#a woman who wants to kill her and has already proven she can! but she does it because scott believes in people and lydia believes in scott

[white-weasel]

I am staring DIRECTLY at Film Reroll Luke Skywalker watching and anticipating his next move

[clockwayswrites]

Rumors of a Prince

“You could always ask Jason to pay her a visit,” Dick said from where he was lounging, mostly upside down, on the couch in Bruce’s study.

Bruce frowned at him. “I am not going to have Jason kill Vickie Vale.”

“Hey, you’re the one who said kill!” Dick held his hands up or, rather, given his position, down. “I just meant puts some fear into her. Maybe kidnap her for a few days so that she can’t write any more libel.”

Bruce found himself smiling, slightly and against his better judgment. It faded away when he looked back at his laptop. “At least in this case, it wouldn’t do much good. The stories is already out there and, unfortunately, Vale’s take on it has captured the public’s attention.”

“Tim knows I bet… and Babs.”

“Undoubtedly by now.”

“And if those two know, Steph knows. If Steph knows, she’s ranted to Cass.”

“Yes.” This family was impossible to keep things secret in.

“Welp,” Dick said and swung himself to be sitting up normally— or as normally as Dick ever sat. “Then I guess we better tell the others. How do you want to divide this?”

Bruce was grateful that Dick was willing to be his partner in this. “You would be best to take Jason. I’ll speak with Damian. Either of us can catch Duke when he returns from his patrol.”

Dick nodded. “And Tom?”

“I think perhaps it would be best to have as much of the family in the manor as possible,” Bruce said after a moment. “If he destabilizes, I want him to know that we are around and that he is still safe.”

“Alright.” Dick slapped his knees once and stood. “I’ll drag Jason back then. You know he’ll come if it’s for Tom.”

“Make sure he reads the article before he comes over.”

Dick grimaced. “Yeah. Yeah, that would be best. I’m going to bring some food too over with me. Good luck convincing Dami that he can’t go and stab Vickie Vale.”

Bruce pinched the bridge of his nose. “Right. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Dick chirped as he left for his task.

Bruce dropped his hand.

‘Gotham’s Pale Prince’ stared back at him from the screen.

-

“Seriously?!” Jason burst in through the kitchen door. “Have you read this swill?”

“Yes chum, of course I have,” Bruce said. He shot Dick, who trailing behind Jason’s fury, a look. Dick was supposed to get Jason to read the article before coming over.

Dick just shrugged helplessly and motioned in a way that conveyed Jason had read it and was still clearly quite upset.

“One of the biggest questions is,” Jason said, clearly reading now from the article with the air of Bristol accent he had put on, “perhaps, why the newest Wayne is not in school. Bruce has proven himself to be a champion of the educational system. This is despite the man himself being a college drop out’ like what the fuck?”

“To be fair, I am,” Bruce said.

Jason rolled his eyes and continued. “His oldest ward’— Dick is fucking adopted now, bitch!”

“Boo!” Steph echoed and tossed popcorn at the tablet Jason was holding.

(Bruce was neither sure when Stephanie had arrived nor where she got the popcorn.)

“Never going to college,” Jason said with a jab of his free hand, “and the second oldest never completing high school.’ I was dead you narrow minded shew!”

“Well, I mean, all she knows is that you were supposedly kidnapped by terrorists and tortured for years,” Dick said. He had moved over to help himself to Stephanie’s popcorn and paused raising the next handful to his face. “Okay, no, that’s actually worse.”

“And you are clear on your line that I cannot stab this woman for the dishonor she implies about the family?” Damian asked, again, as he joined them in the kitchen.

“Unfortunately we have to handle this the proper way, with a press conference,” Bruce said. Stabbing was looking increasingly appealing though.

Jason dropped into one of the open chairs. “I’d call it a battle of the wits, but I don’t think Vale has any left with this trash she’s writing!”

“Alright,” Tim said as he entered the kitchen with almost as much fury as Jason, just more contained. Cass followed in his wake. “I am sure that B has already run through no killing, no stabbing, no maiming, no poisoning—”

“No poisoning Vickie Vale,” Bruce said, feeling so tired.

“Way to go, Timbit, now we can’t poison her,” Jason groused.

Tim sighed, “Fair, I shouldn’t have assumed. I really thought someone else would have brought it up already.”

“People went for more bloody options,” Dick explained.

“Also fair,” Tim said, pointing at him. “Anyways, since we can’t do all that, can I ruin her reputation?”

“Tim,” Bruce sighed.

“Now come on old man, let’s here Timtam out,” Jason said, holding out his arm. “You said yourself we had to handle the proper way and I’m sure that our little socialite here knows just how to ruin her through something like a press conference.”

“You I can stab,” Tim said with a shark sharp smile towards Jason.

Jason returned it with a smile like broken glass. “You can try.”

“Oh, if you keep calling me a socialite I will try and I will manage.”

“Boys, please.”

“Are people threatening blood and violence again?”

Every head in the room swiveled towards the door to the hall.

Tom almost recoiled at the sudden attention of all of the family, taking a half step back and looking a little wide eyed.

Cass walked forward and wrapped her arm around Tom’s. “Tim is. To Jason.”

It took a moment for Tom to tear his eyes away from the family to look at his sister. “Of course. What’s… it about this time?”

“Jason is reminding Tim that he’s a rich society brat and Tim hates to be reminded about that even though it’s true because Tim is also a little freak and the upper crust would be applaud if they knew even a fraction of it,” Steph said before she stuffed his mouth full of more popcorn.

Everyone in the room paused for a moment.

“No, yep, I think that’s pretty much spot on,” Dick said. He wasn’t even pretending not to laugh.

The laughter was infectious and almost everyone was either snickering or outright laughing. Bruce even quirked up a little smile. Tom still looked mostly confused but at least less nervous.

“Come sit by me, little shadow,” Dick said with a smile.

When Thomas settled next to Dick, who immediately wrapped an arm around him, the room settled again into that slightly somber mood.

“What is going on?” Tom asked, voice small. There were times when he still seemed unsure if he could be a presence in a room or consternation. It was something that they were still working on as a family.

Bruce sighed. “A reporter found out about you and wrote an article with mostly speculation. Unfortunately, because of who I am in the city and my existing tendency to adopt, it’s getting attention.”

Tom chewed on his lip and Bruce just hoped he wouldn’t worry it so much it bled. “Bad?”

“Not bad towards you, but unkind. She made a lot of guesses and fact reasons about why the public hasn’t seen you,” Bruce explained.

“Oh. Am I…?”

The dropping of words wasn’t the best sign. Dick pulled Tom into his lap.

“No. Most of the children didn’t attend the press conference announcing them and you don’t have to either. But I will need to make one simply to clear up some of rumors. I wont say anything that you don’t want me to say.”

“Bruce and I can plan it out,” Tim said, “and then run it by you if you want to look over it.”

“Can… will… if anyone wants to help…”

“Of course!” Dick said cheerfully. “We can make a lunch of it or something. It will be the best press conference yet.”

“Yeah. And you don’t even have to watch it,” Jason said. “We’ll plan something fun for that day. The old man can go and do the hard work and we’ll enjoy ourselves.”

“Thank you, Jason,” Bruce said dryly, pretending he wasn’t warmed still whenever Jason refereed to him as anything approaching father.

“It’s what you deserve,” Jason said and tossed his tablet, cleared of the article, on the table. “Come on, let’s plan what we’re going to do.”

“The zoo is always enjoyable,” Damian said.

“You always say zoo,” Cass pointed out as she perched next to Jason.

“What about the park?” Steph suggested. She joined the others at the table and passed around her popcorn.

“Nah, Ivy has a new variety of tulips. I’m worried some of them might turn man eating again,” Dick said.

“We could head out of Gotham I guess,” Jason pointed out and pulled up the map.

Bruce slipped quietly out of the room with Tim on his heels.

“You can stay with them and help them plan,” Bruce offered. Tim was always too grownup, had been since before he came to Bruce.

Tim just shook his head. “I’m never the best distraction. I’ll be more use to you. Besides, I have some plans to run by you that doesn’t need the blood thirsty contingency hearing about.”

“Of course you do,” Bruce said with both a sigh and a smile.

“Nothing physical,” Tim defended himself. “I can ruin her legally.”

“That I have no doubt of.”

No matter what, Bruce had absolutely no doubt that the family would be there for Tom. They were a family, after all.

---

AN: Vickie Vale won't know what hit her. Esp after what she wrote.

Don't know if this will become a full sequel or not, but it was fun to revisit this universe and see how they've progressed!

[a-court-of-lust-and-stardust]

Elain represents a kind of femininity I wish I had. It’s so disheartening coming across posts that say she’s too boring or spends too much time in her garden or in the kitchen cooking and baking, as if there’s something wrong with that. As if she's lesser because of it.

Elain finds joy in things that society would consider traditionally feminine. What’s wrong with that? What is so wrong with her planting flowers and creating something beautiful that makes her happy? What is wrong with her trying out new recipes and making delicious food for her friends and family? What is so wrong with her being a more quiet and peaceful presence amongst her loved ones?

Despite being exposed to so many horrors and having her previous life ripped from her in an instant, Elain hasn’t lost what makes her…her. She’s quiet. Soft. A calming presence. A person who finds beauty in simplicity in an extremely complex world.

This does not make her pathetic and it sure as hell does not make her weak. I, for one, am excited to see where her story goes because I want her to prove everyone wrong, the book characters included. To be honest, I feel like she already should've proven people wrong when she killed the King of Hybern, but apparently she's not tough enough. Not mentally or emotionally strong enough to handle tragedy and darkness.

It seems like so many people have written her off because she doesn't fit the "strong, independent woman" framework, which I think is quite silly and truly insulting. Women can be strong, independent, and secure, and still enjoy gentle activities. Elain has already shown that she can be a strong woman when she needs to be, and a soft woman when she chooses to be.

[miss-dollette]

Wake up call for ballistic Team Black and Rhaenyra Stan’s.

TW: Opinions and bad language.

Rhaenyra “rules for thee, none for me” Targaryen. Rhaenyra “Aegon wants to usurp my throne” but when it comes to my obvious bastard sons… nah, they’ll get this land and titles because they’re trueee Valeryeon’s (meanwhile, there’s actual Valeryeon’s who’d step up to the mantle but can’t ’cause Rhaenyra’s daddy is a fucking moron who doomed his family).

Whether Rhaenyra Stan’s want to admit it or not, Rhaenyra is a hypocrite and makes some of the most dumbest mistakes because of how spoiled and shortsighted she is. She doesn’t seem to care about consequences and constantly reaps what she sows.

She had a choice in marriage to any lord in the kingdom, which would have been a massive political advantage, but she blew it and had to marry a guy who wasn’t even straight. Not only that, she had a choice in having three bastard kids. Westeros literally has forms of birth control that she could’ve had at any moment. But noooo. Rhaenyra didn’t think ”hmm having kids with someone I’m not married to will have massive consequences and would essentially arm my enemies with more ammo on why I shouldn’t have the throne. I live in a culture that’s horribly misogynistic and everyone already doubts me because I was born with a vagina. But I’ll have two more kids even though they’ll be targeted the rest of their lives.”

What a top mind you have, Rhaenyra!

Ooooh, and i hate when she was like “now they see as you are”, bitch, what? “Now they see you as you are” - you mean a woman trying to get justice for her bullied child, who was now maimed by one of his bullies? Omg, can you imagine what Rhaenyra would have done if Jace had been the one to have his eye removed? And Viserys would have 100% let her. Matter of fact, he would have encouraged it.

I think at that moment, Alicent knew her children’s lives were in danger. Even if she hadn’t done anything at that point, besides essentially being the perfect queen and somewhat bad mother (who’s a perfect mom when you’re forced to marry and have kids before you’re even 18), her rightfully royal children were in sooo much danger, and it was proven at that moment.

And Daemyra is so god damn mf stupid. Daemon. Is. Loyal. To. Himself. And. Ceraxes. Rhaenyra is essentially a tool to put his blood (and himself) on the throne, and that’s pretty much it. He’s a complete psychopath, pedophile, and power hungry. Just because he treats her well sometimes, doesn’t mean he’s not the same Daemon who killed his last wife.

Every Rhaenyra Stan is like “Rhaenyra would never let anything happen to Alicent and her kids :)” but let’s be so fucking fr right now - Daemon would definitely kill them. Why the fuck would he ever let Otto Hightower’s kid, grandkids and great grandkids live, and even have the slightest chance against him? And Rhaenyra would let him. He literally choked her, and she’s the heir to the throne and he faced ZERO real consequences for that.

Okay, so hypothetically, let’s say Rhaenyra wins the throne, and all the Greens are dead. No one is that much of a threat to Targaryen rule, and Rhaenyra is to become queen officially. Daemon is king. Daemon. Is. King. And they still live in Misogynistic ass Westeros, and Rhaenyra is still a woman. You know how easily Daemon could just pull a “Give me that crown, everyone wants a king anyway and they’ll obey me ‘cause I’ll fucking kill them with my giant ballistic Lizard like I’ve always done, but now I have a massive military who is also fucking misogynistic. You’ll have my heirs and that’s it. Thanks Rhaenyra!”?

Rhaenyra would never let Daemon go. She needs him. Even she said it. So what would she do if he wanted the throne? Nothing. He’d kill her if she fought against him. Mr. Daemon “I murdered my first wife to get what I want” Targaryen.

And before anyone calls me a misogynistic team green or whatever, no I’m not Team Green, I’m just tired of how Rhaenyra Stan’s pretend she’s some sort of saint and the perfect character. If this doesn’t apply to you, don’t bother with lecturing me.

Rhaenyra is not Daenerys, and never will be. Just because they’re both girls and aspire for the throne, doesn’t make it a #girlboss moment. Rhaenyra wants to continue Targaryen supremacy and rule over the small folk just like her ancestors before her. She’s a super spoiled brat who doesn’t care about anyone’s pain, and wants to use everyone else as her pawns. So, more like Cersei than Daeny.

Is Rhaenyra someone completely evil? No, but she’s a huge idiot.

Also, I do sympathize for both sides, but Rhaenyra and her fans just make me want to rip my hair off.

I wrote this in 20 fucking minutes so pls don’t get on my ass about spelling errors. Bye.

[bluetooththereptile]

An idea!

I was thinking, what do you say about the reader being mother of one of the robins? Like for example it's Tim's mother, she was sentenced to life for murder of her husband (I've been listening to true crime a lot lately lol) and her son, Timothy, hates her, and since he's now basically an orphan he goes after Bruce.

The plot twist is, Tim's father was killed by penguin who wanted Tim's mother as his own, so he put her in jail by buying the jury so he can break her into submission, but she runs away from prison and shows up at Tim's school.

Drama happens, Tim is mad at his mother and lashes out at her until she snaps and tells him everything, Tim is split between helping his mother and turning her in, but Bruce stops him, they find out the truth and she's proven innocent, she rebuilds her relationship with Tim but she doesn't know that the big bat himself has his eyes on her.

I mean what a woman out of jail could say when a dashing billionaire helps her? She gets out of jail and jaws of penguin and gets shackled into the Wayne's chains.

"Mom, I've been thinking...would you come and live with us?" Tim said as he smiled sheepishly, Bruce having his hand on his shoulders as he looked at you with a smile, chuckling in his throat as you twirl your finger in your hair, a habit you used to pick when you were thinking about something important "Well...I don't want to be a bother-" "No not at all!" Tim and Bruce said in sink making you giggle at the cute sight "I...well...I don't mind being close to Timothy..."

Meanwhile back in the bat cave Jason is opening a champagne bottle for celebration, oh poor you, you didn't know so many eyes were already on you.

[redara]

Sub-Mission

Pairings: Áila Hávarôr / Bi-Han / Tenshikiri Jun Ratings: Explicit Words: 6.418 Tags: F/M/F, Sub-Bi-Han, Toys Summary: Bi-Han admits, he appreciates strong, influential women. AU - canon divergence. Sets in the current timeline, post-MK1, in the AU where everyone agrees for a truce in order to prepare for potential timeline Invaders.

A/N: also posted on AO3. Áila Hávarôr belongs to @tazahan . Tenshikiri Jun belongs to me. Special thanks, Taza, for the discussion about our girls! :3

The threat of invaders from other timelines is still looming over. It is not a simple matter; all sides are wary of each other, cautious for another ‘Damashi’ to trick them. The growing tension is becoming too palpable that Liu Kang, as the Protector of Earthrealm and the former Keeper of Time, has decided to call for a truce. And such a decision is immediately welcomed, at least for now.

Upon entering the Wu Shi Academy, Bi-Han tries, and fails, to hide his disgust. Why, of all places, must the meeting be held here? He strides to the main hall, not bothering to look at his surroundings; Sektor and Cyrax are following dutifully, dressed in their red and yellow mech-armor, sans the helmets.

As expected, the main hall is already packed with familiar faces. Bi-Han glances daggers at Kuai Liang and Tomas, the former who is still donning yellow, and accompanied by his Shirai wife, Harumi. Surprisingly, it is Tomas who gives a small nod to Bi-Han, either out of habit or respect, Bi-Han doesn’t bother to care. He only wants to find a spot in the background where no one can sneak up and stab him – given the glares he receives, there are plenty with such a wish.

He finds a place by a bookshelf, where there are two unfamiliar women standing. One is a voluptuous woman with short orange hair, dressed in black techwear-style outfit; crop-hoodie with intricate silver pattern, cargo pants, and red and white sneakers; she is crossing her arms under her ample chest. The other woman has jet black hair tied up in a bun, dressed in a dark teal kimono, and she is shorter than the first woman. Neither of them look familiar, or important , so Bi-Hand decides to not give them any mind, and stands in the space in front of them.

“Great, now we have a wall in front of us.”

“Jun –” the Orange-Haired woman immediately adds when Bi-Han turns around, “-- sorry, sorry , she doesn’t mean you –”

“Of course not.” The Teal-Dressed woman feigns a smile. “Please, resume standing there, Áila and I are only wallflowers after all.”

