#a bunch of long sentences ended with a punch

[devilsrph]

†  𝚂𝚃𝙰𝙽𝙳𝙾𝙵𝙵  /  𝚂𝙷𝙾𝚆𝙳𝙾𝚆𝙽  sentence  starters  . . .  featuring  a bunch of  sentence  starters  packed  with  a  bit  of  a  deadly  gunslinger  punch.  please  use  as  purposed,  do  not  replicate  or  alter  for  any  reason.  enjoy!

“ you make me pull, i'll put you down. ” “ you and me. right here, right now. ” “ last chance to walk away, friend. ” “ i'd think real hard about what comes next if i were you. ” “ been waiting a long time for this moment. ” “ it only takes one bullet. ” “ you look like someone who don't plan on leavin' here upright. ” “ clock's tickin'. make your move. ” “ we both know how this ends. ” “ i was just startin' to like you. ” “ you came all this way just to die in the dust. ” “ it's a damn shame, really. ” “ you've got five seconds to reconsider, before they'll be scrapin' pieces of you off the street. ” “ you drew first. ” “ you can lower you gun, and we can walk away. ” “ they'll write songs of today. ” “ you don't look ready to die. ” “ ain't no shame in backin' down. ” “ go on, then. ” “ you really think you'll leave here alive? ” “ that iron ain't just for show, is it? ” “ sun's gettin' low, partner. ” “ you. me. at noon. ” “ you sure you got the guts for this? ” “ last time someone stood where you are, they left in a pine box. ” “ i hope you said your prayers. ” “ bet you're rethinking your choices right about now. ” “ you got one shot, best make it count. ” “ want me dead? you're gonna have to earn it. ” “ knew this day would come. ” “ you look nervous. i don't blame you. ” “ been a long time coming, hasn't it? ” “ reckon we'll find out who the better shot is. ” “ i don't miss. ” “ any last words? ” “ i don't want to kill you, but i will. ” “ you wouldn't shoot an unarmed man, would you? ” “ go on, make me regret this. ” “ hot lead... that's how this ends? ” “ we settle this now, or we don't settle it at all. ” “ the difference between you 'n i? i ain't afraid to pull the trigger. ” “ funny, i always figured i'd be the one burying you. ” “ revenge don't taste as sweet as you think. ” “ your move, partner. ” “ ain't a soul here who will mourn you. ” “ shoot me. ” “ you were always too slow. ” “ you've already got the blood on your hands. what's a little more? ” “ if you're gonna shoot, then shoot. ” “ can't say i'll miss you. ” “ let's see if you can back up all that talk. ” “ we don't have to end it this way. ” “ one step closer, and i'll shoot you. ”

[choclatecoveredlove]

Tunnel of Love ❤︎

Playful Land is one of the coolest theme parks ever! The rides were exhilarating and the attractions were even able to keep finicky Floyd’s attention. However, you noticed something as you were checking out the map once more.

“Hey what’s this thing here?” You asked Fellow as you showed him the map. He stifled a sigh before glancing at the map.

“Oh, that? Why that’s our… ‘Tunnel of Love.’ It’s popular amongst couples, but i’m sure a blossoming young scholar like yourself wouldn’t be interested in something so trivial.”

Fellow clearly didn’t know you very well, because just as he was finishing his sentence you grabbed the hand of the guy you had feelings for and dragged him towards the Tunnel of Love with you!

Ace

you wanna go on WHAT with him?????

acts embarrassed and like he doesn’t want to ride but he does

you just can’t tell deuce that he went on this ride. he’ll never hear the end of it.

“of course you’d pick something lame to ride.” “well you don’t have to go on it with me.” “no we’re gonna ride it now.”

“ugh this ride sucks. it’s so slow and boring.”

he’ll groan while reaching out to grab your hand. yknow just in cause there’s an unexpected drop or something. (there is no drop)

he had fun and will smile about it when it thinks about it later on

does he thinks it’s worth the teasing from trey and cater? “well… maybe.”

Trey

he’s embarrassed, like really embarrassed.

not because he’s embarrassed to be seen with you or afraid he’ll be teased (which is unavoidable) but because he’s not very experienced with this kind of thing

“so..is it alright if i hold your hand?”

he’s glad the lighting is so dim in this tunnel; he would hate for you to see him so red in the face

he’s kind of awkwardly silent the enter time because he has no idea what to do or say

however as the ride goes on you notice him scoot continuously closer and closer to you

he gathers the courage to give you a small kiss on the cheek as you get off the ride

“sorry i was weird. let’s do that again some time. i’ll definitely make a bolder move then.”

Cater

he knew about the tunnel of love from social media posts and was gonna ask you first but you beat him to the punch

he’s gonna take so many pictures (for his own personal collection)

“okay, now let’s make a heart with our hands! cute~! scoot closer to me now. mwah~ got you!”

what a sly guy… and he got it all on camera

he doesn’t spend the whole time taking pictures though. he wants to savor the moment alone with you as well

he is immune to the teasing of the others- they’re probably just jealous he gets to spend 1 on 1 time with you

“am i gonna post the pics on magicam? no way. they’re just for me~!”

Leona

“no.” “pleaseeeee????” “no.”

he says while standing in line and waiting to get on the ride with you.

it’s something to do at least. “beats babysitting the rest of that lot.”

you were gonna try and be flirty and put your head on his shoulder but he beat you to it.

“wake me up when this is over.”

how romantic. leona asleep on you. (っ- ‸ - ς)

for leona though, he actually had a good time. taking a nap on you after a long day of being annoyed by a bunch of herbivores? he enjoys it

he’ll never tell you that though. but you can assume from the faint smile that graces his face as he gets off the ride with you

Jack

ooooo somebody’s tail is wagging

not that he’ll admit that he’s excited or anything. because he’s definitely not.

if you thought trey was awkward get a load of this guy! he’s as stiff as a board and won’t even look at you

“nervous? ‘m not nervous.. there’s not anything to be nervous about.”

sure jack everyone believes you (¬_¬")

if you’re expecting any moves to be made that’s too bad. he won’t even brush against your shoulder.

however, if you make a move he will initially tense up before relaxing somewhat and beginning to enjoy himself

Jade

“how incredibly bold of you.” 

this is all incredibly fascinating to him, human amusement parks, human courting rituals, and of course you’re fascinating as usual.

he’s unsure of what you expect out of this interaction how ever he’ll try his best to live up to your expectations.

he’ll hold your hand, put his arm around your shoulder, allow your head to rest against his shoulder, everything a gentleman would do.

tbh he was a little worried initially when you said you wanted to go on a ride with him but thankfully it wasn’t a thrill ride.

“this is much more fun anyways.”

Floyd

floyd is always up for a new experience: especially with you!

you just pray he doesn’t get bored halfway through and tries to get off

“wowie shrimpy~ you wanna spend time with me alone? can’t promise you’ll come back in one piece.”

he’s joking. (probably) (•᷄- •᷅ ;)

he cannot sit still on the ride

“heyyy why is this thing moving so slow? you said this would be fun. you’re not keeping me entertained at all. you better make it up to me later, kay?”

he’s expecting you to keep him entertained and content so you better not let him down

Kalim

he is beaming from ear to ear

he loves spending time with you!!

and for once jamil isn’t here to tell him ‘leave them alone.’ ‘they have better things to do.’ ‘you can’t take up all their time.’

he so excited he’s physically vibrating while waiting in line

tries to very subtly hold your hand and smiles when you take your hand in his.

he’s very gentlemanly. “it wouldn’t make you uncomfortable if i kissed you, would it?” no matter the answer he’s just happy to be around you

“that was so fun! can we go again? or maybe five more times? please!”

Vil

you think you can casually ask him to go on a romantic ride with him? you’ve got guts, he’ll give you that much

“well… fine. but no pictures. and no telling anyone else about this either. especially rook.”

he looks so refined sitting next to you and under the dimmer light he looks majestic

“i’m not going to kiss you on this.”

HEARTBROKEN ૮(˶ㅠ︿ㅠ)ა

“i’m sure we can find somewhere much more romantic to do that. rather than this gimmicky ride.”

so he didn’t enjoy it… but he still likes you though ♡⸜(˶˃ ᵕ ˂˶)⸝♡

Lilia

how fun!! he’s never experienced like this before and he’s glad he can experience it with you.

he takes a couple a pictures so that he can show malleus, silver, and sebek later “they’re going to be so jealous of us.”

he’s ancient so he’s aware of how to be romantic and to how to be a gentleman (only if he wants to be though)

he’s extremely flirtatious, he’ll lean in close only to whisper “you know, you’ve got something in your teeth.”

then in the next moment he will entangle his hand with yours and help you out of the ride. he’ll skip back with you to the rest of the group grinning slyly

Fellow

he was definitely not expecting that.

he personally doesn’t care for the tunnel of love, in fact he thinks it’s a little gross. the last thing he wants to see is couples making out.

but he has to keep up the act of gracious host, doesn’t he?

fine. he’ll smile and bare it. he just knows gidel will never let him live it down though.

well at least you are kinda cute. maybe he won’t hate it entirely.

“my, my! you’d like to ride it with me? i’m honored to spend one on one time with such a prestigious scholar such as yourself.”

[glassrowboat]

Princess. Boothill.

Summary: The summer is always the best time to sit back and enjoy the sounds of nature on a horse back ride, especially when it's with you by his side.

Word Count: 1,800+

The trot of horses on an old path was a welcome one as the trees covered the sky above, blocking out the beaming sun in a canopy of the most vibrant greens. Birds singing in tune with a stream nearby, one you know well from your many times running to it as the heat got the best of you just to kick at the waters for the chance of being splashed with a refreshing cool.

Fortunately enough, today wasn't unbearable. Hot, still, but that's nothing new.

“What's with ya and always takin’ it slow, princess?” A voice called out to you, trying to distract you from the task at hand. That being: getting used to riding a horse in the first place.

Your teacher for…well..the mare you were currently on top of.

“Cmon girl, I swear I taught you how to gallop by now. Less ya scared?” A snort came from him, unlike the ones the horses huff out after being ordered to go into a different direction than the one they wanted.

Stubborn creatures they were, but your teacher had assured you the one you were riding on, Crafty, was the least stubborn of the bunch. A ‘tamed lass’ or something along those lines. At least that's what he claims, but you've personally experienced being bucked off before.

It was unpleasant, to say the least. The moment you hit the rough patch of dirt, grass tickling your skin, you were unable to breathe despite your attempts to gasp for air. Quite literally knocked out of you as you choked on the spot. Your body refused to fill your lungs.

Now, you had never been much of a smoker but in that moment you would have gladly taken a puff from a spit covered end if it meant getting what you longed for.

It was only when you were breathing again that you noticed a certain someone (a complete prick) was standing above you holding Crafty's reins in hand and laughing.

“Well, it was bound to happen ‘ventually.”

Those words made you want to punch him as your teacher leaned down, hand taking your own, and helped you up.

Afterward, you immediately ran off to shower. The need for a break and a good wash far too tempting to resist after getting knocked off your ass.

Since then you had been dubbed-

“Princess?”

That.

You glanced over at him, despite knowing you should keep your eyes forward lest Crafty follows the direction you're gazing at, to catch the sight of his black and white hair thrown up in a messy ponytail. Hat, as always, perched right on top of his head.

“Everytime you call me that, I want to call you Cruella De Vil.”

Your teacher awwed at your words, cooing the harsh tone in your voice. “You wanna give me a nickname now? I didn't know we were at tha’ stage in our relationship yet.”

“We are in nothing close to a relationship.” You snapped.

“Wowy pardner, way to-” You glared at him, waiting for your teacher (Cruella) to dare and even try to finish his sentence when you both knew he was going to attempt to say something along the lines of ‘shit on my parade’- “rain on my parade.”

“Yeah, that's totally what you were going to say.”

“Obviously.” He said, drawing out they ‘ly’ the same way you would when mocking how a country singer says the word whiskey.

You found yourself going “uhuh,” nodding in agreement just to get him off your back. Shame it didn't work as well as you wanted it to as Cruella over there kept jabbering. Stuffing your ears full of words like a tamale.

“Ya know, if it gets any hotter I'm sure we could fry an egg just by puttin’ it on a rock to sizzle up real nice. Would you like that, princess, me cooking you up a meal? Maybe we can have a beer or two to top it-”

Eventually, you found your legs squeezing the horse below you, signaling her to pick up the speed. Your hips meeting the same beat hers did as she ran, just like you were taught.

it's easier that way, apparently. Puts less stress on your body.

Hoofs beating against the well-worn path, but your teacher was far more comfortable going at a faster pace, making him catch up with you easily as he whistled at the horse to slow down. Her legs were already betraying you as they moved back into a slow trot all the way to a stop. Crafty staring back at you like she was expecting you to give her a treat for the treacherous behavior.

Well, she was certainly well trained, at least. Maybe he did have a point in saying Crafty was a tamed lass.

“Tryin' to run from me now?” He asked, laughter in his voice even as your teacher clicked his tongue disapprovingly.

“You were the one complaining about us going too slow earlier.”

“Huh? Can't seem to recall that.” Reaching over, he took the reins from your hands, slipping them as easily from your gasp as any trained pickpocket might. “Mind getting off ol Crafty here so we can talk?”

“I'd rather not.”

“Course not. Real shame you're always so stubborn.” If he wasn't so close, you might have missed the part your teacher whispered about how he should have expected you to be harder to deal with than a newborn foal.

Yeah, fuck you too cowboy.

Running a hand over Crafty's neck, you couldn't help but cringe slightly at the feeling of her fur being so coarse. You'd have to remember to brush them down after cleaning out their hoofs. Something you like to do before and after every ride. After all, they deserve it for carrying you around like this.

“I don't know how you put up with Cruella over here.” You say to her. “Not when I'd never know when he's planning to turn my hide into a hat.”

Your teacher barked out a laugh as he picked his hat off his head, waving it slightly in front of your eyes so you could get a proper view of it. “It's not even made out of horse hide, ya see?”

“Yet.”

“Yet.” He repeated with a raised brow.

“Yeah, I'll give it until Crafty's leg finally gives out.”

The last thing you saw before your vision was covered was your teacher rolling his eyes right before he placed that dusty hat on your head. If you remember correctly, didn't that mean something like you were his girl or….

Ah.

Ah!

With a face as hot as the blazing sun shining down on you two, right in the midst of summer, no less, you shoved the hat back towards him. “That's sweaty and gross! I don't want it!”

Laughter caught on the wind as he took it back, holding it to his chest as your teacher pouted.

“Ya wound me. Here, a simple cowboy is offering you something to block out that blasted sun, and you don't even make use of it?”

“I can manage just fine without it.” You hissed.

“You have also been riding with narrowed eyes this entire time, princess. It kinda gives you away.”

“I said,” taking the reins from his hands you pulled them back into your grasp, careful not to accidentally kick Crafty up by startling her, “I'm fine.”

Turning around on the path you both had been riding down, you were met with the sight of the lush greenery you two had passed and two sets of horseshoe prints littering the ground.

“And I'm heading back.”

“All on your own? Didn't know you could handle that by yourself.”

“Yes, on my own, cowboy.” You said with a firm nod. “I'll fill the hay and everything so there's no need to worry about it.”

Even if it meant getting that blasted stuff in your bra. It always had a way of sneaking in there despite your best efforts and highest collar shirts.

“All covered then, eh?” He asked as Crafty nickered underneath you.

This time you didn't grace him with a response as you made your way down the path, the sound of the bird chirping and Crafty's tail trying to wack any bugs away from her your only company as your teacher watched you go.

“She's so stubborn, ain't she?” He found himself asking. Though the grin on his face was a clear indication that the thick headed nature of yours wasn't exactly minded.

“Guess I gotta try harder to build up a romantic mood to confess next time. I'll get her to listen for sure. I just need a bit of time.”

In return, your teacher was met with the huff of the horse he was sitting on as his hand moved up to block the sun in his eyes.

Back then his hand was flesh and blood.

But now?

His metal hand was blocking out the full moon, bright as it could be as he gazed up at the stars reflected on the aluminum coated surface he was still learning to get used to. The way they moved was nothing like real fingers that would hurt at the slightest papercut.

He would always stick the hurt finger in his mouth and say that would do the trick even as the little miss royal ass would insist he wash off.

Soap and water.

He needed a bath, or at least his hair needed to be washed off. The rest of him maybe needed a shining? Maybe a good wipe and oil capped off?

Boothill dropped his hand, letting it fall to his side as he looked back up at the sky.

