#and I was like ah. they found them in the woods and adopted them but they look uncannily blood related still

[llumimoon]

Catch me writing an AU of and AU <3 Dot is strange in every universe, even in one where they’re not The Doodler levels of eldritch there’s still a little something off about them…

[projectbluearcadia]

"Oops."

This is just the kind of scenario that pops up in my head a lot. The walls in the House of Lamentation have ears. (Suggestive)

---

“MC, my room. Now,” Lucifer snapped when he saw the mess you and Mammon had made. As usual, Mammon was getting himself in trouble with a so-called good idea and you were roped into it. This time, it had been adopting a feral demon.

Mammon, of course, had wanted to become a selective breeder after he heard about what purebred dogs are worth. Though now he gave up on that because he was a little too attached to the pair of Harumons he’d just adopted. 

In any case, the living room was an absolute disaster area, and Lucifer was very clearly pissed. 

“I-It was me! Why're you taking MC??” Mammon cried after Lucifer, and he turned a glare back at his little brother. 

“I’ll deal with you later.” 

And he left Mammon in silence, dragging MC by the collar. 

Guilty and feeling scared for the resident human, he followed and debated outside Lucifer’s door whether or not he should knock it down and rescue her. 

“L-Listen, Lucifer we can talk about th—Ah!” Mammon flinched at the high-pitched cry against the door accompanying a loud thud. 

“MC…” Lucifer’s lowered voice rasped. “I think I already warned you there would be consequences for doing something stupid like this.” 

“You’re not my dad!”

“No,” Lucifer replied, and a whimper resounded through the wood, making Mammon shiver. Should he risk it and jump in? Should he? “But you serve me, now don’t you MC?” 

“Well…y-yes…” 

“And since you so willingly went along with whatever that idiot’s harebrained scheme was this time, you’re going to make me feel better.” 

“M-My knees are still sore… sir.” Mammon was half tempted to break in there, a little enraged at the thought of whatever physical punishment he’d given to her. Didn't he know that human was fragile!? And how could he do that when she was so cute anyway!?

“Then rest assured that I’ll make something else sore today.”

“W-Wait, Lu-Lucifer,” she gasped before she let out a surprised cry, and Mammon felt his ears turn hot as the sound of a kiss and something else reached his ears. 

“No waiting,” Lucifer growled, breathless as she panted. “I’ve been waiting.” 

“Ah! N-Not there!” she cried out, still heaving for breath, and Mammon flinched as he heard a thump against the door. 

“Why not? You’re shaking your hips like you’re enjoying it. Dirty girl.” 

Fuckin’ hell, Mammon thought. He’s doin' it that way…. Come to think of it, I think Levi was complaining about that earlier... I really should lea--

“Ahn?! Lucifer, why did you lick me!?” 

Mammon's ears turned pink at the sound that came out of her mouth, and he found himself desperately wishing that he was in Lucifer's place.

“Would you have preferred I childishly bit you like I wanted to?" Lucifer chuckled to himself. "But you want me to lick somewhere else, don’t you? If you want that, then you’re going to beg for it… and I’ll make you scream so loud that the entire house will know.”

“A-Aren’t you afraid they’ll get scared…?” 

“They know I’m here, and they know damn well I’d never let anything happen to you. They’ll know exactly why you’re screaming. I promise.” 

Mammon covered his reddened face with a groan. That asshole knew I was gonna follow to make sure she was okay, didn' he? Fuck. I'm not sleepin' tonight...

As a bonus, when the other brothers found out that Mammon was the reason that Lucifer was making MC scream louder than usual, they casually bullied him the next day. Lucifer was satisfied.

MC later made them make up and screwed them both ruthlessly.

[flys-writing-drabbles]

angst of my phonehead sona i finished today :3c

His feet hit the floor as he paced, the sharp clacking from his newly equipped dress shoes echoed on the tile. He adjusted his tie as he went, tail waving madly behind him. If you asked me? All this had something to do with how loud his head was being compared to usual. Adrenaline and rage coursing through his veins. Static crackled and sparked from his voice box and he let it. All for the intimidation factor after all. A tap on his shoulder.

“Oh for fucksake, what could you possibly need? What is it?” Harsh. Sure, but when you’re running off of instinct and the example of your, admittedly unstable, adoptive dad? Harsh is to be expected. The yelling did cause Bubble to recoil though and William just had to tell himself to push the feeling of his stomach twisting down. He just had to suppress it.

“Uh, Dad needs you. That’s all. Sorry if I bothered you.” Well, that definitely didn’t help the twisting feeling in his gut. Whatever. This is what he needed anyway. More opportunities to pay attention to Steven meant more opportunities to learn how he worked. Which in turn meant he could get better at keeping certain things to himself. His tail flicked into a higher stance and he angled his head up. Just because he’s shorter doesn’t mean he can’t make himself appear bigger.

“Got it. Thanks for telling me and I’m sorry for snapping at you. Jus’.. extra stress, y’know?” Surely that was a good enough excuse, right? Right. Bubble was already nodding along and muttering an ‘it’s fine, I get it’ that William responded to with a forced laugh. This interaction was just grating to him. The more he talked the more he wanted to tear out his own spine. He needed to get away from that too. He needed to get away from any semblance of negativity happening within himself.

“It was nice talking, but you did tell me dad needed me, right? M’ gonna get going. See ya around, Bubble.” The most he offered them as he left was a wave. Normally, he’d be okay with a high five or a hug, but he had a feeling that if anyone touched him right now they’d end up with bite marks on their arm. From himself. The clicking of his shoes on tile was back again, the only sound he heard now aside from his own breathing and the occasional burst of static. It was better than silence though.

Either way, he found himself standing in front of the door to Steven’s office. His fist hesitated over the hunk of wood blocking him from his dad, something in his brain echoing ‘what if you’re in trouble?’ He shoved that echo in a box. The sound of him knocking reverberated off the nearby walls. As expected.

“Ah. Let yourself in. I’m guessing that’s you, William?” That was his dad alright. His tone was flat and his voice box faulty. A vague memory of hearing it was caused by the fire he’d been in flashed in his mind. He cleared his throat and opened the door, tail carefully looping around his leg.

“What’d you need me for dad? Did I do somethin’ again? I haven’t even yelled at Cliff that often, whatever he or Diane are saying isn’t true.” Of course, being the adopted son of a guy who was defensive to begin with would result in responses like this. Steven held his hand up to get him to stop.

“No. No, it’s nothing like that. However, I did tell you to stop yelling at Cliff.” He was suddenly grateful his dad didn’t have eyes. He could see the glare sly’d be giving him clear as day in his mind though.

“Right. Sorry. That’s my bad. I’ll stop.” He was well aware he was mumbling. Most of his attention was focused on trying to push through the anxiety that was flaring up inside of him. It was similar to being trapped in a thorn bush. You turn to untangle yourself from one spike and get caught on another.

“Good. I called you in here to discuss.. something else. Someone recently came in voicing that they knew you, saying how you look up to me and are actively striving to be like me. Which is endearing, yes. But, may I ask why?” Fuck. He hadn’t prepared for that. Okay, maybe he’d let himself look a little nervous this once. One of his hands rose to twirl his cord.

“You’re my dad. I’ve said that before. What more of a reason do I need? I look up to you and I wanna be like you because of that, no deeper meaning.” He knew there was a deeper meaning. He felt it in his chest when he was able to successfully hide how anxious he truly was, he felt it when he started sounding more like Steven when he spoke, he felt it now as he stood before his dad, phone head resting heavy on his shoulders.

“Mhm. Sure. Care to explain why you seem to be.. sticking with the phone head then? You can willingly avoid it, yet, you seem to be choosing to appear as such more and more as of late. Any reasoning behind that?” Oh. That one was easy to get out of. A simple excuse that made perfect sense.

“I like it? It’s a form of mine after all, I just happen to like this one currently. Makes me feel more comfortable with myself.” More like it makes him feel more comfortable in the facade he’s crafted.

He heard a sigh leave his dad, the chair he sat on giving a noisy creak as he stood up. He walked around to the front of the desk and loomed over William. Sly placed a hand on his son’s shoulder.

“Off topic, sure, but you know Jake and I are proud of you, correct? I don’t show it often, I know, but we are. You’re a great kid. Keep that in mind, alright?” Well, that caused William to zone out for a minute. The words seemed to reverberate through his skull. He shook his head and shrugged off his dad’s hand before speaking.

“I know and I’m glad you both are, honestly, I just don’t see why you are telling me this now.” Steven sighed at that, the thick layer of static over it made it sound like a tape rewinding.

“No reason. Just letting you know. You may leave now.” William had never gotten up so fast before, practically shooting out of his chair as Steven finished sly’s sentence.

“See you later, dad.” He was aware of how flat his tone was. Becoming even more aware of that as he closed the office door behind him.

As soon as the door was fully shut, he took off. He sprinted down a random hallway, stopping when he found a somewhat secluded spot. Within the blink of an eye, he was human again. Hands gripping onto his hair desperately and tears already welling in his eyes. His breathing was shaky too.

“What’s wrong with me?” Was all he muttered before his voice dissolved into sobs.

@ask-steven-stevenson RAH!!!! the concept for this is older than the others but BLEEEEHHH its still written decently so. h. hands this over

[hannahssimblr]

“Ticks?” My mother shrieks, “Ticks? Are you joking me? And what are you doing sitting on the sofa? Get up. Up!”

I spring up with my hands out in surrender as she pushes past me to swipe at the seat cushions with frantic hands, then she shouts at me again; “Go stand over there, away from the furniture.”

“What’s going on now?” Dad comes out of the bathroom after his morning shower and adopts a disapproving stance despite not actually knowing what is going on yet. 

“Jude found a tick on his arm.”

“Are you kidding me? Jude, you have ticks now?”

“I don’t ‘have ticks now’, dad, I have a tick, one tick. What, do you think this is a new personality trait of mine or something? Do you think I want to have a fucking ticks on me?”

“Watch your mouth!” Mom snaps. 

Dad spears his fingers into his hair in a display of utter despair, “How did you get ticks?”

“One tick,” I reiterate, “and I assume it was from the woods, I don’t know.”

“See this is why I didn’t want you to go camping. This is the kind of thing that happens, and now with a busy morning we have to try and work through this as a family.”

