#also rip Layla? i guess?

[loveipromiseimnotinsane]

It only took nearly four years but I finally finished Assassins Creed Valhalla and damn :( I already miss my girl Eivor

[genshins1mpact]

My current daily comms team looks like they pulled a "let's all wear blue and not tell Nahida" omfg

Bonus: everyone subtlety matching in their totally-not-uniforms and/or looking like they're about to perform a banger together 💙

[rubys-domain]

*tags again*

[angel-of-the-moons]

A Rose Under The Moon

Moon Knight System (Marc/Steven/Jake) x Fem!Reader

TW/CW: None really, chit-chat between some gal pals, some implied bi/pan reader.

A/N: Never fear, best gal Layla is here! Also the Hippo-Mama!

And I totes recommend reading the Hobby Headcanons that @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction wrote on the boys! I plan on implementing them all! (Also read all their other things, their Nathan Bateman shit is *insert Paccha meme here*) I need to read up on American football because frankly I have no clue how sports worked since I played soccer and baseball as a kid, before I write about Marc's lest I sound like some plebeian who's guessing everything lmao

Taglist: @bad4amficideas @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @shirukitsune @lokisremainingsanity

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Chapter 5:

Old Friends

You were minding your own business, cleaning up the mess of tossed books that a couple was oh so kind enough to allow their child to scatter.

You hoped you'd never see them again. While they sat at the nook, sipping coffee and eating the muffins, their child was running around, causing havoc and destroying your beautiful, well-organized shop. Oh, your poor shop…

The couple weren't happy when you charged them for the books their son had ripped up and destroyed beyond salvage, the books he colored in.

Yeah, you really hoped they would never come back.

You looked at your burned hand with a frown. It had been a few days since you hurt yourself, and while painful, the burn wasn't actually that bad. Some aloe, some ice… And it started to clear up after the first day, the blisters receding quickly. You flexed your fingers and tilted your head, curiously wondering if your soulmate could feel the burns, as well. When the thought crossed your mind, you pulled up your sleeve and looked at the mark on your wrist, checking to see which moon would be full today.

The bottom right one. It had been that one a lot, lately.

The bell to the front door dinged, and you straightened up, mentally preparing yourself for the forced smile you were going to have to put on, now.

You cleared your throat and spun around, broom in hand, looking at the woman who just walked in.

She was beautiful. Her tanned skin complimenting her dark eyes and mass of wavy curls. She smiled at you, a bit more genuine.

"Oh! Hello, welcome to Here Today Books." You say politely. "Can I help you?"

"You look like you need it more, sister." She sighed, smiling sympathetically, nodding to the pile of ruined books you now had to put into recycling. Her accent was… it wasn't American, like yours. It sounded similar, but her words had some kind of twinge to them.

"Ah, yeah… a couple and their lovely child were my most recent patrons." You joke dryly.

"Ah, a little tornado, huh?" She snorted, shaking her head.

"Yep. For sure." You sigh, giving her a new, more genuine smile. "Now, were you looking for anything in particular today?"

"Oh, actually, a friend told me about this place, and I was curious." She mused.

That… took you by surprise. People actually talk about your store? Like, as in tell other people about it? This was news, for sure.

"O-oh?" You blink.

"Yeah, he said you made good muffins and tea. I'm more of a coffee fan in the morning, myself, though. Tea is more of a night thing." She chuckled.

You tilt your head at her, gears in your brain whirling.

"Are you friends with Steven Grant, by any chance?" You ask.

She laughs. "Yes! I'm Layla. Layla el Faouly." She holds out her hand for you to shake, and you, without thinking, extend your healing hand.

She shakes it gingerly, her eyes focused on the rosy skin like it was the most interesting thing in the world.

"That… looks like it hurt." She said.

"Oh, this? I was just dumb and grabbed a hot pan without thinking." You said, examining your hand casually.

"Oh… Yeah, that's not good for you, y'know?" Layla joked softly.

"Yeah, not the worst pains I've ever had, trust me." You reply. "Now, uh… are you looking for a book? Or after some of the coffee? Or my muffins?"

"Oh! I think I'll just explore a bit, if that's all right with you." Layla said with a nod.

"Oh, I don't mind! If you need anything, just holler!" You wave at her as she disappears into the shelves.

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"You saw it?" Layla muttered softly to herself; or more accurately, to the giant hippo-woman clad in gold and jewels standing next to her, only visible to her eyes.

"Yes, yes I did. Didn't Marc mention that he had phantom pains in that same hand?" Taweret chuckled.

"Yeah. I mean… It could be coincidence, but…"

"You should talk to her. The poor dear looks dreadfully lonely." Taweret sighed, looking even more gargantuan as she peers at the contents of the shelves pressing down around her, her cute little ears flickering back and forth.

She picked up a book on psychology, finding it suddenly terribly interesting, her eyes widening as she scans the pages faster than a human ever could.

"I will. If we're right about our assumption, then, maybe we can… I don't know…"

"Play matchmaker?" Taweret giggles.

Layla softly smiles, not paying attention to the open book in her hands as she chuckles.

"Yeah. We can play matchmaker."

"Oh, let's just see how this plays out first, m'love?" The goddess giggled.

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Layla wanders to the front of the store, two hardback romance novels in her hands and you smile as you restock some old sci-fi novels into your discount rack.

They were the kind of romance novels with the covers reminiscent of oil paintings, the pretty ones. Not the stupid photoshopped ones that are being printed nowadays.

"Find something you like?" You chuckle.

She waves the books with a wide grin, "I've actually been looking for these copies for ages. At one of the places I was working, some jerk stole them from my locker."

"Oh gods, that is horrible!" You gasp. Why would anyone steal books?! At most, those particular novels, even new, only went for a few pounds!

"I know, right! They were autographed and everything!" Layla groaned.

You felt even more offended on her behalf. If those books were autographed and authentic, they would go for actually a decent sum for a collector online...

"That's even worse than just stealing a regular copy!" You clucked.

Layla wiggled the books in her hands. "But, hey! You have hardback copies, and in very good condition. Mine were old, beat up paperbacks!"

"Well, I'm more than happy that you found them!" You grinned widely.

Layla tilted her head to the left slightly, like she had heard something from behind her, and then she looked right at you, eyeing you up and down briefly, as if she were thinking.

You quirked an eyebrow at her in concern.

"Is everything all right?" You ask.

"Hm? Oh! Yes, yes I'm okay! I just have this... thing. The ringing in my ears?" She coughs, abashed.

"Oh! You have tinnitus? I have a booklet or two on medical things that might have something in it for you if you'd like." You chirp helpfully.

Layla put her hand up, chuckling as she declined politely. "Thank you, but no, I'll be okay. It's not constant or anything like that, it's just that I got off a plane the other day and my ears popped and haven't righted themselves yet.."

"Ooooh..." You nod in understanding. "Where'd you fly in from, if you don't mind my asking?"

She smiled. "Cairo."

"That's the accent!" You gasp in realization, pointing at her.

Layla laughed when you blushed and apologized for the outburst.

"It's fine, and yes! How'd you guess?"

"I used to have an exchange student, he would come in here and buy books for his college courses all the time! He was born and raised just outside Cairo." You chuckle.

"Ohh! Interesting." Layla hummed, looking at the books in her hands.

"Hm... you mentioned you had a menu of sorts?"

"Sure!" You lead her over to one of the nooks, and hand her the laminated mini menu you had available.

Her eyebrows raised, impressed at the various items you had available.

"Oh! This is actually nice..."

"Yep! Most of it is made to order by me, so some of it'll take a bit to bake." You grin proudly.

"Oh... well in that case, is it okay if I ask you to keep me some company? If you're not busy? I don't actually have too many friends other than Steven and his... er, brothers and my... uhhh... surrogate mom, so being able to have another woman to chit-chat with would be very welcome..."

To say you were surprised at the offer was an understatement.

"Oh! Uh, sure! I don't... I don't mind!"

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You and Layla clicked very well. You had similar tastes in things like reality TV, romance novels, even skincare routines.

But when she started talking about herself, is when it got interesting. It turns out she had been married to Marc at some point.

She was his ex-wife. The one he told you about.

"I imagine it's kind of awkward for you two, huh?" You remarked.

"Oh, me n Marc? Not at all! We're still good friends, it's just..." Layla set her coffee down, frowning as she tried to think of how to describe it.

"...After a while, whatever we had... like... the spark, I guess? It just... faded. Marc went through a bit of soul searching and after he did that, well..."

They weren't soulmates.

"Ah... I understand." You sighed.

"What about you?" She asked, a small sly smirk playing her lips.

"Oh! Uh... yeah. No. Nothing for me, I'm afraid." You chuckle awkwardly, rubbing the back of your neck.

"Oh? Nobody special or anything like that? Never kissed someone?"

"Well, I mean, when I was in highschool I kissed a girl on a dare." You sip your own coffee.

"A girl?" Her eyebrows raised in curiosity.

"Yeah, to be honest I'm not sure what kind of preference I have, because I've never really been attracted to anyone before, but it was... weird. Didn't feel like everyone talked it up to be."

"Ah... so... are you waiting for your soulmate, then?" Layla asked a bit tightly.

"Yeah... I know it's stupid, but..." You say, looking down at the mug in your hands.

"Not really. Who doesn't want to meet the one person that is your other half?" She said, smiling softly in sympathy.

Her finger traced the rim of her cup idly, trying to think of the best way to go about phrasing the next question without being obvious about her suspicions.

"Do you... have any ideas of who it might be?" She finally asked.

You shake your head and shrug. "D'nno. I don't know if it's a man or a woman or... well anybody, really. I don't know what it's supposed to feel like once you meet your soulmate because each bond is different so..."

Layla wanted to scream. She wanted to facepalm, she wanted to smack her head on the table. She wanted to splash her coffee into her face.

Taweret was giggling like mad.

"Not as easy as you assumed it was going to be, eh Little One?" The goddess smiled behind her hand at Layla.

Her eyebrow twitched, knowing full well she couldn't retort without looking insane or revealing her position as Taweret's avatar.

You had to be Marc's (and possibly Steven's and Jake's) soulmate. It was all just too coincidental for her liking.

"Oh! That's... well I hope they're close by!" Layla said, forcing a very strained smile.

How could you and Marc be this thick?!

That fact alone had to mean something.

"That's everyone's hope, isn't it?" You chuckled softly, a small fond smile on your face, a glimmer of sadness in your eyes.

