#adu answers

[wearevillaneve]

You wrapped me up in the colour of love In the moonlight, baby It must have been an angel came down from above Giving me love, yeah Giving me love, yeah You gave me the kiss of life Kiss of life You gave me the kiss of life

-- Sade, "Kiss of Life." (original illustration by prianikn_ke/Twitter)

[oftenwantedafton]

haunted | dave miller x female reader

rating | explicit

part 3/?

words | 3.9k

cw | none

ao3 link

taglist | @tylerxrbtwhp

Dave Miller stands in front of the mirror in the employee locker room in the depths of the concealed pizzeria and considers his appearance.

He will never add another line to the few that crease the corners of his eyelids or tuck alongside his mouth; never see the genesis of another silver thread seeding the dark chocolate mane. The joints that he had once feared would eventually succumb to the ravages of time, stiff and kinked with arthritis, are no longer a worry. There are no aches, no pains. There is no more sense of having to rush to complete things. He no longer has to bow before time, that constant, irefutable master that every living creature must ultimately answer to. It is now his plaything, an abundance that spreads before him, an endless field stretching in all directions, borderless, limitless, infinite. No further interruptions for the work that had fascinated, blinded, consumed him.

He is eternal, true; his pizzeria, however, is not.

That is why he is still careful with his supplies. The lightbulbs will not last forever, which is why he only allows a bare minimum of power to be conducted into the building, leaving most of the circuits switched off. His writing utensils will eventually reach their demise, the graphite and ink depleted. Those are the more common items he is concerned about.

Then there are the components of the animatronics. They’ve endured a lot, but even those long lasting materials will wear down eventually. The building itself is decaying around him. It will take years before it becomes a serious problem, but it also calls into question what that means for his own existence. If he’s truly tethered and bound to the establishment, what would happen to him if it was destroyed? Would he simply vanish into thin air? It seemed a cruel joke to be given an illusion of immortality only to snatch it away again. He still doesn’t believe in a higher power pulling the proverbial strings, but he does put faith in the concept of destiny. Surely he is meant for something greater. That’s why he’s been allowed to transcend into this new form, an unbound specter unlike the souls he’d permanently trapped inside of the animatronics. He’d once thought of this afterlife as a sort of prison, but perhaps that’s not the mindset he should have after all. This is not torment. This is a gift. He should make better use of it. He should be planning and plotting and scheming, just as he’d done when he was mortal. He’s barely managed a few sketches, merely jotted a couple of notes. He was growing lazy. Complacent. He needs to focus. This is what the ghost of the man that had once been known as William Afton tells himself, but that newfound resolve is already showing cracks.

In that quiet dark where the spirits of deceased children slumber, he finds himself thinking of you.

***

You stare at the blank space on the shelf in front of you for a solid five minutes before you realize the books you’d just revealed inside the shipping carton are still waiting at your feet.

You shake yourself, reaching for several volumes of the hardbacked novels. They’re a reissue, new dust jackets slotted over a popular young adult supernatural romance series that’s never really waned in popularity. They’ll probably sell well. The manager certainly seems to think so; there are at least half a dozen more boxes just like this one out back in storage.

Once the rows are neatly lined up and you’ve got one book from each volume facing the front of the display, you retrieve the empty box and return to the back room, breaking down the cardboard and adding it to the pile waiting to be taken to the recycling bin. You consider what to unpack next, deciding you might as well resupply the impulse buy items kept near the register. Children are the biggest fans of these goods, fussing with keychains and bookmarks and stickers, wheedling at the adults’ elbows until the items are invariably tossed onto the counter for purchase, indulging in that brief whim that likely will be forgotten moments after they’ve left the store.

It’s one of the slower days for commerce today, the nice weather still keeping people outdoors. You take your time rearranging the displays, your coworker flipping through one of the gaming magazines from the rack lining the wall nearby while you pull out a carton of miniature constructible plastic figures, some knockoff Lego brand that features a few building pieces tucked into each pouch. They’re still pretty cute, even if they are bootlegs. Especially this pirate one. You pause, looking at the image on the bag, the character clad in a stereotypical striped shirt with a bandana wrapped around its head and a cutlass in its hand, and you instantly think of Pirate’s Cove.

You haven’t been back to the old restaurant since last week, and you’re not entirely certain why not. You’d been invited. You’re welcome to go there. So why did it still feel so intrusive? So forbidden?

That security guard would surely enjoy the break from the monotony. After all, how much action can Dave really be seeing down that end of the mall? There couldn’t be that many trespassers. It must get boring. Lonely.

What is it about that man that intrigues you so much? What is it about that place that keeps casting a spell on you, creating a feeling that lingers long after you depart its walls?

You realize you’re zoning out again and focus on finishing filling up the bins. It’s early afternoon. You might as well take your lunch break now. You’re pretty sure you know exactly where you’re going to be spending it.

The stores at the opposite end of the mall are still vacant. It’s funny how those lots that are close to the old pizzeria just don’t seem to attract any vendors. It has to just be coincidence, right? Maybe it’s the idea of being so far from the more active part of the shopping center. Concerned about drawing enough customers to actually make a profit. A financial decision. That has to be it. Odd that no further works seems to have been completed on that final area still allegedly under construction as well. Everything looks exactly the same as the last time you’d visited: signs, boards, plastic sheeting, broken wall. Maybe that was a funding issue as well. Running out of money to finish the project. You wonder if they won’t just decide to tear down the pizzeria for good. Convince the stubborn owner to finally let go and demolish the remains. It makes you a little sad. To have withstood so much only to be brought to such an undignified finale.

You’ve brought lunch from home today, generous portions that you now realize might have been your subconscious acting on Dave’s behalf. The man looks like he could do with a decent meal. Maybe he’s just got one of those rapid metabolisms. You’re a little envious.

The security guard appears almost as soon as you arrive, as if he’s sensed you coming. His gap toothed little smirk greets you as you enter the dining room.

”Long time, no see.”

“Hey. Yeah, I guess it’s been awhile.” You hold up the bag in your hand. “I brought lunch. I hope that’s okay.”

“Of course. Pick any table you like.”

“Uh…this one looks fine.” You walk amidst the chairs and tables and booths, choosing one at random that’s somewhere near the center of the room. There’s a half walled partition lining one side of the booth with a sheet of stained glass bearing the images of all of the main mascots, and another with the Freddy Fazbear’s logo. Depending on how you stand, the light from the skylights filters through the colored glass and sends little rainbows across the flooring. You’re about to set your tote on the table when you notice the layer of dust coating the seats and the table.

“I guess it’s gotten a little dustier than I’d realized,” Dave murmurs apologetically, noticing your hesitation. “I can grab something to wipe it down with from the kitchen.”

“Do you have a microwave? I can eat this stuff cold, but if it’s possible to reheat it, I’d prefer that.”

“Yes, there’s one in the kitchen. Perhaps now would be a good time to begin that tour I promised you. I realize your time is limited, but…”

“It’s slow today. We’ve only had a couple of customers all morning. I should be good for a bit.”

“If you’ll follow me, then.”

Dave begins pointing out the various features as you exit the dining room and enter the arcade. He offers you a peek behind the curtains you’d been curious about, surprised to find the animatronics still looked to be in fairly good condition. There’s a distinct note of pride in his voice as he narrates a bit of the entertainment center’s history while guiding you through each area, and you find it charming. He obviously likes this old place, as dusty and dated and unusual as it is.

Once you enter the restricted employee area, the first room you visit is the aforementioned kitchen. It’s a large space, full of stainless steel appliances and counters and cooking equipment lining metal shelves. You’re pleased to find that the interior of the microwave appears clean, devoid of any primordial crumbs or leftover food spatters.

You unzip your insulated lunch tote and begin removing several containers. The man’s eyes watch each movement carefully, examining the contents as you begin cracking the lids of each: brown rice, steamed broccoli, grilled chicken, and a small tub of teriyaki sauce. You’ve also got a large slice of brownie for dessert that you’d baked the previous evening, a bottle of water, and an ice tea nestled down beside the ice pack at the bottom of the bag.

“There’s plenty here if you wanted to share. I brought extra,” you offer as you load the first container into the microwave. You push several buttons to set the time limit and the interior of the appliance lights up, humming to life.

“No, that’s alright. Thank you, though.” Dave busies himself with retrieving something to clean the table and seats with while you finish reheating your leftovers.

The security guard makes quick work of wiping everything down with a damp rag, followed by a dry one. He settles across from you, looking solemn for a moment, as if concentrating on something, but then his expression clears as you begin unpacking your lunch and stirring things together, then pouring the sauce over the top.

“You probably think I’m crazy not just having it already mixed together, right? I don’t know, it just tastes better this way. The vegetables stay crisper and the sauce doesn’t make things soggy and…”

He nods. “I understand. It makes sense.”

You feel a little guilty about being the only one eating, especially with that hungry look in the thin man’s eyes, but you’d already offered to share and he’d declined.

“So what do you think of Freddy’s so far?”

“It’s pretty neat. Still think it’s a shame it’s just rotting away here, though.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

“Wish the arcade still had power,” you muse, munching on a broccoli floret. “There are a lot of good games over there.”

“Oh, it does. What you’re seeing now are just the bare necessities to light the place and so forth. There are switches for each individual section. It takes a lot of juice to bring the arcade to life, but it’s entirely possible to do so. You’d like to see that?”

“Yeah! I mean, if you’re allowed to do that. Are you allowed to do that?” Enthusiasm quickly shifts to caution. You don’t want to get him into trouble.

Dave smiles softly. “Who’s going to tell?”

“I don’t know. I guess you’re right,” you reply, still a little hesitant.

“Come back when you’re done your shift and I’ll show you. Unless you have other plans. I imagine, it being summer, you have some leisurely activities to attend to.”

You shrug, thinking Dave certainly never spent much time in the sun. Not with that fair complexion. “Not really. I guess I could stay a little while.”

“Excellent.” He eases back against the vinyl padding, folding his arms across his chest. “It occurs to me that I don’t know much about you. Beyond working at the mall, I’m rather lacking in details.”

“Oh. Well, I don’t know that I’m particularly fascinating. My parents are divorced. I’m an only child.”

The security guard hums impatiently. “Yes, yes. But what I mean is, not so much demographic details, but what interests you. Your hobbies. Your passions.”

“I like reading.”

“A bookworm. That explains the job choice. What genre?”

“Science fiction and fantasy.”

“Why those in particular? What do you like about them?”

You finish chewing a spoonful of rice and squirm a little in your seat, mulling the questions over. “The limitless imagination. Being able to exist in other worlds without restrictions.”

“An escape from this reality.”

“Yes.”

“Hmmm. And do you write as well?”

“No, that’s beyond my abilities, I’m afraid.” You shake the bottle of ice tea before popping the cap, then take a large swallow and sigh in satisfaction. “Uh, let’s see, what else. I enjoy baking. I did try working in the food service industry one summer, but the customers could just be so demanding and rude. I took karate and ballet and tap lessons when I was younger.”

A flicker of something in Dave’s eyes at this announcement, though you’re not sure what it is.

“Didn’t keep up with any of those, though I do enjoy music and I like just dancing for fun. Used to take art activity classes at the local library, too. Sewing lessons. Joined the Girl Scouts. Guess just none of it really stuck, you know? I’m grateful I had so many opportunities, though. I know not everyone does.” You begin resealing the containers and then place them inside your bag, finally turning your attention to the aluminum foil wrapped brownie. “You sure you don’t want a piece?”

Now the longing is plain on Dave’s features, an absolute naked want that doesn’t change when his eyes flick back up to your face.

“Alright. A small one.”

You break off a corner and hand it to him. He pops it in his mouth and chews for a long time. That serious expression is back, the dark eyebrows drawing down, furrowing the skin above the bridge of his nose. Now he’s making you wonder if you’d messed up the recipe. You sample a bite for yourself and find it just the way you like it, moist and chewy.

“What about you, Dave? What do you do when you’re not guarding this gloomy old building?”

“Research.”

“What kind of research?”

“Oh, just trying out some ideas. You could say certain things in this establishment inspire me. The magic of making mechanical things come to life, for example.”

“Like those animatronics onstage?”

“Precisely. That is where it begins, in its most basic form. An idea, seemingly improbable, sketched onto paper. Then the learning on how that might be constructed, the acquisition of the necessary materials to assemble it, and, once done so, how it can be improved upon. Always working towards that same goal: making the imagination become a reality.”

“It’s really unfortunate these types of places have gone out of fashion. You’re so passionate about it.”

“It should be discouraging, right? Instead it only makes me strive for it more.”

“You like the challenge.”

“I love the challenge,” he corrects you. “Facing odds that are insurmountable and managing to overcome them and triumph in the end.”

You sigh wistfully. “I wish I was that motivated about something. I still don’t really know what I want to do with my life. My college major is still undecided.”

“You’ll find your way. Follow the spark that ignites your curiosity. Inspires you. It will never steer you wrong,” the security guard declares. You nod, sitting for a moment in silence as Dave’s eyes sweep over the room and then suddenly light up. He points to something behind you. “You said you enjoyed music and dancing, right? There’s a jukebox over there. Got time for a song before you have to head back?”

You turn to see the object the older man is pointing to, the machine one of several others lining the far wall, nestled between a pair of change machines and ticket exchangers. “Oh, cool! I don’t have any cash on me, though,” you realize aloud.

“No worries. I have the keys to that change machine over there. Plenty of quarters and tokens still inside, I’ll wager. Might as well put them to good use instead of sitting there neglected.”

You rise and follow Dave, watching as he extracts a keyring from his pocket and inserts it into the lock, then drags the front of the case open. Even in the reduced lighting you can see the shining piles of coins inside, the silver sheen of the twenty five cent pieces and the more tarnished, brassy looking tokens.

“Help yourself. The jukebox costs a dollar per song, if memory serves me right.”

You peer at the front of the device. “Yup, says it right here.” You reach for a handful of change and then turn your attention to the jukebox. Some of the lights seem to be out, the colorful arched dome not quite as vibrant as it could be, but you still think it’s neat. You’ve never actually used one of these, but you get the gist, pushing the buttons to flip through the racks of artists and song titles. It looks like a lot of stuff from the eighties. You recognize some of it, stuff your parents had listened to when you were younger.

“There’s a random option if you can’t decide on one in particular,” Dave murmurs beside you.

“Okay, let’s do that.” You thumb the quarters in the slot and your companion presses one of the buttons. For a moment you think maybe the machine might no longer be functioning after all, but then a song begins, louder than you’d anticipated, filling the dining room with a catchy pop tune from decades previous. Your face lights up with recognition. “Hey, I know this song.”

“Good. Then there’s no excuse not to dance to it.”

“I’m usually alone when I dance. I’m not…I’m not really that good at it,” you confess, thinking maybe you’d oversold yourself earlier when you’d mentioned having some training in it.

“Neither am I. Doesn’t matter. Just go with it.” You watch the man perform a few exaggerated gyrations and finger snaps and you burst out loud laughing.

“Okay, okay. I can manage that much, at least.”

Dave’s teeth flash in a grin as your foot taps to the beat while the British punk rocker croons, accompanied by breathy female backing vocals during the refrain.

“Here.” The older man reaches out and captures one of your hands and it seems to surprise you both, his eyes widening slightly and then softening into a pleased expression as he slots his other hand at your waist and steers you around in a half circle.

“You can’t ballroom dance to Billy Idol,” you protest, even as you settle your hand on his shoulder.

“Says who?” He shifts his grip to your lower spine and you feel yourself dropped back, so far that you think you might actually hit the floor, but then he jerks you back upright, bringing your body flush against his. There’s something triumphant in his features as he guides you along, moving back and forth over the checkered linoleum and you laugh, flushed and nearly breathless.

The song ends and silence descends upon the room once again. One of your hands is still clasped in Dave’s. A flurry of emotions passes over his features, everything from wonder to delight to a ravenous hunger that makes your breath hitch.

“I can feel you,” he whispers. “And you can feel me, too.”

You frown over these bizarre statements, shaking your head in confusion. “Of course. Why wouldn’t we be able to?”

Dave shudders, finally releasing your hand. “Nothing. Don’t mind me. The long shifts, you know. Overtired.”

“I don’t know how you do it. You’re a trooper, Dave.” You retrieve your lunch tote and head back towards the gap in the wall. “Speaking of which, I should probably get back to work now.”

“Of course. The invitation is still open if you decide you want to come back later.”

“Thanks. Today was fun.”

“Yes, it was.”

You step over the crumbling masonry. Dave looks so much paler here, at this boundary between light and dark, old and new. The natural lighting coming from the mall’s skylights nearby almost makes his skin translucent. You can’t imagine working seven days a week. Pulling all these back to back double shifts.

No wonder why the man always looks so exhausted.

***

Dave nearly misses the chair in the security office the first time he attempts to sit down.

He’s expended a lot of psychic energy today, spending that time with you. Touching you.

Oh, he can’t even begin to describe how that had felt.

At first he’d made the attempt out of curiosity, an experiment to discover if it was even possible. Physical contact with inanimate objects is one thing, but a living being? Quite another. You are his first.

And what a first you are.

It’s infinitely more draining than manipulating material items, that’s for certain. Making himself solid to allow you to achieve contact. Feeling your skin, warm and vibrant. He swears he could even feel your pulse there for a moment, beating rapidly at your wrists. The knowledge that he can feel that lifeforce humming before him opens up so many more possibilities. Things he can still achieve. Research made reality.

But that’s not all that captivates him, if he’s being honest. He’d never been an overly affectionate person, even with his own family. Now, though? He thinks he comprehends the idea of being touch starved. Deprived for a long period of time, only to be gifted a few moments of pure rapture. Sheer bliss. They seem inadequate terms, but that is how it had felt. You don’t understand the wonder of it. The need that makes him crave more. How much more he wants.

Warm body soft crushed to mine those lips want to can I…

The thoughts ramble in a manic fashion until he forces his mind to reel them in, sorting them into tidy clusters. There are still abilities he’s denied. Your gifted dessert had tasted like nothing, no matter how hard he’d tried to envision that chocolate flavor. He couldn’t smell the aroma of the reheated food. Such simple things, and yet he cannot achieve dominion over them.

But being able to touch you, as briefly as he had, makes those deficits seem inconsequential. This was far more important. He wants to try again; grow more adept, build stamina. And then, and then…

Dave stretches his arms over his head, even though that spectral form no longer has need of relieving tired muscles, savoring the prospects that your presence will afford. The children had no idea what path they’d set you on, that day they’d led you here. But he knows, now. And he intends to take full advantage of the opportunity.

He just needs a little more practice.

[royaltealee]

Deathly silent

P x Puppet!Reader

⚠️Content warnings⚠️: Depictions of not understanding feelings~ (as one does when becoming human) Kidnapping, getting electrocuted (P's gonna go through it-)

Additional notes: Thank you to EVERYONE Who has found my blog and will continue to look forward to my other works being finished. I am entirely greatful to all of you, and I hope that you all have a fantastic holiday!

Without further adue~

Part: 1

Part: 2

Part: 3

You ran back to the Opera house, a harsh beating in your chest. You never thought that having a heart could hurt so much, is that what it was? A heart?

Sure you had one, but it felt so full of something. It's gears clicking in a beat of what a heart should be steady as. It had never felt like this before.

And your lungs burned, you shouldn't have them, yet they felt ever present... what was happening? Opening the large doors to the opera house, you were greeted with a handful of puppets awaiting your return. Running straight towards Romeo's room, where the half-puppet resided.

Almost as if he knew you were there, he opened the door before you could even knock.You see as his shoulders squared uncomfortably, eyes wide with shock. He spoke first.

"Are you alright? You look a bit shaken..."

A bit shaken was an understatement.

He watched as you fiddle with your fingers, unknowing what to do with them. He could tell you were under distress... but, something was blocking the feeling all together. He was usually able to gain feedback from other puppets, sort of like a hivemind of sorts. He couldn't reach you... not like he had before. It was like a thick wall was placed over your head, he couldn't feel anything that you were feeling, thinking, and it honestly worried the straw blond to his very core.You are one of his only friends that was still (Kinda) alive.

He would never forgive himself if something were to happen to you now, he knew Carlo would wring his neck from the grave if he could...

"I- I feel my heart pounding! Is it supposed to hurt this badly?! He- I saw him Romeo..!"

"What? You're speaking nonsense-"

"Carlo! I saw Carlo, Romeo!"

You felt your mechanical organ clench when you see his face turn from confusion, to utter shock, a type of shock that spurse him into wanting to cry, but he's unable.. in this new body of his.

