#and Varian too he’s so important to me

[incredipuppy]

Happy anniversary to Tangled the Series(And happy birthday to Varian!!)

[mira-s-bookclub]

Beneath a Veil of Shadows

Azriel x Reader

Note: First time I've ever posted anything I've written, so be aware of that when reading hahsh. I'd love requests or tips <3

Warnings: Mature language, fighting, injury and blood, captives, drugs.

Summary: Y/n knows very well how Azriel feels for her; detest. What happens when Rhysand sends Y/n alongside Azriel on what was supposed to be a "normal" check?

Word Count: 2,7k

. . . . . ╰──╮ ╭──╯ . . . . .

“Oh Gods,” I huff out. I wipe my sweaty palms down the front of my shirt. Having long forgone the idea of looking clean for the duration of this hike. I would not exactly call it a hike. Azriel did though.

“Fucking Hell.” I say, as my foot connects with the branch strategically placed to trip me. There is absolutely no way the male in front of me does not hear my huffing and puffing as we ascent up the hill. I lay in a dramatic Sigh to my complaining. Catching his attention.

Azriel stops beside a tree looking like it desperately needs water, I imagine I am not looking far from that, turning to look back at me.

“Ever occurred to you that complaining doesn’t help?” He mumbles. Looking all energetic and not-at-all sweaty like me. I had to stop during the first 10 minutes of the mission to change my leathers into a plain t-shirt and some knee shorts. I was not exactly the powerful, badass, beautiful-at-any-part-of-the-day warrior I had told the mirror in my bathroom before winnowing to the mountain range. I am fairly sure I did my makeup before leaving. Cannot focus enough right now to remember.

I stop by Azriel and swing off my pack. “Helped you stop, didn’t it?” I look up at him, smirking. He says nothing. Gods damned Illyrian warrior. Could not even bother to break a sweat.

We were sent by Rhysand to scout the area between the two south camps. There were a couple of ingrown roads leading between each camp. Illyrians may have wings and all that glory, but they are not capable of transporting heavier items or foods. The roads were not used by many, but Azriel managed to catch a lesser fae the other day, smuggling some other rather interesting items. It was not news that the Illyrians were importing questionable substances you would not in a thousand years find at the healers. I will give it to them, living in those camps would even make me resort to drugs. But I knew better, it could be poison. Poison for the brain, and poison for the body. It could be addictive.

“We’re close to the Camp, take a break, we’ll wait until nightfall.” Azriel said. Shuffling food and water out of his bag. Looks like we are resting in incline. I start packing out my own food and some fur to sit on. Making it rather cozy under the tree. My back to the tree, eating an apple, I watch him.

I did not lie when Feyre asked me before we left if I would be okay traveling with Azriel. It was not a secret how he looked at me, and how I looked back. I am sure, if he had any choice on the matter, he would choose any other companion. It hurt when he watched me. It felt like whatever I did would never be good enough, I was not good enough.

The Inner Circle all had their own little families inside the Circle. Feyre had Rhys and Nyx. Nesta had even settled down with Cassian and her friends. Her friend who also had, finally, taken the extremely subtle hint Mor had given her. Mor who had shrieked and hid under my blankets after I had convinced her to send out her Love letters to Emerie. Gods, even Amren had finally moved in with Varian and lived part time in the Summer Court. Rhys had even gifted her a healer prescribed sunscreen after she got badly burned. Elain had taken up Lucien’s offer to move to the Day Court, I had even heard rumors of a beautiful garden challenging even Tamlin’s. I was happy for them; I am happy for them. It could get a little lonely at times, but what could you expect? I was not even High fae.

There was a time when I had found solace in Azriel’s company, I like to think he did too. He became close, quiet nights in the library, breakfast at the nearby Café. He helped me a lot at the start.

I had grown up in Cretea, ruled over by Queen Miryam and her mate. An emissary from the Autumn Court had taken me in after finding me out alone by a brothel, abandoned he had told me later on. Neither of us could pinpoint exactly what I was, lesser-fae or mortal, it did not matter to me, he did not care enough to find out. I ended up in the Hewn City and later taken in by Madja after a dramatic incident resulting in Keirn’s broken arm. She had sought after an apprentice for quite some time, luckily for me.

As I watch Azriel I contemplate how my life would have worked out if I had stayed with Madja, and not taken up Cassian’s offer to train. Would I have met Feyre and Rhysand? Would fates have pushed me to Azriel? Or perhaps I would be inside now, safe, drinking tea and reading. I contemplate how Azriel has grown used to evading my every attempt to reconnect, he wasn’t mean per say, but he wasn’t friendly either. A wave of heat comes over me as Azriel bends down, way to close, to scavenge through his pack.

A fast inhale results in my apple choking me. I cough. And cough. And cough. Looking up through my wet eyelashes I see Azriel looking down at me. His face is set in a mixture of uncertainty and humor. Like he is trying so hard not to laugh.

“Don’t you dare laugh.”

“I wasn’t about to.”

“I can see it on your face!” I can feel my cheeks redden.

Azriel loses the battle. He barks out a laugh and turns around, finding a cloth in his bag. “You have drool down your chin.” He snickers.

I snatch the cloth out of hand, drying my face. Azriel sits down beside me, back to the tree. There was an idyllic sort of silence in the mountain at this time, only birds and other animals out and about. This made it worth it - the hike.

“We’re going to slip into the current war-lord’s house and search it for the listed drugs.” Azriel hands me a slip of paper consisting of different substances.

“I didn’t know you write cursive.” I say, tracing his writing with my fingertips.

“Focus.”

“Yes, sir.” Azriel whips his head at me, hitting my head in the process.

“Fucking hell!” I scoot away and hold a hand to my head. “Fine, I know you don’t like me, but you don’t have to act on it?!” I watch his shocked face and wide eyes.

He puts a hand to his face. His voice is hard; “did you hurt yourself?” He looks up at me with those honey brown eyes, causing a shiver down my back.

“No, it’s fine.” I say, rubbing the bump on my head. “I’ve always had a thick head.” He snickers at the fact, though I know he thinks so too. It took me years of training to get to where I am now, it came to a point where even Amren said I was just being careful and considerate of my own body when training, hence why it took so long. But training did not mean being fit, which bites me in the ass on the rest of the way up, and the trip down this god forsaken mountain. Why we could not just take the road was beyond me. Feeling his eyes on me I turn again to Azriel.

I lift my brows. “You know a lot of females would call it creepy when someone is staring at them, especially when they don’t know.”

“You think I don’t like you?” He says. I do not know if I dreamed it or if his eyes were sad, mouth downturned.

“I know you don’t.” The painful truth is hard to swallow, but I have accepted it. “You cannot even find it in you to say ‘Hello’ to me in the morning.” I laugh, a little self-conscious that I notice this. His brows furrows even more and he leans forward.

“I do like you – “

“Gods Azriel, no you don’t,” I bite out, taking a bite out of my apple again. “Have you ever noticed how everyone, but you, compliment my food? Or even my training, which, God forbid, you notice occasionally has gotten good enough to challenge Nesta?” I feel deflated. There are not enough skills in the world to make Azriel look at me any different. I had begged Rhysand not to send me together with Azriel, using the excuse that I was feeling down. Did not support my case that I offered to go to the Mortal Realms to check up on Lucien and Elain, I could not be that sick. Either way, Rhys looked through me and told me that if it really was that bad, then they needed to find a solution to our problem. And I would never go to Couples-therapy with Azriel.

Azriel pulls forward and grabs my hands. “You have no idea, any idea how much you mean to me.” My breath hitched, and he is close enough to hear my thundering heart.

“You are lying.”

“You are delusional to think otherwise. There is not a day when it does not hurt to see you with anyone else, Cassian, Rhys, even laughing with Feyre.” His hair is messy, and his skin is glistening. I cannot help looking down at our hands. His hands, covered in calluses from years of training, scarred, but, oh, so beautiful.

He misunderstands and snatches his hands back, standing up. “You never speak to me, or even look at me. This does not make any sense.” I say.

“I look at you plenty.” He says as I stand up, towering over me.

“But Elain – “

“Elain was not like that. Elain was desperation, from both sides. It was a desperate attempt to get over you. She knew it too. We used to be best friends, you and I, but- “

“But we got too close.” When I look down, my hands are shaking. “Do you have any idea how much it hurt? Still hurts?  When you became distant and started ignoring me?” My voice cracks slightly at the hurt look on his face.

“It was never my intention, know that. I thought you did not want me like that, and when you and Lucien became friends- I could not watch you with anyone else, I would not have survived it.” My throat constricts, my breath comes in shallow gulps of air.

“I didn’t like Lucien; I didn’t like him like that at all.” I say quietly.

I look up at him and he gives me a sad smile.

“Would you back away if I kissed you? Runaway like the rest?” Azriel says softly, his face so open and sincere.

I walk the short distance towards him and take his hands in mine. Leaning up, “Never,” I kiss him. My heart had not felt this full in months, I am sure I would not be overreacting if I said years even. Something fell into place when I dragged my hand through Azriel’s hair, his hands sliding down to cup my backside.

“Azriel, I-” An arrow shot through the trees. My eyes widen as he spins us around, shielding me with his front, with his life. He grunts. An arrow protruding from the edge of his left wing, from the bone and meat around the elbow joint, an inch down and the arrow would have flown right through. My heart beats wildly. Azriel turns and pushes me behind him, shielding me from the position of the archer. What he did not take into consideration was the archer positioned behind our camp, shooting a series of arrows, hitting me. A whimper slips past my mouth and a look down at the arrow in my thigh. A green tint surrounds the wound, I must get the arrow out, fast.

“Y/n!” Azriel yells. He is across the camp in seconds, whipping out a sword, using his pack as shield as he sprints back for me.

“I’m fine!” My breath is fast and shorter by the minute. “Just a flesh wound. Behind you Azriel!” A male slip from the trees and runs straight for Azriel, firing arrows as he goes.