I groan, “Can you stop that please? Why is your language so overdramatic, huh? It’s a bug. I’ll just pick it out.”

Mom stabs a finger in my direction, ���Not in here you won’t! Go outside to get that thing off you.”

“Obviously.”

“And you’ll have to go to the doctor too, just in case you have Lyme disease or God knows what.”

Ivy’s bedroom door opens and she emerges rubbing her eyes, “Is Jude sick?”

“No, Ivy, I’m fine.”

“But… Didn’t mom say that you have a disease?”

“No, I just have to go to the doctor for something. Something small. Don’t worry about it.”

“Oh,” Her hair is sticking up all over the place, and her pyjama leg has migrated up to her knee, “Shall I come?”

Mom physically restrains her from coming any closer. “Jude will go on his own, we need to get you ready for the kids club.” 

Her eyes are big blue pools of concern, “Are you sure? I think I should come.” Ivy hates the doctor, she finds it terrifying and seems to assume that I do too, and it’s sweet that she’s offered but I really don’t think that I need the accompaniment of a seven year old child to the local GP. 

“No, it’s okay, you’ll have more fun at the kids club.”

“What is it that’s wrong?” She wonders, and as we try to explain to her about the bug, and how the bug might be diseased, and if so that means I’ll need to get special medicine for it, Jen slips out of her bedroom like a shadow, sprints upstairs and out the front door. 

“Excuse me,” I say to my family. I follow her. 

I hurry out the door and to the deck, then up the wooden steps to the road where I find her lighting a cigarette on the wall. “Oi,” I say, “What you running away from?”

She smirks, “You know, you and your family fight almost as much as Michelle and her mother. Another reason I think you two would get along.”

“Ah, so you’re a coward, hiding from conflict.”

“Have you followed me out here to bring more to me, hm? Not done being mad at me over abandoning you at the campsite?”

“I can't stay mad at you, Jenny, it’s inconvenient.”

She snickers and shoves me, but then quickly recoils and stares at her hand, “I shouldn’t have done that, should I? I might have ticks now.”

“Ah, so you heard that bit.”

“Colette was literally screaming ‘TICKS!’. It’s what woke me up actually.” She looks me up and down and gives me a tiny shrug, “Congratulations.” 

“You sure you don’t have them too, hm?”

“Oh, how would I have ticks? That’s just not in my personality. That’s not the kind of thing I’d get involved with.”

“Is that so? Well, have you checked?”

“Don’t need to.”

“We were in the same woods…”

“Yeah but you were the one rolling around on the ground with Clóda, I think your chances are a pinch higher.”

The memory of the grains of sand floats to the surface of my mind and a horrified shudder rips through me, “Well if you don’t check then you’ll be sorry… like, if my mom finds out there’s a tick infestation in the guest room then she’s not gonna be pleased…”

“Oh, Christ sake. Look,” She holds out her arms, then her legs to me. She searches between her fingers, behind her knees, and even pokes around in her armpits. “See? Nothing. Where else could they be hiding?”

“Apparently they love to get cosy behind your ears. Did you know that?”

She scoffs and runs a finger behind her ear, and I watch as her face falls and horror takes over . We stare at each other for a long moment. 

“What?” I say, “Did you find one?” And then I burst out laughing, “No way, no fucking way!”

“Shut up!” She says with rising panic and throws her cigarette into a drain, “Just shut up! Take me to the doctor with you.”

Beginning // Prev // Next

[headsincloud9]

This is somthing I wrote after being inspired by @zestys-stuff oc and @tiredmamaissy writing its the first story I've written in a while so I hope everyone enjoys. Feedback is much appreciated!! Note: the only oc that is mine is Kílsyí

Summary: kílsyí Te Zäewí nayä'ite a half omaticaya half metkayina girl always out of place never knowing much of her mother and the precious gem to her father. When forced to leave the only home she ever knew, she somehow returned home; her mother's home. Kílsyí now struggles to find her place amongst her mothers people while feeling ever disconnected from her father and omatikaya roots. In her search for her balance of identity, she has found someone else.

Chapter 1: Last Song 

Next chapter

Kilsyi woke up from the hammock she had stored in the trees of the forest away from home despite the relocation of her fathers clan to the mountains she still spent days out in the forest. She grabbed her bow and jumped down the beads in her hair clack and clicking from the movement she walked through the brush admiring all eywa had to offer tail swaying lightly as the forest teamed with life. This is why she came out. She felt a peace out here she remembers her father bringing her out here all the time just the two of them. Sometimes he's turned it into practice training with her bow or tracking....his way of showing despite her failures and setbacks he'd always be proud and love her. Or the rare times he'd beg her to sing for him, bribing her with sweet treats and fruits and swimming in the river or even taking her to fly on his ikran. Her heart ached a little she missed him dearly when was the last time she went to speak with him at the tree of voices. In her mind she heard him waving and dismissing her apologies saying she was enjoying life and he was happy watching her. And then sneak in a request for her to sing. "Please ‘itetsyìp sing for me".

Her mind came into focus seeing fruit and she smiled, her tail swaying softly as she put her bow across her body and began to climb,  picking her fill and placing them in the pouch she carried with her. She jumps down and takes her time eating. She wanted to find a place to swim before coming back. She knew if she didn't return soon her adopted father Jake sully would come looking. She still couldn't believe he was the leader and very much stern she Remembers him as the very out of place sky person trying to see and learn but that was 14 or so years ago it’s she was 7 at the time her father was still alive and well things were different now it was twice as dangerous. She sighs, saving the rest for later walking until she hears a rustle in the woods. Her ears flicked as she turned her head instantly, pulling her bow and following the sound. 

Kílsyí heard voices, her tail flicked in anticipation and until she heard the vices again recognition on her face. Lo'ak, kiri, spider, and tuk?! Seriously, tuk was there. She hisses more so to herself as they were idiots for being out here but now she had to figure out why they were here and be as lo'ak said unfun and rat them out. She climbed into the trees following them picking up bits and pieces hearing shack and sky people. She even heard them use her as an alibi if they were caught. Kílsyí rolled her eyes and she would personally smack Lo'ak for that. She turned on the communication device on her neck, her ears twitching as she heard it turn on. She was about to rat them out over frequency until ahe heard noises; other voices not her family...definitely English. She hid in a split of a trunk peaking out she was about to call in to Jake and stop whatever Lo’ak had in his head, but that came to a halt. Her ears flicked hearing rusting and several Navi dressed in sky people clothing came into view they had guns and didn’t look at all from their home, so sky people in Navi bodies like Jake. They surrounded the shack and a broken machine. A shiver went down her spine as the forest went quiet it was subtle but even she could sense that they didn’t belong here. 

Kílsyí swallowed back a hiss that would have given herself away thankfully it was Lo’ak’s voice that brought her back into focus. “It’s me, spider, Kirk, and tuk too” he says with shame and slight fear in his voice. She pressed the button on her neck and spoke softly “I’m here too Jake in the trees I was on my way home…Tiri there are a lot I don’t think i can do it alone.” She confessed slipping from her spot gaining another better position out of sight. “Try to get hidden do not engage them” Jake said. Kílsyí knew he was speaking about the all but she was the oldest she would not let them be alone “dad I will make sure they are safe I promise” she murmurs her eyes trained on her siblings. She aimed her arrow ready to do something reckless if she had to. It was too late they had been spotted they converged on them asking to see their hands. She saw Tuk look at her and Kílsyí shook her head putting a finger to her lips and slid behind the tree, waiting praying to Eywa that their parents made it in time.

Day turned to night and rain poured Kílsyí stalked the men holding her siblings hostage. She needed to make a move darkness was her ally. She pulled back ready to aim and kill until she heard a call…..her ears flicked, again the call was close, her heart swelled she knew that call, tiri she was here. She opened her mouth making her own call moving, she saw Jake as well taking down a dreamwalker. She saw his hand signal and she moved into action letting tiri attack first. She drew her bow back and let an arrow fly hitting another one hear his scream as he fell to the ground dead. She quickly scrambled up  the tree a bit higher. “Is that you Ms. Sully” Kílsyí tilted her head confused did he fight her before? “ i recognize your-“ Kílsyí in her confusion had exposed herself. “ oh you are new” he chuckled. She hisses feeling a hand grab he arm and yank her away. She sigh in relief that it was tiri. She hugs her and nearly cries “go ma ite get your siblings and get out of here NOW! “ she hisses Kílsyí didn’t hesitate she ran calling out for her siblings hearing the all in the commotion. Her ear twitched as she heard something fly the air and she slammed her back behind a tree covering her ears. The ground shook and she looks around trying to find the way out. “HEY lysi im here im here focus with me” she heard Jake’s voice and she nods quickly running with him soon meeting with her family and she hugs them all until Kiri cried in despair Spider was gone.

Kílsyí paced outside their home hearing Jake and tiri argue about them leaving her tail swished with anxiety “YOU CAN NOT ASK THIS OF US…..Kílsyí’s father is here the only connection to her father is here” Tiri pleads to Jake. She felt greatful that she vouched for her in the name of her father before Neytiri became her mother she was like a sister to her she followed her around all the time as a kid as her father and and Neytiri’s were close. “She told me he saw her thinking she was you he had our kids under his knife he saw lsyi, we need to go to save and help the people." He pleads Kílsyí left she made quick work to the tree of voices she needed to see her father one last time if she was going to leave her home. She was a bit worried of where they would go. She quickly made her way and she sat in the center of the tree she made tsahelyu and she came up to the clearing her father and her would frequent, he was there he looked like he was setting out fruit

“ma ‘itetsyip im glad to see you you have grown so much so beautiful” he chuckles and reaches out to her. Tears welled in her eyes and she sits by her father smiling and she takes a shaky breath trying not to break down. She felt hands on her face and her tears being wiped away “ what has you so sad, is there a boy that has broken your heart “ he teases despite his serious nature he was always soft and sweet with his little girl. 

Kílsyí laughs and looks at him “no sempul im still unmated but that’s not why im sad, I have to leave home leave you and I didn’t come see you as much as i should have and no it ill be even harder.” She cries into his chest. Her father sighs rubbing her back “ I am always with you within your heart within Eywa and no matter where you go I will be there” he reassures and rubs her back letting her cry until she felt comfort. “Ma paysyul will you sing for me i wish to hear your voice” he says softly. Kílsyí smiles and nods “ I will sing as many songs as you like” she says. 