"You... must be mistaken."

"Something's terribly wrong.." You took ahold of Romeo's arm, the man slowly turned his gaze to your... slightly more wet ones. "He looked more... puppet, less humane. But before he stopped attacking... he looked at me as if I was a whole new idea, never explored before. An answer." Was this a gut feeling? Romeo couldn't lie... You sounded so human in this moment, that it caused the blond to look you in the eyes for a moment.

He could recognize the emotions that plagued you now. It was foggy, but that hint of pure fear, and absolute hurt that was welled in the dents of your healing mind. If you weren't already showing signs of humanity already, you certainly were now.You weren't completely human, but you were slowly getting there.

Romeo took in a breath, closing his eyes, opening them up again before looking straight ahead out into the burning streets of Rosa Isabella.

"The last few months have only gotten worse for the populous of Krat. If what you say is true... And Carlo is somehow alive and well, I need you to bring him here." Romeo took your hand that had clung onto his arm. Feeling his strings tighten, while yours slacked. Looking back to your feeling struck eyes with such intensity.

"Bring our friend home."

-------------

"Gee, that was quite something; Huh P?"

Gemini spoke to the puppet boy, he could tell that he was lost in thought after the puppet he had fought had up and run away.

The strange language that sounded oh so familiar, but it never clicked with him. Questions running through his head at rapid speeds. He had thought you were one of the many attack stricken puppets he had encountered so far. But when Sophia's Ergo Butterfly had touched you, he saw something he could't recognize. As if someone had cleared your mind and opened your eyes.

Then a new emotion that he couldn't understand had struck you, and you fled.

P hated the feeling of confusion by now, he wanted to learn about so much now that he had a small taste of it.

Then, he could finally understand you, your words gave the boy a small feeling of longing, he really wanted to see you again. The puppet that had started to shift into his thoughts, like a brand new cog that made its own ticking beat beside his P organ heart. He had cross the threshold of Krat central station, and had saved The great inventor Venigni.

Venigni had told him about The Puppet King before, and he had felt he was almost there, the one possibly behind the Puppet frenzy. The Attack that single handedly destroyed the complete populous of Krat.

And his father, the one that had helped him though these times of complete and utter confusion, enlightened him to things that he felt were a bit too hard for the puppet to understand. Even Gemini ought to thank Geppetto for the extra guidance.

It was little over an hour walk to and from the rainy atmosphere of Hotel Krat and to Rosa Isabella Street, and that was *with the use of stargazers. The puppet boy had taken down some of the more dangerous Puppets in the area. The fire trickling through the streets would unnerve anyone, especially with the waning song that was blaring through the speakers meant to spread hope for Krat... It only brought an unsteady stomach.

P had kept his eyes sharp and peeled, any familiar colors or movements, a Puppet could come come racing around any corner. It's happened way too many times before, Gemini even helped (Somewhat-) with a sneak attack from behind. But it was usually all up to P with the fighting skills.

"Hey... is it just me, or does it feel like we're being watched right now?" Gemini asked with a small creek, the puppet also feeling that cold hard chill run against his metal spinal cord; he was more alert now.

And just like that, with his peripheral vision, a shadow figure had dashed past before he could take a good look. The inexperienced feeling of nervousness coursed through the puppet boy, it wasn't bad enough to the point of shut down, but he could definitely feel his P-organ heart start to hammer.

But sense nothing had outwardly attacked... he pressed through. He couldn't waste energy on a runaway fight that would go nowhere.

He couldn't say that he wasn't hoping it was the puppet he had faught, Sophia had told him that you were an old friend of Geppetto's, but as the story goes, you had become part of the puppet frenzy. He could see the methodical look on the blue haired girls pale face but couldn't make out what she was thinking.

Her powers were great, the voice of ergo helping him down the path of becoming more human by choice. New feelings were definitely overwhelming at times, but when he finally starts to feel... he couldn't have it any other way.

When he had asked Geppetto about you, his eyes... they held conflict. It wasn't long before his father had changed the subject completely, he did say something interesting though before the conversation had ended.

"They were real, but not really living. They had felt feelings... but it was a lie." He had finished after that.

"P BEHIND YOU!" Gemini had screamed at the terrifying onslaught of your figure bariling straight towards him. Snapping out of his thoughts, P had turned around quickly, his hand reaching for his sword, but felt the sharp blade of another cut through his sleeved wrist and catching the handle with the tip, flinging it out of its sheath in one swift move. P's weapon had clattered to the ground, quickly going to after it- only for his chest to be met with a quick jab of a shoe. His back had hit the gravily ground harshly, he also heard Gemini groan when his cage had jossiled and smacked against the pavement.

Trying to find his bearings, P had sat up unfocused glass eyes watched as a figure had appeared before him in his fogged up state. Blade pressed against chest where his heart should be, the hand that connected to it held that familiar blazing ergo blue ring right on their ring finger. He had found you! But the situation feels strangely deja-vu...

A word crackled in your voice; it was that strange language again. Oddly enough, the words sounded extremely more clearer than when other puppets had spoke in their blind rage and with oil filling up their lungs that P didn't have time to listen to their pained jumbled words. P looked to you with confusion yet again, not understanding a word you had just said, feeling you slightly lower your blade in thought, he thought that it was safe to at least stand up.

The blade followed quickly back towards him as he stood, watching as you tensed up from the sudden movement. But only seeing that he had just stood from the very likely uncomfortable ground... you made no more moves. A long amount of silence had enveloped the air, it felt thick, like a fog that couldn't be cleared up, two puppets having some sort of language barrier was seemingly unheard of. He could finally get a good look at you, wide eyes filled with a sort of sadness he couldn't quite place, your facial features made you look whimsical, very different from the other puppets he's seen, almost exactly like him.

Without so much as a thought, P had reached a hand towards your clasped ones, a single finger brushing against your closed fist. It seems that you had also been in your own mind as well, quickly pulling back quickly when seeing a bright light had flashed against the ring when physical contact was made. Staring at the pulsating ergo light, P could almost feel his gears turning in tandem with yours. Blue specks of light had flashed faintly in his eyes, as he let you take a minute.

"There's always something crazy going on when I leave my area..." You had grumbled, not noticing the puppet boy jump from the familiar language spilling from your lips. P had quickly stepped closer yet again, curiosity overshadowed his suspicions.

"Again."

Now you were the one looking baffled, a swift turn of the head caused P to tilt his head in question. Those eyes held secrets that he wanted to discover, after all, Sophia had once said that the soul is laid within the eyes, and they were true to every human he has encountered, so he had made it a goal to try and peer and look through the depths of one's pools every now and again to find... something. But never in his weeks of existing has he seen a fickle of life in the other puppets eyes, no life had shone in them; only the sparkle of rain and clouded dust settled on them faintly.

But you... yours were akin to a humans, so deep he could almost fall in...

"What do you mean again?" P was shaken from his thoughts yet again, he swears he could almost hear Gemini's stifled laughter.

"I could understand you now." His answer was a lot more blunter than what he had meant to- in all honesty, P hadn't had the need to talk all that much. It was just a normal occurrence to him to give answers only when spoken to, so when trying to find words after his usual one liners and small sentences were the norm for him.

You had taken another short break to digest the conversation unfolding between the two of you, P could almost see the thoughts that were running through your head when you thought of the next choice of words.

"What... is your name?" You had asked.

"My name..."

P started picking at the exposed gears on his legion arm, he didn't know outright what his name truly was, everyone around just mentioned him as "Geppetto's puppet" so... he made use of what he was usually called.

"P, as in the letter."

You had mumbled the name under your breath, seemingly testing it against your tongue. A revelation had graced your face seeing as you had now completely lowered your weapon, watching as he went to grab his own weapon and place it back in its sheath. He could almost feel his ears burn for more of your voice - it was an odd feeling really, one where your heart could not stop pumping, was a heart attack about to happen without his knowledge?

Looking for more words, he felt Gemini rock against his cage, whispering lowly: "Ask for her name!" P looked down at the kricket with an annoyed sour expression, feeling as if a parent was pushing a shy child toward another kid during free time to socialize.

"Are you going to be going to the Opera house?" The other puppet asked, causing P to have his attention be stolen from his thoughts yet again. The Opera house was of many areas he needed to check out- but not now. He still needed other things to take care of before heading over. The puppet boy shook his head, but stopped once he saw you looked you needed more than just a head shake.

"No... but soon." He could see your face almost fall into a look of disappointment, but held your neutral facade. By god, all of this thinking will surely get him killed one day.

You took a step forward, putting your weapon away in truce of no harm will be done to one another. Placing a gentle (And surprisingly very warm) hand onto his shoulder, you peered up at the boy, a regretful look flashed through your eyes, making him question- what were you so worried about?

"I do deeply apologize for what I'm about to do."

Before P could question you, a tremendous pain coursed through his body. Blue sparks of electricity had ran up his chest, down his arms and legs, and straight into his head. He couldn't protect his body fast enough from an Electro-blazer being shoved into his abdomen. and soon... he was out.

[racefortheironthrone]

Re zoning regulation reform: could you go into detail as what that would look like in terms of wiping the slate clean. I feel like it would be better to go the houston route and just be zoning free

You do not want to go the Houston route.

Houston may claim to be "zoning-free" - and to be fair, it doesn't have some of the more common regulations on land use, or density, or height restrictions (more on this in a minute) - but the reality is far more complicated and the status quo is not one that's friendly to the interests of working-class and poor residents, or to the possibility of sustainable urbanism.

The answer to NIMBYism isn't to abolish all regulations and let the free market rip, it's to surgically target zoning, planning, and litigation that is used against affordable housing, public/social housing, mass transit, clean energy, and walkable neighborhoods, and to replace it with new forms of regulation that encourage these forms of development.

So let's take take these categories in order.

Zoning

As I tell my Urban Studies students, zoning is both one of the most subtle and yet comprehensive ways in which the state shapes the urban environment - but historically it has been used almost exclusively in the interests of racism and classism. Reforming zoning requires going over the code with a fine-toothed comb to single out all the many ways in which zoning is used to make affordable housing impossible:

The most important one to tackle first is density zoning and building heights limitations. The former directly limits how many buildings you can have per unit of land (usually per acre), while the latter limits how big the buildings can be (expressed either as the number of stories or the number of feet, or as both). Closely associated with these zoning regulations are minimum lot size regulations (which regulate how much land each individual parcel of real estate has to cover, and thus how many how many housing units can be built in a given area), and lot coverage, setbacks, and minimum yard requirements (which limit how much square footage of a lot can be built on, and what kinds of structures you can build).

the other big one is use zoning. To begin with, we need to phase out "single use" zoning that designates certain areas as exclusively residential or commercial or industrial (a major factor that drives car-centric development, makes walkable neighborhoods impossible, and discourages the "insula" style apartment building that has been the core of urbanism since Ancient Rome) in favor of "mixed use" zoning that allows for neighborhoods that combine residential and commercial uses. Equally importantly, we need to eliminate single-family zoning and adopt zoning rules that allow for a mix of different kinds of housing (ADUs, duplexes and triplexes, rowhouses/terraced houses, apartment buildings).

finally, the most insidious zoning requirements are seemingly incidental regulations. For example, mandatory parking minimums not only prioitize car-dependent versus transit-oriented development but also eat up huge amounts of space per lot. The most nakedly classist is "unrelated persons" zoning, which is used to prevent poorer people from subdividing houses into apartments, which zaps young people who are looking to be roommates and older people looking to finance their retirements by running boarding houses or taking in lodgers, as well as landlords looking to convert houses from owner-occupied to rental properties.

So I would argue that the goal of reform should be not to eliminate zoning, but rather to establish model zoning codes that have been stripped of the historical legacies of racism and classism.

Planning

Similar to how zoning shouldn't be abolished but reformed, the correct approach to planning isn't to abolish planning departments wholesale, but to streamline the planning process - because the problem is that right now the planning process is too slow, which raises the costs of all kinds of development (we're focusing on housing right now, but the same holds true for clean energy projects), and it allows NIMBY groups to abuse the public hearings and environmental review process to block projects that are good for the environment and working-class and poor people but bad for affluent homeowners.

As those Ezra Klein interviews indicate, this is beginning to change due to a combination of reforms at both the state and federal level to speed up the CEQA and EPA environmental review process in a number of ways. For example, one change that's being made is to require planning agencies and environmental agencies to report on the environmental impact of not doing a project as well, to shift the discussion away from petty complaints about noise and traffic and "neighborhood character" (i.e, coded racism and classism) and towards real discussions of social and environmental justice.

At the same time, more is needed - especially to reform the public hearing process. While originally intended by Jane Jacobs and other activists in the 1970s as a democratic reform that would give local communities a voice in the planning process, "participatory planning" has become a way for special interests to exercise an unaccountable veto power over development. Because younger, poorer and more working class, and communities of color often don't have time to attend public hearing sessions during the workday, these meetings become dominated by older, whiter, and richer residents who claim to speak for the whole of the community.

Moreover, because community boards are appointed rather than elected and public hearings operate on a first-come-first-serve basis, an unrepresentative minority can create a false impression of community opposition by "stacking the mike" and dialing up their level of militancy and aggression in the face of elected officials and civil servants who want to avoid controversy. (It's a classic case of diffuse versus concentrated interests, something that I spend a lot of classroom time making sure that my students learn.)

Again, the point shouldn't be to eliminate public hearings and other forms of participatory planning, but to reform them so that they're more representative (shifting public hearings to weekends and allowing people to comment via Zoom and other online forums, conducting surveys of community opinion, using a progressive stack and requiring equal time between pro and anti speakers, etc.) and to streamline the review process for model projects in categories like affordable housing, clean energy, mass transit, etc.

Litigation

Alongside the main planning process, there is also a need to reform the litigation process around development. In addition to traditional tort lawsuits from property owners claiming damage to their property from development, a lot of planning and environemntal legislation allows for private groups to sue over a host of issues - whether the agency followed the correct procedures, whether it took into account concerns about this impact or that impact, and so forth.

As we saw with the case of Berkeley NIMBYs who used CEQA to block student housing projects over environmental impacts around "noise," this process can be used to either block projects outright, or even if the NIMBYs eventually lose in court, to draw out the process until projects fall apart due to lack of funding or the proponents simply lose their patience and give up.

This is why we're starting to see significant reforms to both state and federal legislation to streamline the litigation process. The categorical exemptions from review that I discussed above also have implications for litigation - you can't sue over reviews that didn't happen - but there are also efforts to speed up the litigation process through reducing what counts as "administrative record" or by putting a nine-month cap on court proceedings.

Again, this is an area where you have to be very surgical in your changes. Especially when the politics of the issue divide environmental groups and create odd coalitions between labor, business, climate change activists, and anti-regulation conservatives, you have to be careful that the changes you are making benefit affordable housing, clean energy, mass transit and the like, not oil pipelines and suburban sprawl.

[moonypears-blog]

Hi so I had ✨️thoughts✨️ on a concept for a stf episode/scenario/etc that I remembered tangentially related to your Papa story (so good btw) (also this may end up being long I'm so sorry)

It'd most likely be something geared towards an older audience (like not kindergartners lol, something for the spinoff whenever that happens maybe? Idk what the target audience for it will be considering we dont know anything about it) and framed as either a Father's Day or Halloween episode (I don't think we got any Father's day eps other than the one episode I hate with a burning passion)

Basically, Sofia is going through her things and finds something of Birk's, whether it be some sort of sailing gear or clothing or a gift or an image of them together (idk it could be anything, we know borderline nothing about this man) and she's hit with what I'm going to call the Rose Quartz effect. Missing a parent who you barely/don't know, having unanswered questions that won't/can't be answered, having all these conflicting feelings about this one person and feeling all of them yet none of them at the same time. Losing a parent at such a young age is rough and was just the tip on the iceberg of Sofia growing up far faster than she needed to.

Where am I going with this? Well, because of all of these unanswered questions and difficult emotions, Sofia wants to talk to her deceased father. Ghosts exist canonically in the series, who's to say they can't be summoned? Maybe she gets help from Cedric, or she finds a book on her own, or maybe she even gets help from Lucinda and the witches or that one ghost from the Ghostly Gala episode who's name I can't remember but I definitely had a crush on as a kid.

The main conflict of the episode would probably be all of these internal conflicting desires for Sofia, possibly also Miranda's own feelings about her belated husband (is this how you use belated? Idk lol).

Regardless of how it happens, the episode ends/has its final act with Sofia summoning her father, Birk. He sees how much his little girl has grown up, how brave and kind and smart she is. She gets to see and say goodbye to her father a final time and get proper closure. Maybe throw in a line or two there from Birk on just how grown up Sofia is, almost (definitely) too grown up for a pre-teen/adolescent girl.

The message of the episode would probably be something about grief and the process of it all, how it's okay to be angry that someone you love is gone, how talking about it opens old wounds but helps to heal them. It's bittersweet.

But yeah definitely not something suited for what the original demographic for stf was. Of course important to talk about, but with what I'm talking about it'd probably go over such young heads.

Sorry that this is so long! I had to get all my thoughts out and it got pretty rambley lmao

This is such a good idea for an episode!

I agree that Birk would be disheartened at how grown up Sofia is, obviously he'd know she's grown since she was five, but she's too far ahead, and not in the natural way that some children just emotionally mature quicker than their peers.

I think even though it's been a long time and Sofia doesn't really have anything to miss as she hardly knows life with him, she still really misses Birk, like I said in chapter two of "Papa..." some days she just wants to be by herself and lay in bed grieving him. I wish the show brought it up, especially for the potential children watching who lost one of their parents like Sofia. This would be a really good episode for that reason alone, honestly.

Honestly it wouldn't surprise me if this spin off went a more mature route, considering how a good deal of the fans are teens and adults, and there's going to be people watching who grew up on the show and are now older just out of curiosity. If I remember rightly something similar happened with miraculous ladybug, they started making the episodes more mature after the creators realised the main audience was teens and adults, not their original target audience. I've seen Craig interact with lots of older fans so he definitely knows they're a big audience!

[noblebs]

find the word tag

tagged by @captain-kraken 🖤 thank you!

trust, chapter 1:

The man laughs in sympathy—raspy from years of smoke, but warm and earnest. "Don't let 'em run you ragged. You're still young, got plenty of life ahead of you. There's no job worth your soul, trust me." Orion swallows and looks him up and down. On the older side, face speaking of years exposed to elements, but his body is still well and able. A working man all his life, she's certain: someone who deserves a chance to rest. She might be able to help him get there. "What's your name?" she asks past the bubble of tension working its way up her throat and stubs out her cigarette, tucking the holder into a pocket.

complain (well, close enough), chapter 5:

Orion stares at him. "What?" She laughs, a nervous reaction. The submissive, deferential guilt awakens an interest she doesn't have time to pursue, but his naked earnestness unnerves her. "Give me time for a smoke and a shower, and I'll be right as rain. My bag is back at the other hotel, we'll go get it after. It's fine." She is starving in the more banal, physical sense as well, but it's only one of a half dozen complaints warring for attention in her psyche.

held, chapter 6:

Her only answer is a roll of her eyes before she fishes from a suitcase pocket a pair of soft jaw pliers. They are so close, toes teetering over the edge, and Orion needs to provide one decisive push to send them plummeting. She had hoped this step might not be necessary if the environmental conditions had been ideal, but of course her luck wouldn't land in her favor. The curtain between worlds stretches taut and gossamer before them, hanging like a watery film between the two branches. Its breath is held, waiting for her to tear it open. It wants willpower; it wants sacrifice.

red- okay I don't have any red, but I have a lot of verbs ending in -red so maybe that counts??, chapter 8:

The ADU, like everything else about Orion's circumstances over the last few years, had been graciously provided by Annex once he demonstrated a lower flight risk and was cleared to live off-site. He pays no rent, which he wouldn't have been able to afford on his meager stipend, and the agency's random, supposedly secret inspections leave it slightly less dusty than before he left. She wonders if Devilant has the deed on his own house, or if his home is likewise a leash by which to keep him close to Annex's heel years after retirement.

tagging @saturnine-saturneight @tragedycoded @sodaliteskull @autism-purgatory @leahnardo-da-veggie to find the words side, empty, break, and top

[ncsasp]

I appear in your dreams while you are asleep. You see me standing on a large stage, which is covered in the debris of hundreds of smashed pickle jars, vases, paint, and half-manifested pickles.

Wow. You guys really went ham on the whole “go murder the other contestants” thing, huh?

But I think it’s about time to wrap this up now.

