head down so he could see her easier and she could see his face.

She scrunched her nose. “Really? You seriously did not know that I have a dog? Cerberus is in nearly every myth about me, and he helps guard the entrance to the Underworld to make sure the souls don’t get out.”

Bucky had no idea. He never read the myths, he only knew some names of the other gods. With a sheepish laugh, he rubbed the back of his neck and shifted his weight from side to side. “N-No I didn’t. I—”

He didn’t get the chance to finish his sentence because, at that moment, Hades brought two fingers up to her mouth and whistled. The sound rang loud and clear through the still air and a crash followed it almost immediately.

Rapid movement from the mansion atop the mountain drew his eye, and he saw a black mass bounding down the path of the mountain. It was moving at a speed that shouldn’t have been possible for a normal dog, drawing dangerously close with every second. Bucky was tempted to run away—he’d never seen anything like this before—but Hades, with her calm demeanor as she watched the figure approaching with only an amused smile betraying her emotion, coaxed him to stay. He stood his ground, anxiously awaiting the arrival of the black mass.

As it neared, its details became clear. He saw the animal’s shaggy black fur shining in the dim light of the Underworld and its glowing red eyes staring at him and Hades. Its tongue was hanging out of its mouth, its lips spread wide as if it was grinning. When it came within three yards of the pair, it let out a loud yelp before leaping into the air right at Hades. Bucky was certain it was going to knock her down, but she opened her arms and caught him as easily as if it were a child.

She laughed, the sound music to Bucky’s ears, as the wolf-like creature attacked her face with its tongue. “Cerberus!” she cried, her voice as light and airy as Bucky had ever heard it. “Get down! I’ve taught you better than this.”

It was then that Bucky realized that this was her dog. His lips split back into a smile. “Well isn’t he a handsome thing.”

“You think this is great, you should see him at his full height.” She grinned down at her dog, cupping his face in her hands. “He’s huge, and all three of his heads come out. It’s sad though, I only have two hands and I can’t pet them all.”

Bucky snorted, but said nothing, opting to observe instead. He was fascinated with the scene in front of him. He’d never seen Hades so relaxed; she was always ushering him out as fast as she could, and it was amazing for him to see her like this. It made his heart race in his chest and his smile widen to an uncomfortable size. It made his head light and his stomach flip. It made him happy.

Hades pulled away from Cerberus and turned to look at Bucky. “I figured you two ought to be acquainted since he’ll be helping me kick you out from now on, or doing it himself if I’m too busy to deal with you.” She glanced at him through her eyelashes.

Bucky feigned being hurt and clutched his chest with his hand. “I’m not even going to have the pleasure of being escorted out by the Queen of the Underworld?”

“Not when she’s too busy dealing with queenly things to take care of your ass.” She quirked an eyebrow at him. “Now, come on. You know the drill.” She jerked her head in the direction of the Acheron. 

Bucky groaned. “Oh, come on! I just got here!”

“And now you’re just leaving.” She rubbed Cerberus’ head one more time before reaching forward and grabbing Bucky’s wrist. “I’ve got shit to deal with right now. Filing away souls, welcoming new Elysium residents, going over appeals for Elysium admittance; my job is never done.”

Bucky walked with her, staring at the hair on the back of her head and tracing the patterns of the strands. “Yeah? What else do you do?”

She shrugged, but answered, “A variety of things: manage the other gods down here, maintain border security, deal with difficult souls that want to cause disturbances, walk my dog, sometimes go around Elysium and mark up renovations that need to happen. You name it, I probably deal with it in one way or another. That’s what happens when you rule a realm.”

Bucky nodded, his eyes glinting with interest. “It seems like you really care about people down here.”

“Oh, I do,” Hades agreed. “They’re my subjects, mine to protect and guard. I love them like my family.” She smiled fondly, her lips twitching up as her eyes crinkled at the corners. “There’s a bunch of good people down here, but there are also some bad…” Her smile dissolved and her eyes flickered towards the far wall of the Underworld where the Phlegethon flowed. “But that doesn’t matter right now. What matters is how you’ve managed to keep sneaking down here. Would you care to clue me in?”

He smirked. “You know, I would but then you’d just go and block it off and I’d never be able to return.”

“You’re damn right. You’re causing major security concerns whenever you get in without me knowing until you’re already down here.” She was deadly serious now, and Bucky could feel it radiating off her in waves. “If you can get in, then that means other things can too. And I don’t know if you’ve been made aware or not, but we’ve got some big-shot prisoners down here that enemies of the gods would just love to set free. If they were to find out that the Underworld has a security breach, then who knows what kind of chaos they could unleash.” She glanced at him, just barely turning her head in his direction. “I need to know, James. How are you getting in?”

Bucky nibbled at his lip and turned his head up. He was thinking. 

On one hand, he could see where Hades was coming from, and logically he knew he should tell her where his entrance was, but on the other he was afraid she was going to seal him out forever. He’d grown attached to the Underworld, finding it interesting, unique, and beautiful. He wanted to know more about it, explore it, and see what made Hades love it so. He wasn’t ready to give it up, but he knew he had to share. 

Bucky crossed his arms and pressed his lips together, reluctance rolling off him in waves, before admitting, “Cape Matapan. The myths said that if you go down deep enough into the caves, then you’ll reach the Underworld and, well, they’re right. I’ve used them the past couple of times.”

And at that, she smiled at him. Not one of the half-smiles she’d been giving him, but a full-blown smile that lit up her entire face. 

It made Bucky’s heart flutter with exhilaration, and he couldn’t help but think that he should do things to make her smile more. She was breathtaking; drop-dead gorgeous.

She continued to smile at him as she said, “Thank you, James. I really appreciate your honesty.”

He smiled back and nodded. “You’re welcome. I’m sorry I’ve been a pain in the ass, but there’s just something about being down here that I can’t quite put my finger on.”

She chuckled. “I know the feeling. It’s very peaceful and calm down here. I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”

From there, they started walking in silence, drawing nearer and nearer towards the Acheron. At some point in time, they began to walk next to the Cocytus, the river that fed into the Acheron. The water wailed beside them, the pitiful cries of souls long past that had become trapped in the water’s rush filling the air. The sounds made shivers run down Bucky’s spine.

But it wasn’t just the noise that made Bucky uneasy, although Hades seemed unaffected, it was the figure standing about a dozen yards away from him and Hades.

The man lurking along the river bank was obviously a naiad. He sported the same blue tint to his skin that all water nymphs did, the water beside him only highlighting the features. His dark hair was coiffed and his jawline was marked with a short stubble that came from not shaving in a few days. His heavyset, brown eyes cut through the air as they stared at him and Hades, filling the air with suffocating intensity. His arms were crossed as his eyes trailed Hades. He watched her, studied her, with his unrelenting and almost predatory gaze. 

Bucky wasn’t sure why, but looking at that man watch Hades like she was his made Bucky’s blood boil. For the first time in his life, Bucky wanted to pick a fight with a man—this man. He sneered. “Who’s that?”

“Hmm?” Hades tore her gaze away from the road ahead and followed his line of sight towards the man on the river bank. She stiffened, her lips forming a hard line as she stared at him. “No one,” she murmured, but Bucky wasn’t entirely certain that was the truth.

He could feel his body gravitating towards hers protectively, his shoulders rolling back and his chest puffing out to make him seem more like a threat. He did all in his power to radiate “back off’ vibes, but he wasn’t sure how successful he actually was.