Bi-Han frowns at the sarcasm, “If you are short , you should be aware not to stand in the back.”

“Yes, apologies. Clearly, we should have brought stepladders to this meeting.”

The Orange-Haired woman, Áila, looks apologetic for the Teal-Dressed woman, Jun, who looks annoyingly smug. Bi-Han could reply, in fact, he wants to, but he’d rather not add two more people to the list of ‘people who want to kill him’, so he opts to ignore them – which has proven difficult, now that they’re muttering behind his back.

Liu Kang finally begins the meeting, fashionably late, as usual. The Fire God still looks the same since the last time Bi-Han saw him, though now he looks rather tired, if a God can be tired… “Thank you for sparing your time for this important meeting. I hope this won’t be the only time we are standing together, as there is strength in number, and solidarity. I understand some of you have different goals, clashing goals, and I appreciate it that you are setting aside your differences to fight a common enemy – The Invaders.”

Does he ever stop talking? Bi-Han sighs quietly as Liu Kang goes on a lecture about the current situation; how another Titan has been spotted invading other timelines, and it’s only a matter of time before they come to this one; how the Shirai Ryu (Bi-Han grunts at the name) have agreed to set aside their rivalry with the Lin Kuei; and how Quan Chi and Shang Tsung have agreed to ‘play nice’ for once as to not have Empress Mileena and her court hunt them down. All the boring details that could have been summarized in a written note, instead of calling for a meeting.

But then Liu Kang concludes, “Before I forget, we have two additional guests here. They may not have been involved in our latest kombat, but they are of powerful clans seeking to maintain the peace and alliance. Uh –” he looks around the room, so uncharacteristically confused as he scans the faces of everyone. Somehow Bi-Han has the feelings that the two thorns behind him are the ones Liu Kang is searching for –

Aaand he is right, when Jun speaks up aloud, “We’re here, Lord Liu Kang.”

Now all eyes turn towards Bi-Han, seemingly judging him for blocking the two guests, and he steps aside before anyone could ask him to. Liu Kang smiles, “Ah, there you are. Everyone, let me introduce you to Áila Hávarôr, future chieftain of the Sól Eldur clan. Her clan has been a dear friend, and their inventions have helped keep Earthrealm safe for centuries.”

Áila gives a respectful salute to Liu Kang and the room, “Pleased to meet you.”

Liu Kang continues, “And Tenshikiri Jun, the current Head of the Tenshikiri family. Once a clan serving the Empire as Spymaster, they are now oath-bound as secret keepers of Earthrealm.”

Jun bows deeply, before standing straight and replies, “It’s an honor to be here.”

“The honor is mine, Lady Áila, Lady Jun. As per our agreement, the two of you shall join forces with the Lin Kuei, in hope the three of you can come up with a battle plan if the Invader does invade our timeline.” Liu Kang gestures at Bi-Han, “Please, look no further than to your right, and you’ll find Bi-Han, the esteemed Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei.”

Áila casts a bright, carefree smile, “Ah, yes, we’ve been, uhm, acquainted.”

“With his back.” Jun mutters under her breath.

“If you’d like to step closer to the table, I’m sure we still have more space by the Champions.” Liu Kang gestures to the four Earthrealm Champions who are standing side by side.

Bi-Han watches as Áila and Jun accept the offer; they walk with their heads held high, and a formal smile on their faces. But he doesn’t miss the small glance they throw at him as they walk past him, one of curiosity and interest, both pairs of eyes locking with his dark brown ones. And in that single moment, Bi-Han can’t figure out why he is annoyed in the first place.

***

In the next few days and weeks, however, Bi-Han finds himself growing more annoyed than usual. At least now he’s back in the Lin Kuei compound, a familiar place devoid of judgmental people, and back on his routine as the Grandmaster. He’s sitting behind his desk in his office, reading the reports gathered by his Lin Kuei regarding the two unfamiliar clans he didn’t know existed prior to the meeting in Wu Shi Academy. Both the Sól Eldur and the Tenshikiri clans show promises and great rapports, in fact, they have been so secretive in assisting Earthrealm that the Lin Kuei have not needed to cross paths with them before.

Perhaps it should have stayed that way , for now he keeps seeing the names of Áila and Jun in every document, and his heart sinks a bit deeper each time. There is something about those two. Perhaps it’s the fact that Áila and her clan are blessed by the power of the sun and can torch the Earth if given the opportunity, yet they choose to remain pacifists for all these years. Perhaps it’s the fact that Jun and her family know every little secret in the world, but still keep them despite being capable of using them for their own gain.

Two beautiful women of powerful clans, commanding forces under their leadership – so why does it bother Bi-Han so much?

Perhaps it’s the fact that Áila’s voluminous chest would jiggle enticingly with every little move she makes – even the action of going downstairs becomes such a lewd display, that Bi-Han has tried so hard to focus on her face entirely. Perhaps it’s how Jun’s curvy hips would sway when she walks – Bi-Han doesn’t know if he enjoys the sight of her approaching or leaving. Perhaps it’s the way both of them would look at him, a mixture of coy and playful, like waves on the sand, enticing him to come closer into the sea to drown him.

And he hates to admit it, but by the Gods, some days he wants to step into the figurative sea and drown.

The door to his office is knocked. Bi-Han shakes his head to clear out the thoughts of Áila and Jun completely; he clears his throat, and gruffly responds, “Come in.”

Just his luck, the two burdens of his mind enter his office; they carry themselves in their own personal grace, like the sun and the moon, and Bi-Han suddenly feels like the dark space they accompany.

“Good evening.” He greets Áila and Jun, watching as they begin to occupy the space of his office. “To what do I owe this visit?”

Bi-Han is not sure who he has to watch; Jun is observing the line of decorative weapons on the wall, hips swaying with each step that she takes; Áila stands in front of his desk with her hands in the pockets of her cargo pants, shifting from one foot to another, and with each movement, her chest heaves. His attention finally settles on Áila as she speaks, “We’d like to say thank you for allowing us to stay with the Lin Kuei for this unforeseeable future. We understand it must be difficult to let strangers into your home, and we thank you for your trust, and – uhm…” she looks away, still shifting on her feet.

“And we trust you in return.” Jun adds without looking away from the decorative weapons.

“Right. I had that on the top of my head.” Áila looks at Bi-Han again, though now he notices a slight pink hue on her cheeks. “Uh… We just want to say that we trust you, and we feel that you do too, I mean, we are allies and – Jun, I can’t do this. You’re the one who’s good with words.”

Jun turns to her, “Why, you were doing great before that.”

“Oh, come on…”

The exchange raises both alarm and confusion in Bi-Han that he’s not certain on how to respond except, “What are you two blabbering about?”

Áila cocks her head towards Jun, “We have a point, I promise, but she will explain it.”

Bi-Han raises an eyebrow at the said woman, “Well? You’re talking about hospitality and trust, I don’t think I’d extend either if you two are acting weird in front of me.”

With a sigh, Jun begins to make her way to his desk; even paced, calculated movement, almost like a dance. “We intended to make this as refined as possible, but crass will have to do, given your attitude. We’re saying that we’re not blind, Bi-Han.”

“Who said you are?”

“We noticed your stare. I am a Tenshikiri, I’m trained to read the subtlest body language, and yours is loud.” Jun stops next to Áila. With both women looking at him intently, Bi-Han finds his heart beats a bit faster. “Did you think we wouldn’t notice your heated gaze on my hips? Or your ogling of Áila’s massive tits?” Áila nudges Jun’s side, but she continues. “We’re all adults here, so let us talk like adults, shall we? If my observation is incorrect, tell me so, and we will offer you our apology, take our leave from your office, and we shall continue our days like this has never happened. So, would you like to admit it, or deny it, Grandmaster?”

The shame growing in the pit of Bi-Han’s chest makes him feel like a hormonal teenager again, and he tries to suppress it, even though his face feels a bit warmer than usual. Gripping the armrests of his chair, his fingertips layered by ice in hope to quell his emotions. He glances between the two women, heat begins to consume him inside out, just like the urge to be honest or to lie to save face.

What’s the worst that could happen?

Bi-Han heaves a heavy sigh, body slumping against his chair. “How astute. Forgive me for having a keen sense of observation. You should feel safe within these walls. But,” he adds sharply, “I merely admired what your hard work has bestowed upon your physique. I’d be foolish if I did not notice them entirely.”

Jun glances at Áila. There is a smirk shared between them, and Bi-Han swears he sees a mischievous glint in their eyes, one that he doesn’t expect to see from them. Jun starts, “I told you. My skill is impeccable.”

Áila’s pink cheeks grow redder, “So you said. Now what?”

“Now it’s our turn to be honest. You do it.”

“Fine…” Áila groans, before schooling her expression into a decent one, albeit still holds mischief behind her smile. “We – ahem – we’ve also been ‘observing’ your hard work. We think it’s impressive, worthy of many praises – you are possibly the most beautiful man we’ve ever seen. Don’t laugh!” She chides as Jun snickers into her palm.

The cogs in Bi-Han’s mind fall into places, and oh… they’ve been ogling me as well? Them? Both of them? There is a cracking sound coming from his armrests, where his ice has taken form and completely ruined the fine wood, but he doesn’t care for that for now. These two women who have occupied his thoughts just confessed that they have been looking at him as well, and – and now what?

“Ah… Thank you.” is what Bi-Han can manage, for deep inside, his desire grows and he doesn’t wish it to be known, not when Áila is blushing so adorably, and he wonders if she’ll blush the same shade of her hair – does the hair below matches the hair above? – and certainly not when Jun is undressing him with her eyes, and he wonders what kind of expression she will give when she breaks underneath him – 

Bi-Han huffs an icy breath. The display earns the attention of the two women. He is the Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. He is the infamous Sub-Zero who is widely known and respected. He can handle the toughest enemies and the hardest of battle, certainly he can handle two lustful creatures.

“Since the cats are out of the bag,” He begins, heart pounding harder and steadily, watching Áila and Jun’s response, “and since we are adults who are capable of being responsible for our own… desire, let me ask what do you have in mind?”

“Perhaps we should foster our alliances deeper .” Áila glances between Jun and him.

“Nothing better than showing the naked truth to foster trust.” Jun purrs. “And you? What does the Grandmaster want?”

Bi-Han can’t help the pull on the corner of his lips, or the growing need in the restraint of his pants, or how he thinks how adorable that these two women are acting like they are in control of the outcome. But he welcomes their heated gaze nonetheless, as he gives his reply, “Do whatever you wish to me.”

***

The cold bedroom gradually grows hotter with each layer of clothing that’s being shed. Bi-Han admires how both Áila and Jun are not holding back from their desire, and neither is he; he interrupts Áila from undoing her bra by pulling her for a kiss – she moans, partially in protest of his colder lips, but she complies and melts into his touch, arching into his palm that’s kneading at one of her breasts. They feel heavy and full and soft, and Gods , Bi-Han wants to bury his face in between them.

A small chuckle is heard behind him, and he parts from Áila to find Jun, already in her naked glory, approaching the bed with a small box in hand. Bi-Han grows curious, “What is that?”

“This?” Jun shakes the box lightly. Whatever’s inside sounds heavy. “It’s something pleasurable, I promise.”

He is not convinced. He approaches her, silently demanding to see the content.

She clicks her tongue, “Mm… Such impatience.” She opens the box, and just as she has said, the variety of toys stored within make Bi-Han’s dick twitch in reaction. Jun takes out a large vibrator, “Would this be too much to handle? We can start with the – UNF.”

Her challenging tone dies down when Bi-Han silences her with a kiss. Her shaky breath is a reaction to his cold tongue, and she mewls when he palms her breasts – they are significantly smaller than Áila’s, but he enjoys her hardening nipples, how she jumps as he pinches them to attention.

A warm hand holds his lower back. Áila hums, “I believe you said we are to do whatever we want with you?”

Bi-Han swallows thickly, did I? Oh, right, I did. “Fine.” He grumbles internally, climbing into the bed to settle in the center. His erection is straining against his boxer brief, too tight, twitching in excitement as Áila and Jun are standing at the foot of the bed, observing him. The warm light of the room accentuating the beauty of their naked bodies, the curves and dips, the colors and marks, the perfect imperfections.

When he finally removes his boxer brief, his erection springs free and heavily, and he swears he hears both women gasp. Their reaction pumps his pride – he is not stupid, years of training have sculpted his body into a perfect weapon, but also given him an impressive physique – so he lies there with a smirk, hand holding the base of his thick length, and he watches Áila and Jun’s eyes widening.

“Truly an asset –”

“-- befitting a Grandmaster.”

They finish each other's sentences.

Without wasting any time, the bed dips when Áila and Jun begin to climb up to lie beside him. Áila is to his right, and Jun is to his left, and both are on their sides with their breasts pressing against him. Bi-Han curls his arms around them, cupping their breasts, earning their shared moanings.

Jun holds his chin, pulling him for a kiss; tongues and teeth clashing; he holds her breast a bit firmer, milking a moan. He feels Áila kissing his chest, and her hand is roaming up and down his sculpted abs, nails lightly scratching his sensitive skin, making him buck slightly. He wishes her touch would glide lower to his aching cock that’s waiting for attention, but she is taking her sweet time kissing and nibbling and marking him.

The kiss ends when Jun decides it does; she turns his chin towards Áila, where Bi-Han finds her looking at him with such a bright smile, and so sweetly she holds his cheek. Her kiss is slow and steady; their tongues moving in tandem against each other. It’s intoxicating, that Bi-Han fails to notice what Jun is doing until he feels her finger on the tip of his cock.

“Mmh…” He hums into Áila’s mouth as Jun teases his cockhead. The light touch is experimental, but by the Gods, does it feel damning. He grunts when his slit is teased, rubbed rather vigorously, gathering the little precum that’s leaking.

Jun’s hand leaves him, but Áila’s replaced it, holding the base of his cock with just enough pressure for him to feel her warmth. She begins to pump him, up and down, slowly, gently, earning an involuntary buck of his hips.

Bi-Han parts from the kiss to breathe. Eyes closing, he’s savoring the feeling, throat humming in reaction. “Mm… That’s it…”

“Does it feel good?” Áila hushedly asks, head pressing against his chest.

Bi-Han can only hum, but he shows his appreciation by squeezing the breasts of both women; the soft squishy of Áila’s and the perkiness of Jun’s. He is enjoying the movement, the warmth, every little thing that makes his cock twitch happily and he’s growing harder and harder and –

A soft hum joins the shared breathing in the room, and the next thing he feels is a steady vibration pressed against the underside of his cockhead. He opens his eyes and looks down, seeing Áila holding the base of his cock steadily, while Jun is pressing a vibrator to his cockhead; the tip is buzzing, blurring. Bi-Han rasps, “What are – ngh –”

“We are making ice cream.” Áila replies in a sing-song tune, still smiling brightly.

Jun moves the vibrator up and down his cockhead; Bi-Han bites back a yelp when she presses it over his slit, “This is the slowest setting. Let’s see how long it takes for you to come.”

Bi-Han grits his teeth, “Insolent maidens… Is that – mmh – a challenge?”

“You can back down whenever you want, you know.”

The vibrator is pulled away, and though Bi-Han sighs in relief, his cock twitches involuntarily, missing the sensation. Áila giggles, “Seems your dick wants more.” She moves her hand up to the tip – he bucks and grunts – and she gathers the precum, smearing it down his length. She repeats the action two more times before settling back to holding the base. “You have to use your words, Bi-Han.”

Jun moves the vibrator closer, and Bi-Han watches, partially in want and partially in dread, as the silicone tip is inching closer to his twitching cockhead. She hums appreciatively, “Ooh are you shy? You’re blushing so adorably.”

“Quiet.” Bi-Han growls. “You want to do whatever to me, do it, quit wasting time – NNGH –” a whine escapes his throat when the vibrator is pressed to its previous position again. The sudden sensation makes his core muscle clench, making him more aware of the feeling, how it tickles in a good way.

To make it worse, Áila is now moving her hand, shallow pump, steady and firm, and Bi-Han could only throw his head back. His legs are shaking, and the two devious women have taken the liberty to wrap their warm legs around each of his thigh; he can feel their heat and wetness, clearly they are also aroused by the activity. He tries to buck, but they keep their hold steady.

Then, the vibrator is pulled away again.

Bi-Han grunts in annoyance, but the women are laughing, and he is in no position to demand when his cock is oozing precum and twitching on its own, when his balls feel so tight and full, ready to burst whenever. “Get on with it.”

“You want to come?” Jun asks, and he can hear her smirk.

“Of course.” He opens his eyes, finding her observing his face. But his eyelids are fluttering to a close when Áila kisses his strained neck, and soon he is lost in the sensation of being teased, hot and cold, fast and slow.

The vibrator returns with a raised power. Bi-Han can’t help the bucking of his hips, the twitching of his cock – he is close, so close, it feels so good, so good, so good – mmhhh!

The sound that he makes is something he doesn’t know he’s capable of; a pathetic mewling, a moaning. Bi-Han pants aloud when the vibrator leaves him again, so close to the bliss, but so far away. He grips the breasts tightly, warningly, but it only earns Áila and Jun’s shared giggle. Though the sound annoys him, it also melts him, knowing they are having fun at the expense of his demise.

“Once more for good measure?” Áila asks tentatively.

“No. No.” Bi-Han shakes his head, eyes closed tightly. “You’ve been denying me release. It’s unfair.”

“Unfair is going back on your words – you said ‘whatever we want’.” Jun turns the vibrator off. The lack of humming sound in the room alarms Bi-Han. “What do you say, Áila? Do you think we should continue or not?”

Áila chuckles, “You’re cruel.”

“ Fine .” Bi-Han repeats with a loud huff. “Fine… Do it.”

Just as the words leave his lips, the vibrator is returns to its position, yet it’s not on. He waits, anticipating, but he’s not expecting two pairs of lips pressing a kiss to his cheeks. His eyes flutter open, just in time to see both Áila and Jun hovering over him with smiles gracing their beautiful faces.