Layla felt sympathy for you in the moment, realizing how terribly lonely you must be feeling. And how much pain.

Especially with Marc and the others doing Khonshu's will.

Taweret seemed to pick the thought out of thin air, so in tune with Layla she could tell by the flash in her eyes what she was thinking about.

"Ohhh! That bloody old bone-head!" She huffed, her nostrils flaring as she crossed her arms, her bottom lip poking out from beneath her muzzle.

"He needs to give those poor boys a break! Especially because whatever happens to them, happens to her!" She gestured to you with her big, yet gentle hands.

Layla cleared her throat.

"Well, uh.... since I've told you about me... why don't you tell me about you? Where were you born, stuff like that?" Layla asked you, still smiling.

"Oh! Me? I'm afraid it's not very interesting." You chuckled dryly.

Layla looked outside as the rain came down in sheets. Not very appealing to walk back to the boys' flat in this weather... especially not for her hair.

"It looks like I've got time, love. Go ahead! We can have some more drinks while we chat."

You smiled a bit wider.

It was nice to have a girl-friend to talk with, again.

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When Steven had woken up, Layla was gone, and Marc and Jake left Steven quite alone in the body, letting him front entirely for the day. She'd left a note on Gus and Co's tank saying she went out for a bit for some fresh air.

Which, quite frankly, Marc said was bullshit because of the weather. Layla wouldn't go out in a monsoon and risk her hair becoming an unmanageable spongy mop that would take forever to dry, unless she was going somewhere very specific.

It was one of the things she complained about the most when they were together, something he thought was amusing. He remembered one time they got caught in a rain after their wedding, and at the hotel she was fussing and muttering under her breath as her wet curls hung over her face, desperately trying to get the dripping mass of hair to dry, glaring at herself in the mirror.

Steven sighed, and made his morning cup of tea and went about his routine. He dusted some, and decided to slip on his apron and play with some recipes he'd found online.

The apron was a bit... "dinky" as Marc had called it. Jake apparently ordered it online when he saw the slightly cartoon'd Egyptian motifs on it and left it as a present for Steven, since his favorite thing to do other than read was to cook (and he was a major Egyptophile).

When he was finished, he'd placed the extra portions in a small container in the fridge for Layla when she returned, in case she was hungry.

Then, he sat down, ate, and read a book while he played some music over the cheap sound system Marc installed.

When Layla returned, she was... dry. Remarkably dry. Her hair was still perky and everything!

She apparently bought an umbrella while she was out, placing it in the holder so no excess water dripped on the floor.

"Ah! Hey Steven." She chuckled, walking up and kissing his cheek, knocking his glasses off to the side as she did, placing her bag on the little table nearby.

"How'd you know?" Steven chuckled, adjusting his glasses as he looked up at her.

"Well, aside from the fact you're hunched over like a goblin over a book... the flat smells wonderful. You've obviously been cooking. Not Marc." She grinned.

"Ha!" Steven giggled.

Layla hummed as she set her new purchases on the table, folding the little canvas bag neatly.

Steven's eyebrows shot up when he saw the books.

"Where were you..?" He asked, clearing his throat.

"Oh, y'know... exploring. Went out for a tea..." She grinned at him out of the corner of her still ridiculously beautiful eyes.

"Visited that bookstore you 'n Marc told me about."

Steven fidgeted in his seat.

"O-oh..."

"Mhmm." She tapped her nails on the books' hard covers; she then turned around and crossed her arms, still grinning as she leaned her hips on the table.

"....Why are you looking at me like that? And where did you get that umbrella..?"

"Oh, well..." She shrugged, sighing a bit dramatically, looking elsewhere in the flat for dramatic effect.

She looked back at him, her eyes twinkling mischievously.

"Your little girlfriend who owns the bookstore. She really is a sweetheart, she let me borrow it while I'm in town."

"Bloody hell! Layla! It's not like that at all--" Steven sputtered, almost dropping the book in his hand.

She started cackling madly, walking into the kitchen, and opened the refrigerator.

"Ooh! What'dja make?"

Steven made a noise, burying his face in his hands as he tried to hide the faint blush that crept up his face and set up shop in the tips of his ears, knocking his glasses up to his forehead.

"Bloody hell!" He groaned into his palms.

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Chapter 6: Link

[zeroseuniverse]

Switch It Up

word count: 787 Warnings: Heeseung does not have the brain cells in this one Pairing: Heeseung X reader

It was funny really, How could it not be? They could switch bodies and trick everyone in their day to day lives. How’d they come across this you may ask? One day Heeseung was so exhausted, the boys had been a handful, even if he wasn’t the leader he was the oldest so he had a responsibility to look after them, he just wanted a break from Ni-Ki constantly wanting his attention, which was endearing but sometimes he just wasn’t in the mood. So he laid in his bed thinking about what his soulmate was doing and all of a sudden he was there? Not with them but he was them. 

When she was ripped from her dance test she panicked, looking around the room frantically trying to figure out why she wasn’t in her practice room like she was moments ago, instead she seemed to be in a boys room? She got up from the bed and walked to the mirror in the corner, taking in the gorgeous features of the man she was currently inhabiting.

The door creaked open but she was still too busy ogling the man before her in the mirror, “Hey Hyung, Riki is wanting to play Mario kart with you, said he wanted a real challenge.” Someone spoke from behind her, spooking her from her trance, she turned and saw the most adorable boy she had ever seen in her life, his dimples prominent as he looked up at her with a grin, her brain was screaming honestly.

“Uh I don’t think I’m you’re hyung?” She said, confused, the voice speaking wasn’t her own, it was so much better. 

“What are you talking about Heeseung?” The younger looked at him confused, as he took in the utter confusion on the elders face. 

“Uh I think he and I switched bodies?” She said, “Where’s his phone?” 

Jungwon was confused but played along incase this was some joke, he grabbed the phone off of the night stan and passed it to his hyung who used Heeseung’s face to unlock it, she made quick work of finding the call button and typing in her number.

The dial tone ringing made Jungwon nervous, is this really not a joke?

“Hello? Is this uh I guess me?” A female’s voice spoke, her voice. Jungwon was beyond confused at this point. 

“Am I you? Are you me?”

“I think so, I guess this must be what the specialist meant when he said I could switch places with my soulmate.”

“Specialist? How is this possible?”

“Uh basically our souls can swap places.”

“I HAD A DANCE TEST TODAY! You couldn’t have picked another day?”

“It was an accident! Also I aced your dance test for you!” He or She sounded very giddy at the accomplishment, hoping for the praise from his soulmate, who simply sighed tiredly.

“I spent months on that routine.”

“I’m sorry, we can switch back and you can explain the situation?” He offered but she simply hummed in opposition.

“No, I want to have fun in your life, now I have no stress of a test. Let’s see how long your friends take to notice you’re not actually you.” She grinned evilly hanging up the phone, and turning to the now pale faced younger in the corner, “Our secret let’s see how long it takes, yea? Mind giving me a run down?’

It took 6 months for his friends to notice, and they hadn’t actually noticed while she was inhabiting his body, they noticed because his soulmate had teased him about them not realizing yet and he was pouting making the members question while Jungwon just tried to stifle his laughter. Needless to say the comments didn’t help his pouting.

“So that’s why you suddenly helped me in the kitchen!” Jay had exclaimed.

“That’s why you complimented my outfits every morning.” Sunoo pouted, “She’s my bestfriend now, whoever she is.”

“You weren’t actually interested in Layla?!?” Jake yelled in despair and betrayal, glaring at his elder.

“No wonder I beat you in Mario Kart.” Ni-Ki simply laughed, and everyone turned to Sunghoon waiting for his exclamation but he grinned instead.

“Oh I already knew, her mannerisms were way too similar to someone I know, and she acted nervous around me so I made her tell me the truth.”

“Wait, you know her?” Sunoo asked excitedly, making Sunghoon smile bigger, completely endeared by the younger one.

“Yea she trains at a dance studio nearby, she also fosters animals all of the time, so I help her sometimes.”

“So I could've met her?!?” Heeseung exclaimed, earning a blank look from everyone.

“Hyung you have her number.” Jungwon stated making Heeseung’s eyes widen.

“Oh my god you’re right?!?”

[seven4asecret]

₊✩‧₊˚ Tipping The Scales Pt.3 ˚₊✩‧₊

Moonknight System x Layla x Gn! (Eventual Avatar) Reader

Content & Warnings: No pronouns, no Y/N, no Smut, descriptions of typical violence, eventual polyamory, & badly written fight scenes

Ao3 Wattpad Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

Chapter 3: Feelings? (Rip Khonshu)

You closed the door to your apartment behind Layla, before scrambling towards your desk. You flipped a few stray papers aside and lifted a few books. Where did you have it last?

"Hey, uh, we should probably make sure you don't have a minor concussion and stop the bleeding before you-"

"I-I'm fine. Just give me one moment." You checked your nightstand, the counter, and the couch. You had it only a few hours earlier. What could you have done with it?

"What are you doing?" Layla asked brows furrowed as she watched you scramble around your small apartment.

"Looking for this!" You explained triumphantly as you untangled your blanket, the book from earlier landed on the floor with a thump. You winced at the surprisingly loud noise, the headache returning. Maybe she had a point.

"Okay. Can I ask why a book on Ancient Egypt takes priority over medical attention?" She crossed her arms and nodded at the book now in your hands. 

You sighed, dropping your shoulders in defeat. Your head did hurt. And it probably wasn't the best choice to let it go unchecked. 

"Do you have a first aid kit anywhere? Or-"

"Yeah. It's under the sink. I'll grab it." You blinked a few times, trying to clear the sudden dizziness. You must have stood a bit too quickly. Low iron and all that.

You took a step. Layla took your arm, stopping you. 

"How about you just sit here," She pushed you gently back onto the couch," and I'll go grab it okay?" You nodded and leaned back. It was nice of her to do. Especially for someone who was practically still a stranger. You appreciated it, really, but with everything that happened, you wanted to figure out what was going on. You had a sneaking suspicion that this bird-man wasn't just a weird attachment. 

Layla returned with the kit a second later, both of you maneuvering to sit on the couch facing each other. You suddenly noticed her eyes had flakes of gold as she leaned towards you, bringing a cloth to the side of your head. 

"Thanks." You winced as she began to wipe the blood away.

"It's no problem." She hesitated a moment. "Can I... ask you a question?"

"Y-yeah. Go for it." You fiddled with your hands resting on your lap.