Successful or not, the naiad stayed away, opting to simply watch them as they passed.

They followed the river the rest of the way until it fed into the Acheron before stopping. 

Hades stood at the river’s edge, the water just barely missing her toes where they sat. She looked up at Bucky. “Well, I guess this is your stop.”

Bucky didn’t want it to be, but he said, “Yeah, I guess it is.” He looked down with a frown.

As if sensing his dismay, Hades sighed and dug into her pocket. “I cannot believe I am doing this,” she muttered, pulling out a small leather pouch. Bucky watched her with curiosity as she fiddled with the straps and held it out to him. “Here.”

Bucky took the pouch and pulled it open. Inside there lay about two dozen brown seeds, none of which Bucky recognized. His brows furrowed. “What are these?”

“They’re Asphodel seeds,” she answered, shifting her weight. “They’re what I use to get to the Underworld. You plant one, and a hole will open up for about thirty seconds. Jump in, and you’ll pop out here with only a flower in your stead. You’ll be deposited back into the Asphodel Meadows, but you’ll still be down here.”

Bucky stared at her, dumbfounded. “Wait, you mean you’re just giving me a key to the Underworld?”

“Yes I am, but don’t make me change my mind.” She rolled her eyes. “This is simply because I don’t want you hurting yourself trying to find a way in. And just because I gave you a way in doesn’t mean you can come down every day. You only have so many seeds and each is good for a one-time-one-way trip. There are no do-overs nor repeats, you hear?”

“I hear.” He smiled softly down at her. “Thank you, Hades.”

“(y/n).”

He blinked. “Excuse me?”

“My name. It’s (y/n). You keep calling me ‘Hades.’ No doubt you got that from the myths too, but that’s just the name the mortals gave me. (y/n) is my true name.” She shuffled her feet anxiously, but Bucky couldn’t have been happier.

He didn’t know why, and perhaps she didn’t either, but she was opening up to him. It made him happy, and he figured that if she was willing to share something, he should too. “Then my name is Bucky. Only my mother calls me ‘James.’ To everyone else I’m Bucky.”

Her nose crinkled. “Bucky? Where the Hades did they get that from?”

“My middle name: Buchanan. I know it’s a little weird, but it’s the most familiar name to me. James just feels so formal and uptight; I’d much rather be Bucky.”

“Bucky,” she repeated, testing out the syllables on her tongue. “Alright, Bucky it is.” She straightened up and smiled at him, holding out her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Bucky. My name is (y/n), goddess of the dead and Queen of the Underworld.”

Bucky took her hand, a matching smile adorning his face. Her hand was cold as death, but he didn’t care. The warm feeling the contact brought to his chest was worth it. “It’s my pleasure, (y/n). I’m Bucky, god of spring. I hope we can get along and be friends.”

“Yes… Friends… I think I could get used to that.” She nodded and squeezed his hand. “Then, until next time.”

“Until then.” Letting go of her hand, he pulled away and mounted the ferry that had come to take him home. His eyes never once left her, not even when the boat pushed off and into the river. He only lost sight of her when he crossed over into the Mortal World and a wall of mist and fog separated them. He sighed as she vanished, turning to the ferryman—Phil Coulson, he thought was his name.

Phil looked down at him sympathetically. “You’re never going to stop coming down, are you?”

“No, I don’t think I am.” Bucky smiled softly up at him. “I guess you’ll be seeing me a bit more often now.”

“Oh joy. Yet another god I have to deal with.” Phil rolled his eyes. “I just hope you’re less of a pain in my ass than the others.”

Bucky chuckled. “I will do my best to be better than them.”

“Then we’ll get along just fine.” Phil smiled as they came to the mortal side of the Acheron and stopped at the bank. It was dawn now, the sun was just barely rising above the horizon.

Bucky frowned in confusion. “Morning already? It was night when I left and I know I wasn’t down there for that long. How is already morning?”

“Time seems to flow faster works in the Underworld,” Phil said as he tied the ferry to the land. “They say that death feels like nothing.” He pulled the ferry to a stop in the Mortal World and turned to Bucky. “You take care of yourself, godling.”

“You too, Phil.” Bucky stepped off the ferry and appeared again just outside the field where Steve and Sam should’ve been sleeping. He had to be quiet. This early in the morning, his friends were easily aroused and he didn’t want them to know he’d left.

Bucky had teleported right behind a tree where he had a full view of the field. Steve and Sam should’ve been sleeping in the middle of the meadow, but there was one body missing. Bucky frowned and crouched down. Where was Steve? Did he get up early? Oh shit, did he notice that Bucky was missing? Bucky held his breath as his eyes scanned the field, searching for his friend desperately. 

“Looking for somebody?”

Bucky nearly screamed. He turned around, probably white with fear.

Steve had his hands on his hips and was glowering down at his best friend, his eyes intense and slightly pissed. “Where were you?”

“I… Uh…” Bucky had to lie, and lie now. “I went down the mountain to the village.” 

“No, you didn’t. I checked there. I checked the whole island.” Steve’s glare only intensified. “Now, where were you?”

Next 7: Her Thoughts Conflict

[welcometoclass1ahell]

Return The Favor: arachne!Sero x Female Reader

Welp this is my first try at writing something in forever. Last time I wrote I was like 16, so let’s see how this goes.. Good luck first post. Float around! Self note: Starts off too slow maybe and its a little jumbled? Might edit.

Prompt : Write about a character who finds an odd-looking egg in the forest. When they take it home, they never could have predicted what was inside it

Fantasy!Au

arachne!Sero (Jumping Spider) x Female Reader

Wandering into the deeper ends of the forest wasn’t exactly the plan, but when you saw a small dirt trail leading off the path curiosity stole all reasoning. It was just a simple walk you had planned afterall, what would a little detour hurt? 

It was peaceful for a while, the forest light and cheerful. Signs of life were everywhere and you could feel the breeze coming through the branches freely. You hadn't noticed there was anything wrong until the birds had stopped singing and the breeze was getting colder, harsher, louder. Looking to the sky, the cheery light had started to dim through the thicker branches. It wasn’t until you heard branches snapping behind you that you felt instinct and fear ripple through your body that had you feeling like coming here was a mistake. Taking off in a sprint, you hurried deeper down the dark and unused path in hope that a clearer path would show.

Inhaling sharp breathes, you had pushed yourself to run faster as you heard paws behind you stomping into the ground. You pleaded in your mind for whatever there was out there to give you mercy and to spare you from whoever or whatever was chasing you. Lucky you, someone had heard your pitiful prayers. The path was nearing an end as you saw a dark cave surrounded by toadstools and marshy looking grass. Hopping into the entrance of the cave, you felt as if you were going to collapse from the lack of air. You were afraid to wander into a cave but also from whatever was chasing you.

Which reminded you, why weren’t you being pounced on yet? Turning slowly, you eyed what had been chasing you with fear. A dark haired wolf was growling and snapping at you but it was odd for it to not come closer. It was then you noticed it wouldn’t dare enter the half circle of toadstools around the cave. Rather it sat, looking curiously onwards towards the entrance.

Looking back forward with dread, you had realized you were stuck between this cave and wolf and quite frankly you weren’t going to pick the large wolf who was ready to gobble you up as soon as you walked out the circle.