If he closed his eyes right now, could he pretend it was sunny as can be? That the leafs above and Boothill’s hat were the only thing keeping his eyes from being blinded, that there was a stream right down the way he could hear just as clearly as the trot of two horses side by side?

Could he, just maybe, hear your voice?

Yet all he heard was his own breathing that was…altered in a way. Affected, just like the rest of him the moment he took on this hunk of a junk body.

It was agonizing to wake up from such a peaceful dream. One he wanted to go back to despite it long since having burnt to ash. Crumpled between warm fingers that had once touched your hand, now gone like the rest of him.

Grabbing his hat, Boothill got up where he was standing, trying his best to once again walk away from your memory. The same way he did as Boothill realized he had to flee that fateful day without erecting some sort of monument for everyone in their honor.

For Nick.

For Graey.

For his little girl.

For his princess.

[punch-love]

20 Questions with a Fanfic Author

1. How many works on AO3?

15

2. Total AO3 Word Count?

243,788

3. Top 5 Fics by Kudos

I am not surprised the first three are my most conventionally-standard spideypool porn + my long-fic. I am really delighted though that my most emotionally poignant fic and least conventional spideypool porn are the runner ups!

truth or dare

That Works For Me

love-punch

atlas

just go for it

4. What fandoms do you write for?

I mostly write for Spideypool. I have a few works for Loki. I always talk about branching into other fandoms/have some unfinished WIPs but it hasn't happened yet. I have a bunch of mostly niche heterosexual couples I want to write for which will please no one but myself. (my favorite audience) but again. I don't have huge output, and I don't branch out from my comfortable paths often.

5. Do you respond to comments?

It's probably my favorite part of publishing work outside of like, actually writing. I love engaging with people who enjoy my work and discussing or having conversations about our collective thoughts on it. There is of course a very specific flavor of comments I never respond too. (people who just leave emojis or short sentences that really have no response jumping off point) I also don't respond to people who read my works in a way that are antithetical to what I wrote. 1) I believe in the readers right to interpret work however they want without backlash from the author 2) It pisses me off.

6. Angstiest Ending?

I think the closest I got to an angsty ending was probably atlas. It's not even a bad ending, it's just heavy because you know that it doesn't actually resolve the misery they're experiencing in the world. Love doesn't fix their problems (mental, or physical) but it does create a safe space where they don't have to be alone in them. It makes me a little sad whenever I read it, at least.

7. Fic with the Happiest Ending?

I think just go for it absolutely has the happiest ending. They fuck inside a club bathroom and then scamper off to their shared dorm room after drunkingly asking each other to be boyfriends. c'mon.

8. Do you get hate?

I feel like what I get is worse than hate, frankly. That being said the worse I ever got to actual hate was someone was being weird about my choice of making Peter trans in one of my works. They very earnestly asked what the narrative point of making him trans was/they didn't understand after reading the work and it really ticked me off. There isn't a narrative point of being trans! Some people are just trans, jackass.

9. Do you write smut?

Recreationally.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I don't! I think they're kinda cheesy and not my thing. I did have an entire fully fleshed out crackship with a high school friend about Thor/Jason Todd though so take my judgement with a grain of salt lol.

11. Ever had a fic stolen?

Yes! Someone uploaded the golden dildo on wattpad and man, was it not well received lmao.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No! It's one of my fic author white whale goals. I would be incredibly flattered.

13. Have you ever cowritten a fic?

@primewritessmut shared a google doc with me and helped write the ending and several sections to personal space which I think absolutely counts. I also consider ever beta I've worked with a coauthor to my work as they do contribute so much tonally and also sometimes literally to the work.

14. All time favorite ship?

I don't think I have a favorite ship. I more have favorite dynamics that I look for in media and then enjoy because it fulfills that specific itch that I am constantly looking for more replicas of.

15. WIPs you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Hundreds. Googledocs is like a graveyard for WIPs. There's like, two, at least that I would really like to post someday but like, we'll see.

16. Writing strengths?

I am really good at writing action scenes in a way that translates to me being good at writing porn. I think I'm just good at writing about the intersection of bodies in violent and erotic ways. Also dialogue.

17. Writing Weaknesses?

b-plots! I also prioritize character interaction over plot in general. My betas have all collectively told me that I don't describe the scenery enough and they're right. Though I think I've improved on that since starting to have my work regularly beta'd.

18. Thoughts on mixed language dialogue?

I feel like I've seen it done SOOO badly that I'm not sure if I've ever seen it done well unless it's a fantasy language. I just think a lot of people really do not understand the flow or linguistics of a language so their representation of it comes across racist at worst or ignorant at best. I speak enough of a couple languages to know when people don't speak the language at all and so it's kind of a universal turn off for me. Unless the writer actually speaks the language. Otherwise, I really think....it's kind of in poor taste? Or if you do it, you should really put some thought and care into how you're having these characters speak and whether you're indulging in racist characterictures or stereotypes about that culture.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Warrior Cats. I had a very popular crack fic that I abandoned at 14 because people were pressuring me for updates and I just couldn't handle it.

20. Favorite fic you’ve ever written?

atlas. I just think it's the work I read and think "I'm a good writer. What I have to say is important. I should keep on writing."

tagging: @puzzled-on-main @primewritessmut @radishingaround @farmhandler @waterme-stories @devilbearingtrouble @thistleraven and anyone else who wants to

[neuroticbookworm]

Rose's Day of Asks

What are some of the shows where your hyperfixation really thrived? (I have no idea if this sentence makes sense but I hope you get what I mean)

Have a great Day💜

I opened a blank doc and put this list together 3 minutes after I received this ask 10 (yes you read that right, ten) months ago, and then I let it sit in my drafts for no reason other than making myself miserable. Anyway, I woke up today and decided to release this into the wild, for.. reasons *wink wink*

Over the years of consuming media, I've observed that there are a few key factors of said media that heavily contribute to my hyperfixation brainrot:

Smart and snappy writing

Good romance arc that convinces me to believe in the couple

Treating the miscommunication trope as the plague that it is

And with that handy lil list, let’s get into it.

The Untamed / Mo Dao Zu Shi

I binge-read Mo Dao Zu Shi or The Grandmaster of Demonic Cultivation during the 2023 Holiday Season, and my brain was immediately taken hostage and was not released from its grasp for several months. I then binge-watched The Untamed with @lurkingshan during the 2024 Holiday Season and promptly lost my mind yet again. For a story that handles so many nuanced characters and their complex relationships between multiple narrative threads, it coheres so well that it almost looks easy. From the politics of the xianxia world it is set in, to the decade-and-some-long romance arc between Lan Wangji and Wei Wuxian, every part of this story is meticulously layered. Almost every character in this show evokes complicated feelings in me, and I am not gonna stop thinking about them anytime soon.

I Cannot Reach You

I’ve never felt so connected to a show as I did with I Cannot Reach You as I was watching it. It was as if the show had a direct line to my braincells, listened to exactly what I wanted from it, and then immediately obliged. Every boy in this show is so precious to me: Yamato, who tried so damn hard to confess his feelings to his best friend, no matter how many silly BL tropes tried to stop him; Kakeru, who tackled his best friend into a hug and held him in place so he can't walk away from him without talking about his feelings; Hosaka, the closest thing to a self-insert I’ve experienced in BLs, strutting around and calling these fucking boys out on their dumbassery.

This show has no patience for frustrating, overwrought trope silliness and prioritizes rooting its characters in their humanness. When Kakeru punched Yamato for trying to play a clumsy, pining romantic hero after conveniently forgetting his confession to Kakeru and then kissing him, I damn near ascended into a higher plane.

His (2020)

Oh this movie made me cry ugly tears after a long time, y’all. This movie, at its core, is about a bunch of people who tried so hard to not hurt the people they love, but ended up hurting them in the process anyway. Shun’s quiet sadness broke me. We see Nagisa in tears multiple times in this movie, always begging for forgiveness from the loved ones in his life: Shun, Rena, and Sora. Rena trying so damn hard to not let her anger, that stemmed from the trauma of being married to a closeted gay man, impact her daughter’s relationship with her dad and his partner, got me in my fucking chest. I think about the movie’s final scene where Rena tells Shun that she doesn't know how to ride a bike, at least twice a week.

Utsukushii Kare

The chokehold this show had on me for the two days I watched it, tearing my hair out in the process of trying to figure out what Hira’s and Kiyoi’s deals were, is second to none. I was completely fascinated by Hira’s idol worship of Kiyoi, and was trying so hard to understand the flavor of frustration that I could see in Kiyoi. I tried to solve Kiyoi’s face when Hira tried to commit murder like a goddamn puzzle. I went full bulletin-board-with-red-strings insane trying to figure out the inner workings of their brain. And when I finally got to The Revelation.. the scream I SCRUMPT. What a show, what a time, what an experience.

La Pluie

Ah, La Pluie, how I love you so dearly. It was one of the first BLs I watched as it aired weekly, and I had so many thoughts about it after every episode that I joined the La Pluie Meta Tsunami on Tumblr. This show consistently gave me brainrot week after week, all the way till the finale. It took the classic romance trope of soulmates, decided to deconstruct and interrogate it with its four main characters, and executed the themes flawlessly. I am still so glad that this show stuck to the courage of its convictions. And as always, here’s the link to The Great La Pluie Meta Roundup.

Theory of Love

*unleashes an evil witch laugh*

I sing praises for this show every chance I get, and most recently I did it on the latest The Conversation podcast episode. It is in that very episode that @bengiyo had a brilliant brainwave, which led to @lurkingshan conceptualizing and launching the Theory of Love: The Romcom Rewatch project at a speed that makes me fear her powers. This show is special to me for so many reasons, including being the one that made me break out of my lurker tendencies on Tumblr. I hyperfixated on this show so hard that I started *sharing my thoughts* on the Internet.

I am hoping to write many, many words for this show in the coming weeks, so lemme wrap up by highlighting how this show stands out from the rest on this list. Theory of Love has the most flaws compared to the other shows on this list. One of my main qualms with the show is that the side couples did not add to the main theme in any way, rendering them inoffensive, but ineffective additions. And yet. And yet. This show lives and will live rent-free in my head till the inevitable heat death of the world as we know it. The growth arc of Khai is one of my all-time favorites in media, and I think about it every time I see a fictional or real-life man behave as if they are deathly allergic to change. I am so excited for the rewatch project, and I can’t wait to share the thoughts that’ll be knocked loose in my head for the next 12 weeks.

Thank you so much for the ask, @my-rose-tinted-glasses, and I hope you like my extremely overdue response <3

[stonecoldholly]

Worldwalker: Chapter 10

Summary - After witnessing a ritual at a pagan festival in her hometown, Sam suddenly finds herself in a world where magic exists and dangers far worse than everyday crime lurk around every corner. Accepting her unfortunate situation is one challenge; trusting these otherworldly beings to help her is another. As she uncovers the truth, she often finds that it leads to more trouble than it’s worth. Sam must navigate this new world, find her way back home, and restart her life.

Warnings - cursing, brief mention of past heavy drug use and abuse,

Word Count - 10.9k

A/N -It's a long one with a few slower moments, but we finally get an answer as to why Az has been so pissy with Sam.

Part 11

AO3 Link

“I seen the devil, yeah, met him last night.

Had conversation, yeah, I think he's alright.

Seemed kinda funny, yeah, he's kinda my type."

Met Him Last Night – Demi Lovato, Ariana Grande

House of Wind, Night Court, Prythian.

While telling herself that she would think before speaking the next time was easy, she also knew it would be a lie.

Her muscles were cramping so badly that the bath's hot water was hardly easing it, even with the unhealthy amount of salt she poured into it. Instead, all it did was cause her to nearly float, muscles still burning. Nesta had held nothing back, pushing her to her near limit on day one. Cassian took a little pity on her, telling his mate to give Sam a moment to catch her breath when she was on the verge of passing out from breathing too hard. Azriel had circled the training ring, watching from the sidelines as Sam gave every push-up, sit-up, punch, and kick her all.

The embarrassment she had felt going into the training ring had been quickly mitigated by all three of them encouraging her. They were intent on helping her better herself, and it was clear that Nesta was passionate about training, even if she was a force to be reckoned with as a trainer. There was still a lot of work to get Nesta to like and trust her, but Sam was willing to do whatever she had to. It would likely kill her to do it, but she would endure.

Pulling herself from the bath, she rinsed off the salt and cleaned her hair and body in the shower. Grabbing two fluffy black towels from the hanging rack, she stepped out of the foggy bathroom, steam rolling out of the doorway and into the coziness of her bedroom, vigorously rubbing the towel on her scalp. She selected a deep purple dress out of the closet for the rest of the day, deciding it would also be passable for dinner tonight. She had no energy to get into her leggings, her legs already burning with the simple steps across the room to the closet.

After throwing herself together to appear presentable, she braved the stairs slowly down to the lower primary level of the House. Her legs quivered with each step she descended, cursing to herself as the burn radiated up her body, and clutching the stair railing like it was the only thing holding her up. This is why she didn’t exercise. Her mind was trying to tell her that it was evil to put her body through such torture.

She deserved a snack for all her hard work.

The kitchen door creaked as she hobbled through, wincing at the sound from the hinges. She nodded at the squeaking in solidarity, "That's what my joints sound like, righ' now."

“Are you speaking to a door hinge?”

Sam jumped at the sudden soft voice, “Shit! Elain, you done scared the hell outta me.” Her hand rested on her chest, her heart beating wildly. “Jesus Christ.”

Elain only gave her a beautiful smile, returning to the counter where she had a bunch of ingredients laid out. "I was going to make some bread. Would you care to join me?"

Sam looked over the work area, carefully taking each step closer to Elain as if it would ease the burning to go slow. "Sure, what kind of bread are we making?"

“I was just going to make regular white bread, you know, for sandwiches," Elain replied, trailing off at the end of her sentence, leaving it open-ended in case Sam had a better idea.

Sam caught the gist, grabbing an apron hanging up on the side of the wall with a wince from the ache in her muscles. "What are we having with the bread?"

“I hadn’t thought that far. Nuala and Cerridwen are preparing dinner already for when Rhysand and my sister come but...we can make some lunch? Whatever it is, it’ll have to be a lot. Cassian and Azriel can put away a lot of food.”

The corner of Sam’s mouth twitched as she tied the apron behind her back, stretching out her neck with a soft hiss of pained delight. “Alright…” She started opening cabinets and the fridge, pulling out more ingredients and setting them aside. Sam was still amazed that the fae had refrigerators and ovens but hadn't yet made it up to electricity. Magic was still mind-blowing to her, and she considered herself blessed to have experienced modern and magical living in her lifetime. “I think….” Sam bent to grab cheese, ground sausage, and bacon from the fridge, holding back a groan. “I think we have all the ingredients to make pizza and garlic knots.”

“Pizza?”

“Unfortunately, we don't have pepperoni...which is a travesty within itself, but we can do sausage and bacon." Sam began putting everything in order in which the ingredients would be used. Elain began grabbing bowls, rolling pins, pans, and utensils, handing them to Sam to set in front of the ingredients. "Pizza is...amazing." Sam breathed, almost salivating at the thought of a good pie from the pizza shop near her apartment. "It's a round and flat dish usually topped with tomato sauce," Sam tapped the tomatoes. "and cheese and meats...or veggies. The pizza will be different depending on where you are in America."

“Okay,” Elain said, watching Sam intently as she explained each ingredient, retying her apron around her smaller frame.

Sam washed her hands in the sink, overlooking their working table thoughtfully. “So, first, we need to make the crust and get that prepped.”

Sam and Elain worked side by side, measuring the bread flour, sugar, salt, and instant yeast. Sam passed the bowl to Elain to mix the dry ingredients while she added the water slowly, telling her about different pizza toppings in her world and how the best pizza was New York-style pizza.

"And I stand firm on that," Sam said seriously, watching the dough come together. "Chicago style pizza is...like, who puts the sauce on top?! There’s no reason a pizza should be that damn deep either.”

Elain's laugh was akin to a songbird singing its tune in the early spring morning hours. Delicate, whimsical, like the beginnings of a soft lullaby. “Passionate about that, huh?”

"It's a hot take, but I'm willing to die for it." Sam grinned at her while shrugging her shoulders. "How does it feel? It should be sticky but not too sticky."

“It might need a little more flour,” Elain responded, still knuckle deep in the pizza dough. Sam added the flour a tablespoon at a time until the dough began to pull away from the edges of the bowl. “That did it!”