"How were you and Steven able to see it? The jackal?"

You swallowed. 

She was going to think you were crazy. 

You just met one of the coolest, most badass people you had ever encountered, and now she was going to think you were crazy. Great. You took a breath and glanced down.

"To be honest I've just... always been able to see things." You waved your hand, "Spirits, ghosts, and the like."

"Oh." She pulled back the rag.

"Yeah." You cringed. "It's crazy, I know. But the jackal...that wasn't anything like what I normally see. Usually, most things are fairly peaceful and have limited interaction with their environment. It sounds insane but I swear I didn't hit my head that hard."

She cracked a smile.

"Okay. I'll trust you, considering you haven't passed out on me yet." She brought the rag back up to your head.

"Really?" You released a breath. 

"Yeah." She paused," I mean... we just got attacked by an invisible jackal. It's not too hard to think there are more things like...that out there."

You nodded.

She pulled the rag away. It was stained with a light crimson spot.

"I think the bleeding has stopped but you might want to watch out for any more dizziness. You'll also want to keep a cold cloth on for about 20 minutes at a time on it."

"Okay." She handed you a clean cloth, and you did as instructed.

 You turned back to her.

"Can I ask you a question?"

 "Sure."

"What's the situation with you and Steven or Marc, I guess? I mean you don't have to tell me of course I-"

She sighed, "No. It's fine. He...he disappeared. For months I heard nothing. I thought he had been kidnapped or...killed. Then out of nowhere, he sent divorce papers. Next thing I know the phone is turned on and I tracked it." She paused a moment. "How about you and Steven?"

"Oh, we just work together at a museum. I'm a guide for the Greco-Roman exhibit, he works in the gift shop. I'm sorry about the two of you. I'm sure that was awful."

"Just work together, huh?" She flashed you a grin. "But, yeah...I'm just glad to know he's okay for now."

"You wouldn't happen to know where he went with the jackal would you?"

She shook her head, "No. But I would guess that he will start making his way to Egypt."

 "Why? Doesn't he still need the scarab?"

"Yes. But Ammit's tomb is Cairo. That's where the scarab will lead. We need to meet Marc and find the tomb before Harrow."

 "W-we?" You looked at her surprised.

"Yeah." She shrugged. "If you want. Harrow has seen you with us so it would be safer to leave for now. It also would be pretty convenient to know when I've got another jackal after me." She nudged your shoulder and grinned. "Besides, Steven's fond of you. I'm sure he'd want you there." You felt your face begin to heat up. You weren't sure if it was because of her sudden closeness to you or that she had brought up your coworker. 

"So what do you say? Are you up for trying to stop an ancient goddess from taking over the world?"

"Yeah. Let's do it."

"I'll book the tickets for tomorrow. Okay? I'll swing by here to pick you up after I make a stop."

You nodded, "Okay. Sounds like a plan."

She gave you a quick smile and closed the door behind her. The gravity of what you had gotten yourself involved with dawned on you. You sighed to yourself and pushed those thoughts to the side. Right now you needed to see if you were right about your hunch, you turned and reached for the book.

You couldn't help but pick up on the recent name-dropping of ancient Egyptian entities. The jackals and the recurring crescent moons only served to fuel your theory. It would make sense. Why the entity had felt so different, ancient. Why it had felt more powerful than most spirits? Maybe because it wasn't one. It would make sense why it shared so much resemblance to a mummy and presented itself as half humanoid half animal.

Steven had mentioned a name earlier...Khonshu, was it? The Egyptian god of the moon? 

You flipped open the book, scouring the pages for the name.

Khenti-Amentiu... Khenti-kheti...Kepri...Kherty...

You stopped.

Khonshu

You looked at the illustration a skeletal bird-man staring at you from the page.

No way.

‘Khonshu is the Egyptian god of the moon and the guardian of the travelers of the night. His name itself means "traveler" or "wanderer" and may correlate to the journey of the moon across the sky. In addition, he was also known as a god of healing and fertility. When there was a full moon present he was believed to possess power over evil spirits. Khonshu's earliest depiction describes him as a cannibal god. He was terrifying and violent and feasted on the hearts of men and consumed other gods. His nature evolved over time and was more benevolent in the new kingdom. Here, he was worshipped more widely.’

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You sat on your sofa, cloth to your head as the TV cast a blue glow around your flat.

You tensed. The hair on your arms stood on end.

The atmosphere had abruptly shifted. The earlier comfort of your flat had become noticeably uneasy. You felt a pair of eyes on you.

Khonshu.

You could sense him before you caught sight of his figure. He stood just on the edge of your periphery. You sucked in a nervous breath. In all the time you had felt his presence, you had never sensed him in a place that Steven wasn't.

Well… This was unsettling.

You didn't sense any negative intent from him, but that didn't stop your apprehension. Your hands trembled lightly.

Don't panic. You attempted to ease your worry. He's never bothered you before.

"K-Khonshu?" You whispered as you turned towards him.

He abruptly appeared before the couch. You jumped. Khonshu loomed over you, his skull nearly grazing the ceiling. 

He tilted his head at your acknowledgment. The blue lighting from your TV cast him in a sinister shadow. You were still not used to seeing him so close. Your heart pounded as you noted just how intimidating he was. He stood unmoving for a moment, seemingly observing your shaking form.

"You need not fear me, little one." His voice was surprisingly gentle. "I wish you no harm... rather the opposite. I have come to offer to you my protection. "

This took a moment for you to process. This was certainly not expected from the bird-man. 

"W-what? Why?"

"I must admit I'm..." He paused and turned his head, "Curious. It should be nearly impossible for mortals to sense us. Yet, you felt my presence long before I revealed myself. You possess quite a rare ability. I had believed it had perished among mortals a millennia ago."

You hesitated, fidgeting with your hands.

"When I... first felt your presence, I knew something was different about you." You furrowed your brow, "But at first, I believed you to be just another spirit or entity."

"We do not exist in the same way as mortal spirits or other entities but it is similar. Both do not exist on the same plane of reality as this one. But our's makes us more difficult to perceive."

You paused, the information slowly sinking in.

"W-wait. Hold on." You waved your hands, "You're saying I can perceive... interdimensional beings?

"To put it simply, yes." He nodded. This revelation was unnerving. Your ability was much more complicated than you thought. 

"But... why does it interest you so much if all I can do is see you?" You began to get the creeping sense that he wanted something from you. 

"Oh, but you can do much more than that, little star. Your ability allows you to channel a god's energy, focusing it and allowing them more power in this plane. This makes you quite valuable to the gods. I do not wish for you to fall into the wrong hands." He paused.

 You glanced down, hesitant. 

"I offer to you my protection, resistance from injuries, and illness. I can keep you safe from harm. In return, simple offerings and rituals would be all I demand. I only ask that you serve as my priest."

You hesitated. If you accepted, you wouldn't be entirely useless anymore. Part of your work for Khonshu would potentially help Marc and Steven. You'd imagine they would need as much power as they could to face off against Ammit. The offer of protection was helpful. But it paled compared to the opportunity to help the people you cared about. You wanted to do something to aid them. 

"Okay." You nodded. A small part in the recess of you whispered that this might be a mistake. You pushed those thoughts away. You could do something now. You drew in a breath, "I-I want to help. I'll do it."

"Good. You've made the right choice..."  Khonshu leaned forward towards you, hand outstretched. "Now, allow me to see your wound."

You furrowed your brow in confusion, resisting the urge to shrink away from his menacing figure. You did as he asked. It was only a minor concussion. What would it matter to him if you got hurt? You took off the cloth, letting out a sigh. Crusted blood surrounded the gash as your head throbbed.

You tried not to appear too apprehensive of his sudden closeness. Khonshu raised his hand to your head, fingers hovering over the injury. He stilled a moment. He seemed to hesitate before allowing his fingers to brush against your head. You flinched as they met with the tender wound. His fingers were surprisingly cold, even through the worn wrappings. You suppressed a shudder.

A feeling of numbness began to spread around the gash, soothing the painful throbbing of the headache. Khonshu caressed the healed skin once before pulling away.

"There. I cannot have my little priest hunting down the tomb injured." He gripped his staff and raised his head. "Now, I require an offering before your departure."

"Uh...sure." You blinked. "What do I need to do?"

"I will require an altar first."

It took you a bit to find a good spot, but you eventually decided on the top of a short bookshelf. You felt it was a perfect spot as the moonlight shone through the window and onto the wood. Khonshu meanwhile hovered as he guided your efforts. You added a black cloth, lit a few candles, and burnt some incense you kept around. You completed the altar with a small moon-shaped plate that held a few crystals.

 You turned back to Khonshu, silently asking for his opinion. He offered you a soft hum of approval. 

"Now what?"

 "I require an offering of nourishment. Bread and wine will do."

You walked to your pantry, "Just out of curiosity, do you need some food to exist or..."

"How curious you are, little one. While our life force requires replenishment, which can be given to us through offerings, we are not dependent on sustenance the way mortals are."

"Huh. That's neat." Your eyes landed on a small bag of birdseed. You hadn't ended up feeding the birds at the park for a few weeks you didn't want it to go to waste. You fought a smile. Peeking back at the moon god, you watched him glance around your flat. His back was towards you. You took a tiny dish and scooped a bit into it. Grabbing a glass of wine and a slice of bread you made your way toward the altar. You added the bowl next to one of the candles in the back. You turned back to Khonshu, a plate of bread and a glass of wine in hand. 

Khonshu joined you by the altar, taking one last look over it. He stopped suddenly, gaze fixed on the small dish.

"What is that."

"Oh, that. That's just some birdseed." You shrugged, attempting to keep from smiling. "The crows at the park seem to like it so I thought I'd add some here. 'Cause y'know..." You motioned to him.

Despite not being able to express emotion the typical way, you could feel Khonshu cast an annoyed glare your way. But there was no true bitterness behind it. It did absolutely nothing to deter the grin on your face.

"You believe yourself to be so clever, don't you? You are quite bold to mock a god." He shook his head at you, and let out a sigh.

 You gave him a shy grin. "So what do I do with the food? I don't think you exactly... have a mouth... How exactly does this work.?"

"You offer it to me and eat."

"Okay. I...uh... offer this bread and wine to Khonshu." You ate and drank the offerings.

You paused, "Did it work?"

"Yes. It was acceptable. This is all I require of you for now." Khonshu lifted your chin, "I shall see you soon, my star."