Kílsyí felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked up seeing Jake and she looks up “hey babygirl ” he says sadly . She looks up with tears still in her eyes and she gives a sad smile “ so i'm guessing you heard” he said sadly. She nodded and disconnected her kuru with a soft movement of her wrist. “I already spoke to him he trusts your judgment its ehy he went to war with you” she says Jake stared at this girl she remembers her when she was just a child one of the only ones that seemed to like him he realized that she had just as much trouble as him what it came to her training. She was the first to also tell Neytiri that he would not betray the people. “Are you going to be okay?” He asks and she looks back at him “ dad are you?” She asked it was rare she called him dad she never spoke it in Navi that was reserved for her father and he never pushed the issue, so it was still shocking to hear. “As long as our family is safe yes” he said solemnly. 'What a liar'.

Kílsyí flew on Zewzu as they left the forest she looked over her shoulder her hair whipping around her face and she turns her head looking to her family as they had the same or similar looks sorrow, sadness, the missing of home. The flight was going to be long and draining but they would find someplace right Jake had a saying called small world but that couldn’t apply here on Pandora right? Rain became sun became eclipse became morning and she saw the ocean. Something inside her soared like she did when she took the first flight on her ikran; the ocean, the ocean, the ocean. Zewzu roared and she rubs his neck “Mawey zewzu” she murmurs as they fly to what looks like another clan, they land with many surrounding them and she slid from Zewzu’s back her heart racing wondering what would happen now.

[sumerus-little-sprout]

Pinecones and Primroses~ A Cyno x Tighnari fanfic Chapter 2

Cyno was lost in his own world. For what, like the fifth time today? He couldn’t help it. He didn’t exactly have anyone to talk to at the moment, what with his best friend fast asleep. Tighnari slept off, a tiny smile plastered on his face.

As he looked out of the window, tiny rays of sunlight seeping through the clouds as the rain died down and the dewdrops on leaves shimmered in the sunlight, Cyno wondered what his best friend was dreaming about. Could it be about what was waiting for them at the camp? He didn’t know.

Although he hadn’t vividly expressed it, he wasn’t all that excited about camp. Definitely not as much as Tighnari was. He could even go as far as to say that he didn’t want to go to camp. What was the point of it anyway? Why flock off to the wilderness if not to do anything productive? He didn’t know. Perhaps Tighnari wanted to do some research in these particular woods. He had been gushing about the different species of plants and insects in this area after all. 

That among other things. He also said, quote ‘Maybe this would give us both a chance to, y’know, get out more! After all, it can’t be just us forever.’ Frankly, Cyno saw no problem with it just being the two of them. And it wasn’t just the two of them. They also had Collei. Although Tighnari claims she doesn’t count since she’s his sister.

Okay, so maybe he wasn’t the biggest social butterfly. But Tighnari wasn’t either! Which makes his reasoning behind coming here even more absurd. After all, he had attempted to bludger a kid's brains with a baseball bat for bullying Collei. Ah, he recalls the particular incident like it was yesterday. 

Collei had recently been adopted under strange circumstances when she was 7 years old. According to Tighnari, she had randomly shown up on his doorstep, wounded and malnourished, covered in bandages and dark black bruises on her skin. 

She was terrified of everyone and everything, indicating a sort of trauma, yet she never mentions it. Tighnari’s father and Cyrus are the only ones fully aware of what had actually happened to her. Lisa, his 17-year-old (also adopted) sister, only knows part of what happened. 

But like the annoying elder sister she was, she had refused to give them any information. Collei was apprehensive of them at first, avoiding them as much as humanly possible, voice quivering and body shivering whenever she tried to talk to them. 

But she slowly but surely warmed up to them. Tighnari the most. She healed and got better eventually, and was sent to school once she was taught to read and write.

Unfortunately, someone with a pure heart as sensitive as hers was bound to be mocked.

It was math class, and their Professor was droning on about quadratic equations and some other math stuff when a flustered professor suddenly burst into the room.

“Mr. Tighnari?” she called out, adjusting her glasses, and pushing them up her nose. Tighnari looked at her with a puzzled expression and pointed at himself. “You are the elder brother of Collei, is that correct?” She asked, looking at a register she had in hand. His eyes widened in shock and fright. “Why?! Did something happen to her?!”.

The professor simply shrugged and motioned Tighnari to follow her. He got up and nervously followed her out of the classroom. Although he wasn’t called upon, Cyno followed Tighnari. The teacher raised her arched eyebrows but didn’t question his presence.

They made their way to the Principal's office, where Tighnari found a sniveling Collei sitting on one of the chairs there. He immediately rushed to her side and comforted her. “Collei! What happened?! Please don’t cry!” He said, soothing her. She sniffled and wiped her eyes before she spoke, her voice cracking “This kid in my class……made fun… of me.” 

Tighnari’s eyes narrowed in anger. “What?! Why?!”

“He…..he made fun of the way I….read.” She let out a choked sob, rubbing her eyes. Cyno and Tighnari could feel anger pulsating in their veins. How dare anybody hurt her?! Tighnari knew one thing for sure, this guy had to PAY. “WHO.” He asked roughly, his voice dripping with venom. 

As Collei struggled to remember the kid’s name, the principal was talking to someone on the telephone, most probably Tighnari and Collei’s father. “I…think his name is Scaramouche?” Collei said, voice heavy with sadness and doubt. As the Principal chattered away, he paid no heed to Tighnari as he stormed out of the office, about to do god knows what. Cyno skittered after him, for once providing the voice of doubt.

“I can hardly believe I’m the one who’s about to say this, but perhaps we shouldn’t do something this hasty,” Cyno says, desperately trying to convince Tighnari to not do something he might regret later. “This…this SCARAMOUCHE needs to pay Cyno,” Tighnari said in a dangerously shaky low voice, snapping at him and then suddenly dashing off before Cyno could say anything else. Before Cyno could chase after him, he was stopped dead in his tracks by Cyrus.

“What happened!” He exclaimed, his arms full of scattered papers and important documents, his hair frazzled and all over the place. “Collei got bullied by this little punk called Scaramouche,” Cyno grunted “Tighnari wants to exact justice on him.”

Cyrus narrowed his eyes in confusion. “What do you mean ‘exact justice’?.....” Multiple screams suddenly rang out from a nearby classroom. Cyno and Cyrus looked at each other with the same bad feeling in their eyes and rushed into the room. There he was.

Tighnari had a crazy look in his eyes with a giant baseball bat raised above his head with a couple of kids including a professor restraining him from hitting a dark-haired kid, who was crawling across the floor with a terrified look in his eyes. One thing was certain, the kid was definitely not going to mess with Collei ever again.

Despite how terrible the scene was to recall morality-wise, Cyno couldn’t help grinning in amusement and disbelief at reminiscing the shocked and terrified look on Tighnari’s father's face when the school administration had told him that his son was almost expelled for attempting to murder a younger student. Thank the archons he wasn’t, but boy were the professors MAD. Thankfully, because of a new friend Collei had made along the way, Amber he thinks her name was, Collei had learned to stand up for herself. 

The bus they were in suddenly jerked forward, leading Tighnari to stir as he yawned slowly. He sat up straight and rubbed his eyes. Suddenly, he realized he was leaning on Cyno’s shoulder the entire time and blushed in embarrassment. “Did I…..fall asleep?!”. Cyno nodded and smiled lightly “Don’t worry about it. I was just thinking.”.

Tighnari raised his eyebrow in curiosity “Really? About what?”. Cyno pulled a water bottle out of the side of his bag and took a sip of water from it “Remember that time you nearly got expelled?”. Tighnari’s expression immediately darkened, a mix of regret and residual anger crossing his features “Right,” he sighed, reflecting on the particular moment “I wish I had acted more…civilized. He certainly deserved it. But…..I had stooped down to his level in an attempt to teach him a lesson.” He stayed silent for a while, looking grim “Had I really taught him anything? What if I made things worse by intervening, in a violent manner no less.”

“You have come a long way since then,” Cyno reassured, his hand on his friend's shoulder “We were young then. We make mistakes and we learn from them. That’s what life is.” As they stood silent for a moment, Cyno suddenly added “Speaking of life……”

“Oh, Archons no.” Tighnari groaned, folding his ears fully aware of what was coming. Cyno had developed a strange fondness for terrible jokes, just like his adoptive father had, the two occasionally exchanging them. Well, much to Tighnari’s dismay.

“Why don’t scientists trust atoms?” he said, eyes glinting mischievously. 

“I’m not answering that.”

“Because they make up everything!” Cyno answered, letting out a chuckle. “You see, we learned that atoms make up everything in the universe, so….” “Yes, yes. I get it Cyno. Your terrible jokes have proven I have gotten better at anger management. I would have strangled you already if I wasn’t.” Tighnari replied quietly, fuming.

“So you say my jokes have helped you? Perhaps I should be telling you some more of them.” Cyno asked as Tighnari physically cringed at the thought of more oncoming jokes. The two were so deep in conversation that they hardly noticed a boy pop out from the front seat and peeking at the two.

“Pardon me, am I interrupting anything?” He asked, giving a coy smile. Tighnari and Cyno flinched at the sudden interruption. Tighnari smiled at him kindly while Cyno gave him a glare “No, you really aren’t interrupting anything.” Tighnari replied, Cyno ignoring everyone and redirecting his gaze back to the window. 

“That’s good! I wanted to ask if he had more jokes. I didn’t mean to eavesdrop, but I quite liked the one he had told to you.” He said, pointing at Cyno, which caught his attention again as he looked at the boy in surprise “Oh! Pardon me, I haven’t introduced myself yet. I’m Albedo.” Albedo said, extending a hand out to him. 

Albedo wore a khaki-colored sweatshirt over a plain white shirt with dark navy jeans. His albino hair was tied up in an extremely messy bun and had strangely lifeless teal eyes. Cyno glared at Albedo suspiciously “You..you actually like my jokes?” he narrowed his eyes “Then why weren’t you laughing?” Nobody ever claimed to find his jokes funny. Not even Collei or Cyrus.