Sam grabbed the olive oil and a large bowl. "Transfer it into this bowl. Perfect." She brushed the dough with the oil and covered the bowl. “We're supposed to let it rise for an hour or two, but we may not have the whole two hours. Preparing everything else will at least take an hour, though. So... halfway there, good enough for government work.”

Sam and Elain began making the bread dough for the garlic knots, Sam only added a few comments and tricks to Elain about when she would make garlic bread or knots again. Sam washed the vegetables to make the sauce while Elain grated the cheese, a mountain of shredded mozzarella appearing beneath the grater.

Sam reached over, grabbed a pinch of cheese, and dropped it into her mouth, washing her hands afterward. "Cheese tax, go on, take your tax too." Elain pinched some cheese from the pile, eating it and throwing Sam a grin. Sam laughed, stepping aside for Elain to wash her hands. "Now...now we made the sauce.” She folded her hand so that all her fingertips touched, flexing it in the air as she said ‘the sauce’ dramatically.

Teaching Elain to cook was almost therapeutic for Sam. She missed working in the diner’s kitchen, the chaos of multiple dishes needing to be finished, the yelling, laughing, and karaoke, the spinning around each other, the near misses, and the sounds of clashing plates used to steady her mind. She missed the conversations those booths would hear, the smoke breaks, the sports nights, and late-night partiers. But watching Elain's eyes light up as the sauce she was making came together was a beautiful experience; Sam used to have that same feeling, and she felt pride in giving that feeling to someone else.

She handed Elain a spoon, dipping it into the sauce and tasting it. “What does it need?” She asked the younger female as she tossed her used spoon into the sink.

Elain carefully sipped the sauce from the spoon, gently setting it down in the sink. "Um...garlic?"

"You sure? It's your sauce." Sam leaned her hip against the counter, watching Elain stare at the bubbling sauce in thought.

“I believe it needs more garlic...and maybe more oregano.”

Sam nodded, grabbing the dried oregano from the shelf by the window. “Cooking is for you. You get to make it whatever you want. Even if you fuck up, you made it and should be proud that you took all these ingredients and transformed them into something different.”

Elain added her spices, and Sam handed her another clean spoon to taste her sauce. "It's good!"

“Then take it off the heat and let it cool a bit. Let's cook the bacon, and I'll begin with the garlic knots."

There was a comfortable silence as Sam and Elain moved like magnets, coming together and pulling apart, gravitating around each other. It was effortless and soul-healing, something Sam had been dying to experience with someone here. She loved cooking by herself, but teaching someone the joy of cooking healed a wound inside of her that Elain didn't make. She smiled at Elain's contagious joy as the bacon came out crispy from the pan, and they enjoyed a 'bacon tax.'

“I saw you coming, you know.” Elain’s voice was soft, almost a whisper of a breeze that had Sam tensing up and turning her attention to the beautiful fae female. “In a vision.”

“Oh?" Sam had no idea how to respond besides dumbly. It wasn't every day that someone said they saw you in a psychic vision. Instead, she focused on twisting the garlic knots into shape.

Elain hummed as she brushed the garlic butter over the finished garlic knots, “You presented yourself as an eagle, soaring through clouds.”

Sam felt a pang of homesickness for Josh. He would get a good laugh from hearing how she showed up in a vision as an eagle. If she listened closely, in the deep, dark corners of her mind, Sam could almost hear his laughter and chant of 'Fly, Eagles, Fly!'.

"The eagle came flying through sunbeams, over caves and mountain tops. The sound of the sea followed in its wake and through deep green valleys. It was a beautiful vision."

Sam could only blink at her, her hands stilling on the dough of the final knot. What does one say to that? Sam pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, listening to Elain speaking while also in her own thoughts. The skin on the back of her neck began prickling, her ears ringing the more Elain spoke. Sam nearly felt as if she was having an outer body experience.

"Then, I saw the eagle fly over Prythian, over all the Courts, before heading towards the Continent," Elain explained further, walking over to pick up the pizza dough they had made earlier. “I wasn't exactly sure what it meant, so I never told my sisters."

Sam kept quiet as Elain punched the dough to release the trapped air and split it in half. She floured the surface, and once Sam had moved the baking sheet, the garlic knots were placed into the oven to bake. Elain was gentle with everything she did, even punching the dough; it was a soft punch, enough to get the job done. She set half the dough in front of Sam, who instantly began to shape it, pulling here and spinning there, her hands itching to do something. Elain copied her movements, smiling as her pizza dough stretched into a large circle.

“It wasn’t until a week later we felt the shudder through Prythian. It sent all the birds flying away.”

Sam swallowed the lump in her throat, "Perhaps we should tell Rhysand and Feyre. They may have more insight...maybe it could help me find a way to go home."

Elain made a noncommittal hum of agreement, hands still spreading what would be the pizza crust. "Perhaps, but I haven't seen you leaving yet."

Sam almost fumbled the dough, her breath getting caught in her throat. Elain didn't see her leaving? Obviously, she had thought about it as she made deeper friendships with those around her. Even over the past few days, she could see herself trying to make a happy life here. She missed Mel and Josh, but they had each other and would move on eventually. Life continued on, no matter how much suffering came to someone. The world continued to spin, and Sam would become a distant, fond memory in the lives of her two friends.

But here, in Prythian, she could live. She could live the life she had been trying to make in Savannah. She had already given up so much of her homeland, her life, that she had nowhere to call home. She was a seed, trying to plant roots in rich soil, praying that she sprouted and became fruitful of a well-lived life. Prythian was a clean slate to start over; Velaris was a second chance to give herself the life she deserved.

Sam was a bundle of conflicting emotions and battling thoughts; she was so overwhelmed on the inside.

Either way, Sam was determined to find out why she was brought here to begin with, and that meant finding a way home. She would take it day by day and see where it led her.

“Have you had any more visions of the eagle?" Sam inquired, almost terrified to know the answer.

"Not really." Elain sighed. "It pops up in other visions, but...they're so blurry or...foggy is the better word for it, it's...it's like I'm looking at a reflection of it, but I can't actually see it correctly."

The corners of Sam’s mouth pulled down, her shoulders still tense and bunched near her ears. So, she was an eagle. Even though she had renounced her homeland, her homeland hadn’t renounced her. It was very American to show up as the symbol of freedom and strength in a psychic vision; in any other situation, Sam would have laughed at it.

“Now spread the sauce starting in the middle and working outward, leaving about...I dunno, an inch around the border? That part is supposed to be bare or stuffed with cheese, but we're not gonna do that today.” Sam instructed, grabbing a ladle and pouring half a cup of sauce in the middle, swirling it around the dough until it reached the near edge.

Elain followed suit, sprinkling cheese on her pizza while humming a tune. Sam looked at how little cheese was on hers and shook her head, not only at Elain but to rid herself of the heavy energy of the conversation. "Oh no, honey, when I said cheese, I meant cheeeese.” Sam grabbed two handfuls from the mountain of shredded cheese, a shocked laugh escaping Elain, and spread it evenly over the sauce. “Ta, da, peessha!”

"You could choke on how much cheese is on it!" she exclaimed, but she did as Sam had shown her, her delighted laughter echoing across the kitchen.

"You can never have enough cheese unless you're lactose intolerant, and even then, it's worth it."

“Lactose intolerant?” Elain asked as her head tilted to the side, her nose scrunching up as she glanced at Sam.

"I won't explain while we're cooking or eating." Sam grinned, layering on the cooked sausage and bacon, cutting up some green bell peppers, and sprinkling them on top with the rest of her toppings. Sam gazed longingly at the pizza, wishing it was already made, in a box, and ready for carry-out from the little shop.

“So, pizza has all kinds of toppings?”

“As many as you can think of. And, before you even ask, yes, pineapple goes on pizza. Everyone who says otherwise is lying to themselves." Sam informed me while she took out the finished garlic knots and waited for Elain to finish putting the flimsy pizza on the baking stone. “Hawaiian pizza? Lord Jesus, take me now, it is so good.”

Sam took the baking stone from her and put it in the oven, reaching for the second one when the kitchen door opened, the hinges squeaking again. Sam turned her head to greet the new guest as she closed the oven door when Nesta stepped through the threshold.

“I was wondering what was going on,” Nesta said, surveying the flour covering their aprons and the splatters of tomato sauce on the stove.

“We're making pizza for lunch. It'll be done in about ten minutes if you want to call the boys," Sam replied, standing up to her full height to wipe her dusty hands on a kitchen towel. She would hide every wince, every remnant of pain from Nesta, even if she had to bite a hole in the inside of her cheek to do so.

Sam watched Nesta’s eyes soften when she looked at her younger sister, the happiness in Elain’s eyes at making something new and succeeding. Sam reached out towards Elain's hair, pulling a small piece of bread dough out of her braid and flicking it into the sink. Elain only chuckled, using her apron to wipe the flour and dough off her hands.

Nesta said nothing, turned on her heel, and left the kitchen. Elain's bright face turned to her, "She has a tough exterior, but inside, she's a good person."

"I know she is." Sam already knew that, but Elain needed to stick up for her sister so she would let her. Sam knew that anyone Cassian, or Azriel, for that matter, deemed worthy was precisely that.

“She seemed to be cheering you on this morning," Elain commented, preparing the oven mitts. "She doesn't usually praise anyone, especially people she just met. Let alone be civil to a stranger. I would consider that a good thing.”

Sam only nodded; she was still stuck in her own head about Elain's vision. She needed to tell Rhysand and Feyre about it; maybe they could dissect it better than she could. The more people she had thinking about it, the more likely they would be pointed in the right direction.

When the pizzas were done baking, Sam carefully removed them, sliding them off the stones and onto cooled pans. Elain was excitedly bouncing, standing with a knife ready to cut the pie into slices. Obviously, Prythian didn't have a pizza cutter.

"Lunch is ready!" Sam called out loudly, making Elain jump. Sam eyed the pizzas, hungry, "Little Caesars could never."

“Goodness.” Elain’s hand rested on her chest, between her collarbones.

Sam winked at her, setting the pizza pan on her forearm and grabbing a plate of garlic knots. "Don't set the pan on your forearm; it'll burn ya."

“You have it on yours.” Elain pointed out, holding the pan with both hands.

"I've burned myself way too many times to count; I'm nearly used to it. Come on," Sam and Elain walked into the dining room, setting the table full of both pizzas, two plates of garlic knots, a bowl of tomato sauce for dipping, and extra cheese in case it was needed. Sam put the plates down with napkins as Elain filled each glass with water.

“Another famous ‘Sammi’ dish?” Cassian bounded into the dining room, Nesta following a few paces behind with Azriel bringing up the rear.

“This wonderful work of art that Elain and I worked so hard on is called...'pizza.' You eat it with your hands." Sam answered, motioning for them all to take their seats. Sam returned to the kitchen to grab the garlic powder shaker, always needing extra garlic on her pizza slice.

Cassian, who sat at the head of the table, had pulled two slices onto his plate and four garlic knots during Sam's wandering back into the dining room. Sam took the empty spot between Cassian and Azriel, sliding a piece of gooey, cheesy pizza onto her plate.

“Sam, I know you want to go home and all,” Cassian began, his mouth full of pizza and his hand holding a garlic knot already dunked in the tomato sauce. “But...I’m afraid I can’t allow it.”

Sam snorted, sprinkling garlic powder on her slice and folding the crust. "I can always write down the recipes for y'all to make them. Elain caught on extremely quickly, and she could make it for you."

“You can’t leave. It’s final.” Cassian shoved the garlic knot into his mouth, Nesta slapping his arm as he let out a loud moan.

Sam couldn’t help the smile she tried to hide by looking down at her plate, her cheeks hurting at how proud she felt.

Soft chatter began around the table as they shared the meal, and Sam knew that pizza just had a way of bringing people together. Azriel was eerily quiet, folding the pizza like Sam did and looking at it with a mixture of hope and trepidation. Sam was watching him out of the corner of her eye but he carefully controlled his facial expressions. What was going on with him?

“You know,” Nesta started, stealing Sam’s attention away from Azriel. “You’re going to be working this off tomorrow morning.”

"Don't ruin it for me," Sam grumbled, taking a bite from her slice. Nesta only smirked, tearing apart her garlic knot.

-x-

After having a meal like pizza at lunch, dinner just didn’t compare.

It was delicious, but Sam realized just how unhealthy the meal, and by default American cuisine, was by the spread of food Nuala and Cerridwen had prepared for dinner that evening.

Roasted chicken with freshly sauteed vegetables in garlic, mashed potatoes, spring salads, and an array of fresh fruit covered nearly every inch of the table space. It was a meal fit for royalty, but Sam saw it as an extravagant charcuterie board. At the head of the table sat Rhys, Feyre next to him, Elain next to her, and then Nesta at the end. On the other side, Cassian sat next to Rhys, Sam next to him, and Lucien on her other side. Azriel had left earlier that evening, having to inquire about something 'important' in the Court of Nightmares.

From her position at the table, Sam could feel the tension between everyone. While she knew some of what was wrong, she was sure she was missing something. Sam watched the longing glances Lucien sent towards Elain and how Elain would blatantly ignore him. She wanted to say something, but if there was anything that wasn’t her business, it was definitely that. However, whenever Lucien turned back to his food, his shoulders slumped in defeat; Sam saw the way Elain would look at Lucien.

Maybe, just maybe, there was hope to hold onto for them.

“So, Sam, Cassian hasn’t stopped raving about the food you have been making,” Rhys began, spearing a green bean with his fork. Cassian perked up at the sound of his name, nodding in agreement enthusiastically.

“It’s been mostly comfort food,” Sam replied, pushing her carrots around her plate.

"Are you comfortable here?" Feyre asked gently, causing Sam to look up at her. The last thing Sam wanted was to come off as ungrateful and uncomfortable in the space they had allowed her to be in.

"I am," Sam agreed, "Can't help missing my world, though." Her voice was neutral, but even Sam could hear the underlying sadness she had been trying to hide.

“Have you made any progress in research?” Rhys asked, delicately chewing his food.

The blush on Sam’s face seared her cheeks, “I...I only started looking last night. I haven’t made any progress.”

Rhys sipped from his wine glass. "Please don't think we are rushing you; that wasn't my intention in asking you that." He set his wine glass on the table, the soft clink reverberating through the room. “Amren hasn’t had any luck either.”

Sam's leg began to bounce under the table, her mouth dry as she thought of how to word her request. She sipped some liquid courage from her own glass, finding solace in the slight burn in her throat. "I want you or Feyre to look through my memories...anything that can give me some direction. I'm having difficulty keeping my thoughts straight and recalling what happened that night...given everything that has happened since then.”

Feyre and Rhys shared a look, speaking to each other through their bond. Sam felt she was witnessing something private, so she focused on her drink. “Absolutely, if that is what you wish.”

"Azriel said it would be possible," Sam commented, sipping her wine glass again. She was hardly looking forward to Rhysand rooting through her memories again, but what other choice did she have?

"It is. I can project the memories into another's mind. Would you like Amren to be there?" Rhys asked, spearing more food onto his fork.

“That’ll be interesting,” Cassian snorted, shoving a piece of meat into his mouth. Sam couldn’t help but agree with him.

"As much as she doesn't like me, it may be beneficial." Sam reluctantly agreed after a moment's pause. "I would like Azriel there."

“Ohhh, I wanna come! I wanna see!” Cassian exclaimed, looking at Sam with hopeful eyes.

“What are you, five?” Nesta asked her mate, rolling her eyes at his childish actions. Sam could see the affection in the look, however, and saw Nesta’s lip twitch.

Feyre's eyes sparkled, and Rhysand nodded, "I'll contact Amren and see when she's available. She was planning to go to Summer Court for a few weeks."

"It's no rush; I can always continue my research and training."

“Training?”

"We've collectively decided that training Sam would be in her best interest," Nesta said from her seat. Rhys's eyebrow shot up in surprise, Feyre beaming at her sister. "She may be mortal, but it doesn't mean she's defenseless here."

"She's puttin' me through the wringer," Sam replied, causing Cassian to laugh loudly. "Don't start, Cass."

“Our little street fighter is a dirty street fighter,” Cassian told Rhys as he ruffled Sam’s hair affectionately. She smacked his hand away, glaring at him and sharing an exasperated look with Nesta afterward. "She threw sand and pebbles in my eyes once I got her down."

"You're lucky there wasn't a fryin' pan near me; I woulda whacked the shit outta ya with that instead," Sam mumbled, popping a sliced carrot in her mouth.

"I'd feel bad for the frying pan," Elain whispered to Nesta, who laughed at her sister.

The chain reaction of laughter flowed through the whole table, even Lucien softly laughing at Elain's joke. Sam grinned at Elain, winking at her, and she returned it with one of her own.

