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lore-of-the-silvereyes-rwby · 4 years

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The Hero that was never meant to be

I’m going to ask you guys a quick question. Think back to the volume 2 season finale in 2014. Or before Salem's debut. Once all of the antagonists are defeated and you're now left asking; Who's going to be the next antagonist for the series?

Before we proceed with this inquiry let's take a look at what exactly distinguishes a hero, from a villain.

Hero/Villain/Anti;who knows?

Below are multiple examples/definitions and meanings of heroes and villains as well as their anti sub groups.

Hero

a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.

the chief character in a book, play, or movie, who is typically identified with good qualities, and with whom the reader is expected to sympathize.

“a person of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his or her brave deeds and noble qualities." Heroes come in many forms in life, ranging from one's family and friends to athletes to movie stars. A person's heroes can change over time.

Villain

(in a film, novel, or play) a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot.

a cruelly malicious person who is involved in or devoted to wickedness or crime; scoundrel.

a character in a play, novel, or the like, who constitutes an important evil agency in the plot.

Anti-Hero

a central character in a story, movie, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes.

is 'a central character in a story, film, or drama who lacks conventional heroic attributes'. These missing attributes include idealism, courage, and morality. Anti-heroes can sometimes do the right thing, but it is usually because it serves their interests to do so.

Anti-Villain

is the opposite of an Anti-Hero — a character with heroic goals, personality traits, and/or virtues who is ultimately the villain. Their desired ends are mostly good, but their means of getting there range from evil to undesirable.

Now that we have some measure of clarity about this let's get to the point. Basically Ironwood is a Anti-Villain character

If you think back to the things we have learned throughout the series, all the people we have met, you will find that all of Ironwood’s traits align better with Salem, Cinder, Jacques, and Adam. All of them have this hunger for power and/or control, all of them are trying to protect themselves and increase their control.

All of them use a level of manipulation and none of them really cared about the damage it would do to others. Ironwood might be a little better because, at first, it was something he kind of thought about. Kind of. He had trouble relating to the idea that protecting more was better than protecting less, and it seems that he had been struggling to find his heart since the beginning.

Ironwood is a well intentioned and desperate man who wants to protect Atlas against Salem, but he can reach extreme means to do so. By the end of Volume 7, he's willing to abandon both Mantle to die and throw away humanity's best chance of survival by leaving Amity Tower; he also falls far enough to shoot a teenager for comparing him to Salem.

Going hand in hand with his Never My Fault tendencies. Ironwood hates anyone bringing up how his ways don't work, with extreme annoyance being the best reaction possible. It doesn't matter if someone is simply stating the objective tangible negatives of his actions, he will not hear it. He gets into a shouting match with Nora when she calls him out on how much damage he's doing to Mantle and only stops when she points out his proposed solution to deal with the current unrest (martial law) is just going to cause far worse problems if he goes through with it.

While he demands complete loyalty from others, Ironwood has repeatedly betrayed the trust of others in the name of the greater good. If someone is an obstacle to accomplishing what he believes is necessary, he will use political or even military power to enforce his will.

Ironwood has helped Ozpin fight Salem for years but they disagreed over the best way to defend Vale; Ironwood secretly convenes a meeting of the Vale and Atlesian councils to report Ozpin's behavior, resulting in Vale removing Ozpin from overseeing the Vytal Festival security in favor of Ironwood. Qrow later tells Ironwood that he has a strange idea of showing gratitude if he responds to Ozpin bringing him into the fight against Salem by betraying him. Even after being confronted, Ironwood insists that he had no other choice.

Ironwood spends most of Volume 7 promising that the Kingdom of Atlas is safe and that Mantle can count on him to protect them. However, when he discovers Salem is arriving in person to attack Atlas, he decides to abandon Mantle to the Grimm in favour of raising the floating city of Atlas higher in the atmosphere where the Grimm can't go. When Ruby tries warning her allies about Ironwood's plan, he disables her scroll, and has Teams RWBY, JNR, Oscar and Qrow arrested.

Ironwood's a man with good intentions, but he seems to believe the best way to handle any sort of situation is if he is in full control of it. This is seen as early as Volume 2, where he both brings a large fleet (composed mainly of machines) along with students for security and later has the Vale and Atlas Councils transfer security control of the Vytal Festival from Ozpin to himself.

After the Fall of Beacon, James continues to tighten Atlas' defenses with a Dust embargo and closing of its borders, and by the time the heroes arrive in Mantle, there are broadcasts of the general practically saying that as long as they cooperate with his laws, he can and will keep them safe.

As Salem's forces continue to sow discord and increase his paranoia, and when he discovers that Team RWBY has consistently hidden important information from him, Ironwood decides to invoke martial law and raise Atlas out of Salem's reach, under his control. When Ruby warns the others of his plans, he shuts off her call with his own Scroll.

Ironwood is noted for being a man who never gives up pursuing his vision of how people should be protected. When his attempts to convince Ozpin that they're on the wrong path fail, he convinces the Atlesian and Vale councils to override Ozpin's authority and give him direct control of protecting the Vytal Festival Tournament.

In Volume 7, he is willing to pursue his goal of protecting the Kingdom of Atlas against Salem no matter how bad his public reputation becomes with the citizens.

To be clear Ironwood is an Anti- Villain type character in the RWBY story. He may have good intentions but it is unknown as to their extent of what they are. His methods to achieve those methods have only made things worse.

I couldn’t let you breath, cause I didn’t wanna Die

We all say we would die for something but do we actually mean it?

“I would die without regret I offer up my life”

It is hypothetical but not in the way you suggest. The difference between using would or will is not about whether the speaker is being disingenuous about their offer, it’s about whether the speaker knows if they are ever going to be in a position to fulfil their promise

It is hypothetical because the speaker does not know whether there will ever be a situation where they would be in a position to give their life to save you. If they were to use will, it implies they are anticipating that they will be in a position to give their life to save you

When someone says “I would die for you if you need it,” is it just a hypothesis that's never going to happen, the subject doesn’t want to die at all, otherwise they’ll use “will” instead of “would”?

Kill or be killed

All the weapons in rwby appeal to the audience as they have options when it comes to fighting. Ironwoods does not. His weapon is only designed to kill as a reflection of his inability to see reason. As opposed to other characters that show that when they kill it would be a last resort option.

(Think of the Jedi's preference for lightsabers instead of blasters)

Ironwood has a revolver - reliable, never jams. high attack power, similar to his mentality on robotics in general and how he values them focusing on the characteristics of the revolver is the important part, and you see it in another Atlesian character--Weiss Myrtenaster is a Rapier and a Revolver as well, and revolvers are still used nowadays because of their reliability. They'll never jam, and when it comes to a gun all that really matters is hitting the target on a pragmatic mindset at least, and ultimately in the show the weapons used by characters say a lot about them. For example;

Qrow has a scythe - not a weapon, a farmer's tool, alluding to the scarecrow. The actual weapon would be the sword mode, and is inspired by the grim reaper, who uses a scythe because he reaps souls like one would reap what was sown(or harvest)

Jaunes shield and sword are both offensive and defensive weapons which offers a variety of options as to handle conflict

Ozpin's cane symbolically conveys the message that it's okay to be weak and its normal to accept help and support from others

Yang's gauntlets are basically Bruise but don’t kill type weapon as such they give her more control of the damage that is inflicted on her opponents

As ruby put it the Weapons in the show are an extension of the characters. The extent of Ironwoods weapon is that it conveys his blunt, and cold methods that he can’t or won’t embrace alternatives solutions or anyone else's ideas to problems

This can also be seen with his use of militarized Huntsmen and the use of mindless android soldiers. As I stated in I am power Ironwood’s personnel combat abilities are mediocre to non-existent with his true power stemming from the consent of the people to die for his cause instead of him since it's guaranteed that he will die instantly due to his lack of unique or special combat abilities.

(Pretty self explanatory considering he had to sacrifice an arm to beat a nerd)

Fear of death is basic human instinct

Ironwood believes that he is this chosen savior and can’t die and he believes his life is more important than others and would instead sacrifice everyone else instead of him if it would mean victory

Now you're probably asking why does Ironwood not want to die when he said he would? As stated before he doesn’t trust anyone but himself to do the job right. His narcissism and ego prohibit him from trusting others and having faith that people besides him can win.

This has been hinted as early as his debut in V2 where he asks Ozpin;

“Do you honestly believe that your children can win a war?”

Because of this and his Nihilism for rejecting the truth, he believes that he is the most important piece on the bored and everyone should listen and die for whatever he needs if it would mean victory

Ambitions and desires of a broken kingdom

A character without motivation is a really boring character as opposed to one who does. But to realize what their motivation is or what it is truly is another. Ironwood is no different but what exactly is his personal motivation that is unique to him one must wonder?

That's just it, he has no real personal motivation. Like what does he have to lose? What does he have to gain? What is so important that he is willing to go to such lengths that clash with the ideas of Ozpin and the heroes? To answer Atlas. After all, what is Ironwood without Atlas?

It is important to know the effects of a characters home and origins to better understand a character's personality. Ironwood's plans have always been in line with Atlas, whose intentions are that of Ancient Mantle. Now what exactly are the intentions of the former capital that would live through Ironwood.

Atlas as I stated before is more or less a Technocratic Conservatives society led by Authoritative totalitarians with a focus of becoming an Extreme Militaristic Oligarchy that had originally started out as a Resource driven Empire out of necessity and without restriction

To clarify, Ironwood is a byproduct, and enforcer of Mantle’s(later Atlas) Philosophical Ideology and Culture. The effects of one's origins can have a very lasting impact on one's life. Ironwood’s life has been heavily affected by his homeland to the point that he will die for it, and sacrifice whatever he deems necessary for it.

Because of this Ironwoods alignment is that of Lawful Evil because of his Atlas ideology

A Lawful Evil character is an evil character who either tries to impose or uphold a lawful system on others without regard for their wishes, and/or adheres to a particular code. They believe in order, but mostly because they believe it is the best way of realizing their evil wishes.

In other words Ironwood will always be the loyal son of his Kingdom and will do anything to save it.

Now that clears his main motivation and the scale of what he is willing to do to achieve it but what motivates him personally?

Well that's just it there is none. His primary motivation is pretty shared by most of the heroes and main characters and as is the common clause of save the world stories everybody knows they can’t let that happen as peter quill would say;

“Why do you want to save the Galaxy?”

“Because I'm one of the idiots who lives in it.”

So with that in mind what's in it for him that he can’t lose or let the world be destroyed?

You overstepped your boundaries

To help understand his character it is important to understand what exactly his role in the plot was originally and how he ended up biting off more than he can chew when he broke away from it.

Essentially Ironwood was meant to be the overseer and guardian of the relic of creation as well as the trainer of the next generation of huntsman/huntresses. Meaning the only position of power that he should only have is Headmaster of Atlas academy. As I stated in I am machine Ironwood's heroism stems from a lack of trust and in doing so has burdened him with more responsibility than he can handle.

The catalyst

All of the events and conflicts that plague remnant at the shows present can all be traced to Ironwood. An argument can be made for Salem but to me she seems more of an opportunist instead of an actual evil master mine. Being the opportunist she is she needs ammo for which she is otherwise incapable of making on her own. Thanks to Ironwood she has plenty of it to enact her plans and reach her goals

Below is a list of events and conflicts as well as characters that have been affected by Ironwood

(Whether Directly or Indirectly)

The Schnee Dust Companies Immoral and shady practices

I know Jaques is mostly to blame for all of this but one must ask; Why didn’t anyone stop him before V7?

It's already been established in the show that the S.D.C. and Atlas Military have a corporate alliance to mass produce Weapons and ammunition. The most prominent weapons to come out of this alliance was the paladin assault mechs. Now how important was this alliance to Ironwood?

In short, they are the best choice to provide for his needs for war. As long as he gets weapons and all that he needs to sustain a war he doesn't care what the giver has to do to meet his demand. As such Ironwood had enabled Jaques and allowed him to continue his immoral ways so long as he gets what he needs. On the other hand Jaques seems to be at least a decade older than Ironwood so there is a possibility that the corporate alliance has already been there long before Ironwood ever came to power.

But I ask again why didn’t Ironwood who was aligned with a man like Ozpin didn’t stop him? As the Volume 7 commentary stated Ironwood doesn’t care for Ozpin's rules and sees being efficient is more important than being morally good. Because of this Ironwood had been more focused on starting a war first and caring about people second thus he has only spread misery by enabling Jaques’s greed just to have his war. The crimes of the S.D.C. are also Ironwood’s

The family strain of the Schnee family and Winters abandoning

While we’re still on the subject of the Schnee's let's talk about how essentially Ironwood made Winter the Blake to his Adam

As I stated before in “You had me with your words” we don’t exactly know why Winter would be so loyal to Ironwood to the point of saying that her life doesn’t matter in V7 and why she would be so against her family to the point that she makes no effort to see Weiss, and Whitely included and only bothering to be apart of Weiss’s life only because she seems to be following the same path of defiance against their father. In other words she only chooses to interact with her sister only if she is rebelling against their father. If she is not, then Winter wants nothing to do with her.

Now who or what exactly would cause Winter to have this unhealthy mindset in regards to her own personal existence and relationships?

The answer being Ironwood.

If we were to consider Jaques words being serious than it is more than likely the truth. Ironwood did steal Winter, not just from her father but from the rest of her family. I don’t know what exactly Ironwood said or did to turn winter away from her family but it wasn’t out of the kindness of his heart. He did this just to have a loyal subordinate with incredible power( her hereditary semblance) & status( her grandfather's legacy and accomplishments) just to give his power and status more legitimacy.

By doing so Ironwood made Winter believe that her family as well as herself is beyond redemption due to the actions of her father thus leading her to abandon them and only believing Ironwood can redeem her hence why she values her life so little and is willing to die for whatever Ironwoods says.

I understand that winter joined the military to get away from her dad but she had options besides the military and like weiss she could have went to the other academies to get away from her dad but she didn't which i consider Winters greatest flaw is that she has no idea of an actual healthy relationship

The White Fang

This is also speculative but not unlikely as the show has clearly shown; Faunus and Atlas don’t mix.

Same thing with the S.D.C. this can really be seen as indifference on Ironwood’s part and lack of care but still Ironwood didn’t do anything to settle the racial inequality in Atlas even though he is allied in a secret circle that's supposed to keep the peace.

Especially when that inequality was being used to help legitimize a terrorist organization that can be used as a disposable army for Salem which it did.

Watts’s Defection & the P.E.N.N.Y. Project

Ironwood commissioned 5 scientists including Watts and Pietro to make Weapons for war.

Even though Watts is an egotistical bastard it really makes you wonder how someone as smart as him would work for a literal demon lady hell bent on conquest. The same can also be said about why he chose Penny instead of any other actual and practical projects ideal for war.

One thing to note is the possibility that Ironwood did not tell the 5 about the real reason as to why they’re making these weapons in the first place. For example would Pietro really want Penny the closest thing to an actual child that he may have had to be used as one of Ironwoods militarized assets?

We’ve seen what Pietro is like and that he really cares about Penny and if it were his choice Penny wouldn’t be in the situations that Ironwood would place her in. Ironwood had basically taken and drafted Penny without her or Pietro's consent and made her a tool for war and much more.

In semi canon sources(Amity Arena) the general consensus is that the Paladins were Watts’s idea and project. One of the misconceptions is that it was a contest for whose idea would be made but since we see both the Paladins being used and Penny that's not the case. All 5 projects were going to be used but only 1 would take top priority first before others and that project was Penny.

This might actually explain why the paladins were ugly and incomplete in V2 as opposed to their slicker and finished versions in V3. The Penny project took both praise and priority first before the others. Once penny was finished the other projects would begin that may also explain why the Paladins weren’t first revealed until the events of V2 even though Pietro said that the commissions for the projects including the Paladins were almost a decade ago as of V7 ep 7

To Watts he felt insulted that his (to him) practical project was being postponed for a sad man's personal self indulgent pet project. This and due to not really knowing as to why these projects were going to be used for. Because of this and Ironwood’s lack of concern for people He had essentially driven Watts to Salem and made him one of her most valuable assets that she ever had. Salem herself even states that she should have employed his services years ago that alone tells us how valuable an asset Watts was and Ironwood discarded it. Which led to the fall of Beacon and the civil unrest in Mantle With Watts out of the way let's move to the next question

Why the Penny Project?

We all know at this point that Penny is the Pinochio for Pietro’s jopedo. So why would Ironwood approve a project that seems the least efficient and effective for war? There have been many theories as to why but two of them stand out the most; Potential vessel for the maiden powers and Espionage

It has been made clear that Ironwood has been readying for war against other people Salem specifically but how does one go about that? The first of which can be explained as Ironwood trying to make the ultimate artificial warrior with incredible power. As Ironwood has more faith in machines than people he would see Penny as the ultimate super soldier that he can use in his war

The second theory as to why he chose penny could be for spy and espionage purposes. As stated by cinder in volume 3 where this theory originates from; why would Atlas make a robot look like an innocent little girl? We know why Pietro made Penny look human but why would Ironwood go along with making a T800 complete with realistic skin and hair? Besides Pietro there was no logical reason to make penny look as humanly as possible. Like the Terminators who were designed for infiltration and assassination missions and Ironwood being a paranoid individual who sees the world as one of two things; you’re either an asset or a threat / Penny or similar models would have been used to spy and eliminate potential threats in the other kingdoms. With the possibility as to what Ironwood would use penny for before her reveal in V3 clear let's move on to the last part of this bullet point

Why didn’t Ozpin know about Penny?