I limp for the trees on the other side, providing cover. Kneeling in the dirt, I grab a hold of my shirt, ripping off a piece, I find the nearest branch and bite down. Taking hold of the arrow, I keep my mind clean of the bloody battle happening just out of this bush, knowing I am of no use reduced by an Ash-arrow; I rip it out. I groan. Blood pools out of the now open wound, and I tie my shirt around my thigh. Blood is already seeping through in red specks on the white fabric. I turn around to watch the battle.

Azriel is locked in a fight with two males, one seemingly high-fae, his movements sloppier than his friend. Convincing me that somebody’s system is not very clean. Another male comes strutting out from the bushes on my right, I duck lower. This one with wings. His movements reveal him to be confident that I have left Azriel. Knowing he stands to win against Azriel three to one.

Seeing an opening I make my move. Sprinting to the left, picking up my knife from my pack, I aim for the Illyrian and throw. My knife hits target, catching his side. He whirls around, not fast enough to duck my punch straight for his nose, breaking the bone. I try for a series of hits and punches, landing some while he evades the rest. I duck and swipe my leg out to catch him as he throws a punch, seeing my mistake a mile away I prepare. His trap works and he catches my foot, throwing me on the ground and lays his weight on top of me.

I steal a glance towards Azriel. Seeing the drugged one on the ground crying out from a serious cut across his abdomen. Another losing in hand-to-hand with Azriel.

A punch to my cheek snaps me out of it. My own knife, swiped, coming to rest against my throat in warning. His face is red and angry, bloody from my hit. “You are going to be a good girl and follow my lead.” He spits in my face.

Knife to the throat, there is not much I can do. I stand still against the Illyrian, not giving me an inch of space to turn on him. “Drop your weapons or she dies.”

Azriel, letting go of the male, slowly turns with his sword yet again in his hand. Looking over him I cannot find any serious wounds other than his wing, knowing that it is not fatal, but must hurt like a bitch. His gaze settles on the knife to my throat. I try to beg him with my gaze to finish these guys off, no matter if my neck is on the line, literally. “Drop. The. Weapon.” He speaks behind me. Azriel stands unmoving, his opponent, laying at his feet, had been wounded enough that adrenaline had kept him going.

“It looks like your boyfriend does not want to cooperate,” He whispers in my ear, his harsh voice making me shiver. “And how can I motivate him?” His knife stabs my throat, and I feel my neck giving away to the knife. I squeeze my eyes shut as blood trickles down my neck. And I hear a clash, as a sword is thrown to the ground.

“Let her go,” He seethes. “I am of more value to you. Rhysand is your problem, isn’t he?” Azriel says. “He stopped the trafficking of substances, but that is not why you are here, is it?”

“No, Shadow-singer. It is not.” His voice is softer, making me open my eyes again. Confusion clouds my mind. What could this mission be about, if not for piracy? I look at Azriel who stares at the male, his knife still against my throat. “You are coming with me.” And neither I nor Azriel is fast enough to respond to the hit, as we are both knocked unconscious.

. . . . . ╰──╮ ╭──╯ . . . . .

To be added to the Taglists, comment:

All ACOTAR - 🌹

All Azriel - 🥀

All TOG - 🌼

[bright-side20]

Elain is pleasant to look at, her mother had once mused ..., but she has no ambition. She does not dream beyond her garden and pretty clothes. She will be an asset on the marriage market for us oneday, if that beauty holds, but it will be our own maneuverings, Nesta, not hers, that win us an advantageous match.

“Why?” Elain demanded. “Shall I tend to my little garden forever?” When Nesta flinched, Elain said, “You can’t have it both ways. You cannot resent my decision to lead a small, quiet life while also refusing to let me do anything greater.”

Rhys asked, “Have you ever seen Elain act like that before?” “No.” I chewed on my bottom lip. Rhys's gaze tracked the movement. “I mean, she's been brave when she had to be, but she's never been confrontational.” "Maybe she was never given the chance to be that way."

“But I wonder if everyone has spent so long assuming Elain is sweet and innocent that she felt she had to be that way or else she'd disappoint you all.” He sighed toward the ceiling. “With time and safety, perhaps we'll see a different side of her emerge.” “Don't forget that gardening often results in something pretty, but it involves getting one's hands dirty along the way."

Elain’s feet slipped against the floor, but Nesta gripped her upright, running her hands over Elain’s face, her shoulders, her hair— “Elain, Elain, Elain,” she sobbed....Lucien’s hands slackened at his sides.His voice broke as he whispered to Elain, “You’re my mate.”

Lucien murmured to me, eye still fixed on Elain, “Should we—does she need …?” “She doesn’t need anything,” Azriel answered without so much as looking at Lucien.Elain was staring at the spymaster now—unblinkingly. “We’re the ones who need …” Azriel trailed off. “A seer,” he said, more to himself than us. “The Cauldron made you a seer.”

It made sense, I supposed, that Azriel alone had listened to her. The male who heard things others could not … Perhaps he, too, had suffered as Elain had before he understood what gift he possessed.

“You are his mate. Do you even know what that means?” “It means nothing,” Elain said, her voice breaking. “It means nothing. I don’t care who decided it or why they did—” “You belong to him.” “I belong to no one. But my heart belongs to you.”

Azriel gently removed the gag from her mouth. “Are you hurt?” She shook her head, devouring the sight of him as if not quite believing it. “You came for me.” The shadowsinger only inclined his head.

“This is Truth-Teller,” he told her softly. “I won’t be using it today—so I want you to.” Elain’s eyes widened at the obsidian-hilted blade in Azriel’s scarred hand. The runes on the dark scabbard. “It has never failed me once,” the shadowsinger said, the midday sun devoured by the dark blade. “Some people say it is magic and will always strike true.” He gently took her hand and pressed the hilt of the legendary blade into it. “It will serve you well.”

"It's so interesting how he played such an important role in her taking control of her power. He gave her his legendary blade and was confident that it would serve her well. He trusted her ability to make the right decision and always knew that she was more than the fragile flower everyone assumed.

“He brought you a present.”Those doe-brown eyes turned toward me. Sharper than I’d ever seen them.“And that entitles him to my time, my affections?”

Then his gaze shifted to Elain, and though it was utterly neutral,something charged went through it. Between them. Elain’s breath caught slightly, and she gave him a shallow nod of greeting before brushing past,leading Nesta into the room.

Elain, the wretch, had taken the seat betweenFeyre and Varian, about as far from Lucien as she could get.

“Yes" Elain breathed, like she read the decision. Just this taste in the dead of the longest night of the year, where only the Mother might witness them.Azriel's hand slid up her neck, burying in her thick hair. Tilting her face the way he wanted it. Elain's mouth parted slightly, her eyes scanning his before fluttering shut. Offer and permission.

Elain is Blodeuwedd

[gilmorenights]

No because Alexander Hamilton (both the character and the song) are soooo Hugo coded. I was listening to it just now and the lyrics are literally him. “How does a bastard orphan son of a whore and a Scotsman dropped in the middle of a forgotten spot in Caribbean by providence, impoverished in squalor grow up to be a hero and a scholar?” DO I EVEN NEED TO EXPLAIN? Hugo grew up an orphan, someone of no importance or purpose and ended up completing the Seven Trials of Demanitus, finding the Eternal Library, and becoming a scholar of high rank in Corona. Like??? And then the lyrics “Got a lot farther by working a lot harder, by being a lot smarter, by being a self starter” literally just explains how hard he had to work his whole life to survive and be successful. “Left him with nothing but ruined pride, something new inside, a voice saying ‘Alex you gotta fend for yourself!’ He started retreating and reading every treatise on the shelf.” Perfectly encaptures how young Hugo felt after being betrayed by someone he thought was his friend (got left behind on a thieving job) and that was the turning point in his life where he realized everyone is selfish and only out for themselves, so he should be too. “Started working, clerking for his late mother’s landlord, trading sugarcane and rum and all the things he can’t afford” He starts working for Donella and stealing all these expensive things from the rich, snobby people who don’t deserve it. “When America sings for you will they know what you overcame? Will they know you rewrote the game?” In this case America would be Team Radical, when they trust and befriend Hugo, do they know his history? Do they know who he really is, how much he fought to get to where he is? “We fought with him” said by Team Radical. “Me? I died for him.” Nuru. “Me? I trusted him.” Yong. “Me? I loved him.” Varian. “And me? I’m the damn fool that shot him.” Donella, talking about how she’s the fool who sent him on this mission, who “killed” Hugo in the sense that she broke his spirit by projecting her whole “don’t trust anyone else” mentality. And then obviously there’s the repeated “there’s a million things I haven’t done, but just you wait” which is Hugo promising, swearing to himself that he is going to do something with his life, that people shouldn’t underestimate him as much as they do. Thanks for coming to my ted talk hehe

[alchemicourtesy]

HEYEY! glad to see more people into vat7k!!! Would you mind sharing more of the insight n what your perceptions of the characters are? I saw your post about Hugo n Var as well as the involvement with Nuru in the tags and was wondering!!! No pressure ofc <3 also love your art it's REALLY AWESOME !

hi! thank you so much :] im rlly glad ur interested... as new as i am to this story and world i'm still ironing out my own opinions and headcanons and ideas so everything is in a rough place atm but i'd love to talk about what i Do have right now ^^

i'm sort of operating under the idea of what this would look like if it were a tv show rather than a comic only for the sake of structure and me being able to visualize it haha. doesnt mean anything beyond that.

i love the idea of there being 7 kingdoms, 7 alchemic laws, and 7 "lessons" for the characters to learn and id probably divide it through 3 seasons with the last season focusing on either 2 or 1 (heavy emphasis on what would be the "library arc") and allocating the extra "arcs" to s1. but anyways

mainly i like the idea of like. each of the group getting a chance to shine an equal amount. obviously they'd all have something to gain from every lesson but imo id put a particular emphasis on them all getting 2 each to hammer home their development and experiences. i havent ironed out who learns what and its not like...an exact science rn so thats a work in progress

nuru is interesting to me in particular bc i think theres a notable position she is in being a princess and wanting to be hands on. for her character particularly i feel like its important she be able to learn how to care for her subjects and hone the skills she needs for the responsibility she has but also allowing herself to understand herself as a person and an individual without having to sacrifice her duty to her people and her community. too many times i see in media where a character has this huge responsibility and they have to learn to care about and understand Themselves first and while thats important i feel like its not always possible or feasible and also it's hard. it's rlly hard to grapple with both of those things at the same time. and nuru being a princess she Wants to help her people. she Wants to have the responsibility to care for them but she still must learn what that will look like for her specifically and how she can be that person she wants to be without phoning it in or anything.