“At least I know you're not trying to kill each other up here," Rhys replied, some of the tension easing out of his body as he settled back in his chair with his wine glass.

“Any more news about those soldiers Eris had mentioned?" Cassian asked, looking at his High Lord, who glanced at him sternly.

“Not at family dinner, please.” Rhys sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Family dinner was meant to be a time for just that, family. Sam's feelings about being included in the 'family dinner' were conflicting at best. She felt more like a parasite.

Rhysand’s expression at Cassian told Sam that now was not the time to bring up Elain’s vision, either.

“Sorry.”

“But no, to answer your question. Az is touching base with Mor at the Court of Nightmares now.” Feyre answered Cassian, her thumb rubbing her stomach gently as she sat back.

“I was wondering why he was missing family dinner.” Cassian continued to eat, nearly clearing the plate of meat clean.

Sam's leg continued to bounce under the table, and she wondered if Azriel was safe and what would happen if more soldiers were sent out to inquire about her—or what would happen because of her. She couldn't help but be anxious about the future, about the possible trouble she may cause in this world just by being here.

Lucien grabbed her knee under the table and turned to look at her. "Breathe, Sam. You're okay." His voice was quiet, nearly a whisper, to help soothe her nerves.

Sam looked back at him, nodding in acknowledgment and taking a deep breath. He squeezed her knee before returning to his plate, his eyes briefly flickering up to Elain, who was trying not to look at them.

"Trust us, Sammi. We can handle anything that comes our way," Cassian told her, nudging her with his elbow. "You're safe here. We're all okay. Come what may, we will be fine."

Sam could only nod and resist the urge to bounce her leg again. Rhys turned his violet eyes on her, "Azriel said you used to play the guitar. Have you seen the music room yet?" With a quick distraction and steering of conversation, Rhysand knew how to read a room.

“No, he mentioned it when I was nearly asleep on the couch in the library.”

"We would love to hear you play," Feyre said, picking a buttered roll from her plate and nibbling on it.

"I wish my phone still had a charge so I could play you the song after I play it on guitar so you could hear what it's supposed to sound like." Sam chuckled to herself, swirling her wine. "I can't sing, so I will apologize in advance.”

“I think the only one out of all of us who can sing is Azriel, and that's so rare that I've only heard it twice in my life," Rhys said as he crossed his leg, his ankle resting on his opposing knee. "And I've been alive a long time."

Sam's fingers still had the callouses on them from when she would play the guitar for so long that they would bleed. They had smoothed out from years of not playing, but she would listen to a song and envision herself playing it, going so far as to pull up the scores on her phone to read the music. She would always stop there, though, never picking the guitar in the corner of her bedroom and collecting dust for years.

She would be rusty when playing, so she needed to refresh her knowledge of strumming the strings and tuning the instrument correctly. It was almost daunting thinking about it, but there was a kernel of excitement in her stomach, and she consciously held onto that instead of her thoughts, "It might make your ears bleed at first, but...I would like you to hear music from my world...and my horrible rendition of it."

“Can't be any worse than when Cassian tried to play the violin," Rhys added, looking at his brother with a smirk.

“What happened?”

“Well...we don’t have a violin anymore.”

Sam could hear the screeching of the chords in her mind, and she fought back a smile. Mel played the violin briefly, having learned it in high school, but she had also stopped pursuing music. Two different events happened to both of them, respectfully, that made them put down their instruments. Sam's event lasted over seven years; an unhealthy, toxic relationship with an ex pushed her away from picking up her guitar again. She had been removed from the horrible relationship for over four years before she came to Prythian. Perhaps she could find her love of playing music again.

Sam had healed from her previous relationship for the most part and was relatively open about what transpired during it. From the heavy drug use, the abuse from both parties, the near homelessness, the jail and prison stints her ex had multiple times during that period, and the deep depression that had come from it all, Sam was very self-aware of what role she had played in the destruction of not only the relationship but of her life. She was also incredibly aware of what it took to remove herself from that situation and how hard it was to fight, tooth and nail, to make her life better and peaceful afterward.

She had no doubt that those memories would be brought up during her requested recall session with Rhysand, and while she was not ashamed of any of them, she didn't want to have to relive them like a movie.

Sam held back a sigh at the thought. She would have to explain some of the memories. It was easy to look at something and draw conclusions about it, but hearing the account in her own words and thoughts was a complete difference and distinction that she wanted to be clear about. Both her ex and herself were to blame for everything that occurred.

All Sam could do was hope they didn't judge her harshly when they saw it.

"...and so we only have a few instruments left in the music room." Feyre had been talking while Sam had fallen into thoughts of her past, but from how Cassian was grinning sheepishly at her, she gathered that it was his fault for the minimum amount of musical instruments.

Sam rubbed her fingertips against her thumbs, feeling the barely there callouses. "I learned on an acoustic guitar, so the tips of my fingers are a little rough, and I can play an electric guitar, but it doesn't sound like it should because I always hold it like I would an acoustic. I don't know if y'all have an electric guitar or call it something different, but…" Sam had no idea where she was going with her statement besides wanting to affirm that she had been listening to the conversation. She doubted they had an electric guitar since they didn't have electricity, let alone an amplifier. Still, she could see magic being used creatively to make a guitar work as an electric guitar.

“Whenever you pick up the guitar again, we would love to hear you.” Feyre told her gently and Sam had wondered if her thoughts were being boardcasted towards Rhys and Feyre. Rhys only gave her a wink, letting her know that he did hear her internal dialogue.

Dinner finished there, with dessert appearing in place of the chicken and vegetables. Sam and Nesta excused themselves from the table, seemingly having the same idea of not wanting to overfill their stomachs after the heavy lunch they had earlier.

Nesta walked beside Sam down the hall, towards their respective rooms, when suddenly Nesta spoke up, “Elain had fun today,”

Sam only turned her head towards Nesta, indicating that she was listening to her.

"It's been a while since Elain has had someone else in the house...that can...connect with her." Nesta stopped before Sam's door, turning towards her to continue the light conversation. "It's been a while since I've seen that smile on her face."

“I enjoyed it," Sam replied, smoothing out her purple dress. Tiny specks of flour were still sprinkled here and there on the skirt. "It's not every day you get to show someone another world's cuisine."

Nesta hummed in agreement: "I suppose, but I believe it did more for her than you think, and...for that, I thank you."

Sam bowed her head briefly, “No worries.”

Nesta checked her body, looking her up and down, and Sam stood tall against her intense gaze. Whatever Nesta had been looking for, it seemed she might have found it. Nesta turned to continue walking down the hall, leaving Sam standing outside her bedroom door.

-x-

In the late hours of the night, Sam stood at the windowless boundary line that connected her bedroom to the private balcony, watching the city lights wink up at her. The air inside her bedroom was comfortable, the invisible barrier blocking the night's calm wind from seeping inside. The magic here never ceased to amaze her; the benefits outweighed the disadvantages as far as she was concerned. Even the sounds of the city were muffled, but one step forward would have her outside on her terrace, breathing in the oncoming winter air and listening to the continuous hum of activity from below.

When a knock sounded on her bedroom door, she was surprised to see Lucien step through the threshold almost immediately after. He quietly slipped in, closing the door behind him gently and walking towards her with a straight spine, looking far too stressed than he was comfortable with. Sam's eyebrow arched at his actions, a question already forming on her lips, but Lucien quickly explained as he held up a hand.

“I want the record to show that I do not approve of this by any means," Lucien began, and Sam’s expression turned more confused. “However, I am an emissary, and it is within my job description to pass along information.” He pulled a burnt orange envelope out from the inner pocket of his jacket, holding it towards her. His hand had a slight tremble, his knuckles littered with scrapes. “I don’t think you need to guess who this is from.”

"Why would he write me a letter?" she asked, reaching towards him. The envelope's texture was soft, almost like velour paper. She turned it over in her hands, her finger tracing the brown wax seal securing it closed. “Did you read it?”

Lucien scoffed as he crossed his arms, “No, but who knows with him, just...be careful. He is not the kind you put your full trust into.”

"Believe me, I could tell," Sam replied, walking to the pale wooden desk tucked behind a small seating area across the room. “He reminds me of a hemorrhoid.”

“Sam,” Lucien followed her a few steps, his hand trailing over the soft texture of the sofa’s cushion. "Whatever it is he wants from you-"

“Lucien, I appreciate your concern, really." Sam interrupted, holding up her hand. "But I have nothin' to give him; I have nothin' to offer him. He's probably talkin' mad shit in that letter, given how the ending to our conversation went."

Lucien turned his eyes to the ceiling, breathing deeply before returning to her. "I wish I could truly explain why he can't be trusted, the full extent of it, but I don't think there would be enough time to cover it."

"You've told me a lot about him and your family already, Luce; I got the gist from that." Sam tried to offer him a smile of reassurance. "Look, don't worry. I got it, whatever it is. And if I don’t, you will likely be the first to know.”

Lucien continued to study her, his metal eye roaming down her body as if assessing for any deception, “If you say so.”

“I do. Now, go. I’m sure Cassian is just buzzin’ to fly you down to Velaris.”

“He would most likely love to drop me.”

“Nahhhh. More like...he would want to see if you could bounce.”

Lucien gave her a deadpan stare, which she met with an exaggerated toothy grin. "I'll be back in a week or so...please be careful, Sam, you're still new to this world, and if something were to happen to you on my watch, I-"

“You're starting to sound like an overprotective brother," Sam said, nudging him with her arm. "I appreciate it, though, I’ll be careful.”

“Well…" Lucien stopped, shaking his head to clear his thoughts before heading for the door.

Sam followed him, her footsteps quick. She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "You be careful as well," she said.

Lucien hesitantly wrapped his arms around her, giving her a tight squeeze. “If anything happens, you are to have Rhys send for me...immediately.”

“Where will you be?”

He took a deep breath, trying to release the stress Sam could see he was carrying on his shoulders. "I'll be in the Spring Court; I'm concerned for Tamlin...the High Lord there."

“I thought y’all were on the outs?”

Lucien's gaze dropped to the floor, his eyes tracing the lines in the rug beneath their feet. Sam felt pity for Lucien at that moment, how guilty he still seemed to feel over his role in the fall of the Spring Court even though years had passed since then. “He is still my friend whether he considers me his or not.”

Sam’s hand rested on Lucien’s bicep, “You’re a good man, Lucien. Male, whatever y’all call yourselves.”

He scoffed at her again, but his hand found hers on his arm and squeezed her fingers. "Take care of yourself; try not to get into trouble."

"I don't purposefully get into trouble, Lucien," Sam replied back, the hole in her heart began to crack again.

"But it does seem to find you, doesn't it?" he replied, and Sam's body jerked. Lucien didn't seem to notice as he patted her hand and exited through the door he had come in through.

Silence so loud encased the room, and Sam's heart broke open, the gaping wound inside of her still fresh and bleeding. This world continued to remind her of what she had left behind, making her feel sick. She would be fine for one day, only for the next to come and shatter her all over again, making her cut herself open as she picked up the pieces.

Sam wiped her cheeks, sniffling through the tears of loneliness and longing that constantly plagued her. Lucien couldn't have known that those words would cause her to become the mess she was. She was sure that he meant it in jest; her memories triggered her into an emotional mess.

She wished she could get a handle on them. Just this afternoon, she envisioned life here; now, she longed for what it once was.

Her hands traced the seal over the burnt orange envelope once she reached the desk, sitting comfortably on the cushioned stool. Her watery eyes narrowed at the sight of it, wondering if she would be cursed if she opened it and read its contents. She looked over her shoulder at the door and then at the balcony, ensuring she was alone. Sam felt dirty, holding the letter from Eris, the nervousness in her stomach writhing like snakes at the thought of him taking the time to pen her a letter. Her leg started to bounce in anticipation, and she nibbled on her bottom lip, pulling the thin skin away from the soft tissue with her teeth.

Of course, she opened up a can of worms with him.

The seal popped off quickly as her finger glided down the fold to loosen the adhesive. Pulling the letter out, she discarded the envelope onto the desk with a flick of her wrist, its color standing out like a beacon among the room's color scheme. As she unfolded the parchment letter, a single dried flower fell from the inside to her lap.

She froze.

Sam wasn’t a huge fan of receiving flowers, never having gotten any in the past except for condolences from when her mother passed. She had only had a moment to appreciate the beauty of them before the state came in and whisked her away from what she knew, placing her in whatever foster home had room for her. Flowers to her meant death or grief, no matter what kind of flower it was.

Her fingers gripped the long green stem, holding it closer to see the bundle of white and light purple flowers running along the upper stem. She twirled it in her fingers, the large flowers opening their petals to show off their colors inside. Sam counted eleven blooms on the stem, most purple-tipped while others had pink tips fading into white, a pale yellow center in each.

“House...do you have a book on flower symbolism?" Sam quietly asked into the air, as if her voice would alert someone to her room.

She supposed she could ask Elain, who loved to garden and had one thriving in the changing seasons here at the House. But Sam didn’t want to bring any unwanted attention or unnecessary stress to anyone else in the House, deciding that this was her burden. Whatever Eris wanted, she would take on for herself since she was the one who was at fault.

A shimmer on the desk top caught her attention, and a book appeared next to the discarded envelope. Sam set the book in her lap, flicking through the pages until she found a picture that matched the flower in her hand. She nearly groaned as she read the description, her fingers digging into the stem the farther she got down the page.

Snapdragon

Snapdragons grow in all climates, but they prefer milder regions. They tend to bloom from spring through autumn but can also grow in colder areas.

Due to their growth in rocky areas, snapdragons are often seen as a symbol of grace and strength. However, they can also symbolize deviousness or deception. Since they symbolize deception and graciousness, they are sometimes used as a charm against falsehood. They can also symbolize grace under pressure or inner strength in trying circumstances.

The color of the Snapdragons is also essential. Purple is associated with spirituality and those who have learned about magical mysteries. Red is for passion, love, and giving positive energy to the receiver. Yellow is the color of sunshine, meaning happiness and overall good luck. White symbolizes purity, grace, innocence, and good magic.

According to some legends, snapdragons can break magic spells.

The message of a snapdragon means that things are not always what they appear to be. Be careful where you stick your nose because magic is in the air.

Sam stared at the page for longer than necessary, mulling the words in her head as the flower twirled in her hand. It wasn't exactly what she expected, but it didn't give her a good feeling. Before ever reading the letter, she could see what he was alluding to, and the sensation of being watched settled down her spine.

She closed the book and set it on the corner of the desk, placing the flower on top of it. Unfurling the rest of the letter, she read even if her leg bounced a mile a minute.

Samantha,

How humorous could the Mother be during our meeting? A mortal from another world here in Prythain? You must be something special indeed. Of course, the Night Court would take ownership of such an anomaly and whisk you away to that gilded cage of a House, away from prying eyes and countless inquiries. Your High Lord and Lady were delighted to inform me of your circumstances and consider me an ally.

I look forward to our continued meetings in the future; perhaps instilling some manners wouldn't hurt either. You have quite a mouth on you.

As a part of this interesting turn of events, I have signed a contract ensuring my aid, in whichever way possible, to assist you in returning to your world. Rhysand is thorough; I have a brand to tie my alliance to you. Remarkable, to be tied to a mortal under the Night Court colors. I wonder if you have the same brand as me? Is it in the exact location of mine?

Nevertheless, there is more to your story; you are hiding something from everyone, and I will endeavor to find out what it is. I do not trust you, and you do not trust me. Perhaps we could not trust each other in the future?

I will see you on the Solstice.

Eris.

Sam slowly set the letter down, staring at it as if it would burst into flames. She could feel the anger rising within her, wanting to see Eris right that second to set him straight or to punch him in the face. Sam would be on her way to him if this was any other situation, running off pure adrenaline to argue in person. But, here, she would have to take the time to write a response, and by the time she got through it, she wouldn't care. She wished Prythian had cell phones; it would make this situation so much easier to deal with.

Perhaps it was for the best, though.

Eris was a High Lord’s son, the next in line to the throne, and if she went and knocked some sense into him with the help of her fists, he would undoubtedly have her locked up. Sam didn’t think the justice or prison systems were similar to the one she had been through in Savannah. Didn’t want to find out either.

Another thing plaguing her was that she didn't have any new brands on her skin, and no new tattoos were signaling that a contract to keep her safe had been signed. Her ink was the same as it had been, with no distinct burning to tell her any different. What brand was Eris talking about? And...where had it popped up on his body? It had to be in a very secretive spot, knowing how his father was from Lucien explaining his family. The thought sent a blush through her skin, a dusting of pink scattering across her cheeks.