His eyes crinkled when he grinned as he rested his chin on his hand. “Well, a joke's ability to induce laughter is a…..separate matter. But I certainly find them fun!” Cyno looked at him strangely and ignored him, glaring at him before taking a book out of his bag and concentrating on that instead. Albedo looked at him with a slightly hurt expression. “....I see.” he turned away, understanding that he wasn’t wanted at the moment.

Tighnari nudged Cyno with his elbow and looked at him puzzled “Didn’t he want to hear more of your jokes? Go on.” 

“I’m good.” He mumbled, gaze fixed to his book. This reaction from his friend had just made Tighnari even more confused. 

“No one EVER wants to hear your jokes. Why won’t you tell them now to someone who genuinely enjoys them?” he insists gently.

“I just don’t. I don’t like the look of him.” Cyno snapped at him, clearly not wanting to interact with Albedo. Tighnari blinked at his eyes in shock, to which Cyno’s expression softened “I’m sorry.” he said, rubbing the back of his neck “I shouldn’t have snapped like that.”

“No, no.” Tighnari said, his hands fidgeting with his tail. “I shouldn’t force you to talk to anyone you don’t want to.”

The two sat in a guilty and awkward silence, avoiding each other's eyes. However, it didn’t last for long as their bus suddenly screeched to a stop. The kids around them immediately unbuckled their seatbelts as they reached the racks above their seats to retrieve their bags and luggage. Tighnari and Cyno got up to do the same when a boy who seemed to be one of their camp counselors opened the bus doors for them.

Everyone rushed to get outside and heaved their baggage along with them. The bus had stopped at a gate that, sure enough, had a sign that read ‘Stellar moments’ above it. On both the sides of the gate, there were tiny flickering lanterns with a soft glow emanating from them. It was already very dark, despite it not being considerably late in the morning. The cascading trees above them blocked out the sunlight, making the environment around them far cooler than it would’ve been in the summer. The grass beneath their feet was soft and wet, making a tiny crunching sound when stepped on. 

The boy who had opened the bus doors for everyone stood in front of everyone and gave them a wide toothy grin. He wore a fitted, long-sleeved button-down shirt in forest green. It had all sorts of tiny details like stars around the cuffs and collar. He also had dark khaki pants, waterproof hiking boots in brown, and a tiny white name tag that read Venti. Venti had a child-like face with teal coloured eyes and medium length braided dark black hair that got a brighter and brighter teal as it went down to its tips.

His smile reached his eyes, making the crowd feel more at ease in this seemingly unfamiliar place. “Good morning everyone! Welcome to summer camp! You can call me Counselor Venti. I hope you all had a nice journey, now if you would all follow me to get assigned to your cabins.” He turned with his back facing the other campers and went into the shadowed canopy in front of them as he motioned everyone to follow him. 

The crowds whispers echoed as everyone trudged behind the counselor. Cyno and Tighnari gave each other pointed looks, before following him themselves.

[onyxsboxes]

First line analysis

Rules: post the first lines of up to 10 of your last fics/chapters posted on AO3 or your WIPs and try to draw some conclusions.

Thank you @alienoresimagines and @rambleonwaywardson for the tag (I'm very late at this 😅)

Okay, so here the last one i posted

Monoceros Buck lets himself be enveloped by the scent of the forest, the bark biting into his back and the pin-leaf beneath him. It's cold, wisps of smoke escaping delicately from his mouth and nose into the dark.

So tell me is there somewhere else that you wanna go? Bucky just finishes putting a bottle of water in his backpack when he hears the familiar sound of Buck's footsteps coming back into their shared room. Ah, he's just in time.

My love for you burns like a thousand suns Bucky lets out a hiss at Buck's touch, trying to escape the fingers running over his sensitive skin.

Mom Harding and her two sons Beth has been married to Neil for almost twenty years now. They married right after graduation, their love obvious from the start. And their love has only grown stronger with each passing year. More than love, they've come to share an understanding and respect for each other that makes her smile every time she thinks about it.

Dad Harding and his two sons Everyone in the unit has heard of Colonel Harding's sons. Two boys he and his wife adopted during the war. Two sons who needed a better family. The eldest, John, always full of joy and ready for adventure, and Gale, the youngest, more reserved and smart as a whip.

100th founds out (Meatball's chapter) Food Giver gives Meatball leash to a new human. Oh, so Food Giver has enough of Meatball. Food Giver has always said that if Meatball isn't good, he'll give him to the Nanoq (polar bear), whatever that means.

Let's take a walk in the woods Today has been a long, interminable day. The training was hard and difficult, the instructors never satisfied with their results. Normally, after a day like this one, he likes to hang out with the guys. He relaxes with a joke, makes a bet or two, drinks alcohol: a beer or a whisky, and lets the pressure off. Being surrounded by people always helps him to relax, to focus on something.

Wait, WHAT ? One of the 100th's most well-known secrets isn't what anyone might expect. Everyone on the base knows about it, but none of them openly discusses it.

Buck meets Gale (Bucky's chapter) Bucky is so excited. The boys landed just a few minutes ago. After all those weeks of waiting, his Buck is finally here, right next to him. After weeks, he can finally reach out and touch him. To feel the warm skin of his arms and not the cold of the empty leather seats.

Bucky meets Gale The first time Bucky met Gale was ... a hell of a day, to put it simply. He had just returned from his first flight into the war zone. He still doesn't know what happened up there. How to understand the chaos of the situation? The desperation, everyone trying to stay alive in these flying coffins.

I'll say I like to start in the middle of scenes or actions, quiet vaguely before stepping back a bit and explaining little by little what's going on. Or start with generalities/rumors and then either validate them or shake them up. I love misdirection and when something is not what it seems a bit to much 😅

If you want to do it, consider yourself tagged 😉

[fromthedeskoftheminister]

For the WIP tag game: PKMDESky Body Swap, please?

PKMDSky Body Swap - As much of it as i have, which isnt much at all and entirely unedited.

Nanu sighed as he stared at the child, who remained annoyingly still under the sheets of the hospital bed. Still out cold and only the persistent metronome of the heart monitor indicated that all was well. Or, as well as it could be given that there was a child unconscious in a hospital bed.

The kid was an enigma. He'd been receiving reports for months about them, the petty theft and the minor vandalism they had been causing. When he had asked around, no one claimed to know them. No name, no parents, or where they had come from. No one he had talked to could even remember having heard the kid speak. It was as if they had simply appeared, fully formed, and started causing trouble. Slightly Feral were the words someone had used, and they hadnt been exactly wrong. The Kid had been living in the woods, surviving primarily off of a small stash of berries, fruits, and a large amount of poke beans of all things, which had matched with the reports of the things that had been stolen. He had intended on bribing the kid with food to stop stealing, but then this happened.

It had been years since he had seen an Ultra Beast and he had not been prepared for the reminder of his old life when the kid had scrambled out of the bushes, mimicking a pokemon's cry and very clearly trying to lead UB-01 away from something. What, he didnt know, as the kid, triumphant in their success had charged the damn thing. It had been slightly awkward to watch, foolishly brave, stumbling and uncoordinated as if the kid wasnt entirely sure where their limbs ended. And whatever they had been trying to lead the Ultra Beast away from had been important enough to try to tackle what most reasonable people would consider a monster. And then, to his horror, the kid missed. Overshot really, and then tumbled over the roads edge and down the mountainside, assisted along by a single hit from the Beastie. It was that part that finally snapped him out of his shock induced stupor. He would not let another person die on his watch. Not again.

He still wasn't sure how exactly he did it, but the Symbiont was gone, his pokemon were fine and he had managed to get the kid to the hospital. And now it was a waiting game. The kid would be fine. He just had to keep telling himself that and wait. He hoped to hell they had believed him about the silica spines and the neurotoxin they normally contained. The kid would be fine, he repeated to himself again, tilting his head back to rest against the wall. They'd be just fine. Some unknowable amount of time later, the door to the room opened with a soft click and Nanu blearily opened an eye. "Hey Ace. Whatcha got there?"

"Uncle Nanu!" Acerola chirped, arms cradling something. "I found her!"

"Found who?"

"The girl who was screaming mad"

"Ace."

"Yeah?"

"What girl are you talking about?"

"The one who's been crying in my dreams! She needed help cause she got lost and separated from her partner!"

"Ah. You found her?"

"Mmhm"

"And got her back to her friend?"

"Im working on that part!"

Nanu opened both eyes to look at his adoptive niece. "Then where is she?" No answer was given, and instead Acerola held out the pokemon she had been cradling towards him, hands positioned securely under the little foxes front legs. Brown eyes peered up at him from beneath slightly matted golden orange fur and a fan like tail hung loosely

"Thats not a girl, thats a Vulpix." Acerola simply stared at him apparently not comprehending and Nanu continued. "A Kantonian Vulpix."

"Is that why shes orange?"

"Yeah. That would be why she's orange. But why did you bring her here?"

"I just told you! Cause she got lost! She was looking for her partner who separated from her to make the weird Frillish stop attacking them."

Nanu blinked. He could have sworn he misheard that. "Ace, is the lost girl a vulpix?"

"Uh huh! and you found her partner!

[untitledducklett]

Hello my name is Cael Adair [kale ah-dare], he/they, I'm a bodyguard living in Kalos with my Vanitian Absol Berior [Bear-ee-or]. I am a faller from a version of Tolkien's Legendarium though pokemon don't exist there. I do miss home a lot but I try to remember that I have a life here too.

Edit: my rotom finally deigned to teach me how to post photos here so have best boy doing his most regal pose

^ this is a picture I took of Berior a couple weeks before all distortion broke out. He is a Vanitian Absol, a critically endangered, variant that I'm working to help preserve. My mother sent me some of Professor Chestnut's notes on two of the more common extant variants (by comparison at least) which can be found here: x x.

Update: I got a bunch of new Pokémon

Momma the Vanitian Ariados: She ended up in my backyard during the Shadow Sky incident having taken it upon herself to rescue as many Pokémon as she could. Unfortunately she irreversibly damaged her exoskeleton so now she wears a prosthetic whenever she's out of the ball.

Lucretia the Vanitian Leavanny: A long time resident of the VPPS sanctuary she was immediately adopted by Momma and the pair became inseparable so I adopted them both.

Étienne the Vanitian Abra (Pronounced Et-tee-un): We were really close when he was alive. I guess now that Yves is dead he decided he wanted to stick around to keep my dumb ass safe. I really missed him.