“No turning back now,” You whispered to no one but yourself to try and give yourself the courage to take a step. Moving forward hesitantly towards the entrance you peeked your head in and gave a small laugh of relief. It was just a small cave with nothing inside but for an odd looking stone in the middle of...webs? Walking over to center of the cave, you crouched down and took a strand of the webs between your fingers, rubbing the silky threads between your fingers before looking at the oval in front of you.

Biting your lip, you reached for the smooth object, pulling at the webs that seemed to be covering it to discover with a light gasp that it was not a stone! It was an egg! “Odd looking egg though,” you mumbled as you ran your hand over it. It was smooth, sure, but it had a spongy feeling to it as well. Curiosity had taken over again as you rolled the egg towards the light and took a closer inspection to it. It was white for the most part if it wasn’t for the black swirls all around it. The patterns were pretty, hypnotizing almost. Taking a look around you also noticed the wolf had finally gone and there wasn’t a sign of it coming back. Or anything really.

“Will anyone come back for you?” You asked to the egg before laughing lightly as no response was given. “What an odd predicament, what to do with you?” You mumbled as your hands rubbed over the egg once more, giving small warmth to whatever creature was inside. You wanted to take this egg with you but with the sheer size you wouldn’t know how to get it out of this forest. It was also getting dark real fast.

“Surely staying here in this cave wouldn’t be too dangerous. Once it’s morning I could go fetch some sort of wheelbarrow,” You mused not wanting to leave the egg out here alone. Deciding it would be safer to make way to home in the morning, you started to collect dry leaves and sticks, setting up a small campfire at the mouth of the cave, trusting that whatever had scared the wolf off would also intimidate other creatures from wandering too close. Sparking up a fire, you huddled close to the egg, trusting the environment around you once again too much as you drifted off to sleep.

______________

Waking up to something nudging you wasn’t the first thing you expected. The second thing you weren’t expecting was for coal like eyes staring back into your own gentle eyes. “W-What?” You gasped scrambling to sit up but as your hand reached back, it had squished into something gooey. A cold shiver went down your spine at the feeling and brought your hand to see a white substance coating your fingers. Scrunching up your nose in disgust you looked down to notice the egg cracked open.

Quickly realizing that whatever was in the egg was now out, you turned to look back at the creature in front of you. There was a boy, rather part of a boy blinking curiously yet caringly at you. Where his torso would have met a pair of legs, a black spider like body replaced that. White patterns swirled around his back and down to the tips of the spider legs which started to move, or jump towards you.

“H-Hey,” You breathed out as one of his hands had poked at your cheeks causing a nervous yet kind smile to form on your lips. “You remind me of a jumping spider,” You joked to him which only caused him to blink again before smiling back. Assuming he couldn’t understand you considering he just hatched, you let out a small sigh before standing up. This was a rather difficult problem you had on your hands. You sort of recognized what he was after a moment of thought and knew if you brought him to your village, the people wouldn’t be happy at this monster living among them. You had different views, nothing was truly a monster at first, at least that’s what you thought.

Deciding to give it a try, you could try and sneak your new little friend into your home which was thankfully not too far into the village. “Come on then,” You smiled down at the boy and patted your leg as a show to follow before walking out, the smell of ash hitting your nose as you walked past the now put out fire.

Walking through the forest felt different now with the spider boy at your heels, following you intently. Maybe, you thought, just maybe this little creature thought you were its mother which you felt endeered. You never managed to find yourself a nice partner to settle down with kids, not that you were seeking anyway. Here you were walking out the forest with a spiderling boy following you now and you didn't seem to mind that this is where fate had led you. Getting closer to the path of your village, you glanced down at the boy who smiled up at you whenever you looked at him,”You know, I should probably think of a name,” You mumbled at him as you lead him towards the back of the village, keeping an eye out for anyone who might accidentally see. At this moment you were happy for the silence the boy brought with him.

After a few minutes of pausing and going between buildings, you had managed to hide the small boy behind you and led him into your small house tucked away at the back, surrounded by a high wall of bushes to keep your privacy. Locking the door behind you, you smiled at the boy once more before going to your room to find a blanket of some sort. Maybe he would appreciate that for now considering you didn’t know what he liked. “Man, what am I doing,” You giggled looking at the spiderling who was now looking through your possessions in a curious manner. “I just...didn’t wanna leave an egg, all by itself. Especially not now that he is hatched…,” You reasoned with yourself. The more you thought into this the more questions came to mind of how you would even care for him. Feed him even!

“Meat, clearly, that's what you need huh?” You questioned as you grabbed a light fur blanket from your bed and draped it over his shoulders before making your way to your kitchen, looking through your supplies. Thankfully you had preserved some meat with salt from yesterday. Picking up your leftovers, you eyed the boy who had now followed you to the kitchen and eyed the meat you were holding, his lips coming open to reveal his top fangs in hunger, “Here you go,” You hummed placing it down onto the table in front of him curious as to what he would do.

Almost savagely, the boy had ripped at the raw meat, gnawing through the flesh as if it were nothing, sucking on the bones after. You had watched in silence, knowing fear is what you should have felt rather than content as if you had watched your own son eat a meal. “How about….Sero...would you like to be called Sero?” You questioned to which the newly named Sero looked up, holding still for a moment before repeating the new name.

“S...Sero,” He hissed out before squinting up to you, a huge smile etched across your face in proudness. Oh if only you knew how fast this boy learned and grew.

_______________

You had fed and taught Sero but hadn't been prepared to watch how fast he actually grew. Within two weeks of having him stay in your home, he had already become the size of a teenager, yet slightly bigger. His speech matched up to one as well. “You’re back late,” He greeted you one night which had halted you in your tracks after swinging your door shut. “Sero! I thought you’d be asleep by now! I had to make a run to the market, didn’t think it would take so long,” You said as you hauled the meat you were carrying to the counter. “The butcher was getting curious, he wanted to know why I was buying so much meat now, especially in two weeks,” You rambled on which had the spider-man grinning lazily at you.

“Then you should just let me hunt, Mom,” He teased, knowing being called a parental figure still put a halt to your steps. You weren’t used to it, but at the same time you weren’t used to having a small boy growing into almost adulthood within two weeks. “S’ not like I don’t anyway,” He added, which had you turning on your heels with worry real fast.

“Sero! I thought I told you to at least tell me if you were leaving! I don’t like keeping you here all the time, but if….if my people find out,” You began which had you biting your lip. You didn’t like worrying him, nor did you want to seem like you were threatening him, “What I mean is...humans...aren;t nice,” You rambled and hadn't noticed the shadow which had jumped behind you into the kitchen.

“Hey, relax!,” Sero smirked as he looked at the meat on the counter, startling you to turn around and watch him examine the meals you had brought. Taking his pick at the chicken to munch on first, he took a bite before looking back at you, ”I wouldn’t let anyone see me. I go while you’re sleeping. Nights are easy to navigate,” He reminded you as his coal colored eyes stared into your worried ones wanting to reassure you. You always worried for him, it was cute. Watching you tend to his needs, run around for errands, taking care of the house as well. It made his animalistic instincts want to take you as a mate, but he didn’t want to make a move. Not so soon.

Puffing your cheeks out into a huff, you rolled your eyes but relaxed anyway, taking some of the meat yourself as you started to cut it up wanting to cook a meal for yourself as well, “I’d just appreciate it if you would let me know, I’d feel better that way,” You advised as Sero had now taken on a book and settled on the floor by you as he ate his chicken,” Yeah, Yeah, I know,” He brushed off. 