“Such a handsome man…” Áila praises.

“A good Grandmaster…” Jun adds. “Here is your reward.”

The vibrator turns on at the highest setting; Bi-Han growls deeply and throws his head back, eyes clenched shut, as he feels all of his nerves are alight. Áila and Jun hum as they’re settling their heads on his chest. The muttered praises are muffled by his own grunting, his complaints and singing of arousal. Áila moves her hand again, at the same time Jun rubs the vibrator all over his cockhead, and the combined action defeats him completely.

“C-close –” Bi-Han rasps for no reason.

His orgasm hits him like a tidal wave, pulling him under the bliss, that all he can feel is the twitching of his cock as Áila and Jun are milking him; thick sperms shooting out of him, painting his abdomen with the hot, sticky substance. Bi-Han gasps when they still continue their actions, still holding his cock firmly, still pressing the vibrator against his very sensitive head. His twitching cockhead leaking out the remains of his seeds.

Bi-Han pries his eyes open, looking at the blushing Áila and Jun, how wide their smiles are, and how it makes his heart soar knowing he’s the cause of their joy. While at the same time, he wants to protest their grip at his sensitive cock, the still vibrating vibrator trying to coax another ticklish orgasm out of him. “... nough – enough … I’ve come…”

But he’s not prepared to receive the answer, as the two beautiful maidens look at him, eyes glinting with mirth, and collectively reply, “We know.”

***

The heat of the room becomes a bit unbearable, as sweat begins to layer Bi-Han’s skin. He’s drunk on bliss, after having been milked twice by the vibrator; the offending tool has been set aside, thankfully. But now he lies, panting, thirsty for more, while at the same time he’s had enough. However, it’s difficult to know which desire he wants at the moment, especially when his head is lying on Áila’s plush thighs, and her breasts are just a kiss away from him.

Áila is caressing his hair; his bun has become loose in the midst of everything. The action is soothing, calming, also encouraging. Bi-Han looks up at her, past her impressive chest. His tongue darts out to taste her nipple, and like a baby, he latches there, suckling, earning her soft moaning.

Once again for the night, he fails to notice what Jun is doing. Only at the last second that he feels her straddling his hips; his hands automatically hold onto her thighs, fingers splaying trying to grab ahold of her. She chuckles, breathy and lustful, and he feels her taking his hardening length in her hand.

“Áila, I think your tits are magic. Look,” Jun gives him one long stroke, “he’s hard again.”

Áila laughs, “Indeed, breastfeeding has so many benefits.”

Bi-Han bucks his hips when he feels Jun rubbing her wetness all over his length. He can feel her warm cunt, and his cock is eager for a taste. His hands find her hips and pull her close, earning her chuckle, “How insatiable, Grandmaster. Relax. You don’t need to beg for this. I need you…” She presses his tip to her cunt, and though it’s not yet entering, the spreading heat is enough for Bi-Han to want to drive into her.

Then Jun sinks down his length.

Their shared moaning is loud; hers a broken one, his is startled one. Her walls are warm and tight, and he can feel his tip pressing against her cervical opening. Jun rocks her hips gently, and her moan erupts again. “A – ah … fuck … you’re so thick…”

Initially, Bi-Han believes she won’t be able to handle him. He believes she would give up, and he would have to plow into her at his own pace, and finally break her under his command. But the more she moves her hips, the steadier her pace has become, and within seconds, it is Bi-Han who finds himself at the edge of breaking again. He should have known the sway of her hips is lethal. Paired with the clenching of her walls, he can feel all of her with such shallow, hard thrusts.

Jun looks powerful like this; rocking and bouncing on his cock, humble-sized breasts jiggling in response, and the strands of her hair dancing back and forth with it. The flushed face and the parted lips, sharp eyes looking at him from hooded lids – somehow he wants nothing but to please her, wants her to be pleased by him.

With Áila’s breasts pressing against his face, earning a few lazy kisses and licks as he breathes and moans, Bi-Han could die peacefully. He doesn’t know what to feel when bliss is rushing all over his nerves. His cock is twitching, getting harder and more sensitive, especially when Jun suddenly clenches down tightly; her walls are spasming, and she throws her head back; her lips forming a perfect O, with her eyes closing tightly – she comes hard. It doesn’t take long for her to greedily continue moving, either to prolong her orgasm or to earn herself another one. For a moment, Bi-Han feels wild, feeling like a toy being used for her pleasure, and he loves it .

Áila looks at him from between her breasts, “Hmm? You’re loving this aren’t you?”

“What?” Jun breathes out between moaning.

“Yes, I think he’s loving this, Jun.”

“I do not – ah –” Bi-Han protests hastily.

Jun laughs, “I can tell you’re lying even when your face is buried in tits.”

Bi-Han tenses when he feels Áila’s hand on his chest. Her fingers are circling around his nipple, teasing, coaxing it to become erect. He huffs, “Wanton creatures… How – nngh – how can I not react… when you keep teasing me…?”

“You could freeze us, but so far you haven’t –  OH!” Jun’s words are cut off when Bi-Han layers his hands in ice, and he grips on her hips tighter. He wants to hear her protest, wants to hear her beg him to release her, but instead, she is mewling, long and wanting. “Ohhh… You play dirty, Grandmaster… Didn’t you know pain and pleasure go hand in hand?”

Bi-Han knows he is lost when Jun rocks her hips faster. He knows he is lost when Áila mutters hushed words of encouragement, and he beams up for each stroke of her hand against his hair. He knows he is lost when he feels Jun’s walls enveloping his length tightly, and she twitches and moans aloud when she comes again, this time accompanied by his. Hot white liquid spurting out in liberation, painting her insides completely. He knows he is lost when Jun removes herself from him, and he whines – the Grandmaster whines – at the loss of warmth around his sensitive cock.

Oh, but for once, losing feels so good.

***

“Does this hurt?” Jun pulls the chain slightly.

Bi-Han huffs, looking down at the chain, following it to the nipple clamps that are now attached to his erect nipples. They look so red. When he doesn’t reply, Jun tugs the chain again.

“I said, does this hurt?” She repeats.

“No.” Bi-Han grunts.

“They look like they hurt.” Áila comments from where she is lying down on the bed, propped up by comfortable pillows. Her legs are parted, baring her pink cunt to the air; Bi-Han’s gaze falls to it, can’t deny that he is eager for her even after so many times coming.

“It’s not.” Bi-Han assures her. To be honest, he has never thought his nipples would be in this situation, but here they are, and he’s feeling way too good about it. He takes his position between Áila’s legs; his hard length resting on top of her mound. He can feel her hot cunt against his balls.

Áila looks divine in this position. Sprawled out on his bed, hands clutching tightly on the sheets, and her bright-colored hair a stark contrast to the fabric. She looks adorable, with the blushing cheeks, and still bright smile that’s just begging to be turned into orgasmic bliss. He wants to ruin her, wants to be ruined by her.

Bi-Han rubs his length along her opening, tip teasing her leaking cunt. She feels warmer, hotter than Jun’s, and when he finally enters her – Gods! – Bi-Han believes he would have melted instantly. Yet he persists, pressing forward until his hips are flushed against hers. He hoists her left leg to his shoulder, wanting to drive in deeper, she moves her right thigh further, wanting him to drive in deeper.

Then he begins to move.

With each thrust, his nipple clamps move, and it sends jolts of bliss to his sensitive tips. It makes his cock twitch involuntarily. It tickles, but feels arousing. It aches, but feels blissful. He is lost in the sensation shortly, when he can hear Áila’s loud moaning, when he can hear the slapping of flesh and the wet squelching noise of her cunt, when he feels her walls threatening to melt his cock off from how tight they are squeezing him.

Suddenly, the chain is tugged, and Bi-Han’s eyes shoot open in shock; he groans in protest when his pace falters. He feels Jun leaning behind him, pressing her naked front to his back. Her right hand is tugging at the chain, while her left is on his head, giving a gentle pat. “Hush… You are doing so well…”

I was, until you interrupted me , is what Bi-Han wants to say. But he grits his teeth and remains quiet, and focuses on fucking Áila as best as he can without faltering again. He can feel her getting close; cunt twitching, her moaning escalating into a crescendo, and – 

And she comes, at the same time as the chain is tugged three times, and Bi-Han finds himself moaning aloud to accompany Áila’s wanton cries. He grips her thighs firmly, trying to ground himself, not wanting to come just yet. But it’s difficult when Jun is teasing the living hell out of him, giggling and peppering kisses to his sweating temple.

“One more, for the sake of being fair. I came twice, she must come twice as well.” Jun whispers, still holding onto the chain.

Bi-Han can’t think straight. His mind is too fucked up to even make a coherent sentence, that he simply nods in reply, and sounding off a breathy, “Yes.” His hips begin to move again, picking up the pace again, that by now it feels like an automatic action, a carnal desire. He wants to come, again and again, wants to paint their insides with his seeds, wants to have them howling his name and crying aloud from how good he’s making them feel.

But his reply must have been not good enough. The chain is tugged again, but this time is by Áila; he bows down, following the pull of the chain. His eyes lock with hers, seeing the lust she shares. Her question is laced with the same lust as well, “Are you – ahn – are you going to please me – mmh?”

Bi-Han nods frantically.

Jun coos at his back, kisses littering on the hard plane of his torso, on his shoulders, on his nape. Dainty fingers coiling with his hair, rubbing at his scalp, gently kneading. Bi-Han drives in faster and harder into Áila’s sopping cunt, again and again and again –

He feels her walls clenching around him again, and he can’t stop the blissful moaning that erupts from his throat; his cock twitching in delight, and his seeds are leaving him without having to be asked. It is too much, too damn much, that he gets lightheaded.

He feels himself being pulled backwards until he’s out of Áila’s divine walls, and he’s lying on his back, sweating. He registers the bed shifting as the two goddesses are moving about. Jun removes the nipple clamps one by one; with each one, she rubs a cooling ointment on his sore nipples carefully. He swears he hears her muttering what a good job he has done, and how good he looks. Then, shortly, he feels a wet, warm towel being dragged along his lower abdomen, as if giving him a bath. It cleans up his length from his sticky sperm. Áila’s face comes into view, and she plants a kiss to the tip of his nose, a smile so bright he could claim her as his sun.

When his breathing has become calmer, he feels the bed dips again. Automatically, he opens his arms, welcoming both Áila and Jun to lie on his chest, cuddled up in a shared body warmth. With a slow movement, he plants a kiss on their damp foreheads, each one earning their pleased humming. And only then do they close their eyes, and drift asleep, high on cloud nine of bliss.

***

“You… wish to be placed with the Lin Kuei for an indefinite amount of time?” Liu Kang asks, confusion etched on his face. “I mean no offense, I’m merely confused as to why. When I suggested it at first, you two didn’t seem to want it, said Arctika is too cold and harsh.”

“Well, it was then, but after a while it grows on us.” Áila replies with a shrug. “I’ve informed my clan. As long as I’m doing my part to keep Earthrealm safe, they are fine with my decision.”

“Likewise,” Jun comments. “The Tenshikiri can operate individually; I have my General at the ready should anything urgent comes up. You have nothing to worry about, Lord Liu Kang.”

The Fire God, despite still in confusion, finally relents. “Very well. Should you require anything, do not hesitate to inform me.”

Jun smiles, “Rest assured. The Grandmaster is treating us well.”

“Indeed, he is.” Áila adds. “Please excuse us. We must return to Arctika at once; there are plenty to plan for the sake of Earthrealm.”

Bi-Han hums, leaning by the door to Liu Kang’s meeting room, listening to the conversation that’s taking place within. He counts the footsteps of Áila and Jun, and anticipates their arrival to his location. They notice him, as he does them, and though it is subtle, the little look they exchange speaks louder than words.

“Now that is done.” Áila begins.

Jun finishes, “Shall we return to Arctika, Grandmaster?”

With his smile hidden behind his mask, Bi-Han hushedly replies, “As my ladies wish.”

[verdemoth]

Maven! Small guy KEENLY aware of the crushing weight of responsibility. Director of Mission Control after Odyssey’s ‘retirement’. Doing their best.

-> Following after their mentor, Maven is the current head of Mission Control, a small team tasked with monitoring the status of expeditions, keeping the portal stable, and maintaining the technological systems that assist in these efforts. Maven’s the one calling the shots. In the case of a hazardous situation, Maven has to make an assessment with what information they have access to and decide what to prioritize. They’re inclined to recall the field team when faced with any untested issue, but the current owners/investors of the whole project aren’t too happy when supplies get wasted ‘for nothing’.

-> In practice they usually just go along with whatever Odyssey advises to the absolute best of their ability. And they Will Not complain.

-> They’re kind of usually too worried about have a personality for the entire duration of a mission. They fixate on the job and fret over it 24/7 until everyone makes it back in one piece.

-> When they can relax, Maven’s got some hobbies. They’re into embroidery, playing niche card and board games, and enjoys science fiction and mystery stories.

-> Their cousin, Perseverance, bullies them relentlessly for being a nerd </3. Even though Perse is the one who writes essays on oscillating genes, or the influences that parasites exert throughout an ecosystem, just for fun, so. >:(

-> Maven and Perse didn’t grow up very close in both a physical, spacial sense as well as an emotional one. Their teens is when they started to connect, when their families moved closer again. Maven babysat fairly often and helped her out with schoolwork, leading to Perse taking an interest in Maven’s aspirations and making them her own.

-> She’s a grown woman now and can look after herself, but Maven’s still worried for her now that she’s joined the team officially. They don’t want to get her killed. But then she goes and pulls some shit to make them reconsider all the effort they’re putting into worrying. Like showing Maven a big fuckoff moth she found by releasing it into their room. Again. (..it was a cool moth though)

-> Maven has to babysit Perse’s terrariums once she starts joining expeditions. Maven does not like crawlies.. but they are committed to upholding the highest standard of care for these creatures. They were reaaaaaally anxious about it the first time, but Perse said they did a great job, and they kind of grew to enjoy it? The feeling of being able to do right by these little animals and keep them safe. They don’t mind it, actually.

-> Maven was just stepping into the leadership role on that fateful day they lost contact with the field team. It was supposed to be straightforward, one of the first missions they’d be commanding with little input from Odyssey, up until it all went very wrong. When the storm hit, they scrambled to manage the crisis. In the time it took to restore communication, Maven was certain they’d gotten three people killed. Instead, they just got one person killed. Like it really makes a difference. They are quite certain that Opportunity’s disappearance and presumed death are their fault and they’re not dealing with it very well.

-> They look up to and respect their mentor a lot and honestly it’s just.. easier to let em overstep and take some responsibility away from them. Maven feels Complicated about it. Relieved, sure. Patronized too. They feel crushed that Odyssey doesn’t seem to trust their ability.. but is e really wrong? They’ve already proven to be inadequate. They’re not sure they’ll ever move past this.

[writergirl2011]

Regarding Hyle Hunt

There's been a little discourse regarding the role one Ser Hyle Hunt will play in Lady Brienne of Tarth's storyline going forward. Some people seem to think that he is her perfect match because they hate the idea that Brienne deserves to have a romance with the man she wants--aka one Ser Jaime Lannister--because that messes with the narrative they want to push, whatever that narrative may be.

Some people think that Ser Hyle Hunt is a more interesting and more remarkable man than he truly is, when nothing he's said or done to this point has shown him to be anything of the sort. Personally, I'm not impressed with a man who set up a bet with his buddies over a young noblewoman's virginity--which was essentially the kiss of death to said young woman, who didn't have much going for her on the marriage mart in the first place. (Don't give me the "men will be men" explanation. That makes you no better than Randyll Tarly.) And his proposal of marriage boils down to: "Hey, baby, you've got an island and a lot of money, I've got a functional dick that's already proven to be fertile. I can close my eyes and blow out the candle. Let's do it." How romantic.

There has been absolutely no indication that Brienne will ever love this man, or even care the slightest for him. Threatening to turn someone into a eunuch isn't playful banter, especially not when said man once bet on her virginity and the last time she confronted someone(s) in that bet, she beat the living shit out of them. She hasn't forgotten, and she really hasn't forgiven. And when it comes to Hyle, she never really will, because in her eyes, what he did was the worst of all of them. He came the closest to winning by doing the one thing none of the others did--he made her feel included, like she might be earning a little bit of respect in that camp. Then she found out it was all a lie.

"But she hated Jaime at first!" Yeah, but that was before Jaime: told a lie about Tarth's wealth to save her from rape; shouted "sapphires" and risked a beating to save her from rape again; risked his own life to save hers by jumping unarmed into a bear pit (with only one hand to boot), and revealed the truth about why he killed Aerys, thus revealing that rather than it being a callous act, he'd saved an entire city of innocents--a noble act. THEN he put his trust in her to find Sansa, gifting her with a horse, armor, and a priceless sword. He gave her the respect Hyle only pretended to give her, expecting nothing in return.

What has Hyle done on their road trip? When Brienne kills the three former Bloody Mummers, I'm curious: how long was Hyle there? At least long enough to see her and Pod burying Nimble Dick, but the way he's described sitting there casually makes me think he'd been there longer. Watching. Sitting back doing nothing while she might've been killed. And we don't know what his true motives are in following her. If she finds Sansa, is he going to help her get Sansa to safety--or is he going to betray her and try to turn Sansa in to the Crown for the reward?

If you want any further proof that she doesn't care about Hyle, think about who she tried to bargain for when Lady Stoneheart was about to hang them all. Not herself, and certainly not Hyle. Podrick, the boy. And when they were hanging, as she was dying. the only person she had eyes for was Pod.

And who did she presumably agree to kill Jaime for? Podrick.

Yeah. She's really going to come around on Hyle.

[yuseirra]

(Final speculation before 163 comes up) Could the story really wrap up within 4 episodes if Kamiki isn’t a god?

I don’t think so;; There are too many things that can be explained with this way but make no sense if it's not. I'm serious. This must be it. This CAN explain EVERYTHING about that particular character quite smoothly!! To the extent it almost can't be otherwise!