with yong i saw it was mentioned he has a huge loving family that supports him and wants to see him succeed, but he's just sort of wild and unpredictable in ways i think varian can relate to from when he was younger. there's nothing really "wrong" with yong, but he has to understand and learn balance and control where he struggles with it and that he can be the person he wants to be but there has to be instances where he takes his time and understands that progress isnt linear. which gives varian a good place to act as an older brother figure obviously bc thats shit he himself learned in tts lol

varian's arc Kind of began and ended in tts so i just see vat7k as a way of expanding on stuff he already has learned yet not rlly like. rehashing stuff he should already know

hugo is a little trickier for me bc i think there are a Lot of similarities he shares narratively with eugene (which makes sense given that he was said to have been acquainted with eugene in the past, at least somewhat). they're similar but they're not the Same, so i wouldnt want hugo to just be repeating the same beats that eugene already learned. in my opinion hugo is smug and he thinks somewhat highly of himself, but hes not a bragger. hes not snarky nor will he actively antagonize the group. what reason would he have to? he wants them to like and trust him and i dont rlly see that happening if hes always being a jerk to them haha.

thats all i got for now i think but feel free to ask me abt more stuff if ur interested : )

[tomwaterbabies]

Hi there 👋 I'm also here to ask more about the robot au. Does Donella know about Varian being Ulla's perfect robot? Or does Hugo tell her about Varian when he initially finds out? I'm curious as to whether Donella plans to take apart Varian to learn more of Ulla's secrets.

How does sleeping and eating work for Varian? Does rain or being immersed in water affect him? Does his energy come from magic or science? (Like is he solar powered, or is there a magic energy source keeping him working?)

What are Yong and Nuru's reactions to realizing Varian is a robot? After finding out he himself is a robot, does Varian ever try to communicate to other robots, even the rogue ones, to stop them or to test if they are as sentient as him? Are there other sentient robots besides Varian, or is he the most advanced? I imagine Varian not only dealing with an existential crisis but feeling out of place with both people and robots (not human enough to be human, but too advanced to be labeled another robot).

Also any other fun robot quirks of Varian?

Sorry if it's a lot of questions.

im spinning in circles throwing lots of confetti all around u if u dont like confetti imagine its something else its something u like

currently i am Undecided on if donella knows what varian is. either way she would definitely find out, and i think it would probably be from hugo IF she doesnt know already. im actually going kind of insane about the idea that she wants to take him apart so i'll be real with you that is now part of this au. thank u. hugo would not know about this specific goal donella has

because he is meant to perfectly integrate with humans, most things are normal for him! his system, while synthetic, still works Mostly like a biological human. water doesnt really have an effect on him BUT i think he was programmed with a "fear" of cold weather to avoid being in the snow too much because it can damage him a little bit (excessive cold has a negative effect with his system)

his energy source is partially magic and partially science! the reason he is sentient is he does, truly, have a soul. this isnt really fully understood by him at first (and the source of much angst, naturally), but the reality is the magic that ulla harnessed was the ability to give him life. as for the rest of his energy- he's mostly solar powered! it helps that he lives in corona, the light kingdom. out on the road he's usually able to still stay energized- but i can imagine times where all energy sources are getting depleted and he acts a little loopy (its fun)

yong and nuru definitely are, well, shocked? like it is an insane thing for anyone to witness. but despite their confusion they definitely still care deeply for him. yong in particular is inquisitive about varian's robot-ness, i think that can get a little uncomfortable for varian sometimes but he knows he means well

i think the gang would at some point try and find ways to communicate with the other robots via varian! im unsure currently if that would ever be successful, but it would absolutely be something they'd try considering how varian's existence is basically the Key to a lot of this. that being said, while they probably dont know for sure, i can say that varian is the only sentient robot- unless you count what ulla did to herself (uploading her consciousness/soul basically lol. scary AI mode)

"not human enough to be human, but too advanced to be labeled another robot" obsessed with this btw. yeah..... You Get It. in general varian's character desperately trying to find his place is a super important element to me- so it manifests in the robot au like this exactly. but being with yong, nuru, and hugo eventually leads to him finding kinship with them. which, i think, is pretty similar to the regular version of vat7k (where he doesnt find himself within corona OR his mother's extended family- but instead with this group of weird nerds). varian might always struggle with his lack of human traits and his humanity that other robots dont have- but his friends and family, who are notably weird and unique in their own ways too, certainly help get rid of those bad feelings and reassure him

as for fun robot quirks... oh most definitely. remind me later (<- im telling myself this too) to talk about them bc i already made this way too long and listing off Fun Robot Quirks Of Varian is gonna make this even longer ksjdfhsd

here's one for now: when he gives hugs he can sometimes cause someone's hair to go puffed up from the static electricity. this also includes kisses but how will they Ever find that out :)

[kazucinth]

You write for Varian!

Can you please do a magician/petty thef reader x y/n?

Like they use the sleight of hand to steal and she stole from varian only to get his book “ugh nerd things.” And ends up retiring it to him (due to no use) and they oddly became friends/lovers

Sumary: In which a magician who is secretly a theif, attempts to steal Varian’s book

Note: I’m not really a good writer so sorry if it too simple for you!

The sound of beakers, liquid mixing, and cogs turning filled the room. Varian reached to grab a certain liquid ‘hm? Where is it?’ He says while the Erlenmeyer flask seemed to be empty. Varian sighs because he knows that he has to go out and retrieve the ingredients, While strolling through the market he heard the people talking how a ship arrived at the borders ‘Ship huh?’ He thought. As he was walking he accidentally bumped onto a person “Oh! Sorry!” Varian tried to help the person up till he recognized it was a girl “You should watch Honestly watch your back kid!” Said the girl, he noticed the way her outtfit wasn’t like the clothes of Corona’s it was more foreign. “Uhm your not from here aren’t you?” Varian asked, the girls 'eyebrows furrowed “And so what? Its none of your business” she says as she crosses her arms turning to leave. ‘Hm, That was weird’ Varian thought, going back to his purpose for going to the market, Soon it was afternoon and he had bought the materials and began going home, till he noticed the girl again in a crowd making tricks with a card ‘What’s she doing?’ The girl pulled out a card to reveal 4 of hearts “Was this your card sir?” The audience gasped as it turns out her guess was right, the audience then watch as she handled with more tricks with different objects. Although it soon began going dark, everyone left to go back home yet Varian still stayed, impressed with her Sleight of hand. While the girl was fixing her things in a box, Varian came up to her “Your sleight of hand was good, I didn’t expect you’ve do it professionally” he stated, the girl chuckles “Oh? Of course, It’s one of my talents after all” The girl looked at Varian recognizing him earlier “Wait- your the guy that bumped onto me!” She scoffs “Oh that! Uhm… hah sorry?” The girl then raised her eyebrow, observing him till she saw a book ‘Hm.. that looks.. quite valuable’ she thought. “Here how ‘bout I show you some tricks?”“Huh oh sure” the girl began with some cards for him to focus on, showing him a last bit of her sleight of hand talents. Varian became interested, despite knowing what the backround of these tricks were, it was still nice to see. It was time for varian to go “Hey uh I never got your name?” The girl grins “Y/n” she brungs her hand out for him to shake and he gladly accepts it “Varian” “Thats quite a unique name, I’ll see you around Varian” she says as she began to walk back, and varian smiles as he made a new friend till she pulls out his book in her bag. ‘Wait that bag seems familiar’ Varian noticed as his eyes widen “Hey that’s mine!” As he chased her, the Y/n laughs as the reached the market, going through alleys of the buildings as Varian turned to an alley, Y/n suddenly disappears. “Damn it, she got away” He sighs as he goes back home. Y/n opened the door of her house to be greeted by her father, “Why are you so late?” Ask her father, Y/n took a bottle of water in the cabinet “The show lasted a little more than preferred” She took her water and went to the room, she opened the book and started reading, hoping to find some valuable stuff “what the-!” but hope was turned into disappointment when she realized the book was only filled with science notes, she turned the pages to the very last to find atleast one important information for her but she had no luck, Y/n sighed knowing she’ll go back to the market tomorrow and probably meet Varian. It was next morning, Varian tried to find Y/n but he couldn’t, after all the book may not contain important notes about the castle, yet it had important information for him. Varian went to rest on a nearby tree where he could see everyone and everything, at this point it would be impossible for Varian not to spot Y/n. “The view ‘ere is calming no?” Varian yelped as he saw Y/n come down the tree and dusted herself off

“sorry didn’t mean to scare ya” She took the book out of her bag, and gave it to him “oh uh thanks” he took it with hesitance “found out your were pretty interested in alchemy huh?” Y/n says as Varian looked through the book to make sure the notes were still intact “yeah, how about you?” “Eh, more of astronomy but still part of science yeah sorry ‘bout stealing your book, habbit of a curiousity of mine ” Varian chuckled “its fine atleast you brought it back” Y/n smiled “how about I bring you some of the best view as an apology or treat you, how does that sound?” Varian thought about it then he nods with content, Y/n took his hand to lead him the way as they laugh together.

[antiquepearlss]

Late Night Phone Call (WIP)

Eugene receives a phone call late at night from his cousin whom he has never had a relationship with.

Eugene knew he was an insomniac. He was well aware of his awful habit of staying up late. But, he rarely had days off as a detective. If he didn’t have work the next day, he was going to stay up as late as he pleased, sleep schedule and overall health be damned.

And, if he hadn’t been awake, he wouldn’t have received what he considered to be one of the most important phone calls of his life. Even if it was at first, an odd and unexpected, downright bizarre call.