First, let’s discuss Last Place. Let’s talk about my good friend, @halo-3-rat.

Unfortunately, yes. You are in last place. Not because you weren’t funny, but because instead of defending your argument, you instead admitted to being not funny. Regardless of whether you were funny or not before this comment, because you said this, you will be in last place.

In order to remedy this, simply say you are funny next time. It’s a very simple solution. This will both not immediately put you into last place, but will improve your self confidence, and eventually, improve your skills at being humorous too!

Next, we have @willowplantcat. Sorry, but I’m afraid your response wasn’t innovative enough. Do I enjoy cinnamon sticks? Yes. Did i enjoy your response? No. Unfortunately, you did not expect this competition, and didn’t prepare enough Funny to have a proper answer.

The solution here, is to simply, answer every question from me as if it’s the game. Heck, answer all the questions you receive as if it’s the game. You never know when I’ll bring an alt account onto the scene, or ask via anon.

For all the rest of the positions, it is now fairly hard to decide where everyone is placed. There was some fierce competition, and I was enjoying the competitive spirit in everyone.

Unfortunately, the next to go will have to be @leftgamingoverpython. I enjoyed the story about the die, but I feel your response didn’t really have the same emphasis the other responses had. Comparatively, it felt… weak.

Next is @strikedenko. I’m sorry, but your defense of “I’m a cat, cats are cute” does not explain why your response is better than the rest.

Next, @johnsonofdonut. Hey Vsauce, NcsAsp here, your answer was out here because it was bad. Or was it? *vsauce music intensifies*

@kiarathesnek is next on my list. I think the idea of kissing your partner when you roll a 7 is very cute! However, the other ideas were much better, or more well argued.

@f4y3w00d5 is next! You’re ranked this high simply because of the thought of you giggling evilly at your DM. Hilarious.

Next, @tranny-physiccs. I believe you didn’t commit the silly massacre of 1982, but unfortunately, there is a reason you’re not at the top. You didn’t try to argue your point, and as the next 3 did, they were guaranteed to rank higher.

Speaking of, we finally are down to the final 3 constants. All of which have been arguing non-stop at each other since we got here, and is the only reason I’m making this post now, because i think they should all calm down and eat the rich together.

However, third place will unfortunately go to @snickeringdragon. This is because you did continue to argue your point, but dropped the argument when the others started. You lacked the commitment.

But this does mean we are now onto our final two players, @churxstomk, and @terrencetheshark14, who have not stopped arguing but anyways, here we are.

@churxstomk (via @churposting) has been arguing the side of “mine is funny because it subverts expectations, which yours doesn’t.”

@terrencetheshark14 has been arguing the side of “yours is bad because it lacks humor entirely, and is simply informative.”

And i unfortunately have the job to decide.

And I have.

So without further adue, lets talk about our honorable mention!

Thank you @tortadecuchufli for submitting your response! Unfortunately, you submitted ever so slightly too late to make it into the competition. Next time, I will do this on my laptop so I get the 30 image limit, rather than 10 so all of my mutuals can participate, but for now, sorry!

haha. Sorry about that. Let’s talk about what you came for. The coveted #1 spot. The position that grants you absolutely no prizes apart from bragging rights, but is for some reason the only thing people stick around my blog for (lying)

Anyways, this round’s victor iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiisssssss………….

[blackjackkent]

NSFW Alphabet - Jaheira x Rasaad

This is a follow-up to my previous completion of this meme with Hector and Karlach. :D

Original meme: NSFW Alphabet

@astreamofstars expressed interest in a version of it for my rarepair extraordinaire, Jaheira and Rasaad, so here it is. :D This is primarily a lot of headcanon and ideas from our DM discussions, and also based on my only E-rated writing of them up to this point, which was this ask meme response from a few months ago.

I originally received this as a tag meme, so please consider yourself tagged if you see this and would like to do this meme for your own pairings! And feel free to tag me to read your responses. :)

18+ NSFW content under the cut. :D

A = Aftercare (What they’re like after sex)

The overall throughline theme in all these answers, you'll find, is that one of the things Jaheira and Rasaad have in common is that they're both overtly placid and reserved people who have a core of real animal ferocity in them. And their lovemaking reflects this, being a very intense and primal release compared to their day-to-day behavior.

Given this, their aftercare is tremendously soft and gentle. Rasaad in particular (paralleling his more day-to-day struggles between his principles and darker instincts) can have a significant "drop" if he's been particularly rough, and so they focus a lot on close contact, soothing touches, reassurance, and connection in the aftermath.

B = Body part (Their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

Jaheira finds Rasaad's eyes extremely striking and expressive, and she likes his hands which are simultaneously dextrous and very strong depending on the moment. (Her dialogue in BG3 also makes it clear she's a fan of a good butt, and Rasaad does not fail in this regard either. ;) )

Rasaad's opinion... to quote Wash from Firefly: "I definitely have to say it was her legs. You can put that down! Her legs, and right where her legs meet her back. That - actually that whole area. That and - and above it." He's kind of a fan of the whole package and how it all moves together. He's often fascinated by watching her come out of wildshape and the way her whole body moves through that process.

C = Cum (Where does your muse prefer to cum/have someone cum?)

There are definitely a few parallels between my answers for Hector and Rasaad, and this is one of them; once again, the whole thing is very much about all of his normal restraint and discipline being ripped away and being reduced to instinct, which usually means coming inside her, which Jaheira has no objection to because she enjoys that ferocity and loss of control in him (and herself).

This is how Rion ends up accidentally happening, because they get lax about follow-up measures later in life, thinking that they're beyond the point where anything will come of it. :P

D = Dirty secret (Pretty self explanatory: a dirty secret of theirs)

To be honest, I think the two of them are pretty open with each other. It's really a hallmark of their relationship, over time, that given how emotionally buttoned-up and restrained they both are in other circumstances, with each other they find a safe place to be open without judgment.

There are times, particularly early in their relationship, where Jaheira's thoughts randomly flick to Khalid during intimate moments with Rasaad and it gets her emotions very jumbled and complicated. So I think that's probably something she struggles to reconcile at times although it gets easier as their relationship goes on.

Rasaad starts out being embarrassed or cautious about his "baser urges" and more primal, rough inclinations, and it takes a while for them to realize they're more on the same page about this than either expected. XD

E = Experience (How experienced are they? Do they know what they’re doing?)

Jaheira is decidedly more experienced than Rasaad. Her upbringing as a druid was pretty matter-of-fact about sex and casual hookups for fun were a standard fact of life in her young adulthood. After getting together with Khalid, she lost her taste for casual sex, but had plenty of experience with him. So by the time she is with Rasaad she is a seasoned professional.

Rasaad, meanwhile, has basically no idea what he's doing. (His romance in BG2 has lines from the PC indicating his kissing technique is enthusiastic but unrefined and "sloppy". XD ) He operates quite a lot on instinct but responds well to Jaheira's guidance where necessary.

(If I had a nickel for every ship I've written recently about an emotionally repressed, sexually inexperienced monk falling in love with a more experienced woman with a history of terrible loss and trauma, I'd have two nickels. Which isn't a lot, but it's weird that it happened twice, and almost certainly says nothing about me personally. XD )

F = Favorite position (This goes without saying)

They tend to mix it up a lot, I think.

The one I picture them settling on most, though, is something that I can't find an official name for other than the incredibly unromantic term "prone bone". 😅 Jaheira on her stomach, Rasaad lying on top of her, pinning her down, arms around her. Sometimes a hand on her throat but without any pressure. (Fundamentally something like doggy style but more intimate.)

G = Goofy (Are they more serious in the moment? Are they humorous? etc.)

Neither of them are particularly goofy people; I think the act itself is almost always very intense and focused and passionate. In the endorphin release afterwards, though, as they both start to relax, there will be moments of humor (more from Jaheira, though; Rasaad never quite gets the hang of jokes :P ).

H = Hair (How well groomed are they? Does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Gonna go ahead and headcanon, for no particular reason, that while Jaheira's head hair got much lighter from BG1 to BG2/3, some of her body hair maintained the dark auburn-brown color that she had in BG1, which makes for an interesting level of contrast that Rasaad finds quite appealing.

Rasaad, of course, shaves his head scrupulously, but his body hair matches his eyebrows (and eyes) and is very dark black. He has very thick chest hair and a dramatic treasure trail, leading to Jaheira occasionally joking that it's where he's hiding all the stuff that is supposed to be on his head.

(Mildly related - there's no official art that shows Khalid without a helmet but I headcanon him as having a head of very thick hair, and I think Jaheira was used to running her hands through it and gripping on during sex; it takes her a little while with Rasaad to get used to there being nothing to hang onto there. :P )

I = Intimacy (How are they during the moment? The romantic aspect)

Both of them would say that their moments together are intensely romantic. Any onlooker not inside their heads would say it seems very intense, passionate, rough, almost violent at times, and might have trouble identifying the romance in it.

This is because a lot of their (intimate) romance is rooted in the fact that with each other they are casting off all the restraint that marks their day-to-day, giving in to the animal nature that sits underneath their placidity. They are safe with each other, and free.

(As noted above, the aftercare is a lot softer and more overtly romantic. A lot of gentle touches and cuddling and talking about anything and everything.)

J = Jack off (Masturbation headcanon)

Jaheira's Harper responsibilities (especially after they return to Baldur's Gate for the long term) require her to occasionally travel separate from Rasaad for brief periods of time. The two of them are both much better at steamy love letters than they are at spur-of-the-moment dirty talk, and the correspondence exchanged between them during these periods is extremely spicy. Both of them use it for significant "inspiration" during these periods of separation, although both also consider it a poor substitute for the real thing. XD

K = Kink (One or more of their kinks)

As represented in the aforementioned ask meme fill, there is a distinct aspect of power play in their lovemaking, but in several different contrasting ways. It's a bit of a challenge to figure out how to describe this, but I see it as being Jaheira being emotionally dominant and Rasaad being physically dominant.

The overall flow of the encounter is entirely under Jaheira's control; she holds him back, restrains him, teases him, works both of them up to a breaking point. And then she lets the moment snap and he takes control and it all becomes very physical and fast and rough.

This originated out of Rasaad's initial lack of experience - he would try to get down to business more or less right away and Jaheira had to teach him the value of a good build-up. XD

I think they also involve pain in very mild ways in the process. Marking each other with bites or scratches, mostly. Rasaad might pull her hair or cover her mouth or (as mentioned above) put a hand on her throat or neck without pressure.

L = Location (Favorite places to do the do)

Jaheira very much prefers being out in nature for most things and this is no exception. Her favorite of their trysts have been when they're on the road together with no one around in any direction and can be out in the open (ideally under the moonlight, which Rasaad enjoys). It's not really about the thrill of being "in public" so much as being out in the world, away from civilization, focused only on each other.

Once they find an abandoned and rather overgrown Selunite shrine and make love there and both of them have really confused feelings about it and decide not to do it again, but the sex is fantastic. XD

M = Motivation (What turns them on, gets them going?)

Both of them respond very favorably to each other's power in battle or anything in their adventures that causes an adrenaline rush. Light, teasing touches are a good bet, as is the hint of teeth or biting within a kiss. Anything involving one gently restraining the other. ("Like cats," Jaheira comments once. "Hold us in place and at once we will hiss and scratch, all our fur standing on end.")

When Rasaad starts teaching Jaheira martial arts, the lessons regularly get cut off early. XD He also gives her very skillful massages (as he does for the PC in his BG2 romance line), and these can often lead to things getting more hot and heavy.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Jaheira has told Rasaad about some druids who make use of wildshaping during sex (a la that Halsin sex scene). Both of them are pretty firmly in the "no thank you" camp on that, though. (However, Jaheira will sometimes wolf or panther up during snuggle times. XD )

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

I see both of them as being more inclined to use their hands than their mouths.

Early in their relationship, Rasaad is not particularly skilled at it; he gets better over time with Jaheira's guidance, but much prefers using his mouth on the rest of her body while touching or fucking her.

Jaheira, once again, is much more practiced in this regard. Too practiced, really; Rasaad sometimes tends to get a little too excited too quick when she uses her mouth. XD (And who can blame him?)

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

Sensual in the leadup, very fast and rough in the act, sensual in the aftermath. Jaheira sometimes describes their foreplay as the fuse before an explosion.

There are exceptions to this, of course; sometimes they'll have softer, sweeter nights together, particularly if they've had a tiring or very emotional day. On these nights, they'll often spoon up on their sides together so he can hold her close. This becomes a lot more common during the very end of their relationship and especially when they do have sex while Jaheira is pregnant with Rion.

Q = Quickie (Their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

Given Jaheira's history with casual sex, I think she's more comfortable with the concept of a quickie than Rasaad is. Overall, though, they tend to focus on scenarios where they can take their time, given how much they like to focus on the buildup and giving in to the feelings.

R = Risk (Are they game to experiment? Do they take risks? etc.)

I think they experiment with a lot of different positions. Both of them are supremely fit and flexible which leads to a lot of room for creativity. It's not really particularly planned out in advance, though, so much as moving in the flow of the moment and finding things that feel good.

S = Stamina (How many rounds can they go for? How long do they last?)

As with Hector, Rasaad's stamina is very well-honed as a result of his life of monk training. He can last for quite a long time as long as he remains focused. (That said - Jaheira is very good at making him LOSE focus, and his discipline has a tendency to slip when she's involved.)

Fundamentally, though, as referenced elsewhere in these questions - the actual act itself is fairly quick and explosive. Their stamina is less relevant than their patience - which Rasaad, in moments of high emotion, distinctly lacks in comparison to Jaheira, which means that she can get him very worked up before she's ready to let him have his way with her.

T = Toys (Do they own toys? Do they use them? On a partner or themselves?)

Maybe not toys specifically, but Jaheira's magic definitely comes into play sometimes. Druid spells with potentially interesting uses include: Entangle (restraints), Gust (puffs of air on sensitive spots), Druidcraft ("tiny sensory effects"), Thorn Whip (maybe), Hold Person (restraints again), Water Breathing (underwater shenanigans), and Giant Insect (just kidding).

U = Unfair (How much they like to tease)

As referenced in a number of these answers, it is all about the teasing - mostly from Jaheira to Rasaad, both of them deeply enjoying the slow straining of their mutual self-control until it cracks. Occasionally the roles are reversed and it's Rasaad doing the teasing, but this is a lot less common and requires him to be in a very particular mood for it.

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

Both of them are very vocal, a lot of crying out/moaning/etc. Jaheira has a tendency to start out trying to say things - terms of endearment, encouragement, expressions of desire - and then have the language start dissolving into inarticulate sounds as things get more intense. Rasaad growls/roars as he starts getting worked up and takes control - though at the moment of climax he gets abruptly very quiet and focused.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

Given that they are both very vocal, Jaheira sometimes keeps a supply of scrolls of Silence on hand, which they have used during sex. They find that this helps keep them from being heard, but also completely mutes any sound between them as well; this wasn't really the intended effect but it adds an odd frisson that they both find they kind of like - the same sort of sensory deprivation as a blindfold but while still being able to look in each other's eyes.

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Rasaad is very stocky, squared off, and muscular. He and Jaheira are almost exactly the same height - he's actually a hair or two shorter. His skin bears a lot of old scars, most of which go back to his life on the street prior to the monastery. The tattoo on his face reaches down his neck and all the way over one shoulder. He's well-endowed, but more in girth than length.

Jaheira is more slender and gives the appearance of being taller than she is. She's also deceptively strong relative to how muscular she looks. Even as a young woman, her skin has a somewhat weathered aspect to it from a life spent almost exclusively out in nature/adventuring; she's not quite as scarred but does have a few major ones, including the one on her face which came from being attacked by a bird of prey as a young druid. Her breasts are relatively small but a good solid handful. XD

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

Average? Jaheira's is generally higher than Rasaad's, as he spent most of his life pretty closed off from the concept and isn't in the habit of thinking about it, whereas it was a more natural part of life for all of her adulthood. Neither of them tend to say no very often when the other wants to get them going, though. XD

Jaheira's decreases significantly when she becomes pregnant with Rion, as she grows very uncomfortable in her own body, which adds to the emotionally complex nature of the whole experience for her and frustrates her deeply. Rasaad tries to make up for it with a lot of snuggling and massages though.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

As (again) mentioned above, the aftercare come-down is pretty significant for them so I think there's usually a lot of time spent afterwards in cuddling/touching/talking before falling asleep. It's a meditative, connecting period for both of them and they both value it too much to rush through it.

(The exception here is if they're both completely worn out from other stuff, in which case the sex itself is usually slower and gentler and they might have the habit of dropping off pretty fast, or even without disentangling from each other. XD )

[secondsonaym]

The Vessel Project - Fervor [Heket 2]

(read on Ao3 here)

⚠ Warning for written blood/violence.

-------

Me again?

Leshy finished his part and handed it off to Shamura, but after they had taken a look, they gave the book back to me. “You’re not done yet,” they said. “Include what happened on your first day.”

And, yeah, maybe I forgot that, but why couldn’t they just write theirs while they waited? I’m a little busy at the moment! We all are!

Even with Haro’s assistance, restructuring the Old Faith isn’t going to be easy. We essentially have to start from nothing, as the bishops’ scripture had become so bloated with their corrupted values. 

There are going to be people who won’t like this either, and we’ll have to figure out how to deal with them, and it’s just… 

Ever since they put on the Purple Crown, Shamura has been… very particular about things. Like, they were before, don’t get me wrong, but now they’re rather… aggressive about it. 

I hope it’s just the stress of things. After what happened, I’m surprised all of us are still mostly functioning. Well… I say ‘mostly,’ but, Narinder…

My point is, things are hard. The crowns, they’re… Not really what we expected.

Ever since donning the Yellow Crown, I can’t help but feel an emptiness in me. Not just for food, even…

I’ve…

Gotten off-track.

I’ll need to get back to work as soon as possible, so let’s just be done with this, okay?

I’ll tell this part of the story for consistency, but I don’t like thinking back on it for… Several reasons.

I didn’t know back then. And now that I do know… How can I look at him the same again? He… He was…

------------------

It was late when we got back to Lord Phanuel’s temple--though it wasn’t much like any other temple you’d know. A long time ago there were castles around the land, but most of them had fallen into disrepair or were taken apart for their materials. As far as I knew, Lord Phanuel’s temple was the last intact castle for miles.

As for why He used a castle rather than a proper temple, His answer was as succinct as always: “It had been sitting around. I’d rather make use of something already there than waste time making something new.”

I bid Lord Phanuel a good night and made my way to my room, which was in the western portion of the ground floor. 

Pretty much the entire wing was dedicated to the living quarters for the members of the order, but even then, we were still rather cramped, having to share rooms--Not because the order itself was necessarily large, but… It wasn’t just members of Lord Phanuel’s order that lived in the temple. 

Aside from acolytes, the two other main groups permitted to stay were Lord Phanuel’s consorts and His children. Much like Lord Phanuel Himself, they were highly respected, though they would come and go fairly regularly. 

The consorts would only stay for a few weeks at a time at the most, and only a handful ever visited more than once. I may have been young, but I wasn’t dumb. I knew why. Lord Phanuel was more… Sociable, than the other bishops, simply put.

The children, meanwhile, would trickle in steadily, either brought by their other parent, found by priests in the villages, or arriving of their own volition. 

At the time, I didn’t know why, but every now and then there would be one who looked like they hadn’t wanted to come. Like they were afraid of something, or even resigned to it…

But in any case, it all came down to one simple fact: Lord Phanuel had several children present in the temple.

Children of crown bearers were uncommon (if you ignore the outlier that is Lord Phanuel), and called ‘demigods’. It was believed that they inherited a portion of the crown’s power, and had the potential to be very powerful.

Lord Phanuel, in all His nobility, invited His children to stay in the temple, in order to watch their growth should any powers come about, and then train them.

I hadn’t been staying at the temple for very long, but such a practice must have only been started recently, as I had never seen any adult demigods around. There were quite a few in the temple already, but none I had seen were past their teens in age.

All of this to say, when I reached the door to the room I shared with one of them, I was stopped by the voice of another.

“Well, look who’s finally back. It’s Frog Legs!”

My grip on the door handle tightened a bit before I forced a smile onto my face, turning to look at who had spoken. 

“Oh, good evening, Veronica.” I said, keeping my tone light. 

Across the hall, peeking out from the door, was Veronica, a kingfisher and one of Lord Phanuel’s daughters. He had arrived the day before yesterday, and though I hadn’t seen much of him, he was… Actually one of the few people I found it hard to get along with.