Prior to the truth of her origins being revealed via her death by Pyrah the only people who knew she was an android are cinder’s team, Ruby, Pietro, and Ironwood. The villains knew that truth after being fortunate enough to have Ironwoods scroll infected by the virus and Ruby found out by accident from penny.

So officially the only people that were allowed to know the truth about Penny were Pietro and Ironwood. Winter and the Ace-opts don’t count as Volume 7 confirmed that they were brought into the fold after the fall of beacon along with penny so by the time of the fall of beacon they had no idea about salem or that was the sole purpose as to why penny was made.

The same can be said for Watts too since Penny was still an idea being developed along with being assumed dead and not seen in atlas for years. Thus Watts never even knew what penny looked liked. Had he known i'm pretty sure he would’ve revealed that to Salem who would have given it to cinder for use in her mission. But as V3 shows Cinder finds out after getting access to Ironwood's personal scroll. Meaning that Ironwood kept Penny so secret that he never even bothered or considered to tell Ozpin.

By the end of PVP Ironwood sounded like a terrified child who got caught while trying to explain to a pissed off Ozpin about Penny only to be coldly told in a threatening tone to use the army that he brought to clean up his mess or else. That alone is proof enough from Ironwood that he never told Ozpin about Penny and was scared of what Ozpin would do to him for catching him on his secrets and lies.

So why didn’t Ironwood tell Ozpin about Penny? Short answer Ozpin would never approve the use of Penny. It was already established in V3 ep 6 that Atlas has been doing unethical experiments with Aura. Ozpin and most of the inner circle don’t really approve of such practices but can tolerate it and use it if they have to. But most likely not to the extent of using it to make artificial living beings just to be soldiers.

This would be a similar moral dilemma as the clone troopers from star wars who were bred and mass produced at an accelerated rate to fight in a war that they didn’t even understand or have a choice to fight in with the mindset and innocents of a child. The Umbara arc from season 4 of the clone wars series perfectly depicts the unhealthy amount of abuse the clones faced and the length of being taken advantage they were forced to endure

Now apply that to an army of pennies with the same childlike innocence and naivety and sentience being deployed into combat without much preparation and are expected to die just to buy time for the real heroes to win.

Now who is more likely to use a clone army without concern for the morality and ethics about making it let alone not care for the well being of those clones

A key important factor to remember is that until V7’s end Ironwood was pro war as he thought he could win against Salem if he had the largest army at his disposal. Penny was no exception and Ironwood only saw her as a potential part needed for his war machine. Because of the war centric views of Volume 2 & 3 Ironwood and lack of concern for the safety of others Ironwood had set the stage perfectly for volume 3’s finale

The Fall of Beacon

The points above actually help validate and contribute to the Fall of Beacon, but it's true Beginning for its fall started when Ironwood arrived at Beacon in Volume 2. As stated by Oz in Ironwoods first appearance Headmasters don’t usually attend the vytal festival with their students. Given what we now know about the importance of the academies, Ironwood pretty much abandoned his post and risked the safety of the relic under his charge.

All in what appears to be an effort to make a power grab against Ozpin and promote Atlas.(That’s probably speculative but not far off the bat given Ironwoods doubts and actions by the end of V2).Ever since his debut Ironwood has always been a character that contradicts the main characters that are suppose to be the heroes

He seems to only believe the best way to handle any sort of situation is if he is in full control of it. This is seen as early as Volume 2, where he both brings a large fleet (composed mainly of machines) along with students for security. Ironwood has helped Ozpin fight Salem for years but they disagreed over the best way to defend Vale; Ironwood secretly convenes a meeting of the Vale and Atlesian councils to report Ozpin's behavior, resulting in Vale removing Ozpin from overseeing the Vytal Festival security in favor of Ironwood.

Volume 2 also has Ironwood reveal to Glynda that he thinks Ozpin is hiding something from them. Glynda points out that he's part of the inner circle that's hiding things from the rest of the world and that he needs to stop talking about trust and learn how to trust others. Ignoring her advice, he secretly collaborates with the Vale Council to strip Ozpin of his control over the Vytal Festival security, then tells Ozpin to trust him.

This also brought up the possibility that Ozpin would be removed as Headmaster of Beacon academy. Not only was Ironwood willing to depose the leader he was following from his position of power but also remove an important ally from safeguarding one of the most important and crucial places in all of the world that also holds probably the most important relic of all of them(The Crown of Choice)

I already talked about how Penny’s secret had contributed to the fall so I’ll be talking about how Watts contributed to it since I forgot to include in the last bullet point. Its a very small Easter egg but on Cinders scroll as she was rigging the vytal tournament for CVFY’s match and discovering Penny’s android nature there is a small cursive W at the corner of her scroll. The small W that Watts uses as a holographic icon when he calls Leo in V5. RT has said that they had WTCH in their back pocket for years until they were revealed taking that into account it is clear that the virus that infected Beacons CCT Ironwoods scroll and forcing the droid army to commit order 66 was made by Watts.

The virus and the cyber warfare aside the next final contribution on Ironwood’s part was the imprisonment of Roman Torchwick

It's pretty much been clear that Torchwicks' imprisonment was an improvised plan on the villains part to get an inside man aboard a warship. Basically it was like Heath Ledger's joker in the dark knight; he wanted to get caught. Torchwick himself said that he is where he wants to be to Ironwood at the end of V2. As V3 showed Torchwick and Neo took over what can be assumed to be Ironwood’s personal flag ship and used it to destroy the rest of the air naval section that was brought for the Vytal security team.

This could have been avoided had Torchwick not been released into Ironwood's custody or at the very least kept somewhere else that should he escape he couldn’t have done so much damage. The Airships aside it was also possible that Roman had used the onboard artillery on the city as well that means that innocent civilians weren’t just being mowed down by hacked robots but being carpet bombed as well increasing the death toll at the fall of Beacon.

The Dust embargo and closing of borders

Since the fall of Beacon Academy, Ironwood has become increasingly unstable and paranoid, making more and more ethically questionable decisions that he repeatedly justifies as the greater good; by his own admission, he will do anything it takes to stop Salem.

This however does not fare well with the rest of Remnant though.

As Atlas is the primary location for most of Remnants Industry as well as having a monopoly on Dust; Remnant’s most crucial resource that everyone needs in order to survive, the other kingdoms rely heavily on Atlas for technology, resources and weapons. By placing an embargo he has cut off everyone in the world from their most valued resource. Though he did this to stop the enemies chain of supply he is still letting people suffer and die by with-holding the one thing they need to live and survive.

Which brings us to the borders

Though it could have eased tensions after the fall of Beacon it just lasted too long as well as the fact that Ironwood had essentially turned his back on the world and refused to help the other kingdoms in their time of need. In the CFVY book spin-off all of the Beacon students either went to Haven or Shade academy to finish their training. As well as the Vale refugees going to other kingdoms as well. But due to Atlas closing its borders none of the students or the people went to Atlas for help. Basically due to Ironwood’s orders the Kingdom of Atlas was forced to not help the other kingdoms when they needed it the most.

And it has only gotten worse due to the events at Mistral in V5 as not only are the students of both Beacon and Haven going to shade, putting a strain on the academy but leaving the entirety of the worlds largest kingdom unguarded and undefended as it now lacks able huntsmen to protect it due to Ironwood’s refusal to help

It should also be noted that when Ironwood closed the borders he had failed to inform any off his subordinates of who can and can’t enter the kingdom especially in regards to allies like Glynda or Qrow who again are allies against Salem and Ironwood made little to no effort in keeping contact with the other Oz members. This is made evident in V6 when the Argus soldiers refused to believe Qrow about being an ally to Ironwood. you could say that he was waiting on the amity project to make contact with the other members but he had to have realized that they needed to get into atlas at some-point. But did he make it easy for them or any other ally to reach him? No he did not.

The Mistral Huntsmen Genocide and the Battle of Haven

Second verse, same as the first, he had put them in a hearse. Another example of Ironwood’s indifference and hypocrisy that led to the death of allies and innocent people.

Due to the events of the Fall and it being broadcasted the enormous state of panic had spread throughout all of the kingdoms. The negative emotions in mass had attracted the Grimm and caused much havoc and loss throughout all of them and the worst to suffer from this mass hysteria was most likely Mistral due to its larger population and territory.

In V5 Lionheart had confirmed that Mistral losses were heavy and many of the local huntsmen including the Professors from Haven were killed in the initial grimm invasion that plagued Mistral following the fall of Beacon. After the initial panic had settled down the Mistral council had been employing Huntsmen in mass and restricted their activity to crucial and vital missions in high profile areas to ensure the safety and stability of the Kingdom.

Now the real question comes in where was Atlas?

In the world of remnants shorts its confirmed that Mantle and Mistral have an alliance that eventually carried into Atlas. With that being said, where was Mistral’s ally during the fall out and what were they doing. We know in V5 that all Military Assets were recalled within the month prior to the battle of Haven. I know that the kingdoms are weary of Atlas at this point but given the state of the world after the fall, Mistral needed all the help they could get. As such Mistral would have to call upon the old alliance and have them honor their word and offer aid.

Or at the very least transfer some assets over to Mistral to use it as needed. We have the base in Argus sure but that was just a forward border control base that didn’t really help anybody. Prior to the recalling Ironwood had Winter gather intel on potential activity that would lead to a second fall of a huntsmen academy and he chose to do nothing. This is further proof of his hypocrisy and arrogance. Ironwood at this point is reading the military for war and with holding aid and support that was actually needed.

His V4 self is a stark contrast to his V2&3 self as that version of himself was willing to manipulate and intervene in the affairs of other nations under the assumption that the ends justify the means and would see himself above the rules so long as it's for the greater good and stop the threat before it can escalate. That was exactly what Ironwood did at the end of V2 by stealing power from Oz and tried to enforce his own set of rules if it would prevent a disaster.

Now why did Ironwood not do the same thing with Mistral and try to prevent the potential fall of its academy regardless of the bad publicity that it would warrant? It's already been said by Ironwood that he doesn’t trust Leo to handle the situation at Mistral and based his dissection to close the borders on Winters report and decided to prepare for an potential attack on Atlas rather than sending a small task force to handle the threat at Mistral.

Taking into consideration his plan for Amity it's quite possible that he wanted Leo to fail and Mistral to be ready to eat from his palm. In other words unless there is something to gain and benefit from he’s not going to do it.

Ironwood all the way till he was told the truth about Salem in V7 had a War is the Answer mentality and was hoarding everything and anything that would help sustain a long campaign as well as increasing the size of that force with the intent that that the large numbers were enough to intimidate Salem and her faction into surrendering and eventual destruction. The only problem is that the people he needs were born in a time of relative peace.

Because of the 80 year age of peace that followed the Great War the Modern world of Remnant has had zero to no conflicts as large or damaging since that one war. There were small conflicts sure like the faunus war, the White fang terrorist cell, and the criminal underworld but they weren’t that much or a threat or concern to a majority of remnant it wasn’t until the Fall of Beacon that the foundation of this peace was shaken so intensely that the cracks started to show but it was still together if only held by a thread.

With the Peace in mind and the peoples faith still with the huntsman as their distrust for Atlas Military lingers no one in the world of remnant outside of Atlas would have any motivation or desire to mobilize for war let alone a war for a foreign leader of a foreign land that has recently come under suspicion. Ironwood was never going to be able to unite the Kingdoms and mobilize their people for his war after the fall of Beacon with Atlas being painted as the bad guy. Unless the situation went from worst to extreme.

Like if another academy were to fall with the same or greater results like Beacon. Then maybe people all around the world would consider following Ironwood’s lead and wipe out the threat before things can get even worse.

Because of this Ironwood had allowed Mistral and possibly the other Kingdoms to exhaust themselves so much that they would be unprepared for the next major Grimm invasion should they come after the next major hysteria induced panic. Panic like Ironwood’s original plan to unite the world and tell them about Salem causing the kingdoms to fall into further disarray only to be saved by the flying grace of Ironwood and his Military. And the only repayment for his help is that you join his fight.

I know this is all speculative and you can say Lionheart was the one who was responsible for mistrals problems after the fall, but remember Leo was the only Faunus on the council of a racist kingdom and only had one seat over the huntsmen and can only give out and approve mission assignments that would get them killed thus he had no real authority or power in Mistral besides siding with the majority and even if he tried to talk the council into refusing Ironwoods help their racism wouldn’t listen to Leo and they would do the opposite and call for aid.

But again Ironwood prior to the fall was willing to stop the threat at its source regardless of politics. But after the fall he had put all of his focus on preparing for war instead of helping people that needed his help at that moment. This may be due to his semblance(still dumb BTW) but ultimately he was focusing on his own needs first than the needs of others. Because of this he had ignored the issues of Mistral and failed to see the truth of what Lionheart was doing and had allowed Most if not all of the well trained and experienced huntsmen of that kingdom to die leaving the kingdom defenseless and unprepared for any conflict that would come.

Like the Battle for Haven for example. Had Ironwood not recalled everyone back and had Winter and whatever Atlas personal that were with her its quite possible that the battle may never had happen, the truth about leo would have been discovered sooner and the genocide of Mistrals huntsmen wouldn’t have been as bad had Ironwood actually chose to help, Instead he started to fall back and focus on the Amity Project and Atlas instead of spending any resource outside of them, due to a narrow focus to and putting everything on it just so he can have his Victory.

The Civil unrest in Mantle

A loved and respected leader will die by the side of his people: A feared and hated one will die by their hand. Short term closing the borders cloud have helped ease tensions between Atlas and the rest of the world but long term it had made things worse

Due to the fall of Beacon it's quite possible the initial attacks that came after can explain why Mantle's defensive wall was so destroyed and ruined by the time of V7. That means that potentially for almost over a year that wall has had no repairs or maintenance and has had the bare minimum leaving the citizens in a state of constant peril and danger since the fall of beacon

This is further made worse when Ironwood closed off the borders and cut off the chain of supplies and trade not only to Atlas but also to Mantle as well making the kingdom suffer more than it had to. As the original capital, the rise of Atlas reduced Mantle to a shadow of its former self. Streets are run-down, technology is old, security defenses haven't been updated in years, and smog from the mines hangs heavy over the city. People struggle to eke out an existence, depend on dangerous mines for work and experience regular Grimm attacks that the city increasingly struggles to repel. Meanwhile, Atlas hangs in the sky above their heads; a constant reminder of the wealthy elite that is failing to share the wealth that Mantle creates, and a target of Mantle's growing resentment and anger at having been left so far behind.

Ironwood who is again allied with and a member of a secret circle that is supposed to keep the peace and prevent any social unrest that can cause a conflict. Thus he should have tried to ease the tensions and made the conditions of Mantle better in order to maintain peace. Now I know it's not solely Ironwood’s fault for the state that Mantle is in as he hasn’t been in a position of power for long but still he should have focused on the people instead of preparing for a war that may have never come. A stark contrast to Ozpin’s way of preserving peace and handling threats

Because of his narrow focus and indifference he made things worse as he was only focusing on potential threats that have yet to come instead of focusing on the issues and preventing them before they escalated. After the fall, the embargo and closing of Borders Ironwood concerned himself with preparations for an assumed winnable war instead of trying to restore peace and keep the people on his side. Which is ironic as he was doing this to rally a large force and stop the threat but did not consider that he may have been pushing away potential troops and allies that he would have needed. And only stoked the people's frustrations

This is mostly due to Ironwood never giving an estimate of time for how long the embargo and the borders would last as well as not giving a clear and believable reason as to why he was doing all of this in the first place. I know he was going to tell Mantle and the world about Salem eventually and he did in V7 but that was only because he was forced to and used it to take out potential threats by baiting them. This is also added with the fact that he really didn’t have any solid proof that would make the people believe him about Salem as well. Due to the frustration of the people it would just sound like made up propaganda and Ironwood shifting blame onto a fake enemy to drive people's attention onto something else. And yes the people believed it but remember they were being evacuated so i don’t think they were buying Ironwood's statement but were just glad that they were being saved.

And in the end it doesn’t even matter as ultimately Ironwood caved in to fear and decided to leave Mantle for dead. Which could have been avoided had Ironwood focused his attention to the needs of people rather than the needs of war. One of the constant themes of the show is that victory is not in strength or in mass numbers but within the small and willing hearts of those that will fight no matter what.

In conclusion Ironwood had played a pivotal role in contributing to all of the conflicts that plague the world of Remnant at present, even if it were minor role he nonetheless helped set the stage for the villains and Salem

The reason why I say that; as stated in earlier sections: Despite all of his talk about the greater good for the world he really means the greater good of Atlas and by extension himself. He is prioritizing his kingdom above all else at the expense of the other kingdoms and exploits of their people for his kingdom's own personal gain. As well as with holding beneficial technology that could actually benefit and improve the living conditions and way of life of the other kingdoms.

Ironwood’s inability to trust and have faith in people and others to keep the peace ultimately led to him intervening in affairs that he had no right to and with his own belief that his way is what is best had caused the Fall of Beacon and the events and conflicts before and after it.

It was over before it started

Now the Question must be asked what was Ironwood’s plan?

Ironwood throughout the series believed that he could win against Salem, and by the end of volume 7 he still believed that he could win, but in reality he had already lost the moment he tried to start a war.