See, at two am, Eugene Fitzherbert, the estranged member of his family, received a Messenger call from the cousin he had only had one conversation with in the past decade. That conversation being them awkwardly catching up at the latest family reunion a few months ago. (It was odd that he got along better with Rapunzel than Eugene, the two seemed to instantly become best friends.) They added eachother on Facebook soon after and since then, their conversations had simply been the occasional meme or TikTok the two shared with eachother.

Eugene felt bad, the kid had tried to make conversation with him at first, and he tried to reciprocate. It just felt too weird and awkward to return the favor. Thus, the two barely talked.

All of this to say that the call was very odd, especially considering the late hour. But Eugene had a bad feeling in his gut. Something was wrong, he needed to answer the call. Even if it was likely a bored teenager wanting to ramble or a prank call of sorts.

“Hey kiddo, what’re you doing up so late?”

A small sniffled sound rang through the silence, and Eugene could feel his hairs stand on end. He may not be close with his cousin, but he already knew he would end anyone who hurt him. He was precious and innocent, and already probably had daddy issues (it runs in the family.)

“Hey, sorry I didn’t mean to bother you. I can hang up if you want I just thought you were awake because your icon said you were active butifyoudontwanttotalkitsfinejustignoremeillhangupnow.” The last part being said in a rushed whispery way, the kid sounded like he was trying not to wake someone up, and trying not to cry, or like he had been crying.

Something was wrong, Eugene could feel it. “You’re not bothering me, I’m just watching tv. Day off tomorrow yaknow.” Eugene chuckled, tone light. The kid was clearly upset and needed someone right now, and may not have anyone considering he was reaching out to his estranged cousin.

Eugene may not be close with Varian, but he was that kid before. And he’d be damned before he acted like the only adults he had. 

He could hear a shuffle, and Varian spoke again, a little more clearly. “Whatcha watching?”

The kid wasn’t crying or thinking he was a burden, crisis averted.

“Some shitty cop show, I don’t even remember the name of it. It’s all that’s on right now.” Which was true, he had barely been paying attention and had simply been scrolling his phone for the last hour. It might have been NCIS, he wasn’t sure.

“You have cable?” Varian seemed to perk up. Eugene chuckled “Yeah, Rapunzel wanted it. I don’t like it, makes me feel old.”

“We don’t have cable at home, I wish we did, though.” The kid sounded a touch lighter, having actual conversation material now. Eugene took it.

“Trust me, you don’t. It’s a worthless expensive nightmare. You’re better off with Netflix or Hulu.”

A sad chuckle sounded “we don’t have that either, dad’s not a big fan of tv.” Yeah, that sounded like Quirin. Old timey and boring.

“Whatever I watch I usually just pirate it.” 

Eugene snorted “I’m a police officer kid, you can’t just admit to high crime like that in front of me.” He teased.

Varian let out the lightest little huff “like you don’t do it too.”

“Innocent until proven guilty!” 

The lightest, softest little giggle rang through Eugene’s speaker. Then a sniffle. 

“Are you going to come arrest me then?” His tone was teasing.

Eugene hummed a little, pretending to consider it. “If it was your first misdemeanor, then I think I’ll let you off with a warning.”

Varian let out the same sad little laugh, “bummer, I kinda wanted to see what it was like in the back of a cop car.”

Eugene knew he was joking, but the Older Cousin instincts came in. Something was wrong with Varian, he could tell that much, he needed to nip any possible life ruining thoughts in the bud. “Trust me kid, it sucks. Don’t try anything, it will follow you for the rest of your life. Stupid decisions will always haunt you.”

His tone must have been too harsh, because the light mood was instantly destroyed when Eugene could hear a wet voice respond with “oh, sorry.”

Shit. He fucked that up.

[tangledbea]

As heartwarming as the epilogue is, It does encapsulate a problem I have with the show: it’s that it has these big payoffs that are usually satisfactory in the moment, but had very little build up

Rapunzel becoming a good queen?: On paper that is extremely fitting. But here’s the thing: other than other characters mentioning that she was gonna become queen, we never actually got to see Rapunzel realizing just how big of a responsibility that is, and the process of her learning what it means to be a good ruler. There’s bits and pieces of it (Great Tree, the painting episode, etc) but it never really sticks

Eugene becoming captain of the guards?: Where did that even come from?! Honestly, it felt like the writers didn’t really know what to do with him. The closest we got to an arc for him was the Dark Kingdom, but that gets kinda forgotten about, and doesn’t affect his character all that much.

Cassandra going off to find a path that’ll make her truly happy?: Again, conceptually fitting, but it wasn’t properly fleshed out or set up because for 99% of the season Cass whined about Gothel and like 5 other things that barely related

Varian reconciling with and feeling validated his dad?: Well Qurin wrote this letter back in “Queen for a Day”, shortly before getting trapped in the amber, and it was stated to have been something very important. But come season 3 it turns out the letter just says “I proud of U :)” , and all the baggage is instantly resolved, Varian is a okay now, yipeeeeee-. Like nice sentiment but we were promised more.

To be fair, I'm not at all positive that Rapunzel is supposed to be the queen at the end of the series. Her accepting the crown means she's officially ready to officially have the responsibility she's been carrying out for the entire season.

But when you look at the finale scene, Frederic and Arianna are still wearing their crowns.

But when you see them being casual (not "on the clock" as it were) they don't wear them. So, I don't think Rapunzel is meant to be queen in the epilogue, just officially ready to take on all responsibilities of Crown Princess.

I was never too fond of Eugene becoming Captain. It's sort of... the "natural" conclusion of "Fitzherbert P.I.," where he's shown not being a fit for the guard. Over the course of the series, he becomes more responsible, more reliable, and moreover, he's Rapunzel's #1 defender. I still don't like him as Captain, though, and I personally headcanon that he only keeps it up for a couple years, tops, before turning the guard over to Maximus. After all, the movie's epilogue implies that Max is the one who keeps the kingdom crime-free, and that Eugene has nothing to do with it.

Cassandra actually spent most of the series dissatisfied with her lot in life, and "Beginnings" even shows that she's not happy in Corona and would rather be somewhere else. Besides, I headcanon that she was soft-banished for taking Corona over. That's why she wasn't expected to help clean up the mess she made; because Rapunzel very lovingly told her she had to go and wasn't welcome there anymore.

As for Varian, his plot resolved at the beginning of S2. I know a lot of people really would have liked to see more with him and Quirin, but that wasn't a loose end for me. What little we saw of them showed that they were getting along better and making an effort to be a part of each other's lives. But while Varian achieved main character status, in actually, he's physically in 15 of 60 episodes (including the pilot), and two of those episodes ("Not In the Mood" and "King and Queen of Hearts") he's barely in them, so it's more like 13 episodes, which is less than 22% (21.66666666 etc%) of the series. Then he has his imaginary cameo in "Happiness Is..." So as much as people love him, he's not actually a major part of the overall series plot, in general, and his presence in S3 is more about how he now gets along with the gang than his dad. That's not really a flaw of the series, IMO.

[ognicho]

My audition script for @theshadowyalchemist

If someone's confused I'm a part of a project which's goal is to make our own fan Vat7k and I'll probably post a lot of stuff to do with that in the future.

Scene: Varian and Yong meet for the first time

A sunny autumn morning. VARIAN is walking through the kingdom of Bayangor for the first time, curiously observing how different life seems in the fire kingdom. Suddenly, he bumps into YONG who falls down and drops the explosive materials he was carrying. 

YONG (nervously) 

AH! I'm sorry, sir, I wasn't looking where I was going… 

VARIAN 

No, no, it's okay, I also wasn't paying attention. 

Yong crouches down to pick up his materials and Varian hurries to help him. He stops when he sees just what it was that Yong was carrying. 

VARIAN (under his breath) 

Carbon, potassium nitrate and sulfur? 

YONG (excited) 

You know what this is!? 

VARIAN (confused) 

Umm… Yeah? Why are you carrying this… ? 

YONG

I'm making fireworks! You know, for the contest. 

VARIAN

What contest? 

YONG

You never heard of the contest!? 

Yong looks at Varian, taking in his appearance which is quite different from the Bayangoran clothes and fashion. 

YONG

You aren't from around here, are you? 

VARIAN

Well, no… I'm from Corona actually. 

YONG

That's far away… What are you doing here? 

VARIAN

I'm looking for something… Well, it's not important. What's this contest you were talking about? 

YONG  

It's the biggest firework show in Bayangor! Each contestant makes their own fireworks and the one who puts up the best show wins!  I've always wanted to take part in that but my parents didn't let me, saying I'm way too young to be playing with explosives or something. This year, I'll finally start! 

VARIAN

Woah… A firework show? I've never heard of anything like this… And you'll be making the fireworks all by yourself? 

YONG

Pretty much…  Unless you want to help me. You seem to know some stuff about the materials so maybe you know how to make an amazing and outstanding firework. 

VARIAN

I happen to know some things and I'd love to help you but I have to find… this something I'm looking for. Yeah. 

YONG

And what are you looking for? 

VARIAN 

(Sighs) 

I don't really know. It could be anything…  

Varian takes out his mother's journal and quickly searches for something while Yong is looking at him curiously. 

VARIAN

Do you have a ‘pretty huge statue’ somewhere around here? 

YONG (confused) 

You mean The Dragon Monument?

VARIAN

You have dragons here!? 

YONG

No, no… From what I remember the guy who they built the statue for loved fighting with fire and they called him Dragon because of that. It isn't far from here actually. I can show you if you want? 

VARIAN

You'd really do that? 

YONG

Yeah! And maybe once you're done with whatever you're doing you could help me with the fireworks? 

VARIAN (laughing) 

Sure. 

[things-arent-what-they-seem66]

ENOUGH WITH THE SAD SONGS! *Varian voice*

NOW IT’S TIME FOR ME TO THROW YOU THIS:

Lucifer is lying on a secret part of the palace’s garden because Adam has an important prince business and told him he could take a break, he is using this as an opportunity to talk to Charlie.

Lucifer: Can you believe it sweetie?! HE CALLED ME LUCI!!!!

Charlie: Awww!

Charlie is happily listening as her father talks more and more about Adam, she is glad he finally found a partner.

Lucifer on the other hand is almost overwhelmed with this emotions. He hasn’t felt like this for thousands of years now.