Ahh I jotted this down on the spot (used machine translate.. Sorry if the phrasings are a bit off because if it) please, take this into consideration yeah I can be SO off, already proven off but?? This though just keeps coming to me.

I’ve made a lot of guesses about gods, haven’t I? But no one really seems to take it so seriously.

But didn’t they mention there are “gods” who don’t know they’re gods in the piece itself? Why bring that up? They’re going to use it, right? After hearing the lyrics of *Fatal*, I started to seriously think that Ruby and Kamiki actually have some kind of divine power.

For Kamiki… everything he’s done makes way more sense if we consider him to be the earthly god Sarutahiko Okami. It's just impossible for him to just be a regular person with this little time left in the story but if you take him as a reincarnation of that particular god that's started to reawaken his divinity, everything starts to click!!!

Sarutahiko is considered a "noble" god,

And the way he met Ai is really similar to how he met his wife, Ame-no-Uzume, leading to their marriage (his wife came to his domain as part of a mission, and he led the way, they developed feelings and connected—this parallels how Ai came to meet Kamiki while pursuing acting, with him having guided her. The descendants of the god Sarutahiko bear the name that means "woman who dances well" That's like Ruby). They fell in love immediately, just like Ai seems to have taken a liking to him from the moment she saw him. Ame-no-Uzume approached him first and the relationship blossomed from there.

Sarutahiko is also a god of light (Hikaru has “light” in his name, and “Kamiki” relates to gods).

He governs land (isn’t it strange how people keep dying in the mountains?).

That shrine in Miyazaki where the main cast went to, Aratate Shrine, is dedicated to Sarutahiko and his wife, but they didn’t mention Sarutahiko explicitly. Together, these gods bless the entertainment world and grant people’s wishes. Remember when Ruby and Kamiki met and that whole talk about gods and wishes? He listened to what she really wished for, and Kamiki also congratulated Aqua, saying his wish was fulfilled. All the wishes that were mentioned there, indeed, did come true. In *Mephisto*, the line “I forgot who I lived as” refers to Kamiki, I'm sure of it. He’s a god who didn’t realize it but is now somewhat aware and using his power.

Aqua tried to drown him. Sarutahiko governs the earth, so it makes sense that Aqua, who’s aligned with Susanoo (the sea god), would have an advantage over him in water. That’s why he could kill him that way.

Sarutahiko is also the “guiding god.” He leads people toward good futures, that's what he is supposed to do. So, if Aqua says, “I have to stop you from ruining Ruby’s future,” it makes sense that Kamiki, as Sarutahiko’s reincarnation, might actually have the power to affect her future.

In *Mephisto* and *Fatal*, there’s a narrator desperately longing for a “star,” with Ai being compared to a star and Kamiki to a gem. Gems are from the earth, and Sarutahiko is an earth god (Kunitsukami), while his wife Ame-no-Uzume belongs to the celestial gods (Amatsukami). This all fits perfectly, doesn’t it? Kamiki wanted to reach Ai, and as the songs imply, he tried to gather "light" (the star eyes) as a means to do so. He couldn't get to her by his own powers because he doesn't originate from the skies the way she does, perhaps that could be why he needed the "stars" in order to "fill in what's missing" as mentioned in Fatal! As he originally blessed the entertainment world. Maybe he’s been going around finding people with star eyes to reclaim his blessings.

Actually, if we follow the mythology, Ruby is the one connected to Kamiki out of the twins. Sarutahiko’s essence is solar, and Amaterasu, who corresponds to Ruby, took over his place in the native religion. But even though Sarutahiko gave up his place, (getting married with Ame-no-Uzume in the process.. He did get a beautiful wife out of it all), he’s still honored as a powerful god with the title Okami. His story is more closely tied to Amaterasu and Ame-no-Uzume than to Susanoo. The three of them weren’t on bad terms either. Sarutahiko ended up working with his wife for Amaterasu. So when Kamiki treated Ruby with kindness, maybe it was because they share a deep connection. To add, since they overlap in their domains, so perhaps Kamiki posed a threat to her because of that.

Sarutahiko was said to have a strong, loving relationship with his wife. When they blessed people, they did it together, even offering marriage blessings. The song Mephisto and Fatal just scream that the speaker cannot bear to go on without their loved one and they'd give their life away if only they could be back. I feel that's how Sarutahiko would feel if he lost Ame-no-Uzume, they seemed so loving towards each other to me.

Kamiki’s character really seems to make sense if you consider him a god. There are so many things that would instantly click into place. But if he’s not a god, I honestly have no idea who he is. Everything about him points to that conclusion. Both he and Ai were gods. It makes sense then, that it's Ruby and Kamiki who could say that Ai was just a regular person. Because they think they really are just normal people and wish to be taken that way the way Ai is. They're the ones who can talk from those same shoes.

In reality, they were gods who wanted to live as humans and chose to live as such. Kamiki constantly says that he and Ai were the same, and that they could have overcome anything together. That’s probably because, as gods, they were each other’s counterparts, worshiped together at shrines. That's not just him being clingy, it REALLY was how things were. They were drawn to each other, unconsciously recognizing their similarities, and reunited as humans.

But after Ai’s death, Kamiki was fully corrupted, leading to his downfall.

Honestly, I can’t interpret it any other way anymore. If not this, then I really don’t know who Kamiki is. Too many unnatural things have happened surrounding him, and when you piece together the songs, it becomes clear: he’s a fallen god who lost someone precious and was consumed by darkness. This darkness probably didn’t originate from him; something external caused his fall. Even the scene where his eyes change—like paint dripping from outside—suggests that something seeped in from the outside.

In the anime, Kamiki’s eye color is lighter and more washed-out compared to Ai’s vibrant purple. It really seems like his original eye color was different and was later tainted. He might have been a god of light with orange or yellow eyes. His children’s eye colors might have split because of his original bright color.

Ai, as Ame-no-Uzume, is a goddess of entertainment and the dawn. Her colors align with this. Even if her personality was a façade, she shares a lot of traits with Ame-no-Uzume. If she had grown up without trauma, she might have truly been like her. The “morning/first star(in IDOL's lyric)” refers to the brightest star at dawn. If Ai is Ame-no-Uzume, and Kamiki is her husband, then their relationship with Ruby fits perfectly too. Even in the novel, Ai said she might become a god with her own religion.

I think this should be it. If not, nothing else would make sense. With only 4 episodes left, they’ll likely use this storyline to tie everything up. Otherwise, they’d need a lot more episodes. But since there’s an overarching mythology at play, I think they’ll be able to compress the narrative. No one could deny that these gods loved each other, and because Kamiki is falling into corruption, it'd make sense for there to be divine intervention- the resurrection of the twins. Ai wanted to experience true love, and she did find her match as Kamiki. She wouldn’t have found anyone better because they are meant to be. She wanted to save him from the depravity of the entertainment world.

I wanted to write this down since there won’t be many more chances to talk about these theories.

I’ve been thinking this since *Fatal* came out in July. The more I watch, the more these ideas seem to fit perfectly. The thought only strengthened;; Kamiki and Ai are probably incarnations of gods. The entire Hoshino family is likely divine.

[possessiveandobsessive]

The Spirit of Determination

Nyra "Rook" Thorne is somehow responsible for the fate of all of Thedas. If she's going to pull it off, she's going to need a hell of a lot of determination. Lucky for her, she knows a guy and his demon who can help her out with that.

Sooooo I absolutely failed to mention that this Rook is an elf. Oops. She even has Vallaslin. I apologize for failing to include a fairly relevant detail, and I’m putting a picture of Nyra “Rook” Thorne below. (I fixed part 1 so this might be irrelevant for some)

Part 3: The Beginning of the End

Morrigan regarded Rook with her usual neutral expression, before allowing a small smile to grace her features. This she-elf certainly didn’t beat around the bush. Morrigan had to admit, that sarcastic, crossbow-wielding dwarf truly possessed a knack for stumbling upon and recognizing individuals with the potential to be real heroes. The one before her, “Rook” had a special kind of glint to her eyes when she focused in on a target. Morrigan recognized the look well. After all, the witch had spent more than her fair share of time guiding saviors of Thedas to their defining moments. Yes, this one will be able to do it, she thought before opening her mouth to address the woman in front of her.

“You assume I carry ill tidings,” Morrigan paused, “You’d be mostly correct, but it would be more accurate to say I bring a warning and some advice.” She waited a beat, waiting to see if Rook had anything to interject. The warden just watched her with the same steady gaze however, so Morrigan went on. “You are correct that it will be a month before the eclipse the blighted gods need to finish their dagger occurs naturally, but you forget that you are facing beings that do not play by the rules of our natural world.”

Rook’s eyes widened slightly but she remained silent. She wanted to wait until Morrigan was done to react, and she could tell there was more to come.

“We cannot assume that the gods are going to simply wait until the perfect moment arrives, especially since they are now all too aware of the danger you pose.” THAT made Rook’s eyebrows shoot up, and she opened her mouth to argue. She may be good in a fight, and occasionally have some success in the strategy department, but she alone couldn’t truly be a threat to the gods. The Witch of the Wilds held up a hand, indicating that she was not finished. Rook’s jaw snapped shut and she nodded for Morrigan to continue.

“You may not see what you’ve accomplished as a real victory, but you’ve proven yourself to be an adversary that they cannot ignore or take lightly. Not after you killed Ghilan’nain’s archdemon.” Morrigan smirked, “That is an insult they will not forget or forgive.” 

Taking on a more serious tone, her expression darkened, “I can feel something brewing, there is a change in the wind. They’re planning something and you need to be ready. In order to be ready for the final confrontation, you need to decide how you are going to handle The Dread Wolf.”

Rook was confused now. “Solas is locked away in the Fade prison he built, he’s not going to be a problem when we face the gods.”

Morrigan shook her head grimly. “The Dread Wolf has an escape plan, you can be sure of that. It’s doubtful that he will wait until you’ve achieved your victory to act. This is a being who believes only he can save the world. Fen’Harel isn’t going to trust you to do it in his stead, no matter what he has told you or promised. Solas is many things, but the one that has remained the most constant, is that he will lie and deceive anyone if he thinks it necessary to achieve his goal.”

“It’s not as if I trust him”, Rook argued, “But he’s trapped. If he could escape, I imagine he would have done so already. Solas built that prison himself, he made sure a god couldn’t ever leave it.”

“And yet two did.” Morrigan countered, “It’s already been done, there is no evidence to suggest that he can’t find a way out if the right conditions are met. Tread carefully Rook, you mustn’t underestimate him. Do not repeat the actions that have been the downfall of so many before you.” Then Morrigan sighed, “All that is not to say that the Dread Wolf is a lost cause, he isn’t. Not yet at least.” 

Amber eyes looked up and stared meaningfully across the table into green ones. “Do you think he is worth saving? Or has your faith in him completely vanished? This is what you need to decide, Rook. Once the gods take action and plans are set in motion, there won’t be time for hesitation. You need to have a plan to deal with Solas. The choice is yours, but do not make it lightly. Consider all that you have seen, all that you have experienced of the Dread Wolf’s life. The second fragment of Mythal is in your hands now, will you try to use it to save him?”

Rook had no answer to that. He’s an arrogant, deceiving, bastard who thinks he is always right, she grumbled inwardly, but is it right to call anyone irredeemable? She was a Grey Warden. Many of her brothers and sisters had done many dark things in their pasts and they were allowed a second chance. She herself had gotten a second chance. Could she really play judge, jury, and executioner in this situation while knowing that? Rook also considered Lucanis. He carried a demon within him, had killed countless people, but she knew he possessed a gentle soul and a caring heart. Was it fair for her to write Solas off when she didn’t truly know his nature? 

Rook worked her jaw in silent, frustrated thought. As much as she wanted to write the ancient elf off, she couldn’t do so without going against her beliefs. I have to give him a chance if he escapes. Everyone deserves an opportunity to do the right thing, at least one. With a heavy sigh Rook said the words that would seal a part of her fate: “I don’t believe he’s fully evil or a lost cause. If he gets out, I’ll do what Varric would. I’ll give him one last chance to change, evolve into something new, but I won’t allow him to do anymore damage. I’m prepared to kill him if that’s what it takes to make Thedas safe.”

Morrigan nodded her approval. “You’ve steeled your resolve on this issue, I can rest easier now. Trying to make major decisions in the heat of battle is what gets heroes killed. Thank you for setting my mind at ease.” 

Rook gave her a small smile before her face turned serious once more, “So what are the Inquisitor’s plans? Should I expect-”

She was interrupted by a sudden change in the light outside the window and the sounds of horrified screams coming from the docks. Rook and Morrigan stared at each other for a single moment in shock before both women rose quickly to their feet and ran for the exit. Lucanis already stood just outside the door, his typically stoic face raised to the sky with a mix of shock and fear painted across it. Not good, Rook thought before shakily forcing her eyes to take in the state of the sky.

Icy panic exploded in Rook’s chest at the sight. Impossible… That’s not… she couldn’t seem to form a full, coherent thought as she tried to come to terms with what she was seeing. The moon was being dragged to cover the sun. The gods were moving their timeline up rapidly. Their plan was to not even give her a chance to stop them from completing their ritual, and they were quite literally moving the heavens and the earth to do it. 

“No…” Rook heard herself whisper brokenly. “I don’t…” 

How was she supposed to fight beings that could accomplish something like this? Hell, these beings were the ones her people had worshipped. They were so powerful they could claim godhood. Rook was one person, and she was terrified. NO. Her own voice thundered in her mind. You promised yourself, promised the ones you failed that you’d never shrink back from a fight again. You swore you’d never feel that helpless again. That you wouldn’t give up ever again. So pull it together, and MOVE. The gods won’t wait for you to catch up. 

In response to these thoughts, Rook straightened up and squared her shoulders. Two pale hands came up to slap either side of her face in unison. That was better. Lucanis looked away from the sky upon hearing the forceful strike, and gave Rook a concerned look. She would have cherished it under any other circumstance but unfortunately, the world was ending. 

“Right.” Somehow, she managed to speak loudly and with authority. “Lucanis we need to get to the Lighthouse as quickly as possible and get our allies together. We don’t have much time to get to Tearstone Island before those blighted fucks finish their cursed dagger.” Rook started down the stairs but stopped when she reached the bottom. Her shadow still stood at the top of the stairs, gaping at her like a fish. Upon meeting her gaze again however, his face became that of the skilled assassin again. They needed the Demon of Vyrantium right now, not Lucanis Dellamorte. Rook turned before she could watch him begin to follow her and took off at top speed towards the Eluvian. She wasn’t even a hundred percent sure they could make it in time, but that had never stopped her from trying before.

   *   *   *   *

Rook and Lucanis practically fell out of the Lighthouse Eluvian in their haste to reach the rest of the team. Rushing up the stairs to the library, they found all 6 other members of the Veilguard (7 if you count Assan, which she did), standing around the table arguing.

“We are completely fucked!” Taash shouted at no one in particular, flames appearing at the corners of their mouth.

“The plan hasn’t changed.” Davrin spoke loudly over Taash’s growls. “We go to the island, kill Ghilan’nain, and take the dagger before Elgar’nan can use it to blight the world.” Assan screeched as if agreeing with his companion.

“Um, I don’t know if you’ve seen the sky Davrin,” Harding cut in, “But I’m pretty sure the gods moving the moon wasn’t part of our original plan.” The small woman was doing her best to hide it, but Rook could hear the anxiety breaking through her light tone.

“Everyone has seen the sky, everyone knows what’s at stake, and everyone here has already promised the same thing.” Rook’s voice filled and dominated the space, and silence quickly fell over the room. She spoke loudly, but didn’t yell. The warden maintained a steady, firm tone as she continued, “We do whatever it takes. I’m going to need all of you in order to stop this madness and save the world. We can’t do that if we’re busy squabbling and panicking.” Rook met each of the team’s eyes, doing her best to silently communicate that everything was under control (it wasn’t, at all).

“You’ve all grown strong and overcome so much already.” She smirked before adding, “The gods have never met the likes of us, and now we are going to make them regret coming out of that prison in the first place.” Making sure that each person’s eyes remained on her, Rook swept her gaze over the people that had become so important to her. She hated that she had to say it. She didn’t want to be the one to give the command, but that was the cost of leading. “Get your gear and do it fast, we leave in five minutes.”

Wordlessly but with more fire in their eyes, the team scattered quickly to gather their armor and weapons. Rook turned to Lucanis, “Get word to the Crows, we will need them.” The assassin nodded at her before taking off towards his pantry. As he exited, Bellara was already re-entering the library, tightening the last straps on her leathers. 

“I sent word to the Veiljumpers, they should be meeting us at the island.” Bellara reported. Rook shot her a grateful look. Thank goodness for Bellara’s quick mind. She heard a thundering sound behind her and turned to see Taash flying down the stairs from their room.

“I just sent word to the Lords, I’m sure Isabella will meet us there.” Taash was practically vibrating, the Rivaini was ready to go now. Any trace of fear had left them as soon as Rook came back and took control of the situation. Rook nodded her approval at Taash before turning to Emmerich who was making his way down the stairs now.

“Have the Mourn Watch been alerted?” She was pretty sure she already knew the answer, but a good leader had to be certain of which pieces were moving where. “We need total control of the board, kid. That’s the only way we are going to get any advantage over Chuckles.” She had learned that lesson from the best. Varric knew what it took to inspire people, and to inspire was to lead. 

“They have indeed, Rook. I just sent Manfred off with a word to Vorgoth. I’m certain my fellow Watchers will join us as soon as they are able.” Emmerich gave her his usual gentle smile, but Rook knew him well enough now to see the worry just behind it. She nodded her thanks as Neve, Harding, Davrin, Assan, and Lucanis re-entered the library together. “The Crows have been notified, I expect Viago will be coming himself with a group of his best.” Lucanis informed Rook in his serious, business-like tone. 