She ran a hand through her hair, bunching it at the top of her skull, and pulled. Eris was as frustrating as he was elegant. He carefully crafted backhanded compliments and thinly veiled threats into a letter Sam re-read repeatedly. She caught the underlying innuendos, smirking at how she seemed to rile him up.

She was dwelling on why she was angry about what he said when the sound of muffled wings sounded to her right. Sam turned to see Azriel standing just beyond the threshold of her bedroom, his wings splayed out wide. She had no time to try to cover the letter or stash it away in a drawer or under other papers without him catching it.

Her breath caught in her chest, the sight of him in his black leathers, the dark wings held high and out, the shadows swirling around him like a black cloud, and his hazel eyes seemingly glowing in the night against the dark backdrop of the city was something out of a dark dream. The gleaming blue siphons shone so brightly that an aura wrapped around him like a translucent cloud. He stood with his hands in the pockets of his leathers, focusing solely on her as he stood at the invisible line.

Sam's chest tightened, and her spine straightened at the intensity of his gaze. Her hands fidgeted, rubbing her fingers together as the anxiety in her body needed an outlet. His steps towards the boundary were deliberate and smooth, like the House recognized him and allowed him entry into the bedroom.

His nostrils flared the moment he passed through as he surveyed the bedroom. His shadows spilled from his person and out towards every corner of the massive space, but his eyes stayed locked on her. A few shadows skirted past her and back to Azriel, curling around his ear.

“Hey, Az.” Sam greeted as if her nerves weren’t through the roof. “How-”

“Why is there a letter from Eris on your desk?”

Sam blinked, turning her head to the letter and the pressed snapdragon peeking from under it. She began fidgeting her hands, sweat prickling in her palms. Sam hadn't wanted anyone to know; she had just gotten through reading it and was not nearly far enough into dissecting it to have this conversation. But hiding something from the Night Court's spymaster wasn't easy, and she was berating herself, thinking that she had even thought to try. “Well...Lucien dropped it off before he left for Spring Court.”

“That's why I smell his scent here." His shadows were so thick at his feet that he seemed gliding towards her with every step he took. She oversaw him, eyebrows pinching when he picked the letter up.

“Hey!”

Azriel ignored her, reading what Eris had written on the paper, his hazel eyes flying down the page. A muscle in his jaw feathered the further he got down the letter, his shadows growing restless and agitated. “Rhys should know about this.”

"It's fine, I don't plan on respondin’. He's just butt-hurt because of what I said durin’ our meetin’. It's nothin’." Sam said to him, standing up to swipe the letter from Azriel’s hands. She tucked the letter away along with the dried snapdragon. She was discarding the flower outside when she could return it to the earth.

“That doesn't seem like 'nothing,' " he replied harshly, causing her head to whip towards him in near outrage at his tone of voice.

“It’s nothing, Az. Why does it matter?" Sam was being surrounded by overprotective fae males, and the testosterone, or whatever,was beginning to grate her nerves. First Lucien and now Azriel, but Azriel's bothered her more for some reason.

“It matters because you are human, and this is Eris," Azriel replied as if that was the only valid reason that was needed. His wings twitched in agitation, the muscles in his jaw tightening as his teeth ground against each other. “He should not speak to you like that.”

“Well...he technically wrote it to me, so," Sam grumbled, trying to ease the tension by downplaying it. “Lucien already warned me, anyway.” Azriel's expression never changed; his face still wore the blank mask, but his eyes were nearly glowing. "Why are you so angry all of a sudden? What have I done to piss you off over these past few days?"

Azriel seemed to snap back into himself, his frustration and anger shoved down and locked into a box, away from prying eyes. "You haven't done anything, Sam. I'm not mad at you.”

“But you’re takin’ it out on me. So what is it?” She crossed her tattooed arms, hip cocking out to the side. She was now an unmovable force, her temper rising to meet him head-on. She would get down to the bottom of it. Now.

Azriel stood in front of her, stubborn and hardheaded, with his hands at his side. He was also unmovable, firm in his stance that nothing was wrong, or at least, nothing that he would tell Sam.

“You’ve had a stick up your ass for the past few days, and we're fixin’ to figure it out right now. Cause I ain't goin' on like this, not between you and me. Got it?" The tone in Sam's voice gave no room for excuses or bullshit. "You mean too much to me for things to be like this." She motioned her hands between them, gesturing to the tense air surrounding them. "So spill it. What's wrong."

Azriel only continued to stare at her.

Sam, frustrated and at her wits end, ran her fingers through her hair, gripping the strands and pulling hard. “So, you ain’t mad at me, but you are mad. Why?”

A sharp intake through Azriel’s nose pierced through the otherwise quiet room. “It’s nothing that can be fixed, Sam.”

“Then let me help ease it, whatever it is!" Sam pleaded, instinctively reaching out toward his hands.

He put his hands quickly in his pockets at her movement, and a jolt of rejection flashed through Sam's face. Azriel held back a grimace at the sight. "You can't ease it either. I…" The apology choked him before he could even get it out. He wasn't one for apologizing, accepting whatever outcome of a situation for what it was.

The corners of Sam’s mouth turned down, her eyes falling to the floor to study the rug underneath their feet. “I just wanted to help.” She turned back to the desk, sitting back down on the stool.

Azriel was battling an internal war as he watched Sam's body language change towards him, and his entire body rejected it in response. He didn't like how he had made her feel, how he had been making her feel. "I swore to protect you, Sam." He began, turning to look at the walls of the bedroom instead of her as he spoke. His shadows began to still, almost like they knew what he was about to say and wanted to witness it.

Sam listened but pretended to reorganize the papers on her desk, ignoring Eris’s letter at all costs.

"Out of every contract that Rhys put in front of us, I signed every single one, and I don't know why. I don't know why, Sam." Azriel's frustration lingered in his words, in the air itself. "I signed them before I had even had a conversation with you. Most of the ink on your back resembles mine, and I willingly agreed to it.”

Sam's hands stilled on her desk, her eyes rising to meet his. His own eyes were hard and intense as they bore into her. "If it's too much, Azriel, I can release you from your barg-"

“Don’t finish that sentence.”

Sam had never stopped talking so fast in her life, her eyes blown wide.

"That is not why I am telling you this," Azriel replied, the harshness in his voice easing up. "I do not usually explain things to others, let alone my feelings. I don't even talk much to anyone around me, but yo-" Azriel's wings snapped forward as if they were being aggravated, his brow furrowed in what almost resembled pain. "I am telling you this because you are insistent on knowing what is ‘wrong’ with me.

"By signing those contracts, it is not only my job to protect you but to keep you safe from all threats possible. Everyone, everythingis deemed a threat until proven otherwise. A male who was an Autumn Court runaway, who had turned Spring Court courtier and emissary turned Night Court ally and emissary, is one of them. Doesn't matter if he originally saved you in that forest, not to me. A letter from a male with the same lineage as that emissary is another. Never mind what that letter says; it threatens your safety. I am doing my job, Sam, and if it is suffocating to you, then I am doing it well. All information about you, your story, your secrets, your memories; they will all die with me before I let your safety be jeopardized. And the best part of it all? I don’t know why.”

Sam could hardly think straight after hearing his admission. She had gotten what she wanted, which was to know why he was upset. Sam wasn't sure what to do with it now that she had it. She watched as his scarred fingers flexed by his side, the tension in his shoulders being pulled tight. He was very uncomfortable and was waiting for her to say something.

“...I…" Sam tried, but the words fell flat. She could see why her entire situation could be eating him up. He was a spy; he was supposed to know. And he didn’t. “So, am I to expect an increase in security measures?" She tried to ease the tension, a last-ditch effort to neutralize the atmosphere in the bedroom.

“Yes.”

“Am I free to leave the House of Wind whenever I wish?" Sam asked that one sentence in Eris's letter weigh on her: she had been swept away to a gilded cage.

“Yes." He instantly replied as if the question didn't need to be asked.

“I am allowed to leave the Night Court if need be?”

Azriel hesitated for only a moment, “As long as it is your will to leave, then yes. You can not be taken from the Court if you do not wish to go.”

She was not a prisoner. Eris was wrong. "And will you tell me what is bothering you going forward? Before it reaches this level?" Azriel hesitated again, and Sam quirked an eyebrow. "That's not how healthy relationships go, Az. How long have you been bottling up everything inside you? How long has it been since you talked to someone?"

“I don’t talk to anyone.”

“Not even Rhys or Cass?”

“I don’t make it a habit.”

"You can make it a habit with me," Sam replied, standing up to face him. She bit down the hurt from being rejected earlier, the cold feeling still in her stomach, as she reached for his hands again. He didn't move away; instead, he stood frozen as she gently grabbed his rough, scarred hands, holding them in her unblemished ones. "You can make it a habit with me," she said.

Azriel took in the sight of their hands, noting the texture and color differences. He resisted the urge to withdraw them as quickly as he noticed. He wasn't used to sentimentality; the feeling washing over him was foreign but not unwelcoming.

“You haven't told me to shove it yet, have ya?" Sam gave him a crooked smile. "You've heard my bitchin' and complainin' and will likely continue to hear it, but you haven't pushed me away."

“That’s different,” He said, ripping his eyes away from their hands to look into her green eyes. “It’s different.”

“Yes, it's your job, but you could also tell me to shut up, but you haven't."

“I find you interesting, as I’ve said.”

Sam hummed, slowly letting his hands drop from hers. "Here, I thought it was my charming personality."

Azriel snorted, “We’ll go with that.”

Sam scoffed, smacking him on the arm. “Would it kill you to try and sound convincing?”

Azriel held back a small smile, turning his face downwards to hide it as Sam muttered something that sounded much like 'unbelievable.’ The tension between them disappeared even if Sam still had questions. Azriel had given her enough for the night to think on, likely a few nights.

“What does the Night Court do on the Winter Solstice?”

“You don’t celebrate the Solstice?”

Sam shook her head. "It's recognized as the longest night of the year, but...no, most of my world tends to celebrate Christmas."

"What's Christmas?" Azriel asked, walking to the bedroom's seating area and taking up a large loveseat, his wings fanning to make it more comfortable.

"Remember that Jesus guy I mentioned a while back? Yeah, it's his birthday." Sam answered, following him to the couches. She folded her legs under her, sitting on her feet, and curled into the corner of the armrest. "Once upon a time, we celebrated the solstice, and I'm sure some still do, but really, it was when the Catholic Church took over and began removing paganism from our history...or tried to." Sam paused for a beat, looking around the room and then at Azriel. "Man, would they be clutching their rosaries right about now if they knew y'all exist.

"Normally, we decorate a tree and exchange gifts, eat a lot, and then pass out watching football or something. It doesn't snow much in Georgia, so we never get white Christmases; at least, I haven't."

"We do similar things on the Solstice. We exchange gifts, be with family...Cassian, Rhys, and I have our annual snowball fight in the mountains." Azriel explained, looking down at his hands. The skin on the back of his fingers was pulled tight, but he could almost still feel the warmth of Sam's hands in his.

"What do you want for Christmas or...Solstice?" Sam asked, peering up at him from her adjacent couch.

“You don’t have to give me anything, Sam.” He responded quietly.

"It won't be extravagant, I'll tell ya that right now, but you deserve somethin'," Sam replied, pulling a blanket off the back of the couch and covering her legs. His shadows instantly flew over, running along the edges of the blanket.

“Like I said, you don’t have to give me anything, Sam.”

“Well, we’ll see.”

They enjoyed each other's company for a few more hours as the night turned later. Sam's yawning was a dead giveaway that the day's events had worn her out. Five in the morning would show its ugly head before she was ready, her body still protesting from that morning's workout. The thought of doing it again so soon filled her stomach with dread. Azriel seemed to get the message, standing from his spot on the couch and walking towards the boundary line towards the balcony.

Sam watched him leave, catching his final look before his wings flared out, and he launched into the sky. She followed him through the sky for as long as she could see him before he faded into the blackness. Sam wondered where he was going, noting that he had a room at the House a few doors down the same hallway. Eventually, she realized it was none of her business and carried herself to bed, the House dimming the faelights and lanterns for her.

She would go back to researching after training, planning to spend all day in the library until she couldn't take it anymore. She threw back the covers of her bed, climbing into the pillowy comfort that seemed to mold her to her body and pull her into its sweet embrace. As she tried to sleep, Azriel's words continued to echo in her head, and a nagging feeling told her that what he said would keep him up as well.

Tag List: @smol-grandpa, @daughterofthemoons-stuff, @plants-w0rld, @rcarbo1

[kissorkill16]

She Can't Be Part Of This: A Hello Neighbor Fanfic

By JJ

Summary: Finch joins the gang.

It was the end of the day, and students were getting ready to go home, and some of them were going to their after school clubs.

The gang walked down the hallway of the school.

They all looked so worried.

Well, most of them. Ivan looked like it was just a normal day for him.

Enzo walked beside Trinity and held her hand, "It'll be alright, babe.", he whispered. Trinity shook her head and looked at her boyfriend, showing him her empty face. She was so stressed, she forgot to put on makeup today.

"No it won't be, Enzo. We haven't seen him anywhere at all today, you can't blame me for being worried.", said Trinity.

That's why almost everyone looked so stressed. They were worried about Nicky.

"You don't think he could've...y'know...done it -", Delroy didn't even finish his sentence before Enzo, Maritza and Trinity turned to look at him with angry eyes.

Trinity pointed a finger in his chest, "Don't say that.", she said through gritted teeth. Then she turned back around and continued to walk down the hall, her friends following her.

Even though it was said that he recently started coming back to school, none of his friends had seen him. When Trinity tried asking other students about him, they all just shuddered in fear.

Their reactions left all of the gang confused.

As they finally reached Mr. Murtaugh's classroom, they walked in. Trinity grabbed the sides of her head.

"I'm just so frustrated right now!", she said. "First we all almost get killed, and now Nicky is missing. I just -"

"Missing? I'm not missing, I'm right here."

The gang stood frozen in their tracks, and they turned around to see a familiar boy.

There he was, plain as day.

Long brown hair, dull brown eyes, eye bags, black tank top, blue torn jeans, and light blue shoes.

It was Nicky.

He held a cigarette between his fingers in one of his hands, and his black jacket was wrapped around his waist. But that wasn't all that was different about him.

It wasn't just his appearance, it was his face.

He was smiling, but it didn't look happy, it looked more snarky. He looked more confident and ready to fight.

Nicky took a breath of his cigarette and blew out, a large cloud of smoke covered the air. He waved at his friends.

"What's up, gang?", he said. "So nice to see you guys again. Sorry I've been so absent, just a bunch of crazy stuff happening all over. Total drama. But I'm here now. Maritza, you doing good? Great. Enzo, nice spiked collar. Trinity, not that I mind, but you're not wearing makeup today. Were you in a rush? Ivan, Delroy, from this place, it almost looks like you're wearing matching shirts. How crazy is that? Doesn't that sound crazy? -"

Before Nicky could say anything else, Trinity ran forward to him and hugged him tight, almost making him drop his cigarette.

"Oh my God, Nicky! Thank goodness you're okay! I was so worried about you!", she said. Her voice was starting to choke up, and tears began to fall down her face.

Maritza gave Delroy a playful punch on his shoulder, "He lives!", she excitedly said.

Nicky gently pulled away from Trinity, "That's right. I live. I didn't kill myself.", he said. "Guys, I've decided that I'm saying fuck this trauma, I'm going after Crowface. So you guys got any room for two more members?", he put out his cigarette and threw it out the window, Trinity waved her arms in the air to help clear up the smoke.

"Nicky, you're always welcome in the Inventor's Club.", said Trinity.

Delroy put his hand up, "Wait a minute, hold up. What do you mean two more?", he asked.

"Hey."

Everyone turned around to see Finch sitting on another one of the desks in the classroom. She waved at them all and batted her eyelashes, giving them all a wide smile.

"Oh yeah, Finch is joining too.", said Nicky. "I invited her."

Trinity looked at Finch, then back at Nicky, then back at Finch, then back at Nicky. She only had one thing to say.

"You're serious right now?"

"Are we just gonna pretend she's been here the whole time?", asked Maritza, pointing to the cheerleader.

Nicky rolled his eyes, "She has been here the whole time, before you guys came here.", he said.

"Is this why you've been avoiding us for so long? Because you've been hanging out with her?", asked Enzo. "Nicky, we knew you were pissed at us, but we didn't think you'd invite a total jerk to join the club."