 With a gust of wind, he was gone, leaving you alone in your flat wondering what you had gotten yourself into.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

After quickly shoving some clothes and other necessities into a small suitcase you phoned your boss at the museum. You made a rushed call letting them know you would be out for an unknown amount of time due to sudden personal reasons. Thankfully it was well received and you were off the hook.

You began to throw a few items into a small carry-on. A sketchbook, and some pencils to keep you occupied. 

Your eyes landed on the mythology book. You studied the intricate cover before grabbing it and adding it to the bag.

You jumped as you heard a knock at the door. Opening it you were met with Layla.

"Hey! Are you ready to go?"

"Ready when you are."

You both managed to make it through security and boarded the plane. The flight wouldn't last long but it was a decent amount of time. Layla sat next to you, earbuds in, staring at the fading ground. You pulled out your sketchbook. Your interactions with the bird-man, or Khonshu rather, were haunting you.

Metaphorically, of course.

All your interactions with him had been a bit odd. The gentle wind gusts, his curious watching from afar, had abruptly and drastically changed seemingly overnight. You had seen a fraction of Khonshu's anger. That had terrified you. The next time you saw him, he had been completely different. He was much more directly involved in what was going on. Then the last night he had been almost...kind? But he was gentle as he tended to your wounds and offered you his protection. You began to question his motives. You should probably be a bit careful in case this turned into some word Greek Mythology type shit. You knew what he wanted with you. But what did he want with Steven?

"What is that?" You turned to see Layla eyeing your drawing. You blinked. You didn't realize you had drawn Khonshu.

"Oh. That's Khonshu. He's... Steven's attachment."

"Well, that's horrifying. You've seen that?"

"Yeah." You shrugged, "I've seen him a few times. He chased us out of the building just as we met you."

She stared at you. "You say that like that's just a normal occurrence. How were you not scared of that? 

"Oh, I was fucking terrified. But he wasn't usually like that. He's been pretty chill up until then. I get the feeling he can be a bit moody."

She just blinked in surprise and laughed. "I have no idea how you're calm about that. You had a god chase you out of a building!"

"Well, in retrospect it's a bit funny. He went all out with it. Rattling the doors, flickering the lights. He made sure we ran into him just to turn around and be dramatic. Dude could run a great haunted house if he wanted."

She laughed again and shook her head at you. " I think you'd be the only person to come out of that experience and be able to say that."

The landing was announced over the speakers.

Your stomach dropped as the plane jolted, causing you to clutch the armrest.

"Are you okay?"

 "Yeah. I'm fine. The landing just always makes me nervous." You chuckle nervously as the plane rattles.

She takes your hand and squeezes it, surprising you, before leaning closer as she grins. "You know the odds of crashing are low. It's one in like 11 million."

You turn to her, matching her smile, "One, the odds are never zero, and thus still horrifying. And two so not helpful." You playfully shove her shoulder.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

The marketplace was packed. Stalls crowded the roadsides and colorful rugs, fruits, and other items were on display. 

Oh, you were so getting a souvenir after this.

People swarmed the remaining space, some shouting in order to attract a customer. Various vehicles attempted to maneuver their way through the crowd, and the beeping of horns was almost constant. You assumed looking for Marc or Steven in this place was going to be difficult. Layla somehow spotted Marc within only twenty minutes of being there.

When you finally spotted him you wanted to rush over and hug him, ask if he was okay, what had happened, and how he escaped the jackal. Why had he left the two of you without a word?

 But this wasn't Steven. This wasn't your friend.

So you stood beside Layla, attempting to ignore the immense relief you felt at seeing them okay.

"I hope you like attention." She walked up behind Marc. He turned away, frustrated but stayed put. "Right guy, right place. But you're not Egyptian. "

"Layla, what the hell are you doing here? And you," His dark eyes locked onto you, "You shouldn't be here. You've made a mistake getting involved."

You winced at the intensity of his glare but said nothing. You were busy noting the change in atmosphere as the hair on the back of your neck stood up.

"Oh, leave them alone Marc." She tilted her head, "Why shouldn't I be here? Because my name pisses off a few people in Cairo? Who cares?"

"It's not the locals I'm worried about." Almost simultaneously as he glanced behind Layla you felt a familiar presence. Sure enough, the bird-man, Khonshu, was perching on a rooftop. As looming as always.

You made the closest thing to eye contact you could with him. He barely moved, but you could distantly make out his head bow slightly in recognition. You gave a small wave. You could sense his amusement.

You heard Layla as you were pulled back into the conversation. "Come with me. I'll help you find what you need."

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

The view of the waters surrounding the boat would have been breathtaking, with the orange lights of the city reflecting in the dark water. Only if it wasn't for the conversation happening on it.

"So what exactly are we gonna do here? What's the plan?" Marc asked.

"Oh. It's not pleasant being left in the dark is it?"

This made you wonder why you were here. You really had no right to include yourself in their situation, despite the fact you already had. Continuously. It was nice of Layla to include you, despite this. She sympathized with your situation. You just wanted your friend back. You wanted him to be okay. You let your thoughts wander as you looked out over the water and attempted to block out their personal conversation.

"Okay. Let's get our story straight."

Eventually, the boat docked. 

Layla stepped up onto it, handing a bag to Marc before helping you up. 

"This guy's got a lot of friends."

"Yeah, and a lot with guns."

Suddenly Marc froze, looking out over the water. You could barely make out the silhouette of an unlit boat.

"What is it?" Layla asked. "Harrow's men keeping tabs?" Your stomach dropped. 

"I don't know. It could be."

"Let's go." Layla led the way. "Remember, your name is Rufino Estrada."

"Right."

"We just got back from our honeymoon in the Maldives." You weren't sure how you would fit into this. A couple coming back from their honeymoon was believable. But adding a third person would have been a bit odd.

"That's an interesting little detail to give to them."

"I'd tell them you worked at a gift shop, but they'd never believe me, would they?" She turned to you. "You'll be Callaway Kingsley. Our partner." Marc raised his eyebrows at her, glancing from you to her. 

"Oh, I'm not sure I have enough knowledge on these types of antiquities dealings to realistically-"

"No, not that type of partner." She stated.

"Oh." You blinked. It took a second for you to get what she meant. "Oh!"

 That type of partner. 

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

"Bek." She greeted.

"Layla."

 "It's been a while."

"Good to see you." Bek glanced at you. "Who's this?"

Layla grinned at you and wrapped an arm around you. "This is our partner, Cal." 

You panicked. How would you sell the act? Lean closer? Still could be mistaken for close friends or colleagues. You didn't want to look uncomfortable or awkward. What if you blew your cover? What if you made her uncomfortable? You could feel your face heating up. You took her hand, laying a gentle kiss on the back of it. Marc's gaze caught your eye.

You could only briefly see the shock behind her eyes before she gave you a small smile.

 "Alright. Right, this way." Bek gestured to the three of you. 

"Thank you."

When Marc grabbed Layla's hand, you were surprised to feel her take yours. You followed.

 "He's looking forward to seeing you. After Madripoor I'm sure you three will have a lot to talk about. Excuse me for one moment. Mr. Mogart will be with you shortly."

The three of you stood, observing the riders on horseback.

"So what? This joker just puts on El-Mermah games in his backyard, for fun?"

"No, he gets private lessons by the best in his backyard." She turned to Marc.

"Cool."

A man hopped down from a horse and was given a robe.

"I like the robe."

"Layla. Come in." He waved to her. Such a delight to see you."

"You too." She returned his greeting."

 "How have you been?" He kissed her hand.

You narrowed your eyes at his action. The sudden jealousy you felt was new.

"Good. Thank you for having us over on such short notice."

"Oh, please. I hope you realize you need no excuse to drop by."

 "This is my husband, Rufino." Layla introduced him. 

"Pleasure." They shook hands.

"And this is our partner, Cal." You extended your hand for a shake. Mogart took it and kissed it instead. You had to keep from scowling. 

"Nice to make your acquaintance." The four of you turned, and you took the opportunity to wipe your hand on the side of your pants.

"I hope you understand this is more than a collection to me. Preserving history is a responsibility I take very seriously." Layla and Mogart took the lead, leaving you to trail behind with Marc. You were nervous. You didn't know exactly where you stood with him. He already didn't want you here. And you had just made it worse by panicking and making a move on his wife. He probably hated you. 

"A self-appointed responsibility that you alone were able to enjoy, no?" Layla responded.

"Well, I prefer to see it as a philanthropic effort at preservation. Now, if I may ask, why such interest in Senfu in particular?"

"Oh, actually, our purchases are..." He cut her off.

You swallowed.

"I'm sorry. I'd like to hear from your husband if you don't mind."

"I think that... I think I just would love to take a look." Marc replied. You were worried about yourself messing this up. Now you were growing concerned for Marc. Your mind began to wander. You suppressed a smile imagining how Steven would have been ecstatic about this opportunity.

"Funny man. Feel free."

"Great." Layla took Marc's arm as the three of you made your way into the glass pyramid. The sarcophagus opened to reveal remains. You had always felt it was a little weird when dead bodies were displayed. You couldn't help but find it a bit disrespectful. They were people, human beings, after all, taken from their desired resting place only to be put on display as mere objects. You knew your opinion on this was a bit ironic, considering you worked at a museum.

"Please, just let Steven out before you blow this." She whispered.

"Not a chance." He paused, "All right, what do you see?"

"Well, the burial practices are in line with the Studenwachen texts."

"The what?" You and Marc asked in unison.

"It's legit. But all I'm seeing is literature to guide the dead. There's no location indicated." 

"Okay, um... Will you give me a minute? I gotta talk to Steven... Just keep him occupied." You followed Layla to give them some space.

Layla turned to the people behind her. "He just needs a couple of minutes in there alone, 'cause... Yeah. He is..." She looked at Marc, "He's praying."

You glanced back to see Marc messing with something in the coffin. Bek started to approach him from behind. Layla began to step forward, and you followed. You caught movement out of the corner of your eye. Your breathing quickened as you noted two men with guns trailing the two of you.

The situation was getting very dangerous very fast. You hoped Khonshu was planning on upholding his offer. 

"What are you doing?" Bek asked as he grabbed Marc's arm. Less than a second later Marc had wrestled the gun away from Bek.

"Marc! Don't." Layla raised her hands. The man behind her dug the gun into her back.

"Shit." Marc hissed. He handed the gun back to Bek, who pointed it right back at him.