When Charlie hangs up, he is still too happy that he sings ‘Love Grows, Where My Rosemary Goes’ (With a few of the lyrics changing) in the garden.

Here’s the song

AWWWWWWWWWWWWW

My heart exploded 🥹

Lucifer getting so emotional over being called 'Luci' 💕

[maccreadysbaby]

Project: Killcode

batfamily + oc insert

tw: none

wanna read more? here’s the table of contents!

want to read the first fic in the hundred days series so you understand what’s going on here? here it is!

it’s getting real

part thirty-three

❝ PLAGUE DOCTOR ❞

FRIDAY — AUGUST 3 — 8:02PM

BENTLEY AND ASTEN DIDN’T TALK BESIDES A FEW SENTENCES OVER THE WEEK, ABOUT CLASS OR SCHOOLWORK OR SOMETHING EQUALLY BORING AND USELESS.

As weird as it sounded, Bentley was starting to get... used to it. He just… hung out with other people. He’d started talking more with Valor, and had gone back out into the city with Rockie just because they felt like going to Times Square. He’d been getting steadily better at soccer and closer with Varian and Koa, and Bellamy was starting to open up more, to talk when other roommates were around, to come out of his room even when Bentley wasn’t there.

He’d gone to get ice cream with Vera and Layla again, had helped Summer hang posters and banners for some kind of name drawing thing (which took them until like, midnight), and texted Chloe a lot, even if she didn’t talk to him in person much besides early mornings and late nights.

He hadn’t heard from his father, he hadn’t had any more breakdowns or bad dreams, he’d spoken to a Wayne every day about nothing important, and everything was… good. Even now, on a Friday night at almost eight, everything was quiet, and normal.

But he guessed it all could’ve been a little better, had a fundamental piece of the puzzle not been missing. (As in a blue-haired Brazilian who’d literally almost died by Bentley’s side way too many times for a lie to ruin their friendship.)

“-no, yeah, Jackson’s whole dorm has, like, the plague. He’s texting me about it right now. Sounds rough,” Varian trailed off. He, Koa, Valor, Bellamy, and Bentley were sitting at the dining table, playing a mean game of uno. Valor was winning. (Bentley may or may not have had about an entire deck of cards in his hand, courtesy of sitting next to Koa, who had absolutely no mercy.)

“Didn’t I see you frolicking around at their breakfast table this morning?” Valor questioned with a snicker, laying a card down, and Varian shrugged.

“Nah. My immune system is so terrible that sometimes it has pity on me and keeps me from getting sick,” He muttered, laying one on top of Valor's. “I’ll be fine.”

“Speaking of sick,” Koa piped up, laying a card down on his turn. Bentley drew four. “I haven’t seen Rockie or Asten since dinner. Where are they?”

Bentley glanced up from his hand of cards, to Valor, who was the most likely one to know the answer to that. Unsurprisingly, he simply shrugged. “Rockie said he wasn’t feeling good. I don’t know about Asten.”

Koa groaned. “Oh, Jesus, we have the plague already.”

Varian held his hands up. “Wasn’t me!”

“He’s not sick,” Valor continued. Everyone sort of waited for him to elaborate on that statement, but he never did, just waited for them to keep playing. So eventually they just… let it go.

Bentley put a card down, and Bellamy did right after.

“Was Asten feeling okay?” Varian questioned, glancing over at Bentley. He shrugged lightly, and thought about making an offhand comment on Asten's current vanished status, but decided to just settle on:

“I dunno,”

Varian then looked over at Valor, who also shrugged. “I have no idea. Uno.”

“Me, either,”

“I don’t think Asten’s here,”

Everyone glanced down to the end of the table, where Bellamy was looking back at them. He seemed to shrink a little under all the eyes, but he didn't get up and move, or apologize, which was a good improvement in Bentley's book.

“What do you mean?” Valor questioned, leaning forward slightly.

Bellamy's brown eyes flicked vaguely toward the door. “I saw him leave right when we got back from dinner. I don’t think anyone was really paying attention.”

Bentley glanced down at the table, at his cards.

Asten was really into utilizing his newfound freedom, wasn’t he? Just up and leaving midday with none of his roommates and no heads-up for anyone?

Valor hummed. “That's odd.”

Another moment of quiet passed, and Varian laid a card down, then Koa, then Bentley and Bellamy. When Valor's turn came around, he put his final card atop the deck to declare himself winner with an abrupt: “I’ll be back later.”

Then he stood up, grabbed a hoodie, and left the dorm without much more than a split-second glance back.

Bentley wondered if he was going to look for Asten.

“Yeah, I think I’m over getting absolutely annihilated repeatedly,” Koa sighed, placing his cards down on the table. “I have homework, and Sunday night me is going to be pissed if I don’t do it now.”

Varian gave him a sarcastic round of applause. “How mature of you!”

“Don’t get used to it,”

Bentley chuckled lightly, gathering up the cards as they dispersed from the table and stacking them to put them back in the box.

“I’m glad we stopped, I was losing so hard,” He muttered, and Bellamy snickered at him, sliding his hand of cards across the table toward the box.

“I was close to winning,”

Bentley glanced up at him. “Of course you were, just like you won the three games before that.”

“Luck of the draw,” Bellamy shrugged.

Bentley shoved the cards in the box and folded it up. “Literally.”

It was quiet for another moment, and they heard Varian and Koa bickering in the background for a few seconds before Koa emerged from his bedroom, settling on one of the couches with a binder. Varian came out and plopped down on the other couch.

Bentley glanced down the table at Bellamy, who was sitting quietly. "I'm proud of you."

Bellamy glanced up at him, and a confused look crossed his features. "Why?"

"Because you've been doing so well with the other roommates," Bentley replied. "It's great. I know firsthand that it helps when you know other people can see the effort."

Bellamy smiled lightly, his eyes trailing down to the tabletop. He opened his mouth, but his soft words were drowned out when something loud and pulsing invaded Bentley's ears. A heartbeat; quick, and hard, like someone was running.

He glanced between all three of his visible roommates in quick succession, even if he knew it probably wasn’t them. Sure enough, one by one, they checked out, Varian, Koa, and Bellamy, their pulses calm and even. It was unsurprising to find that the pounding was coming from behind a closed door.

Rockie and Valor’s closed door.

Bentley zoned back in, and Bellamy was looking at him curiously.

“Sorry, what?”

“Oh. I just said thank you,” Bellamy replied, creasing his brow. “What did you hear?”

Bentley glanced up at the bedroom door across the way. “Rockie’s heartbeat. It’s fast.”

Bellamy glanced back at the door as if it would magically open so he could see in. “Maybe you should go check on him.”

Bentley glanced at him, then at the bedroom door again, a few moments of silent contemplation passing between both of them. Valor said Rockie wasn’t feeling good, but that he also wasn’t sick. What did that even mean?

Despite the lingering question, Bentley stood anyhow, making his way around the table. He ruffled Bellamy’s hair on the way by, which, a few short weeks ago, wouldn’t have gotten panic in response, but today, earned him a little smile.

He made his way to Rockie’s door and, checking the pulse one last time (no change), knocked softly. “Rockie? It’s Bentley.”

A moment passed where Varian and Koa glanced over at him, then between each other. Bentley glanced back at Bellamy, who looked back at him, all four of them waiting for a response that never came. The pulse remained unchanged, a repetitive bam, bam, bam in Bentley’s skull.

He knocked again. “Rockie?”

Again, no response. Nothing to suggest his voice or knocking had been heard in the slightest.

With a glance over to Koa, who was watching again, Bentley shrugged. Then he turned the knob and pushed Rockie’s bedroom door open in the slightest.

It was dark in the room. The blackout curtains were pulled tight even against the darkness of nighttime, and the bathroom lights were on, but the door was closed, only letting in the faintest sliver of dim light. Bentley might’ve guessed Rockie was in the bathroom, if it weren’t for the curled up figure that kept shifting uncomfortably on the bottom bunk.

Bentley stepped in farther, and when he did, he was met by the smell of sterile cleaner that reminded him of a hospital and made his nose crinkle. He closed the door softly behind him.

As his eyes continued to adjust to the darkness, the figure on the bed became clearer — it was definitely Rockie. He was laying on the edge of his mattress, knees tucked up tight and arms wrapped around himself, trembling slightly on top of his covers. Trembling, Bentley noticed, not shivering -- less of an off and on movement that came with the cold and more of a constant… vibration, almost? His eyebrows were pitched inward slightly, his eyes and face twitching every now and then like he was having a bad dream.

Bentley stepped forward slowly. “Hey, Rockie?”

Of course, he went unheard. Bentley took another grueling step forward, and the closer he got, the more he heard Rockie’s soft but undeniably ragged, uneven breaths. It wasn’t terrified thrashing or screaming like Bentley and Bellamy were accustomed to, it was just… he didn't know. Really calm, in a weird way. He wasn’t sure he’d ever seen anyone so calm during a bad dream. That was what was happening, right? What else would it be?

Nevertheless, he inched forward again, closer to the bed. “Rockie?”

Waking him up was way easier than Bentley thought it would be. He didn’t have to shake him or tap him or raise his voice like everyone did for him — Rockie’s green eyes just flicked open at the simple mutter of his name, breath hitching in his throat with a nearly inaudible, sharp inhale.

Despite his startling calmness, Bentley took notice of the shininess that quickly gathered at the bottom of his eyes.

“Hey, Rockie. Just me…” Bentley trailed off, taking another tentative step forward, fiddling with the ends of his sleeves. “Valor said you weren’t feeling good, so I was just coming to check on you…”

Rockie’s dull eyes focused on him, then flicked around the room as though he was gathering his bearings. Then he sighed lightly, curling up tighter like he was uncomfortable, blinking a few times until there was no sign of the previous wetness. He swallowed and let his eyes fall shut again. “Thanks, Bentley. I’m okay.”

With a frown, Bentley slowly reached forward and rested a tentative hand on his forehead. The older boy just smiled faintly in this almost half-aware, half-asleep kind of way. “Don't have a fever.”

Bentley drew his hand back.

“My meds like to screw with me,” He mumbled with a strange movement that was probably meant to be a shrug, not even opening his eyes. “But it’s fine.”