Looking down at him, you started to feel a little bad. He sure did grow a lot. He barely fit in the house which you had planned to keep him safe. You couldn’t help but feel as if maybe him sneaking out was his release of feeling free, and spacious. “Hey, Sero,” You began and smiled as he hummed back acknowledging that he was listening. Staring back at the bits of meat you were cutting up you bit your lip to find the right words to say,” You know, maybe...maybe being outside is what you need anyway. This house sure is getting small for you, I wouldn’t want you feeling trapped,” You mumbled to which Sero looked up from his book quickly. 

There was a glint of slight anger in his eyes but as he gazed upon your expression, he saw that you were really worried, not trying to be rid of him. “Ah, well it is getting cramped,” He agreed and stood up, disposing of the chicken bones into the basket you had to collect them. You liked using them to make bone meal for your plants outside. “I could set back up in the cave you found me in, but you’d have to visit me,” Sero offered up a deal to which you sweetly smiled back at him, “And why wouldn't I not visit you?” You questioned back which was all you needed to say to have him grinning back.

It had only been a few more days before Sero had bid his goodbyes for now to go make himself at home in the cave you had found him in. Sadly for you, your house never seemed more emptier. It only had been two weeks with the fast growing spiderling, but it was enjoyable to watch the creature grow into such a handsome one. You had kept with your agreement and visited him whenever you could and as the days went flying by, you both were as inseparable as the day you had met. Before you knew it, it had been months since you had seen him as hatchling. Now? You saw a huge man with a strong body and eight swift jumping legs to go with them. He towered over you as he greeted you at the front of the cave with a cheeky grin as always,” You're late,” He would say staring down at you to which you would only smile in return,”Nosy neighbors,” you bantered back.

It would be a lie to say he wasn’t attractive to you. You had to keep reminding yourself that though he towered over you, he was still younger. Sero could tell that's what you thought too. He may have been almost a year old, but his anatomy and mental anatomy was so much different to humans. He was a grown man now! Matured way older than his little companion. It annoyed him to think that you would still think of him of anything but a man. A mate even.  “(Y/N)” He drawled out as he watched you make himself comfortable in his webs, “I’ve been thinking,” He started approaching you, almost trapping you with his legs on his web,” I’ve met with my own kind here and there now, I’ve learned a lot. You know i'm fully grown now, yeah?” He hummed watching as you looked up with those kind eyes,”Of course, and I’m happy you are Sero! You grew up really fast!” You replied light heartedly which kept Sero in a good mood.

“Yeah, but you know we also would have chosen a mate by now,'' He added, which had you stiffen up right, looking worriedly at him,”Really?! Have I been in the way? I’m sorry Sero!” You immediately apologized causing the black haired male to laugh, a few of his eight limbs coming up to hug his own spider like body as well,

“No! No! You could never be in the way (Y/N), actually quite the opposite,” He said in a chilled manner and jumped up onto the cave ceiling to hang down at you as he started to web up the place more, hanging down right in front of you till he was mere inches from your face causing a light pink dust to settle across your cheeks to which he enjoyed.

“What do you mean?” You asked in a hushed tone as he grinned wider, a hand coming down to cup your right cheek, rubbing a thumb across the soft flesh,” I was hoping you’d be my mate! You’d be perfect for me,” He cooed out, a dark look making its way to his eyes but never his smile. He was hoping you wouldn’t reject him as he read your face. It was flushing all sorts of red for him which made him smile even wider.

“I-....Sero,” You started and bit your lip as you thought hard, your nose scrunching up in thought, a feature he loved. “I’m older than you,” You protested, “And a human!” You reasoned. You would love to be his mate deep down, but you had morals and questions and so much thinking to do.

“(Y/N)...I’m older than you at this point, my species do happen to grow up a lot faster,” Sero chuckled and watched you squirm in his web as you tried to find the right words to say,” Just stay here with me, let me take care of you like you took care of me,” He whispered and leaned in closer to leave a small kiss on your nose,” I’ll take good care of you, you have nothing else to look forward to anyway,” He pointed out and as you took a deep breathe you didn’t see a lie in his words.

Once again curiosity took hold as you looked at the new path before you. Reaching up you took a hold of his cheeks and smiled back, hypnotized again by the same swirls his eyes held compared to the egg you found in the very same cave, “Okay...I’ll be your mate,” you answered back which had Sero’s heart soaring high. He’d now get a chance to repay you for all of your hard work.

[darquedeath4444]

Price (Chapter 1)

My Hero Academia

Pairing: Ochako-centric (For now)

Summary:

In a crueller world, Ochako realizes that hoping will never get her anywhere. She willingly takes her first step into villainy and is unknowingly led the rest of the way in by a man who buys her loyalty. Years too late she realizes the truth, and she can only hope that if she cannot be a hero in all senses of the word, maybe she can at least be one for those she cares for.

Chapter ONE

Uraraka Ochako grows up wanting to be a hero. 

She is born to two loving, doting parents who are honestly the best parents anyone can ask for. They might be on the poor side financially, but Ochako finds she does not mind, not when they are there to greet her in the morning with wide smiles on their faces and tuck her into bed at night with said smiles still unwavering.

Her family owns a construction company, and things had been rough for years. She is gifted with a quick which allows her to control gravity, and when she first learns this she is ecstatic because it will be very useful for her parents’ line of work. 

Her parents, however, tell her that she is free to do what she wants, that she does not have to continue their family business, and Ochako stops and thinks because perhaps there are other ways to help. 

Then, one day, she sees a particular interview on the news. The man being interviewed is a hero, who just saved a bunch of people who had been held prisoner by a villain trying to rob a bank. 

A hero, she knows, is someone who uses their quirk for justice and the good of others, and because it is a job, they get paid for it. 

Ochako’s chest warms and she just knows that this is what she wants to do. She will become a hero so that she can help her parents and everyone else who needs help. She does a little research, and all she needs is a few years, to grow a little older, so that she can enter a school to become one.

But the world is unfair and slightly crueller than Ochako realizes. It isn’t patient enough to give her just a little more time, and doesn’t discriminate who it sinks its fangs into. Her parents, who are nothing but loving and supportive and just want to live a good, happy life, slowly but surely become its latest victims. It is the cruellest murder of all, one where everyone knows death is coming, but they can do nothing about it.

Their lives come crumbling down around them just like the walls of their house and Ochako can do nothing but watch as soon, the only thing holding up what remains of their world are the smiles of her parents as they tell her, promise her, that things will become better one day.

Ochako smiles back and agrees, but she becomes tired of waiting for ‘one day’, because ‘one day’ will never come, not to her household, not if she does nothing but wait for it.

She loves her parents and does not doubt they love her, but they are wrong. Nothing will become better if they wait for it, she has to make it better.

She has no time to wait, no time to waste waiting, not when the world is already at their doorsteps with a knife. Her quirk might not be the most impressive thing around, but she knows that if she can utilize it properly, she will be a formidable force. 

Gravity is what roots everything to the very earth they all stand on, after all, and she can negate it.

The first time she does it, it is largely curiosity. She is at a dagashiya, one she often stops by to look through but never actually buys anything. She has been hungry all day, because her parents had had to rush out to work early in the morning, and while they told her to eat anything in the fridge, she feels bad because she knows they haven't.