Mogart forced his way passed you towards Marc. "Do you really think I'm an idiot? Get on your knees."

"Anton, stop!" Layla shouted.

"Get on your knees."

"Okay." Marc lowered himself to his knees.

Mogart turned back to Layla, the men with the gun behind you pushing you both forward. "Layla, I was so ready to make peace with you."

"You don't understand. We're trying to save many lives."

"Hey, pal." Marc spoke up, hands raised, "Take a look inside the sarcophagus. There's somethin' really, really big."

Bek whispered something into Mogart's ear. 

"Well, that's interesting. It appears we have a concerned third party here." Mogart walked out, "Get up."

The three of you were forced to follow, guns aimed at you. Your eyes widened as you were met with the sight of Harrow. 

"Whatever they've told you, I'm sure I can offer you something much more tangible. Why settle for a clue when you can have the treasure?" Harrow raised his hand, and the scarab hovered above his palm. 

"Anton. Anton, don't listen to this man. He's trying to stop us from reaching..." Layla pleaded, only to be cut off.

"Please, stop."

"He's gonna kill millions, trust me!"

"Are you seriously talking about trust?"

Harrow spoke up. "Please, there's no need to descend into violent accusations. Each one of you has so much more in common than you know." He turned, "Layla, you keep thinking that distance will prevent the wounds from your father's murder from reopening. But something stands in your way. Your husband doesn't tell you the truth."

Marc shook his head, and Harrow continued, "And Marc, you don't tell her because you know that if you do, she'll see you exactly as you see yourself, as unworthy of love."

"You piece of shit." Marc hissed at him.

"And you." Your eyes widened at his gaze. "You feel out of place here, don't you? If you can't keep up with them, you'll end up a burden. Ammit could have given you a place of belonging. She could have used someone with your abilities. It's quite unfortunate you decided to serve Khonshu."

You grit your teeth together at his words. How did he know?

Harrow turned back to Mogart, and lifted his staff. "Anton... The lore surrounding these relics, I offer proof that it's real. This sarcophagus doesn't belong to anyone."

The few lights around you suddenly flickered. Khonshu sat perched on the roof, haloed by the light of the moon.

"Do it. Summon the suit. Give them what they deserve."

"Anton... Would you like to see for yourself?" Harrow asked. 

"Yes... I do."

The lights flickered again as Harrow began to chant, the wind picking up. You wanted to move, to do something, but your feet stayed firmly planted.

"What are you waiting for?"

Harrow continued chanting. Behind them, you saw a glimpse of a purple fire-like aura throw the sarcophagus lid and damage to the coffin. You let out a shaky breath. Whatever you had been after probably had just been destroyed. 

"That's just a taste of the godly power I offer." Harrow began to walk away. Your eyes followed him.

"Hey, he's gone. Where is he?" Mogart shouted. It took a moment to register what he meant. You looked around. Marc had vanished. Had he left the two of you again? You caught sight of him standing at the top of the glass pyramid. The white cape danced in the wind.

Suddenly a glint of gold flew through the air, finding its mark in the man holding Layla. The people present began to panic. Layla grabbed the man's gun and began to shoot.

The man behind you grabbed you, pulling out his gun. You tried to wrestle your arms away to no avail. The man fired once before Marc jumped at him. You managed to use his distraction to escape his grasp. 

"Thanks." You looked at Marc. His bright eyes only stared blankly at you. He turned and ran towards the gathering forces.

Alright then.

With the oncoming wave of people shooting you needed to find some cover. Layla had Marc's bulletproof cape, and you had... the very secure, entirely made of the glass pyramid. 

You reached the pyramid and were met with the remains. A piece of cloth caught your eye. Wasn't that what they were looking at earlier? You grabbed it and shoved it into your pocket. 

Layla ran into the pyramid. "Where's the map?" 

"I got it."

 She nodded at you.

You suddenly found something pressed into your side. One of the men had returned and had a gun pointed at you. 

"Oh. Hey... Bek right?" You stomped on his foot hard. He let out a yelp. Using this moment you turned and pushed his arm away. He stumbled back before being showered with glass shards by Layla.

She only took a moment to grab another makeshift weapon. You noticed something in Bek's hand. He held a knife. She blocked his stab by redirecting his arm. His knife plunged into the mummy with a squelch. Ew. 

You grabbed a piece of debris and attempted to hit him. He countered your attack and threw you against the wall. The impact was surprisingly painless and you muttered a quick ‘thank you’ to the moon god. You saw Layla get hurled to the ground. You briefly registered the gun that lay at your side. Bek pulled the knife from the mummy. His eyes trained on Layla.

You lined the gun up, waiting for a clear shot. You steadied your hand as Layla unclipped her collar. You fired. 

Bek stumbled backward. 

The bullet hit his collar. Layla jumped up and dug her weapons into his shoulders. You could see red begin to bleed through his clothing.

She looked to you, "You can shoot?"

"Yeah. A bit." You stood, shaking. The adrenaline rush was beginning to wear off.

You had just killed someone.

You swallowed, noting the queasy feeling that grew in your stomach. You felt his soul leave his body and you shut your eyes. You didn't want to see it. It vanished in a second, finding its way to whatever afterlife awaited it.

"Hey? You okay?" You blinked as registered Layla had moved in front of you. Your shaking hands are enveloped in her steady ones.

"Y-yeah. I'm g-good. Just...just fine. You?"

She glanced behind you, towards the arena, to Marc.

"Will you be okay here? Can you stay low and keep it safe?" You nodded.

"Layla... be careful."

She returned your nod, and gave a squeeze to your hand, before running towards Marc.

You positioned yourself low enough to be hidden by the structure's base. The glass above letting you get a clear view of the arena.

Your eyes landed on Marc.

He was kneeling, surrounded by men. Several spears protruded from his bandaged armor.

Your stomach sank.

A hand flew to your mouth.

No!

You couldn't tear your eyes away as Layla hopped over the fence. A man on a horse came racing towards her. She shot at him, and he fell. As he met the ground Layla was struck by Mogart.

Marc shouted. 

You finally tore your eyes away. You didn't want to see what happened next. You curled up into the far wall of the pyramid, behind the broken tomb, keeping yourself concealed. Your breathing quickened as you registered the muffled yells and grunts from the arena behind you. You couldn't help the guilt that began to grow. You should be doing something instead of sitting and doing nothing. Your friends might be slaughtered, while you hid like a coward. But you had to keep the map safe. Without the scarab, this was essential to finding the tomb. You fiddled with the cloth as you spiraled.

Footsteps.

At least two people.

You panicked.

You couldn't tell who was approaching. The broken casket blocked your view from your angle. The gun from earlier sat just a few feet from you. You threw yourself towards it and clutched it tightly, finger on the trigger.

The moment footsteps sounded on the floor you shot up, gun aimed.

You were met with familiar faces.

"Oh thank the gods." You released a breath and lowered the gun. "I'm so glad you both are okay."

"You still have it?" Marc asked.

"Yeah. Right here." You handed him the map. Your fingers brushed.

"We need a car." He spoke.

 "Let's go." Layla squeezed your hand. A silent reassurance.

 "Tick-tock, Mark Spector. Tick-tock." Khonshu echoed from his perch.

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾⋆⁺₊⋆

You sat in the back seat of the car. At this point, the third wheeling was inevitable.

"Ay. I really liked that jacket. Oh, well." Marc tossed it into the empty seat next to you.

"What was Harrow talking about?" Layla glanced at him. "He said I had a right to know."

"I have no idea." 

"I never told anyone why I really moved. I mean, but he knew, he just saw right through me."

"He's just trying to mess with you. You know, he's trying to get in your mind. No, don't let him do that. You know, he's got this idea that he can see the true nature of people or some baloney like that. If that were true, I don't think he'd have a bunch of homicidal maniacs as his disciples, would he? "

"So, it's not true? What he said about you and..." She trailed off. 

"No, it's not true. No, he's just trying to divide us. Don't let him get in your head." 

"Every time I learn something new about you, I think, "That's it. There can't possibly be any secrets left between us." And then something else pops up, and it's like I've not known you at all." You could hear her begin to get upset. 

"Yeah. You haven't. You don't." He stopped and looked out the window.

You caught a glimpse of his face in the mirror. He looked dejected. It was abundantly clear that they still harbored feelings for each other. 

 Layla caught your eye in the rearview mirror.

"What did Harrow mean you decided to help Khonshu?"

"Well... I-" Marc cut you off.

"He means that they got involved with something they shouldn't have." You didn't meet his eyes when he turned to you. "You should never get involved with serving gods."

Layla tilted her head, confused. You elaborated.

"Khonshu... He told me about my ability. I can... somehow channel a deity's energy and focus it. I allow them to have more power on our plane. I thought it would help Marc and Steven..." You took a breath. " I-I only wanted to help."

 "Look, I appreciate the thought, I really do." Marc shook his head at you. "But you can't trust Khonshu. There's always a catch with him. And if anything were to happen to you... Steven would kill me."

You looked down, a bit ashamed of your previous actions. A tense silence settled in the car. 

 Eventually, you made it to wherever the three of you were headed. The dark sky looms over a vast expanse of sand.

The three of you stood around the car hood and began to assemble the map. The headlights cut through the murky blackness of the night.

 "Try that."

"Maybe, actually." Layla slapped a piece of tape on the back. 

"This one?" Marc handed her a piece. 

"Okay. Uh... No. Anything else?"

"I'm not getting any whole constellations. It's just little pieces and fragments." He sighed. "This is gonna take forever." He slammed his hands on the car. You flinched.

"Marc, we need Steven. He understands all of this. I really think it's worth giving him a shot." Layla suggested.

"I summon the gods, you summon the worm." Khonshu appeared on the roof of the car. You jumped. "He won't return the body."

"Marc, we can't wait. It's okay, just let go."

In response, he tore the mirror off the car. 

"We don't have time."

Marc scooped up the map pieces and began to walk away.

"What are you doing? She asked.

You looked to Layla. She just shrugged. 

You watched as Marc's posture changed, and he flicked the edges of his coat back. You noted the familiar mannerism. You had seen Steven do it countless times. You glanced at Layla and crept forward, trying not to disturb him. You could faintly hear him muttering to himself, in a familiar British accent. You lowered yourself beside him. 

"Steven?" You barely whispered.