To quote Ruby as she asked Ozpin: what was Ironwood’s plan to stop Salem if he ever had one to begin with? As far back as Volume 2 to Volume 7 Ironwood’s ideas and plans to handle Salem seemed to be; gather a large force, blitz run her stronghold, and destroy her with WMD’s. Most of his plans stem from an appeal to force and intimidation tactics via large numbers with heavy armament. In any other circumstances this could have worked had it been a different kind of villain that wasn’t immortal. As V6 has revealed Salem can’t die through traditional means such as modern warfare thus making Ironwood’s plans and solutions moot and pointless. Once he is told the truth in V7 he still continues down the same path of thinking that has not only failed but enabled the villains goals as well. So it must be asked why does Ironwood not see that his way is flawed and that he was never going to win if he continues down this path?

Ironwood's numerous conflicts throughout the series occur because he feels he does not need to follow the standards he sets for others; He demands people trust him while showing them none in return. He forces others to sacrifice much for the cause while giving up very little in return. He insists on loyalty when he has turned on others solely because they disagreed with him.

As Volume 7 progresses, he becomes willing to commit increasingly dubious actions in order to oppose Salem. He starts off by imposing a military embargo on Mantle despite the economic hardships said embargo is causing for the civilians on the ground and diverting resources that Mantle needs to rebuild its infrastructure to build a comm tower at Amity Colosseum. By the end of the volume, he's degenerated into declaring full martial law, abandoning Mantle to die, and either attacking or having arrested anyone who opposes him.

Salem and her faction were a tumor that can only be handled with the surgical precision of a scalpel not with the bulk of a fleet or large armies. The Huntsmen were that scalpel and to be specific the Huntsmen that Oz had chosen as they were meant to protect all people and prevent conflicts without personal bias or desire. Ironwood only acted in the self interest of Atlas and the benefits that he would gain from it

Ozpin’s priority had always been the people, no matter where they came from. However, I think he was once in Ironwood’s shoes. I am pretty sure he tried everything, including the same things Ironwood did, and saw it fail horribly. Ozpin or at least the soul, has had centuries to millennia's of experience in fighting Salem and managing the world. The delicacy of the human mind and heart are something he is well acquainted with, and I think he already knew what type of person Ironwood was, or at least was becoming. Near as I can tell, the big reason he kept Ironwood on at this point was because Ironwood had the resources and technology he needed to keep his plan moving forward and wouldn’t relinquish them.

Ozpin worked hard to maintain the peace and goodwill of the people. Ironwood, so far, has not. Having robot sentries on every corner without the concept of morals and stopping trade for a kingdom that can not easily generate its own resources, as well as hoarding those resources and preventing necessary repairs and aid to those people–those actions all show that he is not keeping this important aspect of leadership. He is not making sure that the people are on his side so when he needs them because he does not consider their needs as important unless they are in line with his own

Even with the Knowledge of the truth of Salem’s immortality he is still sacrificing everyone and everything else for nothing just to keep up the illusion that he is the hero and to keep his source of power high in the clouds away from anyone who really needs it

I may have been a little harsh on Ironwood for his actions, especially V7 and I understand the circumstances that led to escalation by the end of the volume. He was making dubious decisions but he was trying to do better, he listened at times and tried to show an extension of trust, the kids with giving them the lamp back, and later with Robyn at the dinner. These were due to the positive influences of Oz. He just fell back to old habits hard and turned to extremes when it became clear he had non control of what was happening by V7 end. He was struggling with old habits and opening up and was doing better that first part of the night a prime example of what the creators meant if Ironwood had been more open and trusting of others but when everything went down he was pushed over the edge in the latter half of the night cementing his fall and decent into an antagonist further making the problem worse as he has always done. This is mostly due to his primary source of influence; Atlas (which we can agree has been the biggest source of conflict in the show so far) and probably his lack of understanding and planning for what comes after all is said and done.

What did you think would happen?

The question must be asked; What happens after Salem? The fandom has pretty much each their own idea of what might happen after Salem is finally defeated. But do the characters know what happens after the war especially Ironwood? As the end of the hero’s journey goes; Nothings the same after you become a hero. And given Ironwood’s behavior and actions before his fall in Gravity, Ironwood seemed to have ambitions and plans in the works for the long run after Salem was no longer a threat. As stated before in I am Machine no one is truly altruistic to the point that they do something that doesn’t benefit them. So what exactly did Ironwood want after Salem was gone to the point that most if not all his actions and decisions were in the effort to reach and make those plans come true?

As stated in Broken Kingdom Ironwood doesn’t really have any personal desires or motivations that aren’t related to Atlas or the Heroes common goal to stop Salem. As far as we can tell Ironwood has no current family members at present and there's very little that tells us that he has anything in mind outside of either Atlas or Salem ,so what does Ironwood have to gain from this conflict?

All hail the conquering Hero

Ironwood’s biggest issue is that he has to be the center of everything, that he has to be in control. First he’s going to try and gain control with his army, while trying to wrangle anyone else back under his control. Then, when it becomes clear that anyone who has a plan that better and could work, he’s going to get competitive, come up with new and crazy superweapons to throw against the enemy in an attempt to prove that he can defeat Salem before the heroes can gather allies from across Remnant. He believes that He is strong, that He is brave, that He doesn’t need to run to anybody for help! He believes that he is the hero and is letting his self entitlement cloud his mind and it has gotten the better of him

An In-Universe example of this false belief comes from RWBY: Amity Arena as it gives bios to every character in the game compiled by the In-Universe developers. While many try to be objective, the ones representative of the Atlas Elite tend to demonstrate a notable bias, most prevalent with the General's. His bio is very defensive of him, calling him the "hero of our time" and that he wears the burden of the world on his shoulders, talking him up as a Hero with Bad Publicity. The bio goes as followed;

General Ironwood. The hero of our time and Atlas' greatest protector. Under the general, we have advanced to incredible heights, discovered new technologies, and created the world's first artificial intelligence. Though horrifyingly revealed at Amity Arena, Penny is our proud foray into sentient AI, and Ada is the culmination of the machine learning we have long developed in our labs.

As reviled as he was for his misguided attempt to protect Vale, how can the world fault our General when the culprits are out there? How can the victims be blamed for the sins of the perpetrators? Is incompetence somehow a greater sin than premeditated evil? Our General may have failed to protect Beacon, but he's not the one that hacked our weapons into hurting the innocent.

Yet... he wears that burden on his shoulders like he is alone in the world...

Ozpin, missing. Lionheart, dead. Theodore, uncertain. We say Atlas is the greatest, the mightiest... the city in the clouds, but what is first place when there is no competition? Yet, our kingdom and our General... we're the best chance that humanity's got... which scares us to death.

Menagerie?

...what about it?

After reading that you can probably see through the propaganda, hypocrisy and ego that are written in the bio. A key factor to note is that this was possibly made after the main heroes arrived in Atlas and before the election night. And since there's been no contact or travel between the kingdoms and Ironwood was aware of Leo's status by worst case scenario it tells us that the heroes have shared everything with Ironwood in regards to those events concerning Haven.

Since Ironwood is looked up to as a god by his subordinates and since he was the one of the only few to have known about them as well as to have the status to make any key choices since the app is made by atlas scientists contracted to the military. Thus Ironwood had used it and the blind loyalty of his loyalists to make propaganda and shift the blame from himself to something else as well as try to emotionally manipulate the people by making them sympathize with him while ignoring the truth.

He is not Remnant's only hope nor is he the best choice.

This is another example of his never my fault montra and he does things right and its further shown in the bio as it not only continues to discredit the other Headmasters(I am well aware of leo) but ignores all the good and actual heroism of other people like the Faunus of Menagerie as they are to the primary reason as to why Haven didn’t become the next Beacon and as stated before in an earlier section the opportunity for the Battle of Haven was in a way created by Ironwood who had chosen to flee and protect his city instead of preventing an attack like he had originally intended with Vale.

It may also show how much Ironwood believes in his own hype as it does paint him as some sort of de facto king of Atlas. Again he views himself as the chosen savior of the chosen people and that it is his destiny to rule and change the world as he sees fit. Or as Watts puts it the Giant that stands above all

I’m the Captain now

I think it's safe to say that almost everything he does is a twisted version of Ozpin's ways as well as to place himself as Remnant's ultimate leader as he believes he is the one that can ensure a safe and secure world. Ever since his debut he has undermined everything that Ozpin has done and stood for because he believes his ways aren’t efficient ( Or beneficial) to him and has been systematically taking power and control away from him and placing himself as the new big good.

He wants to be the New warrior king and change the world as he sees fit as he only sees Ozpin as either a failure or a hindrance to him and his plans. Combine that with his Atlas ideology and a lot of things make sense. I mentioned in the False chosen one that Ironwood may have been influenced and tried to emulate the Warrior king as to better rise and gain power and correct the supposed mistakes of Ozpin. Even though that he has claimed to be doing it for the greater good of all of Remnant but he really means only Atlas and himself

A world Reborn in my image

A major factor to consider is that Ironwood is a by-product of Atlas that was a by-product of Ancient Mantle. Ironwood is essentially a living mouthpiece for Atlas. He pretty much the living embodiment of the kingdom if it were a character. That's the sad truth of Ironwood is that he is simply an extension of this toxic environment and tricked into believing that its this ideal society when in truth it never was. In other words a legacy of tyranny lives on through Ironwood

We’re all aware of the origins of Atlas and its rise to prominent power. It started out as Mantle that began with a handful of people that prospered by adapting to the harsh conditions by making advanced technology faster than the rest of the world. It eventually formed a trade alliance with Mistral trading tech for food. A grimm incident occurs and Mantle thought being cold emotionless robots was a perfect solution. It tried to force its toxic ideology onto other civilizations and was met with mixed results. The Great war happens they lose and all of their resources are spent forcing it to rebuild its economy that eventually gives way to Atlas

Now how does this affect Ironwood?

Well Mantle through its alliance with ancient Mistral possibly adopted their ideals of imperialism and expansion as Mistral was the world's largest territorial economic empire of its time. When it comes to the rise of an empire and the type they are as well as their need for expansion it can be summed up to these 3

Economic empire

Ideological empire

Territorial empire

Due to Mantle's lack of essential resources like food and energy, its early days were more or less focused on establishing a strong economic trade empire in order to get the essential supplies needed to sustain life in solitas. After its great depression period after the War the kingdom's economy began to grow at a rapid rate that by the time the kingdom shifted to Atlas it had Remnants largest economic empire.

This is also an important factor to consider since the sad truth of it all is that as long people can make a stable income and support themselves, they are more than likely to turn a blind eye to any shady or immoral activities so long as there's something to gain. What does this have to do with Ironwood you ask? Well as his bio card said Ironwood has pretty much been proclaimed as the kingdoms benefactor for its prosperity. This may have been due to his Corperate alliance with The Schnee’s since it was Mostly Nicolas and Jaques as far as we know being the most prominent reason as to why Atlas has prospered.

When Ironwood formed that alliance with the SDC it gave him at least half of the power and influence of the company that was truly responsible for the kingdom's wealth and claiming it as his own. Once he had gotten some control over the economy it was time to move onto the next step and increase the empire from economic to Ideological or Political expansion.

Empires change and adapt in order to satisfies their needs now that Ironwood is the de facto head of that empire and given what we know about him and Atlas it is quite possible that he has been indoctrinated to have this desire to create an empire for Atlas as the politics and ideologies of its people have given it a false sense of entitlement and need to have everything under their control.

When looking at it from V1 to V3, it looks as if Ironwood was trying to occupy without resorting to force then you're left asking the real questions like "Why is ironwood selling the people of Vale on Atlas military Technology?" "Why is it that when a breach happens in vale, Atlas Bots rush in?" "Why did Ironwood make a power play to become the security of the Vytal Tournament?" It all seems to point to the same thing, Ironwood wanted control over Vale

A section of Lyrics from the song “When it Falls” may help reveal Ironwoods true intentions since his introduction and to be honest they seem relevant only to him and given his actions this is mostly likely the truth as they go like this;

“They play the part of allies

Claiming peace their only goal

But once the fight for power starts

They'll eat each other whole

Their iron gloves point fingers

They'll wage a war of blame

And mankind will wilt in pain”

As of V7 aren’t those words mostly relevant to Ironwood? After all, what has he done recently? He claims to be an ally with intentions of peace but he’s really trying to control those who buy that lie and escalates the situation to the extreme for no logical reason other than to set the stage for the next part in relation to the lyrics.

After all is said and done the fight for power will start and he wants to win and consume everyone before they can consume him. And as things go wrong he points his metal hands blaming everyone but himself as he tries to gain control and power, the world suffers.

Ever since his debut he has been trying to amass Political power which would lead to a territorial empire under Atlasian control. Playing into the theory that he does want to be a better version of Oz he wouldn’t make the same mistakes that he assumed the king did by letting the kingdoms remain independent instead of being under the control of one.

A king has his reign and then he dies

To continue on with the theory that he is essentially a bastardized version of Oz, Ironwood may have been trying to find ways as to make himself immortal

Another reason as to why he would see Ozpin as inferior is due to the fact that for all his power he can’t stop himself from dying, or at least maintain the same amount of world power and status from his last life. This may have given Ironwood ideas and ambitions to pursue any methods that may yield results that may make him a true immortal version of Oz hence why he most likely authorized the research and development of the aura transfer technology as a means to artificial reincarnate till proper immortality was achieved.

This could also be another reason as to why he may have chosen the Penny project. As it could lead to a way of extending his life as a means of transhumanism; immortality through technology

To reiterate Ironwood doesn’t trust anyone to do things right so he micromanages everyone under his control and makes them dependent on him. This is best seen with Winter and Clover as Winter would side with a madman as opposed to siding with her sister and clover’s inability to think for himself led to his death.

Due to his lack of faith in people Ironwood makes them less independent and make them rely on him as he may believe if everyone is dependent on him then the more control that he will have over them as to better determine who is a threat as the people he controls are more or less robots now without a conscious or sense individuality and are less likely to commit evil acts. Similar to ancient Mantle’s anti life policies before the war.

If he believes that to be the case and since he only trusts himself to see it through he’s going to try and find ways to make him live as long as possible until his methods become autonomous. Because of his lack of faith for others Ironwood doesn’t understand or refuses to understand the fact that he is going to die one day and everything that he has ever accomplished will be undone by the ultimate victor; TIME.

This is sadly the likely outcome as everything changes through the passage of time. As time moves so does the advancement of decay upon the world. Ironwood is already dying by aging and all that he has achieved will be undone or outdone by others that will come after him. The same thing can be said for everyone else in the show as they already lost.

Ruby, Oz, Cinder, even Salem herself have already lost to time. Everything they have or will achieve will be undone as well and one day they will all die. It’s just a matter of how and when.

To better explain let's take a look at Epsilon’s final speech from RVB season 13;

“There are so many stories where some brave hero decides to give their life to save the day, and because of their sacrifice, the good guys win, the survivors all cheer, and everybody lives happily ever after. But the hero... never gets to see that ending. They'll never know if their sacrifice actually made a difference. They'll never know if the day was really saved. In the end, they just have to have faith.”

Does Ironwood have faith in anyone that's not under his control?

People only do wrong when the perceived benefits outweigh the cost in that moment. Ironwood doesn’t just see an opportunity to stop Salem he also sees an opportunity to bring the world under Atlasian control with him at the top. Since he has amassed so much power and authority he sees himself above the rules that everyone respects and follows. Because of this Ironwood tries to hold unto that power because without he is nothing and would become a lesser and weaker being which would be an affront to his perfectionist ideologies

If your nothing without it then you don’t deserve it

Take away Ruby’s Silver eyes and what is she? Someone that will continue to fight no matter what

Take away Atlas from Ironwood and what is he? Nothing but a broken man who had this coming for a long time.

As I stated in I am power Ironwood by himself has nothing to contribute to the fight against Salem. Let's face it the only thing that he had going for him was the fact that he lead the Military and as we later find out that Military isn’t going to be useful against Salem since the key concept of the show since V1 was that there is no victory in strength but in the simpler things in life that start with simple and honest souls.

How does this concern Ironwood?

Well that's just it Ironwood was never going to win with his methods and he was never going to get the benefits that he wanted if he followed someone else with theirs. Again Ironwood had plans and ambitions after Salem that saw him as the ruler of the world instead of her, and controlled it so that a threat like her or any threat to his power would never come again. This is probably what he thought would happen before being told of her immortality.

Now with the knowledge that he can’t destroy her and that she’s coming he decides to cut his losses and settle with ruling the city instead and leave the rest of the world in her mercy instead of accepting the fact that he is wrong and relinquishing power to someone that can handle the situation better. Remnant doesn’t need Ironwood to survive. This is the biggest problem with Ironwood that he thinks he is the hero so long as he is in control of Atlas. Because without it he is truly nothing and has defined his whole existence around it. And will continue to make whatever plans to keep himself in power and is willing to pay the price at the expense of others.

“What if all the plans you made,

Were not worth the price they paid?

Even with the lives you stole,

Still no closer to your...

Goal.”

He never cooled the fire but he still incites the crowd for he can't see what he has become a crown with no kingdom

Ironwood had only played to win and he would laugh at the ones who lose while millions are shouting out for him to stop but he Still lit the fuse

He says he wants to fight but Then he always runs because he doesn't want to die yet he Still shoots the loaded gun escalating things for the worse

His refusal to see the faults in his own actions. Ironwood continually defaults to and relies on methods and actions that have repeatedly been proven to not work because he refuses to see the error in using said methods to begin with.

This isn’t your story James

One of the important aspects to remember is that this isn’t Ironwood’s story. His entire character and story revolves around the main protagonists and how he interacts with them and more importantly what role he played in it. Ironwood started out as a side character that ended up getting a lot of focus because the story of Team RWBY and the show in general is to show how the last generation can fail the next and how that generation has to learn and grow so it can avoid the mistakes of the past.

