#What even is reality?

[asnowfern]

Why Do My Gods Look Just Like You?

Summary: Turns out, the statue that Mor has been confiding to isn’t just a statue. Emorie. Modern AU.

Read on AO3

A/N: This has been bouncing around my head for a while and June seems like a good time to finally write it🌈🌈🌈

The night was quiet as Mor sneaked a final glance at the distracted guard, slipping past the counter. She easily navigated through the familiar layout of the exhibition entrenched in darkness, breathing out a shaky sigh of relief as she exited out of the building's back exit. Her lips automatically pulled up into a smile as she spied the white stone statues peeking through the gardens behind the pasty yellow Victorian buildings. 

Her head swivelled left and right to look out for any patrolling museum personnel as she quietly ran towards the trees, reaching her destination without any hiccups. 

She looked up at the three statues, identified via the small rusty gold plaques at the bottom. The Valkyries from ancient Pyrthian myth. 

Gwyn of Song

Nesta of Flame

Emerie of Flight

She passed the first two statues, silently admiring the beauty carved out of stone. She eventually landed on Emerie. Because it was always Emerie that Mor was drawn to, like a moth to a flame. 

Emerie of Flight. Her face was turned away to look in the distance as her wings spread, ready to take flight. Mor would stare longingly, wishing for her own set of wings that could lift her up and out of her life. Away from her family's impossible expectations and controlling nature. Being the daughter of the governor meant that she was constantly scrutinised. From her grades and after school club activities to trivial nonsense like her appearance and her dating life. 

It was the thought of the latter of the two that had Mor sighing once more as she crumbled downwards and hugged her knees on the ground. 

"I told him," she said in the barest of whispers, "I told him I'm not marrying Vanserra."

She looked up into the fierce determined face of the winged warrior, willing the courage of the famed Valkyries to flow into her as she confessed the words that she never dared to voice out, not even to herself, "Because… I like girls and it might crush me to marry him." 

The words seemingly bounced around the statues and settled into the leaves and branches of the nearby trees. 

Because there it was. The truth she denied herself for so long. 

"I like girls," she whispered again, slightly louder this time, relishing in her newfound honesty. 

She breathed in deeply, a small incredulous laugh bubbled out in the exhale. 

It was like she could breathe.

She felt free.

"Is that so?" Asked a teasing voice that was so angelic, so lilting. 

Mor snapped her eyes open. When did she even close them?

"Wha-" the word remained incomplete, stuck in her throat as she registered the ethereal belle before her. 

Her brown skin glowed gently in the moonlight as luscious ebony locks swept into a simple braid rested against her chest. Her wings flexed outwards before tucking in behind her, drawing attention to the leathered armour that hugged every dip and curve of her body. Mor wondered dimly if they were comfortable.

"So is that so?" She questioned again as playful brown eyes twinkled at her. 

"So what?" Mor felt her face flushed slightly as the words escaped her. 

Emerie tilted her head slightly, "That you like girls"

"Yes," she breathed, still amazed at how natural it felt.

A smile enveloped the Valkyrie's face and Mor thought she had never seen a more beautiful vision in her life, "Good."

Mor stood up numbly, slightly trembling hands reached out on their own accord, pausing a mere inch before the brunette's face. 

Are you real?

A soft warm hand covered hers and closed the narrow gap between them. The blonde gasped softly, relishing the feel of the soft skin. Even in the dim light of the night, she could see the specks of gold dancing within the deep brown pupils of Emerie's eyes. 

"Have you been listening the entire time?" She whispered, afraid that anything louder would break the spell cast over them, "All those nights too?" 

Emerie's playful expression melted into a softer, tender one, "I've been here the whole time." 

Mor's face lit up. Somehow, the knowledge that she was never alone with her struggles lightened a weight inside. She impulsively tugged Emerie's hand downwards, holding it in a firm clasp by the side of her waist.

"Let's go!" She exclaimed and pulled her Illyrian angel with her, jogging towards the museum.

Emerie snorted but let herself get dragged away, "Where are we going?" 

"Anywhere!" Mor shouted, her face still split in a white smile. 

She froze as Emerie circled one arm around her waist, holding her tightly. Mor looked back with wide eyes, her heart hammering away wildly.

"I have a better idea," Emerie told her, her eyes glittering with mischief, "Fancy a flight?" 

Brown eyes met brown eyes as the agreement slipped out of her lips. Without another second, Emerie's grip on Mor tightened and they took off into the sky. 

Mor opened her mouth but no sound escaped, cut off as she got lost in a myriad of sensations. The wind in her hair, the cool air against her face, the light mist that gathered at her fingertips as she ran them through the clouds. Beneath them, Hewn City got smaller and smaller, dissolving into nothing more than dots of lights. 

Mor giggled as the exhilaration built up, turning the giggle into a joyful laugh. Beside her, Emerie grinned widely, "Let's take it up a notch."

The blonde yelped as the Illyrian dived them into a near freefall before launching into a series of loops. The shock quickly turned into elation. 

Eventually, Emerie landed them on top of the Moonstone Manor, the both of them perched precariously on the sloped roof. Just above the window of Mor's room.

"Thank you," Mor said breathlessly, her chest still heaving from the thrill of the flight. 

Emerie replied with a smile so tender that her heart skipped a beat. She leaned in, her eyes asking the question her mouth wasn't ready to voice. 