Galadbain [Gal-ahd-bane] the fucked up Meowth Raikou: He was hatched from an egg that was left on my doorstep by Arc only knows what. He is naught but a stinky babey man who does gay baby crimes.

Bob the UD Absol: Anxiety thy name is Bob. I adopted him during the Kill 'em With Kindness fundraiser. Originally I hadn't planned on taking any of the UD Pokemon in but we all know my weakness for Absols. It'll take time but I know he'll flourish here.

<bzzt: he forgot to add a picture of himself so I decided to go through his portfolio and found this. Hopefully he doesn't notice.>

OOC things (including art notes for Cael):

New rule: if you reblog an ask game from me please send something in or look through my meme tag and find another meme to send in if the one I reblogged doesn't work.

Hi! You can call me Shopkey, I'm 28, on est, and I've been rping since September 2013. I will follow from @themerrymutants. Most of my experience is with more traditional lit rp so forgive any hiccups or force of habits. I'll try to keep ooc to a minimum but there will be some reblogs of lore from over on my main.

Cael has deer-like ears which are kept hidden underneath beanies whenever he's somewhere with cameras. If there aren't he usually uses illusions to hide them but beanie is his go-to. His sense of style and appearance are based on Magnus Bane from the Shadowhunters TV show. Berior is missing his left front leg and there is a scar there.

Cael (link takes you over to his bio over on themerrymutants) is a muse over on my main themerrymutants and this blog is based on his 'for queen and country' verse in which he was a guard for Queen Pascale of my friend's fan region Vanitas (a kingdom which eventually merged with greater Kalos about 2k years ago)

Cael keeps his backstory as a dimension-hopping elven menace but here he hides it well. Eventually, his lies will catch up to him but, for now, he's trying not to rouse too much suspicion. I haven't decided whether he keeps his wood elf magic or not yet as I've been told that people aren't as keen on interdimensional weirdness as I am.

[thebadchoicemachine]

Orch: people are based around a technology (or tech based job) and a flower/plant. Or just a plant, because I can't think of that many techs or tech themed jobs. For vibes, maybe Solarpunk lofi 80s? Like, yah, there's VHS tapes and skate boards and classic 80s cartoons, but there's also plants everywhere, instead of branded cereal box commercials and all that junk food, it's commercials for different farmers markets, claims of having the brightest and tastiest fruit, thick and overgrown woods with walking paths made by generations of people walking to the same areas to hang out.

Grape Vine + radio host

? + photographer - Orch mother adopts Alex

How much did Alex figure out about their powers before Karl showed up? What are their powers? Does their blood burn to the touch? Are they fire proof? What do the other Orch residents think?

Instead of a single mother figure, what if they're adopted by a group of people? Like a bunch of construction workers and engineers? Or a group of teenagers that hang out in the woods? Or something like that? I personally like the idea of the construction workers because since Orch is a blend of technology and plants, they'd double as florists.

Alex: hey, I'm hungry. When's lunch?

Worker: Ah, in a bit. Should be hitting a good stopping point in about an hour.

Alex: okay.

Alex, ten minutes later: I found a snack.

Worker, turning around: You didn't steal that from anyone's lunch did... you?

Alex, chewing on hot coals with glowing red eyes: No, I got it from the fire pit.

Just, picturing this construction company of guys of varying ages all adopting this weird... girl? Person? That came out of some really weird fog that overtook one of their construction sites and made terrifying noises. They would also be the ones to eventually realize that something is changing as Azure moves in slowly and starts messing with stuff.

What if their eyes are really vibrant under electrical lights but super dull under sunlight? Like Prowa but only for their eyes? And when she's using fire powers they always glow bright red?

Just Alex traveling across dimensions and regularly visiting her hord of uncles.

Also, what were they wearing when they first arrived? It would feel weird to have them not wearing any clothes. I think a weird mismatch of all three clothes and styles would be fun. I can't really research to get a good image but my idea is: dress slacks (Cue), a commoners cotton? Shirt (Saponite), a leather overcoat stained in a multitude of colors (Karl). Then the accessories! Maybe like, a single glove (Cue), one shoe is a sneaker (Karl) and the other is an armored boot (Saponite), chunky goggles with one red lense and one blue lens, maybe a hat with a feather, could be like a newsies cap or a baseball cap, or even a leather satchel (could have nothing in it, could have something in that).

Imagine seeing someone wearing that outfit walk out of this weird blue fog and start making eltrich noises at you. Then you and all your buddies adopt them. Crazy.

Also, have we decided on a hair color for Alex? Or a general appearance? I think we said they could swap between the different powers but like, do they have horns at first? Do they grow in? Do they have wings at first? Do the wings grow in? Are the horns or wings summoned? I thought we had a good grasp on Alex and now I'm realizing we really don't? Or at least we haven't talked about them in a long time.

Yah, sorry if this is a lot of things to throw at you at once but this was all written as a sort of stream of consciousness and trying to divide it up made it all confusing.

Long stuff here

1. How sold are you on the 80s aesthetic for Orch? I remember Orch’s Vibes is like on the verge of an Industrial Revolution, a bit more old timey and like a Western but in a forest if I remember correctly? Steampunk in the way it’s Victorian/old timey but full of advanced machinery. Small town feels.

Actually, we could easily keep both. I like that idea. Makes sense for Orch to be Rural anyhow. I really like the thicket you make.

2. If they become characters can we name the grape radio host Venny? Ideas for the photographer: a bonsai tree?

3. [1/2] Depends, how old do we think Alex is? I’d like for her to be on the younger side, maybe 6-8 ish? I think it’s more weird things happen around her at first.

Things to consider:

• Her Karl adjacent powers would probably relate a lot more to the Azure Lens than the Between. 

• She probably has her others powers depending on what form she’s in.

• What are the residents of Orch like biologically? Her forms would depend on this. I don’t think she should stand out too much. (Maybe she can shift—at will or on accident—but keeps to the woods when she does and becomes or feeds into a local cryptid/ghost-like story.)

3. [2/2] I think everyone definitely knows she’s weird. Just like that odd little girl who comes around my store or hangs out near my garage or is in the library.

The people who are close to her understand she’s magical in some way (especially since Orch is a more solid dimension) but have no idea what to do about it and since they’ve come to love her they just to that and treat her like the sweet little kid she is—weird cryptic stuff aside.

Actually, the 80s era aesthetic gives me an idea. Are you aware of the kids on bikes troupe? It’s A sort of ET/Stranger things/Goonies/most 80s neighborhood sci fi troupe where a bunch of kids/teens go out and discover [adventure].

4. LOVE the idea of a demi beyond-god being raised by a confused but well-meaning village (most of whom think she’s just a bit strange, explainable from the fact she appears to be a homeless orphan just wandering around on her own. The construction workers taking care of her when they can (unable to actually do anything at first since they don’t actually KNOW anything about her and taking her against her will would be kidnapping. eventually group adopting her.

5. AHHHH EVEN BETTER. Troupe of raising the antichrist into a good person just by being good people ks my favorite!!!! She’s not an antichrist figure obviously but she is an extremely powerful and easily destructive demi beyondgod. Just doing Weird slightly evil looking things.

6. She’s probably really smart when it comes to contraptions. She’ll catch on fast and point out ideas in the construction/engineer’s people’s work as she hangs out with them. In that way kids are just randomly brilliantly.

7. YEAH LIKE FROM PROWA AND KARL COMBINED! Glowing from Saph, pale colors from Cue, and vibrance/shiny from Karl, and the blue colors/electric flavor of her powers from the Azure.

8. I love this hodgepodge child!! And I forgot about her languages being strange at first.

9. I don’t think we’ve come up with anything specific. I’ve been imagining her as having semi-curly black hair that glows bright turquoise in certain light? Cue and Saphonite both have black hair (oo maybe Saph has ember like patterns down it?)

Maybe she has strands of hair that will kind of change color subtly like Karl’s.

[starres-stuff]

FFXIV Writes 2023 | Day 1 | Envoy

“Lord Dimitri” a faint knock came at his door. It was the second knock and he had still not budged from the comfort of his stark white blankets and his overstuffed white pillows, long curls of crimson hue spread out over the sea of white in a stark contrast of colors.

“Lord Dimitri I do wish you would answer, Your Father wishes to see you in his office immediately there has been important news this morning.” Jeissanne sounded more stressed than usual and Dimitri could almost picture the older Elezen standing in the hallways outside of his room either wringing her hands or staring at the door in a fashion that would open it. It was always that way when his adoptive Father was home or on the warpath as he called it. Ah Forum life, what bullshit it was.

A third knock would soon break his concentration, and another pleading voice would join Jeissanne’s “Dimitri, please? Father is in a fine mood this morning.” The words dripped with pure sarcasm, so noticeable that the redhead head couldn’t help but smile at it. “Dimitri you know I would never beg you like this unless I found it important, he is terribly irritable and has been yelling at Mother since he was in the door from another emergency meeting. Will you please just see to what he wants so the rest of us can live in peace today?”

“Fine, fine fuck it all!” He called back through the door. Of course, they had to send Patience to rouse him from his bed, out of all of the Lemieux family she was the one that actually did not bother him. The rest of them drove him to the point that two summers ago he stepped on a pirate ship and nearly got himself killed in the process. They were headed to the New World, or so they said and Dimitri had always dreamed of being a corsair. It wasn’t until he was left to drown in the Sea some hundred malms off the coast of some remote Isle that he finally returned to Sharlyan.

It was with a groan the Elezen rose from his bed, all seven fulms of him. At first, they thought he would be short and he made it well past his twenty-third name day before he shot up like a mighty oak in the forests he poured over in the various books that littered his room. Once he was on his feet he stopped to stretch, the extensive muscles he had developed and toned with his daily workouts and competition sports all seeming to ripple at the same time as he stood in front of his mirror regarding his current visage.

“Mm scruffy” He muttered as he tugged at his goatee, which was surrounded by what appeared to be a fifth, sixty, and seventh bell shadow. “Damn shame Leopold needs my attention.” He continued padding around the room to collect shower items and then vanished into his adjoining bath.