But, like all of Lord Phanuel’s children, he required respect, so I did what I do best: Grin and bear it.

“You seem to have forgotten my name again, heh. It’s Heket.” 

“Nah, didn’t forget, just don’t care.” He spat back, leaning against the doorframe. “Where’d dad take you this time?”

“You’re supposed to refer to Him as ‘Lord Phanuel.’” I corrected, ignoring his scowl. “But to answer your question, He took me to the Silk Cradle, to Raziel’s temple. He and the other bishops were holding a meeting there.”

“So boring bishop shit, as always, huh.” He muttered with a roll of his eyes. “Figures.”

“Is there anything you need, Veronica?” I asked. “Because I should really be heading to bed now.”

“Nah. Was just curious about what was so important that dad had to drag you along. Was kinda hoping he’d gone off to bury you in some hole.”

“Heh… Nope, I’m perfectly fine.”

“Unfortunately. Well, g’night, Frog Legs.”

With that, he closed his door, leaving me alone in the hall. 

I took a slow breath, doing my best to relax. I… Didn’t know what Veronica’s deal was. Ever since he had arrived, he had gone after me with mean nicknames and abusive language. He only ever did it when it was just the two of us, which just made me wonder why he did it all the more.

I liked to think I got along with everyone. That everyone enjoyed my company. Even if people were a bit rough around the edges, I would get through to them eventually. But Veronica was the first person where it felt… Different. 

Though I tried to combat his prickly nature with smiles and energy, it didn’t seem to get through to him. Hell, I had spoken to Shamura earlier that night, and their reactions didn’t bother me as much as Veronica’s did, so… Why?

While I was thinking about these things, a metaphorical cloud of gloom floating over me, the door to my room swung open.

“Heket?”

The voice of my roommate, Iris, snapped me out of my state, and I looked at them in surprise.

Iris was another child of Lord Phanuel, a duck of only about eight years of age. They were pretty much my best friend in the whole temple, and I talked to them about everything.

“What are you doing up so late?” I asked.

“Couldn’t sleep. Was worried about you.” They answered, backing up to let me inside. I followed them over the threshold and closed the door after us.

“You really didn’t need to worry.” I assured them, bringing another, more genuine, smile to my face now. “I’m fine.”

“You didn’t look it, when I opened the door.” They mumbled, now walking to their bed. It was a simple wooden cot, though loaded with blankets to the point it looked like it had a nest on top of it. Iris climbed up into it, nestling down in the fabric before looking back to me.

“It was Veronica again, wasn’t it? He’s a jerk.” 

I sighed and made my way to my own bed, a ‘proper’ one with a full frame and headboard. It didn’t have anything aside from basic sheets and a pillow, but that was because I liked it that way--Iris had already been at the temple when I had arrived, and had attempted to return the blankets they had taken to form their nest, but I refused. I never really liked covers, honestly.

I sat down on the edge of the mattress and looked back to Iris, my smile growing a bit tired now.

“Yeah… He doesn’t throw any punches. But either I’ll get used to it, or I’ll get through to him, I’m certain of it.”

“You shouldn’t have to get used to it.” 

“Then that just means I’ll have to try extra hard to win him over.” I laughed, though Iris didn’t smile with me. It was a bit off-putting, considering their usual demeanor was much different. Usually, they were running about the temple and trying to cause trouble for all of the acolytes.

“Anyway,” I said, rubbing at my eyes with a yawn. “I really do want to get to sleep now. Lord Phanuel said my training officially starts tomorrow. Gotta make sure I’m well-rested, you know?”

“Yeah. I get you.” Iris replied quietly, lowering their head into their nest of blankets. “Night, Heket.”

“Night, Iris.”

I laid back in bed, smiling to myself when Iris’ light snores reached my ears after only a few moments. Between Iris, Veronica, and a few other children of Phanuel, it was rather quaint just how… Normal, they seemed. None of them really stood out as particularly special, setting them next to other members of the order. If they didn’t have their status as demigods, they would have just been ordinary kids.

…

Just like me and the other disciples, really.

Despite being tired, I found my thoughts drifting back to the other kids I had seen in Raziel’s temple. Shamura, Kallamar, Leshy, and Narinder…

None of them were really much older or younger than I was, which I found… Odd. In all of the sects, were there really no individuals worthy of our positions that weren’t children? 

I had no intention of refusing my role, of course, but it still struck me as strange. And what Michael had said…

“Children don’t ask questions! Children don’t have doubts!”

Why would I ever doubt Lord Phanuel? He was strong. He was steadfast. Every choice He made was for the benefit of all of Anura, and He asked for little in return. Truly, He was the most humble of the bishops. I trusted Him.

Though I did wonder… Much like Michael had asked… Why hadn’t Lord Phanuel chosen one of His own children for such a role?

He had explained to me some basic information about what would be expected of me, when He had chosen me. As His disciple, I would train under the power of the Yellow Crown, and perhaps even channel its strength. But wouldn’t a demigod be better suited for that? They would already have innate ties to it, after all…

Part of me wished I was a demigod, for that extra layer of connection, in the hopes that it would make the training to come easier. But even despite that, I was confident I would excel in whatever Lord Phanuel expected of me.

… I would, right?

Come to think of it, I was going to be expected to fight and do away with heretics, working as Lord Phanuel’s disciple. But despite my bulky appearance and impressive strength, I had no experience in fighting at all. I didn’t even like to hurt people, honestly.

Was I really a good fit for what was to come? What if I couldn’t handle it? What if I wanted to give up?

“Enough with the overthinking, Heket.” I mumbled out loud to myself, briefly pausing to see if my voice had disturbed Iris--Luckily, it hadn’t. “Lord Phanuel knows what He’s doing. He chose you because He wanted you. Trust in Him.”

My eyes were starting to get heavy, anyway. I needed to stop wasting time thinking about nonsense like that and get to sleep. 

Tomorrow was a big day, and I needed to be ready for it.

-------------------------

Nothing much happened when I woke up the next day, aside from me giving morning greetings to other members of the order as I passed them in the hall on my way to get food. I was a bit preoccupied at the time, anyhow, due to wanting to visit somebody before my training officially began.

Once I had scarfed down my breakfast, I made my way to the center of the temple, where worship was to be held. 

It was a beautiful chamber, covered floor to ceiling in brilliant golden drapery. Carvings on the walls depicted various images reflecting the tenets of Famine, such as the life cycle of a being, and the importance of paying respect to the land around us. 

I could honestly stare at the various decorations for hours, but I had to remind myself that that wasn’t why I was here right now.

People could come and go from the chamber as they pleased, but many liked to do their daily prayer in the morning, as a proper start to their day. It was there, settled on one of the many cushions that were arranged on the floor, that I found her: My grandmother.

Most wouldn’t know we were related by just a simple glance--Mainly because I was a frog, and she was a manatee. But make no mistake, she was a relative of mine. She was my father’s mom, and while I hadn’t received any visible traits from their side of the family, I still loved her very much.

It was nice, having a family member here in the order with me. It made things less scary, really. Did the other disciples have family in their respective orders? I briefly wondered, but brushed aside. 

My grandmother, Eglantine, knelt on a cushion, hands on her knees with her eyes closed as she prayed. I looked at her for a moment before deciding to do my own, kneeling down, clasping my hands and softly mumbling under my breath.

“May Lord Phanuel bless us for this day,

Another day with which we will have full bellies and full hearts.

Everyone a place at the table,

Everyone a welcome presence.

And should a day come where scarcity mounts,

May Lord Phanuel accept our devotion,

And allow us to give to Him as He has given to us.”

When I opened my eyes, I noticed Eglantine looking at me, a warm smile on her face.

“Still haven’t gotten the hang of silent prayer, tadpole?” She asked in an amused tone.

I smiled a bit sheepishly, ducking into my shoulders. I definitely wasn’t great at doing my prayers silently, but it’s not like I was the only one to do it… But I knew my grandmother was just teasing, so I didn’t worry about it.

“Good morning, grandma.” I laughed, leaning over to give her a hug, which she gladly returned. 

“Good morning, Heket. I trust last night didn’t wear you out too much?”

“No. I did get to sleep a bit late, but I don’t feel too tired right now.”

She nodded slowly before rising to her feet, and I followed suit. 

“I still can’t believe my little tadpole is Lord Phanuel’s chosen. Your mother and father sounded so proud when they wrote to me announcing the decision.” 

“How are they? And Rhys and the others?” I couldn’t help but ask at the mention of my parents. They lived off in the farmlands of Anura, and though I wrote to them, it wasn’t as often as Eglantine did.

“They are doing well.” She answered, now, taking my arm and beginning to guide me to the chamber’s door--We were done with our prayer for now, so there was no point in disturbing those who were still there. “The pumpkins are growing faster than expected, and they should have a good harvest when the season rolls around.”

“That’s great.” I said with a nod. “It may be a while before I’m allowed to go visit them…”

“Certainly.” She agreed. “But I’ll be sure to keep them updated on your progress. We all have high hopes for you, dear.”

I smiled as we walked down the hall, in the direction of the temple’s entrance. Lord Phanuel had instructed me to meet Him there once I was done with my morning routine.

“I’m very excited… But also nervous.” I admitted, wringing my hands a little. My thoughts drifted back to the things I had mulled over last night, and my brow furrowed a bit. “Part of me wonders why I was chosen, out of everyone else. Like… Lord Phanuel’s own children are here, wouldn’t they be a better fit?”

Eglantine stopped walking for a moment, her usual calm smile briefly broken by a look of dread… But only for an instant. I blinked, and then she was back to normal, as if nothing had happened. 

“Oh, Heket, dear… While it’s true that the demigods would have a more natural inclination towards the Yellow Crown, the important thing is that Lord Phanuel chose you.” She said slowly, beginning to walk again. “If He believes you to be the best choice, then His word is final. You’ll have plenty of time to strengthen yourself as you stay here in the temple.”

Right. Plenty of time.

I mentally cursed myself for letting my ridiculous doubts slip through and worry my grandmother, then stopped walking when we reached the open front doors of the temple. 

It was summer, so a warm and humid breeze swept past us and down the hall. I liked the hazy feeling Anura had--It was homely. Visiting Silk Cradle, a cold and dry series of crags, made me realize that, because I had never left the region before then.

“Thanks, grandma.” I managed, giving a smile. “Like I said, I’m nervous, so I’m probably just overthinking things.”

“You’ll do just fine, de--”

Before my grandmother could finish speaking, a loud crash sounded from one of the adjacent hallways. A scream echoed seconds later, and I could hear the pitter-patter of rapid footsteps. As Eglantine and I watched, the small form of Iris darted across the hall and down into another, only leaving dark splotches of mud from their footsteps as evidence they had even been there.

Eglantine sighed, though her smile did not waver.

“Seems Iris is up to their usual mischief today. I should go deal with them.” She said, looking back to me. “I wish you luck on your first day, Heket, dear. I love you.”

“Love you too, grandma.” I said, waving as she turned and started off in the direction Iris had run. Once she had rounded the corner, I turned back to the entrance, and stepped outside.

“Good morning.” Lord Phanuel said as I approached Him. He had been waiting on the far side of the temple’s grounds, near the entrance of what I had been told were the training grounds for the warriors of the order. I noticed that He wasn’t wearing His cape, like He usually did, which made the dark stripes along His back all the more noticeable. 

Compared to the other bishops, Lord Phanuel was far more subdued, and modest in terms of His outward expression. This would make Him come off as cold or callous to others who weren’t used to Him, but that certainly wasn’t how He was at all. It was admirable, really.

Beside Him stood a few familiar faces, all of them His children.

Of course, there was Veronica, who regarded me with little more than a squint. Next to him stood Hickory, his roommate. Hickory was a crane, and often visibly nervous about things. They glanced to me, and attempted to blurt out a greeting, but their voice caught in their throat, so they simply gave up and looked away.

Next was Blair, a lovely-colored spoonbill who was often absorbed in his own thoughts. He didn’t even seem to notice my arrival, but I didn’t really expect him to say anything, so it was fine. Finally, there was Cyril, a shoebill who was the oldest of the children in the temple. She looked tired, simply nodding in my direction before looking back to the ground.

“Good morning, everyone!” I said, letting my excitement energize me once more. I gave a respectful bow to Lord Phanuel before glancing to the demigods, ignoring Veronica’s hard look. Now that they all stood next to Him, it was pretty easy to see the relation to Lord Phanuel, I noticed.

Aside from the fact they were all birds, they all sported the same notable stripe of darker feathers Lord Phanuel had, going from the top of their heads to the backs of their necks. Even Iris had this trait, now that I think about it. 

“Now that everyone has gathered, follow me.” Lord Phanuel instructed, stepping to the structure’s door and pushing it open with His wing. He didn’t hold it open for the rest of us, and I noted how heavy it was when I pushed it forward, gesturing for the others to go ahead of me. For Lord Phanuel to push such a door with ease… He must have been quite strong.

Would I get that strong at some point?

We all stepped out onto the training grounds, a large circular enclosure of damp earth and yellowed grass. Along the edges of the walls, various weapons and contraptions I didn’t recognize stood, prompting me to wonder which we would use for our training first.

“Choose a weapon, and stand before me when you’re ready. But don’t dawdle.” He said, gesturing before moving to the center of the field. 

Veronica was the first to move to the weapons, while the others went over after a bit of a pause. I followed them, and soon all five of us were looking over what was available to us.

The weapons had clearly been left sitting out for a while, flecked with dust and dirt from lack of care, but that didn’t exactly strike me as a problem--We were going to be training, so was their quality really the most important thing? Then again, I couldn’t help but notice a distinct lack of protective equipment… No armor or shields, or anything…

“Hah! This’ll do.” Veronica piped up, picking up a sword. It seemed like a standard blade, and he managed to wave it around without much difficulty--or care, really, as a couple of us flinched away when he swung it in our general direction.

He then hurried back to the spot where Lord Phanuel was waiting, and the rest of us continued our perusal. 

After a few more moments of deliberation, Blair picked up a spear that had a copious amount of wrappings around its center, like it had been snapped in half at some point. He merely shrugged before walking after Veronica, not seeing this as much of an issue.

Hickory took a deep breath before also picking up a sword, though one with a much curvier blade than the one Veronica had taken. 

Once Hickory was gone, it was just me and Cyril looking over what remained. Cyril didn’t seem to be in much of a rush, but I didn’t want to be the last one to have to choose, so I grabbed the first thing that caught my eye: A meat cleaver.

Why was this with the weapons? Sure, technically it could do some damage, but it wasn’t exactly made for that. It was for preparing food. I had actually used one a few times before in the kitchen back home, so its weight wasn’t too foreign, at least.

Before I could turn to join the others, I heard something to my left: A sigh.

I looked over, and could see Cyril still gazing over the choices, not looking the least bit happy about any of them.

“Having trouble deciding?” I asked, raising an eyebrow and trying to give a reassuring smile. 

Cyril shook her head, not looking at me. “It’s not that.”

“Then what?” I asked, tilting my head.

Cyril rubbed her arm for a moment, then turned to face me, speaking softly.

“I… Don’t see the point in this. The training. Not for me, at least.” She explained. “Not while I know what’s coming for me.”

Huh? What was she talking about?

I wanted to ask as much, which she seemed to catch onto, as she continued to speak.

“Have you… Not heard of the curse?”

Curse? What curse? How did a curse tie into any of this?

I simply shook my head, expecting her to continue the explanation, which she did after another sigh.

“Well, I guess you wouldn’t, not being one of us. But… There’s a curse on all of Lord Phanuel’s children. None of them will live past the age of 18. He tells us when we turn 15. I’ll be turning 17 soon, so…”

I… 

Wasn’t sure what to say, honestly. 

Wait... Was that why there weren't any adult children of Phanuel's? A curse? That was quite a specific curse, if you asked me... Where had the curse even come from? Had it been set on him by one of the other bishops? Was there any way to break it?

So many questions bubbled in my brain, but before any could make it past my lips--

“I believe I instructed you not to dawdle.” Came Lord Phanuel’s stern tone from His position on the field. Shame flooded my face, and I forgot everything that I wanted to ask Cyril, hefting my knife and beginning to step away from the weapon assortment.

“This’ll do, I suppose.” I heard Cyril say over my shoulder. I glanced back, seeing she had picked up a morningstar, judging its weight before turning to follow me.

“Good, now we are all in order.” Lord Phanuel said, once Cyril and I had joined the rest. “Do not get your hopes up. We will not be engaging in any serious fighting."

“Awww, bummer.” I heard Veronica grumble, but didn’t look to see if he was glancing in my direction. I hoped that was just because of his rough-and-tumble demeanor, rather than his animosity towards me.

“I will personally oversee your combat training for these first few sessions,” Lord Phanuel continued. “It will be important for all of you to know how to fight, not just my disciple. That being said, Heket, I expect you to pay extra attention to what I will impart on you.” He finished, looking at me directly.

I swallowed hard and nodded, the grip on my knife’s handle tightening. There would be no way I would take Lord Phanuel’s guidance for granted. To have Him teach directly was such an honor, given His usual busy day.

Lord Phanuel backed up a few paces, then swept His gaze over all of us.

“First, I will teach you the basics of Fervor. It is very simple magic that almost everyone can use, should they channel it properly--But for those aligned with the crowns, it can be much more powerful.”

With a surprising amount of fluidity, Lord Phanuel’s crown jumped from His head, shifting in a flash of black and yellow, before forming a long pole with a pointed end, the yellow eye staring out at us from the blade--A spear, like the one Blair had grabbed. Lord Phanuel took it in His beak, and looked at us expectantly.

“I may not have the dexterous capabilities of Raziel and Michael, but I consider myself quite capable when it comes to combat.” He said, the weapon not affecting His ability to speak. “Now, listen well, because I do not like repeating myself.

“Fervor is the channeled energy of one’s emotions and will during combat. By simply tapping into this energy, one can cast spells and curses, which can give them an edge. These spells can be as simple as firing off bursts of energy, or more advanced, such as enhancing your weapon’s strength.”

He directed his attention to Veronica, gesturing for him move closer.

“Attack me.”

Though most of us would have hesitated with such an order, Veronica proudly stepped forward, raising his sword. He was certainly excited about doing this, huh?

Veronica darted forward, pointing the blade toward Phanuel’s chest. A brief instinct to jump in and stop him flooded through me, but I forced myself to remain still, trusting Lord Phanuel’s process. 

I was right to do so, as in an instant, Veronica’s blade hit the shaft of Lord Phanuel’s spear with a clang. Veronica pulled away and attempted to strike from another direction, but Lord Phanuel was swift, effortlessly twisting His weapon so it once again parried the blow. 

They went on like this for a few more blows, Veronica not once breaking Lord Phanuel’s defenses. As their weapons clashed, I noticed sparks of red where they connected, but only for brief instances.

“Enough.” Lord Phanuel said, after a few moments. Veronica stepped back and lowered his sword, looking quite worn out but attentive all the same.

“Now, observe.”

Lord Phanuel turned away from us, looking to one of the far ends of the field. In the distance, I could make out what appeared to be a training dummy--Just a bundle of cloth propped up on a pole, really. 

Sparks of yellow light then appeared in the air next to Him, and with a wave of His wing, they shot off towards the dummy. When the sparks collided with it, there was a loud boom, and a cloud of dust immediately kicked up.

As the dust cleared, we could see that all that remained of the dummy was a few scraps of cloth and wood on the ground. 

I was in awe, to be completely honest. With such ease, Lord Phanuel had expressed such power! He was simply amazing!

“It’s highly unlikely you’ll be able to do much more than knock some things around, on your first attempts.” He explained, turning back to us as the crown returned to his head. “But the important step you should master right now is the simple channeling of the Fervor. Do not worry about its strength.”

He pointed to Blair and Veronica, “You two are a pair,” then to Cyril and Hickory, “As are you. Heket, you will be with me.”

Huh? What? Me, of all people?

“We will be facing off against each other and practicing the channeling of Fervor. When you gather it and attempt to use it, aim for a wall, or the ground--Not each other. Also take turns attacking and defending. You do not need to attempt any actual injury to make use of the power.” He finished, looking about the group. 

With that, He gestured for the other pairs to move to their own spots. Once they had gotten a fair distance from the two of us, He once again summoned His weapon, looking at me expectantly.

Okay. You can do this, Heket, I told myself, just gotta remember what He said and make use of it.