He turned to you. It was impossible to miss the way his eyes lit up as he let out an exclamation of your name. You feel your heart nearly burst. You were so, so happy to see him again. Honestly, you weren't sure if you would again. While you've seen his face for hours, you haven't seen him since you were back in London. As he smiled, you let out a small laugh of pure relief. You wanted to hold him while he's here, make him promise never to disappear on you like that again. You almost start to cry.

In a rush of sudden courage, you hugged him. He stiffened in surprise before you felt his arms hesitantly wrap around you. You held him tighter, soaking in the feeling of the warmth of his body against yours, the unmistakable smell of him, the way you two just seemed to fit together. You let out a shaky breath before pulling away. You look at him as he stands in the glow of the headlights. You start to say something.

"I-"

"You-"

You both begin at the same time before letting out a small chuckle.

"You..." He took your hand, an undeniable fondness in his gaze, "You came all this way?" He nearly whispered.

"Yeah," You squeezed his hand. "Yeah, of course, I did. I can't let you have all the fun without me."

He's so close to you, but still too far. It feels like it's been forever since you've seen him. Your cheeks burn as your eyes flick to his lips.

Movement behind Steven catches your eye.

You could see Layla standing behind Steven. You lock eyes with her. You begin to feel a pang of guilt. You're standing there, holding hands with a man who shares a body with her husband. If the situation were different, you would never be doing this. She’s kind, clever, and doesn't deserve you complicating things. Layla is someone you would consider a friend and... maybe more. You blink in surprise as she offers you a genuine smile.

"So, uh..." You cleared your throat and gently removed your hand from Steven's. "What have you got?"

Layla joined you, sitting on his other side. 

Steven takes a breath, "Egyptians invented modern navigation. There's not a lot of landmarks in the desert. So they came up with a way to get about using the sun and the stars. It's bloody genius, isn't it?"

 "Yeah."

 "Et voilà." Steven presents the completed map.

 "Whoa." Layla reached out and held the star-shaped map. 

 "It's French." You smiled. Layla gave a quiet laugh. 

 "I know." You noticed the way she held her gaze on Steven.

Once this was all over, assuming she and Marc would work everything out, Layla and Steven would make a pretty cute couple.  If circumstances were different you would have been teasing her about this.

"So, what do we do with it?"

"Well, I'm not sure, but if... Wait, hang on a minute. You see that? You see those little pinpricks there? That's a constellation."

"We should be able to triangulate the stars into coordinates, right? Let me just scan it." Layla took out a tablet and snapped a picture.

"Well, um, actually... Unfortunately, it's not that simple." Steven started.

"Not working. Why isn't it working?"

"Yeah, yeah, you see, Senfu... Senfu marked that tomb, like, 2,000 years ago. And stars drift over time. Not much as far as stars go, but it could mean the difference between us searching miles away from where we're supposed to be looking. So unless we know exactly what the sky looked like on that date, we're buggered."

You let out a sigh. It seemed every step forward meant two steps back. 

"I remember that night. I remember every night." You spun around to find Khonshu standing on top of a dune. 

"Khonshu?" Steven called.

"I can turn back the night sky."

"How?"

"It will come at a cost, and I cannot do it alone." Khonshu looked at you. The wind picked up, and clouds of sand stirred up. Khonshu appeared next to him. "Steven, when the gods imprison me, tell Marc to free me."

You shifted nervously. A sense of unease quickly overtook you as you stood next to Khonshu.

What kind of cost?

Steven stood, arms outstretched. He breathed deeply and summoned his suit. 

"Do what I do." Khonshu raised his arms and swiped. Steven did the same.

"Yeah? Like this?" Steven asked. The sky seemed to glow for a moment. The dark dim of before being replaced with vivid blues and purples. The stars shone brighter. 

And then it moved.

The sky began to move.

You let out a breath in awe as you stared into the sky.

"Whoa! Oh, man! This is mental."

It spun faster and faster until the lights streaked across the sky in blurs.

"This is the night." The spinning stopped suddenly. They held their hands still.

"This is surprisingly painful."

"It's working," Layla spoke.

“Holy shit…” You muttered.

"It's working. Yes. good." Steven groaned. 

Khonshu fell to his knees and looked at you. 

"I can feel my energy leaving me. Oh, God, I don't know how much longer I can do this." He dropped his hand, his mask fading. He doubled his effort, raising his hands again. 

A silent moment of understanding passed between you and the moon god. You lay a trembling hand on his bandaged shoulder. You felt something like a spark run through you. 

The sky stood still for a moment longer.

You were suddenly aware of how exhausted you were. Your arms felt like slabs of concrete weighing down your shoulders.

"Coordinates found, 29 degrees north, 25 east."  The tablet announced.

"I got it. 29 degrees north, 25 east." Layla exclaimed. 

Steven gasped and fell. 

You panted and turned to Khonshu.

A pit formed in your stomach. Particles of dust began to rise from his figure.  

 He reached out an arm towards you.

"My star..."

Khonshu began to crumble.

"No. Nonononono!" You extended a hand to him just as he collapsed into dust. You collapsed to your knees. Fuck. There went every chance you had at actually being useful. Now that your newfound patron deity was gone you were once again useless. A burden. You cursed, rising to your feet.

You turned to see Layla attempting to help Steven stand, but he collapsed to the ground. You cast a troubled glance to where Khonshu had stood before running over to them.

"Steven!"

"Hey, Steven? Marc? Come on. Come on. Where are you? Marc? Come on."

Ao3 Wattpad Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6

[cosmolog]

Difficult Times, Always pt.2

Warnings; Someone is impaled, bad words, threatening someone's life, nausea, tell me if I missed anything, please.

I may have to write a part 3 now, if you want me to...

Enjoy!

Part 1 can be read here

----

The first thing Marc felt when he woke up was dizziness. Then that dizziness melted into sickness as his eyes opened wider. The room he was in was dark, the only light source was overhead, a cement floor beneath him. But what make him scream in agony as all his senses finally returned was the thick metal pole that went right through him, connected to both the ground and the ceiling. No way out of that...

He couldn't move much, having to stop and groan or spit out blood. He had only now noticed the amount of the liquid that had spilled on the ground while he was sleeping. His phone was also on the ground in front of him, within reach. He couldn't look up too much, his back was too whatever light source was above him, whether it was artificial light or the moon providing him some sort of vision.

The room echoed with the splash of his blood onto the pool beneath him. From what he could gather, the pole seemed to pierce right through his abdomen, probably ripping an organ apart at the moment.

Marc heaved out another groan. "St-Steven..." He rasped. But his voice only echoed throughout the room. "Steven?"

"Marc? Oh God, are you alright?" Steven's worried voice came from Marc's right. Was there a mirror over there? Or, at least, something that reflected?

"What happened, Steven?" Marc whispered through another groan.

"Some guy, h-his name was Bushman, or something, he came to the flat. He asked me if I, or most-likely, you were hiding from him. And before I could say anything he knocked me out and...and now we're here." Steven explained.

Marc's ears had picked up at the mention of Bushman. "Bushman? Raoul Bushman?" He asked.

Steven stared at him. "Well...yeah, I guess so?" Seeing Marc glare at the blood as it slowly crept away from him, more drooping out and re-wetting the bottom of the pole, Steven gave him a sceptical look. "Please don't tell me you've been keeping more secrets from me..." When Marc didn't reply, Steven raised his voice. "Oh, for God's sake, Marc! When will it end with you?"

Marc then heard Steven start to pace a short distance then turn and pace again. "So what is he? A vampire? Werewolf? Dr. Evil?" Steven asked.

Marc shook his head. "Remember that guy I was working with, the one who shot me and got us into this mess in the first place?"

"The one who shot..." Steven hesitated. "Layla's father?" Marc sighed and nodded. "We're in that asshole's secret man-cave?!"

"Well, we wouldn't be if you had took him out before he even touched you!" Marc griped back before groaning again as he felt the pole move inside him.

"No, we wouldn't be here if you hadn't joined him all those years ago! I mean, who knows what he's going to do to us! To you!" Steven yelled, before huffing and speaking more quietly. "Look, Marc. We need to get out of here..."

Marc's eyes suddenly widened. "Y/n." He started texting her warnings that Bushman would most likely come for her.

Steven's panic grew to match his as he shook his head in disbelief. "Don't worry. I'm sure she's safe...She's got Venom, hasn't she? Surely, he'll protect her..."

Marc growled after five minutes past, then six...then seven. Half the phone screen was now stained red. "She isn't answering my texts or calls, Steven!"

"Do you think he got her?" He asked, tears filling his eyes at the thought of his love being in harm, and him having no way of getting her out of it. Marc lifted his head just enough to glare in Steven's general direction. Steven's voice turned to one of reason. "Marc, you know she wouldn't ignore us..."

Marc didn't get the chance to reply when the sound of a door opening was heard from above them. Were they in a basement or something? A big one?

"If she's in danger, Marc, please, watch your words." Steven begged.

Marc stayed silent, catching his breath as he felt more blood trickle out of his body. The door to the basement opened. The strange silhouette of the tall man with something thrown over his shoulder made Marc's heart pick up.

"I've brought a special guest, just for you, Marc" Bushman grinned, slowly stomping down the steps. As soon as he was a few feet away from Marc, he dropped the body onto the ground.

As she hit the ground with a thud, Marc had to keep his own yell inside while Steven screamed foul language at Bushman, who couldn't hear him.

"She's a pretty little thing, ain't she?" He chuckled, his eyes darkening as they lingered on the unconscious woman's body.

"You have me, why hurt her?" Marc rasped out.

Bushman grinned. "Well, she's your love, isn't she?" He nudged her back with his foot, impatiently. "No one wants to see those they love suffer..." He sighed and looked up at Marc with a grin. "So...when that sleeping draft I gave her wears off, we'll see how high her pain tolerance is..." He started chuckling.

Part 3 here

[ex0rin]

end of year fandom meme

From @liminal-zone

I stole this from somewhere on the shoelaces app; YOU SHOULD STEAL THIS AND POST YOUR ANSWERS TOO. xoxox

I stole it, steal it from me now:

First Fandom of 2022: Started things off in The Witcher fandom (read: shirtless bard) and about halfway through the month got taken by the hand throat and led into a beautiful magical trash bin, filled to the brim with all my fave badwrong kind of content and an awful lot of Brock Rumlow putting The Winter Soldier on his knees tbh 😅

Favorite Main Character of 2022: I uh… I’m gonna go ahead and say it’s Rooster. I was absolutely goddamn blindsided by Top Gun: Maverick, I gotta say. I was NOT expecting to have a super intense two month summer love affair with fucking Miles Teller and Tom Cruise haha

Favorite Villain of 2022: This isn’t even a question, it’s Brock Rumlow in the year of our lord 2022 somehow. 