Before we delve further into Ironwood’s true character in the show let us explore whether or not he was an antagonistic or protagonistic force in the story. Keep in mind these terms are different from hero and villain. Below are several definitions and meanings for the 2 narrative characters types;

Antagonist

a person who actively opposes or is hostile to someone or something; an adversary.

a person who is opposed to, struggles against, or competes with another; opponent; adversary. the adversary of the hero or protagonist of a drama or other literary work

Protagonist

the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text.

an advocate or champion of a particular cause or idea.

In modern literature, the protagonist drives the story forward by pursuing a goal.

The protagonist of a story is sometimes called the main character.

Since this is RWBY’s story and to an extent Oz’s, Ironwood(and Atlas to an extent) was always meant to be an antagonistic force in opposition to the show's true ideals of heroism and saviors.

The antagonist is the principal source of conflict for the protagonist. Often, the antagonist is a bad guy, a villain, but he doesn't necessarily have to be. He may just be someone who has a different agenda. Antagonists might be one person, a group, or even an animal.

Due to the beliefs that his methods are for the best even though they contradict the intentions that were thought to be shared by the heroes Ironwood was always going to become an Antagonist for the series at some point

Volume 7 slowly sees him fall into this, as his paranoia and determination to stop Salem cause him to perform increasingly questionable decisions for the greater good. While Qrow, Oscar, and Teams RWBY and JNPR support Ironwood, they increasingly debate the merit of doing so, given how concerned they're becoming with his behavior. When Cinder breaks into his office and plants a black queen, Ironwood sends Winter to forcefully take the Winter Maiden's powers, and he begins to question every decision he's made and speculate whether he's played right into Salem's hands. His confrontation with Team RWBY over their decision to leak intel to Robyn triggers the appearance of a Seer Grimm, forcing him into a verbal confrontation with Salem. With the discovery that the conflict with Watts and Tyrian distracted them from realizing they'd lost long-range sensors and that Salem is already on her way to Atlas, Ironwood snaps. He orders the arrest of Qrow, Oscar, and Teams RWBY and JNPR, and decides to abandon Mantle to die in an effort to prevent the two Relics and the Winter Maiden from falling into Salem's hands. Volume 7 ends with him and the protagonists actively opposed to each other, as his refusal to acknowledge that his methods are flawed and his opposition towards anyone who might stand in his way solidifies him as an antagonist.

The events of Volume 7 slowly but surely tear away at the positive aspects of his character as he succumbs to fear and paranoia, and questions whether Salem's strength comes from her ability to strip away her humanity. By the end of the volume, he has degenerated into a paranoid tyrant who abandons Mantle in favor of saving Atlas, is willing to kill a dying Winter Maiden to protect the Relics from Salem, and arrests the heroes for disagreeing with him. At the end of the volume, Oscar even points out that Ironwood's actions and current mentality make him no better than Salem.

His character deconstructs the mindset of the Necessary Evil character archetype. He declares his willingness to sacrifice his reputation and humanity for the greater good by forcing others to sacrifice for his cause. Characters constantly question the morality of his choices and his own actions create consequences that later bite him in the ass. His lack of concern over his image and the negativity his actions generate serve only to assist Salem's plans and increasingly alienate him from the heroes. He appoints himself the judge of what counts as the "greater good", he neglects Mantle's security and makes it increasingly vulnerable to attack by viewing it as less important than Atlas. Oscar lampshades the deconstruction by pointing out that being willing to sacrifice all of Remnant just so "a few can live" is making him just as dangerous a threat as Salem.

In a way Salem and Ironwood are also foils to each other as they appear to be dark lords from their respective genres

Ironwood being the syfy equivalent clad in white to convey the false message of order and peace while masking evil intentions and crimes

Salem being the Fantasy equivalent clad in black to emanate a sense of Mystery and fear of the unknown while using it to her advantage

Discussed between Ironwood and Oscar. Ironwood spends Volume 7 utterly haunted by how Leo's fear of Salem destroyed him and endangered Mistral and Haven. He is so determined not to end up like Leo, that he doesn't realize what mistakes his own fear of Salem is causing. While Leo completely submitted to Salem and became her puppet, he has full self-awareness and knows exactly how far he's fallen and why. Ironwood cannot accept that he has any fear of Salem at all and interprets the problem as possessing "humanity". He believes Salem is a threat because she has none and speculates that the solution is to become the same. He becomes increasingly controlling over his kingdom and his allies; regardless of how much suffering his methods cause, he persists in believing it's for "the greater good". While Leo is willing to give up the Relic of Knowledge and his kingdom's Huntsmen, Ironwood is so determined to prevent Salem getting the Relics, his Huntsmen and the Winter Maiden, and thereby avoid Leo's mistakes, that he travels in the opposite direction, becoming a dangerous authoritarian instead of a spineless coward.

Ironwood has made it clear that he will use whatever means necessary to defeat Salem. When Team RWBY calls out his decision to raise Atlas out of Salem's reach, he calmly says he's aware that he is essentially damning Mantle to her wrath. He later tells Oscar that he is done letting others' opinions hold him back from doing what he thinks is right. The boy warns him that he'd become as dangerous as Salem herself like that; the general simply nods to himself but doesn't deny it.

This is who he has always been. The only difference is the more desperate he becomes, the more extremes he goes to to maintain the illusion he is strong and in control of the situation.

During Ozpin's speech, notice how this unique line of dialogue is purposely inserted over Ironwood's last scene of Volume 7.

“Or will the person staring back at you be the very thing you should have feared from the start? I suppose we all find out... sooner or later.”

As the other parts of the speech are relevant to the other characters shown in the montage This specific line cements the Truth of Ironwood's character being a threat that was planned for a very long time. Going with the show's themes of Grey morality and the balance of light and dark, we are to learn of the possibility that with the potential to do great good also comes with the potential to do great evil.

As we were focused on the obvious threats in the show like the grimm, the white fang, Cinder, and Salem we are tricked to neglect the obvious signs of evil intent that are hidden and growing among the heroes. The real monsters of the world aren’t the ones with fangs and red eyes hiding under your bed, No the real monsters of the world look just like you and me. After all if we assume everyone is like us then how can we tell who the real monsters are, that are hiding in plain sight.

Ironwood’s evil nature and antagonism was subtle and growing under the skewed perception that he was the hero and that he was right. But this comes down to the fact that he is only in it for himself and what he has to gain from it.

I understand that James Ironwood was a tragic character even from his introduction, and the seeds for his volume 7 turn were planted in volume 2. I eventually recognized that RT was setting up this pivotal plot point way back in the day and now they are harvesting what they had sown.

Ironwood didn’t snap when he found out RWBY lied to him. He was content, even after he defeated Watts. He snapped as soon as he saw Cinder’s present. The Queen piece. He unraveled immediately and, sure, the discovery of RWBY’s lies didn’t help, but it wasn’t the cause for Ironwood’s descent.

He genuinely means well in opposing Salem and her forces, but his severe paranoia complex, exacerbated by the stress of being one of the only ones in the know about Salem and having to explain his actions to the skeptical populace and council, cause his decisions to degenerate over time. By the end of Volume 7, he becomes willing to abandon everyone in Mantle to die, violently lashes out at anyone who opposes him, and manages to undo all of the hard work he's accomplished by second-guessing his own actions.

James Ironwood is undoubtedly a fascinating character that has this certain appeal to most people. I can understand Ironwood's viewpoint but it is not the same as forgiving or condoning as good. Sure, I thought him intervening in affairs that he had no right to was a skewed perception, but I understood where he was coming from. I thought him ignoring the concerns and advice of people was reckless, but I also kind of understood his limitations and his upbringing. But in all honesty I was neutral about Ironwood ever since he debuted and didn’t think he had much to contribute to the story besides being the guy with an army along with the pride and arrogance that comes with.

Because of that Ironwood was always an antagonistic force in RWBY with ideals and plans that contradict the established ideals and motivations that are already shared with the world of Remnant. He just simply couldn’t fit in and when he tried he didn’t like it. When he tried to change it and take charge he only made things worse. Ironwood had potential to be good and a proper hero due the influence of Oz but his pride and ego that he got from Atlas got the better of him and now the show's true heroes will have to fix the problems that he has caused.

Summary

#rwby #rwby ironwood #james ironwood #general ironwood #Ironwood analysis

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ghostinthebau · 5 years

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Super Fanfic Rec List -- Iron Dad Edition (because I just wanna share the love)

I’ve had such a blast reading fanfic of the IronDad and SpiderSon variety over the last 6 months or so, and I thought I’d just make a rec list of some of my favorite stories. Most of them are angsty, with whump and hurt/comfort because that’s what I live for.

This is in no particular order or in any way complete because there’s just way too many amazing fics/authors in the Iron Dad fandom, but it will still be hella long, so....here goes!

First off, @yellowdistress:

What We Are series - Bio-dad Tony series that goes all the way through Infinity War. Endgame AU.

Someday I’ll Make it Out of Here series - Adoption AU! It’s so good.

The Missing 92 Days - A take on HYDRA Peter that destroyed me emotionally.

Reviving Peter Parker - This about killed me. Peter actually died during his fight with Toomes and SHIELD brings him back a la the TAHITI project like they did with Phil Coulson.

A Sailor Went to Sea - Gut-wrenching Endgame fix it.

Double, Double

@losingmymindtonight:

Webcams and Webshooters series

I Never Lived ‘Til I Lived In Your Light series - !!! TISSUE WARNING !!! Peter dies, but there’s another one shot with a happier ending if you need it.

And You’ll Blow Us All Away - Adoption fic! A lovely one at that.

5 Times Peter’s Mental Illness Made Him Stumble And The 1 Time He Refused To Falter - I really love a well-depicted take on mental illness, and losingmymindtonight delivered 100%.

If You Can’t Catch A Breath (You Can Take The Oxygen Straight Out Of My Own Chest)

Cyanide? In My Shawarma?

@justme--emily:

The Guardian - Adoption AU with a lovely Loki and Peter friendship!

Radioactive - Peter endures the after effects of the spider bite, and scares bio-dad Tony to death. Lovely, lovely, lovely.

The Good Fight - Peter gets hurt at the airport in Germany instead of Rhodey.

@iron--spider:

ever in your favor - Hunger Games AU and an epic work of art!

Lazarus, come forth - The Endgame fix it before Endgame. Peter will break your heart.

dear mr. fantasy

this isn’t a game - Highly underrated fic based off the PS4 Spider-Man game. I’ve never even played the game, and I loved this story.

what if there is no tomorrow? - This story actually made me kinda like Justin Hammer, if you can believe it.

blindness

@tempestaurora:

hydra’s not a home series - HYDRA Peter, and also bio-dad Tony and bio-mom Pepper!

i’ll find you in the drift - Pacific Rim AU, and I have never seen PR, but I adored this so much.

it’s okay, we’re okay [whumpvember 2018] series

@jolinarjackson:

Lights To Guide You Home series - Another adoption AU. They are my weakness, and this is one of the best out there.

... and when you can’t crawl ...

Damaged At Best (Like You’ve Already Figured Out)

@blondsak:

No Life But This

come morning light (you and I’ll be safe and sound)

Burying Grounds - Eeeek! Tony has to choose between saving Peter or Pepper and it hurts.

hold on, hold on

Something the Soul Needs

@madasthesea:

turn back the clock (and I’ll try again in the morning)

when my body won’t hold me anymore (where will I go)

They have so many other lovely looking fics--including an adoption au series (which I, of course, love), but I just haven’t gotten around to reading them yet. I’m pretty sure anything they write is golden. :)

@signofuncertainty:

It’s Always the Little Things

I’m sure their other fic, The Third Option, is fantastic and I really, really wanna read it but I’m trying so hard to wait until it’s complete! It’s really difficult to wait, though, tbh....I may give in soon.

@upcamethesun:

Twelve Days Of Peter Parker - So cute and fluffy, and then it kills you at the end.

5 Times Peter Made Tony Laugh Out Loud

5 Times Tony Didn’t Need To Worry About Peter

5 Times Peter Pretended To Be Tougher Than He Was

@frostysunflowers:

Between how it is and how it should be - This story made me love a Peter and Bucky friendship.

@kitcat992:

Identity Theft - This was one of the very first Iron Dad fics I read, and it was a doozy. Full of whump, medical accuracy, and hurt/comfort! The author is posting a sequel now, too: Identity Crisis. :D

For Pete’s Sake!

@camelot-queen:

Goner - A perfectly heartbreaking kidnapping fic, but heed the warnings!

Who Saves The Hero

Never Meet Your Heroes

i’m the satellite (and you’re the sky) - Tony is Peter’s bio-dad but Peter doesn’t know it. I haven’t actually finished this yet, but it’s good. So, so good.

@peter-stank:

built from scraps - YOU GUYS, this is one of the best fics I’ve read on AO3. It’s a ‘Tony gets dusted instead of Peter’ AU, and it’s got such an amazing dynamic between Peter, Pepper, and Morgan. It’ll also make you tear up a few times, at least.

@geekymoviemom:

Sins of the Fathers - So, I’ve only read the first 5 chapters of this epic length (303k words@) adoption AU so far, but I’m LOVING it so I wanted to add it here. They also have an even longer bio-dad Tony with added Stony bonus series, Pieces of Echoes, that they’re posting the 3rd installment to right now. I’ll definitely be checking it out!

@too-many-bees:

let’s kick it

like a bridge over troubled water

@jbsforever:

it’ll be over (and I’ll still be asking when)

@tnyystark:

where the memories reside

@whumphoarder:

Quieting the Void series - Peter kinda has an eating disorder due to the spider bite, so take care if you read!

Poison Apple - Loved how medically accurate this was, and Ned’s reaction to Peter’s condition was heartbreaking.

@seek-rest:

It Hurts to Become

Someday We’ll Know - This is a Walk to Remember AU, so there’s MCD. I’ve gotten about halfway through, but I can only read it when I’m in the right mindset. But it’s lovely and so well done.

This author has so many fics that I’m sure are amazing, and they’re on my ‘to read’ list when I’m in the mood for beautiful Spideychelle stories.

@caraminha:

The Primary Reason Tony Stark Would Throw Down With an Anti-Vaxxer in the Street - Hella scary depiction of Peter with tetanus, and it’s SO GOOD.

@tonystarkstan:

it all comes back to this

skeletons series

to build a home series - I love recovery fics, and this was a beautiful story of Peter dealing with the aftermath of being snapped and coming back.

lay your weary head to rest

@foolscapper:

Exploding Head Syndrome - Everyone comes back when the snap is reversed, but Peter is sort of catatonic--stuck between the living world and the soul stone where he’s with Gamora. It’s such a lovely fic.

@alice-in-ink:

It’s a Little Bit We Do

Danger Pizza

@legalassie:

oh, darling - Peter’s kidnapped and Tony frantically searches for him--one of my favorite things. Peter uses his smarts to help him get out of the situation, too, which is also one of my favorite things.

don’t think about tomorrow.

@blackwatchandromeda:

Broken Thoughts (I Remember Everything)

Leave Me to Dream

A Nightmare to Remember

@emma--anacortes:

Accepting the Tides - Here I am with another adoption AU. Can you see a pattern yet? I love them, and this one has danger and whump and comfort as well.

@ardenskyedarcy221b:

they are standing in the garden - This hurt. Several times the author had me tearing up and there’s a few lines that will stay with me forever. It was just immensely lovely to read.

@iamallyetnotatall:

At the Start of the Universe - This was so much better than I was expecting! Peter is an Angel, and he knows Tony from the very beginning of the universe. It’s different, but absolutely gorgeous.

@starktowr:

somewhere outside my life - I don’t wanna say too much, but just read this. It’ll break you and you’ll love it.

@jessicagoddamnjones:

too bad (but it’s the life you lead)

@silver-bubbles:

The Fire’s Out (But Still It Burns)

@day-dreamer176:

Like A Strike of Lightning - I kinda took this as a demonic possession a la Supernatural, but I don’t think it actually was. Either way, it was fantastic.

fifty-four

five, tops

The World Stopped

@ambivalentmarvel:

Into His Fold series - Where Thanos brings Peter back from the ashes to make him into his new son (a la Nebula and Gamora).

@notaparty-trick:

Doom and Gloom - A ‘Peter doesn’t get dusted’ AU, filled with whump and Iron Dad and an awesome Carol Danvers. Angst!!!

Dust and Blood - Peter is hurt much worse when Toomes drops the building on him. More angst!!!! This author does angst very well.

@ema--vee:

You don’t have to hold your head up high - Peter can’t thermoregulate! I love that trope.

@forensicleaf:

All the Things We’ve Lost (And All the Things We’ve Gained) - This one gutted me, and then made it better. But there’s pain to be had before the comfort!

They just posted the first chapter of a new WIP that looks AMAZING, too: Can’t Part the Sea, Can’t Reach the Shore.

@plnkblue:

foolish, fragile spine - Peter’s severely injured in his fight with Adrian Toomes and Tony finds him.

@helloitisiafellowgay:

god did not craft us as altars, but as dying gods - Okay, guys. This one is heavy. It deals with Skip coming back into Peter’s life, and it’s not pretty but it’s handled superbly. It’s a tough read, but one I definitely recommend if you can handle it. Take care of yourselves first and foremost, though. <3

~ ~ ~ I’m not sure if the following authors have a tumblr, so I just linked their AO3 pages ~ ~ ~

eccentric_artist_221b:

Only for a Little While - This is a Titanic AU, and it’s AMAZING. There’s several scenes that just took my breath away and brought me to tears (not an easy feat). They’re also working on a WWI sequel!!!!

tiaylasglass:

the one who made it out - Short, simple in a gorgeous way, and poignant.