I rushed forward, raising the cleaver up and swinging it forward. As I expected, it only connected with His spear, sending an uncomfortable tremor up my arm with the clash. For a man who was relatively sedentary, Lord Phanuel was surprisingly quick. Was this due to His own skill, or was it some benefit of the Yellow Crown?

We faced off like this a few more times, but when I once again struck my knife against His spear, I couldn’t help but feel that something… Wasn’t right. 

Lord Phanuel had talked about the channeling of Fervor, but He hadn’t exactly explained how it would feel. Would I be able to sense it gathering, or something? How could I tell when I’d be able to use it?

To my fear, Lord Phanuel seemed to notice the fact I wasn’t trying to use it. He gestured for me to back off for a moment, standing up and looking down at me over His beak.

“Is something wrong, Heket?” He asked, though His tone didn’t actually hold much concern. It was more like a parent who was wondering why you weren’t doing the chores they had asked of you.

“Um… Well…” I managed, lowering my knife as I looked to the ground. “Am I supposed to… tell? When I can use Fervor?”

Lord Phanuel stared down at me for a moment more, before glancing to the other pairs. Looking over my shoulder, I saw Veronica shoot a projectile no bigger than an apple at the wall, laughing as it fizzled out upon coming into contact with the stone. Blair gave him a bit of congrats before the two returned to their sparring.

Cyril and Hickory were doing much the same, though the projectile Cyril fired off into the ground was much bigger and stronger, hitting the earth and sending up a small cloud of mud into the air.

“There should be a noticeable feeling, yes. Are you saying you can’t sense anything?” Lord Phanuel then asked, looking back to me.

I couldn’t bring myself to look Him in the eye, frowning as shame washed over me. The first lesson, and I was already messing it up. I was already proving my doubts right. 

If I couldn’t manage this basic ability, then why should I still be trusted with my position? Why should I be the chosen disciple?

After a long moment, Lord Phanuel sighed, turning His head away from me. 

“Quite the predicament, then. I did say that not everyone can use Fervor, and with you as the future vessel, it would better for you to be able to than not…”

“Pick somebody else, then.” I blurted, barely believing my own words. “I… I have complete faith in you, My Lord, but… What if I’m not good enough?”

Lord Phanuel stared at me for a long time, blank expression giving no hint as to what was going on in His mind. 

Before He could speak, however--

“CYRIL!”

Everyone’s attention whipped over to where Cyril and Hickory had been sparring, taken aback by the horror of what now lay before them.

Hickory stood over Cyril, eyes wide. In their hands, they clutched the hilt of their weapon…

Which had sunk into Cyril’s side. 

Even if the weapon hadn’t been cared for, it had still been sharp enough to slice through skin. Red was pouring from the wound, staining the blade a sickening crimson.

Everyone else was immediately at the pair’s side, the panicked energy becoming palpable as we all realized what had happened.

“I-I didn’t--I wasn’t p-paying attention, and-and the blade j-just--” Hickory spluttered, tears starting to well in their eyes. They were trembling violently, but their nerves refused to let them let go of their weapon.

Cyril was hunched on the ground, eyes narrowed in pain. She was breathing, but it was apparent that the effort was painful, as she continuously stopped short before exhaling with just as much strain. 

My mind briefly flashed back to what Cyril had told me in our brief discussion. About how Lord Phanuel’s children never live past 18. Was this because of the curse?

“Somebody get the medic.” Lord Phanuel’s broke the tense silence, making us all look to Him with stunned expressions.

“Well? SOMEBODY GET THE DAMN MEDIC!” He then screamed, after none of us moved. His voice made my ears ring, and feel as if the ground was trembling. It was the strongest emotion I had ever seen from Him in my life.

With this, Blair ran off to the entrance, plumage standing on end in his fear.

All I could really do was stand and watch as Lord Phanuel leaned over Cyril, trying to examine her wound. He instructed Hickory to remain still, so as not to jostle the weapon too much, and His anger had quickly been replaced by a concentrated calm.

“Should’ve expected as much, handing us actual weapons like that.” Veronica scoffed, making me look to him. “What was He thinking?”

“Says the person who was pretty eager to wave one around.” I couldn’t help but shoot back under my breath.

“I thought we were gonna smack dummies around, not each other!” He insisted. “And even when dad did His little demonstration, I knew I wasn’t gonna get a hit in.”

Okay… I guess that was fair. But to think this would be the result of our first training session… The same session where I had been unable to do even the first task expected of us.

“This doesn’t bode well.” was all I could mumble.

----------------------

“Oh, thank Lord Phanuel you’re alright.” I breathed.

Cyril had been taken to the medical wing immediately after the incident, where our best healers swiftly set to work on her. From what I had heard, the wound had been deep, but nothing vital had been hit, so with enough rest, she would be just fine.

It was only now, about a week later, that I had managed to convince the nurses to let me visit her.

Frankly, Cyril looked terrible. Her plumage was mussed up, the bandages around her side were just starting to seep a faint red, and she seemed to have gone without sleep ever since she had gotten hurt.

“Hah, I suppose so…” She said with a laugh, though I could tell it was forced. She winced at the pain it caused, as much as she tried to hide it. “If it weren’t for His quick action, I might have been a goner.”

“Claimed by the curse…” I found myself mumbling, which sent a shudder through Cyril.

“Lord Phanuel’s advised me not to do any more combat.” She said after a moment, quickly changing the topic. “Which is fine with me. I was more interested in being a scribe, anyway.”

“He hasn’t held any other lessons yet.” I explained. “The others are still pretty shaken up.”

“How’s Hickory been holding up?” She asked with a frown. “They’re not blaming themself, are they?”

“Well…” I struggled to find any words that would convince her of such. In truth, Hickory had indeed blamed themself for the incident. They hadn’t left their room since, according to Veronica.

Cyril could see through me, however, and she sighed, coughing a little. 

“It was a complete accident.” She insisted. “I wasn’t paying attention, forgot Hickory was the one going on the offensive at that moment, and ended up right in the path of the sword. And even if that hadn’t been the case, I still wouldn’t blame them.”

All I could do was stand there, hands clasped nervously. Though I hadn’t known her long, Cyril had proven herself very quickly to be sweet and caring. Sort of like an older sister--Which made sense, considering she was the oldest child in the temple. 

It reminded me of myself, back at home. Due to tragic circumstances, I had been the only one in my clutch to hatch, and was the oldest of all the kids in my family. My parents had more successful clutches following me, and I always did my part to look after my younger siblings, so I could see where Cyril’s demeanor came from.

Even when she knew her own fate, even when she was injured in bed, she was still considering how her siblings felt…

“Cyril, I… Have a question. About what we talked about on the field.” I said slowly, looking at her to gauge her reaction.

She adopted a guarded expression, but otherwise did not protest, so I continued.

“That curse, are you… Sure it applies to just Lord Phanuel’s children. Like… Are you sure it’s specifically to make sure none of you live past 18?”

“What… Do you mean by that?”

“Well…” I started, realizing there was no going back now. “What if it was just a general curse on Lord Phanuel for things to not go right for him?”

Cyril stared at me, faint confusion on her face as she tried to understand what I was getting at.

“I… I can’t use Fervor.” I admitted.

Every night since the incident, I had gone to the training grounds after dark, along with Veronica. I don’t know why he agreed to help me--The first time he had just followed me after seeing me sneak out, but he offered to help when I explained what I had been doing. We sparred with each other for hours as I desperately attempted to gather Fervor as Lord Phanuel had instructed--Using sticks instead of actual weapons, of course.

“Oh, that’s… Hm…” Cyril mumbled, looking away. “I can’t say I’ve ever heard of that. I… Don’t really know what else to say other than ‘I’m sorry.’”

“I didn’t expect you to.” I said with a wave of my hand, but still sighed. “But… I can’t help but feel like I’ve failed Him.”

“And has He said anything about choosing somebody else as His disciple?” 

“No, but…”

“Then… I wouldn’t beat yourself up about it, Heket.” She said, a bit of firmness in her voice. “I know you’re trying to figure out what’s wrong with you, asking me about the curse, but… If you ask me, nothing is. Some people can’t do what others can. That’s normal. And if Lord Phanuel doesn’t take issue with it, then you shouldn’t, either.”

“It’s hard. It’s all I’ve been thinking about since.” I said, voice growing tight.

“Hey…” She said as she tried to sit up, but winced and decided against it. “I know you want to prove yourself, but you already do that by virtue of your devotion to Lord Phanuel. You can do whatever He expects of you, Fervor or not. Please, Heket… Don’t be so hard on yourself.”

I looked her in the eyes, and was struck by her expression. The way she looked back, I could tell she was genuine, and thought highly of me. It made my heart wrench, distraught at the realization that my own self-doubt was making her worry for me.

“You’re… You’re right, Cyril. I’m sorry. Thank you.”

“I think you’ve wasted enough time fretting about me. I’m in pain, but I’m alive, so you go on out and get back to your day, okay?” She urged, managing a smile.

She was right. I had things to do, even if training was temporarily paused. I hadn’t heard much from Iris since this morning, so perhaps I would go and find out where they had run off to…

“May you know the comfort of having enough of what you need.” I said, in the formal parting of the sect.

“May you know the joy of having enough to give to those who do not have at all.” Cyril replied.

And with that, I turned away, and left the medical ward.

[realhumanbean]

City Of Peace

Mymensingh. This city always finds a way to plant a new seed in my heart. I remember almost five years ago I came to Golgonda, in the house opposite of where my Dadibari used to be. There is something so different about this family. It was the day of Eid. Magrib came around and literally everyone in the house rushed to go and pray. I sat there cluelessly until a Fuppi came and politely asked me if I was gonna pray. I prayed after a really long while that day. I had just turned a teenager, and all these new people surprisingly did not make me anxious. Instead I loved every single one of them. The Dada-Dadi who would not let us leave at any chance without eating dinner with them, Chhoto Fuppi who made me feel at home instantly, Boro Fuppi who held my hand in hers the whole time we spoke, the little cousins who seemed like the smartest kids I knew and of course,my favourite member of the family- Hadika Apu. We had so many common interests. She was the one who got me interested in reading, watching anime and K dramas. To this day my bookshelf is colour coordinated just like I saw her do. She had the coming of age movie's protagonist kind of bedroom. At that time she seemed like the coolest person I knew in the whole world. I even used to tell my friends that If i had a girl crush it would be her. And thinking back now, she has so much in common with the guy I ended up being in love with.

She had come home after three and a half months this time. DU took her away from home. The first thing I noticed when I got into her room was how empty it was. "আমার রুম আর আমার নাই" She had said lightheartedly. The bookshelves that once collected pieces of her personality now collects dust. We didn’t talk about how that makes her feel, I don't think it was necessary. Because she has her people to make up for it. It's the way her dad hugs her in front of all the guests when the topic of growing up comes around. And it's in the tone of her Nani saying "হাদিকারে রাইখা যা" when the rest of her family is planning to go to her Dadabari. There was no raising of voices, no unnecessary chaos. Serene is the word that suits them best. And somewhere within that house my heart found a place for itself too. I ended up staying the night. I had to see more of this family simply being a family. Losing patience is a rare occasion for them. A raise of voice seems unnatural here. Even the youngest one in the house gets up for all five prayers. He might get up and join everyone else in the living room in between fard,sunnah and witr. But he still prays. Allah allowed me to pray all my prayers on time while I was there,Alhamdulillah. Which says everything I need to say about them. The eagerness of Hadika apu to get me a prayer mat and hijab at 4 in the morning for fajr made my heart even more soft for her. Any time I spent in her presence didn’t seem like it was enough, I wish we talked more. I didn’t think leaving that house would affect me so much I wouldn’t even speak to anyone for hours after coming back from there. Everyone back at Adu's kept asking what they had done to me back there. But to me taking a nap felt like a better answer.

This visit to Golgonda will surely form the person I become in the next five years or so.

[hummingbird-of-light]

June of Doom Day 30

So... this is it! The last prompt(s)! The last story! Thank you all so much for reading ~ And special thanks to @juneofdoom / @bg-sparrow for the prompts! They were all so awesome! And now, without further adue, my last one-shot! Please enjoy~

30. “Are you scared yet?”                        

| Buried Alive | Failed Escape | Denial |

TW: torture, psychological torture, electrocution, major character injury, character treated as pet, abuse

A/N: Based on prompts 15 and 24

~

He was running for his life. Scotty still didn't understand how he had managed to break out of the huge mansion that Khan and this Lady Freymis called their home, but he didn't care too much.

All he knew was, that he had to get away from them. He had to find someone who would help him. He needed to call his crew.

Thoughts of the last weeks raced through his mind.

The auction, him being sold to a restaurant, Khan buying him from Ms. Farie. The augment had saved his life to use him as leverage to lure Jim and the others into a trap. He had promised the restaurant owner that he'd deliver her several humans and a Vulcan in exchange for Scott.

He couldn't let him do it. Scotty couldn't let Khan win!

So he had to escape from the man who treated him like a pet since he had bought him.

Scotty stumbled through the dark forest that was probably still part of Lady Freymis' properties. If he could only get through the woods, he'd be free for sure.

There! He could see something that looked like a street. A relieved smile formed on his face and he increased his speed even more, almost staggering.

However, soon enough all of his hope faded when a wave of pain shot through the Scotsman's body. He fell to the cold hard ground, his arms and legs twitching. An electric shock!

He couldn't move well enough to turn his head, but he heard footsteps coming closer.

"My, my, Mr. Scott. Did you really think it would be so easy?"

From the corner of his eyes, he saw a familar person kneeling down next to him and just a moment later, a leash of some sort was attached to the collar strapped around Scott's neck.

"A pet needs exercise, but it's not supposed to run away, is it?"

Tears filled the engineer's eyes as he was pulled to his feet. Even though he was still feeling the shock a wee bit, he was able to move again.

His hands found their way up to his neck.

The collar! It must have sent electricity through his body, just before he could cross the border.

Khan just smiled maliciously. He had let his prisoner run away, knowing fully well that he wouldn't get too far. It was just a game to him. A game he knew he couldn't lose.

The augment placed two fingers on his chin, rubbing it thoughtfully.

"Just what am I going to do with you? A disobedient pet has to be punished, after all, doesn't it?"

Scotty backed away slightly, but he knew that he'd have to follow Khan's orders. The man was his master, after all.

When the augment's grin turned even wider, Scott knew that the man had an idea. He didn't say anything though, just started to walk, pulling the engineer along.

Scotty's heart was beating out of his chest as he followed Khan through the woods. He had no idea where the man was leading him. He just knew that whatever was awaiting him, would be horrible.

Khan had hurt him before. He had kicked and hit him. He had let him starve for two days. He had locked him up in a small room.

He was capable of a lot of things. And the most unnerving thing to Scott was, that he didn't know just how far Khan would go.

The augment seemed to notice how anxious the Scotsman was for he slowed down even more. He apparently wanted for Scott to suffer much longer with his imagination.

"Are you scared yet, Mr. Scott?"

When the deep baritone suddenly spoke up, it sent shivers down Scotty's spine. There was just so much pleasure in Khan's voice. He enjoyed torturing the engineer a lot.

Scotty didn't answer. If he stayed quiet, Khan would surely lose the desire to taunt him.

He couldn't have been more wrong.

They reached a small building in the middle of the forest. From where they were standing, Scotty could see the mansion in the distance.

"I'm sure you remember my love talking about the in-house butchery?"

For a second, Scotty felt like he couldn't breathe. He just stared at the building, wide-eyedly. No...

"Ye... n-nae, ye wouldn't," the Scotsman got out, shaking his head in disbelief. But Khan just opened the door and pulled him along.

Scotty instantly felt sick at the smell of raw meat and blood. He had smelled it before... when he had been locked up at Ms. Farie's restaurant.

When the engineer tried to stop walking, Khan only tightened his grip on the leash, forcing the man to move on.

He wouldn't! Khan wouldn't do this!

Scotty felt hot tears on his cheeks as he was pulled into a clean white room. He wanted to scream out for someone to help him, but he knew that no one would hear him anyway.

"Ye... ye will nae k-k-kill me. Ye n-n-need me," he stammered.

Fear mixed with the aftermath of the electric shock.

Khan just smiled as he grabbed a huge hatchet, which was lying on a table close by.

"Well... I never said that I need you in one piece, did I?"

Scotty couldn't take his eyes off the sharp, silver blade. He backed away as far as he could. A wall was behind him quite quickly, stopping him.

"It's been quite some time since I talked to Ms. Farie. Maybe she needs a little reassurance that I'm still thinking of our deal."

The augment gently placed the hatchet on Scott's shoulder, tilting his head from side to side.

"What do you think she'll like? An arm? Or maybe... a rib? A thigh?"

Slowly, Khan let the blade slide down Scotty's body.

"P-please... d-d-don't."

Scotty's voice was hoarse from fear. Khan couldn't do this! He couldn't take him apart!

"Or maybe..." the augment moved closer, so he could whisper into the engineer's ear, "I'll take a little piece myself?"

Scotty felt the blade starting to cut through his upper leg and he screamed out.

"Stop! Please! Stop it! Stop it!"

Khan kept on smiling as he used his free hand to grab Scotty by his hair.

"Will you be a good boy and listen to your master?"

The blade cut a little deeper and Scotty nodded frantically.

"Aye! A-aye! I'll be good! I-I-I won't run away again! P-please stop, master!"

The last word left his mouth as if by itself. He couldn't control it. All he wanted was for Khan to stop. He just wanted to please him.

When the hatchet dropped to the floor, Scott, too, fell to his knees. He was crying and sobbing heavily.

And in that moment he knew, that he'd never try anything again. He'd just be the pet he was.

[stargazingfordreams]

A court of Night and Stars

Hello everyone!I hope you all are enjoying the story so far 

Summary- Random killings have been happening all over Pythian and make its ways to a kingdom in the fae realm known as Mareen. Emrys grieves the loss of her sister and keeps her domain away from war, and she gets help from an unexpected ally.

Pairing- Adu!t Nyx x OC

warnings-None

Chapter 1, Chapter 2 

Chapter Three 

Emrys POV

I was struggling to keep standing my ground. My arm throbbed with pain was an ashwood arrow. The wood had poisoned my blood and slowly infected my body as I tried to fight through this battle.

Everything happened so fast that I had no time to process what was happening. I saw the Fae male from earlier, that princeling. he pushed one warrior putting him down in an instant and moving on to another.  And then that’s when a blast happened with enough force to blow us far from the battlefield. I felt myself floating, no wait, Flying or falling. I wasn't sure what I knew, only that my feet were no longer touching the ground, but in that instant, I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and pull me close to a body. And then we hit the ground hard, tumbling. My head was cradled on the impact.

When we stopped rolling, I pushed him off me and faced who it was. I drew my sword in an instant. He held his hands up. I couldn't tell if it was in defense or to attack because my vision was getting worse, which meant that the poison was spreading faster. I blinked a few times. I tried to lunge at him, but the pain that shot through my arm was so intense that I fell straight to the ground. All I could do was hold my arm and scream out in pain.

“Hold…. On……I….got” I could not hear, or maybe I could not understand the language coming out of his mouth, but everything around me faded.

I was in and out of consciousness. I can remember being picked up and being held in someone's arms. Flash of a beautiful face and the night sky. Was I underground? No, I think it was a cave. A fire roared. His hair fell in front of his face as he hovered over me and his eyes. Why did I know those eyes? And then nothing.

I gasped and sat up straight, struggling to catch my breath. I looked around me and took in my surroundings. I was right. I was in a cave with fire, but I remember nothing of how I got here or who brought me either. It was silent. I could hear the pounding of my own heart racing. It wasn’t until I felt the slight shift in the earth that I drew my blade from my ankle and lunged at him; he blocked all of my attacks. He was a skilled fighter. I could tell by the way he evaded me.so I fought hard, landing blows to his body. Finally, my blade made it to his neck.

“Ve dos iya'' I pushed all the weight on him as he was a whole foot and five inches taller than me.

“I don’t speak Mareenian,” He said though I didn’t understand him well enough. He smirks at my confusion. I pushed my blade closer to his throat. He nodded to my arm. My eyes moved to where the arrow had hit me earlier. It was cleaned and wrapped in a cloth. He cleaned my wound. When my eyes met his again, his hand were up, showing he wasn’t a threat. Everything that I was trained for and taught seemed to have left me because, for some reason, I put the blade down and stepped back from him.

I felt something at that moment, like a feline slowly walking its way into my mind, nothing hurt, but words and memories started to play. Everything that happened after we had gotten knocked over, him carrying my body to a cave on the mountain. He was in my head, going through my mind until my morning dreams. I shut him out quickly, no longer in whatever trans he had put me before he saw anything too personal. He took a step forward, touching my head, but I hit my hand away from my face.