Favorite M/F Couple of 2022: Layla and her boys, Marc & Steven. Honourable mention to all those thoughts of Bob getting pegged to absolute obliteration by Phoenix. 

Favorite F/F Couple of 2022: Ready for this? Layla and Sharon. I can’t believe they casually dropped a Madripoor mention into Moon Knight. I can’t believe I spent multiple days trying to do the age math to see if it would work. I can’t believe I then didn’t fucking write it 😭 RIP #archeologistbroker I wish I spent more time with you.

Favorite M/M Couple of 2022: Winterbones. Winterbones winterbones winterbones. My sole focus for almost seven months this year, the thing that keeps me up at night. Over 100K of writing in just under two months, more than any fandom has pulled out of me in a long LONG time. I have no goddamn idea what I’m at now since I’m still going strong. Living my best 2014 life in 2022 I guess haha

Favorite OT3 of 2022:  Did I have an OT3? I don’t know if I did. Not like a real one that lasted more than a passing thought at least - like, Layla/Steven/Marc and Jaskier/Geralt/Eskel were totally on my mind occasionally but not enough to do anything about or engage with people over 😅

Fandom That You Never Expected To Get Into: Yeah, it’s gonna be Captain America: The Winter Soldier from fucking 2014. Though I mean, I guess I never expected to be full-blown obsessed with Top Gun again either. Maybe this one is a tie. 

Fandom That Made An Unexpected Comeback: Did someone say CASSIAN ANDOR?? Like holy shit, where did that come from? My baby Diego Luna strolling back into my life and throwing everything into disarray for like two months (yeah, I still need to finish watching the series, I’ll get back there one day, I promise that I KNOW it’s incredible)

Last Fandom of 2022: There’s still a couple days to be blindsided but I feel pretty confident that I’ll have HydraTrashParty as my date to ring in the New Year. 

Favorite Fandom of 2022:  See above answer but also, get you a group of friends who load you up with positive reinforcement and love, care and comments and then stay with them for always. I know I mentioned it before but the reason I don’t last in some fandoms is because I really need all of those things to thrive. Lookin’ at you Trash Fam ❤️

[jokarlekin]

Thinking about posting some stuff about my Genshin Original Characters. I have like… ten but most of them don’t have art, so it won’t be too much to post I guess ! Well, anyway I will write a little recap of them with sum art below to keep track of them- Might edit this in the future or make a cleaner post :D

Also note that some of them have links with canon characters, I know that some people don’t like such characters so now you know !

Jokar’s Genshin Impact Fan Characters :

Kidoniria — Sumerian dendro archer, Kidoniria is a faun-looking girl helping the Forest Rangers of Gandharva by collecting products. Also is Tighnari’s adopted little sister, and number one Collei Fan… Kinda ? She is just hella gay in a one-sided way.

Yu Fe (Yù Fè) — Liyuean (With sumerian blood) anemo catalyst user, young daughter of an adeptus but student in the Akademiya. Old Rtahawist student before getting kicked out and moved to another darshan. Currently Layla’s roommate because flat-sharing is cheaper.

Drac — A mysterious assassin living in Fontaine. She covers her true job by being a circus street artist. In truth, she is a dragon from Natlan mingling with Fontainian folk. She has no vision, but has the ability to shapeshift into any animal.

Rochelle — Fontainian hydro (ousia) claymore user ! And the best mecanician of Fontaine’s Court Undergrounds. With her brother Arcachon, she moved out of the Philosophy Institute after the Traveler ‘visited’ it and created a ‘little’ accident. Also she has a deep fascination/love for Furina, even after the Archon Quest.

Arcachon — Fontainian dendro (pneuma) polearm user, and known as a cryptic fisherman living in Poisson. He was scared to leave his previous home (The Philosophy Institute) and his sister, but had to. He is scared of socializing, and then only shows up at night.

Imothep — Sumerian Pyro Archer, he was a loyal servant of King Deshret centuries ago, but was sealed in the sand by a curse. He awakened after Sumeru Archon Quest, and is now wandering in the desert and is often described as a ‘The Crimson Mummy’.

Pantomime (Name might change) - Fontainian (Pneuma) cryo catalyst, living as a street mime in Fontaine’s Court. She was a member of the House of Heart back in Snezhnaya but fled after getting badly injured in the neck due to an accident. She has decided to get a new life in Fontaine and acts as a spy for whoever can pay her.

Rouage (Name might change) - Visionless fontainian, he lived in a poor family of watchmakers and decided to study in Sumeru (Kshahrewar Darshan) to help his mother in the future. He came back in Fontaine after he learned anything he needed, and now works as a multi-specialist in machinery.

Rukkhashava — A tighnarian child living in Gandharva under the Forest Watchers responsibility. Despite his young age and lack of education, he is quite intelligent and quickly learned how to read. He is Zaytun’s and Padisarah’s brother, not by blood but they always were together.

Zaytun — Like her brothers, she is a tighnarian being living in Gandharva. She admires the General Mahamatra who saved them in the past, and she always trains hard to one day become a matra. With her chaotic personality and her danger-to-society vibes people doubt she will be a good one, but hey, let her wish !

Padisarah (Also nicknamed Basilic) — Of his siblings, he is the most introverted one. Rarely seen in Gandharva without his siblings, he often hides in the forest. He looks like a wild scared animal almost all the time, but he tries to learn how to socialize with modern creatures.

Some illustrations of (In order) Kidoniria, Yù Fè, Rochelle, Arcachon + the Gandharva triplets aka Rukkhashava, Zaytun and Padisarah. Rip the others without art-

[existentialcrisis-24-7]

Just saw a post of a “Instagram AU” for winx and I’m like?? No absolutely not?? They wouldn’t just post their aesthetics and stuff like that

Stella would be posting random shit about her day-to-day life as well as fashion advice and stuff

Bloom would be out here posting all her art and also random fairy stuff

Flora’d be out here with pics of her just tending to her seemingly infinite number of plants

Musa strikes me as the person that literally never posts unless she finds a cool meme to share which is like once a month at max

Tecna has a private account and only lets the winx members follow her. She posts random things about her technology and new gadgets

Layla/Aisha isn’t allowed Instagram but has a secret account (private) where she vents. She likes to follow political accounts (ya know the ones that talk about injustice and shit) as well as like,, queer ones probably

[emotionally-damaged-carrot]

Jake Lockley x Male Reader

One time love

Just a little something I pulled out my arse.

Pov is mostly Steven. Wanted to also dive into some unknown territory.

Just a little sad drabble to tone things down a bit. And spoilers for ep 5 I guess.

While looking through Marc's memories, we saw a guy that we have never seen before, nore remember, never really knew and we see Marc conversing with the other male. Only they were not aware of any of this. They check out the previous memories that they have looked through, and see the same male, always beside Marc.

I look at Marc for an explanation. He just gives me a shrug.

"You're just an asshole sometimes you know?"

We hear someone say, looking back at the two sitting on a bench.

"Please, it's not like you're a saint, either way, you still love me tho."

"Marc" says with love struck eyes and a goofy smile and he pulls the male closer.

then they notice that everytime they have seen the male, it was always dark. And it was always before marc became the moon knight.

After a few moments of pondering, they hear the male speak up.

"So you're really moving away?"

"Yes."

"Marc" says sadly the smile that used to be on his face now nowhere to be found.

"They don't know about you, do they? That's why you have to move away, to get married. To Marc's wife."

"Marc" just stares off into the night, holding the other male tighter, with tears brimming in both their eyes. Threatening to fall.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry that I got your hopes up."

"Marc" says with a shakey voice.

"It's okay, I'm used to it, just be safe please. And- and- don't forget me. Please?"

The other male says now letting the tears fall, same goes for "Marc", they just stare off into the distance, holding each other tightly, like tonight is their last time being alive. Like tonight, a piece of both their souls will ripped away.

"Of course I won't forget you, you're the best thing to ever happen to me."

"Marc" says with a bitter smile and red eyes, tear stains evident on his cheeks.

"I will always remember you, hun."

He says, putting one hand on the other male's cheek, making him look at "Marc", caressing it gently, running his thumb on his cheek bones.

After a few moment of just staring at each other's eyes. "Marc" goes in for a kiss, a gentle kiss, passionate, filled with love, a love that was never meant to be, like two straight lines intertwining only once in their life time, but never to touch each other again.

"I love you, Jake Lockley."

"I love you, y/n l/n."

———

With those final words, we decided to leave that memory, tears running down mine and marc's cheeks without us knowing.

"Guess, we have another broken person to add to our little family."

Marc says to me, smiling endearingly.

"Did you just say family?"

I reply with a smirk.

"N- n- no."

Marc stumbles on his word.

"It's okay Marc, it's not like we have any other family left apart from maybe Layla."

I say, wiping my cheeks with the sweater I'm wearing, after wiping the tears off my face, I notice Marc is deep in thought, not bothering to wipe the tears. I reach out to his face to wipe it off.

He looks at me with a weirdly happy smile.

"Thanks, Steven. Now let's get back to what we were doing before."

He says with a much more optimistic look on his face.

Hard to believe after everything he has suffered through, he still has the will power to smile, to be happy.

Hope you enjoyed it!

[melina-mellow]

Moon Knight episode 2.

Keeping the steam going. I really liked this one, not as much as the first episode, but still pretty good.

So... Harrow was Khonshu's previous avatar huh? That's cool I guess. Also the Jackels being invisible to ordinary people is a very cool touch, maybe the people who have had some kind experience with the Gods can see them? 🤔

Mr Knight is.... different, (rip to the my theory of Jake being Mr Knight) but it's still cool to see him in live action.

I know she's not Marlene and some people will have a problem with that, but I loved Layla (Spector?) interesting that Khonshu wants her to be his new avatar (I'm wondering if she'll end becoming another God's avatar by the end of the series)

Khonshu finally living up to the fact that he is in fact, THE WORST DAD. Last episode he was kinda goofy but this one really bumped up his sinister factor. I liked it.

Also did anyone else notice the little star of David necklace Marc has at the end of the episode 👀

[moider-time]

Okay cool well Mpreg is pregnancy, but it's the men who get pregnant. And I was wondering how would the group react to Steven becoming pregnant by Layla through an old Egyptian artefact completely by accident?