And finally, I thought I’d humbly add my own little contribution to the fandom. So far, I’ve only written the one fic, but I hope to write more in the future!

@ghostinthebau:

For Want of a Dad (in need of a son) - There’s a bit of blood, and a very distraught Tony at one point, so warning for angst and injury!

Again, this list is probably severely lacking, and if someone has a rec that’s not on here please please please reblog this and let me know! I’m always in the mood for more fics.

And I hope anyone reading this finds something they enjoy!

I’m sure you will.

ilu 3,000

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hogwartsfirebolt · 5 years

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Hi again! This is part two (out of three!) of my 2019 drarry fic recs. In the first part I recommended ten of my absolute favorite stories I read this year, and here I am today with ten more that I also love dearly and hope you’ll enjoy too. The banner art is by one of my FAVORITE ARTISTS, @aceveria-art who was kind enough to let me use their art for this and just LOOK AT THAT STUNNING PIECE (here’s the link for you to reblog if you want cause omg). Now, in no particular order, here’s some of my

FAVORITE FICS I READ IN 2019 PART TWO

1. Of Wands and Trees - Omi_Ohmy - 45k - All Draco wants to do is be a wandmaker, but to do so he needs to understand the soul of trees. Of course, the only man who might be able to help him is the one man who is more of a mystery to him than any tree.

We’re starting out this list with this absolute gemstone of a fic. It’s got everything: adventure, redemption, cabins in the middle of nowhere, a spin on the kind of magic we’re used to in this fandom, ancient trees, passion, wandlore, Draco being forced to work for his own food, Harry bathing naked in streams (my mouth’s watering as we speak), and it’s so, so good, the writing, the characterizations, the setting so vibrant I felt like I was standing right there. Just, a gem all around.

2. Take Into the Air (My Quiet Breath) - guardianmira - 11k - Draco is dying of Hanahaki Disease. Serves him right, Harry thinks.

This fic felt, to me, like something completely different from the eighth year fics I usually read, and, having found it by accident, it absolutely blew my mind! I did not expect to love it as much as I did, and I definitely did not expect to feel it as deeply as I did. Just the right amount of angst to give us that sweet, sweet relief at the end. Very lovely.

3. We have a Problem - @xx-thedarklord-xx - 3k - Weddings tend to have a variety of things happening at one time. With a groom as meticulous as Draco, Ron expected nothing to go wrong. When shenanigans, walkouts, disasters, no-shows, and a lack of food strike, it’s up to Ron to save the day.

SO SWEET. Just so, so freaking sweet and funny and different. Ron’s POV was fresh and lovely and so clever, and the plot is hilarious and engaging. It reads so quickly that you will barely feel time passing, and I am 10000% sure that everyone’s bound to adore this. It’s just one of those fics. I cannot recommend it enough. It will be the absolute best 15-20 minutes of your day.

4. Foreplay - @lqtraintracks - 6k - Getting a raging hard-on on the duelling room floor, pinned under Harry Potter’s sweaty body, is not how Draco saw his day going, but… Well, here he is.

Mmfffff. Can barely think about this without having to fan myself, because it’s probably the hottest fic I read all year. Aurors sparring, a Harry who is unbelievably hot, a Draco who tries but simply can’t resist him, showers, a bit of semi-public sex, and the very literal definition of “not safe for work” can be found in here. Just, goodness, it should’ve taken me half an hour to read it and it took about one because I KEPT STOPPING TO BREATHE. Lqt never fails to deliver powerful, incredibly sexy stories and you should all go see for yourselves what I’m talking about.

5. Safe Words - felix_atticus - 26k - Draco discovers his husband has been keeping a secret from him. At first he’s amused. Then he’s curious. The problem? Harry’s always had a hard time saying no.

Speaking of powerful, this one here stabbed me right in the chest and twisted the knife, but in the absolute best way possible. It’s FANTASTIC. The writing is beautiful, the characterizations astounding, and I felt every single emotion so deep inside me. It paints how difficult it is to navigate trust, how impossible it feels to put our own wants and needs over what’s expected of us, explores consent in so many different aspects of life and just presents a beautiful relationship at its core. It really is gorgeous.

6. Upstaged - @lettersbyelise - 3k - West End actor Drake O'Malley starts receiving fanmail from a (not so mysterious) stranger.

The epistolary format already makes this stand apart from our usual fic, but the plot itself is also something I hadn’t ever read before. It’s written so smoothly that it reads like a dream, and I loved every second of it and how it allowed me to build up an entire picture of what was happening with each letter. I’ve gone back to it two or three times just to experience it all over again, and I always have a great time when I do. This is so lovely, witty and just different.

7. Pure Imagination - @aibidil - 14k - An eighth-year tale of depressed happiness, reluctant imagination, and conflicted hope. And skateboarding.

My god is this fic lovely. I spent about three quarters of it clutching my chest because I loved it so much, I love these kids so much and it hit me right in the feels to see everything they go through after the dust of the war settles and they have to figure out their place in life. This is hope in a jar, it’s that light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel story that becomes a metaphor for life itself. A beautiful, beautiful ride.

8. Poor Unfortunate Souls - @doubleappled - 19k - Draco is a potioneer. Harry is trying to save his sex-challenged marriage. Everything is a mess, but at least there’s an octopus in the lobby.

Chaotic, unique, HOT!!! The whole set up is brilliant, Draco’s work is very interesting, the scenes where we get to see with Harry and Ginny are so incredibly well done that my jaw fell to the floor a little, and what can I even say about the entire buildup we get for Draco and Harry’s relationship, it was MASTERFUL. This fic is absolutely amazing and the ending is so good I can still savor it when I remember it. Go check it out, right now!!!

9. Weather With You - @quicksilvermaid - 29k - Flood. Heatwave. Cyclone. Epic storm ready to rip London apart? Something strange is happening to the weather inside the Ministry of Magic…–Featuring magical creatures, Harry wearing minimal clothes, a snarky snake, and Draco Malfoy who is definitely Up To Something.

This story is such a fun ride that can, at times, be absolutely freaking hilarious (the whole “He Is Up To Something” narrative never fails to crack me up), and at times become sweet and tender. There is nothing more relatable to me than a Draco who wants Harry so much he doesn’t even know what to do with himself, and it was a joy to read him here, and actually, both of their characterizations are so fantastic that they definitely feel like an extension of what we know about them to begin with, and I just had the best of times watching them work their way out of this mess. Sprinkle in a bit of parseltongue, witty snakes and shirtless Harry, and you’ve found yourself the best way to spend the evening.

10. A Sword Laid Aside - @korlaena - 128k - When Draco’s cover is blown during a deep undercover operation and the Ministry is compromised, Ron takes Draco to the only safe place he can think of—Potter. Hiding out with a taciturn Harry Potter, who has been missing from the Wizarding World for almost two decades after a shocking fall from grace, is nothing like Draco thought it would be. Draco has to navigate dealing with this Potter while being hunted by Dark wizards and wanted by extremists in the Ministry. When things take a turn for the worse, Draco has to decide whether he’s going to keep running or find a way to protect the world and the people he cares about most.

There are so many things I want to say about this one, so many little details that drove me wild and I want to mention but I just… I- this story is absolutely MIND BLOWING, it’s deep, it’s amazing and frankly extraordinary and I don’t even know how to tell you how much I adore every single word of it. This must be one of my absolute favorite versions of Harry that I’ve ever read, his immense power, his internal conflict, pain and sheer physicality made me weak in the knees; Draco’s characterization is also so heartbreakingly spot on that I could barely believe what I was reading. This story gripped me, squeezed me, spun me around a little and then put me upright again, and there is honestly nothing like it. I haven’t even told you anything about the plot, which… omg. There are no words to tell you how much you NEED to read this. Just typing this is making me want to embark on this adventure again. — I have no excuse for the amount of Harry thirst to be found on this list, I just- well. I really hope you like these little gems! Hahaha. If you do end up reading any of them and want to chat about them, or have questions about any tags or warnings that might worry you, my DMs are always open!!! Enjoy ❤️

#drarry #drarry fic #drarry fanfic #drarry fic recs #draco malfoy #harry potter #drarry fic rec #drarry rec list #2019rec #ficrec

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keelywolfe · 4 years

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FIC: A Pressing Engagement ch2 (Not baon AU)

Summary: Brotherly bonding, by way of felonies.

Tags: Spicyhoney, Fluff and Angst, Dating, Developing Relationship, Humor

Chapter 1

~~*~~

Read it on AO3

Read it here!

~~*~~

“Brother,” Blue sighed as he pulled his car up to curb two houses down from the Fell brother’s home. “I’ve known you for a long time.”

Stretch gave him a sideways look. “we’re brothers, i was literally there when you were born.”

Blue ignored that. “And I know we’ve discussed that shortcutting around is rude, but in this situation, I feel as though you could simply pop into Edge’s garage, look for the ring, and we can be back home in time for the new Napstaton special.”

“oh, that’d be too easy for my life,” Stretch grumbled as he pulled a dark knit ski mask over his skull, drawing it down over his face for maximum espionage. The last thing he needed was his white-ass noggin out there bobbing around like a second moon. “i can’t shortcut in. red rigged up some kinda anti-teleportation field around their house, ever since sans stashed all that nitrogen-frozen shaving cream in red’s room.” He tried to flash Blue a grin before he remembered the damn mask. “can’t blame him even if it was funny as hell. i doubt his room has been that clean before or since.”

“Yes, I remember that. Edge wasn’t as amused.”

“that’s ‘cause his sense of humor is atrophied from disuse, we’re working on it. so if shortcuts are out, we gotta be discreet. which is why you should’ve changed when i asked!" Stretch said accusingly. He glared at Blue's bright pink She-Ra t-shirt, showcasing Catra and Adora in a loving embrace. The sentiment was appreciated, the color, not so much, his bro was gonna stand out like an adorably affectionate beacon.

“My apologies for not owning any cat burglar gear, I missed out on auditioning for the remake of Ocean’s 11. Really, brother, we’re breaking into one garage, not a casino vault.” Blue sighed again and turned off the car. “I really don’t think this is a good idea.”

“none of this was a good idea, but here i am.” Should’ve known it was a mistake the second he walked into the jewelry store, could’ve wasted a lot less time if he’d probed Edge for marriage opinions before he opened his wallet. But there wasn’t time (heh) for him to work out his own version of ‘Back to the Future’, so they were gonna have to stick with heist movie.

Stretch got out of the car and skulked closer, inspecting their surroundings, Blue following reluctantly behind. The sidewalks were empty, everyone else was sensibly inside watching their preferred nighttime entertainment since it was dark except for the bright streetlamps positioned evenly down the length of the block.

Stretch paused outside the ring of light by the Fell home, summoning a small, sharpened bone. At his elbow, Blue asked worriedly, “What are you doing?”

“i’m gonna break the streetlamp so no one can see us.”

Blue grabbed his hand, hissing, “You are not! I did not sign on for destruction of property! Unscrew the bulb and we can tighten it again when we leave!”

Okay, to be fair that was a much better idea, even if it took a lot more concentration and a quick mental ‘righty tighty, lefty loosey’. With a little effort, Stretch managed to coax the oversized bulb loose and the light went abruptly dark. Perfect.

The two of them crept closer to the house and if Blue was humming the ‘mission impossible’ theme song under his breath, Stretch couldn’t exactly gripe at him. He’d had it blaring nonstop in the back of his head since they’d left the apartments. They paused by the well-trimmed shrubs that ran alongside the garage while Stretch considered the plan.

Opening the main garage door was out. Even if Stretch could clip the house alarm, there was no way one of the Fell brothers wouldn’t hear that grinding its way open. Reconnaissance was supposed to happen before the damned heist, every movie Stretch ever saw taught him that, but they were working in a time crunch and wasn’t it a shame that the only room in the Fell house that he knew with any real detail was Edge’s bedroom. Also the shower, but neither of those options were real useful right now.

He looked around, squinting through the dimness, hell, they should’ve done this before he killed the streetlight. To his relief, he could see the outline of window in the shadows, up high on garage wall. He gestured to it, whispering to Blue, “give me up boost up.”

Blue gulped visibly and reached out, the faintest glow rising in his fingers. There was a soft ting as his magic enveloped Stretch’s soul, lifting him off his feet and towards the window. Or more like sending him on an increasingly wobbly flight through the air, limbs dangling as he slowly rose. Stretch bit back a squawk as the grip on his soul twisted him nearly sideways, then hastily overcompensated in the other direction to almost send him careening into the building.

“careful!” Stretch whispered furiously, biting back a curse as he shoved away from the wall. “seriously, what have you been learning with all that training you do!”

“I’m terribly sorry, Alphys never covered breaking and entering!” Blue hissed. Sweat was visibly standing out on his skull, glimmering in the moonlight. Another minute of unstable and slightly painful antigravity later and Stretch was hovering outside the window.

His black hoodie was a better choice for more than the color. Its pockets zipped securely shut, holding his tiny collection of burglary tools safe and sound. If Stretch’d been wearing this one earlier, none of this would be happening and wasn’t hindsight a nosy bitch. He dug out his tools, flicking on a penlight to inspect what the paranoid goblin had going for home security. There was an alarm, to be expected, but it looked like a simple wire job. All Stretch needed was five minutes and a pair of wire snips and he’d be inside.

“Oh!” his brother’s voice suddenly carried through the quiet, too loud and verging on a panicked cheer, “Good evening, Mrs. Gerson!”

Stretch’s head whipped around to see an elderly turtle Monster gradually walking up to Blue, cane in hand and waving with dreamy slowness. He couldn’t hear what she said to Blue, but his brother’s voice came loud and clear, “Yes, working on my stretching exercises! I do them for a few minutes every day. Trying to hurry up with it today, it’s later than I thought!”

Not exactly what he’d call discreet, yeah, but Stretch sure as hell got the message.

Frantically, Stretch got to work on the wires, clipping and twisting them into a messy sort of bypass. There was no time to be tidy, not while he was dangling here like a bargain basement Spider-man as Blue tried to keep Mrs. Doubtfire distracted over there. A muffled grunt escaped as Stretch suddenly listed to one side, hanging horizontally in the air. Another twist sent him face-first into the wall and Stretch tried to brace himself against the siding, biting off a yelp as he was dragged noisily upward.

“Whoops,” Blue called in a loud, nervous chuckle, hopefully covering the rattle of bones whacking into the side of a damn wall, “I think I still need to hold that stretch for another couple of minutes.” From this angle, Stretch had no idea what Mrs. Gerson was making of the washboard sound of him lurching up and down the siding like mysterious jug band traveling through the night, “Goodness, not sure how much longer I manage!”

Whatever calisthenics Blue was doing finally bent him in a direction that was close enough to the window for him to reach. Stretch grabbed on, hauling himself upright and holding on frantically with one hand as he clipped the last wire. He shoved up the windowpane, wincing as it screeched ominously the way windows only did in the middle of the damn night when someone was trying to sneak through it. He didn’t wait for Blue to try breaking out in song to cover it up, diving through the narrow panel and nearly tumbled straight to the concrete floor as his brother’s magic released, barely managing to catch himself and drop clumsily to his feet.

Okay, that went well.

Damn good thing he was breaking into Edge’s garage; the entire thing was pin-neat, no suspicious stack of paint cans to knock over or a pile of trash bags to fall into. Only tools on the wall, a clean workbench, and the pristine shape of his car precisely in its place, gleaming metallic cherry-red beneath the narrow beam of the penlight.

Now all Stretch had to do was get into it. A slim jim tool was out, for several reasons. One, despite watching several youtube videos on his way over, Stretch was not confident he could do it, two, it might damage Edge’s car and that was right out.

There was also the small matter that Stretch didn’t have a slim jim, so that left trying to hack into Edge’s Onstar account to wirelessly unlock it.

That he could probably manage and he spent a long, sweaty ten minutes on his phone, wrangling through firewalls and password detectors, searching and fruitlessly guessing, getting more frantic by the second as he silently cursed paranoid fucking Fells and it was only when despair was setting in that it occurred to him to try the door.

It opened easily under his tentative touch and the amount and variety of swearing that went through his mind right then would have sent Blue sprinting to the nearest grocery store for their entire stock of soap.

Okay, no more time for distractions, the finish line was in sight. Stretch crawled inside, penlight flashing as he searched frantically through the interior.

Not that there was much to see, Edge kept his car painfully clean. Even the mats were glossy black, not a speck of dust on the control panel, no stray fries or pennies caught in-between the seats. His panic was hitting all new highs when the light caught on dark velvet wedged in between the passenger seat and the door.

It must’ve fallen when he got out and Stretch picked it up, his knees watery-weak with relief as he opened it to look at the rings which, stupid, what was he afraid he got the wrong velvet box?

Time to get out of here, rescue Blue from Granny Mcgee and get the fuck out for the celebratory fist bump, and he barely had time to even think it when the overhead light came on at the same moment a much harsher blue magic than his brother’s took hold of his soul and slammed him painfully into the garage door. It knocked the breath out of him and Stretch hung there, wheezing, the box clutched tightly in his fingers as the last voice he wanted to hear echoed coldly through the garage.

“Stop struggling.”