Bentley cringed to himself, glancing at the cleaning supplies that were stationed haphazardly outside of their bathroom door. “Your medicine makes you sick?”

Bentley understood side effects like feeling nauseous if you didn’t eat food with certain medicines, but a pill that put him on bed arrest seemed kinda… unnecessary?

Rockie hummed into his pillow, obviously only half-present. “When it pleases.”

Bentley was quiet for a short minute. “Is there anything you want or… need?”

Rockie’s eyes fluttered open, bouncing around the room a little in contemplation before drifting closed again. “S’ Valor here?”

“...No, he left just a few minutes ago,” Bentley replied sheepishly. “Sorry.”

For a minute, after that, Rockie didn’t say anything. Bentley might’ve thought he was asleep if it weren’t for the contemplative look on his face. After a moment, he swallowed thickly, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down. Another vague look of discomfort crossed his features. “Then I guess not.”

While Bentley couldn’t see it, his powers (a blessing and sometimes a curse, too.) allowed him to feel the vague tears that built at the corners of Rockie’s eyes. Did he need Valor that bad? Because Bentley would run across campus to find him. It wouldn’t be hard, he had giant white wings!

“If there’s something you need me to do… I can do it,” Bentley continued softly (because he couldn’t just tell Rockie hey, I can feel your tears, because I’m creepy.) 

Rockie just sort of shook his head and didn’t open his eyes.

“No, it’s okay… I can text you if I need you,” He replied cooly, turning his head into his pillow in a clever way so Bentley couldn’t really see his face anymore.

Bentley just sort of nodded even though he was hesitant to leave. He just kind of stood there for a minute, and in his drowsy state, Rockie didn’t seem to mind. He just laid there.

But Bentley assumed he should talk again before he fell asleep if he was going to, so he continued, softly: “Do you want me to stay?”

A moment of hesitation hung in the air, like Rockie wanted to say yes. But then he swallowed again, and adjusted his head on his pillow. “No, it's okay.”

Bentley bit his lip. “Are you sure?” 

“Mm. I’m just gonna sleep,” He replied. Then he opened his mouth to say something else, but decided against it. “Thanks… Bentley.”

“No problem…” Bentley replied, as he began to move for the door. “Text me if you need me, okay?”

“I will,”

So with that, he left and closed the door softly behind him, keeping his phone ringer on and the screen in his sightline until further notice.

He pretended he didn’t feel the stubborn one or two tears that fell down Rockie’s face a few moments after he left.

--

It was midnight, and Valor wasn't back.

Neither was Asten.

Bentley would be lying if he said he wasn’t anxious. But, since Asten was clearly so tough and capable and experienced that he could just vanish on his own without telling anybody, he obviously had no reason to worry.

But he did anyway. Because it was Asten; and it was basically Bentley’s full-time job to worry about him, even if they weren’t talking.

Rockie hadn’t texted him since he’d checked on him earlier, but he kept his phone turned up and sitting next to his pillow anyways. He’d checked on him once more about an hour and a half ago, but he looked to be asleep, so Bentley didn’t bother him.

It was about twenty minutes past midnight when Bentley’s phone did chime. He was quick to look at it, but the name on the screen was Chloe, not Rockie.

He opened the text and quickly scanned it.

Well, me and my roommates are all officially dying.

Bentley scrunched his face up, typing back a quick: what?

The bubonic plague that’s going around has struck. She texted back. It’s so annoying. It’s ultra contagious so they won’t let us leave the dorm. The nurse had to come to us this morning.

Bentley cringed to himself. I’m sorry, was his message back. That must’ve been the same plague that Varian was talking about one of his friends having. 

Her text: It’s fine, I get time to binge watch netflix. Are you guys uninfected? Came in a moment later.

Yeah, thankfully, He replied. 

Make sure to wear your plague doctor mask to class, she typed. And send me a selfie, too.

Bentley smiled to himself. I’d rather be caught dead than wear one of those.

She sent back an amused message of: Oh don’t worry, you will! With a funny gif of someone dressed completely as a plague doctor dancing.

Bentley found himself smiling in amusement at the screen. And a second later, she sent another text.

Anyways, I was just letting you know since you were around me. The nurse prescribed me an unholy amount of sleep, so I’m gonna try and do that. Keyword, try.

Bentley snickered lightly to himself. I guess I should, too. He sent back.

Goodnight, Bentley :)

Goodnight.

The text thread went offline, and a few moments later, he laid his phone back down next to his head.

Well, whatever sickness they had obviously wasn’t that bad, or Chloe wouldn’t have been texting back so well. Or planning to have a netflix marathon.

About three seconds into his contemplations, his phone dinged again.

When he checked, it was Valor's name shining on the lockscreen, along with the text: Hey, you awake?

Bentley exhaled heavily, reaching over and typing: yeah. What’s up?

Valor’s typing bubbles popped up and disappeared a few times, and it only worked to make Bentley more anxious. He’d left after they mentioned Asten, which probably meant he was looking for, or maybe even found him. And lots of typing bubbles meant a long text. And long texts were usually bad texts. Was this a bad text about Asten?

Do me a favor and check on Rockie? He told me you went in earlier. Was Valor’s mysterious terrible text that… didn’t end up being so terrible. Then another came in quickly after. He usually has nightmares when he feels bad. They’re rough sometimes.

Bentley blew out a sigh of relief and texted back: Yeah, I’ll go check on him.

Valor’s bubbles bounced at the corner of the screen for a while before the next message, Thanks, I shouldn’t be much longer, popped up.

You’re welcome, was what Bentley sent back.

Then, with a soft sigh, he pushed himself up out of his bed, rubbing his eyes lightly. He flicked the bedroom lamp on and sent a glance to Asten’s bunk, as if he’d magically appear there just because Bentley wanted him to. 

He didn’t.

Nonetheless, Bentley swung his bedroom door open, stepping out into the dim living area. Varian was the only one out there, and only one lamp was on. He was asleep on the couch with a laptop open on the table like he’d been watching something.

Bentley closed his bedroom door softly and tiptoed over toward Rockie’s, his footfalls almost dead silent in an attempt not to wake Varian. He thought about knocking, but wouldn’t that just risk waking both Varian and Rockie? 

So he opened Rockie’s door just a few inches, peeking inside at the bottom bunk.

It was empty.

With an exhale, Bentley pushed the door open just enough to slide himself through, then closed it behind him. Rockie wasn’t in the bed, which meant he was in the bathroom. Unless he’d taken an impromptu trip out like Asten. Or leaped out of his window. (Given they were on the sixth floor, probably not.)

But the bathroom light was on, and the door was closed, and the fan was running, which probably meant he was in there.

Bentley stepped up to the door and, after a second, knocked lightly. “Rockie? You okay?”

Five seconds passed, then ten. No reply.

“Rockie?”

Bentley went unheard. He tried to twist the door handle, and it moved freely. Was it really his place to go barging in? Valor had asked him to check…

With a cringe, mostly because he didn’t want to make Rockie upset if he didn’t want him in there, he continued: “I’m… gonna come in, okay?”

Nothing.

Bentley pushed the door open.

It thudded softly against something when it was only about halfway open, and when Bentley looked down to check what it was, it ended up being Rockie’s foot. He was curled up on the bathroom floor on top of what looked like a thin, black throw blanket, legs tucked up and arms wound around himself just like he had been in his bed. He looked like he was asleep, the same vague discomfort splayed across his features that had been earlier.

When the door nudged his foot, his frown deepened, and he pulled his legs in tighter.

“Rockie? You awake?” Bentley asked softly. He waited for an answer, but it ever came, and he never opened his eyes.

 Bentley sighed and pulled his phone out, shooting a text to Chloe that said: Still awake?

Not ten seconds later, he got one that said: Yeah. I just found say yes to the dress on my computer so I think sleeping tonight is a no. Thought you were trying to go to bed?

Sick roommate, Bentley replied. What does the bubonic high school plague entail?

Chloe’s typing bubbles popped up off and on for a few moments, before a text came: Well, it started with just feeling gross, then came all the stupid symptoms. I’d say the worst ones are the like sun-level fevers and throwing up every three milliseconds. But there’s also just weird random stuff like muscle cramps and burning and stuff, which I can honestly say is a first for me while sick. You think your roommate has it?

Bentley glanced up at Rockie. While he looked extraordinarily uncomfortable, he didn’t exactly look sick. Bentley moved to the other end of the bathroom as quietly as he could, crouching down and gently resting the back of his fingers against Rockie’s forehead. He shifted a little under the touch, but didn’t stir fully.

He doesn’t have a fever, Bentley typed back to Chloe. Just checking. Thanks.

No prob.

Bentley sighed lightly, his eyes lingering on Rockie’s limp form. He wished he could help, but he wasn’t exactly sure what to do about sickness caused by medicine. He remembered Tim complaining about the fact that he couldn’t mix a lot of pain meds and stuff with Fluoxetine, so he didn’t really… have anything else he could offer up. Except for himself, but Rockie had said he didn’t want him to stay earlier. So…

Rockie suddenly made a quiet noise, almost a whimper of sorts. Bentley glanced down at him, and he was coiling up tighter, brows furrowed. Bentley could hear the accelerating bu-dump of his heartbeat.

He reached out to rest a gentle hand on his shoulder, and-

There was a flash, and a searing, stabbing pain ripped through Bentley’s head. He was falling, and falling, and WHAM! He hit the floor with a thud that sent a deep pain shooting through every bone in his body.

He groaned lightly. What the hell?

He peeled his eyes open and glanced around. Instead of Rockie’s bathroom, he was in… a long, white hallway? Lined with doors, with dim lights that flickered every now and then? It was cold, and when he looked down at himself, he was in a hospital gown with no socks or shoes.

Where…

Suddenly, a muffled: bang, bang, bang, bang, bang sounded from the other end of the long, dark hall, and Bentley’s head snapped up in that direction. It was just… long. And dim. And empty.

Bentley pushed himself off of the cold white floor and glanced both directions down the hall. They seemed to be endless, so long it made him kinda dizzy, with flickering lights here and there. There were so many doors he couldn’t even begin to count them all.