Good, he’s locked in. Rook thought, relieved. She needed him at his best, even if that was selfish. He might be the only one capable of taking down Ghilan’nain, and failure wasn’t an option this time. 

As if reading her mind, Lucanis directed his next words at Rook alone, “I will not fail again. Ghilan’nain dies today, by our hand.” Hearing them speak as one was comforting. Lucanis and Spite’s intentions had aligned at last, and not a moment too soon.

“Perfect.” Rook said, a dark grin spreading slowly across her face. “The gods aren’t going to know what hit them. Let’s go.”

With that, Rook led her team through the Eluvian and across the Crossroads to Tearstone Island. She moved with the confidence of an army general that had never lost a war, but inside she was filled with self-doubt. The team trusted her with their lives, and now she had no choice but to put them all on the line. Maybe it was her time as a Grey Warden, but Rook had a good sense for if a fight was going to cost lives. She felt sick when she noticed the familiar tug in her gut. One of us isn’t going to make it back….Rook did her best to shrug off the thought. It didn’t help anyone to get lost in doom-filled thoughts. 

One by one the Veilguard stepped through the Eluvian onto the soil of Tearstone Island. They stood in a line as they all took a moment to stare at the sky. The sun was nearly entirely covered by the moon now. Rook swallowed hard, her throat incredibly dry all of the sudden. “Let’s move.” she forced the words out, strain evident in her voice. If the team noticed, they gave no indication of it. She was glad for that.

They quickly got to the location where they needed to split up. One would need to lead a small team around the island in the opposite direction in order to keep eyes off of Rook and the rest of her team. Both Davrin and Harding volunteered themselves right away. 

“ I have experience leading people into battle, and you know fighting Darkspawn is what we are made to do.” Davrin argued in favor of himself.

“I’m the scout!” Harding pointed out, “It should be me, I know how to move quickly and efficiently, and am great at navigating unfamiliar landscapes!”

Rook looked between the two of them. How was she supposed to choose? They were both clearly willing, but she knew that whoever she chose was going to be in much more danger than the rest of them. Harding was staring at her intensely, and when Rook turned to fully meet her gaze, she had her answer. The scout’s eyes communicated one simple thing: “Let me make it right.” Harding had the same chip on her shoulder that Rook did, she couldn’t deny her a shot at the redemption they both so desperately craved.

“Harding will lead the small group. Taash, go with her.” Taash looked at her gratefully and nodded. Rook knew Taash wouldn’t have their head on straight if they spent the whole time worrying over Harding, so it was better to just have the two stick together for now. Everyone else comes with. Lucanis, Davrin, you guys are running point with me on this.” The two men nodded and stepped up to her sides. 

“Everyone knows the plan.” Rook said, addressing the whole team. “If we fail, the world as we know it is over.” She swept her eyes over each Veilguard member’s determined face, “So we won’t fail. Protect each other, and stay alert. Now go, we're already out of time.”

Harding, Taash, and their small group started off at a run to the other side of the island. Rook took a deep steadying breath, That’s not going to be the only tough decision you have to make today. She grimaced at the thought, but forced her body to continue moving forward. Rook managed to get her legs to run after a few steps, and they were off. 

*   *   *   *  

Lucanis stared at Rook’s back as they ran further inland. Here he was, following her as she plunged into danger once again. It probably should have bothered him but being at her side at all was enough right now. At least it meant he could protect her if need be.He was a fool for not making his feelings known sooner. The fear of hurting her, of not knowing what kind of man he could be for her, had held him back. He had wasted so much time. I have to tell her. When this is all over, I’ll tell her how much she means to me, and beg to stay at her side. 

Rook could feel his eyes on her back as she followed the small footpath that would take her to the gods. She wanted badly to turn around and hug him. Just once, she wanted to know what it felt like to be held in Lucanis’s firm, but gentle grasp. Rook crushed the thought immediately. She had a mission, a job to do, and it was far too important to make a mistake because she was distracted. Maybe afterwards though… When we finish the job, I’ll go to him. I’ll tell him what’s been true for a long time now: I love him as he is, demon and all. I’ve never really belonged anywhere, but I want to belong with him. 

Only, things had never gone the way Rook planned. It was stupid to think that would suddenly change now.

Part 4 here

Part 2 here

Part 1 here

DATV Masterlist here

[teaberrii]

Chapter 12: What Haunts Us

You and Dan Heng are a match made in heaven until fate takes him away from you too soon. Years later, you think you moved on with a mutual friend who shared your grief and stuck with you during tough times until you meet a mysterious man with a striking resemblance to your past lover and a hidden motive. You’re determined to get rid of him, but how are you going to get rid of a god?

Dan Feng/You

Notes:

Cross-posted on Ao3

Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail crossover

Female reader

Chapter index at the end of chapter one

Support my writing

After taking him up on his offer to get a bite to eat, Dan Feng suggests a nearby restaurant that recently opened. So, here you are, walking next to Dan Feng with your hands in your coat pocket.

“It’s a little late for dinner,” you say, breaking the silence. Then, jokingly, “Did no one want to cook?”

“Bailu did, but I wanted to take you out.”

You almost stop at the unexpected boldness. You open your mouth but can’t find the words, so you make a joke instead. “Is this some sort of mind game where you treat your victim to a meal before you kill them?” Dan Feng glances at you without turning his head, and you awkwardly face forward and quietly say, “Well, you did say you want to kill me.”

“And here I thought we were on the same page. You’re my friend unless proven otherwise.”

You clear your throat. “So… Bailu cooked, but you still wanted to go out and eat?”

Dan Feng was staring at his phone, the conversation between you and him was open on the screen. Finally, he sighed, turned around, and Bailiu and Zhongli stood upright.

“You might want to give him some space,” Neuvilette said, quietly sipping his tea from the sofa.

Bailu pointed to Dan Feng’s phone. “You didn’t ask her!”

“Are you nervous?” Zhongli asked.

Dan Feng scoffed. “I’ll ask her once you two stop breathing down my neck.”

Bailu and Zhongli looked at each other, and it was Bailu who said, “Yeah, he’s nervous.”

“Why don’t we invite her over for dinner?” Neuvilette asked. He looked at Bailu. “I thought you out of all people would want her to taste your cooking that’s”—he raised his hands to make air quotations—”'out of this world'.”

“We can always invite her over,” Bailu said. “But, Brother Moon needs to make his move!”

Dan Feng rubbed the space between his brows. “You have way too much time on your hands.”

Zhongli chuckled. “You like her, though, don’t you?”

Dan Feng looked off to the side, and Bailu and Zhongli smiled at each other. “She’s human,” Dan Feng finally said. “A human with a strange connection to the woman from my past.”

“You know what your biggest flaw has always been?” Bailu sighed. “You never live in the moment. You’re always thinking about”—she changed her voice so it sounded like she was mimicking him—”what’s going to happen next? What about the future?” She looked at him like an older sister chiding a younger brother. “Yeah, she’s a human. But, you like being with her, don’t you? Just enjoy the time you have with her.”

“As much as I’d like to agree with that sentiment”—Neuvilette looked at Dan Feng—”it might be you who gets hurt in the end.”

“Don’t forget about her,” Zhongli added. “Who knows? She might take a liking to you too, if not already.”

“And... Do you really want to keep her at a distance?” Bailu asked. “Besides, if she does like you or whatnot, it should be her choice whether she wants to stay away or not, right? She knows what you are now! I’d say just focus on what you want. For anything to happen, it’s a two-way street.”

The silence eventually grew too much for Bailu to bear.

“What? Why’s everyone all quiet?”

Neuvilette took another sip of his tea. “Would you like to grace us with more wisdom, Master Bailu?”

She threw a pillow in his direction, which he swiftly dodged without putting down his cup.

“She wants us to spend time together,” Dan Feng finally answers. He’s expecting you to be surprised. Maybe blush a little.

But instead, you say, “Yeah… I hope it’ll get us closer to figuring out why I’m having these dreams.” When you see him slightly frown, you raise a brow. “What? Aren’t you curious too?”

“Let’s… not talk about that right now.”

“Then, what do you want to talk about?”

“You.”

The unexpected response stuns you into silence, and you almost stop. It doesn’t help that he’s still looking at you, too.

“M-Me?” you ask with a small chuckle. “Well, you know plenty. I should be asking about you.”

“You can ask anytime. But tonight…” He smiles at you, and your face unexpectedly warms. “It’s about you.”

Upon reaching the small, cozy restaurant, Dan Feng opens the door for you. Once you and Dan Feng are seated at a table near the back of the restaurant, you open the menu. After ordering, Dan Feng looks at you and asks:

“You said your father was a language professor… What about your mother?”

“She was an academic researcher,” you say. Then, with a little smile, “They went through undergrad and grad school at the same university but didn’t meet until they started working there.”

“Funny how life works sometimes.”

“Yes,” you say, looking down, and Dan Feng instantly senses something is wrong. “That’s... where they also died. It was an accident… in one of the labs my mother was working at.” You quickly look up. “Ah, sorry. I didn’t mean to bring down the mood.”

“No.” His gaze softens. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

“But… that was how Dan Heng and I got closer.”

It had been nearly two weeks since you were back at school. Anyone who’d seen you would say you looked like a zombie: dark circles under your eyes, and your hair was frizzy and messy like it hadn't been combed or washed in days.

You were folding your parents’ clothes in their room when your grandmother softly knocked on the door. You turned and saw her faint smile.

“Your friend’s here to see you.”

“Friend?” you asked, turning back. “I wasn’t expecting anyone.”

“He said you hadn't been answering your phone. He sounded like he was worried.”

“He…?”

“Dan Heng?" Your grandmother gestured for you to come out, but you didn’t. "Do you know him? He said he’s a friend of yours.”

“Ah… Yeah." Then, quietly, "We're not that close."

“But he still came all this way.” Your grandmother walked in and sat next to you. “You haven’t been out of the house for a while. Why don’t you go and get some fresh air? It’ll be good for you.” You sighed and stood, knowing there wasn’t a point in arguing with your grandmother. You walked out of the door and heard your grandmother say, “He should be right outside.”

And she was right.

“Hi,” he said, as soon as you opened the door.

You still weren’t smiling.

“I… got your address from Stelle,” Dan Heng quietly admitted. “I hope you don’t mind.”

You stepped out and closed the door. “I’m fine,” you said. But, your tone screamed that you weren’t. “You didn’t have to come all this way.”

Dan Heng reached into his bag and pulled out a folder. “You missed quite a few classes, so I photocopied my notes for you.”

You took it and slightly smiled upon seeing the cover decorated with stickers and doodles of what you liked. Then, when you opened it, you were pleasantly surprised to see the organized, color-coded notes.

“W-Wow,” you finally said, flipping through the pages. You also noticed a little cartoon at the bottom corner that seemed to move as you continued going through the notes. You chuckled. “What’s this?”

“It’s… something I thought you’d like,” he said, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “I understand school is probably the last thing on your mind.” You looked at him, but he was looking off to the side. “And… I know nothing I can say can make things better. But…” His eyes meet yours. “If there’s anything I can do, please ask.”

Your sad smile doesn’t go unnoticed.

“It sounded like he made you feel better," Dan Feng says. "And it sounds like he came prepared.”

A waiter comes with your food and sets them on the table.

“Prepared?” you ask, after the waiter leaves.

“The notes. The little cartoon. I applaud him for his efforts.”

You look up at him with a smile without lifting your head.

You and Dan Feng eat in silence before you stop. You wipe your mouth with a napkin and scoot slightly closer to the table.

“Hey…” Dan Feng looks up from his food, and you ask, “What was it like back then? There was magic, right? What… What happened to all of it since, well, there’s obviously none now.”

“And here I thought you would be curious about Dan Heng in the past.”

“I am,” you admit. “But, considering what you told me… I don’t think it’d be appropriate for me to ask.”

“Based on what you told me about him”—Dan Feng quietly scoffs—”he sounds like the brother I used to know. But, the one I knew was a military general."

You almost spit out your water. “Military general? And, um, what about you?”

“I was in academia.”

“Ah… So you didn’t lie to me back then.”

“I didn’t lie about everything."

You point your fork at him. “Did you know you can get in trouble for posing as a police officer in this world, Mister?”

“Oh, so does that mean you’re going to tattle on me?”

You chuckle. “If you tell me what I want to know… I won’t.”

Dan Feng smiles. “Guess I don’t have much of a choice.”

You take a bite of your food. “I’ve been curious… If magic existed back then, why isn’t there any mention of it now? We have so much information about our history, but nothing mentions magic or is even taught in schools.”

“It’s because of The Great Purge.”

You blink once. “I’m sorry. The Great… What?”

“The Great Purge,” Dan Feng repeats. “It was when we used magic… to get rid of itself.”

“But… Why? And we…?” You put down your fork. “Did you cause it?”

“I was against it,” Dan Feng says, “but for the wrong reasons.” He put down his chopsticks. “I wanted to bring my family back to life.” The look on your face tells Dan Feng what’s on your mind. “The woman I’m looking for… She didn't just kill Dan Heng. She also killed my parents." A small pause. "She destroyed my home.”

The attack came out of nowhere.

Dan Feng was in his bed, eyes wide, and his muscles taut as he stopped the blade from slitting his throat. An armed man, someone whom he’d never seen before, was on top of him, desperate to make the final, lethal blow to his throat. But Dan Feng was stronger. He pulled the covers and took his chance when the man stumbled to the ground. With one swift kick to the head, Dan Feng knocked him unconscious and took his blade. He was about to kill him when he heard a blood-curdling scream outside.

He rushed out and saw a maid stabbed in the throat. His blood ran cold as she lifelessly fell to the ground, and his gaze hardened when the armed soldier charged at him. Dan Feng swiftly dodged his attacks and impaled him with the blade. As he ran to his parents' room, he heard screams, metal clashing against metal, and smelled the strong stench of blood.

His body trembled, and his heart raced as he ran past the dead maids he talked with just yesterday night. What in the world was going on? Why was this happening? Where did this attack come from? His mind was a blur. But as he neared his destination, he pushed his questions aside. The important thing was—

His heart instantly dropped to the pit of his stomach when he saw, what looked like, bloody handprints on the door of his parents’ chamber. He immediately slid the door open, and despite being prepared for the worst, his world still came crashing down when he saw the bed full of blood.

Dan Feng ran over. His father was already dead, his throat so badly cut that it almost looked like he was decapitated. His mother lay next to him, hanging onto her life by a thread.

“M-Mother…!” Dan Feng tightly gripped his mother’s hand, his own hand trembling, eyes wide in disbelief at the gruesome scene.

Blood continued dripping from the bed to the floor. Upon noticing the gaping wound on her stomach, he sprang into action, but his mother’s hand stopped him.

“It’s… It’s too late.”

“What are you talking about?” he asked desperately. He chose to ignore the blood from her throat. “I can fix this! I—”

“Find your brother,” her mother said weakly. Then, she slowly lifted her other hand, revealing a familiar necklace of pure gold and white jade. His heart shattered into a million pieces. “It was her… She…” A cough and Dan Feng held his mother’s hand tighter. “Your brother’s in danger. Please… Dan Feng… Find him. Save him.”

“It still bothers me to this day how the attack happened," Dan Feng says, looking at his food. "It was just… It was so sudden.”

“I’m so sorry,” you say quietly. “But… how did you know it was because of that woman?”

Dan Feng closes his eyes for a brief moment. “The necklace my mother was holding belonged to her. I gave it to her as a gift. And… She admitted it herself when she died.”

Red clouds. Orange sun. Dark blue skies. It was as if the massacre on the ground had painted its way to the heavens. The strong stench of blood was everywhere one went, and even in demolished buildings, one could still see and hear flames licking away at the debris. The screams had stopped, and what was left was a silence devoid of life.

Dan Feng walked toward a dead man and a woman in a forest on the outskirts of the palace. The man, his brother, lay face up and was impaled with a weapon known as the Cloud-Piercer. It was his brother’s favourite. The woman was holding him in her arms and sobbing into his chest. She was once  the woman both of them loved. But now…

“I’m sorry, Dan Heng.” Her voice was barely above a whisper. She coughed, and her blood landed on Dan Heng’s hand. As soon as she saw Dan Feng, she quietly said his name. 

"Get away from him."

"I—"

"I said get away from him."

She slowly stood.

"Tell me you didn't do this," Dan Feng said, his voice low.

“I… This wasn’t supposed to happen. I tried to stop it." She began to sweat and her face quickly grew pale. "I… He was… He was supposed to…” A cough and blood landed on the forest floor while dripping from her lips. “I’m sorry. I—”

He grabbed her and pulled her closer. "Why?" His knuckles turned white. "Why would you do this?!"

“I wanted to protect you… and Dan Heng." Her voice was getting increasingly weak, and her lips turned a faint blue. “I’m sorry… This wouldn’t have happened if…”

“If what?!"

More blood fell onto her clothes. Before she could answer, her body suddenly went limp, and she would've collapsed if Dan Feng didn't catch her.

"You can't die," he said, his voice breaking. "You—"

She opened her mouth, but her voice was gone. Dan Feng said her name. Once. Twice. But, the life had left her eyes, and once her hand fell to her side, he looked down and screamed.

You can’t find the right words no matter how hard you try. You can’t even begin to imagine how frustrating that must’ve been. Dan Feng gives you a kind look and nods at your food.

“Your food’s getting cold.”

"That... That doesn't make any sense," you say quietly.

“Yeah, you're telling me,” Dan Feng mutters.

You’re about to finish the rest of your food when a thought suddenly hits you. “Hey…” Dan Feng looks up. “The man she supposedly mentioned… Do you think he’s the one who gave Lan that note?”

“I never would've thought the two were related, but since you said Lan's looking for a woman… It’s possible.”

You sigh as you go back to your food. “And the plot thickens…”

“If it’s true, this person would’ve been using Lan and Nanook. But, my question is why he would be looking for her.”

“Maybe… the same reason as you initially. To kill her?”

“But… Why? Assuming this man was manipulating her, it sounded like he achieved his goal."