The store is run by an old woman who is mostly unaware of what goes on, and the packet of mochi she takes is past the expiry date. She still feels bad, her steps slowed by fear and the stolen goods a little heavy in her pocket.

A few more times and she learns that her quirk helps. It reduces the weight of the loot in her pockets and makes her steps lighter as she skips out of the store.    

The first time she almost gets caught is also the first time she attempts at another store. She does not know that the things standing on either side of the doorway are anti-shoplifting alarms, and she triggers one when she steps out, a bar of chocolate hidden in her hoodie. 

She was careful to pick a time where there are little people around, and the storekeeper blinks when he rushes over and sees her frozen on the spot because she hadn’t thought this through.

“Uh, hey, kid, did you take something?”

Ochako’s hands feel clammy, but she shakes her hand. “No,” she says. “The alarms just started ringing.” Then, in what she hopes is convincing childish panic, she widens her eyes and bites her lip. “Did I do something wrong? Am I going to be arrested?”

The man looks like he doesn’t know whether to trust her or not. “I’m just going to pat you down, okay?”

Ochako nods, and the guard does just that. He finds nothing, and he stands up. “Welp, must have been a malfunction,” he says, and he sounds a little more friendly. “Where are your parents, kid?”

“At work,” she tells him. 

The man nods sympathetically. “I see. Stay out of trouble, okay?”

Ochako grins and waves him off, then makes sure there is no one else around before she presses her fingers together. The chocolate bar falls into her grasp from above and she hurries off.

Once she has started, she finds she cannot stop. No one suspects much of the cute, cheerful girl and she becomes good, too good. A part of her mind is always thinking about values and escape routes and targets, and she has to consciously stop her hands from reaching out towards the pile of apples that could probably feed them for days if they are as careful with them as they are with everything else they own. 

She is careful to keep her targets to products they already own, or stuff they usually buy, so she can sneak small quantities of her steals to the small supply of it they have at home. 

She never gives in, however, not when her parents are around because they are trying so hard for her and she doesn’t want to know how they’d feel if they find out she has given in to stealing, even if she, too, is doing it for them. 

The local museum is open once everyday months for free, and Ochako often finds herself going. Her parents had been called out on an emergency at work so this time she is alone, but the people at the doors let her in without much trouble. 

There is a limited time Egyptian exhibition, and as she walks around the showcases holding artifacts made of pure gold, all she can think of is how much that’d be worth. 

Not that she is in any position to even attempt to steal it, but the thought of the money she could get from selling something so sparkly makes her stomach lurch in ways she doesn’t know is good or bad.

She clears her head and tries to simply enjoy the cultural significance and the sheer history on display, but the thought dances teasingly at the back of her mind. 

She is on the third floor, in one of the gift shops, when the ground suddenly crumbles without warning. 

It is not an explosion, more like a sudden sinkhole, and Ochako just manages to cast her quirk on herself as the entire building crumbles down.

When Ochako comes to, she is caged in by two large slabs of metal that probably saved her from the smaller pieces of debris raining down on her. She is small and manages to crawl out from the gaps between the metal, and finds herself on top of crumbled walls and floors. 

She does not see anyone else around, but she can see the sky from where she is. The sun is still up, so unless she was unconscious for a day, it has barely been a few hours at most.

She feels tears well up in her eyes as she feels herself beginning to panic, and she forces herself to not cry. 

The heroes will be here soon, maybe they are already here. 

She does not know how long she had been down here, alone. She considers using her quirk on herself multiple times, but it makes her so queasy she doesn’t know if she’ll be able to get to the top before becoming sick anyway. 

She begins looking around, and when she finds a part of a shelf from the gift shop lined with snacks, she grabs a packet and wolfs it down. Something red and shiny catches her eye just as she has finished stuffing a few extra packets into her pockets and she carefully digs through the small bits of debris, almost cutting her hands on shattered glass, and picks up the large, red gem the size of her palm.

She had seen this in the exhibition. Was it real?

Suddenly, she hears footsteps and voices. Panicking, she shoves the stone into her pocket. The sounds go quiet for a moment, and then there is a sudden rush behind her.

“Don’t move!”

Ochako freezes at the sharp warning and spins around. The man’s firm glare widens in shock when their eyes meet. A second hero, a woman, appears behind him and she, too, goes stiff. 

“What-you’re just a kid!”

They’re heroes.

Ochako stumbles back, relief and fear gripping her. Had they seen her stealing?

The man finally seems to shake off his shock. “Did anyone mention a missing girl?”

Ochako takes in a sharp breath. They hadn’t. 

“No one reported a missing kid,” the woman says. “Unless, of course, there was no one to report her.”

“You okay, kid?” The man slowly reaches out towards her and Ochako forces herself to stay still. “Hurt anywhere?”

Ochako shakes her head. “I’m okay,” she says. 

The man smiles kindly. “That’s good,” he says. “We’re going to come over there, okay? We’re heroes, we’re not going to hurt you.”

Ochako nods. “Okay. What happened? The ground suddenly started shaking and the whole building exploded!”

The woman hops over the debris first and crouches down in front of her. “We suspect a villain raid,” she explains. “Probably after the Egyptian stuff.”

Ochako keeps silent. Probably. She’s only ever shoplifted before, and they had still caught her attention. 

“Anyways, I’ll call this in, okay?” The man raises a hand to his earpiece. “Hopefully, we can get someone in here to get-”

Suddenly there is a small explosion above them, and in the next second, the two heroes in front of her are impaled cleanly through by large tendrils of what looks like metal. Blood splatters onto the ground in front of her and Ochako stumbles back in horror. 

Someone lands heavily in front of her and Ochako slowly looks up. 

The man looming over her has dark red hair and piercing yellow eyes. His face is covered by a metal mask and he wears a long, white coat that slowly settles from its flailing as he straightens himself. 

“Never expected a brat to try an’ snatch our loot,” the man mutters thoughtfully. He leans down and grabs her by the front of her clothes. Ochako gasps and instinctively grasps at the hands as they lift her up like she weighs nothing. 

“Let me go!” She plants all five fingers firmly down onto the limb holding her up, and the surprise is just enough to make the man release her. Ochako lands on the ground with a grunt and lets out a scream when the metal tendrils from before stabs into the ground beside her. 

The man now has a thoughtful glint in his eyes as he stares down at her. The other end of the metal is firmly held in his grasp, and he uses it to drag himself back down to the ground. “Your quirk, brat?”

Ochako hesitantly nods. 

“Huh. So, what’re you doing here?”

Ochako panics, and the fact that she hadn’t actually meant to take anything flies from her mind, leaving behind the fact that she had considered it, if only for a second. 

“My parents-my parents need the money-”

“Your parents sent you in?”

Ochako desperately shakes her head, suddenly scared the man would go after them after he kills her. “No! I didn’t actually mean to take anything! They don’t know anything!”

The man continues to look down at her like he does not know what to make of her. His quirk obviously allows him to control metal, though there is no saying that that is all he can do. Even if he is floating, he can easily kill her. 

Ochako cannot run. She steels herself and meets his yellow gaze as best she can. 

“How old are you, brat?”

“Eight,” she replies honestly.

“You really are a brat huh.”

If this conversation had been between her and one of the neighbours, Ochako might have made a comment about the number of times the man repeated the word ‘brat’. It isn’t, though, so she bites her tongue and prays that whatever he is thinking, it is enough for him to let her live.