The banging came from the opposite direction it had before, and he whipped around that way, greeted by nothing but emptiness.

And suddenly, the entire hallway went pitch black.

And a second later, one light, all the way at the end, flicked on.

And she was standing there.

Bentley felt the moment his soul nearly left his body, going absolutely rigid, unable to move, unable to breathe like all of the air was sucked right out of his lungs by a force he couldn’t see. All coherent thought screeched to a halt, and he heard, felt his heartbeat slamming in his ears. Panic clawed it's way up his throat, and all of his senses fired at once — he wanted to run, he wanted to scream, he wanted to start crying, he wanted to kill her, he wanted to scream in her face, he wanted to get out of here, he wanted to go home.

He couldn’t think enough to react. He just stood there. 

And she just stared at him, with her glowing amber eyes, with her bloody stitched-together smile, with her stringy platinum hair that was more of a brown and crimson mix now than anything. 

And finally, she lifted a hand. And she waved.

“Miss me, Babybird?”

--

tag list that never works lmao

@fleur-alise @sarcopterygiian @gayboss-too-close-to-the-sun

@xiaonothere

@skylathescholarly @flyrobinflyy

[mash-masha2011]

Chapter 2: Long, long, long story!

Hey, guys! I'm back! I know it's a bit long, but I'm such a lazy writer!

Anyway, this is how I imagine Eugene, Raps and Cass telling V about all magic stuff, what he did (or part of) and all that stuff. If you want you can skip, there's nothing important really! 

And while I'm on it, tell me please do you want Hookie or/and Shortie there! I personally don't really like them, but I want your opinion! Thanks!

"So, long long long long long time ago drop of sun from the sky. On that place grew magic flower that could heal, turn back age and even bring from death sometimes!" Rapunzel gestured so wildly, that she already almost hit Varian three times "And then..." She trailed of and Eugene placed a hand around her waist and smiled reassuringly at her waist

"Than old woman named Gothel came" Eugene continued "She didn't tell anyone about the flower and used it to stay young forever ! And what's even crazier - she almost succeed! But just when Queen was about to give birth to Blondie she got really sick. And King started searching for magic flower. As you can see, he found it!" Eugene gestured towards Rapunzel and she managed a small smile "So he took the flower, healed the queen, everything was good, Goldie's birthday, celebration, yada yada yada, but! Gothel decided she needed to stay young at all cost and stole Blondie! She locked her in a tower for, like, eighteen years ! She was a disgusting lady, I know. And one day, right before her eighteenth birthday a handsome, dashing, steely-eyed, smouldering rogue rescued Princess, showed her the world, fell in love and made her the most epic haircut " After confused look from Varian he added " She then has the same long hair" 

Varian listened carefully to every word, memorising each and every word. They walked for ten minutes now and it would be a good time, if not for Cassandra. She didn't say a word, didn't show any sigh of interest or any emotions on her face except for very slight anger, frustration and distrust. She just watched him. Every minute. Every second. Varian even wandered if she blinked at all. He heard Rapunzel's voice and listened again.

"Then after six month Cass showed me these black rocks! I touched one and there was a big explosion! And then rocks started chasing us! And then my hair grew back!"

"That's the story!" Eugene said 

"What about Cass...?" Varian asked and looked on said girl, and when she glared quickly added "-andra?"

"Well, she's Blondie's handmaiden and Capitan's daughter" Eugene answered

"Wow! That's probably cool being Capitan's daughter!" Varian said in awe but quickly goy cut off by Cassandra

"No, it isn't" She said in an extra cold tone

"O-okay" Varian wanted to ask why, but got too scared she would kill him right where he stood in a blink of an eye "How did we meet?" 

"Well, I came to ask you about my hair! That day I discovered you can be very scary if you want to!" she mumbled the last part

"Cool! So princess of Corona came to me to ask about her magic hair! Wow!" Varian could believe what he just heard! Princess came to him to ask about her hair! She trusted him with it! 

"What about me though? What did I do that I was in handcuffs?" This question bothered Varian from the start, but he kinda couldn't find the right time before.

"Uh... well, you- how do I say it-" Eugene started but was interrupted by Raps

"You stole the Sunflower from the Royal vault"

"I what?" was the only thing Varian was able to say through shock

"Well, your village was being destroyed by black rocks, you experimented on them and there was that scroll which said that these rocks were opposite to Sunflower and I guess when you were out of options you tried flower" There was something in her voice he couldn't understand. He already heard guilt every time she spoke to him - though, he didn't know why - but this was something other than that. It felt like he knew what it was but couldn't place it.

After a few minutes of silence Varian found his voice again "So, I am a criminal" He asked quietly

"Welcome to 'Team Criminal'!" Eugene's joke was met with awkward silence "Yeah, not the time"

There was a long silence, in which Varian was trying to process all the shock.

"What about you, Eugene? What's your story?" Varian asked first question came to his mind, and as much as he tried to hide his shock and panic after knowing he's a criminal by shoving his hands into pockets and smiling - though he had no idea why he hid his emotions, it was like a subconscious habit of some sort - his voice was still higher than usual. 

"Well, I don't really like telling the 'story of orphan leaving alone on the streets', but since everyone except you know already, I might as well tell you. I lived in orphanage ever since I remember. One day I saw a boy reading a book called 'The tales of Flynnigan Ryder'. I snatched it at night and fell in love. So next day I went to the bookshop and bought as many Flynn books as I could - which wasn't much, like two maybe! After that I red them every night to all the younger kids in the orphanage! After I red all written Flynn books I ran away. And I took my name from that book. For years I was stealing under the name of Flynn Rider! Lance and I were gods in crime, thieves of thieves! And then I met blondie and dropped my criminal name. That's the story!" 

"I... don't know what to say..." Varian was glad Eugene told him this story, it really helped him calm down a little. He knew he will be panicked and shocked once he alone and let his thoughts free, but for now he was okay. 

They walked for a few more hours, laughing and joking. Despite Cassandra staring at him all the time like he was some evil demon which could turn on and kill them all any minute he felt good! He was happy to have friends like this who will always help him no matter what. He was with them only few hours, but he already trusted them.

Hey! I'm sorry for short chapter, I just really wanted to write this! I hope I wasn't too out of character! If I was somewhere, just tell me and next time I won't make this mistake!

Also sorry for really long speeches! I don't really know how to make them shorter! 

Anyway, see you next time, love you all!

Previous Chapter

[followmetoyourdoom]

New Dreams

It's hard to have honest conversations, it's even harder when you're not the type to open up. Cassandra deals with sharing news of her departure, but Rapunzel might have some news of her own...

This is set in the finale of the series, after defeating Zhan Tiri but before Cassandra leaves. This is essentially a short story about the beginnings of Uknighted Dream. Read on Ao3 here or below the read more cut:

Her room had been dusted, repaired, and put back together. The pictures stood back up and the scraps of fabric from a life she refused to return to discarded. Cass' hand, still damaged, still weakened, clutched at her chest. Guess there were some things that were harder to put back together.

She took a deep breath, sheathed her sword and went to find the princess.

It had been a few restless weeks since things with Zhan Tiri had finally ended, since Cass had steadily tried to re-establish a life in Corona. But things just weren't adding up here, not anymore. She couldn't just stay in limbo.

Ah and there they were, the happy couple, chatting happily about this and that as the castle breathed and bustled around them. Cass almost didn't want to interrupt them, but this was important.

"Hey, Raps, can we talk? Just the two of us?"

Rapunzel's eyes found Cass' and she smiled, glanced back at Eugene who nodded encouragingly, and turned to face Cass. "Of course." Fingers tugged at hair. "There's some things I'd like to talk about too."

The pair set off on a familiar walk through the castle back to Rapunzel's room. They exchanged pleasantries along the way, but it wasn't until the door closed behind them and Rapunzel had settled on her bed that Cass came out with it.

"I- I think I need to get out of here. Of Corona." She paced back and forth in front of Rapunzel.

"Oh, sure, change of scenery I get that," she anxiously fiddled with a loose thread on her dress. "When do we leave?" Her voice was hopeful, pleading almost.

But she was already expecting Cass' answer.

"Not with you, Raps. I'm sorry. I need to discover who I am as myself. Without you."

It was the conversation she'd been afraid about, but she had to stay positive, for Cass. So she smiled and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "Yeah, I get it. Makes sense."

Cass sat down next to her. "You're not mad at me, right?"

"No, no I'm not mad." Rapunzel gently reached for Cassandra's hand, holding it with such care and such tentative hope. "I'm just sad I won't be with you- but I know you need to do this, I get it, I really do." She added quickly, a soft smile reaching her eyes. "I love you, Cass, and more than anything, I want you to be happy." Her thumb gently rubbed the back of Cass' hand.

Returning the smile, Cass squeezed Rapunzel's hand back. "I love you too, Raps."

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

It had been a few days ago that Rapunzel had first noticed it. The anxious tapping, the looks out the window, the counting the weapons.

"She has that look in her eyes, Eugene. She's going to go and I... I can't lose her. Not again."

Eugene held her tightly. "Hey, hey. You're not going to lose her. But Cass is a big strong stick in the mud, you can't keep her here, not if she wants to go."

"I know but it just, it hurts so much."

He looked down at her, recognised the look in her eyes and held her tight again. "You love her, don't you?"

"Of course I love her," Raps mumbled into his jacket. "She's my best friend and-"

"No I mean," he held her by the shoulders so she could see the soft smile on his face. "You really really love her."

There was a confused but almost dawning look on Rapunzel's face.

"Let me ask you this, when you imagine your future, who's there?"

"You of course, and Cass, and Varian and Lance and-"

"I mean next to you," he gestured to the thrones, the three of them. "You're Queen, and who's next to you?"

Rapunzel pictured it in her mind's eye. "...both of you are. You and Cass." That dawning realisation finally settled on her face. "Is that a thing? Can I choose both of you?"

Eugene laughed warmly and tucked a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "You tell me, Sweetheart, is that what you want?"

"Yes? No? I don't know..." She briefly buried her face in her hands then looked back up at her partner. "What about you?"

"Me?"