Fearfully, Stretch lifted his head to see Edge strolling in through the doorway and it was honestly impressive how imposing he could be in a pair of silk pajamas and slippers.

“I’m afraid you’ve chosen the wrong car to steal, thief, I’m rather fond of it, I—” Edge stopped, his eye sockets narrowing and Stretch cringed as he reached out and roughly tore the ski mask off. His sockets widened in disbelief. “Stretch?”

“um. hey.” Stretch waved feebly with his empty hand.

“What the hell are you doing,” Edge sputtered out, cold anger melting into clear upset, “I could have hurt you!”

Yeah and sweat was running down his tailbone just thinking about it. Good thing it was Edge and not Red who found him, the gremlin might’ve dusted first and felt a micron of guilt later.

Stretch waggled his feet in the empty air. “um. gonna let me down?”

Edge’s gaze narrowed. “I’ll consider it. What are you doing here and if I hear the words shaving cream, I’ll—"

“no! no, nothing like that,” Stretch blurted in automatic denial and regretted it immediately. Shit, mistake, probably should’ve let Edge believe it was a prank of some sort, let him get mad and yell. He would’ve gotten over it eventually and they could’ve gotten back to their non-dates and twice weekly sexytimes with the occasional overnight thrown in for extra flavor. Except, Stretch didn’t like it when Edge was mad at him and not just mad, he would’ve been disappointed, even hurt, because any prank that involved his car was taking it up to a level of cruel. Edge’s car was his baby and Stretch wouldn’t do that to him, never never ever.

Didn’t matter, he’d sort of lost his chance to go with prank when he denied it was one, so there was nothing left but some version of the truth. Stretch took a deep breath and went with the basics, “i left something in your car, is all. didn’t want to bug you to get it, not after begging off on you. stupid, i know.”

“Very stupid,” Edge agreed, “considering that we have motion sensors in the garage.”

Of course he fucking did. “yeah, um, sorry.” Now that a portion of the truth was out there, time for a distraction. Hanging on the wall like a modern art installation probably wasn’t giving off the sexiest vibes, but Stretch gave it a shot, calling up what he hoped passed for an enticing smile, running his tongue lightly across his teeth, “’m feeling a lot better now, though, could head upstairs if you want, make up for a little lost time…?”

Edge raised a silencing hand and Stretch reluctantly obeyed, ah, fuck, he was too late, Edge was thinking about it, shit, and proved it by saying, slowly, “Let me see if I understand. You left something in my car and decided you needed to break into my home, bypass the alarm, pick the locks, and skulk through my garage to get it instead of simply asking me?" Edge crossed his arms over his chest and the intensity of his glare went up a notch, "No."

"no?" Stretch parroted, confused.

"No, that goes beyond the bounds of suspending my disbelief, so you're lying." Edge’s sockets narrowed and Stretch flinched from the true anger he could see there, "I do not like liars or thieves, so show me what you took."

His grip tightened around the velvet box. “but i don’t—”

“Show me,” Edge barked out.

Humiliating tears started welling, fuck, this wasn’t the time for it, all his earlier disappointment rising back up chokingly painful in his soul as Stretch whispered brokenly, "please don't make me."

Edge’s grip on his soul wavered, sending him sliding down an inch as that anger faded into bewilderment, "What…you broke into my garage, why are you—just show me!"

Miserably, Stretch held out the velvet box, let Edge snatch it away. From his continued confusion, he still didn't get it, not until he popped it open. The bands gleamed garishly in the overhead lights, carbon tungsten because the salesman assured him that it was extremely durable, with a twined color strip woven through the black metal of orange and red. Their colors joined together the way Stretch had hoped, stupidly, that their lives would.

Dawning realization as Edge looked from the rings to Stretch and back, again, and once more for good measure.

"Oh," Edge said blankly.

"yeah,” Stretch said, tiredly. “can you put me down now?"

Hastily, he did. "Stretch--" Edge began, all awkward gentleness now, the ring box still open in his hand like a mockery of Stretch’s hopeful daydreams and wasn’t that just typical of his life?

And Stretch just couldn’t. He couldn’t listen to the pity he could already see in Edge’s eye lights, he couldn’t, not right now with what felt like his entire soul choking in his throat. Red’s little shortcut blocker worked for going in, but not out and now that Edge didn’t have him pinned, Stretch was fucking gone. Stumbling out onto the sidewalk outside and almost went to his knees right where Blue was still chatting awkwardly with Mrs. Gerson.

“we need to go,” Stretch blurted. “right now!” And when Blue didn’t move fast enough, Stretch grabbed him around the waist and yanked him off his feet. Let someone else get dragged around for a change tonight, Stretch was sick of it, felt bruised inside and out as he dashed over to the car.

“Oof, bro-oth-er!” Blue yelped as he was all but bowled into the driver’s seat while Stretch scrambled over to the passenger side “What on earth is going on?!”

“go!” Stretch pleaded, “just go, i’ll explain at home.”

Blue probably would’ve put up more of a fight, sure as hell would with any other brotherly manhandling, but he caught sight of tears starting to boil down Stretch’s cheek bones and instead fumbled for his keys. “All right, we’re going.”

The engine started and he began to pull away…right into a massive cage of bones grinding up around the car from the ground, chunks of asphalt falling from the jagged tips. Directly in front of them was Edge, both hands flung out and his roused magic surrounding him in a fiery aura. His crimson eye lights blazed as he forcibly held them back in a glorious depiction of viciously controlled power even while he was still in those damn silk pajamas and slippers.

Really, it was damned impressive. He was fucking gorgeous and Stretch hated himself for noticing, for even thinking it.

“Turn off the car,” Edge said, loudly, and Blue did, sitting mutely as Edge let his magic fade. He walked over the passenger side and opened the door, leaning in as he said evenly, “I think we need to talk, don’t you?”

Stretch buried his face into his hands and wondered if he could get away with a ‘fuck, no.’

He dared to look out and from the expression on Edge’s face, fleeing was only gonna lead to a wild hunt through the city and Blue already said he didn’t want any property damage.

Might as well get it over with. Stretch nodded and impatiently wiped his face on his sleeves as he got out of the car. He couldn’t even be insulted when Edge firmly grabbed his elbow and held on, leading him towards the house despite the way Stretch’s sneakers dragged through the crumbled remains of the road.

Mrs. Gerson smiled and nodded as they walked past, waving as she croaked out, “Have a good night, boys!”

“Thank you, Mrs. Gerson,” they said in unison, Edge crisply polite and Stretch a dismal mutter.

Edge unlocked the front door, pushing Stretch through it and he didn’t look up, not at Red who was on sofa, sitting up from his slouch with a genuinely startled, “what the fuck…?” and not at Edge, who ignored his brother to guide him up the stairs to his bedroom.

He closed the door and firmly set Stretch in the desk chair while Edge sat across from him on the bed.

“All right,” Edge said. He held out the ring box, blessedly closed, hiding the contents that Stretch was pretty sure he never wanted to see again; he’d rather toss them in the trash than try to return them at this point, “Now. Start from the beginning.”

tbc

Read Chapter 3

#spicyhoney #papcest #keelywolfe #underfell #underswap #underfell papyrus #underswap papyrus

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shxxknytrash · 4 years

Text

pair: iwaizumi hajime x fem!reader

genre: fluff

word count: 2394

a/n: i hope you guys enjoy this! i apologize for any grammatical errors... my mind was all over the place but yeah! i want to dedicate this oneshot to @killlerqween, i hope you enjoy this iwa-chan oneshot! <3

| | “i’m already home”

Cheers roared throughout the whole stadium - a very sweet sound ringing through your ears as you watch the team beneath you scream their hearts out; hugging each other with tears brimming down their cheeks as if their lives depended on the game.

Well, it did. It was the game that would help them get to the Olympics, the final step in becoming one of the best teams to represent the country.

The cheers didn’t seem to die out nor did the beating of your heart when you met his gaze for the umpteenth time. There was a tug on the corner of his lips when you didn’t tear away from his stare, unleashing the butterflies from the cages.

“Arigatou gozaimashita!!”

His eyes glimmered with pride and you knew that he wanted you to see him shine in the court where the two of you promised to be at when you were kids. With a nod from you, it was inevitable for a smile to creep its way to his lips; the smile you always adored.

It wasn’t just a smile. It was the smile Iwaizumi reserved only for you. A smile like no other.

“Ne, ne, Iwa-chan... where do you want to celebrate?” you query, a little spring to your steps which only made Iwaizumi smile at such sight. “You’re awfully happy today, (y/n)-chan.” Iwaizumi casually teased with a playful grin.

Rolling your eyes at the man, you turn around to face him; stopping him from bumping into you. “You haven’t answered my question.” you pouted as you cross your arms over your chest, tapping your foot impatiently as you zeroed in on him.

“And you still haven’t told me what you were itching to tell me a while ago.” Iwaizumi retaliated with his sharp eyes looking down at you, pressuring you to spill whatever you wanted to tell him.

“Ne, Iwa-chan! I-... You were-” you stuttered as you felt the rush of heat going from your neck to your cheeks. Iwaizumi peers over his shoulder as he ties his shoes, nodding at his fellow teammates as they leave the room.

“I was what?” he asks while slinging his gym bag over his shoulder, eyes meeting your (e/c) orbs with a glint of curiosity.

“N-nevermind!” you quickly transferred your gaze upfront with the most ‘convincing’ grin you could ever pull off.

“Oi, you better stop hanging around Trashykawa. You’re becoming more like him whenever I see you.”

You knew how much you wanted to tell him he did a great job, however, there’s just something about how he looked had your heart hammering against your chest - getting you all nervous and clammy.

“I’ll tell you once you d-decide where we’re going to celebrate your victory.” you mumbled, lower lip tugged outward into a pout while avoiding his gaze.

No matter how much he would want to deny it, he just couldn’t seem to get enough of you. You were you. You never changed for anyone - staying true to yourself. And maybe that’s one thing Iwaizumi liked about you.

The way your lips tug into the warmest smile whenever your eyes meet his during a game, how your eyes sparkle when you tell him about your day or how awesome he was when he did straight-ahead spikes, or how your cheeks would be dusted in pink whenever you got embarrassed on doing the cutest things just to see him smile.

(l/n) (y/n). The name that sounded so beautiful in his mouth. Was there even a name more beautiful than yours? For sure there wasn’t, according to Iwaizumi.

Chuckling at your cute antics, you couldn’t help but get startled when you feel his hand on your head, ruffling it in response to your remark. “Alright, alright.” he gives up before tugging your arm, pulling you towards the direction of your destination. “So, where shall we celebrate?”

“You’ll see.”

Whenever you spent time with Iwaizumi, you couldn’t help but notice how everything just pass by so fast. The moment you arrived at the place where you and Iwaizumi usually ate after his practices, you couldn’t help but gleam at the sight of all your favorite foods placed right in front of you.

“You’re the best, Iwa-chan-”

“Huh, you’re not gonna call me how you used to call me, (y/n)?” he scoffs when he saw how flustered you’ve become. A mumbling mess to be exact.

With the pads of your fingers meeting the hem of your hoodie, all you could look at was anything except his chocolate orbs. You knew what he meant and yet, you couldn’t bring yourself to call him with the nickname you gave him years ago.

Haji... he’s always been my Haji since we were toddlers... you thought as you continued to stall, only to receive a soft flick on your forehead making you look at him dead straight in the eyes with a gasp.

“Did you just flick me, Iwa-chan?”

Iwaizumi wasn’t sure whether you were trying to be scary or not but he, for sure, knows that you’re still cute despite trying to look all scary and mad. Rolling his eyes in response, he brings up a slice of pizza up to your lips. “Open up.”

His chocolate brown orbs looked at you, waiting for you to take a bite. You knew you didn’t have a choice - not when he’s looking at you with those eyes. Eyes that were of earthy hue; filled with nothing but warmth and sincerity.

Taking a bite from the pizza, you angrily ate beside him with a pout - receiving the pizza with both hands as you avoided his gaze. “Now, what were you planning to tell me? It seems like you’ve forgotten your promise.” he muses as he continued to put a variety of dishes on your plate.

Right, I haven’t told him yet...

“You did great out there, Haji... I’m really proud of you.” your voice was soft, a whisper that was only loud enough for Iwaizumi to hear. The words that his heart longed to hear were finally laid out for him; his eyes immediately meeting your (e/c) orbs to see any hint of sincerity.

[a/n: s/c - skin color]

The (s/c) cheeks were not the only ones dusted in pink; the tips of your ears were now in a darker shade compared to your cheeks. Were you embarrassed? Kinda. Why so? You, yourself don’t even know why you’re all jittery under his gaze.

Iwaizumi has always been your Haji, a brother you couldn’t replace but for some reason, every single part of you screamed otherwise.

You always felt weak when it came to him, you always felt calm when you’re in his arms, and you always felt like you were in cloud nine whenever you guys rather spend time with each other. And yet, you always felt like exploding whenever you could feel his gaze at you - like now. “I know I’ve told you this a lot of times but... I genuinely am happy and proud of you, H-haji.”

“You’ve grown so much- you’ve improved so much that it warms my heart to see you become the man you are right now.” you reach out to take his hands in yours, casting your gaze on both of your hands. With your thumb rubbing gentle circles on the back of his hand, it seemed to calm you down, but it sent shivers down Iwaizumi’s spine.

His hands felt rough against yours, yet you still loved them. It may be calloused, but it was a reminder of how hardworking your Haji was. “I’m glad to be beside you on this journey of yours, Haji.”

“O-oi... w-what’s gotten into you?” Iwaizumi stuttered with cheeks and ears tinted in red. The way his heart pounded against his heart scared him; scared that you might hear how loud it was. Iwaizumi has loved you throughout these years, and just hearing the things you said sent him into bliss.

Giggling at his question, you didn’t mind how his tongue seemed to be caught in a knot as you look up to him with a smile. “My Haji’s all grown up!” you faked tears, throwing your arms around him while rubbing your cheeks on his shoulder.

And with just your usual antics, Iwaizumi was red enough to pass out from embarrassment which sent you into a laughing fit.

“S-Stop it!”

Both of your tummies, and also your hearts, were full from the simple celebration. It hasn’t been a while since the two of you walked side by side.

The sky was dusted with black tranquility – a choir of stars danced around the serenade of black. The cold wind planted kisses on your faces, leaving rosy marks on both of your cheeks and nose. Times like these are the sole reason as to why Iwaizumi loves walking with you.

It reminded him of how content he was with having you by his side. Just walking with you sent his heart into a wonderful bliss. Glancing at your figure from time to time, he couldn’t help but notice the tiny details.

The way your eyelashes would create shadows over your cheeks due to its length, the way your nose and the corner of your eye crinkled when the wind blew, and the way your red, plump lips tug into a smile were enough for him to smile.

Seeing your apartment from afar, you turn your body towards Iwaizumi; only to be startled when you see him looking at you already. “Ne, ne, Haji, you can just drop me here since my apartment’s near already!”

“No.” Iwaizumi was adamant in sending you home since he had a mission to complete. A mission, well, more like a promise he made with himself. The sound of your whines was enough to snap him out from his own train of thoughts, casting his gaze back to you with eyebrows furrowed in response. “If something were to happen to you, I swear Trashykawa would kill me (y/n),” he adds, taking your silence as an opportunity to drag you towards your apartment.

“Oikawa this, Oikawa that! He doesn’t even care if something’s going to happen to me-“

“Are you sure? As much I can remember, Shittykawa would always nag at me whenever I leave you for a second.” Iwaizumi knew how much Oikawa loved you as a little sister and it was only reasonable for him to use Oikawa as an excuse every damn time. Rolling your eyes at your best friend, you huffed and puffed your cheeks in frustration – allowing him to drag you all the way to your apartment.

The two of you stood right in front of your doorway with you grinning at Iwaizumi. “Thanks for walking me home, Haji!” you beamed while connecting your hand with the doorknob, only to be stopped by Iwaizumi. “I’m not yet going home, (y/n).”

Baffled by his words, you furrow your eyebrows at him. “Iwa-chan,” you paused as you crossed your arms over your chest for the umpteenth time for the day, “you need to go home and rest. You’ve done so well today!”

“I don’t want to,” Iwaizumi firmly retaliates. His stubbornness was enough for you to lose your cool. You tried your best to push him away from your door, but of course, you only failed knowing how strongly-built your best friend was. “Just go home already and rest!” you whined with arms still wrapped around the wing spiker.

Looking down at you to meet your glistening eyes, Iwaizumi tilts his head with arms wrapping themselves around you.

“But…” he pauses for a while and continues, “I’m already home.”

What? you were frozen in your place, unable to understand what he was trying to say. “You’re already home?” Your grip around him was starting to loosen up. It was as if he took every ounce of energy left in you with that sentence, but you also couldn’t seem to look away from his gaze.

“I’m already home,” Iwaizumi’s face didn’t show any hint of insincerity and the way his arms around her tightened had her head spinning. “I’ve found my home in you.”

He found his home in me? your ears couldn’t believe what they were hearing. Iwaizumi, your best friend since childhood, found his home in you. What did he mean? Was it literally or…

“I’ve promised myself that if we win the game a while ago, I’ll fess up.” He pauses as he gently pushes away a strand of hair from your face, tucking them behind your ear just to see your face clearly. “I’ve always loved you, (y/n). I have and always will love you for who you are.”

“Ever since we were young, I knew right there and then that you were special to me. Special in a way where all I could see was you, no matter how hard I try to defy my feelings, it has always been you, (y/n). I couldn’t be the person I am right now if it weren’t for you.” Iwaizumi’s sudden revelation had your heart go wild, opening all the cages you have inside of you. You always knew Iwaizumi was a man of his words and never did he lie to you when it came to speaking from the heart.