He killed the two heroes like it was nothing, she does not doubt for a second that his current gravityless state will stop him if he decides to get rid of her too.

“I lead a small group of thieves,” the man tells her after a while. “We run heists like this once in a while.” He continues to stare down at her. “Tell you what,” he finally says. “I’ll buy your loyalty.”

Ochako blinks, confused. “What?”

“You want money for your parents, right? We don’t have anyone with a quirk like yours, might be useful to have around. We’re thieves, an’ good ones at that. You’ll earn way more than if you run around by yourself.”

“Hence buy my loyalty.” Ochako tries to think, but her brain cannot keep up with anything going on around her at this point. She had gotten caught by heroes, only for said heroes to be killed by the actual villain, who is now offering her membership into his band of thieves. 

Still, she knows there is only one answer. Everything she has done up until this point has led to this, and sooner or later, she will be caught and be forced to stop forever. She cannot pretend it didn’t happen, after all.

Or, she can tuck herself underneath the wing of a man who clearly knows what he is doing. 

If he plans to kill her anyway, there is no reason for him to offer her such an opportunity, right?

“Okay,” she says. She swallows, then repeats a little louder, “Okay.” She presses her fingers together. “Release.”

The man lands neatly on his feet and smirks. “Your name, brat?” He asks.

“Uraraka Ochako,” she tells him.

“Huh.” The man fiddles with his mask, as though wondering whether to take it off or not. Finally, he decides on taking it off, and Ochako stares at the dark markings covering the majority of his face. Scars, perhaps.

“Keep that stone, we’ll say it’s a welcome gift,” he tells her. So he had seen her. He had been watching the entire time. He smirks. “The name’s Wolfram.”

Ochako always wanted to be a hero, but she finds out a little too late that the world is just slightly not patient enough to wait for her, and she blinks, and realizes she has become anything but. Still, she won’t let it stop her. If she cannot become a hero for everyone who needs help, well, she’ll settle with being a hero for her parents. She will do anything to give them the nice, untroubled lives they deserve.

Anything.

Chapter TWO>

Chapter List

[joeltaylorredden]

I had died every day waiting for you and it scarred me, and you too from what you’ve told me. I’ve loved you for thousands of years and all along I believed I’d find you. The one, the TRUE one. You’re the one I was always searching for by not settling for anything less than love. Like shit, I didn’t know what love was at the time but I went through trial and error figuring out what it wasn’t. I spent countless months to years afraid of settling for anything less than pure magic in such slim hopes to one day find the one with the other half of my heart or die completely alone. I’ve believed there was that ONE in this world of 7 billion with the other half of my soul/heart since I first learned what “love” was and that’s my idea of a fairytale because what are the odds? I was going to find that one or die trying. Because that’s always been the driving force to get me to keep standing, because everything else in this life seems so empty if there’s no one there to speak your language, view the world through the same eyes. Find interests and passion in the perfectly right things. Someone that will never let you feel alone in this full but yet so empty planet. How did you manage to fill all the missing pieces in my heart from the moment I met you. It wasn’t simply hope because that isn’t promised and Personally it would be a disgrace to try to explain the way it felt to meet my 1 in 7 billion with emotions. Because it isn’t a fleeting feeling when you meet the one. It’s a feeling that will never leave. People talk about what’s inevitable but the only thing In this whole life I’ve been 100% sure of is the moment it turned from grey to color. I’ve done almost every drug out there but none could replace the feeling I feel in her presence when she would laugh behind that beautiful voice while saying something along the classy lines of “go fuck yourself” and close in on me reminding me with her brushing touch that comforted me in new weirdly odd fulfilling way like a small healthy meal that fills you up better than a heaping load of junk food can. I’ve never experienced physical comfort like that because I’ve always hated hugs since I can remember. With a look in her eyes that spoke to me in a language only I was built to decipher to read “you are home ” because I’ve come to learn that actions speak louder than words ever will. I can now start to understand looking back, she loved me way more than I realized. Because the whole time its all really up in the air we all know the best moments are the ones that are happening without knowing

Or putting a title on it, and when we met and starting talking a huge sign didn’t appear in the sky saying “YOU FOUND YOUR SOULMATE” that would of made it too easy and it just doesn’t work like that because it would mess up a huge section in the journey and steps of passion we experienced like a game of “poke the bear” okay alyvia did have some bear alpha energy but probably not the best simile but we can just say we’d both been in constant back to back to back “relationships” that were truly nothing ideal to the romance we have had imagined and dreamed of growing up watching lion king and Cinderella, where there’s no cheating, no lieing , no abuse just pure faith and trust and fun in the one who caught their eyes and it was truly a remarkable beautiful story.

Welllll I wanted that faith and trust love story shit since before I could even remember

I was I true romantic inspired by the one and only Taylor swift.

But through the years I just loved and loved and poured every ounce of my faith in a girl and in return I got zilch, given up on, bored of , felt as if I was some freak show for conveying real emotions feelings and care.

So I learned after the third strike out and crying my eyes TF out in my dads basement at 16 after visualizing a whole 30 year plan talking getting married and kids and the house with a girl that barely knows my last name…

Heartbreak hurts when it’s the first pretty girl that you thought was out of your league gives you a chance has a car and even gives you your 2nd kiss and totally just disappears when I thought we were gonna get engaged and be high school sweethearts. This generations majority became to shy away from the high school sweethearts thing so they could just have a free for all “having fun” to find their spouse in college so it’s “less work more fun”

As for me, I wanted my princess. The one that would commit & follow our dreams happily together no questions. It doesn’t have to be that hard right? Just find a pretty girl and be cool enough for her to want to stick around.

I tried that andd I found out I love wayyyy too hard . I would date girls that I didn’t think were all that great but I had hope, like no butterflies in any sense. No connection just a beginner at this “I’ll be your Prince Charming stuff” and I thought every guy just picked girls they saw potential in and they both just grew together from scratch as long as they both agree to commit and work on it it’s gonna go somewhere.

Welp I found out pretty fast i didn’t feel like Prince Charming regardless how hard we worked on the relationship like it was a boat we each took turns working on and both hopped in. anything deserving to be called Romantic was all just for the movies at this point in my life because I would Find myself either bored out of my mind with a girl that I didn’t vibe with In any category expect the fact She was a girl I was a boy. Gave up on the L train it became just a waste of time and was pretty draining.

And on the other side of things I go for a girls just for their looks because I didn’t really understand personality and morals back then so I’d get totally turned inside out by some girls who were totally lost for love because james kissed lainas best friend in 5th grade now she doesn’t trust fuckboys” and hooks up with any male or female that gives her attention that one night and THAT SHIT starts a domino effect of everyone wants to have fun but not get close to anyone so they’re heart won’t get broken, the first few hookups might get hooked but male or female will just move on within the hour or week with someone new because one “just wasn’t feeling it”

I saw this all play out before me before I had ever “Hooked up” (had sex) with a girl and I swore I wasn’t going to be like any of them because I’m a romantic and I’m gonna “fall in love” with the girl I first have sex with like how could I not. So skip the bs I date a girl she’s never had sex just like me. So she’s head over heels for me and I think she’s beautiful but she’s just different, like we gotta different vibe going on internally but since we’re both 8s and we could atleast look romantic together we’re just gonna look like hoes if we breakup and move on to someone else.