With a soft puff of air, Emerie closed the gap between them, pressing soft lips together in a kiss so light and gentle. Mor sighed, sucking on the bottom lip and swiping a tentative tongue. She felt the brunette's smile before hands entangled in blonde tresses and pulled her in closer. Lips parted in an exchange of tongue and teeth. 

If Mor had accidentally found herself in heaven, she knew that she never wanted to leave. 

When they broke apart for air, their foreheads pressed together, chest rising and falling in unison. Behind them, a sliver of gold peeked over the horizon, announcing the arrival of dawn.

"Get yourself out of here," Emerie said somberly, the words seemingly breaking the magical spell they've been under. 

Mor shook her head as the world swayed beneath, her body swaying with it. "No," she protested weakly, "What's happening?" 

"Velaris, Mor" 

Emerie's voice bubbled from a distance as an unimaginable weight bore down on her eyelids, forcing them shut. "Go to Velaris."

The next time Mor opened her eyes, she was back in her bed. She rolled back on her back, faded visions of flying and kissing literally the woman of her dreams flashed across her mind. 

She held onto them as she grabbed for her phone and dialled a familiar number, "Rhys, it's Mor. Wake up. I need a favour." 

***

Mor stepped out of the train and onto the crowded platform. Almost immediately, a rushing commuter rammed into her causing her to fall back a few steps. Horror streaked through her as she felt her back roughly hit a soft surface. Warm fingers wrapped around her shoulders to steady her. Mor turned, her apology poised and ready. 

"I'm sor-"

The words died at her lips as her breath hitched. The ambient noise of the train station faded to the background, overtaken by thundering heartbeats. 

The wings might be gone, the leathered armour replaced with a black leather jacket, graphic tee and jeans. But there was no mistaking the Cupid's lip, the high cheekbones and glowing brown eyes. 

"Hello, Mor. You made it."

[centaur-dreaming]

NUMBER ONE?! NUMBER FUCKING O N E?! ON TUMBLR?! T U M B L R ? !

[sourscratched]

quick comix of the little creatures

[notmysophie]

Just one more week and one more day until I get to see the object of my daydreams in the flesh.

[ups3tti]

Sometimes I think about how Kai made his way out of an inferno by accepting that being the green ninja wasn't meant for him but that didn't make him any lesser while Morro died in an inferno because he couldn't let go of the idea of being the green ninja and viewed it as his only source of worth. And then I lose it a little

[aziraphalalala]

I am not entirely certain what will happen once the actors & writers strike ends, but I'm pretty sure Michael Sheen will break the sound barrier with how fast he will go feral on the internets about how Aziraphale wants to eat Crowley's ox rib

[bunnieswithknives]

OK JUST A LITTLE THING BECAUSE IM INSANE @cubbihue

Song: Plastic by Cheekface

[uramitashi]

women really do need better class consciousness.

before you are religious, before you are a citizen of your nation, before you are anything else; you are a woman. your identity is complex but womahood is one of its first pillars. and womanhood is so important because so strictly tied, during her whole existence, to her implications: the ability to reproduce and the relative independence (ie: not having to desperately find another mate to pass on your genes + developing a physiological selectiveness) coming from it. female objectification, sex work, misogyny, female modesty, FGM, everything that hurts women stems from it. males want to control women sexuality because of it. it is therefore natural that womanhood is ontologically more important than any other label - because if you neglect it, others will surely not.

[uncanny-tranny]

The hardest, but most important, part of my transition has been untangling what my personal dysphoria is, and what is more a result of cissexism.

What I mean by this is that I learned that I am not dysphoric about certain aspects of myself, my body, and my life, but my discomfort in these aspects was influenced by the cissexist culture I live in which told me I couldn't exist as myself.

It's definitely a slow process, but I have found that it helps me self-actualize and actually see myself instead of what others demand of me.

[wilchur]

When I tell you I have been thinking about this for three days straight...

[orbbo]

Hello!! For the fanon trait swap, maybe a Watcher Doc? :O (also I saw that one of your tags on the fanon swap image was 'i want to draw but my brain is bad' and I very much understand, mine is bad too </3 you've got this!!)

Definitely knows who broke his redstone (watched their yt video) but now waits for them to confess.

[deoidesign]

Thinking about vampires, death, life, and the space they occupy in between

[anotherwrld]

jesus christ yall that four day reprogramming your mind for shifting is actually . stupidly powerful. riya…. riya when I get my damn hands on you girl ….

stumbled across her content two days ago, started setting up my four day gameplan and writing my script for mechat yesterday. now, most of my script is done, I had a dream about my DR last night, and could FEEL my third eye opening during one of her guided meditations tonight??? yall.

like …. my skin is GLOWING, I’m genuinely so at peace, and feel absolutely unshaken in the idea that I will shift. like I can and I WILL. like I’m actually getting so giddy for Friday like kicking my feet and everything like oh my god I can FEEL it like Friday is gonna be MY DAY !!!!

[canisalbus]

Hello, I'm not sure if you're aware, but tumblr is going to start helping midjourney gather data for their AI. You're one of the artists I follow here pretty actively and I wanted to warn you to maybe start nighshading your art before posting it here so it doesn't get swept up!

I've seen a couple of posts about it. Feeling disappointed but not that surprised. Also not excited about having to start nightshading/glazing my pieces but if there isn't going to be any serious regulations regarding data scraping and ai "art", there aren't a lot of choices.

Thank you for taking the time to warn me just in case, it was very thoughtful of you!

[slavhew]

And I just have to tell you that I

Love you so much these days,

[suntails]

💙 best friends 💛