"Why not? Delroy's here.", said Nicky.

"Oh hardy har har.", said Delroy.

Nicky sighed and put on his jacket, "But other than that, I didn't invite her here to spite you all. I invited her here, because she's been investigating Crowface too.", he said.

They all turned to look at Finch, who smiled so wide, she was worried her face might split in half. "Yep. That's right.", she said. "Of course, I don't have a camera anymore, so I can't really show you guys any proof of that statement, so..."

Trinity sighed and looked at Nicky with pleading eyes, "Nicky, please reconsider this. Finch can't be part of this.", she said.

"Why not, Bales? I get it, I was a bitch, but I'm trying to be good now.", said Finch. "And why does it bother you guys that Nicky's been hanging out with me? He wanted a stress reliever, and I was the closest one around."

Maritza rolled her eyes and looked at Nicky, "Murtaugh wasn't a good enough therapist for you?", she said.

In an instant, Mr. Murtaugh appeared in the doorway and looked at everyone.

"What're you kids up to?", he asked, his smile wide.

The kids all exchanged a horrified look, then they all smiled nervously and said "Nothing, Mr. Murtaugh."

And with that, the science teacher left. The kids all sighed.

Then they all got back on topic.

"But also, last time I checked, I wasn't the only one who was a total jerk to him.", said Finch, looking at Bales. "You all were equally bad, I was starting to redeem, and Nicky upgraded, so you guys can zip your lips."

"I don't think you even know anything about Crowface.", said Delroy.

"I do too!"

"Then fucking prove it!", said Maritza.

"I can't! You guys broke my camera!"

"You had that shit coming!", said Trinity.

"Everyone quiet down!"

When they all heard Nicky yell, when they all heard how messed up his voice was, they all stopped and turned to look at him.

They saw how half of his face had turned black and his eyes turned white, and Nicky took a deep breath to calm down. His skin and eyes turned back to normal.

"That's my power.", said Nicky. "Remember our last meeting when we all first saw that beak freak? When Trinity went into shock, her stone fell out of her pocket, so I took it and went to put it in her bag, but then I felt weird. I thought I was having another breakdown, and I was, but I was also feeling more weird. My body didn't feel like mine, my skin was turning black and my eyes were turning white, and when I touch people I hate or want to hurt, I force them to see their fears. That's why you guys see people shudder when you mention my name."

They all looked at Nicky with wide eyes, and Finch stood beside him and nodded.

"That's the sickest power I've ever heard of.", said Maritza.

Delroy put his hands up and just backed up against the wall, "Yeah, just stand, like, 80 feet away from me at all times. Your power's cool, just don't put your hands on me.", he said. Nicky just rolled his eyes.

"And you guys aren't the only ones."

Finch reached into her backpack and took out a shiny golden stone, and Trinity's eyes widened.

"I found this on my bed when I got out of the shower, and it gave me the power of invisibility. Nicky was the first one I told.", she said. "That's why you guys didn't see me when you first came in."

Nicky walked over to Trinity and took her hands in his.

"Look, I know you think it's a bad idea, but I really trust her now. She is working on earning my forgiveness, and I want to give her a chance.", he said. "Do you think you could try and put a little trust in her too?"

Looking into those eyes, Trinity sighed and gave Nicky a sympathetic smile. "Alright.", she said. She turned to look at the rest of her friends, and they all exchanged a look, then a nod.

Maritza sighed, "This is a dumb idea.", she said. "But if we can have one jerk, why not have another one?"

"Shut up, Maritza.", said Delroy.

Trinity put her hand out, then all of the rest of the gang joined in and put their hands on top of hers, including Finch.

"Inventor's Club on 3!", she said. "1! 2! -"

Before Trinity could finish the countdown, Nicky suddenly pulled his hand back and clutched his stomach, then covered his mouth as his cheeks started to puff out.

Then without warning, he fell down to his knees and vomited all over the floor.

His friends stood back as his insides started to spill out of his mouth and cover the floor.

"Dude! In the classroom?!", said Delroy.

"Shut up and go get help!", said Enzo.

After a while of arguing and trying to clean up the mess, Nicky sat against a desk and downed another water bottle. He drank 3 already, but he still felt extremely nauseous.

Finch sat beside him, "Feel any better?", she asked.

"If by better, you mean like complete shit, then yeah.", said Nicky. He angrily looked down at his stomach, "You didn't have a problem yesterday, so why'd you do that now?"

"That seriously doesn't make any sense.", said Finch. "I threw up before I went to sleep. My guess was all the cookies we ate together last night."

Nicky felt really skeptical. He never felt sick after he ate a lot of sweets. He remembered eating a lot of snacks and sweet treats with Lucy, Aaron and Mya back in middle school. But now, he could barely eat cookies without feeling sick.

Then again, he barely even knew his own body anymore.

Nicky looked over to Finch, who was staring at her shoes.

"You good?", he asked. It was silent for a moment, then Finch looked at him and answered.

"They're right. I can't be part of this. I just got my powers yesterday, and I could barely figure out how to use them. So I might not be of any use to you guys.", she said.

Nicky put a hand on her shoulder, "We'll find use for you, with or without your powers.", he said. "Don't worry. I know they don't like you or trust you now, but they'll come around."

Finch smiled at him and nodded, then looked back at her shoes.

"Yeah. Hopefully.", she muttered.

[bssaz97]

Rowan’s Sorta Trip to Beacon - Part 4!

Rowan: BLAAAAAAAAAAAAZZZZEEEE!!! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU’RE DOING!?

The students watching the fight, Yang included, are shocked by the volume in which the red haired boy screeched and who it was directed to in the arena.

This causes the faunus to look over his shoulder, amber eyes met silver, while the faunus gives the red haired boy a seemingly bored look.

Blaze: …Ah, hey Rowan. So you ended up here too, eh?

Rowan’s anger seemed to have increased by the nonchalance that the person in the arena was giving him, so he decided to take matters into his own hands and confront the faunus in the ring.

Next thing the crowd sees is Rowan jumping over the railing and into the ring with the four other combatants. Once touching down he marches straight towards the source of his frustration. When he gets in reach he grips the shirt of the Faunus.

Rowan: Cut the crap, Blaze! Why-the hell-are you fighting these guys?!

Blaze: That’s seriously your first question upon seeing me here? Not why and how I’m here?

Rowan: Stop dodging! Give me a straight answer…

Blaze: ….Ugh, fine. After you vanished from thin air, Summer and the others tried chasing after you, dragged me along and then next thing I know, I’m here in the-!

Rowan quickly covers his mouth with his hand and then quietly whispers in a quiet voice.

Rowan: Not that detailed! Nobody needs to know we aren’t from the past! Just tell me why you’re beating up these guys!

Blaze grabs Rowan’s hands away from his mouth and grinds his teeth in irritation.

Blaze: Ah, idiot! Don’t put your gross hand on my face! Anyway, I was minding my own business when idiot #1 to #3 called me a faunus slur. I punched one of them, one thing led to another and now I’m here, in a ring, dishing out an ass kicking these three racists have been needing for a long while.

Rowan blinks then sighs heavily and rubs the bridge of nose.

Rowan: Blaze, why do you have to resolve things with violence…?

Blaze: I think I gave a perfectly rational response to that sort of situation if you ask me.

Rowan: Ugh, you know what? Fine. You’ve made your point. You’re clearly better than these guys so let’s just-

From behind the boys, one of the members of CRDL gets back up and charges at the two with his halberd in hand.

Sky: HEY! STOP IGNORING US-

Before he could reach them, Rowan dodges the weapons strike, then moved his fist back to where it makes contact with Sky’s face, causing him to be hit dead center on his face.

Rowan: Excuse me, we’re having a conversation right now. Please don’t be rude.

Sky: Ah! My nose! I think it’s broken!

Rowan: Ah. Here let me sort that out.

Rowan’s hand starts to glow a yellow light, then he extends his aura out to heal the wounds on the three members of CRDL. In a matter of seconds, the three are standing up again and seemed to have been stripped of their injuries.

Russel: What the hell? Did you just heal us?

Rowan: You’re right I did. I did that in good faith, so maybe you wouldn’t mind apologizing to my friend for calling him a- What did they call you?

Blaze: A “jungle dog.”

Rowan: *blinks* …Yeah, that?

When hearing this, the three young men expression turned from amazed to angered.

Dove: You want us… to apologize to him?! That asshole just beat us the hell up! Screw that!

Russel: He’s mental! We should be the ones apologized to!

Sky: Yeah! If anything this just proves that him and his kind are a bunch of wild-

Before Sky had time to finish his sentence, Rowan punched him, once again, square in the center of his face, fracturing his nose again.

Sky: AH!! My nose! You broke my nose again, you-red hair bastard!

Rowan: You’re right I did. Be thankful that’s the only thing I break today…

Both Russel and Dove were prepared to jump the red haired boy, but Rowan gave both of them a cold stare, as if daring them to try and attack him. This caused them to pause, feeling like a couple of deer staring at headlights. Whoever this kid was, they were not so sure if they could fight him.

Russel: Tch! You know what? I think I’m done spending my time with these two freaks! Come on Dove, let’s get Sky to see the nurse.

Dove: Yeah, forget these guys.

When the three members of CRDL had left the arena floor the match was concluded and the crowd started to dissipate from the training room. Leaving Blaze and Rowan in a mostly empty room.

Blaze: Heh, didn’t think you had it in you to be that menacing.

Rowan: I only have to be because you're too dumb to keep yourself out of trouble.

Blaze: Trouble? If my ears don’t deceive me, they instigated this whole thing.

Rowan: So you think pummeling a group of students suddenly makes you think you’re the one who’s right? You have a twisted sense of justice, Blaze.

Blaze: And you’re a prime example of a Boy Scout. Too afraid of being judged by others and having to maintain a “nice guy” look in front of everybody. You really think that’ll make people like them not be pieces of shit?

Rowan: Maybe I wouldn’t have to worry about my team's image if you would stop trying to pick a fight with everyone who makes you angry!

Blaze: Oh, so I’m the problem then, huh? Some leader you are, blaming your teammates for own your sorry leadership.

Rowan: Okay, you know what-!

“Ahem!”

The two boys are taken out of their argument when they look and see that Yang had moved from the bleachers and has been standing next to them for what seemed to have been a few minutes too long.

Yang: Are you two done or am I interrupting your marriage counseling?

Rowan: Ah… Sorry Auntie… I forgot about you for a second there.

Yang: I can tell. So, are you gonna introduce me to your friend?

Rowan: Oh right! Um, Auntie, this is Blaze.

Yang: Yeah I gathered that much. Now who is he in your time? Don’t think you can get away with hiding some details!

Rowan: Uh… Well, he’s my partner in my team back in my time. He’s-

Blaze: I’m Blaze Belladonna-Wukong. Son of the chieftain of Menagerie and your partner’s firstborn in the future.

Rowan: …Yeah, that.

Yang blinks and takes a minute to process the information that she has been given to by her nephew and his friend. Who was Blake’s child…

Blake’s future child…

Yang: …But you’re not a cat.

Blaze rolls his eyes and sighs heavily, not expecting to have to explain faunus biology to someone who was close friends with his mother.

Blaze: You are right, I’m not a cat. I’m a hyena faunus.

Yang: But how does that-?

Blaze: Faunus traits aren’t exactly inherited the same way you’d think for actual animals. My mom is a cat faunus, but my dad is not, and when they had me I came out a different faunus than either of them because that’s how it works when faunus with two different kinds of traits decide to have a kid.

Yang: Oh… I didn’t know that was a thing.

Blaze: Well now you know. Sorry, are there any more dumb questions you wanna ask about Faunus before you get called out by mom?

Rowan: Blaze, come on.

Yang: Well actually since you mentioned it. For Faunus that have an extra pair of ears, can they use it to hear all the time or is that like a nerve thing?

Both boys looked at Yang with a blank expression, not sure whether she was being serious or not.

Blaze: No. We use them to hear, all the time.

Yang: Oh okay, good to know.

Both Rowan and Blaze turned around and started to whisper to each other out of ear shot.

Blaze: You know, I’m starting to see now why my mom never invites her to come to Menagerie for visits…

Rowan: I always assumed that Yang was too busy for those vacations but she’s totally uneducated…

Blaze: Yeah, it’s a good thing mom pushed for that class about Menagerie culture.

Rowan: Mmhm.

The two boys turn around to face Yang, hoping to change the subject.

Rowan: So now that you guys have met, why don’t you and I go meet back with the others, Auntie Yang.

Yang: Right… We should be getting back to them. I’m sure they’ll be excited to see the newest ‘time-baby’ that showed up.

Blaze: Yeah, I’m gonna say hard pass.

Yang/Rowan: Huh?

Yang: What’s wrong? You don’t want to see your mom?

Blaze: That’s not it. We shouldn’t even be here, heck us being here is probably causing a whole lot of problems to begin with.

Rowan: I know you’re not talking about not causing problems.

Blaze: This is serious. I overheard Joanna saying that us being here for too long or engaging with people from the past is one way to spell out bad news for our time.

Rowan: Didn’t you just get out of a fight with three people from the past.

Blaze: Damnit Rowan! You’re not listening! If we screw around here for too long we may not have a home to go back to anymore!!

Rowan blinks and is speechless at the possibility of what could be his time’s undoing being presented to him.

Yang: …I'm guessing that’s very bad.

**Elsewhere**

Two young girls are seen in the courtyard of Beacon, investigating the large crater formed in the middle, one of them reaching down and grabbing a piece of rock and using their scroll to scan it. A tanned girl with white hair hums, and turns off her handheld device.

????: Well there’s no doubt about it. This was where Rowan landed here.

A ginger haired girl and magenta eyes looked at her partner and gave a concerned look.

????: Don’t worry Liena, I’m sure if Rowan had been here then he should be fine. There could’ve been worse places he could have ended up. So let’s hope that he didn’t end up meeting up with anybody from the past here.

Liena tilts her head and gives a frown.

Liena: *whispers* But what if Blaze runs into someone, Joanna?

The girl with white hair looks back at her friend and makes an irritated expression.

Joanna: Knowing him, If Blaze does something stupid, then he might have already doomed us all.

[calamityjimao3]

Writing Advice 3-Go with the Flow

So the flow of the story is the smoothness of the narrative. It’s one of those things that you might not necessarily notice right away but in the end leaves you with the sense that something is wrong. So, what do you watch out for? This one is kinda bulky so bear with me. The first thing is to watch sentence structure. I have a bunch of sentences. I am writing them. They are all short. You are reading them. You are getting bored. Notice how choppy that feels? Using the same structure of sentence, be it length or how it is constructed, creates a redundancy that really kills the story. The best way of managing a paragraph is to make sure that you are using a variety of sentence types. I am not a grammar nerd so I can’t tell you about clauses or anything, but I can give you an example. The short sentences I did were a) all short but b) noun, verb, noun or adjective. That’s it. But danger on the other side exists. You don’t want to have a bunch of super long super complicated sentences that just continue on forever because then it is going to feel like you are going to run out of breath while reading them which really shifts the feeling of exhausting on to the reader instead of just allowing them to enjoy the story the way they came here to do and it becomes really easy for the average reader to just get lost reading it because the human eye isn’t really good at tracing something for that long. *gasp* So this leaves with a couple of things to be mindful of. 1. Vary your sentence lengths. Use a mix of long and short to create a smooth narrative that is engaging and engrossing. 2. Vary what they start with. If you find that every sentence has started with a pronoun, flip it. I walked to school and saw Bob along the way vs Walking to school, I saw Bob along the way. Exact same thing. Same meaning, same events, but a different structure. Use sentences that start with things like “If, Although, Then again, Unfortunately, Luckily,” whatever fits. Throw them in like salt in a recipe. Add that flavor. But rules are also made to be broken, but broken with deliberation and careful thought. Choppy sentences can convey a lot of emotion and be used to indicate contradiction or discontent, as well as making a scene feel fast which is good for stressful action. Long winded sentences can convey nervousness or condescension, or a slow meandering of carelessness. Or more. Get creative, they’re your stories.  The final thing is chapter length. Oneshots and drabbles are exempt from this, but when writing a long story you need to find a sweet spot between what you can churn out and what your audience will read. I’m a bit of a snob and I tend not to read long chapter stories if it breaks down to less than 2000 words a chapter. I don’t like the pacing it creates. But I also don’t tend to read stories that are more than 10000 words per chapter. These are my personal preferences so do what you will, but I find between 4k-6k words a good place for me to write and read. I am able to create a good idea, drop some vibes, and then duck off to the next thing without overloading anyone. This is also different for novels vs fanfiction. Once again, this can be broken if you go in with eyes wide open. I think the best example of this, I hate to say it, is Twilight. Meyers had all these long chapters, something sad happened, and the next three chapters are all one word each. It was an emotional gut punch. Well done but also Very Deliberate. So here are the rules that have always guided me, passed down  unto you. Take it or leave but if you take away nothing else, it is just make decisions deliberately, not accidentally.