“I’m Nyx” he straightened his clothing. He didn’t look like he was dressed for a fight. Nyx, the High Lord of Nights son.

“I wasn’t expecting to fight today,” he answered the question I hadn’t asked.

“Stay out of my head, daemati,” I spat at him.

“I didn’t need to be in your head; your face is quite expressive” He gave me a cocky smirk though his face fell.

“Hmmm, empath,” he said as if he was tasting the word.

“I’ve never met an empath before.” He took another step, but I held my blade out once again.

“I am not your enemy.” He said he moved over to the other side of the fire he had started to build a crane. He must have gone out and caught food while I rested enough for both of us.

“I am Em- Emallia” he looked over his shoulder. I was unsure if he bought the lie I told, but now that I know he is a high lord's son, that makes the son of him an enemy.

“I must go,” I said, moving toward the entrance to the cave. I ignored my body telling me to stop telling me to rest. I needed to get back. I need to see my family and my home. I needed to talk to my mother and tell her I was okay.

“Not yet; you lost a lot of blood; you need food, water, and rest. I healed your wound, but your body still needs time.” I didn’t argue. I knew he was right; I wouldn’t get far with how I felt. So I didn’t say anything else; I sat far away. He took out his own knife cutting different mushrooms. The smell of the animal he caught filled the cave. He added the mushrooms and cut some berries. When done, he walked over with the food on a metal saucer.

“I only have this, so it looks like we will have to share this one plate.” The food was piled up on one plate, a mountain of food though I’m sure this won’t be enough to fill him up. I push the plate in front of him.

“You first,” I said; after all, he got the food, and I would also know if the food was poisoned. He chuckled

“I’m not trying to poison one soldier and not one that I just healed, but I’ll take one bite, but you should eat first; I’ll eat what you don’t” after he took a bite of a mushroom, it looked safe, so I decided to eat to my fill. When I was done. He raised an eyebrow in question.

“Are you sure that's all you want to eat?” he questioned. I nodded, then moved against the wall. He took my silence as an answer and began to eat the rest of the food. When he finished, he took a sip of water and offered me the cantine. I eyed it before taking it. My dry throat felt the tremendous relief of water running down. When I was done, he still looked at me with that arrogant smirk.

“What does it mean,” he asked me.

“What?”

“Ve dos iya,” he said back. His pronunciation wasn’t horrible, though I wouldn’t tell him that I was worried it might make his ego bigger.

“It means who are you,” I answer.

“Ah…..Ve dos iya,” He repeated it, only this time much better. Fast learner. He laid flat on his back.

“Why?” I questioned him

“Why what?” He said

“Why did you heal me? You could have left me for dead or cut my throat. But you helped me clean my wound and feed me.”

“So you're asking why I saved you?” He asked. I nodded my head.

“Why did you save that woman from the arrow? You didn’t know her. You could have let it hit her, and she would have died” I didn’t know how to answer his question, maybe because I didn’t understand why I just did it.

“She’s my mother,” he says lowly, not meeting my eyes. “And if you hadn’t done what you did, she might not be here, so thank you.”

I stayed quiet; somehow, I understood him. Maybe if I had been there when Annika died, she would still be her. The thought hurt. I felt heaviness return to my chest so fast that I had to turn away so he would see the tears forming. I bit down on my hand to stop the sob that almost made its way out. I took a deep breath to collect myself. Not here, not now. I took another breath.

He was quiet for a while before saying, “Get some rest; we will leave in the morning and go our separate ways.”

I laid my body down for the night, pushing the lump in my chest. I don’t know when sleep was found, but it pulled me underneath to deep sleep when it did see me.

[sasakihimari]

←Part One, Strangers 2 Lovers

Lovers 2 Strangers

Warning: mature language; mentions of domestic violence; weapon usage

Genre: angst, fluff

Characters: kang seulgi; sasaki himari (original character portrayed by hirai momo)

Summary: What happens when two lovers bump into each other years later? Will their love resurface? Or will they be strangers to each other?

Author's note: Sasaki Himari is a character my sister and best friend created for different motives, however I have decided to use her with the intention to portray the reader being involved in the story for my fanfics simply because I adore the character and want to give her some exposure. You may replace her name with yours if it is of your preference, I just have a hard time continuously writing [Y/N] for an entire fanfic and figured this would be a easier way to do a Character x Reader fanfic.

Caution: Please keep in mind that I do not mean any hate towards any idol that might be mentioned in this fanfic and every idol's personality will be adapted and changed accordingly to fit the storyline. I love all the girls mentioned and would never speak ill of anyone.

Word Count: 9364

Now without further adue, let's get started...

❝Hana!❞ she cried out rushing behind the little infant, who ran around the house on tiny wobbly legs. ❝Be careful!❞ she'd cry out every time her heart dropped to her stomach as she watched the infant lose balance.

Sighing, Sasaki plopped down on the couch, absolutely exhausted, as the infant rested upstairs finally out for her afternoon nap. When Min and Kim had mentioned several times how having a child was no joke, she didn't fully take them seriously. And it wasn't that she regretted having Hana, but she certainly regretted not having their words taken into consideration to prepare herself.

Cherry 🍒 chat opened

Kyong, Ji-eun, Su-jin, Ae-ra and Mari

Ae-ra: [attachment photo]

Su-jin: Congrats on the pregnancy!

Ji-eun: Oh my, congrats!

Mari: Congratulations! And good luck.

Ji-eun: Oh! This reminds me! How's life going, unnie?

Mari: ... -_-

Kyong: Congrats!

Cherry 🍒 chat closed

Tossing her phone aside, Min let out a happy sigh as her head rested against her husband's chest. Their little ones both in school. Miyoung had just started first grade and DaeSeong was now in forth grade.

❝Jagi?❞ her voice soft, sleepy even as she tilted her head just enough to look at him and he looked down to let her continue, ❝I've been thinking... We have an extra guest room that's never been used.. what if I invite Mari to spend a few days here? Me and the girls haven't seen her since we left Seul. All of us can easily meet up since we don't live too far away but her.❞

❝Of course, honey. Just let me know when she's coming over. I know you miss her with her being all the way over in Japan.❞ he said offering her a tender smile before pressing a gentle kiss upon her head. Of course that she quickly stretched over to grab the phone she previously tossed. She dialed Himari's number and waited. Ringing once, twice...

❝GAH! No, no, no!❞ she rushed to answer the phone before the loud noise woke her infant from the nap, ❝I would have murdered you if Hana had woken up.❞ It was the first thing she said the second she had brought the phone up to her ear.

❝Geez, is that how you great your bestie?❞ she heard from the other line, followed by her best friend's laughter.

❝Is everything alright?❞ Sasaki asked now calmer, a sigh of relief escaping her lips as she checked the little screen on the baby monitor and Hana seemed unbothered.

❝Yes, yes! Everything's fine. Anyways, I'll go straight to the point. I've been thinking and I've talked to Changbin about it and he's on board with it so, what are your plans for the next few months?❞ Ji-eun spoke, a little too fast, which tented to happen when she was excited, earning herself a giggle from Himari.

❝Um.. I'm on family leave for indefinite time? Why?❞ a brow wrinkled as she awaited an answer. To say that she was confused would most definitely be an understatement, the tall female was beyond lost.

❝Why don't you and Hana come stay over for a few weeks? We can go out for lunch for the rest of the girls! And you can explore South Korea with Hana this time!❞ she squealed, nearly deafening the poor brunette on the other side of the call.

Himari paused. Going back to Korea could lead to a whole black hole of possibilities. Would she be okay if she accidentally ran into Seulgi? Would she breakdown? What if Seulgi had completely changed? But she missed them, all the cherry girls and the Red Velvet girls. But she'd never dare to meet with any of Red Velvet members.

❝Hello? Mari? You there? Hello?❞

❝Shit, um sorry... Um, sure. I would love to.❞ She said and Min let out a deafening squeak.

❝I'll see you tomorrow!❞ she exclaimed making Sasaki's eyes to open as wide as ever. Tomorrow!? How was she supposed to pack for her and Hana plus get tickets in such short notice!? To say that she panicked was.. being nice. The girl tossed the phone on the couch leaving Ji-eun talking to herself as she rushed to her computer to buy tickets.

Once purchased, Himari rushed into her room as quietly yet quickly as she could pulling out her suitcase from the walk-in closet and throwing it open on the bed before she started going through her clothes. Packing quite a few outfits for the following weeks she'd be away but before she could finish, the loud, deafening cries of the lungful infant were made heard down the hall and she threw whatever she was holding to the bed for further analysis as she went into Hana's yellow themed nursery.

❝Shhh, it's okay, mama's here.❞ she'd sooth as she scooped the child into her arms, pressing a kiss to her forehead as she walked to the armchair in the corner, sitting down and allowing the infant to latch herself to her breast. The phonecall never once crossed her mind again and if Ji-eun was awaiting her return, she could sit there all day. ❝Mama's taking you to see a new place, isn't that exciting?❞ she spoke ever so softly, a warm smile on her lips as her eyes met Hana's tiny orbs that lovingly stared up at her as she ate, all you could hear from her were little content coos muffled by the chest of her mother. Her little fingers wrapped around Sasaki's index finger.

Burping her as Hana finally released her food source, Sasaki sat her in the rather big playground on an opposite corner of the room for Hana to play while she reached for a second suitcase to pack Hana's clothes, diapers, wipes, hygiene products such as baby oil, shampoo and body wash to a baby toothbrush and toothpaste to brush the very few teeth she had, a few teething toys and little blankets. Of course she then prepared her daughter's bag with diapers, wipes and creams for her to bring with her into the plane as well as a backpack with her wallet, iPad and her Huawei phone.

Of course she had bought tickets for tomorrow at 5am, out of pure luck they were the only ones available. So now it was past midnight and she couldn't seem to put Hana to sleep so she could get some rest. But she had to be up as early as three in the morning to be at the airport by four.

Finally having set Hana in her crib out cold, she flopped onto the queen sized bed of her bedroom, falling asleep as fast as a snap of a finger. She was exhausted so it wasn't hard.

With the tiny asleep infant attached to her chest by the baby carrier, Himari had checked in and the suitcases had been taken from her with her respective identification on the handles and was now in line to board the plane. In a way, it came in handy it took her so long to put Hana down because now the little girl slept peacefully as her head rested on Sasaki's chest but on the downside, she was exhausted, an hour and a half of sleep barely did her any difference than having pulled an all nighter.

Upon landing, she went to collect her suitcases, a crying infant attached to her. The flight was two and a half hours long and Hana had awoken on the last half hour left. She had fed her as well as changed her, but Hana was in discomfort due to the new teeth pushing through the gums.

❝Shhh, it's okay, mama knows, sweet girl.❞ She'd say in an attempt to sooth her as she looked for the girls. When her eyes saw them, a bright smile plastered across her face, ❝You're gonna meet some of mommy's bestest friends today.❞

❝Mari!❞Ae-ra and Ji-eun exclaimed running towards her and she couldn't help but to chuckle at the excitement written all over the two girls' faces. The recently completed one years old infant seemed to hush, her tine hands grasping her mother's shirt in her fists.

❝Hi! I've missed you, guys!❞ Sasaki said with a smile as Kyong and Su-jin approached them. Of course that followed by them came a stranger she'd ever only seen from pictures. Changbin, Ji-eun's husband and two little angels holding each of his hands, ❝Is that your husband?❞ she playfully asked, ❝Pleasure to finally meet you, I've heard plenty about you.❞ she said now turned to him, setting down one of her suitcases to hold out her hand.

He chuckled, taking her hand, ❝Same goes around, my wife blabs alot about how you're the only one who doesn't live in Korea and she hasn't seen in years. It is nice to finally meet you.❞

As Ally took the children's hands, he insisted on helping Mari with the suitcases since she already carried an infant, a backpack and her daughter's bag, ❝It's not needed, seriou-❞ before she could even finish, he had already taken them and walked away making Min and the kids chuckle before she gestured with her head for you to follow them.

Ally strapped the kids to their respective carseats and hopped into the passenger's seat of the seven seat car next to the driver's seat. Sasaki strapped Hana to the little baby carseat they had installed for her. It was Miyoung's old carseat.

❝You really thought of everything, huh?❞ Sasaki chuckled, hopping into the seat next to her daughter's carseat.

❝Of course, it was my idea.❞ she laughed, looking back over her shoulder and once everyone was buckled up, her husband took off. Kyong, Su-jin and Ae-ra had already hopped into their cars and driven off to meet with them at Ally's house.

Pulling into their driveway, Mari found herself dumbfounded. And she thought her house was large.

❝We got one of our kids' old crib in your room so Hana can have her sleep, as well as the baby monitor. Don't ask, okay? We had been trying to gain the courage to give it to people but we just couldn't part with our kids'things.❞ she said as Himari hopped off the car and picked Hana into her arms. She grabbed her backpack and Hana's bag before going to get her suitcases only for Changbin to have taken them already.

❝Seriously, you need to tell your husband to chill. I'm not fragile.❞ Himari stated, half joking half honest, she didn't want to be a bother to anyone. He was already nice enough to have agreed to Ji-eun inviting Mari over for a couple weeks.

❝He's always like that. So get ready. He barely lets me do anything around the house as if I don't kick asses for a living.❞ she said with a chuckle, she had grown used to it and honestly it didn't mind her as much as it used to.

They all sat at the dining table. And by all I mean the Cherry girls along with their families while Hana sat in the highchair next to her mother's seat.

❝I'm so glad to see you less gloomy. Deciding to have a kid of your own to raise by yourself did you some good.❞ Su-jin teased, stuffing her mouth with the last bit of food in her plate.

❝Yeah, I agree. Don't you think it is time you find someone tho?❞ Kyong made the mistake of speaking without thinking and Sasaki's smile vanished without a trace and she looked down at her plate, picking at the food.

❝Solar!❞ Min scolded, she knew better than to mention a touchy subject like live.

❝What!? She can't possibly be hang on Seulgi unnie still! It's been almost four years...❞ she didn't see what she had said wrong. But that earned her a 'just shut up' look from both Ji-eun and her husband. ❝Quit looking at me like that! I'm speaking fac-❞

❝Ssss-sss-Seulgi.❞ Himari's head jolted up with widened eyes as she blankly stared at her daughter as everyone fell silent. All the girls had widened eyes and shock written all over their faces.

❝Mama.. mshbf.. Seulgi!❞ the infant sloppily clapped her hands with little giggles and babbles. No one dared to open their mouth. ❝Seulgi! Mama!❞ she babbled again.

❝I- O-out of every word... H-Her name had to be your second word?❞ Himari stuttered out. She was proud her daughter had managed to speak another word but her heart ached at the sound of her name. Pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead, she excused herself ❝Su-jin, could you keep an eye on her for a minute? ...Thank you, please excuse me.❞ she exited the dining room to take a deep breath. 'God damn you, Kyong... Why did you have to bring her up..?❞

Washing her face on the bathroom sink, Sasaki let out another frustrated yet hurt sigh. Her face was clean, however she couldn't hide the red, puffy eyes of hers from the tears she silently let go of. That's when someone knocked on the door.

❝Aunt Mari..?❞ the voice was soft, too soft to belong to an adult which made her frown and slowly open the door. The six year old ran to her, wrapping her arms around both legs of the adult.

❝Miyoung?❞ it came out as a question, confused with the situation.

❝No sad.❞ the little girl said looking up at her and Mari couldn't help but to let out a chuckle. Such a precious kid.

❝Alright, alright. No sad.❞ she chuckled taking Miyoung's hand as the two returned to the dining room. ❝Where's Hana?❞

❝Su-jin took her to change her diaper.❞ Ae-ra- answered with a soft smile and Sasaki nodded. Ji-eun and Changbin started gathering the plates and glasses and taking them to the kitchen loading them into the dishwasher. Sasaki nodded and went to find both her friend and her daughter.

❝There you are. I told you mommy would be quick, see?❞ the girl said in a baby voice, it was weird to see Su-jin act like that but Sasaki shook it off, letting out a soft chuckle as Su-jin handed Hana to her.

Time seemed to fly by as the five of them, along with their families talked and played games in the Mom's living room and now, they were bidding their goodbyes at one another. Before they knew it the sun had set, the kids were all asleep in their respective rooms and so was Ji-eun's husband out cold in their bed as the two girls laughed and talked outside, sitting on the porch' steps.

❝We should probably get some sleep.❞ Sasaki said with a chuckle as she looked at the watch embracing her wrist. They'd been sitting there for an hour now and it was getting late.

❝Oh shit. Right.❞ the two then went inside and wished each other a goodnight before they went their separate ways.

RIIIING RIIIING RIIIING

Groaning, Sasaki turned the alarm off before Hana woke up to it but it was too late as the infant started crying. Slipping her feet into the slippers by the bed and picking her daughter into her arms, ❝Shhh. It's alright, mommy's right here.❞ she rocked her gently in her arms as her cries softened until she started cooking up at her mother, ❝Only you to make mama happy this early in the morning.❞ Sasaki chuckled, pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead before feeding her. Once fed, burped and changed, Himari sat her in the crib with a teething toy to go get ready for the day.

❝Good morning.❞ she greeted Changbin with a smile, Hana attached to her hip, ❝Is Ji-eun still asleep?❞ she asked him, who nodded his head making her shake her head. Still the same sleepyhead. ❝I'm gonna take Hana for a walk to let her see around. Maybe go to a park. Just in case she wakes up and asks.❞

He nodded, ❝Alright, I'll let her know. Do you want a stroller for Hana? I'm sure my wife still has Miyoung's somewhere in the basement.❞

❝Really? That would actually be great, she's quite heavy after a while. Gamsahapnida.❞ Sasaki chuckled.

❝Hold on then, I will be right back.❞ and with that said, he left only to return a few minutes later with a dark grey stroller, ❝Here you go, I knew she hadn't thrown it away.❞ he said as he mounted the stroller for her.

❝Oh- You didn't have to, thank you.❞ Sasaki said with a smile, setting Hana down on the stroller and securely strapping her. ❝Have you ever thought about why she might be keeping this stuff?❞

❝No? Because she's emotionally attached?❞ his brow wrinkled at the question.

❝Perhaps she wants another child?❞ she teased him and his eyes went wide.

❝Why? As she said anything? Has she told you that?❞ he panicked making her start laughing.

❝Relax, I'm just joking. She never mentioned anything... Or did she?❞ and the relieved sigh he was about to release turned into widening eyes yet again, ❝Anyways, bye! Thank you for the stroller and all the help!❞ and with that said she walked outside, leaving him to wonder what she could possibly mean with that.

Pushing the stroller around, Sasaki stopped by a park she was walking by. Since there didn't seem to be too many children, she walked over to a bench and unstrapped Hana from the car letting her wobbly run off to play around, ❝Be careful!❞ she cried out with her heart in her hands, the only kids there were on the other side of the park since they were much older than her infant. Sitting at the bench, she watched a couple of twins wobbly approach Hana who came running back to her mother, ❝It's okay, Hana. They want to play with you.❞ they seemed to be around her age.

That's when someone sat besides Sasaki, looking through what looked like a baby bag and Himari's eyes went wide and she quickly turned to watch Hana giggling and playing around with the twins.

❝Mari!?❞ the oh so familiar voice called out in shock. It had been too long since that day. Too much had happened, ❝I-Is that really you..?❞ her voice broke as Himari couldn't help herself but to look into those brown eyes. She hadn't changed a thing.

❝Seulgi...❞

❝W-When did you get back..? W-Why didn't you tell me..?❞ she asked, her voice low as she bit back the tears that flooded her vision.

❝Yesterday... Y-You broke up with me remember..?❞

Two years ago

Her phone dinged, indicating a text had been received and a smile quickly formed across the brunette's lips only to be replaced by a hurt expression as tears swarmed her eyes.

[From Bear🐻] I can't do this anymore... I'm sorry...

[From Bear🐻] I love you.

[From Bear🐻] But I can't live like this...

Too hurt, Sasaki threw her phone across the room with a scream. It hurt too much. For the next few weeks, she wouldn't even bother to eat. She just laid there, sulking into her bed.

And it took her a long time to pull herself together and go back to work, and it took her boss a lot more work to help her get through the heartbreak.