Also this is my first real intimate gf that’s on the same energy as me and attraction that I’m not scared of or bored she just looks good and we had an alright when we’d hangout, but my shitty ass friends at the time got it stuck in my brain I had to have sex soon with someone or I’ll be the “loser” so my eyes were on one prize and that’s where I lost my dignity I believe. We ended up getting closer and closer to booking up every time and then finally did, on the floor so my bed wouldn’t squeak with my stepmom upstairs and the door open. It was pathetic.

Felt good for a second but I was pictured it being so much better than, that…

So the people I was hanging out with at the time made fun of me for talking to that girl so what does any 17 year old do trying to have a reputation for a bunch of nobodys that think they can run other people’s lives morals and fantasies by embarrassment.

I break up with her. find a new girl bring her to a kick back and take her upstairs to this old

Guys water bed and have a 8 sec ride looking back it felt like 8 minutes 😂😂 but hell naw it was 8 pumps if that 😂 we go back downstairs and I expect to chill all night with this girl w her on me at the party like she was my date. But naw she hooked up w one person I came with in less than 30 seconds of me coming down stairs with her. That doesn’t feel good either…

Plus one more guy after him…

I had it, I was done feeling with my heart and thought it was time to just feel with my you know what, so since I left my morals on the floor in my basement I would wait for any people I would hangout with to bring a girl around and I’d swoop her up because it had been done to me.

I came to realize some shit doesn’t feel good regardless if there’s a reward with it.

Because now that I’m texting my homies date behind his back that made my conscience eat at me twice as hard and then I got my turn and fell for the girl who was obviously for everybody but i was new so I believed whatever her preying cute face would tell me and get me to do for her. Because this generations relationships became a scratch my back and I’ll scratch yours till we get bored type of deal and you dont want to be caught dead as a hopeless romantic in this fucked up society of hos and manhos or you’re gonna go under and never come back because drinking is a high school over the counter medication for depression or sadness, and if you were cool enough you’d do coke once or twice then three times and shit I’ll do four and five I already came this far anddddd then a gram a night then an ounce and then selling the cocaine and it’s a lot bigger deal than realized and jail happens. Then it’s a spiral of fucking bullshit.

From friends dying of overdoses to getting clamydia to being insecure about what the people at school heard about what happened over the weekend. The people who said They had you forget when your face down in the dirt and they talked you into doing drugs that would start a new chapter of my life

Called love isn’t real ,fuck bitches ,be broke and homeless with three new addictions and no sign or thought of a future because I just want to get fucked up to not feel sad anymore cause of that girl and my I thought all bestfriends/ brothers just did me sideways for the 20th time I was so obvious that some people really aren’t genuine and don’t even know what a real friend is because all they know is the next face is either a liability or an asset. I hate it. I can say I played a part in the dumb shit and wasn’t the true me and looking back now I was very lost and that’s why I decided to start keeping record of the ones who do the things that friends don’t do and mark em off the list regardless of who they were because I was so ready to live a real life with real friends because I’ve only been surrounded by traiters and I’m not buying it anymore, only very strong willed people can become something better then the way they were raised up and the morals that were put in place and I haven’t really met many at all so I just am gonna take the easy route this time and gonna stay away off in my own lane.

I shoulda done it way earlier, coulda learned from j cole 3 times and fuck the peace sign.

I just wanted some friends cause there was no family for me at home regardless of what I did.

Never good enough , got what a thought was a dream girlfriend who was my ride or die for 5 years but did things out of spite to me like hookup with my friends I called brothers literally. I don’t think I ever loved her truthfully she was just really pretty and chill kinda just rode with the good but didn’t have too much of a plan or dreams like I did and that is another sign I should of taken more serious, because one thing I’ve learned is no one ever grows from the way they came so don’t wait for someone to go back to the way they were because it’ll never happen everything In this world is either evolving up or there are things diminishing down if someone has changed the chances of fully restoring them after life experience it’s a absolute 0% unless you have a memory eraser device but even then if there’s a change there’s no way we can go to exactly exactly the way it was, even the world is evolving every moment, so if someone misses the “old you” that was a thought of you just a mere figment of their imagination. Its better if you move to bigger and better things and if you wish for them to be in your life don’t dwell on it too much because if they are good for you and that means they believe in the best you, they’ll take the step forward to initiate the relationship again, but if you’re doing great and they still can’t find the peace of mind to love you exactly for who you are it’s time you get what you’ve always deserved and put your focus forward or your blessing that is twice as worth the time than your backwards or you’re gonna lose them all going back down to who you evolved from!

I finally found closure when she reminded me of my dad. Not on my team and just a boring ass time anytime we’d be together she literally was just pretty and that’s all she was to me, she didn’t know how to entertain or have a relationship, there might of been some downs but if you love someone you adapt to whatever situation conflict and confession then I met this girl who interested me and I spent a lot of time with her but the fact she wasn’t willing to put her pride aside fucked with the relationship, I was used in ways by her and she was caught up in another guy when I confessed that I was really really into her but the sad thing is she just didn’t respect her self enough, and I was on and off with her for a while and she fucked with my heart because it was my first try at something real after a while of being scared of commitment and being totally played by the long term ex, then one night the newer girls friend maya decided to link me with her friend in Denver so we could go to her boyfriends work and we pulled up at her house in bfe Denver to me at the time

And it’s hard to remember all the full details of the night but I remember that I was single for once in my life like actually single and committed to being that

but then I met her…

right now because mine read those words only to her and it feels as if these eyes were made for the sole purpose of .

[theinvulnerabletide]

Psychology edition: 7, 19, 27 for Lyra. 1, 19, 30 for Whisper. 12, 18, 29 for Oriana. 2, 21, 24 for Az’ar. 6, 14, 28 for Celadine.

Welp, this got really, really long so it is under the cut.

Oh Lyra. My precious, panicking won’t-do-anything-about-the-PTSD-she-definitely-has half-elven rogue. Someone help her. 

7.) Does your OC have any irrational phobias?

I don’t know if they’re irrationalgiven the life she’s lead? But she definitely has some fears, idk. After almostdrowning twice during that storm, I think she might have gained an acute fearof deep water or drowning, but I don’t think it’s a full-blown Thalassophobia yet.

The only thing I think is intenseenough to be called a phobia is her cleithrophobia—her fear of being trapped, and even then it’skind of specific— it’s a kind of mix of heliophobiaand agoraphobia; when the sun is bright and there are no shadows to hide in,she gets this feeling of being pinned down, like there’s nowhere to escape to,nowhere she can run. On days like that, where the sky was ceaselessly blue and the sun was high, shewould retreat inside the ship, even though she usually preferred the crow’s nest,and hide in Arannis’ library to distract herself with reading and research (upto and including stealing books to go read them in a dark corner if he objected).19.) What boosts your OC’s confidence the most?

Lyra needspraise. She likes being good at what she does (there’s nothing like the snickof a lock opening or the death rattle of enemy’s last breath), but it’s nothingif someone’s not there to tell her what a good job she did.

That comesfrom her time with the Magpies. Their praise as she learned the things theywere teaching her meant she was being accepted, meant she had a home, meantthat she was probably going to get an extra helping at dinner that night.

She putson a good show, but in truth, her confidence in herself has been flagging eversince they all died.  

27.) Does your OC practice any kindof escapism? If so, what kind?