“You made me see things in a better light. You believed in me when no one did. You accepted me for who I am, continuously accepting me with open arms… I don’t even get why you do so when there are tons of men stumbling on their feet just to get your attention.” He continued, ignoring the widening of your eyes when you felt his heart beating so loudly against his chest. He was nervous but if he were to stop now, he’d regret it for the rest of his life.

Iwaizumi pulls away from the hug, taking your hands in his as he continued to search for your eyes - only to be met by your (e/c) orbs. “And for all of it, I thank you for making me feel this way, (y/n). I love you. I really do. Not as a sister or a friend.” he ends his confession with a shy smile. Soon, embarrassment dawning on him, he scratches the back of his head while avoiding your gaze.

“Y-you know, you don’t need to tell me how you feel about me right now. I will respect how you feel and your decisions... I just wanted to tell you how I honestly felt towards you and how much I want to cherish you for the rest of my life-”

“I love you too, Haji. I’ve always loved you.” you cut him off with a smile. The way how his eyes softened at your confession made your heart flutter once more. You always knew Iwaizumi was special to you - no one could ever compare to him, no matter what you did, no one came close to Iwaizumi.

“Aren’t you going to ask me that question, Haji?” wrapping your arms around his neck, you tug him closer ‘til your lips were centimeters apart. Flustered at your actions Iwaizumi couldn’t help but swallow his saliva, eyes trying to focus on you. “Then... W-will you be my girlfriend, (y/n)?”

“Of course, I’d love to be yours.” you cheekily answered as you pulled him into a kiss, closing in the space in between the two of you.

The two of you stayed in that position for a couple more seconds before pulling away with cheeks dusted in pink. Raising your hand to cup his cheeks, you leaned in once more before placing one last peck against his soft, plump lips.

“Welcome home, my Haji.”

#haikyuu!!#haikyuu iwaizumi #iwaizumi x reader #iwaizumi x you #haikyuu fanfic #haikyuu x reader #haikyuu oneshot #iwaizumi hajime #iwaizumi haikyuu #haikyuu fluff #shxxknytrash

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all-cursed · 4 years

Text

Meet my first OC to have a specific fandom they’re attached to!

So I’ve never created an OC specifically for the universe of a show before, they’ve always been fandomless, but I was excited to create one for Wynonna Earp. I’m going to give him a proper page on the muse list as well as give everyone more detailed biographies eventually, but for now, this should work.

DISCLAIMER: to anyone who may have concerns, please know that I myself am Native American (Blackfoot and Cherokee), and did a lot of research while creating this character to make sure I do them justice and create an actual Native character that isn’t just a stereotype. Some parts that might seem stereotypical - such as the name this character chooses to go by - just comes with the modern era the universe is set in and the character’s own reasons. Several of the struggles he faces as well are specifically chosen because I hope to raise awareness in some small ways to the struggles that IPOC face even today. None of it is meant to be fetishising or stereotypical - some of it just exists in that space as an unfortunate reality.

Alright! Here we go.

[ i. STATS ]

NAME. meecha wo’i " crow " redwolf .

AGE. 23 as of 1x01 .

DOB. nov 29th , 1993 .

GENDER. gender-indifferent cis male : prefers he/him or they/them pronouns .

PREF. pansexual but has a preference for men and nonbinary individuals

SPECIES. human , witch , skinwalker .

RESIDENCE. the ghost river triangle .

OCCUPATION. former cashier ; former lead guitar in an up and coming rock band ; current bartender .

ETHNICITY. in simple terms: native american. specifically: hopi and creek. some scottish but not by much.

[ ii. INTROSPECTION ]

POSITIVE TRAITS. curious , adaptable , perceptive , creative , passionate , loyal , perseverant , open-minded , compassionate .

NEUTRAL TRAITS. persuasive , withdrawn (at first; nervous about other’s intentions) , secretive , free-wheeling .

NEGATIVE TRAITS. temperamental , unrestrained , spiteful , reckless , capricious , hedonistic .

DISLIKES. sounds of traffic or loud machinery in general & the sound of metal on metal & the smell of cheap perfume/cologne & hot weather & dust & houseflies & being told (instead of asked) what to do & rap music & wool scarves & fluorescent lights & lack of hygiene & orange flavoured candies/sodas/anything that’s not an actual orange & deep dark waters he can’t see the contents of & mistreatment of animals & having assumptions made about him & mathematics & onions & football .

LIKES. the scent and sound of rain & physical touch & candles , lighters , and controlled flames in general & the smell of cedar , pine , and the forest & music and playing musical instruments & italian food & raving about attractive people with others; intoxication is a bonus & leather; wearing it and the smell of it & glasses clinking together & late night talks & stargazing & drawing / sketching & records and record players & animals & 'stealing’ and wearing the clothes of people he’s close with & running & card games & dancing and singing & creating something out of nothing & getting the last word .

HOBBIES. drawing & singing and playing instruments & exploring / learning as many places as they can like the back of their hand & people watching & drinking and bar hopping & seeking pleasure and adventure wherever he can find it & collecting random things he enjoys / likes .

WEAKNESSES. he’s standoffish until he knows he can trust a person and can come off rude or aloof & the inability to let go of most grudges & his tendency to follow his desires and his heart before logic or his mind & impulsivity when emotional .

STRENGTHS. independence and ability to function and thrive alone (even if he would prefer to have company it is not mandatory) & ability to be resourceful and adapt to new situations quickly & handles time-sensitive situations well due to his tendency to act quick and think later & stubbornness to stick to a task and see it through & quick thinking & agility and speed of inhuman proportions (thanks to his less than human side) .

HABITS. clicking his teeth together repeatedly when annoyed & flexing fingers & playing with his hair in absentminded / lazy moments & silently staring at someone when he’s done with a conversation until they catch the hint and stop talking & if there’s music playing within earshot he always ends up swaying to the beat & will often make less than human sounds (growls, etc.) when angry if he doesn’t catch himself .

EDUCATION. average student throughout elementary , middle & high school . graduated with an equally average gpa of 3.0 , & decided against college, choosing to seek education in less typical places . fed up with his family and much of the treatment of his peers, he began to learn magic from a witch he met on one of his regular trips to wander the ghost river triangle and explore & learnt magic and about the more mystical parts of purgatory - ultimately becoming a skinwalker via the witch’s guidance and training .

[ iii. APPEARANCE ]

FACECLAIM. booboo stewart .

HEIGHT. 5 ' 8 " , though when able to he wears combat boots that add a few inches to his height .

EYES. a very keen and observant hazel when he’s in human form . when shifting , eye colour can range from yellow to red to green to blue depending on many factors - location , how far he shifts , etc . always alert and bright unless intoxicated or in very rough shape emotion-wise . often wishes they were green or grey and has considered wearing contacts to change his eyes (human-wise) to those colours.

EYEBROWS. defined arch but not so much so that it’s dramatic . not too thin and not too bushy , and naturally neat - he rarely has to tend to them and usually only does so to shave a tiny slit or two through them as a stylistic choice .

HAIR. long and dark ; sleek with an ever so slight wave to it . typically worn either down or in a loose ponytail , occasionally sections are braided . falls just a few inches above his ribcage . every so often he’ll dye streaks into his hair but has never dyed his whole head .

SCARS. many . he has a variety of smaller scars from a rowdy childhood; a few faint ones on his hands and arms from scratches borne of cats and dogs . the typical scars that come from falling off bicycles or off swings ; scraped knees and cuts on chins . his forearms especially are covered in scars he prefers not to speak of . there’s a scar on his forehead from a fight with his cousin as well as a few long scars on his back .

DRESSING STYLE. it varies depending upon mood and whatever job he has at the time . especially fond of punk / alternative styles , likes leather , and enjoys the comfort of loose and flowing garments. whatever style he happens to choose at any given time , he wears well and somehow always manages to draw attention - whether from the jewelry he accessorises with (varieties of bracelets and cuffs , rings , pendants with gems , etc.)

LIPS. naturally full , scar at the right corner of his lip , occasionally sore or split when he goes through anxious phases and tends to chew at his lips .

SKIN. smooth , tanned . he doesn’t have much body hair , a fact that doesn’t tend to bother him much. he rarely engages in a skincare routine and much like his eyebrows generally stays neat and well-kempt without much effort . does not wear much makeup but enjoys eyeliner from time to time . if not for his skin tone, the dark circles beneath his eyes would be much more visible .

CHEEKS. defined cheekbones , not easily flushed . sports the occasional scars due to nervous picking when he was younger.

[ iv. ABILITIES ]

LANGUAGES SPOKEN. english [ fluent ] , hopi [ conversational & spellwork language ] , spanish [ conversational ] .

THREAT LEVEL. mediocre to high .

WEAPONS. fairly efficient in his understanding of magic and can easily hold his own with either combative or defensive magic , but prefers when possible to rely on his own physical skills ; is proficient in hand to hand combat thanks to the speed , agility , and strength bequeathed upon him by his skinwalker nature . very skilled in knifeplay , whether throwing or up close . has little to no practise with firearms as of 1x01 .

MAGIC. magic learnt by his mentor was primarily elemental based and neutral in that it could easily be manipulated for defensive or offensive ; he was never extremely proficient and left before he could complete his training so he is still learning his limits and the heights he can reach , and wants to branch out . as for the magical abilities granted by his status as skinwalker - he is able to shapeshift , which saps him of certain levels of energy that depend upon what creature he takes the shape of . he is also granted higher than average speed, agility, and strength because of this which he keeps with him even when not shifting.

[ v. DETAILS ]

➣➣ he was born in georgia originally to a loving but struggling mother and father - his mother was hopi and his father was creek, and while both parents had originally lived on their own respective reservations, they had met one another by chance during a trip and fallen in love, eventually deciding to seek out their own home outside of the reservations. his parents loved him but struggled financially; eventually his mother’s sister offered to take him in. as that was the better option rather than the three of them becoming homeless, crow’s parents sent him to live with his aunt in arizona on the rez. while they stayed in touch, his parents needed to stay in georgia, and as such he only would see them on the occasional holiday.

➣➣ while his aunt meant well, his cousins were another story. living with his aunt and uncle would have been fine had it not been for their two children; a son and daughter who constantly bullied him behind their backs for not being pure hopi as they were, often harassing him about being a ‘halfbreed’. a quiet boy at heart to boot, he faced bullying in school as well all the way through high school. his cousins, in tenth grade, snooped in his room and found his journal - which they used to out him as pansexual to the school.

➣➣ the moment he graduated, he spent as much time off the rez as possible, avoiding his cousins. on one of his frequent trips to simply explore nearby cities and towns, he found himself in purgatory. one drunken night led to following a mysterious woman into the woods. as it turned out, she was a witch. intrigued and excited at the idea of learning magic and having a way to defend himself, he quickly took her up on her offer to teach him. after a few months, she let him in on her secret - she was a skinwalker.

➣➣ she talked up how powerful she was because of it, and how no one would ever hurt her again. the more he heard about it, the more he wanted it. still unhealed from the way he was treated growing up and too caught up in the concept of never having to be beneath someone ever again, he agreed to let her hold the ceremony that would make him one as well without thinking of the consequences. when she told him that the final task he needed was to kill a family member... he almost faltered but agreed and went back to the rez.

➣➣ he almost didn’t do it. it was night when he returned, and he could see his male cousin drinking on the porch. the concept of killing someone - even someone like his cousin who had treated him so poorly - was daunting. he might have changed his mind had his cousin not seen him arriving and was immediately being malicious; using homophobic slurs and accusing crow of having run off with a lover, talking about how disgraceful it was. and it all was a blur from there.

➣➣ bringing back a lock of his cousin’s hair to the witch, she finished the rituals and he became the creature she had promised - powerful but at what cost? still wrought with guilt despite having made the ultimate choice, crow left the forests on the outskirts of purgatory where he had been training and into the ghost river triangle itself, unable to go home after what he did and unable to stomach facing the witch. living out of his truck, he went from odd job to odd job, eventually landing a stable job as a cashier at a grocery store. around this time he chose to begin going by the name crow - both to distance himself from his past, and because if someone were to want to control or destroy him now as a skinwalker, they could do so if they knew his true, personal name. as such, a nickname seemed the safest bet.

➣➣ fastforward to present day (1x01). after a few years of cashiering and attempting to rent rooms and apartments without success, as well as a stint playing guitar for an up and coming rock band, crow landed a job as a bartender at one of the local bars and instead of attempting to rent rooms or apartments, ended up moving into the trailer park. it was sketchy to say the least, but he couldn’t afford anything fancy and clearly didn’t handle having roommates well. a trailer seemed like the next best thing, outside of living in the woods or in his truck. his tendency to mind his own business and expect that of others meant that he mingled with normal purgatory residents and the revenants equally, pursuing his hedonistic nature as he pleased. which was all well and good, until things began to get... a lot more chaotic due to a curse and an heir he had originally had no knowledge of.

[ MORE TO COME THROUGHOUT CHARACTERIZATION DEVELOPMENT ]

#temporary biography tag

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softly-savage-mint-yoongi · 4 years

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writerly contemplation tag!

I was tagged by darling @j-pping to do this deep af and reflective set of questions that she hand picked herself (<3). I love shit like this, thank you dear!!!

2020

what was the most challenging part of writing this year? Hm, for sure I’d have to say being consistent with updates. Not because I feel some immense pressure or get hate mail about it, but because I feel a little guilty and sad when I can’t update regularly for not only readers but myself because I love it. I also feel like half of the battle of writing more is when you’ve had this long stint of nothing so you have to go back and collect all of your work and reread your notes or even chapters to make sure you’re back in the right timeline/headspace to write the next part. I keep a notebook in my purse that is strictly for writing fanfiction (asdaslkdfsdfjgk), and it’s where I jot down like ideas for a scene or dialogue or how I want something to go. Character developments/important rites of passage or growth, etc. I go back and read up on my notes a lot and it can be exhausting when you’ve been away from writing for even just a month. what was the most enjoyable/rewarding part of writing this year? Without a doubt it was the journey of Allotrope. Y’all know why because I harp on it a lot. There’s something really grand and profound about writing a piece that not only speaks to readers but literally helps the creator grow over the length of time it was being written. Side note also all of the friends I made this year by writing! Y’all are literal angels and I love all of you. what piece has left the most impact on you and why? Hm... I think, again, Allotrope’s development from start to finish was really important for reasons mentioned above and in past posts. In all ways it was a heartbreaking story that makes you feel vulnerable and protected at the same time, forgotten by some characters and loved deeply by others. It feels real and relatable for readers. It’s also left me with the unexpected but appreciated realization that I am capable of writing something like that, and the pride that I did. What have you learned about yourself through the process of writing this year? I have definitely learned to love and accept myself a whole lot more, and a lot of that came through writing. Be it via my own struggles being written into my works, or my passion for art in all forms but especially drawing and writing, or the connections I’ve made with others (readers and content creators alike). The stories of personal struggles we’ve all shared and the close-knit community of support and acceptance and love is a breathtaking pillar of strength I had not expected to find in the kpop fanfic community, and yet, here we are, as one, especially in the EXO community. Through those connections, all of which were born of writing something, I got a lot more of myself back than I had originally thought was lost the year prior. I am very grateful. how has your writing changed in the past year? How have you grown? I used to be your typical smut writer and there’s nothing wrong with that because who doesn’t love a good down and dirty romp. I still enjoy writing those kinds of pieces, but more than anything I realized I absolutely THRIVE on emotional work. I want what I write to make people feel, and feel deeper than lust. I want then to feel everything between despair and elation on the emotional scale. Especially if readers are already feeling enough anxiousness and depression in their daily lives, that relatable connection to characters and being able to feel better by reading something and experiencing those emotions that heal along the way in a story with a good ending is really important to me as a writer. The comfort of it. I think that kind of awareness is how I’ve grown the most this year.