You rub the space between your eyes. “I guess we don’t have enough information to go on. Maybe it's best to stop playing Sherlock.”

You’re about to go back to eating when Dan Feng says, “Whatever the reason… I won’t let him have you.” You look at him without tilting your head, and his eyes meet yours. “Did I say something wrong?”

“Um, well, it just…” Your face feels warm. “I appreciate you looking out for me even though, you know”—you quietly scoff—”it was just yesterday you wanted to kill me.”

“Guess you’re not going to let that go anytime soon.”

“Oh, definitely not,” you deadpan.

Dan Feng smiles, but it could’ve been a smirk. “What about I get you dessert to make up for it?”

You narrow your eyes and pick up the menu you’d asked the waiter to leave behind when you first ordered. “Not afraid I’ll pick the most expensive one?”

“If I was, I wouldn’t bring you here in the first place.”

You keep your eyes on him as you open the menu. Eventually, you order a chocolate strawberry sundae, but you feel a bit nice, so you say:

“We can share this… if you’re okay with that.”

Dan Feng slightly leans closer. “You sure?”

You also lean closer. “If I wasn’t, I wouldn’t ask.” He chuckles, and then you go back to your food. You and Dan Feng finish up and order dessert when you bring up The Great Purge. “So, who started it…? And… Why?”

“They were called the Stellaron Hunters, a group that people thought only existed in history and folklore.”

“Stellaron Hunters…?” You can’t hide back a little smile. “Off topic, but sounds like a guild from a video game or something.”

The waiter arrives with the dessert; it’s bigger than you imagined. You and Dan Feng pick up a spoon and start digging in.

“That’s not too far off,” Dan Feng says. “After the war ended, a new era began. New people had to be put into power and rebuild the nation. So, I was working with the Hunters who became the lawmakers of our time. The parliament, if you will.” It hits you now that you’re talking to an ex-prince or king. Dan Feng looks at you without lifting his head. “Something wrong?”

“No, it’s nothing,” you say. “Um, so… After what happened, they decided to get rid of magic?”

Dan Feng takes a bite of the sundae. “That’s right. Black magic was even more rampant at the time. People were using it to do all sorts of misdeeds. It was too widespread and too chaotic to control. There were theories and speculations that our enemies used magic to infiltrate undetected.” He sighs. “But, there was no evidence.”

“I bet many people were against it,” you say quietly. You finish one of the chocolate strawberries. “I wouldn’t be surprised if normal magic was integral to people’s lives.”

“You’re right. The convenience and just human habits… No one wanted to go back to an era without magic. It was a life people thought would be miserable.”

You’re about to take another scoop of the sundae when you say:

“Wait… Does that mean… You wiped their memories?”

“We wiped everyone’s but our own,” Dan Feng admits. “And our excuse was so we and those that came in the future wouldn’t make the same mistakes again.” You’re down to the last strawberry when Dan Feng looks at you. “It’s yours.”

“Well… Even without magic, wars still happened.” You eat the last strawberry. “And technology is the closest thing to magic, I’d say. So… people will always find a way.”

“A double-edged sword, I suppose.”

You chuckle. “You mean… People’s determination to innovate is great, but they don’t think about the consequences?”

“Humans are weak against their desires, so even though they’re thinking about the future, it’s often through rose-coloured lenses.”

"Hey, don't gods have desires, too?" You look at him skeptically. "It doesn't seem like you're too different from us."

"We're not too different except we can control our emotions at will."

"Seriously?" you ask, eyes wide. 

"But that requires magic."

"I guess I'll believe it when I see it."

You and Dan Feng leave the table and head towards the counter where he beats you to pay for everything. Once again, he opens the door for you, and soon, both of you are returning to the apartment, not noticing rain is on the horizon.

“I guess Furina wasn’t part of the Stellaron Hunters,” you say. “That would make things too easy.”

“No, she wasn’t. She also wasn’t mentioned during my time with them.”

You and Dan Feng are waiting to cross the road when you feel a drop on your head. And another… and another until…

A hand is above your head, the only cover against the pouring rain.

“Come on. We can take cover over there,” Dan Feng says.

And soon, you’re running across the street with your hand in his.

Both of you are standing underneath a building, watching the rain flood the streets, but you can hear your heart thumping in your chest. Does he know that he still hasn’t let go?

Suddenly, Dan Feng’s phone buzzes with a message, and you can’t ignore the disappointment when he finally lets you go.

R U OK?

And then a worried-looking, anime-like sticker.

Dan Feng quickly replies to Bailu and slips his phone back into his pocket.

“Looks like the rain isn’t going to let up…” you say. Then, jokingly, “Should we run back anyway?”

Dan Feng notices a nearby convenience store. “Let’s grab an umbrella.”

You and Dan Feng head inside just as a woman with a young child buys an umbrella at the counter. When you and Dan Feng head over to the stand, lo and behold there’s an umbrella.

Just one.

“Guess the rain took everyone by surprise,” you say.

Dan Feng picks it up and heads to the counter. After leaving the store, Dan Feng opens the umbrella, and you aren’t surprised to see that it’s only big enough for just one person. Regardless, he looks at you and says:

“Come on.”

So, that’s how you and Dan Feng end up walking a little too close together. But you notice that he keeps the umbrella more on your side despite you telling him it’s okay. So, by the time you’re at the front entrance, his shoulder is soaked.

He notices you looking at his shoulder and says:

“It's just rain. I'll be fine.”

As you’re waiting for the elevator, you glance at him. “Thanks for dinner today. Let me treat you next time.”

He smiles. “Looking forward to it.”

The elevator doors open, and you step inside. “Hopefully by then, this entire mystery will be solved.” You turn to him. “You said you were here for only a year… Was that the truth?”

“I have a year to get Lan and Nanook back to our realm. If I don’t, I’ll be stuck here.”

“Does that… Does that mean you’ll become human?” you ask.

Dan Feng turns to you. “It doesn’t work that way. Technically, I’m not supposed to exist. So…”

You stiffen. “So… You’ll what? Disappear?”

“Gradually.”

“Then… What about Lan and Nanook? They’re not supposed to be here either, right? Is it possible to wait until they just disappear?”

The elevator stops and the doors slide open. “They can still return. They’re supposed to. They wouldn’t be banished like I would be.”

“Sounds unfair to me,” you mutter, stepping out. "They killed people and still get to return?"

“Regardless”—Dan Feng faces you—”I intend on making the most of the time I have now.”

“You could’ve told me this sooner.”

“You mean after I found out we were friends?” Dan Feng quietly scoffs. “Yeah, that would really bring up the mood.” Then, he smiles. “Hey. Stop with the frowny face.”

You still don’t look happy. “I’m not.” Then, you quickly head to your flat. “I’ll see you tomorrow. And…” You look at him before heading inside. “Thanks for dinner again.”

As Dan Feng heads to the flat opposite of yours, he wonders if getting close to you is really the best thing to do.

Chapter 13

Tag list: @lunavixia @aerithsthingss @sunsethw4 @boomie-123

[hermitw]

I want to make a list of my JJK theories and opinions so we got (part 1 bc I know I'll have / remember more later).

-let gege cook, everyone will be fine, chill tf out (I have rambled about this in other posts so I'll just leave it at that here)

-Toji and Geto's worm is like banana fish (the drug from banana fish that makes someone delusional, easily suggestible, and violent until they self destruct. Geto lasted a lot longer than Toji under its influence bc he had his rituals of meditations, affirmations, and strong ethics. His cursed energy would have also fed the worm, though it had been trained to feed off of the soul when it was with toji). It eats away at their souls/BRAIN so Kenjaku can get into a new skull will little resistance. Remember when Geto was unconscious and Toji said the thing about monkeys? Then Geto kept repeating that kind of thing (but he never rly acted like he believed that. He was just trying to keep his daughters and innocent youth safe from becoming skapegoats like Rika was. He saw that the cult and the village would repeat their cycles and more would be hurt in the future. He couldn't redeem those adults so he killed them.) I go into this theory a good bit in my longest/first jjk fanfic, and I AM DYING for gege to confirm this. I also ofc think that Kenjaku set up the worm and Toji to find each other. Maybe by throwing it into the zenin curse pit.

-kenjaku hit Rika with his car, or at least manipulated someone else into doing it (which seems to be the theme here, the way he made geto and yuta fight, for example. It's suspicious that Yuta and Yuuji were both from Sendai. I'm sure that he was keeping an eye on them both. We see nanako and mimiko at yuuji's school in that one manga panel in the beginning.

-the prison realm can be used for time travel (since Gojo first got sealed I was expecting him to break out. And then I was expecting him to be so understimulated in there that he'd figure out how to warp time. Dude can already warp space, what's the difference?) and Hakari even suggested using the prison realm for time travel so EVERYTHING'S GOING TO BE FINE they just have to go as far as they can without using it first so they can learn what to do the next time, yeah? I also had a dream about this and Gojo told me that Sukuna didn't feel the time loop, but the rest of us knew it was our second time (at least) going back and trying to defeat him. Which doesn't mean that I'm right but it was nice ok 😭

Theories that have been proven right or wrong by now

-I've been saying from the beginning that Yuuji and Sukuna share a common ancestor and that's why he can be a vessel. I was right!! But I didn't know he was also born with a fingie

-sukuna has six eyes (this has since been disproven but I used to think so)

-the way that RCT works between two people

CHAPTER 261 SPOILERS ON THIS NEXT ONE but I hope ur caught up by now.

-yuta should use as many techniques as possible in Gojo's body bc when Gojo returns to it, then he will be able to learn them as well. Kenjaku was able to retain techniques from his previous bodies, so even if all he transfers is the copy technique, that's fkn useful too.

-there is no chemistry between Yuki and Choso. That concept feels fucking forced and gives me the ick so hard.

-yuki is a terrible influence. She has good intentions, but she isn't present enough to be helpful - showing up in shibuya after Mahito was absorbed, for example. Not keeping in touch with the sorcerers who were involved in that. Not to mention the shit with Geto. She started the whole "what kind of woman is your type" thing and it's her fault that todo beats people nearly to death for giving an answer that doesn't match his own stupid taste (it took several watches for me to forgive todo for beating up megumi tbh)

-todo is also Kenjaku's son, and possibly Yuki - tho yuki is more vibes than evidence. All of Kenjaku's confirmed kids have a strong resolve, and false memories with Yuuji. But I think that kenjaku, in a male body, would be a total slut. His motivation for anything is that maybe it'll be interesting, or funny, he's just here for a good time. I think that he wouldn't even know how many kids he has, and that by having an unknown number possibly out there, it would bring up unexpected sorcerers. The frame where kenjaku asks why don't you heal yourself and yuki says I don't want to... That feels confirmed for me but I know it isn't solid evidence.

-I think kenjaku set up yuki to meet todo bc that feels too sus as well but I forget my logic on that one lmaoooo everything is their fault tho

[faegoddessog]

Woman in Red Ch. 7/17

Chapter 7: Stay Still and Let Me

Series Summary: She's a very successful woman who can't seem to find a partner that can keep up with her. He is just wanting to find someone who likes him for HIM, not his fame. Neither of them are prepared for what hits them when she walks into that coffee shop.

Chapter Warnings: Explicitly mature content, 18+ only, Unprotected PiV (play safe ya'll!), sexual control,

A/N: In this story, I make no mention of birth control or condoms or STI's. Please, darlings, please love yourself enough to protect yourself appropriately when you have sex. <3

Message me or leave in in a comment if you'd like to be added or removed from my tagged list!

@purejasmine @slowsweetlove @richardslady121 @austinbutlerslovers

Here is the Woman in Red Masterlist

Here is the link to all my posted work: My Dirty Little, and not so little Stories.

Chapter 7: Stay Still and Let Me

He had taken her to the shower, washed them both off and tucked her into bed. The sky was barely starting to lighten. She picked up a remote and the curtains closed over the windows. He slipped in behind her under the covers, savoring being clean as he curled around her. She was already falling asleep.

Her eyes flutter open to a clothed, if slightly rumpled, Austin, sitting on the edge of the bed. The smell of coffee wafts into her nose.

“Hey, good morning, afternoon actually,” he brushes her hair out of her face.

“Hi,” her voice groggy. 

“I made you coffee,” he offers her a mug, “I hope you don’t mind me snooping around your kitchen.” 

“To bring me coffee in bed? Not at all,” she sits up, not bothering to cover her naked breasts and takes the proffered mug. It’s perfectly made, with foam on top. The idea of him being domestic, puttering around her kitchen makes her smile. 

“Listen, I uh, have a barrage of online interviews in”  he checks his watch, “about 3 hours, so I gotta get going.”  

“But, what about breakfast,” she rubs her eyes. “I can make something or order in?”

“I have a feeling if I stay for breakfast today, I’ll never leave, because I won’t be able to keep my hands off you,” Austin‘s middle finger rubs back and forth on her forearm. It makes her shiver.

“And that’s a bad thing?” Aya asks, leveling her eyes at him. 

“Well, no, but if I bail, my publicist will kill me,” he shows her a barrage of texts reminding him about the interviews. “Plus, it’d be unprofessional and rude.”

She nods, that she can respect. He’d already proven he was a man of his word. The memory makes her spine tingle. He had indeed fucked her six ways to Sunday and it was only Friday. 

Austin’s eyes go soft as she nods. He doesn’t actually want to go. Blurry eyed, half naked and hair mussed with a bed head, she is the sexiest thing he has seen. He can feel himself getting hard again. Yeah, he had better go. 

“When can I see you again?” be blurts out, more desperate sounding than he meant. 

Aya smiles and sips her coffee, she likes him begging just a little. It was hot. 

“I have a benefit dinner thing tomorrow night? It’s Friday right now, yes?” Austin nods in response,”so the rest of the weekend is shot for me.” 

Austin frowns a little and is about to ask why not Sunday, but she presses on. 

“Are you free next weekend?”

He nods. 

“Meet me here, ” she texts him an address.

“When?” he asks, not looking at his dinging phone. 

“Hmm,” she ponders “Surprise me, I’ll be there starting Friday morning. You can stay all weekend if you want. Text me when you get to the gate.”

Naked, she walks him to the elevator as only her key card will let him out. ‘Trapped in her Sex Tower, indeed,’ he thinks to himself.  The kiss goodbye nearly ends in him laying her on the marble floor of the foyer and fucking her while he was still clothed. At least, that’s what she whispered in his ear. He gritted his teeth and took a rain check. She just giggled. 

.....................................................

Austin’s fingers inside her was all she could think about on the airplane to New York that night. His arms around her after she came so hard  kept flashing into her mind as she graciously accepted the recognition at the benefit dinner. His cock in her is what she thought about as she fingered herself in her New York apartment. The meetings she had in the city Monday and Tuesday went inextricably well, despite the fact that the man who brought her coffee both days was blonde haired and blue eyed and slim. The thought of taking this man home for the night flitted across her mind, but she has rules regarding work and sex. Austin’s delectable kisses occupied her mind as she sipped her whisky sour soda on her plane ride Tuesday night. 

“Good morning!” Dalia walks into her office all chipper, shutting the door behind her. The second the door closes she whirls on her partner.  “No texts, no phone call. Jetting off to New York. I cannot believe you have kept me waiting this long,” she sets croissants and coffee down on the table. 

“You know I’m terrible with texting,” she tries to keep her response casual. The truth is, she never even considered texting Dalia, her mind was so preoccupied with Austin.

Dalia crosses her arms and utters one word,  “spill.” 

Suddenly, it’s like they are teenagers again. Aya covers her face with her hands. “Oh my god Dal,” her voice is muffled, “it was….” she shakes her head. 

“No, he was THAT bad? Ok I forgive you then, no one wants to relive bad sex.” Dalia assumes. 

“Oh no” Aya opens her hands, looking in earnest at her best friend,  “he was THAT good. Seriously Dal, I think it was the best sex I’ve had. He fucking brought me perfect coffee in bed, in my own house.”

“You brought him upstairs?” a sly smile crosses Dalia’s face, “you’ve not done that in a while. You must really like him.” 

“Well I hadn’t planned on it. He brought me back here and I made him a drink and then… he kissed me and I just could not wait. He wanted to do the deed right here,” Aya taps her desk. 

“Oooo, and you don’t mix business and pleasure, not like that,” Dalia agrees. 

“Can you imagine me sitting here trying to work after that? No way,” Aya shakes her head. 

“Did you wear him out?” Dalia’s eyes waggle. 

“Girl, he fucking wore me out… ME!” Aya says, astonished. 

“Oooo, You may have finally met your match, sistah. Please tell me you are going to see him again,” Dalia pleads. 

“He’s coming to the beach house this weekend,” she smiles sheepishly. 

“Aya, first your apartment here, then the Malibu house? Hunny, do I hear the dulcet tones of a budding romance?” Dalia has wondered for a while if Aya will ever ‘fall in love’ again. Watching her friend’s face as she talks about Austin Butler is the closest she’s seen to it  in years. 

“Dal,” Aya is a mask of  matter of fact and seriousness,” I’ve told you, I put romance aside a long time ago. Nope, this is just about fantastic sex. Besides, I've trained myself out of that ‘orgasm equals love’ response.”

‘Closed off is more like it- after Antoni,’ Dalia thinks. She just nods in response, keeping her thoughts to herself. 

............................................................

Austin did his interviews, luckily he had a lot of practice keeping his personal life out of the spotlight. Plus, by now the interviewers knew and respected him enough to know that they’d not get anything from him. But thoughts of Aya floated just under the surface. Her laugh, her shameless way concerning sex, her playfulness and surprises. He couldn't stop smiling, even alone at his house going about his daily routines. He dreamed about her body contorted in pleasure under him, over him, because of him. He woke up every morning to thoughts about her mouth around his cock. Jesus. Her mouth. Try as he might to go about his normal life, he knew deep down it was forever changed. 