[justalildumpling]

chapter 36: if the shoe fits

wc: 1.1k

You weren’t exactly sure what you were doing.

It had only been a few seconds ago when your best friend dragged you by the hand upstairs, essentially locking you inside some guy’s room. You remembered him spluttering a bunch of incoherent sentences, something along the usual lines of beating the living daylights out of the asshole in question before disappearing back downstairs.

You sighed, sipping on the leftover punch in your red solo cup. 

It sucked, really. Attending a long-awaited house party with your friends only to be ruined by the presence of a gaslighter. You ‌put more effort into your look that day, attempting to change up your usual makeup routine to add more glitter and colour ⎯ because well‌, glitter fixes anything (Ok, maybe everything except for your unfortunate position in the dingy room).

You kicked off your tattered running shoes, looking into the full-body mirror with a frown. 

What was the point of dressing up if the person you wanted to dress up for wasn’t even here to see it? 

You had attended the party relatively earlier than you usually would have that day, pestering your friends to book the Uber way too early for their tastes a few hours ago. But much to your dismay, your prince charming was nowhere to be found. You had circled Sunwoo’s house a few too many times than the average person, unsubtly asking for his whereabouts from the already intoxicated guests ⎯ but alas, no information was found.

A series of knocks sounded at the door, shaking you from your thoughts. 

“Hoon?” You called, standing up to unlock the door.

The other side of the door remained eerily silent, making you doubt if it was your loudmouth best friend. But brushing it off, you turned the knob and with a click, it swung open to reveal the initial inviter and the missing boy, Lee Jeno.

Your mouth sat slightly ajar, taken aback by his sudden appearance. Jeno greeted you with his recognisable smile, eyes crinkled into little crescents and his nose scrunched up in the cutest of ways. He held a paper bag in his hands, hanging its straps on the knob as he shut the two of you back inside. 

“Sorry I was late,” Jeno started, scratching the back of his neck guilty, “I had to pick up something along the way.”

“That’s okay, as long as you’re here with me now,” You softly spoke, taking note of the way he awkwardly placed some distance between the pair of you.

A suffocating silence blanketed the room, with Jeno fiddling with the hem of his leather jacket as he avoided your eyes.

You could feel your heart plummet in your chest, a series of concerns racing inside your head. Was he taking back his feelings for you? Were you ‌not worth the wait? Did he find someone else that night?

Jeno took a deep breath in, gesturing you to sit back down on the end of the bed.

“I know I’ve apologised already but I am sorry about everything that’s happened in the last few months. I should’ve confirmed everything with you before acting upon my feelings and you didn’t deserve the hurt that I caused you. But I⎯” 

Jeno paused, finally looking up to meet your eyes. You could see his fingers trembling on the white sheets, mouth wavering as you sat in anticipation for what he had to say next.

“I really like you, I know I’ve said this a bit too many times the past week but I genuinely do. And this time I hope I’m not acting upon my feelings a bit too soon.”

Jeno shuffled over to reach for the paper bag, pulling out a red Nike shoe box. He opened the box, tearing away the excessive tissue paper for you to see a pair of pale blue Nike Jordans resting against the brown interior of the box, its fresh white finish blinding your vision.

“I figured Cinderella needed her runners,” He mumbled shyly, cautiously inspecting your reaction.

You blinked, mouth now hanging fully open at the unexpected gift. Your eyes shifted to the same blue shoes on Jeno’s feet, recalling the day you had gushed about his shoes, joking about owning matching pairs. You didn’t expect him to remember your passing tease, nor did you expect to receive any gift as extravagant as this at all.

“Is this really for me?” You mustered out, words barely audible against the throbbing music from downstairs.

He nodded, taking out the sneakers to slip on your feet. You could feel your heart swelling by the minute as he began tying up your laces without a word. 

“It’s beautiful,” You observed the shoes from above, angling your feet from left to right with a smile pulling your lips, “Thank you so much Jeno, I really love it.”

A relieving grin broke out on his face, bringing you into a warm embrace. You took in his woody cologne as you snuggled against his neck before he faced you once again.

“You know⎯ after finding out the owner of the shoe, the prince and Cinderella live happily ever after right?” 

You giggled, cupping his cheeks, “Are you proposing to me right now Lee Jeno?”

A flush of pink crowded his cheeks, “N-No! Well, not yet at least.”

You amusingly hummed, eyes darting from his loving orbs to his heart-shaped lips.

“Will you be my girlfriend Y/N?” He uttered, slowly closing the gaps between your lips.

“Will this give you the answer?”

As your lips pressed against his, the memories of the first time you met came fluttering to your senses. It made sense, the way he randomly blurted out to take you on a date in the quad, the weird feeling of deja vu that overcame you whenever he played beer pong and the familiar movement of his lips.

Pulling away, you grasped the collar of his leather jacket, taking in the small metal studs which lined the edges of the zipper. It was the exact same one as that night. 

“It was you.” You whispered in awe, thumbing the bottom of his lips, “You found me.”

Jeno chuckled, caressing the top of your head.

“I did. I found my Cinderella.”

masterlist || previous | next

pairing: jeno x fem! reader

synopsis: it wasn’t often jeno showed emotions of love and affection, let alone kissing a stranger at a party that he doesn’t even remember?! determined to find his nameless cinderella, he began searching the campus far and wide but as hidden secrets started surfacing, he started to wonder whether the midnight spark was meant to be pursued after all.

genre: social media au, college au, strangers to lovers, fluff, angst, crack

warnings: swearing, mentions of alcohol

taglist: open! feel free to send an ask or comment to be added :))) ~ @vellitac @ddeonuism @heavenly-seraphic @matchahyuck @pckeia @rinrinslovebot @dior-15 @raikea10 @justsayk @btssf9nct @ismileeprnc-responder @moonchele @mothmork @dandelionxgal @cheyehc @luvenshiti @friseealamode @pastelsicheng @silvsie @kpopshithead @ifyournameischoisanpleaseloveme @pewpewpwe00 @kindawack @mrkleelvr @shxnz @woneulz @kyuupidwrites @yunho-1999 @loveleejn @000rpheus @sehunniepot @kpopwh0r3 @sunflowerbebe07 @ahnneyong @minkyuncutie @xuimhao

permanent taglist: ~  @xxxx-23nct @maeumiluv @produmads @shwizhies @polarisjisung @dearlyminhyung @wooyoung-a @w3bqrl @daincty @deehyuck @ficrecnctskz @rv7hsua @n0hyuck @neosdaisy @baekhyunstruly @barbkh8450t @cupid-yuno @rum-gone-why @liliansun @mxnhoeuwu @dinonuguaegi

[thebluestbluewords]

custody battles

in honor of this post reigniting my brainrot about isle custody battles, have a little half a fic that’s been lingering in my drafts!

+

"Jay," Evie says. Begs. Her voice is so soft and so, so achingly kind. "It was never going to be us. She's going to one of Jordan's friends. They'll take her to Agrabah for the summer, and then she'll be back at Auradon Prep, and we can see her-" 

Jay's voice rips out of him like he's dragging the words over broken glass. "You can see her." 

Evie's eyes close for a moment. "You can see her too. Going to college isn't a death sentence, you know. You're allowed to come visit us." 

"Right. Like we're allowed to visit home." 

"That," Evie says softly, "Was uncalled for. I'm trying to bring over as many kids as I can--" 

"She's my family--"

"You're my family," Mal snaps. "And you're being a fuckin' jerk right now, jaybird." 

Jay explodes up into furious motion. He's not made for sulking, not built for it the way that Mal is. He's meant to be in motion, so it's better that he's pacing now, even if his jaw is set and angry and he's clenching his hands alternately into fists and tight, sharp flat-hand gestures. There's nerve clusters in the neck and wrist that are better served by a flat chop or pinch than a punch, and based on the motions that Mal's seeing, Jay's thinking about the one in the wrist that'll make the whole hand go numb. 

"They split us up--" Jay spits. 

"Because we can only take on so many kids." 

"They don't care. They don't. Care." Jay growls out. He's clenching his shoulders so tight that they're shaking. He's shaking all over, a low, furious vibration that the pacing isn't doing anything to fix. "We're numbers to them." 

"We're not just numbers to Ben," Mal points out. "He's one of them. We're people to him, and he's fighting for us." 

"Against his shitbag dad," Jay growls. "And the fucking government who fucking hate us. They're not gonna listen to him. They never fucking listen." 

"That's why we have to keep trying," Evie breaks in. "And trying again, and again, until we can get it through to them that we're more than just a bunch of numbers on paper that they can lock in a drawer the second we're out of their faces. We're being as loud as we can right now, and look at where it's gotten us. We have more kids coming over, and most foster families approved than we thought we were going to get, so we are making progress. Slow and steady will win this race in the end, Jay." 

Jay's shoulder twitches. He rolls his arm, all of the muscles in his back tight and visible, strung hard with tension. "Right. Yeah." 

"Jade's going to be fine. They're going to take care of her." 

"Yeah," Jay mutters. "Like we couldn't." 

Ouch. The insult isn't meant for her, but it still lands. They've been attached at the hip for so long, Mal-and-Jay, Jay-and-Mal, that the barbs Jay turns on himself land for her too. They're the ones who were supposed to protect the gang, and they're the two who failed their people. 

[binding-vows-in-silence-crept]

About me!

Helloo!! I'm Haz (she/her). This is a side-blog for my latest hyperfixation - which is Jujutsu Kaisen!! I haven't finished the series yet, but I've been devouring fan content for it, so I know all the spoilers.

My favourite characters are

Gojo Satoru,

Nanami Kento,

Itadori Yuuji, Megumi Fushiguro and Kugisaki Nobara tied for third place!!

I think I'm aroace?? Maybe ??? gahh labels very tough. Anyways, I love love love gen fiction, and found family and platonic friendships and those are the types of stories I love to write and tell :D I don't write a lot of romance, although I do write lots of non-sexual intimacy! Please feel free to assume any of them as non-platonic or romantic if you really want to <3

I have one completed fic for this fandom::

Title: To Live or Not to Live, that is the question

Fandom: Jujutsu Kaisen Characters: Gojo Satoru, Itadori Yuuji, Megumi Fushiguro, Kugisaki Nobara Genre: Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, Angst Rating: Teen (for swearing) Category: Gen Word Count: 10k

Itadori Yuuji decided how he wanted to die at fifteen years old. At sixteen, he is ready to face it. In a different age, a different decade, Gojo Satoru had held the life of another soon-to-be-dead 16-year-old determined to shoulder the world. History repeats itself in bad poetry. However, Amanai Riko is not Itadori Yuuji and Itadori Yuuji is not Amanai Riko and maybe that is a good thing. Once everything is over, Gojo Satoru can only hope that he will not end up with the corpse of another child in his arms. OR Alternate summary: Itadori Yuuji is sentenced for execution. His friends won't let him angst about it. Featuring lots of hugs, lots of love, a beach episode, a birthday party and a choice.

I've got three ongoing WIPs for this fandom, as follows...::

Classrooms and Deadlines

Gojo Satoru, once a science experiment now deemed a curse user has declared to the world that he will end it in three years. The entire sorcery world, all the major clans are hot on his tail. Satoru Gojo, mysteriously, proclaims that he will not harm a hair on the head of any sorcerer sent to kill him. In exchange, he wants to teach the next generation of sorcerers. The higher-ups and the clans agree. What are a bunch of children sacrifices in exchange for saving the world?

An AU with the premise of assassination classroom ! (dw, you need not have seen assassination classroom to follow along with the fic :D)

2. Fledglings

in which Yuji Itadori is 7 years old when his grandfather dies on him, he eats a weird ass finger, gets a fun demon roommate in his head, gets adopted by a strange white haired guy, gets another fun roommate in the form of Dark Gloomy delinquent baby megumi who likes to solve all problems by punching them in the face.

in which megumi is 7 and Tsumiki is 9, but both are way too old.

in which Gojo Satoru somehow becomes a father of three. This clearly disproves the existence of God, because if a higher being existed, they would see what a terrible idea this was and bend space and time and matter and black holes to make it Not Happen.

But clearly this has happened. Satoru Gojo is in possession of three children,, one of whom is far too adult for her own good, another casually housing the king of curses in his head sentenced to execution and the third for whom he is still fighting a long and painful custody battle.

But alas,, the little pink haired cotton candy of a child has a metaphorical execution order on his head (metaphorical meaning that the higher ups are going to be trying to kill him subtly. He had a literal execution order on his head too, but Gojo Satoru laughed in their faces, said no, threatened them mildly and it was gone. So now they are going to be dealing in secrets, and bribes and oh! there's a bit of poison in the birthday cake he ordered for Megumi's birthday how fun!)

In the background of the higher up's murder attempts is of course, Geto Suguru,, very very very interested in the super powerful curse inside Yuji Itadori's body. He wonders what Sukuna would taste like.

Kenjaku, in Kaori's body is biting their lips in frustration because this is all incredibly ahead of schedule and so not according to plan and shit, shit shit shit shit. All in all, a millennium long curse who has painstakingly carved out every little detail of a decades long plan has to learn how to improv because she did not do a good enough job of teaching toddler! Yuji that it is not a good idea to put random objects in one's mouth. Cue epic fails! Epic improvisations! and watching all so much beautiful setup wash down the drain.

Basically, in conclusion, if the world's continued peaceful existence were not dependent on Gojo Satoru working 14 hours a day, he might have applied for paternal leave.

3. Two Crowns on one King

au where satoru eats sukuna's fingers and gains a weird ass entity in his head. it's one way to cure crippling loneliness, i guess,, he thinks.

And he's never been one to make friends the normal way. doing normal shit is for boring people. and satoru is not boring.

In which Gojo Satoru decides (unknowingly) join his friend in the Has-An-Evil-Cursed-Spirit-In-His-Head Club and is the one with an angry king of curses in his head Sukuna. Includes lots of Shenanigans, lots of murder threats from a certain king of curses and lots of Satoru attempting to annoy the shit out of an old man from the Heian Era

Please feel free to ask me anything about these AUs!

[song-tam]

i am SO distressed right now what the fuckkkkk. i read a BUNCH of orv to pass time on a long plane ride and i think that was maybe not one of my best ideas……….. screaming sobbing punching the wall dramatically i hate this book so much

i’m right before they all group regress and Fuck. What The Fuck. i finally know what 51/49 means and can i go back to not knowing. what the fuck. and then,,,, yjh’s 0th turn???? if i continue to regress will i ever get to meet you again??????? that affecting the other world line??????????? and even before that too, with the oldest dream reveal,, FUCK. like i sort of expected it but it was still so devastating to read. and THEN. the quote that’s like “the oldest dream was the worlds most omniscient yet powerless god” or something. OW. i feel like i’ve been stabbed repeatedly. every time i type out another sentence in this ask i want to sob.

and then,,,,, his companions realizing something’s wrong. han sooyoung being the first to act on this because the kim dokja she knows best is the one that isn’t here. yoo joonghyuk choosing to regress (in both this world and the 0th turn) for that sliver of a chance that he’ll see kdj again. and the fact that kdj doesn’t consider even once that this might happen, that his companions would realize something was different. and this isn’t even something new! in all the times he sacrifices himself, he fails to truly acknowledge how much it affects the ones he cares about. he doesn’t comprehend (or is unwilling to comprehend) how much he is loved. his happily ever after doesn’t even include him, not fully — and i don’t think he believes he’s deserving of that happily ever after, either. he’s a reader. he doesn’t realize that this is his own story, too. goddddd i hate this book SO much (<- lying)

ORV ON PLANE RIDES SO REAL…….. tbh it’s such a Plane Book something abt being thousands of feet in the sky in a giant heap of metal while reading the most devastating piece of media to ever exist. what a vibe truly

WHEN I TELL YOU IWAS GAGGED AT 49/51. HONESTLY. kdj CONSTANTLY sacrificing himself to save his friends because these are the same people that have BEEN saving him since was fifteen fuck my life. god.