Half a bell and four more knocks later he would finally emerge clean, shaven, and dressed in the stark white robes of the upper-class Sharlayans. It was supposed to be his day off, The one day a week that there were no lectures at the Studium he had to give to his students Yet here he was bright and early on his way to his adopted Father’s study, pausing in front of the door and letting out a long sigh. Dimitri’s knuckles had barely scraped against the fine white painted wood of the study when a gruff voice on the other side of the door called “Well it is about time, get in here.” Patience was right. Dimitri found himself thinking as he pushed the door open and entered the room. Old Leopold was already at his fancy dark wood desk smoking his morning pipe and making faces at the bitter cup of coffee he had ordered with breakfast but would never drink.

“So sorry to keep you waiting,” Dimitri said pleasantly as he helped himself to a cup of coffee and then dropped into the white leather chair on the other side of Leopold’s desk, his mop of crimson curls still wet and dripping from the shower right on to the expensive materials, water spots were so difficult to get out after all.

“You will be leaving for Garlemald at three bells this afternoon, not long before nightfall. You will be boarding a ship that will carry you to a specific location with others that I promise you are well acquainted with and you will be acting as the Sharlayan contingency to assist with a grave matter you will be briefed upon once you have reached the rendezvous spot.” There was no room for argument, there wasn’t even a bat of an eyelash. Leopold was an authoritative man and he had no qualms in making it known that he was in control of every life that dwelled in his sanctified halls. Dimitri, however, never did agree with this.

“Excuse me?” He found himself sitting forward, the cup in his hand now poised in a fashion that he could use like a weapon if push came to shove, though Leopold seemed to know better than to tangle with his much larger adoptive son. “I have classes to teach, I am doing book repair at the library this week overnight and there is a show at the harbor I am scheduled to sing at two days from now. I do not have time to play Envoy to the Garleans, get someone else. I am far too busy for this nonsense.” He made it no secret, his sea-green eyes sparkling with a wave of anger that tightened his jaw and brought a low rumble from his throat, a noise of displeasure if ever there had been one.

“You will do as you are told, and you will not embarrass this family. You have been hand-selected out of all of the Forum member's children to take on this mission, and you will do it because those who run Sharlayan tell you that you must. You waste your time on silly songs and book repair. You are a shoo-in for a seat on the Forum within the next fifteen years! Your work in the field and your early rise to Professor at the Studium all but dictate you will be one of us.” Leopold sneered across the desk, a bony finger, wagging at Dimitri as he rattled off word after word of his current lecture on how he believed his oldest child was wasting his life.

“Your classes will be covered, your book repair will be done and some layabout can have your place at the harbor bar and hopefully someone will sign them to the orchestration deal of a lifetime. You, however, will be on that ship prepared to be an Envoy from our nation. You will shake hands, you will say nice things and you will do the work you are given to do. The Empire has fallen, Dimitri.” A look of perplexion appeared across Leopold’s stately face, his fingers tapping together as they always did when he was worried.

“That fool Zenos yae Galvus has driven the nation to its breaking point, the streets are filled with renegade machines and Tempered Citizens. The forum has made a decision to send a contingency to Garlemald to help with reducing the danger. Please, just go and be the leader I know you are.” The crack in Leopold’s voice caused Dimitri to loft a crimson eyebrow in mock interest, his large hands clutching the fancy coffee cup as if he intended to break it.

“Find someone else,” Dimitri said in a voice that boomed through the room. “Or did you forget we Sharlayans do not intervene in troubled nations or war? Did Fourchenault Leveilleur not just tell the Elder Seed Seer of Gridania too bad so sad sorry to hear of your issues we aren’t getting involved. Even at the beginning of his own son! A Scion of the Seventh Dawn?” This was when Dimitri loved his work in the Library, he often heard the latest news or got the chance to eavesdrop on conversations coming from the restricted area of the Library at night. “What makes this different Father? Good riddance to the fucking Garleans, perhaps the Star can find peace now.” there was a smugness on Dimitri’s face, and he waited for the tongue-lashing he thought was coming.

“Please Dimitri, just go. You are right, all of that is right. Every word of it is the absolute truth. You will understand when you are a member of the Forum what I know now.” A softness crept into the older man’s voice. “It is nothing more than being a Goodwill Ambassador from our City-State. We have to do this, the technology runs rampant, and even with Ironworks being deployed our researchers are needed there. These were innocent people. Their government failed them, all I ask is please do not fail ours. It will be for a moon or two, you will likely be assigned to work with the Tempered because of your background. I know I ask a lot of you, Son.” A series of creases formed across the other man’s forehead. “Your friends will be there with you.”

Dimitri had never seen him this beside himself, or this willing to admit there was truly foolishness amongst those who occupied the Forum's seats. In fact, it was so disarming that he found himself sitting back in the chair, and staring at the face of Louisoix Leveilleur, which hung right over Leopold’s head on the bright white wall. For a while, the two men sat in silence, mulling over what the other had said and finally, Dimitri broke it in a soft tone

“Very well I will serve on this Envoy. Excuse me while I go pack” and with that, the giant left his adopted Father to dwell in his thoughts and began to prepare for the long trip.

[anerdquemoraaolado]

Grains of Sand by the Shore

Chapter 12

Willing to get her hands dirty and guarantee a corner that was her own, just like, Shuri walked alone to the beach carrying wood and rope, starting to create a structure from scratch. Tiredness eventually got the better of her and she asked her handmaidens to summon the equivalent of builders to serve her queen. The men were very honored and following her instructions after a long day of work, the place was ready. Perhaps the Talokani had more strength and endurance than ordinary humans, such was their speed.

 Thoroughly grateful, she made a point of saying how grateful she was for their help. She came up with the idea of rewarding them with the same meal she had that morning, full and tasty. They nearly refused, but using her authority, she declared it was their queen's command. So they sat down and ate with her, fascinated by her generosity, by the clear appreciation she had for being around them.

 “I want to thank you again for what you did, it turned out faster than I expected, you have no idea what this place means to me “ she explained admiringly.

 “If you allow me, great lady, what do you intend to build here? “ one of the workers dared to ask, even feeling shy and even bold.

 “Ah, it's going to be my personal laboratory “ Shuri said happily “ I had one in Wakanda, I mean, I do, I can visit it, but I wanted one here in my new home, to keep myself busy, to help you with whatever you need and learn from you too.

 “My queen, you already know so much, what else is there to learn?” another of the men asked.

 “There's always something new to learn, and Talokan is still a mystery to me “ she took a deep breath “ I want to see how your houses work, your technology, get to know all of you more closely.

 “Your presence would honor us greatly, my queen “ the eldest commented on her gesture of kindness.

 Shuri nodded, feeling that she was saying and doing the right thing. She finally said goodbye to them, adopting the gesture of open hands, not forgetting her arms across her chest. She would always be part of both peoples now.

 Inside the hut, she considered the good work the talokani had done. Without further ado, she activated her kimoyo beads and addressed Griot.

 “Hello, Griot, it's me, are you active? “ she commanded the AI.

 "Active and operating, Queen Shuri, I hope all is well after your wedding," said Griot, taking note of the latest developments.

 “Well, thank you I guess “ she replied to that distractedly “ I want you to organize the research and communication structures that were set up here, activate them now.

 “As you wish, queen “ agreed the AI, getting to work.

 Being called by that title still made her shudder, it was kind of weird remembering the fact that she was now a sovereign. Letting it go, she waited for Griot to complete his spell.

 “80% installed, 90% active and operational “ he confirmed.

 “Yes, thanks! “ celebrated Shuri, starting to test the holograms, her highly equipped technological navigation system had been successfully installed, the familiarity of the situation was comforting.

 What dampened her excitement was the fact that there was no one around to show off her feat. She thought of Namor, who had been absent all the time when they were supposed to be spending time together. On the other hand, she couldn't blame him, he was the king after all.

 Taking a deep breath, she decided to pay her kingdom a visit. She allowed herself to pass by the people, who found her approach strange at first, but finally welcomed her, even more so after the morning workers had approached her.

 “Your Majesty, Talokan appreciates your visit “ Kimjayo, the oldest worker, greeted her “ to what do we owe your glorious presence?

 “Oh nothing much, to be honest, I felt lonely, my husband is doing things that needed his attention “ Shuri clarified, not knowing for sure if that was the most recommended thing to do.

 "I hope your lab worked out," the man commented.

 "Ah yes, it's working perfectly," she confirmed.

 Shuri was then moved by her curiosity, swimming towards the next group that was nearby, women braiding ornaments mixed with ropes and pearls, a delicate and perfect work. This time, she just smiled in approval.

 She saw fishermen returning with their nets full, even carrying their food supply. The group of kids she noticed next didn't realize she was there, very competitive and focused on their ball game. They swam frantically trying to steal it from each other, you could see that there were two teams. The ball went through the hoop, an act she understood as a point scored.

 “Very well, congratulations! “ she shouted, which woke up the children.

 Recognizing who was watching their game, they showed their trembling little palms to her, surrendering in fear.

 “Don't be like that, it's okay, I was just admiring the game, I won't bother you anymore  “ Shuri laughed sweetly and waved goodbye.

 She realized that perhaps she had spent a good deal of time there, surveying the daily lives of her people. It pleased her to know and see that they were all right. Returning to the lab, she saw that the place was not as empty as she had left it. Namor watched everything around him, impressed.

 "Hi," she said casually, hoping not to startle him.

 “Hello”he returned the greeting”I was admiring your work, it's magnificent what you did.

 “Oh thank you, I didn't do it alone “ Shuri felt embarrassed all of a sudden.

 “I see, your talking device told me about the help you had and how everything works “ he replied “ by the way, thank you for allowing me to enter here, there were no restrictions or anything like that.

 "Of course, you're the king and my husband, it seemed like a natural choice." She shrugged.

 “I hope you've finished your chores, I'd like to talk to you “ he warned, which made her alert.

 “You can talk, what happened? “ she was attentive to what would come next.

 “Attuma told me that guards told him that they saw you walking around the city, alone, close to the people, is that true? “ he asked, not sounding angry, just eager for answers.

 “Yes, I did, did I get in any trouble for it? “ she hoped she hadn't started a fight.

 “I don't think so, it's just that being present so closely in the daily life of our people is not a custom of a sovereign “ he mentioned the question “ I explained that to you the day we got married.

 “I know, Namor, I'm sorry, I don't want to infringe your traditions, but it doesn't seem right to be distant, even more so as a foreigner, I need to show that their queen is reliable, that's just my attention when I approach “ Shuri approached  him as she spoke “ I don't see myself as a distant idol, I can be their protector and counselor, but not unapproachable.