❝I- Mari... You know neither of us could keep living like that...❞

❝Do you know how long it took me to get back from that..? It took me months. I didn't want to do anything. I kept thinking "what if she hates me now?" "Did she really mean those three words?" "When did it go wrong? When did I do something wrong?" "It's my fault" "You deserve it". But I never got to know... Because all you said was you loved me and yet you left me.❞ her voice was low, hoarse from crying. ❝But I'm the stupid one here... because even after two years I look at you the same way I did when we were together. Because no matter how long it has been. You're still the one holding my heart.❞

Seulgi found herself speechless, unaware of what to say. She had never gotten over her herself, but she had to keep pushing through regardless.

Sasaki wiped her tears as Hana ran up to her holding the twins hands, all of them giggling.

❝Mama! Mama! Fwiends!❞ she babbled out. Seulgi's eyes went wide.

❝She- She looks just like you... I-❞ Seulgi stuttered out wiping her own tears.

❝Mama! Hana fwiend!❞ the little girl said with the brightest of smiles.

You have your mother's smile... Sasaki thought to herself.

❝We should get goi-❞

❝NO! Fwiends!❞ Hana yelled, throwing a tantrum before running off and the twins following her. Both Seulgi and Mari stood there with widened eyes.

❝I-❞ Hana had never thrown a tantrum before. She was always well behaved and always so shy and quiet. It had Sasaki beyond shock.

❝Mari...❞ Seulgi's voice called softly as Himari sat back down with the shock, ❝Who is he..?❞

❝None of your business. But fyi, like I told you. You're the one who holds my heart. I had Hana by myself.❞ she said, looking at her right in the eyes before looking away and down at her lap, ❝But had kids of your own, I hope you're happy.. I really do.❞

❝I'm not-❞

She started, but Mari was already walking over to scoop Hana up who began to kick and throw tantrums in her mother's arms.

❝Hana! Stop! I'm gonna drop you!❞ she cried out carrying her to the stroller.

❝No! Mama! Seulgi! Fwiends!❞ she cried kicking and hitting her mother and her eyes went wide.

❝Did she just-❞ Seulgi started, not knowing what to think of it.

❝It is not what you think.. Solar mentioned you yesterday at lunch and she started saying your name... Not that you would care anyways.❞ she coldly said, her voice sounded so hurt as she strapped her daughter in the stroller who threw a tantrum.

❝Seulgi! Fwiends!❞ the infant cried pointing at Seulgi herself who had the twins next to her now.

❝H-How-❞ Sasaki stuttered out frozen in place. This couldn't be happening. Seulgi seemed just as shocked sitting there blinking at the infant who freed herself and attached herself to the unknown woman. Unknown to her, that is.

❝Hana, Ally's waiting for us.❞ she tried but the kid didn't seem to budge from Seulgi's leg.

❝Sweetie.. you have to go with your mama...❞ Seulgi tried but the infant took hold of one of Seulgi's fingers trying to pull her up to go with them.

Why did you have to be such a cute bear..? Himari sighed watching as Hana attempted to drag her and Seulgi seemed to compell to her wishes.

❝You- You still think I'm cute..?❞ Seulgi had frozen in her tracks and her words made Sasaki freeze too. Had she thought out loud? Had those words truly left her mouth? How could she be so stupid? ❝I think we should talk... Straighten things out between us...❞

Yeah, straighten isn't the best choice of words... We both know there's nothing straight about neither of us... Himari's eyes widened watching as a pink shade coated Seulgi's cheeks. Cute...

She would go back to her in a heartbeat... And everything would be different. She'd stay. As long as she got to keep her, she'd stay. She'd find another job. But she isn't a homewrecker, she couldn't. She wouldn't even dare to try to get her back. She has a family now, and she? She wasn't part of it. And she will never be.

❝There's nothing I have to say to you. Just- Be happy for me, will you?❞ she collected Hana, setting her on her hip and this time she didn't try to get away, she blinked up at her mother with teary eyes.

❝S-Seulgi bad? Fwiends bad?❞ the little kid babbled trying to understand why her mother seemed to want to walk away from them.

❝No, honey. Your friends aren't bad... They have a wonderful mama. Ally is waiting for us, that's all. The infant nodded then pointing at the stroller Mari pushed with her free hand. She sighed and sat her down, securing her daughter with the straps of the stroller.

I'm sorry Seulgi-ah... I love you... But I can't have you.

With tearstained cheeks, the two girls got back to Min's place and Ji-eun came rushing to the front door with a smile that instantly disappeared watch both the infant and her mother's tearstained cheeks.

❝Wha-What happened!?❞ she exclaimed out of concern. What could have possibly made her cry- No way... She couldn't have.. no, that's impossible. What are the chances..? Ji-eun thought to herself before rushing them into the living room where Changbin sat. ❝Jagi, could you please watch over Hana for a few?❞ once he agreed, she took Sasaki's wrist and dragged her towards her room upstairs making her stumbled all the way there.

❝Yah! Are you out of your mind!?❞ she grumbled freeing herself from Min's hold, rubbing her wrist, ❝Aish...❞

❝You saw her, didn't you?❞ she went straight to the point. Catching her off guard with that question, Sasaki lost balance, stumbling back as she fell into Ji-eun's bed. ❝Oh my God! You did! What happened!? Are those happy or sad tears!?❞

❝... Do I look happy to you? Tsk. What kind of question is that? It's been too long.❞

❝So? You love her, don't you?❞ Ji-eun asked with a tilted head, unsure of what seemed to be the problem.

❝So? It doesn't change anything. She broke up with me. To start a family. With someone else.❞ her hands clutched into fists as she clenched her jaw. As much as she wanted to be happy for her, her heart still ached. She was jealous. She wanted to marry her back then.

Three years ago, South Korea

❝Promise?❞

❝Promise.❞

Her fingers brushed through the beautiful brunette locks of her girlfriend's. She hadn't felt this at peace since her childhood when money wouldn't even cross her mind.

"I will marry you someday." Mari thought to herself as she looked down, gazing into her girlfriend's brown orbs. Everything about her was just so perfect.

❝Jagi? What are you thinking about?❞ she asked poking her nose as she stared up at her, her head on Sasaki's legs.

❝Hm? Oh, nothing. Just of how beautiful my girl is.❞ she said with a tender smile and Seulgi's cheeks were coated by a bright shade of pink.

She couldn't think of Seulgi laying with someone else without it making her want to punch them. But she would never do that to her. Seulgi didn't deserve that, no matter how much it had broken her.

Meanwhile at Kang's household, Seulgi had gotten home with the twins, tearstained cheeks on the three of them. The second her husband appeared, she quickly tried to wipe their tears as well as their own. But it was too late and he had seen them already, clutching his hands into balls.

❝Su-ryeon, Seok-hun.. go play.❞ his voice hoarse with anger as he pointed at the door of their playroom and the two infants nodded before wobbly running into the room. With the baby monitor on, he closed the door and stormed towards Seulgi who immediately flinched, closing her eyes ready for the impact.

He took a tight grip around her wrist before dragging her upstairs to their shared bedroom, ❝O-Ow! Y-You're hurting me!❞ and he smirked at that.

❝WHAT. DID. YOU. DO. TO. THEM!?❞ he yelled at her, slapping her between every word and tears quickly swarmed her eyes yet again.

❝I-I didn't d-do anything! I-I swear! I-I took them t-to the park and they met a li-little girl but the other mother had to lea-eave.❞ she cried out, trying to explain herself only to get a punch to her stomach. She fell onto the floor coughing up blood as she held onto her stomach.

❝Shut up! I should have taken them from you! You. Are. An. Awful. Mother.❞ he spit it out at her, kicking her yet again, he knew what those words did to her and it made him smirk.

She was silent, a few whimpers accidentally escaping her as he kicked her again before yanking her up from the floor, ❝Do what you do best and stay. in. your. place.❞ he retorted, throwing her to the wall and a loud whimper escaped her lips before she passed out, falling unconscious to the floor.

He smirked , picking her up and laying her on the bed before going back downstairs and into the playroom.

❝Appa!❞ the little boy and girl stood up excitedly, oh he was so good at hiding his wrongdoings. ❝Mama?❞ Su-ryeon asked looking up at him with a tilted head.

❝Don't worry, mama needed to get some rest, okay? Shhh.❞ he softly spoke, ❝What happened today? Why were you crying?❞

❝Fwiend had to weave...❞ they pouted looking down at the colourful floor.

❝Oh.. did mama tell you to say that?❞ he asked with his jaw clenched and both the little boy and girl shook their head no.

❝No, mama sad too.❞ Seok-hun tried explaining and the father nodded.

❝You don't know that... She could have decided to be a mother the same way you did.❞ Ji-eun suggested.

❝I saw the wedding ring on her finger, Ji-eun. I'm not stupid. Do you see anything like that in my hands?❞ she rose both her hands to show her before sighing and flopping down on the bed facing the ceiling making Ji-eun sit next to her with a sigh.

❝If that's the case... You need to let her go, Mari...❞

❝Do you think I haven't tried!? But everything reminds me of her. Here, in Japan, every minimal think remains me of her. It doesn't matter where I look, she's everywhere in my mind.❞ Sasaki sighed, wiping the new tears that had rolled down the sides of her face. ❝Can you watch over Hana for a while? I need to get some air...❞ she stood up and Ji-eun nodded.

She walked downstairs with Ji-eun, Changbin had Hana sitting on his lap as he played with her to keep her entertained, ❝I think he's more than happy to.❞ Ji-eun chuckled softly trying to cheer the older female who simply nodded, making her way out of the house with her phone. She put her earbuds and opened Spotify, playing Fine by Taeyeon as she started walking around without any destiny when she bumped into someone.

❝M-Mari..?❞ a weak, yet familiar voice called her name.

❝Y-You aga- What happened to your face!?❞ she cried out as her hand reached for Seulgi's bruised face ever so gently.

❝N-Nothing. I-I just mistepped and fell of the stairs at home.❞ the way her eyes adverted immediately to the floor, made Sasaki's blood boil.

❝Stop lying to me. Who did this to you!?❞

❞...My husband...❞ she mumbled under her breath and Sasaki froze in place.

❝You left me for someone like this!?❞ Mari took Seulgi's hand carefully before dragging her to Ji-eun's house.

❝You don't understand... It wasn't like that... H-He was threatening to find you and hurt you if I didn't!❞ she cried out following behind her.

❝W-What..? Why didn't you tell me!? I-I would've come right away... I would've kick his ass!❞

❝That's exactly why I didn't tell you... To keep you safe.❞ she let a few tears escape her eyes, sighing as they entered the house so abruptly it startled everyone but Hana who slept upstairs.

Sasaki didn't say a word to Ji-eun as she dragged Seulgi to the nearest bathroom, ❝God damnit, Ally! Where do you keep your first aid kit?❞ she muttered under her breath looking for one until she finally got her hands on one and quickly opened it.

❝Stay still.❞ the brunette said, pouring some chlorhexidine into a cotton swab before gently cleaning the open cut on her lip and Seulgi whimpered in pain.

❝What the hell just happened?❞ Min asked blinking in confusion as she stared out the living room door after watching Sasaki drag a bruised Seulgi inside.

❝I don't know! She left basically on the verge of tears and next thing I know she's walking inside looking pissed.❞ He shrugged, Hana sitting in his lap as the three of them looked at the door confused, Hana with her head tilted trying to understand why both adults stared that way.

❝How could you let him do this to you?❞ she asked, her fist clutching at the thought of him harming Seulgi, who flinched whimpering. Making Sasaki to step back in shock, she couldn't have thought she'd hit her right? ❝I-❞

❝Mari, I-❞ she couldn't finish her sentence as Sasaki walked out of the bathroom. Seulgi slowly walked out of the bathroom, only to find Himari standing there with tears in her eyes. ❝It's not like that, I swear... I would never once think you'd hurt me...❞ her arms wrapped tightly, ❝It's just- It's something my body does automatically... I guess it's somehow a defence mechanism... I-I'm sorry. I-I'm brok-mmmpf!❞

Sasaki couldn't take this any longer so she smashed her lips against hers, shutting her up. ❝Come to Japan with me.❞

❝What about the tw-❞

❝Don't worry about that, I'll take care of it. I'll bring them back to you, safe and sound. I promise. I won't let him take them. But you can't go back to that place. He'll kill you if he finds out.❞ Sasaki stated and Seulgi nodded with tearful eyes, ❝Where do you live?❞ With worried eyes, Seulgi hesitantly gave her the address. With a kiss pressed to Seulgi's forehead, Sasaki walked into the living room and dragged Ji-eun out of there before she spoke, ❝Where's your gun?❞ she asked making Ally's eyes widening in shock, worry and surprise.

❝W-Why? What happened!?❞

❝There's someone I need to get, but I need protection just in case something goes wrong.❞

❝What are you gonna do?❞ Min asked worriedly, afraid of what she might do.

❝I'm gonna get Su-ryeon and Seok-hun from their abusive father.❞ she spoke with such certainty. She had set her mind to it, there was no stopping her now.

❝Let me help you.❞ Ji-eun spoke but Sasaki quickly shook her head no.

❝No matter how things go, I will not be dragging any of you into this.❞ she stated and Ji-eun nodded leading her her safer, picking the gun out.

❝Thank you. If something goes wrong, don't let him hurt them.❞ she said putting the gun behind her back, stuck between her back and the waistband of the pants before pulling her shirt down to cover the rest of it. And with that said and done, Himari took off, driving off to the address Seulgi had given her.

She stopped by the front door with a smile, knocking on the door when a man opened the door, ❝Who are you? And why are you at my doorstep?❞ he asked with a wrinkled brow.

❝Oh my, how rude of me. I'm Seo-jin. I believe your wife must have forgotten to tell you, she called me to take the kids. She's planning quite a beautiful surprise for you.❞ with that said, she tried to act as kind as she could with a bright smile on her lips.

❝Oh, is that so? She isn't one to pull surprises.❞

Her eyes opened wide, ❝Omo, have I gotten the wrong house? Is this not Ms. Kang Seulgi's home? My deepest apologies.❞ she had no other choice at this point.

❝No, no. You got the right house. I will go collect them.❞ he retorted, walking off to bring the twins, ❝Su-reon, Seok-hun please behave at her care.❞ he said now kneeled in front of his undeserved children. They deserved a much better father.

❝We'll have lots of fun. Enjoy your alone time with your wife, sir.❞ she smiled taking each of the twin's little hands into hers before the man closed the door and she picked the two infants up, setting each on her hips before walking home. Once they were a decent distance from the house, she spoke to the two little kids, ❝Who is excited to go play with your friend?❞ and with that said the twins clapped excitedly their tiny little hands.

Finally at Ji-eun's house, she invited herself in with the spare key they lended her. ❝Why don't you call mommy?❞ the twins seemed confused, tilting their head as they looked at her.

❝Mama?❞ Su-ryeon asked confused and Seulgi showed up the second she heard her daughter's voice. She ran up to them, hugging the three of them.

❝Thank you... For bringing them back to me.❞ Seulgi whispered.

❝Hey, I'll do anything for you. Besides, I'm a mother too. I know how it's like.❞ Sasaki said with a tender smile as Seulgi took the twins into her arms.

❝Fwiends!❞ Hana cried out toddling into the hall making the two adults laugh and Seulgi set her children down.

❝Why don't you go play in the living room with Su-ryeon and Seok-hun, honey?❞ she softly suggested and the little infant took the twins hands and wobbly dragged them to the living room.

❝Do you think they'll be okay..?❞ Kang nervously asked, Sasaki reached for her hands, taking both into her own.

❝They already get along well, I'm sure they'll be okay.❞ she spoke with a reassuring smile as her thumbs rubbed gentle circles on the back of Seulgi's hands. ❝We'll leave the day after tomorrow. There's still 4 other girls I'd like to see before we leave.❞

❝Oh?❞ she asked confused, looking up.

❝The rest of Red Velvet, pabo.❝ she giggled with a soft shake of her head.

❝Oh, I should say goodbye as well... I haven't seen them in too long and now I'm leaving. They deserve an explanation.❞ Seulgi looked down with a saddened look.

❝You haven't seen them- That son of a bitch! I'm gonna kill him!❞ Sasaki hissed, ❝He didn't even let you keep your friends!? Who did he think he was?❞

Seulgi looked down and Mari sighed out of frustration, ❝Let's forget about him. I'm happy now.❞ with that said, Sasaki nodded wrapping her arm around Seulgi's waist before leading her into the living room where they sat down on the couch, next to Ji-eun and her husband while the three infants played on the little playground.

The two couples decided to watch a horror movie, each of their cuddling their respective partner. Oh how she had missed holding Seulgi in her arms. Eventually everyone headed to bed, Seulgi laid in bed watching as Mari put Hana to sleep, the twins already asleep in the bed with their mother.

❝Hey...❞ a pair of arms wrapped around Mari from behind, only then had she realized Seulgi had gotten off the bed, ❝Do you want me to try?❞ she whisper-asked.

❝You don't have to. It's o-❞ before she could finish, Seulgi took Hana who giggled and cooed up at her before yawning.

❝Fighing off sleep, huh? You tiny little girl, you need to sleep so you can grow big.❞ she softly spoke, rocking her in her arms. Mari watched in awe as she sat on the edge of the bed. Hana's Coors sushed as she snuggle her tiny body closer to Seulgi's before sucking on her little thumb as she drifted off to sleep.

❝How did you..?❞ Sasaki asked, mouth agape in shock.

❝Hm, secret.❞ she giggled, setting Hana down in the crib and climbing into bed, ❝Goodnight.❞ she smiled, pulling the covers over them and trying to fall asleep.

❝Goodnight.❞ Sasaki fell asleep almost immediately after.

Morning came and Sasaki woke up with the sun shining through the window, groaning she rose to her feet and placed her pillow in her place so the two s wouldn't roll over before walking downstairs and into the kitchen only to find Changbin there.

❝Morning.❞ Sasaki spoke from the doorway, ❝I'm guessing Ji-eun's still asleep?❞ she asked in an affirmation tone.

❝Good morning.❞ he greeted before chuckling, ❝You guessed it right. But the kids are in the living room watching TV.❞

❝Early birds, I see. Hana should be up soon too.❞ she chuckled, walking up to him, ❝Is there anything I can do to help?❞ she asked looking at the different ingredients and utensils displayed on the counter as he made something she couldn't quite figure out what for breakfast.

❝It's all good, don't worry.❞ he offered a smile and she nodded only for a sleepy Seulgi to join them in the kitchen with Su-ryeon and Hana on each side of her hips.

❝Morning, sunshine.❞ Himari softly spoke with a smile as she walked up to her, ❝Where's Seok-hun?❞

❝In the crib. He was still asleep unlike these two.❞ she said with a groggy chuckle escaping her lips.

❝Do you want me to take them so you can get some more sleep?❞ the taller female offered but the older seemed to deny, ❝Alright. We should probably go take care of inviting the girls for a lunch out.❞

❝I can't call them...❞ Seulgi sighed with saddened eyes making Sasaki frown in confusion but decided not to make questions.

❝Don't worry about it, I'll take care of it. Where should we go out for lunch tho?❞ she asked offering her a tender smile caressing her cheek.

❝We could go to that new restaurant that just opened about a week ago?❞ Kang suggested and she nodded, reaching for her phone, ❝I'll call them and let them know as soon as I feed Hana.❞ she said taking Hana who had began to fuss.

Sasaki walked to the bathroom with Hana, who instantly latched herself to her mother's chest. She was starving since for once she had slept through the entire night.

❝Omo, someone was starving.❞ she chuckled, surprised.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

❝Yes?❞

❝Mari, I've already invited the girls. Take care of inviting Red Velvet.❞ Ji-eun informed from the other side of the door.

❝Alright! Thank you! I will do so.❞ the older female spoke covering herself as Hana let go and burped her before walking out of the bathroom and towards the living room, setting her daughter in the little playmatt.

Reaching for her phone, she looked through her contacts calling the first Red Velvet member she found.

❝Mari?❞ a soft voice asked in a confused tone on the other side of the line.

❝Joo-hyun, hi! It's so nice to talk to you again, it's been a while!❞ Sasaki spoke, happy to hear her voice after a while. It had been nearly a year since the last time she had gotten the chance to call her, ❝I'm in Korea for a few more hours, I was wondering if you and the rest of the Red Velvet girls would like to meet us for lunch today?❞

❝I must say, it's nice to hear about you- Wait, for real? I would love to! But I don't live with the girls anymore.❞

❝Oh, I figured. But don't worry about that, I'll give them a call myself.❞

❝But wait, who's us?❞

❝Oh you know, us the Cherry girls.❞

❝Alright, alright! I can't wait to see you guys. Anyways, I'll let you get to do you, text me the address.❞

❝Will do! See you later!❞ with that said, she ended the call before looking for the next to show up in her contacts.