This sounds really interesting! I don't exactly know how it would go down between Layla and Steven with Steven ending up pregnant without it being the omegaverse or they're both trans (which would be awesome!). So I'm just gonna give pregnant Steven headcanons (and I guess it's also pregnant Jake and Marc headcanons too):

He's definitely more needy than usual. He wants cuddles, foot rubs and massages.

Steven definitely cries when he realizes that he's craving meat.

Layla is the most attentive wife ever, she is up at any hour to do whatever he needs.

Khonshu is definitely pissed that Steven got the body pregnant but he eventually mellows out because there's nothing he can do.

They stop going out as Moon Knight the moment the pregnancy is found out about.

Khonshu would've used Layla as a momentary Moon Knight if Marc didn't threaten to rip his beak off and shove it up his ass.

".....Hell hath no fury like a pregnant man scorned."

Jake doesn't really like the feeling of being pregnant so he rarely fronts.

Him and Marc definitely tell Steven to be more careful next time because it's not just his body.

When he eventually gives birth, it's to a beautiful baby boy that Jake immediately says they should name Jelly Bean.

Of course they shut that down immediately.

[nexility-sims]

What stories (on simblr or otherwise) have inspired yours?

ooh ! me, seeing this ask and immediately forgetting every book i’ve ever read or movie i’ve ever seen—! i’m so sorry, but i’m a wordy bitch who foams at the mouth anytime anyone asks me anything about my story. i got carried away, but ... y’all can keep scrolling adshkfldsff

okay, i’ve said before that the direct inspiration to make a simblr story came from @historicalsimslife​​ and @thegrimalldis​​. i can’t remember how i found either of them, but they each showed me respectively that 1) simblr storytelling was a thing, and 2) royal stories can be way more compelling than irl royals would lead you to believe, lmao. so, i decided to give storytelling a go, and eventually i also wanted to try the royal setting, based on reading alyssa’s work. i do believe that that @warwickroyals​​ motivated me to embrace being critical of monarchy as a concept and to also embrace ... how to say this ... i guess those grittier, dysfunctional plot lines that take more care to do well. ayanna makes it seem effortless tho ??? hmph. oh, and my original inspiration for the bancrofts whose legacy feeds into this story is ... the vanderbilts. :^)

in terms of my story itself, beyond the premise ... i draw inspiration from life stories ! rowena is heavily inspired by alice roosevelt and barbara hutton. marginally, also wallis simpson. alfonso is kind of an archetype i write often, but i can’t put my finger on where the inspiration for that type originally came from. why is macbeth coming to mind. rip. macbeth is a general influence for me, as a person, who thinks of stories. he also gives off Hot Man™ vibes, maybe on account of the sword-swinging and anguish. anyway......

beatriz is inspired partially by everything i wanted from daenerys targaryen and didn’t get ! i feel like songs have actually formed her in large part, too: a chunk of halsey’s album, if i can’t have love, i want power; lorde’s “yellow flicker beat,” valerie broussard’s “a little wicked,” and more recently, florence + the machine’s “king.” there’s a little bit of wednesday addams mixed in, too, probably. with both her and zuriñe, i am fully indulging my love for women who are Bad™ and don’t apologize for it. i’ve always been captivated by ostensible villains with whom you’re made to sympathize, both as a storytelling challenge and as a type of character. matriarch made of steel. heart of coal. selfishness that dresses up as selflessness. let her have power. she earned it. 

anyway, my ever-present inspiration for “romance that interests me personally,” generally, comes from layla and majnun on one hand—i will cry a thousand tears just reading quotes from it, smh—and catherynne valente’s deathless on the other. i guess that translates to “we are fucked, in every sense” and “we’re all suffering, beautifully and endlessly.”

i’ve had a dramatic, dysfunctional life myself, so .... honestly, i think i gravitate toward stories that let me explore that and give me control over it. i suspect it’s why i used to prefer films that didn’t have happy endings (somehow, the pandemic changed my media consumption habits, so now i binge watch shows i’ve seen a dozen times instead of seeking out whatever depressing drama netflix recommends). it’s probably why i like villains who aren’t one-dimensional evil but who hurt people they love for reasons they can’t fully explain. i disagree with the idea that “evil” is boring just because it’s more mundane than we like to think, but i do believe writing goodness—especially the mundane kind—is also incredibly difficult because it’s just as complex as badness. i’m off topic. rip 2x. 

i love world-building, and i don’t see enough stories—especially in this corner of simblr—that are ... not so “western,” so reflective of the colonial world, i guess? i live here in my real life, i study it for a living, let me go elsewhere !!!!!  i don’t expect that of anyone, to be clear, but ... as an ~indigenous person~, i just wanted to explore a place where the worldviews and beliefs are anti- or decolonial, or maybe simply were never colonized at all. it’s hard to do that, but it excites me as much as the character development i discussed above. i can’t say i’m doing it well or whatever, but i try to think of this aspiration as the guiding light or motivation for my choices. 

to the nuts and bolts, when i decided to write this story, i was learning about the history of modern mexico—specifically, the porfiriato and the revolution—so that influenced the setting. i have some mixed feelings about the latin american inspiration since i’m not latina myself, but ... i guess i hope it’s both fictional enough to not seem exploitative and appropriately respectful when i borrow things directly, like names. it’s why i try to keep the naming conventions for people and places internally consistent, for example. if i use indigenous words, there’s from a particular set of places. in essence, the choice comes from a place of admiration and solidarity, which i say w/ deep sincerity. there’s also my interest in medieval iberia with its portuguese and spanish cultures as well as the islamic influences of the period. that’s totally more for aesthetics and naming, tho, but i do take inspiration for the political drama from “modernization” struggles in mexican history. 

so, uh, in summary, let’s say i was inspired by what black panther was trying to do with wakanda but in the western hemisphere LMAO 

[mad-as-a-box-of-frogs]

Hahahahah what the fuck was the episode of moon knight

If the solution to the love triangle is just to have Steven killed off so Marc can be allowed to patch things up with Layla and live his life without Steven, I’m gonna be so pissed. But I guess Loki brought back Dilf Owen Wilson soooooo I’m gonna try and stay positive.

Rip to Jake Stans 😬 (also equally unacceptable if Steven is just replaced with Jake. Sorry, no thanks)

Also are just…supposed to assume that it was Marc sending the post cards? Is Steven ever gonna realize this? Please????

I mean, the episode is exactly what I wanted it to be for the most part, I just won’t love the show anymore if the conclusion is ‘fixing’ Marc by killing off Steven

[watertribe-enya]

Tecna and Aisha for the ask game?

Tecna

favorite thing about them

Her snark was always quite funny, especially early on. I also love how she just...outright attacked Avalon and literally roasted the entire club and shattered everything around her. All because of some conspiracy theories

least favorite thing about them

The season 5 plotline about her and Timmy going dating, when the show pretented they never were on a single real date before. They were and it was even a source of conflict earlier, because Timmy was too focused on their shared interests to see that Tecna wanted something more. And then she needed dating advice from the other girls, yikes. I hate when they turn a character into a klutz regarding romance or styling when they had no such problems beforehand

favorite line

(while picking out the ugliest dress Stella has in her closet) How about this one? You'll surely leave a lasting impression like this.

brOTP

With Digit I guess? I like that unlike the other Pixies and their bonded Winx the two of them just get along and that she's so helpful to Tecna (Amore and Lockette are too but they're way too cutesy sometimes)

OTP

Despite the writing taking a dive I really enjoy her and Timmy together, because hey, it's a relationship built on shared interests (more than any other in the show)

nOTP

none really

random headcanon

Tecna did in fact know what pizza was, even before meeting Bloom. It just has a different name on her homeworld

unpopular opinion

I prefer the comics depiction of Zenith over the one in the show. Even with her royal dad. I just like that they're comfortable with their use of technology, being technologically advanced doesn't have to mean that they can't connect with other people

song I associate with them

I probably watched too many amvs as a teen, but "Everytime we touch" by Cascada

favorite picture of them

the whole scene tugged on my heartstrings

Aisha/Layla

favorite thing about them

Her getting physical with the villains. I loved how she, when they realized their Believix powers were subpar for underwater fights, swam up to Tritannus and kicked him in the face. You go girl! I bet she would have tried the same with Valtor if only he had let her.

least favorite thing about them

The shows writing when she wanted to get revenge on the Wizards of the Black Circle for causing Nabu's death. Her and the other Winx splitting up, for a laughably short time at that, and them being like "Nuh, revenge is evil! Don't be consumed by hatred!" As if Bloom wouldn't have ripped Valtor's still beating heart out of his chest. I understood them not going for outright murder when the wizards apparently gave up and asked for protection, but like, that was a trick. It cost one of their friends his life. And they killed their villains before. So killing is okay, unless you're too angry while doing it?

favorite line

Aisha: Don't move! And put your hands where I can see them!

Nabu: Didn't you forget the magic word?

Aisha: Or I'll shatter you with all the power that's at my disposal!

brOTP

Her with Tressa and Nereus. I'm just a sucker for her stupid mermaid relatives

OTP

Her and Nabu. They even had a song about their love (after he died) andf it was so cute! It was a crime bringing such a song after killing him like that. And then the thing ended with "but I guess...it wasn't supposed to be/ Doch es sollte wohl nicht sein"

nOTP

Get Nex out of here, give my girl some time to grieve! Also that guy was such a random piece of cardboard anyway

random headcanon

When she was younger she frequently visited the mermaid side of her family (if they were family back then, the writing is subpar in this regard) The atmosphere with Queen Ligea, Tressa and the twins was less strict than in Aisha's own palace, and she became an excellent swimmer while spending time with them (better than the usual Andros citizen)

unpopular opinion

Aisha was completely justified in using her Sirenix wish to save her cousin instead of giving Nabu his life back. I love Nabu as much as the next guy, but he was dead and Nereus was dying. It would have been incredibly cold of Aisha to let him die, even though she had the power to help him. Not to mention the immense guilt hse would have felt for being unable to save another person she cared about, and this time choosing not to do so as well. Nabu probably wouldn't have liked being brought back on the cost of Aisha sacrificing another life either

song I associate with them

"If I die young" By The Band Perry :

I've never known the lovin' of a man But it sure felt nice when he was holding my hand There's a boy here in town, says he'll love me forever Who would have thought forever could be severed by

The sharp knife of a short life

favorite picture of them

The first and probably the most beautiful usage of fairy dust