“Tell me about this,” Ashley says from across the table. His sister was in town for a day or so and they never missed the chance to meet up. They had always stuck together through thick and thin. She is handing him her phone. He takes it, with a smile. It’s a tabloid website with pictures of him and Aya in that sexy red dress drinking coffee, he is smiling at her. 

“Go ahead and swipe,” she says, shaking her head. 

The next photo is of Aya leaning against him taking a selfie, then another of him looking over her shoulder. It seems he is looking at her phone, but he remembers this moment distinctly. He was staring down her cleavage. The last is him wrapping his arms around her in a hug outside the coffee shop. She is on tip toe and his face is buried in her hair. 

“Hmm” he stalls, pretending not to remember, “it’s probably just some fan that I met,” he smiles and tries to brush it off, handing Ashley her phone back. 

“Oh Austin,” she shakes her head, “Who do you think you are talking to? I KNOW you Austin. This, “she gestures to her phone, “isn’t your fan-meeting smile.  Everything about you in these pictures says you are intrigued by this woman. Who is she?” 

He was a trained actor and a damn good one at that. But he couldn’t lie to his sister and had never been able to lie to her. 

“Her name is Aya,” he states. 

“Mmm hmmm, and where did we meet Aya?”  she presses.

Austin just raises his eyebrows and  pointedly gestures to Ashely’s phone. 

“Wait, that was it?” she is flabbergasted, “what are you some kind of main character in a romance novel or something?” 

“Maybe,” he shakes his head and laughs. 

“I assume she in the industry?” Ashley’s voice has a resigned tone. Ever since he blew up,   women were always trying to get to her brother, hoping he could  help them get a break, hoping to get into his bed, hoping to touch him just once. She hated it. He was such an amazing person and he deserved so much better. Besides, she was his big sister, it was her job to help him, protect him. She had promised as much to their mom. 

“Not even a little, she owns her own investment firm. She seems really successful, owns the building her office is in and a couple others. She didn’t know me at all when we met. It was awesome.” He lights up as he talks about her. Maybe this one would be different.   Ashley just wants to see her little brother happy.

........................................................

In his Alfa Romeo Gulia, Austin drives up the PCH. It’s a gorgeous California day. His left hand is stretched out the window, the one with the small 27 tattooed on it. He is playing with the wind like a kid. Like he remembers doing in the car with his mom. He missed her fiercely, especially any time he was driving alone. That was a mantel he wore all the time, though. She would want him to be happy, to live life to its fullest. And that is, exactly  what he is on his way to do, live some life, find some joy, maybe even some love. 

He follows his phone map’s directions to turn off into a clearly residential neighborhood. He drives by a horse crossing sign. There are only the barest glimpses of houses through the vegetation and different types of walls and barriers. He comes to a cul-de-sac and stops in front of a simple looking wooden gate posted with the number she gave him. He checks his watch, it’s 2:30. He wonders if he should wait a bit, just so he doesn't seem too eager, but then decides his pride would just waste time. Besides, he is eager. Eager to just spend time with her, eager  to hold her, eager to sink his cock into her.

He opens his text app only to realize that he has not texted her since he left last Friday, and that was just a thumbs up. Fuck, he was so bad at texting!

He sighs and thumbs in, “Surprise! I’m here!” 

He waits about 3 minutes in increasing worry that he has the wrong place. Then she sends a thumbs up emoji and the gates start to open in front of him. The driveway is long and curved. The fences on either side show peeks of manicured property and huge sprawling homes, if you could call something like that a ‘home’. Finally the driveway gives way to a circle. All he can see of the house is the double garage door and a gate. The rest is hidden by a hedge. 

He parks and walks to the gate, his backpack tossed over his shoulder. He can hear the rushing waves of the ocean beyond. He loves the ocean, a California boy at heart. 

He doesn’t see a door bell or anything, so he tries the latch on the gate. He was sure he was going to find some kind of secret tunnel or hidden mansion behind the gate. The modest ranch home he discovers is  both surprising and intriguing. It is obviously well kept and cared for. He spies a camera doorbell at the door and pushes it. He waits for about a minute, hoping again, that he has the right home.  

“Hey Austin, come on in,” Aya’s sleepy voice finally comes through, “’m napping. Come find me” 

He isn't sure he heard her right, when the lock whirrs and clicks. He tentatively opens the door  into a simple entryway. To the right is an open concept galley kitchen with a dining table beyond. In front of him is a sitting area with a huge sliding glass wall that is open to a deck out the back of the house. The interior is bright and light, accented with an array of blues and blue greens.  

“Aya?” he inquires, closing the door behind him with a soft click. It feels a little weird just walking into someone’s house. She didn’t volunteer any information about this place. Is it hers? Does she live here with someone? He sets his bag on the entry table looking on the couch to see if she is there. 

A cat purrs around his legs. 

“Hey kitty,” he bends down to pet the soft gray fur, “do you know where Aya is?” 

As if it actually understands him, the cat meows and walks down the hallway to the left, pausing to look over its shoulder, waiting for him to follow. He passes a bathroom to the right, two guest bedrooms to the left, which are devoid of life. At the end, the hallway turns to the right. He can see another set of huge glass sliding doors at the end of the room beyond. There is a big bed with Aya shaped curves in it.  He follows the cat through the open door. The cat jumps up on the bed and nudges her hand,

“Yes Kato, I know he’s here, thank you.” Kato purrs to himself and curls up at her feet. 

“Hey, I’m sorry, you said to surprise you, right?” there is doubt in his voice.

“I did, welcome to my weekend house,” she rolls over to look at him, naked breast peeking out from underneath the sheet, “I was just resting up. I have a feeling someone is going to keep me up past my bedtime tonight. Now take off your clothes and snuggle me.” She tosses the covers back behind her and rolls back over to face the open door and the ocean. 

‘Snuggle me?’ she thinks, since when did she ask a boy toy to snuggle?  ‘Since Austin’, the little voice in her head says. It slowly creeps into her mind that he may be far more than a boy toy. She is grateful that she is facing away from him when this thought strikes her. 

He shrugs and starts to take his shirt off.  It’s the weirdest way he’s ever been invited into a house: no greeting at the door, hide and seek with a cat, then told to remove his clothing?  But this is also the lady with secret passageways in her office and a mouth so sublime it made him do a 180 on his opinion of blow jobs. Once she flips the covers back, he can see her naked back and top of her butt cheeks.  He starts to get hard just looking at her skin. What’s he gonna do, tell her no? He strips down, draping his clothes neatly on a nearby chair. He slides between the soft sheets. Pressing himself to her back.

“Mmmm, that’s perfect” she says, twining her hand in his under the pillow. 

She takes a big breath and her whole body relaxes against him, her breathing deepens. He  decides there is no harm in just resting his eyes and enjoying being close to her. After all, they have time. 

.........................

Aya stretches and cracks her eyes, the yellow orb of the sun is thinking about setting into the ocean. 

“That is a gorgeous sunset,” she sighs. 

“Not as gorgeous as you,” a low voice rumbles in her ear. He had clearly been awake.  A hand drifts from her rear, over the curve of her hip and into the dip of her waist. Goosebumps spring up on her skin. 

She turns to face him with a smile on her lips. 

“I bet you say that to all the women who invite you over for naps,” she giggles. 

“I mean,  if you are done napping, I could go…. ” he smiles at her, moving closer.

“Well that would ruin all my plans for the evening,” her voice is low and sultry. 

“Oh you actually have plans? And here I thought this bed was where we were gonna spend the weekend,” he rolls himself partially onto her and pushes himself up on his arms.

“How is that not a plan?” her eyebrow arching in mild protest, her tongue darting out in provocation. 

He is poised above her, one leg between hers. All the nerves of a first date gone, just the excitement of knowing how good it was last time and suspecting an ever better time tonight.     He has been thinking about her non-stop, thinking about this moment, about having her naked under him. About sinking into her. Fuck he is nearly shaking with desire.  He pushes his mouth eagerly to hers. It’s all he’s wanted for hours, days.  

He’s a little too forceful, a little too desperate to get his tongue in her mouth. She grabs his jaw, her thumb under his chin. He is nearly too far gone, dipping his head down to her, leading with his tongue, until she squeezes and he freezes.

“No, let me,” she says into his mouth.

“Let you what?” he holds still on all fours arching cat-like above her. 

“Shhhh,”  her head arches up to him. Her lips gently press onto his. Her tongue laving at his bottom lip as she sucks it into her mouth slowly. She takes her time in kissing him just as she wants, her hand tight on his jaw. Little mewls of desire escape from his chest. Her control of him is wildly erotic. 

She feels a cool drip onto her belly. His swollen cock is suspended between them, aching for attention. 

“Jesus Austin, you are dripping,” her free hand slips between them. 

He has forgotten that he’s not situated fully on top of her yet. He wants her to grip him fully, guide him to her warm wetness. She doesn’t. One light fingertip flutters across his tiny hole,  his breath hitches and he groans in her ear.  His hips pulse forward, trying to get more, anything more.

“Ah ah ah” she admonishes, tightening her grip on his jaw again “stay still and let me”. 

Her forefinger draped over the top of his shaft and her middle under, she holds him steady with minimal contact. Her thumb is positioned perfectly at his tip to swipe lightly back and forth, gathering the fluid more than spreading it. She lets him go and brings her precum-covered thumb to her mouth. She smears a little on her lip, like lip gloss, then drags the delicious, viscous fluid across her tongue. Moaning, she rubs it against the roof of her mouth. Her eyes flutter closed in enjoyment.

“Oh fuck,” he breathes. The clear pleasure in her tasting of him is unbelievably sexy. He’s never been this close, this poised to fuck and been made to wait purely for the anticipation. It’s only the force of her quiet words that is keeping him still, he’s not even entirely sure why. 

She lifts her mouth to his, Austin finds his own tongue drawn to her shiny bottom lip. He sucks his own salty fluid from her, the effect is intoxicating. The sensation of light pressure returns to his shaft and her thumb slipping up and over his little, weeping hole, then back again. He lowers to his elbows and buries his head into the crook of her neck. He is holding the rest of his body still but his mouth latches onto her neck, groaning and sucking. He is shaking, wild with desire. It’s too much and it’s not enough. Maddening is what it is.

She is reveling in this measured torture of his cock. He’s wet enough now that she expands her tiny stroke to his frenulum. It's a power play, but so much more. Hearing his deep seething groans, giving him just a fraction of sensation in just the right spots, building up his desire one tiny stroke at a time; it is all turning her wildly on.  It’s like stoking a train engine. She knows that once she lets him loose, he will fuck her senseless. It’s what she wants eventually. But right now, she wants to make his body beg. 

His whole world has come down to the tiny movement of her thumb on the head of his cock. He barely registers when she nudges his outer leg with her own. He lifts his knee and she moves so he’s between her legs. He is still hovering above her, still on his knees and elbows. His cock still aching for her.

“Stay right there,” she whispers in his ear.

He just nods, having, for the moment, giving in to her authority. She tilts her hips under him, wet lips barely touching his tip. It’s all he can do not to groan at the warmth, at the promise. She lifts a little higher, holding him steady and spreading her lips apart.  He realizes he isn’t lined up with her vagina, but with her clit. The hard little nub rubbing his dripping little orifice. Clit to tip, she starts humping up to him, working herself against him. Her breath is hot on his shoulder as she pants. His fists clamp down onto the pillow under her head. It’s positively salacious being used like this. He finds that he fucking loves it. 

As Aya gyrates under him, she is surprised that he is still letting her toy with him like this. All it would take is a little tilt of his hips and a thrust and he would be buried in her slick. Her clit feels hot and swollen as she works it against him. She is perilously close to pulling him into her and letting him go wild. She wants it so badly. She angles him down to her wet rift. His breath seethes as he struggles to hold onto control. 

With her hands pressing on his ass she says, “down just a little”. It's a gamble, he could easily just give in to his carnal nature. He doesn’t. He stops when his head is just inside her.  She rides him up and down, groaning into his neck. Her hands clamped onto his hips. Austin moans at how hot her pussy is, how her lips seem to suck at his cock. 

“More,” she pulls at his ass. He lowers just a fraction of an inch. 

“I want you deep,” she moans. 

He hears the fraction of a plea in her voice and suddenly the tables turn on a dime. His jaw tightens and his eyes narrow. He captures her hands from his ass, one at a time, and pins them over her head. 

“Do you now?” It takes all his acting training to keep his voice measured. He lifts away from her, tip just in her. 

“Fuck me,” her eyes are a little wild, suddenly not getting what she wants, what she needs.

“Say please,” his jaw is tight, it’s taking all he has not to give in. 

Aya’s lip curls as she looks at him through her lashes. She bites her lip trying to decide how rebellious she should be in this sudden game. She presses against his strong grip. Her hips are vibrating, she can feel her wetness pooling. Fuck he is amazing. 

“Please, Austin,” she gives in. Afterall, he played the good little sub for her, it’s only fair. 

“Please what, Aya,” she can see he is on his last straw. 

“Please. Fuck my needy pussy.” Orange light from the sunset flares into the room, highlighting his divine form above her.

He plunges in deep. Their moans echo one another, chests pressed together. 

“Say it again,” his voice rumbles in her ear.

“Please, Austin, please fuck me,” she breathes low in his ear.

She swears she hears a growl as he withdraws and pushes in again and again and again. 

It’s fucking nirvana after all the anticipation, days and days of anticipation. 

.......................................................................

It’s twilight out now. They are lying in a tangle of sheets. Both trying to  recover the air in their lungs from their exertions. He had held her face in his hands as he plunged in and out of her. She had clung to him, nails leaving little half moons on his ass. It was fairly straightforward, both of them just wanting the other. As soon as she had moaned “Oh god, I’m cumming’ in his ear and she had arched her stomach against him, his hips scooped forward, pushing hard and he let loose his cum into her. 

“Oh god, Austin, I needed that,” Aya says, brushing the hair from her face. She feels uncommonly good with him still inside her, his body weight on top of her. 

“Me too,” his voice is muffled in her neck. “Honestly,” he lifts his head, vulnerability in his eyes, “I’ve been thinking of nothing but doing that to you all week.”

Aya presses her lips in a smile. There is no way she is ready to admit out loud that it was the same for her. She could barely admit it to herself. 

Austin sees her face and mistakes it for skepticism. He pulls back and out of her. Watching her eyes roll back in her head a little. She is so responsive to his every move.  

He nearly slides back into her, just to watch her. Instead he lays next to her, propped up on his elbow. 

“Hey, um… I’m uh…” he bites his lip. “Listen, I’m sorry and I should have told you this last weekend before I left,” his words tumble out fast. Aya is frowning and pulling back. It dawns on him just how bad that could sound. He rushes on to explain, “but I’m sorry I didn’t call or text you or anything. I really did think of you all week. It’s just that I’m terrible with my phone, half the time I don’t even know where it is.” 

At first, Aya was waiting for him to admit some sort of misdeed like: ‘I’ve got a girlfriend’, ‘I’m a Scientologist’, ‘I’m actually Austin Butler’s secret twin’. When he apologizes for not texting she just refrains from bursting out laughing.  

“Austin, I am not upset by that? You’ll note that I didn’t text you either. I figure you had a busy week, I sure did. I knew I was going to see you, so I didn’t fret about it. Truth be told, I am crap at texting people too.”

He blows out breath in a huff. “Ok good. It’s just been a bone of contention with other girlf- other women in the past.” 

She notes, but doesn't outwardly acknowledge that he almost said ‘other girlfriends’, implying that he was already thinking of her as his next. ‘I will have to manage expectations early on with this one,’ she thinks to herself. 

“Austin, I am not some young thing that needs constant contact or constant buttressing of my worth. You can consider it one of the perks of-” the words ‘dating me’ nearly fell out of her mouth. Whose expectations are we managing here? “-of an older woman,” she finally says. 

“Not that it matters to me at all, but when I find out your age someday, am I going to be shocked?” he grins. 

“What makes you think you are going to find out,” she winks at him as she stands, heading for the bathroom. In reality, she actually doesn’t care if he finds out, it’s just fun to be mysterious.