❝Soo-young! Hi! It's been a while.❞ Sasaki greeted the second the other tall female answered.

❝Mari? Is it really you?❞

❝Nah, it's Jesus.❞ she teased, chuckling softly.

❝How have you been? It has indeed been a while!❞

❝Mhm, which is why I'm calling. I'm in Korea for a couple more hours and I was wondering if you and the rest of the Red Velvet girls would like to join us for lunch?❞

❝Wait, you're in Korea!? Of course! Just send me the address and I'll meet you there.❞

❝Alright! I'll see you later then!❞ and another call came to an end and it wasn't even a minute later before Sasaki was on the phone with Wendy, who quickly agreed and then it was Yeri.

Time flew by quickly and now everyone sat at the restaurant table, the husbands had stayed home with the kids for the girls' date and the only one whose partner came along was Sasaki's since she was a member of Red Velvet too.

Halfway through, Seulgi excused herself to use the bathroom and had yet not returned and it started worrying everyone.

❝Hey, I'm gonna go check on Seulgi. I'll be right back.❞ Sasaki said and Irene got up too, going with her.

❝Seulgi-ah!❞ Irene called as soon as they walked in but there seemed to be no response, ❝Yah! Seulgi-ah! This isn't funny!❞

❝Seulbear, baby?❞ She looked everywhere but she seemed to be nowhere.

❝Wait, you two are together? I thought she got married and that's why she left us without saying a word!❞ Bae frowned in confusion, looking around.

❝Long story... But it's hers to tell you...❞ Himari sighed frustrated just as they came out of the bathroom empty handed. There seemed to be no signs of Seulgi and that's when Sasaki's eyes caught something just outside the restaurant. A mad dragging a girl into a black van. She sprinted, running as fast as she could but she was too late, ❝Fuck, fuck, FUCK!❞

She rushed back inside, picking her phone and calling 112. There was no way she'd let him hurt her again.

❝Hello? Yes. There's been a kidnapping of a 29 years old woman! Her name is Kang Seulgi! Her husband's going to kill her if we don't find her soon!❞ she cried out into the phone, her whole body trembling. Both of fear and anger. Everyone stood up, eyes widened, while Himari spoke on the phone with the police. ❝I saw the van's licence plate, it's...❞

Once the call had ended, Sasaki grabbed her things. ❝You girls should go home. It's safer.❞ she said to the Red Velvet girls who nodded softly.

❝Please find her...❞ Irene said as she collected her things.

❝Ally, please go home and make sure Su-ryeon and Seok-hun are safe and sound. Don't let him take them. I have to go to the police station.❞ she asked and she nodded softly.

❝I'll go with you.❞ both Solar and Su-jin said, gathering their things.

❝I'll go try to track the car that took her.❞ Ae-ra spoke as well, gathering her things.

Everyone parted ways, Red Velvet went home and so did Ji-eun while Ae-ra went to the company she works for to ask for help tracking the car and the three remaining girls drove to the police station to make their statements, of course, Sasaki had to tell them the truth about what happened to Seulgi during these last few years before they got there.

❝Jagi? Where are the twins?❞ Ally asked the second she burst into the house.

❝In here, honey.❞ he answered rather confused and Ally ran into the living room the second she locked the door and windows.

❝Good. I have to keep them safe while Mari is at the police station. Seulgi was taken.❞ she explained softly sitting next to the playmat the three infants played. ❝Where are Miyoung and DaeSeong?❞

❝They're in their rooms.❞ he answered and she nodded softly.

Ae-ra was already inside the building, talking to her boss about the situation at hand. Of course that, as soon as it was explained she was given authorisation to use whatever device and available team needed to locate them. And once she had their location, she texted it to Sasaki.

❝Ae–ra found her. I have to go.❞ Sasaki said to the two girls with her but both of them got up.

❝You’re not going alone. Are you out of your mind? Do you not remember what happened three years ago?❞ Su-jin stated, not giving her a choice and Kyong nodded in agreement.

❝I— Fine... I need to drop by Ji-eun's to get a weapon.❞ she sighed in defeat before stating.

❝We’re going to stop at my place, I have an idea.❞ Kyong said as everyone hopped into the car and took off towards her place. Once there, she led them to the weaponry room previously locked, letting them pick their weapon while she stuffed hers into the waistband of her cargo pants.

As the three were ready, they got into the car and Sasaki was the one driving this time. Speeding off to the address Ae-ra had sent her. Parking far enough not to be noticed, they hopped off the car and sneaked their way into the abandoned warehouse. They looked around, staying close to each other.

❝Looking for something?❞ a male voice spoke from behind them and the three turned around in an instant.

❝Seulgi!❞ Himari cried out, the older female was tied,  with a cloth over her mouth as he held her with a knife pressed to her neck.

❝One more move and she's dead.❞ he retorted with a sickening smirk on his lips. Those words were enough to make Sasaki drop her gun and raise her arms, there was no way she'd risk it.

❝If you wanna hurt anyone.. just hurt me. But let her go...❞ she said looking at him, trying to come up with a plan and that's when something happened that shocked all of them, Ae-ra had sneaked behind him and hit him with the handle of her gun hard enough to knock him out and in a second Sasaki had ran to Seulgi, untying her and removing the cloth that covered her mouth, ❝I’m so sorry.❞ Himari said, pulling her into a tight, protective embrace, ❝I was so scared...❞ a relieved sigh escaped along with the soft tears.

❝Are you crazy?❞ Seulgi finally spoke making Sasaki's eyes widen, ❝You could have gotten yourself killed, pabo!❞ and before Sasaki could answer, she was yanked into another embrace as the sirens made themselves heard from afar, signaling that the cops were on the scene.

❝I’ll need you girls to make a statement at the station as soon as possible. And miss, you should go to the hospital.❞ a cop said while another cuffed the unconscious man that began to wake up.

❝Yah! Get off of me!❞ he struggled, trying to free himself.

❝You are under arrest for abduction and domestic violence. Everything you say will be used in court.❞ the cop spoke reading him his rights as he pulled him to his feet.

❝What nonsense is this? This girls set me up.❞ he tried but the officer remained silent, dragging him outside and into the backseat of the car.

❝Thank you for your quick work locating the victim’s whereabouts. It is thanks to you that she's safe and sound.❞ the officer said with a bow and all the girls bowed as well.

❝Come on, I'm gonna take you to the hospital.❞ Sasaki said, wrapping her arm around Seulgi's waist who nodded and walked outside with Ae-ra, Su-jin and Kyong in front of the two. This time Kyong Soon and Su-jin went into Ae-ra’s car, leaving Himari and Seulgi the car they had previously used. Sasaki hopped into the driver's seat after helping Kang into the passenger's seat and taking off to, not the nearest, but best hospital she knew in South Korea.

❝That was a close call.❞ Kyong Soon sighed relieved as she rested back onto the backseat.

❝Don’t tell me. For a moment, I thought we were about to lose both Seulgi and Mari.❞ Su-jin spoke after before turning to Ae-ra, who was focused on the road as she drove, ❝Thank you for coming. If it wasn't for you, they wouldn't be on their way to the hospital by themselves.❞

❝Are you still sure we shouldn't have gone with them? One of us at least?❞ the maknae asked, she seemed rather worried.

❝I’m sure. They need some time for themsel—❞ Su-jin was interrupted by the phone ringing. It was Ae-ra’s, who pressed the answer button on her car's little screen and surely soon enough Ji-eun's voice was made heard in the car.

❝Ally.. Ally!❞ Su-jin tried but it seemed useless as the female on the other end of the line spoke a little too fast.

❝YAH! ALLY!❞ Kim exclaimed out, shutting Ji-eun up. ❝Breathe woman! They're safe and sound. Mari's taking Seul to the hospital just for safety. He has been arrested.❞ she sighed as Ji-eun now spoke normally.

❝Oh– That's good!❞ she said and you could hear the relieved sigh that escaped her in the car, ❝I’ll call Mar—❞

❝NO!❞ the three girls cried out, startling the poor female and making her drop the phone.

❝Geez. Alright, alright. Why not?❞ she groaned with a roll of her eyes the others luckily couldn't see.

❝Because we didn't go with them so they could have some privacy, don't you dare ruin our plan.❞ Su-jin retorted.

Meanwhile with Sasaki and Kang, the two seemed silent until Seulgi spoke.

❝Thank you...❞ it was as low as a murmured secret someone didn't want you to hear, but she meant it.

❝For what?❞ Sasaki wrinkled a brow in confusion as her eyes took a quick glance at the girl sitting next to her before focusing back on the road.

❝Risking your life for me.❞ Seulgi said, staring out the window.

❝Yah! You know I'd do it again in an heartbeat.❞ she stated, shrugging at the end. She didn't see why she was being thanked.

❝I don't want you to...❞ Kang mumbled, and Himari simply went silent. ❝I would never forgive myself if I had been the reason you got hurt...❞ she completed after a while.

❝I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I did nothing to save you.❞ the taller female spoke, her hand reaching over to hold Seulgi's who stayed silent, staring out the window until Mari parked, hopping off and helping Seulgi out.

At the hospital, Seulgi went through different kinds of exams and tests just to make sure she was alright, once it was made sure she wasn't in any danger she was released and soon Sasaki was driving the two back to Ji-eun's place.

❝I wanna go back to Red Velvet...❞ Seulgi suddenly blurted out.

❝W–What do you mean?❞ Sasaki asked confused, looking at the road.

❝I miss performing...❞ she admitted, looking down at her lap.

❝I can't stop you from doing what you love...❞ she said softly pulling into the driveway, ❝If that's what you want then we'll manage. I'll quit my job in Japan and look for one here. But I'm not leaving you again.❞

❝I’ll go with you. To Japan. For a while until you quit. I'll help you with whatever you need until we come back.❞ she said with a smile, looking up at Himari who nodded offering a smile of her own.

It had been five years since they had gotten back together, a lot had happened but the two remained together. In fact, they had a beautiful wedding three years ago and lived in a rather big house in South Korea with their kids. Hana, Su-ryeon and Seok-hun were now six years old, attending the best primary school in Korea. Seulgi had returned to Red Velvet surprising all the ReVeLuvs and Himari, well Himari became a dance teacher at SM Entertainment, reaching young trainees.

And as far as it goes, they've had a happy life together.

[catenaaurea]

The Roman Catechism

Part Two: The Sacraments

THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM (cont.)

Ceremonies of Baptism

Their Importance

It now remains to explain, clearly and concisely, what is to be taught concerning the prayers, rites, and ceremonies of this Sacrament. To rites and ceremonies may, in some measure, be applied what the Apostle says of the gift of tongues, that it is unprofitable to speak, unless the faithful understand. They present an image, and convey the signification of the things that are done in the Sacrament; but if the people do not understand the force and meaning of these signs, there is but little advantage derived from ceremonies. Pastors should take care, therefore, to make them understood and to impress the minds of the faithful with a conviction that, although ceremonies are not of absolute necessity, they are of very great importance and deserve great veneration.

This the authority of those by whom they were instituted, who were, no doubt, the Apostles, and also the object of their institution, sufficiently prove. It is manifest that ceremonies contribute to the more religious and holy administration of the Sacraments, serve to place, as it were, before the eyes the exalted and inestimable gifts which they contain, and impress on the minds of the faithful a deeper sense of the boundless beneficence of God.

Three Classes Of Ceremonies In Baptism

In order that the pastor's instructions may follow a certain plan and that the people may find it: easier to remember his words, all the ceremonies and prayers which the Church uses in the administration of Baptism are to be reduced to three heads. The first comprehends such as are observed before coming to the baptismal font; the second, such as are used at the font; the third, those that usually follow the administration of the Sacrament.

Ceremonies That Are Observed Before Coming To The Font: Consecration Of Baptismal Water

In the first place, then, the water to be used in Baptism should be prepared. The baptismal font is consecrated with the oil of mystic unction; not, however, at all times, but, according to ancient usage, only on certain feasts, which are justly deemed the greatest and the most holy solemnities in the year. The water of Baptism was consecrated on the vigils of those feasts; and on those days alone, except in cases of necessity, it was also the practice of the ancient Church to administer Baptism. But although the Church, on account of the dangers to which life is continually exposed, has deemed it expedient to change her discipline in this respect, she still observes with the greatest solemnity the festivals of Easter and Pentecost on which the baptismal water is to be consecrated.

The Person To Be Baptized Stands At The Church Door

After the consecration of the water the other ceremonies that precede Baptism are next to be explained. The persons to be baptized are brought or conducted a to the door of the church and are strictly forbidden to enter, as unworthy to be admitted into the house of God, until they have cast off the yoke of the most degrading servitude and devoted themselves unreservedly to Christ the Lord and His most just authority.

Catechetical Instruction

The priest then asks what they demand of the Church; and having received the answer, he first instructs them in the doctrines of the Christian faith, of which a profession is to be made in Baptism.

This the priest does in a brief catechetical instruction, a practice which originated, no doubt, in the precept of our Lord addressed to His Apostles: Go ye into the whole world, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. From this command we may learn that Baptism is not to be administered until, at least, the principal truths of our religion are explained.

But as the catechetical form consists of many interrogations, if the person to be instructed be an adult, he himself answers; if an infant, the sponsor answers for him according to the prescribed form and makes the solemn promise.

The Exorcism

The exorcism comes next in order. It consists of words of sacred and religious import and of prayers, and is used to expel the devil, to weaken and crush his power.

The Salt

To the exorcism are added other ceremonies, each of which, being mystical, has its own clear signification. When, for instance, salt is put into the mouth of the person to be baptized, this evidently means that, by the doctrines of faith and by the gift of grace, he shall be delivered from the corruption of sin, shall experience a relish for good works, and shall be delighted with the food of divine wisdom.

The Sign Of The Cross

Next his forehead, eyes, breast, shoulders and ears are signed with the sign of the cross, to declare, that by the mystery of Baptism, the senses of the person baptized are opened and strengthened, to enable him to receive God, and to understand and observe His Commandments.

The Saliva

His nostrils and ears are next touched with spittle, and he is then immediately admitted to the baptismal font. By this ceremony we understand that, as sight was given to the blind man mentioned in the Gospel, whom the Lord after He had spread clay on his eyes commanded to wash them in the waters of Siloe, so through the efficacy of holy Baptism a light is let in on the mind, which enables it to discern heavenly truth.

[wizard-finix]

oooh 🦜🦉 :D ! ! ! !

HELLO RAGE MY FELLOW PERSONA ENJOYER, THANK U FOR THE ASK I GOT THE GOODS JUST FOR U

🦜 a pretty quote(you like the prose, or symbolism, or it's poetic, or you just like how it feels/the word choice!)

I know u love Akihiko (I do too) so have a future scene with Akihiko and Sae for Stygian Ringlet:

A thermos was suddenly placed on her desk in front of her with a dull thunk. Sae looked up and nearly startled. “Sanada?” “Don’t look so surprised,” he said. “I do work here, you know.” “What are you doing here?” she asked, dropping her voice low so no one would overhear. “I thought you worked at the station, not the courthouse.” “I had to drop something off for a case,” Sanada explained. “Figured you were gonna come looking for me anyway, so I thought I’d save you the trouble.” He glanced at the mess that was her desk. “Wow. And I thought Mitsuru was a workaholic.” Sae resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Sanada was… very straightforward. Not quite what she expected, but strangely easy to talk to. "I just have a lot of work to do," she said. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to leave the office until late today.” Sanada grimaced in sympathy. “If it makes you feel better, I’ll be working late too,” he said. “After the whole fiasco with the kid, everyone’s gonna be pulling some long hours for a while.” She hummed thoughtfully. “In that case, would you like to go get takeout together later?” “Sure,” said Sanada. “Got a place in mind?” Sae gave a tired sigh. “Normally, I would get conveyor belt sushi with—” She paused. “...With a coworker after days like this. But with everything that’s happened lately, I don’t feel very much like sushi right now.” Sanada looked thoughtful. “...How about I show you one of my favorite spots, then? I know a good beef bowl place not far from here.” “Beef bowls?” Sae asked. She thought about it for a moment. “...I suppose that does sound good."

I wasn’t expecting Akihiko and Sae to end up having a friendship dynamic, but they DO and it ranges somewhere between “accomplice partners in crime” and ”🤝 our workplace sucks, actually” and I am SO looking forward to actually getting to those parts in the fic. I love my p3 boys

🦉 a clever quote (something you're proud of!)

This continues off of the scene above, but I was having some fun digging into Akihiko’s reasons for picking the career he did (since I noticed it’s a little controversial among persona fans) and I’m a lil proud of this analysis:

“Why did you become a police officer in the first place?” asked Makoto. Akihiko paused as he considered the question.  “I was never much good at detective work like Shirogane is. I’m no tech expert, I’m not all that good with kids, and I’m not really into business or management. I’m a guy who’ll have your back in a fight, but that’s about it.” Akihiko shrugged. “Somehow that ended up with me at the police academy. It’s not a fun job; hell, half the time I hate it, but I’ve got my reasons for sticking with it. And trying is better than doing nothing, I guess.”  “If you hate it so much, you could have just stayed a Shadow Operative,” said Sae. “Although I suppose I’m not one to talk.” “I know I could have,” he said, remembering the few years after graduation he’d spent trying to figure out what he wanted to do with his life now that the Dark Hour was gone. He had taken care of Ken up until he decided to move into the dorms on his own in the meantime, and helped Mitsuru where he could with the newly formed Shadow Operatives, but there weren’t any shadows to fight for a while. Looking out for the others was really the only thing that he wanted, but that wasn’t exactly a career option.  He’d also tried out professional boxing for a while, and he had liked it, but making a career out of what was more of a high school hobby lost its appeal after a while. “So why didn’t you?” asked Makoto. Akihiko thought about the question, trying to come up with the words for an answer. “I guess… I just want to be the kind of adult the three of us would have liked to have around growing up. Ken, too, after he lost his mom.” For years it had just been him, Shinji, and Miki at the orphanage. Then just him and Shinji, up until the point where they’d been recruited by Mitsuru. Akihiko could count on his fingers the number of adults that had actually looked out for them during that time.  There was one of those adults that Akihiko thought about when he considered going into police work. It wasn’t much, but he remembered the way Officer Kurosawa had supplied Akihiko and Shinjiro— two orphaned, rough-looking middle schoolers known for picking fights— with a meager selection of confiscated weapons, suspecting that something was wrong in Iwatodai and giving them the means to protect themselves. In hindsight, he had definitely been breaking several laws to do so, yet he did it anyway simply because he believed it was the right thing to do. Something about that stuck with Akihiko, even now.  (When he thought about it later on, he wondered if Kurosawa had ever experienced the Dark Hour. It would have explained why he thought giving them weapons was the best way to help, or why he had so much faith in them. He hadn’t seen Kurosawa since graduation, so he never got the chance to ask.) Besides, Mitsuru, Aigis, and Shirogane were heavily involved in police and government affairs. Akihiko wasn’t a rich heiress or a detective; his options to help were limited. So he did the next best thing: taking up a police badge just so he could be there to have their backs when they needed it, so his closest friends and allies wouldn’t fight alone. He’d promised Shinjiro he would take care of them, after all.

Thanks for the ask!! :D (and also the motivation to work on this fic again lmao)

[ncsasp]

Alright it looks like I’ve gotten all the responses I’m getting

Welcome to ROUND TWO of I ASKED MY MUTUALS A QUESTION, LET’S SEE WHO’S THE FUNNIEST!

This time, we’ve got more than 3 mutuals participating, and most, if not all of them are completely clueless!

Without further adue, here are their responses to “What is the best way to tell your much-more of a tumblrina cousin that you follow their blog?”

Also, special mention to @kittykittycatboys, @halo-3-rat, and @definitelynotabanana who all answered with “Tell them you like their shoelaces”. I would post all those asks too, but I hit the 10 image limit and didn’t realize I asked 11 people, so I’m condensing them into 1 item.

And yes. I did post all of the responses that said “idk sorry” because you should know better than to answer an ask from me saying by IDK.

Here’s the rest of the people I asked that weren’t tagged previously:

@willowplantcat, @snickeringdragon, @terrencetheshark14, @tortadecuchufli, @johnsonofdonut, @churxstomk, @hifuu-yuri-club, and @falsegrey

Now you will all fight to the death. Good luck!