0TH TURN YJH IS SO INSANE the way it all comes back to those two. i literally could write paragraphs abt 0th turn they make me feral he guided him through all of it he got to see an ending where yjh got to live a long happy life and it’s what he was reading for the entire time im actually

oldest dream & kdj………….. tbh i think that must be so heartbreaking on both sides. kdj seeing his younger self and being so upset because at the end of the day it was him causing suffering for the people he loves most but oldest dream seeing his older self coming to fucking kill him and thinking that it didn’t get any better at all. he can’t even be loved by himself who else would love him then

YES HIS COMPANIONS GODDDDD the yoohankim of it all makes me SO sick actually. especially han sooyoung because hey he was supposed to be her reader. that’s what he promised her. instead she has a version of kdj that doesn’t even really read anymore and what kind of kdj is that? and yjh wanting to get kdj back because he was promised they’d see the ending TOGETHER and instead he doesn’t even have a full half of him. promises made promises broken to BOTH OF THEM fuck i’m unwell

kdj i hate you and your self sacrifice. i’m literally. exactly what you said tbh like he is loved!!!!!! and he doesn’t fucking realize it. but the thing is he would be dense to not know and that’s why 49!kdj exists in the first place bc he’s hoping that will be enough for them to just fucking sit still and live their lives. in his head he’s downplaying his importance which is why he gives them a fucking replacement

AUGHHH fine line between reader and protagonist and writer and the way all the roles are interchangeable and im. yeah. god

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #227

Today was the day.

I put on my socks.

Then I put on my eyeballs.

Then I put on the first layer of things.

Then I put on the next layer of things:

I don't have a black leather coat; I have a cream-colored knit one. I don't have heavy pauldrons; I have feathers on my shoulders. I don't have a super long sword; I have a super long flute. I don't have glowing mako-colored eyes; I have rainbow-colored ones.

Even in this, it was a lot to endure. I don't really know how you move in all your gear; it must be pretty miserable. I bet you'd be a lot more comfortable in some loose jeans or maybe even sweatpants. And a loose t-shirt, or maybe a loose turtleneck. Something easy to wear, in a space where armor isn't necessary.

In any case, this is what I went to the space in. And I waited in front of the room where the developers would be. I waited for a long time. I passed the time by playing on my flute and singing a little. J was with me the whole time. He helped to keep me level. It's not lost on me how lucky I am to have such a steadfast source of support at my side. I'd do just about anything for him, too, in return. Even someone I know from the internet, @sephiroths-stuff, popped by to keep us company! It was wonderful!

The panel didn't last for very long. But still, for a moment, I locked eyes with one of the three very important people. He gave me a brief nod, I think, unless he was nodding at something or someone else. Lots of questions were asked of these folks; people had many very interesting and excellent questions. It was wonderful to hear them, and it was wonderful to hear their joyful responses; the interpreter did an amazing job. There was a lot of laughter. These very important people... they have some of the most radiant smiles I've seen, and they had answers to the questions that were very well thought out. I was very impressed.

At the end, a handful of people popped by to see them. It was a short line. They wanted photographs and such, and that was pretty neat; they seemed happy to do it. I was also in this line.

Sephiroth. I was remembered. I was remembered from last time. The person I spoke to and handed my first letter and best handicraft to... he remembered me. And he told me so in English. I was awestruck. But I'm not sure how I expressed that; my mind was moving so fast that I could barely even keep up. My hands were shaking.

I had a bag of gifts prepared for you:

It contained a new letter for you, some stuff for the developers, a rolled-up pile of motivational things from the internet (lots of it repeats stuff I already said, but maybe seeing it from other places too will give my voice a little more weight...). All three of my music box papers were in there - the originals that I punched out for you - but no music box; it's fragile and I don't know how well it'll hold up on an airplane trip. I included a tin full of that tea in your favorite scents - vanilla and rose. And, of course, it included the locket I made for you.

Now that these things are in the hands of their intended recipients... I'll show you some pictures. Here:

The folded note contained a bunch of tiny QR codes. I tested them. They work:

Inside the locket is also a tiny Herkimer diamond with a rainbow spark inside; you can almost see it in this photograph, but my camera can't do it justice:

...Tea.

...The music box papers:

...And you'll find the letter contained within right here:

I wanted to include the tree I made in your colors, but I thought twice about it; it's fragile, and might not survive a plane trip.

...It's all in their hands now, along with a plea for you. I managed to squeak out a couple of awkward sentences in Japanese on your behalf. They took the whole bag of gifts. So I guess we'll see what happens. I'll hope for good things. I'll hope for good things...

I left the room. And with my quest complete... I kind of... broke down and cried just a little. Just a little. But my body didn't stop shaking for a long time.

J thought it would be a good idea to get the excess energy out of my body. So he walked me around the complex just a little. And then we went to the place where there was Dance Dance Revolution. And I played two songs on DDR! But I was not used to the metal pad, and my feet couldn't move right in my shoes, and the costume was heavy, and so... I didn't do very well. But I played with a delightful gentleman, and he didn't seem to mind that I wasn't very good. He smiled at me a lot and was very encouraging, and it was wonderful!

...Maybe I'll play on my frankenpad a little when I go home... That'd be good.

Tomorrow, when I go to the place to see the voice actors panel, I will wear normal clothes - my characteristic long cardigan and Eevee hat. My usual cardigan has pockets; I'll be able to bring the plush of you this time without needing to worry about it getting lost. It'll be very good!

For now, we are back at the hotel. I am very tired. But I did the thing. I did what I came to do. This quest is done with.

...Sephiroth. Do you see how loved you are? Do you see that someone out here is willing to do terrifying things for your sake? Sephiroth... do you have any idea how long it's taken me, after the life I've led, to be able to use my voice like this? Do you understand that I am able to be braver than I normally would be, because of you? Do you see the strength your existence gives me? Do you see me crawling up out of the hole that my birth family tried to bury me in, because it is your voice and presence that I am following back to the light? Do you see me, and all the shattered pieces of me that I wove together into a beautiful, kaleidoscopic whole?

Sephiroth. I'm going to beg you to follow me into the light, too, okay? Please.

For now... I guess I'll rest a bit until tomorrow. I found a new flavor of kefir over here that's not at the stores at home - guava!! And I found a kombucha flavor that isn't found at home, too - strawberry!

And I also found this one; this one is flower-flavored. I wonder if you'd like it:

I love you. Please look at the lengths to which I'll go in order to ask you to stay safe, and then please actually stay safe. Promise me, okay?

I'll write again soon.

Your friend, Lumine

[multiphandommess]

Jealous

Requested by - @lolapeirce241

Request - thank you. Could you do something where they go for dinner with their friends and one of their friends starts flirting with the reader? and the reader tries to shut it down immediately but Natasha gets upset maybe when they get into the car Natasha starts shouting at the reader and this causes a massive argument between them. and then when they get home the reader starts packing a bag and storms out to stay with her sister. Natasha struggles without her so when the reader comes home Nat breaks down in tears because she's scared of losing her the reader comforts her and they apologize to each other. sorry this is so long, thank you!

A/N - Sorry this is a little short! I hope you enjoy it!

I could not have predicted how this night would go. It started calm but ended in a mess. We were at a bar. We had gone out with friends after a bunch of us got a bunch of new projects. We were all at least tipsy, a lot of our friends were considerably drunk. Most notably, my friend Sam. They had asked me out before I met Natasha but I turned them down. I know that they got upset because me and Nat had started dating quickly after I turned them down. Despite this, they have never been malicious to me Nat…or at least where we could see or hear it. Sam was drunk off their ass and was starting to make advances on me. “Hey, pretty baby,” Sam slurred. “Hi, Sam. Please stop calling me that,” I replied, turning them down. “Come on, don’t be a prude! Give Sammy a kiss~” They slurred again. “I’m not a prude, I am in a relationship. I will not cheat on someone I love because you are horny,” I said, however, this did not persuade them. I could tell that Natasha was angry. Her hand was possessively on my thigh and she was glaring at Sam who was too drunk to realize. “But you could be with me, not that whore,” They slurred once more. This sent me over the edge, I punched my *now* ex-friend, breaking their nose, “Don’t fucking say that about her!” Natasha was shocked but dragged me out of there. As soon as we left, she started yelling, “Just a friend, huh?! Sam doesn’t like you anymore, huh?! What the fuck?! How the hell are you so naive?!” “What the hell, Nat?!” I yelled back, “Do you think I wanted that?! I just punched someone! How the hell does that translate to me wanting that?!” “GET IN THE FUCKING CAR, NOW!” She screamed. I was shocked. I had a lot of yelling a screaming trauma that I had been working through, but using that sentence, one that brought me back to my version of hell on earth, was my final straw. I got in, slammed the door, and put my headphones on to block her out. She rolled her eyes and got in after me. After a tense, angry car ride home, I stormed in and started packing a bag. I was sad, tipsy, and stuck in a bad headspace, a match made in hell. I tried to pack quickly but the tears streaming down my face were hard to see through. Natasha walked in to yell again when she saw what I was doing, “WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!” “I’M GOING TO STAY WITH AMY!” I yelled, slipping my last things into my bag, before walking out of the room. She was angry, “FINE! GO STAY WITH HER! WHY DON’T YOU GO SEE SAM WHILE YOU’RE AT IT!” “SO YOU’RE GOING THAT LOW?!” I yelled, opening the front door, and slamming it on my way out. 

It had been a rough few days. I had collapsed into my sister's arms that night and she let me stay with her. Her fiance was away for the week so her full attention was on me and making me feel better. After 3 days, I returned to my apartment and I was shocked at what I saw. Natasha was passed out on the couch, with bags under her eyes, surrounded by fast food wrappers and random cups. I felt really bad and started to clean up her mess. When her eyes finally opened, I was doing the dishes, and she was shocked. “Baby?” She asked before slamming her body into mine, “Please don't leave again! I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have said those things. I trust you, I promise, I just don’t trust others, and I can’t live without you! Please let me make it up to you!” I was shocked at her desperation, “Honey, couples fight. It’s healthy and I won’t leave you after a small thing like this. I promise.” I pulled her into a big hug and held her close, “I’m not going anywhere, Nat. I mean it. I love you, there’s no need to be jealous.”

[thewizardingtoad]

Zod Exarion in the novel, my favorite scenes that were left out or not included that much, fun facts and more

Chess chess chess

(Novel chapter: 29)

So the manhwa isn't really telling with Zod's moods throughout the scene, but Desir put him through the gutter with that mach.

Desir thinks a lot about the differences between this Zod and the one from the labyrinth, between their play styles, and how the labyrinth affected him in the long run in small ways. It's also mentioned that the two of them carved out their chess pieces themselves.

Also Zod's pretty upset with Desir, like straight up how dare you suggest your idea worth as much as a sponsorship from the magic tower get out of my sight kind of upset. It's pretty funny actually, especially when Desir shows him just how much his idea is worth, and he straight up cancels all of his meeting that day.

Actually just go read that scene it's not long but it does so SO much to establish these two's relationship for the whole story it's really just amazing.

Fun fact: In universe, there's a book that details all of Zod's accomplishments; it's thicker than most encyclopedias.

Fun fact 2: While in the manhwa he's described as a man in his forties, the novel says that he's at worst 30 which is pretty funny.

Fun fact 3: In universe he has an 'archaic feeling to his word' which I think is pretty cool, like??? Yeah. I can see that.

Who are you really?

(Novel chapter: 84)

So the interrogation scene's also a bit different, Desir is very stressed out while Zod is fucking with him, admitting to not even wanting an answer in the first place, and during that convo Desir describes Zod this way:

Desir only saw Zod acting as the master of the Magic Tower, cold and calculative in all circumstances, and as the Seventh-Circle wizard with an insatiable curiosity in finding the truth of all things.

Which is not really a description that we get in the manhwa, but it definitely puts a lot of things into perspective.

Also, this chapter has a lot of important moments in it regarding some things that will be said later, a few notable mentions:

"My intuition tells me to trust you. And when I gave you all of my power, I decided to believe this groundless intuition."

His intuition as a wise man was telling him that Desir was very reliable.

He would never know the circumstances surrounding Desir but he could see his heart.

Where he admits that he trusts Desir taking the weight of his secret off his chest

"Haha... I'm sorry. But I give you my word. I won't ask about your identity anymore. Everyone has their own secrets that they can't share with anybody. I also have a bunch of secrets that I don't want anybody to know."

Where he reassures him when he sees that Desir isn't handling his little fuckery well

Zod's smile was amazingly warm. It was like the smile of a grandfather looking at his grandson.

And of course this motherfucking sentence which is a gut punch and a half ngl.

So clearly chapter 84 putting down the groundwork for *the scene that the mannwa haven't adopted yet and at this point I'm not sure if they will,* aka: the most painful thing ever

But before that:

Fun fact 3: apparently Zod's a good actor? Lol.

The flying ship of death flag

(Novel chapter: 249)

So of course a lot of things happened between these chapters but this is the one that I want to point out because. Well.

So in the manhwa Desir says 'build a flying ship' Zod builds a flying ship and all's well that ends well right? Not really.

You see The Flying ship Valkyrie is not just any random insane idea that Desir came up with but in fact The Ultimate Dream Project of Zod Exarion - the one from the labyrinth, y'know - and isn't that just great?

There's something poetic about Desir making sure Zod can manage to reach his dream, his ultimate goal, even after death. (Something something the student carrying their master's will something something reaching your parent's goals after their passing to feel closer to them etc. etc.)

Oh, it's also a pretty big death flag, but don't worry about that.

Fun fact: this scene emphasizes the fact that Zod wasn't "just" a magician, a lot. "The ship was the ultimate goal he wanted to reach as an engineer", "he lamented that he couldn't spend his life satisfactorily as an engineer"

Fun fact 2: And he whined about it a lot! No, I'm sorry ranted.

I'm gonna just put his here because god dammit I love this man:

In Desir’s previous life, Zod often lamented over the fact that he couldn’t spend his life satisfactorily as an engineer. When the Shadow Labyrinth arose, he was forced to discard his position of Tower Master and bear his title as the lone Seventh-Circle magician.

Desir recalled these scenes of frustration as clearly as if they had happened yesterday. Most often, Zod would rant while they played chess.

The quiet before the storm

(Novel chapter: 275)

So the fact that there is a traitor is revealed and we get this very cute scene:

Realizing that Desir had immediately jumped to the worst situation, and his mind had consumed itself with the task of discovering who, Zod immediately rushed to calm Desir down.

Zod had always been like this, even in Desir’s previous life. He was Desir’s rock, the one who would support him in his times of need. That was why Desir trusted Zod more than anyone else.

Which again alludes to the *surprise* we will be slapped with in the face soon, but really this is just nice.

“I have some good news. Actually, I only dropped by to share this.”

Zod’s eyes changed. The wise eyes, which seemed to encompass everything, were nowhere to be found, and the eyes of an excitable child appeared within a moment.

‘Here we go again.’

As an engineer, he used to show such eyes when he was discussing things that interested him. No matter how much time passed, Zod Exarion was a reliable constant.

And I'm also just putting my favorite quotes here, don't mind me. There's also a point I'm making, and I will get to that when I reach the end.

Oh hi Priscilla what are you doing with that artifa-

(Novel chapter: 278)

So this is exciting because we get the first second appearance description for Zod which is

He looked as miserable as the smashed tower.

Glossy black hair moved in the breeze.

So that's funny.

Actually I could start describing this scene in great detail, go over every little thing I wish was in the manhwa, but really, you should go read it because it's a lot. This act kind of starts from 275 and is I think the saddest one in the story.

For instance, Zod admits that he's thinking of the battle in chess terms and that makes him think of Desir, how he apparently lost a mach the first time in decades.

He's thinking a lot about his and Desir's relationship, and we get golden lines like this one:

It was no exaggeration to say that Desir was the only one who could share ideas with Zod throughout all the fields of his expertise, and talk casually with him.

The act also really drives home how Zod is THE BEST OF THE BEST when it comes to magic. He holds his ground with only his own mana to help him against Priscilla and 4 swordsmen, whose defense equals the aurora system!

Fun fact: He lost both an arm and a leg during the fight, while the manhwa only showed the loss of an arm

Fun fact 2: Zod's cane, which was a constant in the novel (read: It wasn't changed every time it appeared) had a first tear magic stone in it that was like a national treasure.

Aaand we reached where the manhwa is right now... kinda

I was going to add another segment and a long, Long rant to the "2nd half" of this post, but I don't want to ruin the kind of positive vibe of it, so I'm going to put that one in another post.

First I will go through the things that made That Scene in the novel work, why I'm disappointed how he manhwa's handling it, predictions on how the whole "Helena thing" will play out and then some final thoughts, so that's coming soon.