[ntaras]

Khaos Reigns? More like Kill Yourself

i honestly went into khaos reigns with no care because i had already lost a deep interest and respect for the mess that mk1 became, but i came out caring a little. it took a lot of restraint to not post every single thought i had on the story and have a second meltdown similar to when mk1 was released. but i gathered my thoughts (kind of. this is just me rambling) and decided to put it all down in one post. 

btw when i say it's me rambling i mean it. like half review and half saying whatever the hell i want. if you need clarification or don't understand what i'm saying please ask. i'd also like to figure out what i'm talking about

i think this story mode was overall bad because it provided no actual expansion to the story. it kind of just was? like, liu kang’s timeline is safe at the end of the story and i don’t think there’s any repercussions to the timeline itself from havik’s invasions. the only thing that “changed” was bi-han turning into noob saibot- but that also has no bearing to the story. one of the things the dlc is centered around is bi-han’s transformation, but there is zero growth from him. him being forced into corruption via chaos did not change bi-han at all because he’s still the same power-hungry, stubborn, desperate man. the lin kuei is now under sektor’s command but she’s proven to be so loyal to bi-han that she’ll lead exactly him (in fact, she won’t even lead it because the tower endings show she breaks bi-han out of the temple of elements and continue his desires of lin kuei dominance.)

i understand they “rescued” bi-han so early from being noob saibot because in past games bi-han been noob saibot without growing- but it was still done so poorly that there was no need for noob saibot. like i just said: noob saibot is still just bi-han. nothing changed. nothing affected him. he had no purpose to be reintroduced as noob saibot. he was just kinda mad about it. it feels like a very cheap shot at bi-han’s character- somehow worse from how he was written in the base story. at least the base story allowed you to think on bi-han’s redemption or even his prolonged villainary. noob saibot proves he’s nothing but a brat who wants to be a brat for the sake of being a brat. (like sure his anger is understandable as it’s directed at havik for what happened to him but did it change anything about bi-han? he was prevented from killing havik because he let his anger and ego get in the way but what is new about that? that’s just bi-han. that could also be kuai liang. that could also be raiden. that could also be sonya blade. there is nothing special about his specific reaction.)

there just has never been any commitment to bi-han’s character nor has there been an attempt at understanding him besides “hey. he’s kind of an ass and sometimes his soul gets corrupted. wdym corrupted means he wasn’t always the evilest man alive?” i just don’t think they take him seriously as a character and he was quite honestly a nothing character in khaos reigns. i’ve said before but for a man who had a whole game dedicated to him it is shocking what they do to him. 

another thing they really fucked up on was making bi-han a frost/sektor wannabe and as a result the actual sektor we see is just. written horribly. 

both cyrax and sektor were not treated well by the story but i think sektor got the short end of the stick. cyrax’s biggest downfall was her lack of involvement in the story because you can get rid of her (and sektor) and nothing would change. however she still felt like cyrax. i liked her a lot. i liked her naivety to the lin kuei. her want to prove herself. her establishing that she refused to cross certain lines. i like her and i want kuai liang to stop harassing her and every other woman. 

but back to sektor because wowwwwwww. wow. i’ve said before bi-han’s bad characterization is also a result of kuai liang’s bad characterization and vice versa but add sektor to that list also. i’m going to speak as objectively as i can regarding her and bi-han because i have never enjoyed them as a ship the second they announced she was a woman. but i assumed there would be implications about their relationship but nothing set in stone like they did with cyrax and kuai liang being exes because making them canon would be stupid. it would make no sense because sektor is not a character who values the romantical life. there has never been such a connection between sektor and bi-han. sektor as a character- not a man or a woman- has always been involved with a storyline of a lack of humanity and the embrace of “perfcetion” in the form of lifeless cyborgs. sektor’s character would not make sense if they were romantically involved with anyone. yes that also includes cyrax because their relationship is too complicated to be boxed in as “love”. 

the moment i saw sektor and bi-han embrace each other i could only feel emptiness. 

it’s because she’s a woman. that’s it. that’s the only reason. this isn’t indicative that sektor and bi-han were banding in previous timelines because i’m so sorry to smash your fantasies of bi-han getting fucked because you’re incaplabe of viewing characters as anything BUT fuck dolls even if sooo much of their character contradicts that BUT. they would never. well actually maybe they would but only on my terms. but honestly it’s just a disregard of who sektor was because he’s a she now. (this isn’t only sektor. it’s cyrax becoming exes with kuai liang and it’s tanya needing to be paired with rain (her needing to be paired with anyone for her character to matter! i have more thoughts on tanya though that i will get into later)). it is not an incapability because writers are capable of writing women like normal people without the need for romance but it is a refusal to write women with the same regard as male characters because well. they don’t think women can exist as characters without being in some kind of relationship. they don’t want to examine sektor’s anger as frustration at being ignored and dismissed and her need to lead and her anger being an emotion that frustrates her and that leads her down a path of removal of humanity but instead she’s mad because of bi-han. she’s loyal to bi-han. why? because they’re dating. why? because it’s a new era. ok. but why are they dating? because she loves him. why? like there is no reason for this to happen to sektor. must a character who’s expressed no desire for humanity suddenly be open to love because they’re a woman? this romance is useless and goes against sektor. it’s not sektor it’s nrs hating women. 

it is mk11 sindel and shao but like. between people who do not give a fuck about each other.

also i know you can argue that bi-han and sektor were seen working together in sub-zero’s ending in mk11 but i did not like that either it does not make sense for bi-han to give a fuck about those robots.

before i forget i should touch on sareena because not even a snippet of her in a character ending? i don’t care if you ship them or not i don’t care if they canonically bang or not they’re still sooo intertwined with each others story that this entire thing was baffling. i read the leaks so i was aware sareena would not be involved in the story but still it feels so malicious and gross. she is evidence of bi-han’s humanity and bi-han is evidence of her sareena’s humanity. she’s so important in all the “is bi-han evil” arguments. besides havik she’s one of the most demanded characters that this just feels juvenile. i want sareena to have a story outside of sub-zero (and she does i think!! it’s barely there though) but their interaction is still so important. 

onto other things. 

ww2 johnny was BORINGGGGGGG. like this is your comic relief and for some reason he suckssss?? i do think he just existed to be a skin. how shocking. but genuinely the story would’ve done well without him and gave his slot to someone else. dare i say khamelon? it was very nice to hear her speak after years of not really mattering that much. i like that she’s a little sassy. i wanted to see more of her. fan of her dynamic with sektor. 

i am very tired with mk1 mileena because she is so very passive and listens to everything that liu kang demands of her. she’s a little cranky and wants to kill people because everyone is responsible for her mother’s death. i think empress mileena is just kitana on steroids. 

btw i just rememebred the wedding and i forgot about because who cares lol. kuai liang looked ugly what else can i say? ok fine i’ll talk about harumi ummmm it’s nice that she’s alive so that johnny cage can flirt with her. 

but seriously while it is nice to see her in game with an actual model it is gross how she is kuai liang’s voice of reason. he is a grown man he should come to the conclusion that killing cyrax is not a good thing on his own. also real kuai liang would not kill cyrax like the writers want hanzo the writers want hanzo the writers want hanzo the writers want hanzo 

speaking of kuai liang. and bi-han. i am sick of those two. i still don’t understand what brotherhood they ever had. like the one thing i really liked about those two is when bi-han and kuai liang started bickering while fighting khaos cyrax/sektor and the khaos version of themselves. like that shove bi-han gave kuai liang felt soooo brotherly. and it made me happy to see them like that for a couple seconds. also because kuai liang just took it like lollll you are such a little bro, bro. youngest siblings unite for being beaten up by their older siblings <33

speaking of younger siblings. tomas looked REALLY ugly. in general. :// also back to the wedding why was no one dressed up considering how good soooo many alt skins looked. cause if a white man came to my wedding in his ugly uniform. 

and now speaking of the good things… well the mediocre things also i guess. 

i already discussed cyrax maintaining some of her old self which i am happy about. her and ermac i loveeeee because they are their old selves while also suffering from minimal screen time (cyrax worse imo because she didn’t do much plot wise).

do you have any idea how good it was to see frost thrive in that arena? how she succeeded in killing everyone? how she killed mavado cause GOOD RIDDANCE. i truly thought she’d get a one second scene but no she got a 10 second scene. it isn’t anything but i am so happy for frost. 

one thing i thought i would be pissed about was wife tanya and her wife rain. i don’t care about tanya and rain as a ship. i think it’s a very boring ship. and i’m still not ecstatic about them but… there’s something charming about those two. and i think what i find charming is tanya’s character. like i think she pulled all the weight for not despising her and wife rain as a couple. 

i’m not really into mk1 tanya. and i don’t like that the second tanya we see is also a good version of tanya- but something about her works. it might just be that she’s in the main action? and it is because of whole “tanya can speak to dragons thing” cause that scene was SO GOOD. first the nervousness in her face and then the determination as she prepares to speak to orin. the calmness as she elevates to orin. i’m so happy we also got to hear the language being spoken. just the way tanya spoke to orin feels like we got a good serving of lore- of dragon lore. 

if i ever want a good tanya i want empress tanya. 

i ended up liking havik A LOT more than i thought i would. i think the only thing holding him back is his goals because they do not suit him. i’ve said before it’s tricky to write havik into a villain because his chaos is his neutrality. he is both kind and mean. helps both bad and good. titan havik is fighting for a dictatorship which is not what havik is about!!! but he is SOOOOOOO funny. he is hilarious. ww2 johnny sucked as a comedic relief and titan havik stepped in. he is sooo charismatic and sooo lovely just ignore how the story glosses over what happens to him in the end 

but the thing i truly loved the most was chaosrealm. oh my god i love chaosrealm so much. like move over deception chaosrealm we have mk1 chaosrealm and it is superior in soooo many ways. there is so much happening when you first see chaosrealm. giant rainbow slug i love you. guys beating up people on the street i love. preacher shokan i love you. THE TVS. THE INTERCOM IN THE MAZE. they should've given havik a mic and it would've been perfect. like i wish the game was free roam because it would so fun to explore that place. i want more places like this. i want to look at the details and keep finding more random useless details. i want to wonder what the fuck is going on in a fun way. 

however. none of that makes up for how painfully bad the story was. like how bi-han developed in no way as a character- the story was moved in no way. the story just boils down to noob saibot = popular character. cyrax and sektor = people have been begging to play as. and cool skins. everyone gasp in shock upon realizing this was just a way for wb and nrs to get money. 

but really like what do i say when nothing happened? the only character development i can argue for is kuai liang accepted cyrax into the shirai ryu. but is it such a small thing that it doesn’t matter. the lin kuei will still operate without her as they usually do. portions of it were fun. we got orin back. rain got a chapter. i don’t know what else to say. it’s just… not good. it’s that shrug emoticon 

¯\_(ツ)_/¯/10

[freellamabeliever]

(ALICIA ZDINARSK A.K.A. Z-DOG LIVES IN A DARK WORLD. SO SHE WILL BE DAMNED IF ANYONE TRIES TO TAKE AWAY HER ONLY BRIGHT LIGHT. AFTER ALL A BIG SISTER HAS TO PROTECT HER LITTLE HUMAN SISTER)

Natalie Portman as Mary Zdinarsk.

(Z-Dog's POV)

I was talking to my little sister Mary and smiled. I can't believe it's been fifteen years since I last saw her. Last time I saw her she was thirteen and now she is a twenty eight year old woman.

"I can't believe you actually stayed with the RDA Mary."

"Well someone had to make sure Avatar was growing healthy. And as your sister that responsibility was mine. Plus I am the best female mechanic and tech nerd here. I enjoyed making sure my big sister was healthy."

"Your arm still hurting Mary?"

Mary looked down at her bruised up arm and her smile dropped. My blood began to boil as I remembered finding out about her abusive ex boyfriend. I hugged her tightly in my arms and slightly picked her up. She smiled up at me.

"Well Marcus is not a probation anymore as he is in solitary confinement until he is sent back to that dying planet. And I want to thank you for not threatening to kill him. You didn't act on your impulsive thoughts this time."

I scoffed.

"I am not that over-protective Mary."

"Alicia you once put a man into a coma for hugging me."

"Point proven."

"Okay now put me down."

We both laughed.

-An hour later-

I was walking to a room where only I knew. No one knew about this room not even the RDA. I opened the door and walked into the room and locked the door tightly. I then faced the bloodied and bruised man tied to a chair. He looked up at me and paled even whiter than he already was. Fear was written all over his face as I sat in front of him. I ripped the duck tape off his mouth as he let out a shaky breath.

"Please let me go. I won't tell anyone I promise."

I chuckled sinisterly at him.

"Now why would I do that. You hurt someone who is special to me out of your own freewill. Now give me one good reason I shouldn't end you right now."

I place the tip of my knife on his throat. I smiled sinisterly and chuckled darkly. He didn't speak because he couldn't give me an answer. I stood up and stared down at him.

"What cat got your tongue? Or is it the fact that you think you can escape and tell everyone what happened. But believe me when I leave this room you'll be a skeleton before anyone will even stumble upon this room. By then it will be too late and no one will be able to Identify you."

I cut Marcus free from his bindings and watched as he tried to make an escape. He couldn't even make it to the door before he collapsed from weakness. I walked up to him and grabbed him by his throat and lifted him in the air. He tried to make a scream for help before I threw him against the wall. I crouched down to his level and smirked.

"These walls are sound proof. So good luck."

He kept whimpering and looking just pathetic. I gripped my knife and brought it close to his neck.

"I am going to teach you a lesson on what happens when people hurt the ones I love."

It was night and everyone was sleeping. When I was through with Marcus I cleaned up and got rid of the evidence. When I finally reached the room I shared with my little sister I smiled as I saw my little sister asleep on her bed. I closed and locked the door. I walked over to my little sister and smiled. I kissed her forehead gently before whispering in her ear.

"Don't worry baby sister I will always protect you. After all isn't that a big sister's job."

I lay down next to her holding her in my arms and made sure to mentally promise to never leave her again.

[bunnytornado]

Between a Desk and a Hard Place Chapter 2

Cross-posted on Archive of Our Own

Chapter 1 | Chapter 3

“Either you find her, or I do. Asmodeus, this isn’t the time for games. I will not allow for a single living mortal soul to ruin my daughter’s dreams. Once you find her… kill her. Do not allow my daughter to hear of this either,” Lucifer snarled and disconnected. Within a second of hanging up, he slammed the phone down on his desk, rattling the desk and everything on it. “Imbeciles. Like my plate wasn’t already full of the fact I’m now helping Charlie run that stupid hotel. Fucking Hell, a god damn human?!” Lucifer paced in his office, his tail and horns forming and unforming as he tried to reign in his anger. “I’m surrounded by idiots.”

As he crossed back over to his desk, Lucifer plopped into his chair and shoved his face into his hands. “I don’t want to have to kill her…but if I don’t find her first…and word gets out…” The pain of his regret could be heard in his voice. “If anyone but me finds her…That means she would be in a different ring then even the Sinners. Human Souls must stay in the Pride Ring.” Lucifer was now muttering to himself as he started to open drawers and went about locating his magic mirror. Something he made after watching some human movie with his daughter when she was younger. While at the time, it was just meant to be a toy for his daughter, it had proven useful over the years.

Lucifer stood up and walked over to his giant paned window. Focusing his magic, the golden swirl of it flowed around him. Soon, it flew up into the air and then dove down into the mirror. The mirror shined bright for a second and then shimmered. Soon it showed a young woman, with blonde hair and blue-grey eyes, hiding under… a familiar looking desk. A smirk formed on Lucifer’s face as he turned to look at his desk. Who would have thought the human was closer than he could have ever dreamed.

Without a word, he walked back to his desk and placed the mirror down softly. “Mirror Mirror…On the wall…Where has that human gone?” He said mockingly, his tone full of mirth and delight. “Is she walking along the beaches of Envy? Partying with Gluttons? Or…is she,” Lucifer trailed off and within a second, he used his magic to rip the human from her hiding spot under his desk, ignoring the cry that flew from her lips. “…Amongst the Prideful,” he purred as the human now hovered in front of him.

He cupped her chin and gave a wicked grin, tilting his head. “Well now… I suppose it’s not every day I find a young soul hiding where they don’t belong. You’re a long way from home little rabbit,” Lucifer said and with a wave of his hand, she was forced to sit on his couch. “Now. Why don’t we discuss your situation?”

The human’s eyes were wide with fear, and she trembled adorably. It almost broke his resolve to play the benevolent and cruel ruler of Hell. She was a human though, he had to keep her in line somehow. Further, she had been in his office. Who knows how long she had been there or what she had found.

He snapped his fingers and summoned up a decanter and a couple of glasses with ice in them on to his desk. As he poured them both a glass of whiskey, his eyes never left hers. “So…Little Bunny. Why don’t we start with your name?”

A gulp came from the human as she shook her head. Her ample bosom rose and failed rapidly, much like one would expect that of prey once it was caught. “C-Christine,” the human, Christine, whimpered out and as Lucifer walked closer with the whiskey, pressed herself further into the couch.

“Now, now. I haven’t hurt you yet? Have I little rabbit? It’s a pleasure to meet you, Christine. Not many mortals make it into Hell alive, even fewer can traverse from one ring to another as unscathed as you,” Lucifer said and winked. “Seems divinity has smiled on you a tad?”

Placing the whiskey down on a coaster that sat upon the coffee table, Lucifer nudged it towards her. “Please feel free to indulge. It’s an old favorite of mine.” He grinned at her and tilted his head, part of him feeling remorse for the fact she cowered more. Right, he had sharp teeth. That would terrify any mortal. He supposed he did have the characteristics of a predator.

“Look. While I can not promise for the future, for now I am not going to harm you. In fact, I might even wish to assist you if we can…find some common ground,” Lucifer offered and his chair slid across the floor, powered by his magic. He sat in it and tilted his head curiously at the human.

He smiled softly as the human took a small sip of the offered whiskey. A laugh bubbled at her face as she sipped it. “Not a fan of whiskey I take it?”

“I-I normally don’t drink it straight…I’m more of a cocktail, mead, or wine kind of person,” his little rabbit said quietly. “I-It’s not bad though!”

“Would you prefer I gave you one of those instead?” When she nodded, Lucifer snapped his fingers and the whiskey glass turned into a glass of his favorite wine. “There you go. This is a Conti Grand Cru, from around…I think 1945...?”

His eyes narrowed and a purr came from him as he watched her sip it. The purr grew louder as he watched her eyes perk and a sparkle form. “Well now, that seems to be more to your liking little rabbit.”

“It is! It’s good. I never had wine like this before,” Christine admitted and sipped more. “I didn’t know wine could be good after being that old.”

“Ah but for a lot of things, age is but just another word for wisdom and experience. For good wine, it makes it better,” Lucifer said and swirled his glass of whiskey. “Now…Why don’t you start informing me of how you got to Hell. Then, tell me about your travels. Then for the finishing touch of your story…inform me of how such a sweet and innocent soul ends up under my desk. Don’t leave any details out. I want to hear everything. Then from there I can plan how to punish you and then what our next steps will be. Little Bunny, I do hope you do not tell lies or attempt to hide anything from me.”

He leaned back in his chair and watched the human wiggle in the chair and try to get comfortable. A smile split across his face as he tilted his head. She really did remind him of a little rabbit. Even if her name was Christine, from now on to him…she would be Bunny. He wondered if she tasted as rabbits did.

However now was not the time for such thoughts. Now was the time to focus on her and her story. Her own little Dante’s Inferno. However, she would not be working her way through purgatory or paradise. No, she was going to be stuck here in the inferno. Where in the fiery pit, he was unsure of. But he knew she would be residing here for the rest of her days.

Lucifer wanted to be merciful to the innocent human. But even he knew there as times that it would not do well to give any respite for a sinner. Her story, honesty, and actions would tell him the best method to handle his guest. After, he would act accordingly and treat the situation as it should be. Either way, Lucifer knew that he was in for a treat.