 "They received you with trepidation, even so," Namor added to the conversation.

 “That's true, but then I managed to break the ice and we got along well “ she rolled her eyes when she saw his strange face “ undo the embarrassment. Look, Namor, Talokan never had a queen and maybe because of that, I have the right to create new traditions and this new thing can be good.

 Shuri was in anticipation of his answer while her husband reflected on what she had said. She was right, he had brought Shuri there and shown her the kingdom, it was logical that she would continue to see it more closely, even more as its queen. Surrendered to his wife once more, he decided to consider it.

 “You're right, I won't be mad at you for that”he looked at her as he spoke, contemplating her face very closely, taking on the urge to touch it with affection.

 “Thank you “ Shuri felt relieved, on the point of giving him a sudden hug.

 The gesture surprised Namor, but he responded, patting her back.

 “Tell me how your visit was “ he finally asked, in a very good”humored tone.

 He spent the rest of the day and most of the night listening to Shuri and details of her, almost in a trance. He concluded that she was as good for Talokan as she was for him.

[nexus-nebulae]

sorry it is an hour late but what are some Creechurs from your source

ooooh there's so so many a lot of them we've introjected

it's mostly the Grand New World (we need a better name for it) that has all the really strange creatures, like the many many Weird Deer (owl-deer, which have birds' legs and owls' flat faces on a deerlike body and antlers, which are extremely fast and make interesting trilling noises and can also scale gigantic trees directly vertically bc of their sharp talons; or the crystal deer which has a very similar body shape with the really thin legs except with no talons or antlers and its flattened face glitters like a geode)

there are A LOT of different dragon species except most of them don't have names. Rumbling Belly, Scrambled Eggs and Boxtop are all lindwyrms, Scruffy has fur, Riiba has feathers (very similar to Quetzalcoatl (the real earth deity) in appearance, but with legs)

There's also what we've just been referring to as generally The Beasts but on the Grand New World there are several species of approximately 20-30 ft tall (measured at the shoulder, like a horse) creatures that all have human-level intelligence and have small settlements that frequently get into conflict. They all seem to be separate but related species, in the same way that humans are related to monkeys. One of them found Voidworks in the middle of the woods and went "ah yes! a small creature approximately a tenth of my size! i shall adopt it" so he had to live in a little pet enclosure for several months

[tehuti88-art]

6/28/24: r/SketchDaily theme, "Free Draw Friday." This week's characters from my anthro WWII storyline are Lance Corporal Red Rat and Private First Class Purple Rat. They're pretty old characters (Red was originally Corporal Gold's best friend, Purple was kind of antagonistic) who kind of fell by the wayside in more recent updates but I should perhaps reclaim them. There'll be more about them later in my art Tumblr and Toyhou.se.

Regarding their design, I'm a bit meh on both (I gave Red a scar to make him a bit more interesting, hm) but especially on Purple, I dunno, I just picture him bigger and darker, more imposing. But anyway, here they are.

TUMBLR EDIT: Red and Purple Rat date to the earliest versions of this series. Very old characters. Although they were moderately important back then, they fell out of use as I focused on other characters but also because the entire story itself, as I've mentioned repeatedly, fell out of my favor and I moved on to other things.

There's another possible explanation behind my semi-abandonment of these two, however, and it's one I'm not proud of but I feel the need to own up to: Race. Red and Purple are both meant to be Black (African American). (And yeah, this is confusing as Black is not Black, despite literally being black...you'll notice my POC Rats mostly have brown hues of fur. I won't try to explain it, the only real logic is the feeling I assign it. Just bear with me.)

The following will be modified to avoid repetition in entries.

Ugh, I hate admitting this...but I suck at writing minorities, largely due to my highly sheltered life in a super-white family in a super-white neck of the woods. (The most color I've found in my genealogical digging so far is a Native American ancestor from the early 1700s, and a French Jew who converted to Christianity back in the 11-1200s. Everything else is just...really freaking white.) The result is that many of my early characters of other races usually boiled down to stereotypes, because I didn't know how to depict them in a way that made it clear they weren't white. Red Rat literally spoke with "Black person accent." ;_; And while Purple's accent wasn't as pronounced, he had a troubled upbringing and difficulty with authorities because OF COURSE he did.

Ugh...sorry about all this. I'm fully aware now of the flaws in all this because I went through a similar experience when I started writing LGBT+ characters. (I'm old fashioned, used to writing GLBT...ah well.) I still remember hopping on Ask Jeeves and asking the fine people there, in M/M relationships, how do they decide who is the masculine/"husband" role and who is the feminine/"wife" role...? I didn't phrase it like that but you get the gist. And oh wow did I get reamed. I remember feeling surprised, hurt, and confused, why was everyone getting so mad at me? I never got an answer that satisfied me (aside from all the offense I caused, I was told...they're like straight people!--do straight people all have strict roles they follow??...but my simple brain did not get it), so I just started writing my gay couple on my own. Like with all my characters, I put myself in their heads, lived them through the story. And...THEN I understood. And I still grimace when I think of how moronic and offensive I was, asking that question and expecting a straight (heh) answer.

Well...this is that, but times ten. I can argue I have some personal experience with LGBT+. Not so with race. I've had a couple of Black friends in the past, but that was decades ago, they were both adopted by white families, I've never had any significant exposure to culture. One can argue it's like the above experience, they're just people like the rest of us, why make them different, "others"? And indeed I follow that with a newer Black character, Amaranth. Yet here one could be accused of whitewashing. Amaranth's personal circumstances fit this treatment, yet Red's and Purple's don't. They're meant to rather stand out from the rest of the Rats, largely due to their race. The Trench Rats are an integrated battalion, though barely so, and I imagine Rats of color stick out and are treated accordingly. (Copper is one such character I haven't had as much difficulty with, likely because he's mixed race, but check his entry for a bit on his interactions with his fellows and the enemy.) Amaranth blends in with the majority, Red and Purple do not. Uneasy race relations are a major theme of a work set in this time period, so I feel that, rather than downplay it, in some cases it needs to be played up.

The problem is I seem currently incapable of putting myself into the head of a person of color. I feel too ignorant (which is true) and uncomfortable about the potential for appropriation or just plain getting it wrong. I have no experience on which to draw. (I've outright been told, in the past regarding my Manitou Island fiction, to not even try to write from the POV of other cultures and to stick to my own, which according to the person saying this meant George Washington :/ ...I have no family from Virginia, my ancestors immigrated mostly from France and Germany and the Netherlands and Scotland, but anyway...still white...that's another reason I'm leery of making the effort.) Maybe someday I'll reach a point where I can achieve this, but that time is not yet, and it definitely wasn't then. I set Red and Purple aside in the hopes of developing them beyond stereotypes at a future point. I dig them out again now to add to my collection of characters, yet I can't say that I'll give them the attention they deserve. It isn't that I don't want to, just that I don't want to mess them up. I'll share what I can so far, but heavy character development may have to wait indefinitely. You can safely blame my super-white life experiences for this...sorry.

Red Rat was originally intended as Gold's Rat's best friend and comic relief, so never really had much personality of his own. As I previously mentioned, he was rather a caricature of a fast-talking "Black sidekick." I don't know the proper, non-offensive name (is there one?) for his particular accent...my dad once called it "jive," but my dad was definitely not the authority to ask about such things, trust me. (I swallowed my anxiety and Googled "Black accent" and Wikipedia tells me "African-American Vernacular English," okey-doke, let's go with that.) In any case, he spoke with that kind of accent. I always imagined he came from the inner city (of course ;_; ), likely a working-class family, but in my own defense, so does Gold. I always imagined Red as a smooth talker, perpetually clownish and joking around (like an amped-up version of Gold), and willing to go along with whatever stupid ideas Gold came up with. Damn, what really differentiated these two aside from race?? I'm not sure. Let's try out some newer details that likely did not exist before now.

You see I gave Red a neck scar to distinguish him a bit. I haven't yet come up with a story for this, but I imagine he had his rough-and-tumble moments. He still comes from the inner city, a working-class family, which I assume is how he meets Gold (Gold spends much of his childhood neglected by his drunken father, so probably wanders into neighborhoods he wouldn't otherwise--this is around the 1920s in New York I think, I'm assuming the neighborhoods are highly segregated), and they're peas in a pod. Race? Gold doesn't see it. Red does, though, and probably has to school his naive new friend on how things work. I imagine they find their own spots to explore and play in, beyond the view of judgemental adults, and have a good old time. I imagine Red's family being rightfully concerned about but cautiously accepting of the friendship, maybe even letting Gold in to visit. Meanwhile, I imagine Gold's father, if he catches word of the friendship, taking a belt to him and threatening him never to indulge again. Like that would convince Gold to give up what's probably the only friendship he has, though.

These two obviously enlist at the same time and place, likely heading in together (though Red presumably has to take a different door and talk to a different recruiter). They both end up in the Trench Rats, likely because it's integrated and they're thus allowed to serve alongside each other. I imagine they grow a bit more distant from each other simply due to their duties, and the fact that Gold ends up promoted to corporal; maybe Red gets passed over despite having equal qualifications...? That could be an intriguing plot point; I can picture Red being disappointed and a bit frustrated by it, while Gold would feel guilty. So there's the potential for some character development.

Red remains a background character for now, as I haven't had the interest or motivation, in the onslaught of other characters and their histories, to develop him more. But I wish to put out there ALL the characters, and owe it to him to give him his spot. Perhaps at a future point he'll claim more of a place in the story.