"How do you feel about that? About it not being just you?"

Eugene smirked a little. "Well, Cass and I have never seen eye to eye but I'm used to her, y'know?" The smirk became a genuine smile again. "She's a part of us. I can't imagine life without her either. And hey, if anyone can make loving two people work, it'd be you, Sunshine."

"You think so?"

"I know so," he said firmly. "You are the most loving and selfless person I know. You fell in love with dirt the first time you touched it." He laughed and kissed the top of her head. "Love isn't something you can run out of, and hey, I trust you, and I trust us to know where the lines are and to talk to each other if things don't work or if things need adjusting. We're a team. The three of us."

Almost crying from relief and joy, Rapunzel tackled him in a hug, her nose nuzzling into the crook of his neck. "Thank you, Eugene."

He chuckled and stroked her hair. "Hey don't thank me yet. You still have to figure out if Ice Queen feels the same," he joked.

Unfortunately for Eugene, Raps didn't pick up on the joke aspect. "What if she doesn't? What if I ruin our friendship by confessing and-"

"Woah hey okay, relax," he took her hands that had started to anxiously pull at her hair. "I was teasing. I've seen the way she looks at you. She feels the same, trust me. I know what it's like to love you after all."

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

The memory of that conversation stirred up the determination Rapunzel needed to tell Cass the truth. It was now or never, she had to know. Before she left.

"Cass, listen I..." she squeezed her hand back. "I don't want to stop you from finding your dream but I just need you to know: you're part of my new dream."

Cassandra's lips parted in surprise, an influx of emotions rolling through her chest, a roaring river of feelings she was used to damming up and ignoring.

"I don't know if it's right, I don't know if we can do this, but when I picture my future, you're in it. And not just as my friend, or protecting me or looking out for me," Rapunzel felt like she was speaking too quickly but she couldn't stop. "You're there for me as my equal. As a partner. I love you the same way I love Eugene- well not the same you're different people so I love you differently, but it's the same type of love." She swallowed. "Does that make sense? My new dream is the three of us, side by side."

The dam broke and all of a sudden Cass broke, let out a sob, and collapsed into Rapunzel's arms.

"Oh no, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" Raps gathered Cass up in her arms, holding her tightly. "If you don't feel the same that's fine, I don't even know if we can do this like I said-"

"Raps?" Cass managed to get out between the sobs.

"Yes?" Eyes shining, she held her close.

"H-how?" The word came out hoarsely, like it was caught in her throat. "How can you just- how? After everything I did and you still-"

"I still forgive you," Rapunzel held her face, brushing away tears. "Just like how you forgive me, yeah?"

"Mhm," a small nod.

"And I still love you."

Cassandra rubbed her face against Rapunzel, trying to convince her lips to form words. "I... I feel the same. But I don't feel like I deserve it."

"Can I try something to help you feel like you do?" Rapunzel lifted Cass' chin up until their lips were almost touching.

Understanding the request and not wanting to ruin the moment, Cass just nodded again.

Ever so carefully, as if afraid to scare her away, Rapunzel let her lips touch Cassandra's, eyes sliding shut in peaceful relief.

Cass was almost stunned for a moment, and then those emotions came rolling back and she leant to the kiss as if she was starved for it, as if she was pouring everything she couldn't say into that kiss.

Hands found purchase in hair and on hips, and lips parted, desperation turning to passion, passion turning to devotion. Each touch igniting further desires until their affections simmered gently and they paused to catch their breath.

"Heh, wow," Raps smiled.

"Wow. That was..." Cass touched her lips. "That was nice."

"Yeah it was!" Rapunzel was beaming.

Cass looked down at their hands, now intertwined together, and a thought jumped to the forefront of her mind. "Wait, what about Eugene?"

"Eugene is actually the one who helped me realise how I feel about you..." Rapunzel smiled. "He's been encouraging me to talk to you for a few days now."

"So we can make this work..." It almost seemed to good to be true.

"We can make this work!"

Cassandra allowed herself to live in the fantasy forest a moment, allowed herself to laugh and to kiss Rapunzel again and again and to press their foreheads together. And then her mind took over from her heart again. The smile left her eyes first, then her shoulders dropped. "But I... I still have to leave."

"I know," Rapunzel closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against her harder. "I know you do. I just wanted you to know what was waiting for you when you decide to come home."

"Thanks Raps." Cassandra sighed and closed her eyes. Maybe her mind could let her heart steer for a minute more so she could indulge in this for just a few moments longer. Long enough for her to say- "I love you. I'll come home to you."

"I love you too, Cass. I'll wait for you."

[eryanlainfa]

important thought i just had. how do you imagine hugo’s gender nonconformity like how does he identify with any label in particular or is he just Like that. and more importantly do you think he’s already figured it out by the time he meets the gang or do you think the egg breaks later. BC SEE i’ve always imagined up until the trials shes never had the time to think about herself at ALL, like she obviously knows shes kinda *flicks wrist* yk but otherwise she’s never really actually come to any real conclusions about herself. so i think as soon as they move in with varian and once they’ve finally settled and they have SO much free time and so many things going on in their head, they’re trying new hobbies and finding all sorts of things to tinker with and most importantly they finally have the opportunity to care about their appearance and suddenly the gender crisis hits them like a fucking FREIGHT TRAIN

all this is to say because. I was thinking about that again today and then i remembered aiden and it was like my third eye opened bc i realized the sheer potential in that scenario with airigo. like i feel like aiden would’ve seen that shit coming a MILE AWAY and i think that’d be so cute and also so fucking funny and. I need to hear your thoughts ok

[Hi. Future Ery talking. I started rambling and I have no clue if what I said is actually coherent or even answers your question at all- But the idea was there! Also I personally headcanon everything and anything, I love switching labels of one character and making a whole new au for it. But covering EVERYTHING would be too long so I answered regarding Aiden's main timeline only- but if you want me to talk about transfem Hugo in particular I'd love to!!]

Sobbing and crying this is so cute and funny your brain is wonderful mwah mwah. I think all you said could 100% work and I can see a version where it would make sense for Hugo to not had the time to discover themself properly. And Aiden just clocking her right away is so funny 😭

Saddly it wouldn't work in Aiden's original timeline simply because, in this case, Hugo wouldn't be Hugo if he hadn't transition already.

I've never really openly delved into my headcanons for the whole gang, because I like people being able to interpret my art however they want (and also because I can change my mind whenever and no one would know-). But in Aiden's universe, Hugo isn't amab.

But to go back on how I imagine Hugo's gender noncomformity!

Firstly, in universe, I'm not sure neither Hugo nor Aiden really identify with a gender label. They don't really have a word for it so they're just how they are. But I personally label him as bigender transmasc. And I do still label them as gay. Cuz. Queer homosexuals representation. Yay.

Secondly- Hugo actually transitioned before figuring out his gender. Being an orphan is already harsh, being poor is terrible and he figured being female generally made things more difficult. So she didn't want to be one. When he got recruited by Don for the first time he was already dead set on not wanting to be a girl and didn't have a name anymore so Donella is the one who named him Hugo. I think Don was "supportive" as in she really didn't care, and if helping Hugo transition meant he would be more useful then that worked for her just fine. So Hugo got to transition but it wasn't really because he didn't feel like he wasn't a girl, she just didn't think it would be advantageous for him to be one.

Sorry I got sidetracked- cough- Back on topic.

One thing I wanted regarding Hugo's relationship to gender is the fact that he is comfortable being fem BECAUSE he got to transition.

For work they would play whichever role worked best no matter the gender. At first, looking like a guy needed more work, which bothered him because it was his goal, so for a while he had a clear preference for appearing masculine. But years later, after having transitioned to a comfortable point, she figured she really didn't mind being either gender. And it made playing different roles even more fun and easy for them. Not necessarily in a fluid way, he's just everything at once most of the time.

So he already got herself figured out quite well when 7k starts. Actually, Hugo being openly queer is another reason why she caught Aiden's interest so fast. And I wanted them to mirror each others in a way, with Hugo being comfortable because he transitioned and Aiden being more comfy doing the absolute bare minimum-. Also I had this one joke that sometimes Nuru and Hugo would have girls nights during the journey. So I needed she/her Hugo for all of this to work lol. But I do believe Hugo still gets to affirm and discover himself even more after he settles, it's just mostly about other things.

BUT YOU KNOW WHO'S EGG GOT TO CRACK DURING THE TRIALS IN MY MIND-??? Varian. He's agender. My whole gang is trans and the joke was that Varian is the token cis guy of the group (because I thought it was funny). But he isn't. He just doesn't know because he's always too busy thinking of literally anything else and he never really registered that was an option. He still uses he/him tho. Because I enjoy gender fuckery.

In summary :

○ Bigender ○ agender ○ genderfluid ○

Also, since I decided to finally talk about my headcanons, I think too many people assumed Aiden is the one pregnant -in that one comic-. They aren't.

[spiritedstars]

How do you think each ACOTAR male would do in a Pilates class?

Ah, pilates. The image of this cracked me up.

Helion - no explanation is needed. He would rock it.

Thesan - the way I picture him gives me the impression that he is a big fan of pilates. He's strong AND flexible and will do each and every move correctly the first time.

Lucien - like Thesan I know he understands the importance of what pilates can do for the body outside of typical strength training/cardio. He's naturally good at it. It's in his genes, can't be helped!

Rhys - I think he would dabble in it but not commit too much of his time. The times he does go, he follows along but talks the whole time about his kid and everyone wants him to just shut up lol.

Tarquin is so put together and focused. He's the calm in the storm of the class. I can picture him outside in the sun doing his pilates routine and sending most of his subjects into cardiac arrest. It wouldn't even be on purpose, the guy just didn't realize.

Kallias would only be there because his wife is so bare minimum effort lol.

Cassian tries it once and huffs and puffs the whole time. He is the guy in those tiktoks who thinks he can do it and realizes he's too bulky.

Azriel does not join and neither does Jurian. Varian is at the weights and Eris is a tricky one. I thought about it and to me, he wouldn't entertain pilates. He's all about cardio and strength training. The way I picture Eris's body type, I feel like he'd be into track.