Oh man, Lyra used to love faerietales growing up, and her mother was a great spinner of tales, and for a whileshe followed that tradition. She told herself stories of her father, who wasdefinitely a prince of some far-off country and was definitely some day goingto come for her and her mother and they’d live happily ever after in hiscastle.

Nowadays, she continues the grand traditionby imagining her friends are still alive, and thinking about what kind of heistsand cons they’d be pulling off if their patron hadn’t betrayed them.

-

Whisper! My lovely disaster tiefling sea sorceress

1.) What’s your OC’s biggest insecurity and how would theyreact if someone pointed it out to them?

I think, despite everything, it’s herappearance. Growing up, she was very aware of how different she looked fromeveryone, even her family, and even though her appearance was treated assomething that made her special and as a signifier of how important she was goingto be, it still caused her some distress.

So, when she left home, and sheexperienced mistrust, and even hostility from how she looked, that insecurityintensified. She learned how to wrap herself in illusion to avoid that scrutiny.After spending some time with the carnival she’s learned to put on a bold frontand to walk through the world like stares don’t bother her, or are even a goodthing, but a snarky comment about her horns or her tail or even her color areenough to get her to either lash out, or to sink deep into herself and fadeinto shadows.

Knowing Whisper, it is very often thelashing out. 19.) What boosts your OC’s confidencethe most?

Praise! Praise the all mighty Whisperand her arcane knowledge!

But really, as much as she preens atbeing complimented and patted on the back (like she lived for her mother’spraise back when she lived at home, and she did live in a carnival, so she grewused to applause), the bulk of Whisper’s confidence comes from being useful. Feelingneeded. If she’s useful, like, in battle then she’s doing the Magic properly,and when the time comes, she’ll be able to fulfill her purpose.

Or like when Thia came to her forhelp with social situations; Whisper was swaggering through that keep for daysafterward.

30.) What makes your OC defensive quickest.

Someone implying she might not knowsomething about magic, or that she’s not smart. Magic is her job, it flows throughher veins, how dare you say there might be something about it that she doesn’t understand.

-Oriana, my aasimar paladin and now Duchess of Dawn’s Home Keep: 

12.) What is one of the most primary things your OC thinks ismissing from their life?

Oriana is a woman of simple tastes,and as a paladin there’s not much she thinks she needs in life. That is, untilshe was saddled with this castle and its environs.

Like, she had a home. She had a jobshe loved, a job she was good at, she had a Purpose, given to her, if not fromWahreight himself, then from the Academe himself. That and the mundane needslike food were all she needed.

Now there’s so much she needs to doand defend; she needs to have the keep rebuilt and find money for that, and sheneeds to find a way to take care of all these people she suddenly has toprotect and ensure their livelihood, and she can’t do it alone, but I don’tthink there’s anyone in her life right now she would cede even a little bit ofpower to.Basically right now she feels she needs an advisor who can explain everythingto her, someone she can lean on while she does everything herself, maybesomeone she can confide her doubts in.

What she needs is a damn friend, butshe won’t talk or lean on the ones she has.

18.) What kind of intrapersonal values does your OC have?(values about their self, what makes them a valid person). Hm. Well, Oriana’s values are simple, and very oriented in the structure of hertemple. If she’s doing her job—or really, following her calling— as a warrior of light, a paladin of Wahreight and alibrarian, she is valid and useful and has value. And now being a good noble and caring for her people has been added to that.And somehow striking the balance between them.

Oh, god, she is headed for a majorbreakdown soon, isn’t she.

29.) How does your OC behave in the faceof conflict?

She tries to mediate first, ofcourse, to see if a peaceful path can be made. If it’s merely a verbalconflict, she will try and bring the two parties into compromise or tounderstanding.

If a fight is inevitable, she triesto shut it down as quickly as possible; fast and efficient and quite possiblybrutal, to mitigate any damage or pain that might be caused. She’d rather knockpeople out of she can, but she has no problem killing if need be.  

-

Azar, my neutral evil Shadar’Kai Lore Wizard who just wants to be immortal and maybe kill some gods some day. 

2.) If your OC wants to buy a firearm, what might it be for?

Insurance probably. Just in case hermagic fails, and she still needs to eliminate a threat, the same reasons she wouldhave any weapon. Or maybe she would take it apart to see how it works and thentake those principals to make some kind of awful, magical supercharged versionthat spat fireballs (or a thunder cannon, maybe take a little detour into artificer?)?

But I honestly can’t imagine her everwanting a firearm of any kind in and of itself though, she’s confident enoughthat her magic is enough to eliminate any threat she may come across, and shehas no desire to kill for the sake of killing.

21.) Does your OC hurt others intentionally? If so how?

Azar thinks most people are beneathher, so many ants next to her anteater, or whatever, but she takes no pleasurefrom causing people pain. She’s not a sadist, she’s more… apathetic.

If she ever hurts someone emotionally,it’s entirely a byproduct of her thoughtlessness. If she does it physically, it’sbecause she needs someone to experiment on, or because she was trying to putdown a threat to her or her studies. She doesn’t toy with them then, she putsthem down hard and moves on. 24.) How would your OC react if they gothumiliated in front of a group of people?

Oh geez. Az’ar is a creature of coldnessand pride, so it really depends on who they are and how she was humiliated.

Like, if she was beaten magically orintellectually, which are the only ways that matter to her, she would teleportout of there and sulk for a while; and I think that’s the only way I could eversee her plotting revenge or actually wanting to cause someone pain. She’ddissect what happened, come up with a thousand and one plans for it never tohappen again, and then go grind that person to dust.

Socially? Like if someone got a jabor an insult at her, and everyone started laughing, she would just stare, Ithink. Cock her head and stare at theperson with her too-intense purple eyes like they were an interesting specimen untilthey got freaked out and left, and everyone was more creeped out than amused.

Celandine! My brand new rock pyromaniac gnome wizard who just happens to be a freshman at Eberron High.

6.) Does your OC have a realistic image of their ownintelligence?

Well, I mean. Celandine does have a20 Int. at level 1 (18 rolled +2 for being a gnome bitches!) and she’s beenmoved up two grades because she wasn’t being challenged enough in class.

That said, everyone—middle schoolteachers, and her parents– acting as if she’s an infallible genius may have inflatedher sense of self a bit. Like, I wasn’t exaggerating when she assumes she’sright at least 95% of the time. She also thinks she can do magic and handle substancesshe is probably not equipped to handle yet. I can 100% see her trying to attempta 2nd level or 3rd level spell at level 1 and knockingherself out for a few days after channeling her power her body wasn’t readyfor. 14.) If your OC gets into a fight withtheir best friend, would they wait for their friend to make up with them, orwould they try to make up with their friend?

Oh gosh. I think her pride would makeher try and act aloof for a little while, and she’d try and wait until herfriend came to apologize to her first.

But Celandine doesn’t have manyfriends. And she’d get lonely really quickly. I think after an hour or two, she’dbe at their door, her big eyes shimmering with tears, to apologize. 28.) How would your OC react if a bully stoletheir lunch money in high school?Celandine’s parents are merchants, and more or less devout followers of KolKorran, so money and trade are literally holy for them. What’s more, her focusis a lucky coin.

With that in mind, anyone trying to take money from her would definitely geta firebolt to the face. Or a witchbolt, depending on how pissed off she is.

Oh man I love them all so much. :3