[Red Rat 2024 [‎Friday, ‎June ‎28, ‎2024, ‏‎12:00:15 AM]]

[nebuliias]

— the monster’s gone, he’s on the run..

ft. gopher wood and daughter! reader (platonic)

cw: father and child relationship, fluff, PLATONIC OFC, mentions of sunday and robin, reader is 6-8, reader is gopher wood’s biological child, potential ooc, like one mention of his true identity, idk what else to put

a/n’s note: IF VILLAIN WHY HANDSOME? i hate and like him a lot, what a shame he’s manipulative like.. ALSO LOL WHY IS HIS NAME GOPHER WOOD. bro when sunday said he was a suspect i said so loud WTF? i suspected EVERYONE but him??? i just thought he was some other npc on a sticker 😾

gopher wood would occasionally hear the rambunctious giggles of his children out in the yard, peering at the trees in hopes of sighting birds during the summer or smelling the blossoms that had recently grown in his garden during spring. sometimes, he would catch sight of them stacking up piles of autumn leaves before jumping into the fiery and spiky mess.

robin, the youngest, was the bundle of sunshine and compassion, always weaving flower crowns for her adoptive father or her two older siblings and stepping in to give alms to the poor. sunday, the oldest, was clever and mature for his age, always doing what was right and never hesitating to cover for his sisters when they got into mischief.

as for y/n, the second oldest.. well, let’s just say you were the reckless child.

you were smart and easygoing, yes, but you had a knack for getting into trouble all the time. once, you accidentally knocked down a glass flower vase and acted as if it there was a ghost in the mansion who did it, and another time, you got your favorite ball stuck high in a tree and made gopher wood go and get it, despite the fact you enjoyed tree-climbing yourself.

even though your father tried to lecture and teach you many times to be proper and poise, you somehow always found a loophole in his words and broke the rules often, to the point where he had to ground you to keep you in check. nevertheless, gopher wood loved you equally just like your adopted siblings, but sometimes.. ah, you could be a bit too much.

the winter night had already begun to settle with winds blowing in at chilling temperatures. when gopher wood called the trio in for dinner, he realized that one was missing, making sunday and robin a duo instead. as he stood at the door, he questioned the pair of twins.

“where is your other sister at? wasn’t she with you both this afternoon?” the siblings gave each other nervous glances before sunday cleared his throat and spoke up.

“mr. gopher wood, she mentioned how she was going to climb up the highest tree next to the pond and enjoy the winter scenery there,” sunday claimed with a mischievous smile.

gopher wood had to resist the urge to roll his eyes at the mention of his daughter’s antics. “in this cold weather? i thought i had warned her not to go too far in the woods..”

he sighed, gesturing for the kids to come inside, away from the howling wind. while dusting off specks of snow off their shoulders and wings, he asked, “if you two will, go and get my coat from the hangers and a lantern, and bring them to me. suit yourselves at the dinner table and wait for me, i shall personally see to y/n.”

the stars began to settle themselves high in the zeniths, and snow began to fall gently from the sky. you had ran with the night wind before finding yourself at the base of the tree you’d told sunday about earlier. hurriedly, you climbed it without hesitation and with ease, swinging your legs one atop of the next, clinging to the trunk steadily. only when you felt you were high enough did you stop to rest.

you didn’t know how long you were outside for, but you could tell it was slowly turning into evening due to how cold it suddenly became. eventually, you heard footsteps from afar, and immediately did you freeze out of fear. not long later, a man in a black coat and gold robes appeared beneath the tall tree.

“well, well, who do we have here?” gopher wood called out, lifting the lantern above his head. “i wonder, is that y/n? what are you doing all the way up there?”

you stayed silent, despite the fact you got caught. “i see you. your leg’s hanging down the branch, you know.”

you pulled your leg back up and rested it on the thick branch. a cheeky smile formed on your childish face, already knowing why he came here. “why are you here, father? did sunday tell on me again?”

he clucked his tongue disapprovingly at you, but a smile of his own formed as well. “indeed he did. but it’s time for dinner, child, and here you are climbing trees as if you were a nimble squirrel yourself. come on down, and let us go back, hmm?”

deciding to obey, you flipped your position upwards and was just about to hop down when, oh dear, you were probably a good 15 feet high up.

internally panicking, you adjusted yourself back and carefully curled yourself into a ball. “uhm, father? i think i’m too far up in the air to climb down..”

the dreammaster sighed, setting down the lantern while observing you cling to the tree. worried that you would come tumbling down, he stood underneath with his hands outstretched, ready to catch you at any moment. still, your eyes were widened with fright, and you refused to come down.

after a short period of time, your hands grew numb from the cold, and your figure came plummeting towards the ground. a shriek from you broke the palpable silence, but gopher wood managed to catch you securely in his arms. your e/c eyes were shut tight, your hands balled into fists.

when you reopened them, you were met with the chuckle of your father. “oh, y/n, you little daredevil.” his expression softened, and he questioned you gently. “are you hurt anywhere? how long were you out here for?”

“nope, not at all! but my hands are quite cold..” you shivered. deliberately, he set you down on the snowy ground before removing his gloves and clothing your insensate hands with them, even though they were smaller compared to his.

regardless of your size, gopher wood picked you up and held you in his arms, giving a kiss to the top of your head. “alright now, no more tree-climbing for the rest of tonight. do you understand, my daughter?”

with simple innocence, you nodded happily, giggling in the everwinter night. “okay, fine. no more climbing, i promise!” you said as the both of you walked back towards his grand mansion. he couldn’t help but laugh while you rambled on how you wanted nothing more but a strawberry tart for dessert, the icy gale flushing your cheeks bright red.

and that was enough to conquer his worries.

all rights reserved © nebuliias. do not copy, re-upload, or plagiarize my fics. if you see anyone doing this to my work, LET ME KNOW.

[casspurrjoybell-29]

Forgotten Ties - Chapter 19 - Part 2

*Warning Adult Content*

"Are you okay?" Skye asked.

Nim patted himself down and winced as he shifted his body.

"I think so."

"Is everyone okay up there?" Aris called up to the others where they peered down at them from the ledge far above.

"Yes," Marigold called down. "Are you all okay?"

Nim had gotten to his feet and was busy digging their bags out from underneath a pile of rocks that had landed on top of them.

"Yes," Aris called back up. "You're going to have to keep going on your own. It shouldn't be too hard to find your way. We'll have to find another way around but it might take a while."

"We'll meet you on the other side," Noel shouted back down. "We'll be fine."

"Be careful," Nim called up to them.

"You be careful," Marigold shouted back.

Nim held Skye's bag out to him and helped him put it on.

"I'm very glad you're good at falling."

"Better than you are," Skye said. "You're hurt."

"Just a little bruised," Nim said. "I'll be fine."

"This time," Aris said as she shook snow off her wings. "We'll need to be careful as we climb back up. If you fall and break a leg out here, you're as good as dead. You're too big for us to carry you."

"I know," Nim said. "I'll be as careful as I can but there's not much I can do if the ground's going to fall out from underneath me."

"No time to waste, then," Aris said. "Noel said the tremors happen every hour or two. If we make good time, we might be off these mountains before the next one."

There was no easy way back up but they did eventually find a hard one. Skye even managed to make himself useful in getting up it.

He could climb fairly easily and then as soon as he found somewhere stable he would jam himself in, make himself heavy, and help Aris and Nim up.

It was slow going at first but eventually the incline became less steep and they were able to climb normally.

Near the very top, it levelled out and they could finally start making forward progress.

"Hopefully the others are okay because we're at least a couple of mountains away from them at this point," Aris commented. "We're lucky it was the three of us who fell. I can't imagine trying to do this with a kid."

"I can't imagine trying to do this with two kids," Nim said. "One is fine. One I just strap to my back."

"Ah," Aris said. "Again, the advantages of having only one child."

"Are you going to leave me for a woman?" Skye asked. "I can't make even one baby."

"No, Skye," Nim said. "I'd adopt, or... I don't know. Something. I'm not even sure I want kids at all. Do you?"

"Hmm." Skye tilted his head from side to side. "I'll just share yours."

Nim smiled.

"Okay. We'll raise a kid together in our cabin in the woods."

"And a cat."

"And a cat," Nim agreed.

Aris shook her head.

"You two are too cute. I hope you get to have your happy ending."

"What about you?" Nim asked. "What would your happy ending look like?"

"Well... I don't know," Aris said. "I'm not really sure I get an ending at all or if I do, whether it could be a happy one. It's not like I'm going to die of old age, so maybe one day my egg will get crushed and that will be it for me. I look forward to easier days, though. I think we all do."

"Do you really think they'll come?"

"Of course," Aris said. "Nothing stays the same forever, or even all that long in the grand scheme of things."

"They could get worse."

"They might well get worst but then they get better. Everything finds a balance in the end. Things can't keep getting worse forever."

"Hmm," Nim said. "But most of us don't have forever."

"You're kids. You have long enough."

They still had a bit further to go but they could see the woods beyond the mountains now.

Skye couldn't wait to toss his bag on the ground and climb up a tree the second they got to the other side.

Climbing mountains just wasn't the same.

"I smell humans," Nim whispered. "They're close."

"Well, fuck," Aris whispered back as the three of them hunched down together behind the ridge. "Do you think they're coming this way?"

Nim nodded.

"There's only really one way through. For them or for us. They'll be passing by us if we stay here and if we go back, there's not really anywhere to split off. They could have us on the retreat all the way back to the other side. Or into a dead end."

"They could be friendly," Skye suggested. "Like Noel. I could try talking to them."

"Or if not friendly, at least not completely braindead," Aris said. "A fight won't be good for anyone."

"Yeah, well, if everyone thought like that, there wouldn't be any fights."

Nim sighed.

"I guess it's the best option we have. Let's wait for them to come to us and keep this ridge for cover, though. If this goes bad, Skye, I want you to stay out of the fight."

Skye nodded.

He could hear the crunch, crunch, crunch of approaching footsteps on the thin crust of fresh snow that sat atop the rocks.

As Nim began taking off his clothes so that he would be ready to shift if things went bad, Skye set his bag on the ground, took a deep breath in and stood so that he would be seen before the humans got any closer.

Five human men dressed in gear that looked far more suitable for snowy mountain hiking than anything their group had cobbled together stopped in their tracks and stared at Skye.

Skye waved.

"Hi."

"Identify yourself," one of the men called out to him, his hand reaching down to rest on a gun at his hip.

"My name's Skye," Skye said. "Can we go past?"

"What are you and why are you up here?" the man demanded.

"I'm just me and we're just trying to get across the mountains," Skye said.

"You're not human," the man said in a tone that made it clear he wasn't happy about that. "Who's with you? I want all of you out in the open with your hands above your head, now."

"No," Nim whispered up at Skye from below the ridge as he pulled his boot off.

Skye looked down at him and in that second he saw the man move, pulling out and raising his gun.

A bullet whizzed by Skye's head as he dropped back down behind the ridge.