2021

ignoring your wips for a second, if you had all the time and energy in the world to write your magnum opus piece, what would it be about? Why is that the dream story you’d write, all other things controlled for? Hm, honestly? I think I did it this year with Allotrope. I had in no way, shape or form anticipated the knockout punch to becoming a moderately known writer in the EXO community with that piece. If I had to choose another one, I am a real weak bitch for fantasy and superhuman AUs. Magic or superpowers, either or. Ernest Cline is one of my favorite authors and I actually want to write a book someday about an alien race fleeing across the galaxies from some inevitable danger of another world-eating race and one day they come to earth in the form of some kind of like star shower. They’re tiny and fall to the earth like snow or rain or dust and the first one that lands on a humans skin fuses to it and awakens some sort of dormant power in a human (usually based on demographics or environments (could be stress, weather, things like that (examples: police officers stress-related being shot at, so they develop force fields or become bulletproof. Firefighters can walk through fire unscathed or manipulate it; kinds of abilities like that.)). So these tiny creatures inhabit a human host (a 1:1 ratio) and basically the humans accept it without going into detail and essentially the use of these powers or abilities helps the alien species survive the onslaught that eventually comes via the world-eating alien species. In very Ernest Cline style, a battle to save humanity and the Earth.

how do you want to grow in your writing this year? I’d really like to get better with my sentence structure. When I get in the zone and write, it just comes out plain and simple. Elegant and captivating writing has a variety of sentence structure, especially in dialogue, so I’d really like to get better with that this year. I want to be better about being cognizant of it instead of going back to restructure or reorganize sentences over and over, because that gets exhausting and can end up looking sloppy. For me- when I go back and read my own work that’s had parts edited in that way rather than a whole- I can pick up on it while reading and it annoys me, hahaha. what’s one thing you wish to see in the fan-writing community this year? I don’t have any particular wishes but I think it would be cool to see more fan art from pieces. That’s been hard to do though since December 17th, 2018, regardless of adult content or not. As Jae said, more authors coming into the community too would be nice. :) I think, especially for EXO, the fanfic writing community is pretty tight-knit because of one reason or another, and that’s fine, but the more the merrier! <3 name one new thing you want to try doing with your writing this year? Honestly? Nothing more than what I am doing currently. I want to finish the series for An Adventurer’s Guide to Romance, especially since there are only 5 left and one is 1/3 of the way written. I will get Heat Seekers started, cautiously because quite frankly it is not lighthearted in any way. Fluff in this story will be nonexistent or scant under a microscope at best. I suppose you could say that’s what I want to try that’s new this year- raw and painful just... brutal emotion with moderate angst. Or, probably write a piece for Stray Kids since I haven’t yet and they’re very, very quickly renting space in my head for free. --------

Tagging: @jenmyeons, @kyungseokie, @guardians-of-exo, @jiminbbyboy, @saebyeog-i or anyone else who wants to do this! I know Jae tagged most of you already so I won’t lol. Forgive me if I’ve missed anyone! <3

#this was hella nice!#tag games #raz on writing #exo fanfiction #fanfiction

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gaystardust · 4 years

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Twelve Weak Lies 1/? [Kanera Week Day 2]

Synopsis: An injury forces Hera and Kanan to land on Eso, a planet neither of them have heard of. Neither of them expect to fall undercover as a young couple expecting the first child, just because the people of the village are so convinced that’s who they are. Rating: Teen and Up Warnings: Discussion of pregnancy and pregnancy loss, although neither of those actually happen. Some discussion of poverty and existence. AO3 Link: [link] A/N: There is a host of made up fruit/vegetables (or our-world food given a slightly warped version of its name), some made of Twi’leki culture. This is Chapter 1, and the rest of the chapters will go on AO3 at some point after Kanera Week because I am waaayyy behind.

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

“What about that one?” Kanan asked, making a stab at something on the star map Hera couldn’t even see.

She leant forward, squinting at the… planet? Moon? Speck of dust caught in the projector? “I’m not sure I even know where that is.”

He shrugged. “Doesn’t matter where it is. I’ve got a feeling.”

A feeling. It was always ‘a feeling’, a phrase Hera couldn’t parse well enough to know when it was just a hunch, or something a little more concrete.

Of course, concrete generally meant something mysterious and borderline magic that she would never be able to understand and Kanan would never explain.

Hera sighed, turning back to the ground slowly rising towards them. It was a powdery brown colour, muted across the whole of the planet bar thick splotches of green and blue in a band around the equator. A quick scan showed few life forms, unsurprising based on the size of the planet, centred around several obvious sentiments.

She’d spent a good few hours in hyperspace trying to work out what exactly this planet was and if there was any infrastructure they should be aware of. But it was still just a blank pinprick in the middle of nothingness, with absolutely no information past a name and an export listed anywhere on the holonet.

Eso. Main export, something helpfully named the Eesu fruit, and wood from something called the Uko tree.

So basically there was nothing. Absolutely nothing. And yet, Kanan wanted them to go there, so they were going.

Or maybe Hera was just tired of arguing. They’d had nothing but fights the last few days, the stress of their repeated failed missions rubbing them both the wrong way over and over.

The wound on her side still stung, and her leg wouldn’t hold her full weight unless she was leaning on something.

It had been an eventful tenday, to say the least.

The atmosphere seemed pretty good, rocking the ship a small amount as they entered. The gravity felt… fairly average, which made sense for the size of the planet.

Hera tapped the intercom button on the control panel, leaning forward. “Almost ready to land, Kanan. If you could come up, that would be great.”

It would take a little while for them to reach the ground, but having them both up front would help. There was so little they could do without the pretence of a fully functioning crew - or even a family unit, in some cases. It stopped people questioning how two people so young had ended up with a ship of their own, travelling the galaxy instead of enlisting or settling down to start a family.

There were no prizes for guessing which comment was directed at who.

By the time the landing legs of the Ghost had fully extended, Kanan was finally in the cockpit. Whatever he’d been doing in his quarters had apparently held him up, but nothing past the “sorry, I was busy” indicated what exactly that was.

A dark-skinned Kiffar waved them down, her dark hair tied up and fluttering behind her back. Hera could already see the pouch on her belt, likely heavy with credits and whatever else people were paying in.

Kanan sighed, standing without prompting. Sometimes, his Force sensitivity came in handy. “I’ll go get it.”

The minute they were securely landed and shut down, the Kiffar was stepping up to meet them. She was tall, as tall as Kanan if not more so. She looked somewhat strict, but nothing they couldn’t handle.

“Y’new here?” she asked, voice rough under her Outer Rim accent. Kanan nodded, immediately stepping up to his usual role. They’d practised this too many times to slip up. “Yes, Ma’am. Looking for somewhere safe to dock our ship, likely long term.”

“You planning to stick around?” “We hope so,” Her added, moving to stand slightly behind Kanan’s shoulder. “We could do with a fresh start.”

For a second, the Kiffar considered them. “Work?”

Kanan nodded to himself. “For me, not for her,” he shrugged towards Hera. The Kiffar gave her an odd look, analysing something between them that was a little uncomfortable. “She’s not well at the minute.”

It wasn’t a lie, and it wasn’t hard for her to see. Hera knew she was washed out, skin grey-ish as she recovered from the obnoxious injury on her side. Even when she tried to stand straight, she was hunched to one side.

Whatever the Kiffar was looking for, she clearly found. “Well, if you’re sticking around, call me Mihra. Now…” She glanced to the Ghost, the cogs ticking behind her eyes. “Y’planning to stay on the ship, or are ya looking for a house?”

They looked between each other, considering for half a second. “Yeah,” Kanan spoke up, turning back to Mihra. “Yeah, somewhere to live would be great.”

She nodded, turning to call something over her shoulder. It sounded like Huttese, but it might not be at all - definitely derivative though. One of the attendants rushed off somewhere.

“Tiss will see what she can find. Let’s get your ship settled, and then we’ll get you somewhere to stay.” She must have noticed the confusion in Hera’s face, unsure why they were willing to help. “Relax. You aren’t the first people to turn up like this, and y’won’t be the last. We’re a community of people on the run from something or other. If you’re willing to work, we’re willing to help.”

She said it with finality, as if she expected neither of them to ask any more questions.

And so they didn’t.

—

They were barely settled an hour when someone knocked on the door. The wood rattled its metal fixtures, a noise neither of them were particularly used to, before opening easily.

Hera reached for her blaster automatically, Kanan doing the same. She already had it trained on the doorway when a tall, Rodian woman stepped forward. Her eyes trained on the blasters for a moment, but she didn’t react.

Her bright, star-field eyes watched the two of them before she half turned towards the doorway. “Maar? I would stay outside a little longer, if I were you.”

Hera half-lowered the blaster, but not completely.

When the Rodian turned back, she smiled. “Apologies, I clearly should have waited. Mahra told me you were looking for work?”

Kanan stepped forward, nodding. “I am.”

She nodded. “The name’s Tsiin, I work in one of the forests just out of town - fruit picking. Not necessarily difficult, but we mainly pick for ourselves so it’s fairly rewarding.”

There was a moment of quiet while Kanan considered it. “And the pay?”

“I should have guessed,” Tsiin laughed, shaking her head. “It’s fair. Some of the payment is in food, we pick a variety so it doesn’t get too bad. Otherwise, it’s pay based on quantity. 30 credits per bag, we normally get a handful done between us a day.”

Kanan clicked his ton. “So, why do I pick that instead of the other options?”

“Three things,” she held her hand up, four fingers curled up into a fist. “Safety. Shorter hours. Less Imperial pressure.” Something about that made Tsiin look directly at Hera. “More time at home, supporting your partner here.”

“That’s four things,” Hera pointed out sharply, but Kanan half spoke over her.

“Fine. When do I start?”

“Day after tomorrow. Get yourselves settled tomorrow. I’ll come and collect you an hour after dawn, and you’ll be back before sundown.”

To Hera, they sounded long hours of physical labour, but Kanan seemed to think it was fine. “Okay. Deal. I can’t promise how long we’ll hang around, though.”

“Oh, we’re used to that.”

The new voice was deeper, raspier, strangely melodic for the near-human body it came from. Their hair was so dark, it stuck out against the almost white colour of his skin and their clouded eyes. In one hand they held a bag of interlocking ropes, metal containers swinging low.

The cane in their other hand tapped on the floor just in front of him.

They smiled vaguely into the room, mostly looking towards them but not perfectly. “Apologies for interrupting, but we are more than used to people coming and going in our community. Fast friends are common here.”

Tsiin sighed from where she should. “This is Maar. They run one of the market stalls in town.”

Kanan stayed quiet, but Hera forced herself to smile, hoping he could hear it in how she spoke. “Nice to meet you, Maar.”

“Likewise,” they replied, before holding out the rope bag towards her. It was more direct than previously, her voice helping them pinpoint a little more accurately. “I brought you some necessities to last you until at least tomorrow. Hopefully, you will find them helpful. There is not much, but I checked with some locals for what you would need to eat, Miss…”

“Hera,” she supplied quickly, hoping against all odds that this wasn’t a bad idea.

“Miss Hera. I asked what you could eat, while Kanan, I can guess myself,” they smile was a little too wide, but not threatening in its strangeness. “Hopefully you will find something to your liking.”

“There’s bedding in here as well,” Tsiin said carefully. “And spare clothes. Like I’m sure Mihra said, we are more than used to strangers arriving on our doorstep.”

Hera stepped forward again, letting Kanan take his time. Whatever he was reading into the two, it was taking all of his focus. “Thank you, honestly. It’s incredibly generous of you.” She stepped forward to take the bag, surprised by how heavy it was, and how little effort Maar had been exerting.

Tsiin looked between both of them, before nodding .”Alright, well. We’ll let you get settled. Come on, old man, I’ll walk you home.”

The near-human turned sharply, putting their arm out to take Tsiin’s. “You two had best come and visit me soon.”

Now, Kanan replied. “Of course, Sir. As soon as we can.”

“And I shall hold you to that!” Something in their tone was completely serious.

Just as they crossed the threshold, Tsiin twisted back. “Day after tomorrow, kid. Me and the crew will come and get you.”

Kanan nodded, giving her his best grin. “I’m looking forward to it.”

—

The house was small and dark, thankfully cool despite the high humidity outside. It almost reminded Hera of the buried houses on Ryloth, chasing away the burning sun and the impending dessert by blocking out the sunlight that most humanoids were desperate for.

Kanan, she knew, hated it. He’d told her often enough in the week they’d been based on Eso. Something about the lack of natural light, and the strange feeling of being half-buried in clay and hay walls.

Still, Hera had forced him to stick with it, pushing through the wobbliness in her right thigh as she ran more whitewash across the peeling wall. One of the neighbours had given it to them, with instructions to paint their new home before the peeling paint cracked through to the wall and the smell of dung crept from its prison.

She hated painting, had since she was a child, but even Hera had to admit there was something nice about painting walls. There was no precision to it, covering such a large space in a single colour, but she could still see where she’d succeeded to cover it.

It was more than a little satisfying.

The twinge in her torn rib muscle reminded her not to lift her arms too high, but there was no way she could balance on one of the stools they’d found. The wound in her leg was healing quickly, but it had been a nasty shot, with metal hooks digging into her leg before she’d had a chance to think. Even now, weeks later, it twitched and ached whenever she put weight through it.

Taking a deep breath, she hobbled over to the mats they’d been using as a bed (two of them, layered over each other for some comfort, even if it meant sleeping next to each other). The drop to the ground was further than she would have liked, her leg giving out halfway as she hit the mat with a thump.

At least, she mostly made it onto the mat - before decided that was far enough. The mats themselves weren’t thick enough to hold her at an uncomfortable angle, even half hanging off them, and moving much further would take more energy than she had. Pausing there would work which better

Hera reached for the comm tucked into the waistband of the shorts she’d claimed from Kanan (she tried not to think of them as underwear, because they weren’t - he just slept in them). They were easier to move in while she renovated the space they would be living in for the next few weeks at least.

“Kanan?” she asked carefully, listening for the telltale bzzzzz-click to say she’d connected. “Make sure to get eggs for tonight as well.”

A laugh came from the other end, covered in static but completely Kanan. “I know, Hera, I’ve already got them.”

“And the vegetables I asked you to get?”

—

Kanan stared down at the pile he was carrying. “Okuru, gulalung, solum and greens.”

“And the annuum?” Hera added, the lecture obvious in her tone.

“Of course,” he lied through his teeth, doing his best to sound exasperated. “How could I forget?”

The sigh on the other end of the line made the comm crackle unpleasantly. “Just remember to pick them up before you come home. And the persipan. Can’t make sweet curry without them.”

“I know, I know, you tell me often enough.” He absolutely did not know, they had never discussed this, but there was something about admitting that that felt like it would blow their cover. After all, the people of this community had decided they were an established couple, and he wasn’t about to make them question that.

He could hear Hera moving around on the pallet they’d been sleeping. It creaked if you moved to hard. “Can you get some alata as well? I fancy some. We can cook them with porridge in the morning.”

It had been way too long since they’d eaten fresh fruit and vegetables instead of the rations they mainly ate while travelling, and the first time they’d had a steady income in even longer. He was already heading back to the market anyway, so he might as well.

That didn’t stop him filling his voice with exasperation, the fake tone he used for chores he would do without her even asking. “Of course, your highness, I’ll get you what you want.”

A hand reached out, catching him around the back of his head. “Wha- hey!” He spun around, face to face with a fairly old Nagai, who had already caught him at their market stall that morning. “Maar?”

The comm in his hand crackled. “Kanan?” Hera’s voice was filled with concern.

Maar’s eyes were greyed over with cataracts, but they still landed on the comm. “Apologies, I have interrupted you. Continue.”

Kanan watched them carefully, not sure how to take this interruption. Still, he returned the com to in front of his mouth. “Don’t worry, Hera. It’s just a friend being a pain-” Beside him, Maar laughed as if that was the best joke they’d ever heard. “I’ll be back soon. I’ll speak to you later.”

“You’d better, Jarrus, or you’ll regret it.” The comm pinged once more as the connection was severed. Immediately, he spun to the Nagai.

“Really?”

“You shouldn’t complain about your partner, Kanan Jarrus. She is trying her hardest to keep her spirits up while shut inside.”

Of course, Maar knew nothing about why Hera was shut inside, past that she was unwell. That was a lie they kept spreading - not that it was completely a lie, just an oversimplification.

“I know, Maar,” Kanan said with a shake of his head. He knew she was struggling, but what else could they do. She could barely walk, never mind anything else. “She’s trying to keep herself busy, painting the house while I’m at work, but- OW!”

This tap on his shoulders was barely a tap. “Kanan Jarrus! You should be more careful. Your wife-”

“Partner,” he shot in quickly, trying to stop that instantly.

Maar nodded almost immediately. “Your partner is in a delicate position.”

Something clicked in Kanan’s mind, that perhaps telling everyone Hera was unwell would end badly for them both, long term. “No, no, she’s not that kind of sick. She’s just making sure to give herself plenty of time to rest.” Then he laughed, brushing his hair back out of his eyes. “Besides, I’m not sure I could get her to stop if I tried.”

The Nagai seemed to consider this, before nodding again. “Still. She should not exert herself, no matter how tempting.”

“Try telling that to Hera,” Kanan continued to laugh.

They arrived back at Maar’s stall, which they had left completely unguarded while they wandered off to… hopefully do something other than following Kanan, but he honestly couldn’t be so sure.

Each of the shelves and crates was practically overgrowing with local fruit and foraged roots, along with cheaply imported items. The whole place smelled like overheated sweetness, with a side of acidity.

Maar didn’t say anything as they placed food items into Kanan’s arms, and the robe bag they had given them on the first day that had arrived there.

“No, Maar, we don’t need any meiloorun you’re fine, or any eesu, I’ll be getting some from work later this week, I don’t have the money to-”

Maar shook their head. “Take them, from me to you. I have seen many like your partner here, and fresh food is always good. After all, she will need her strength, and you will need to be prepared. The next generation are always particular in their wants.”

Kanan blinked. “I’m sorry, what?”

Maar watched him carefully. A few skinny black braids falling in front of their eyes before they spoke again. “Apologies. I assumed you already knew - it has been the talk of the town for the last few days.”

Thoughts swirled in the back of Kanan’s head. Yeah, okay, the town wasn’t that big - maybe a few hundred people maximum, and most of them lived identical lives to all of the other’s around them, so gossip was a bit of a thing.

They were meant to be laying low.

“That… Hera is pregnant?”

Maar nodded as if that was obvious. “Of course. That is why she is in seclusion, yes? Not a practice I would use myself, but I know many species - including Twi’leks, she is a Twi’lek, yes? - use them as standard practice.”

The townspeople thought Hera was pregnant. They had taken the fake relationship between the two alongside Hera’s ‘illness’, and decided that meant they were going to be parents.

It took a few seconds, and a few deep breaths, for Kanan to pull his thoughts together. “No, no, she’s… she’s not in seclusion, Maar, she’s just more comfortable at home.” Maar gave him a look of complete disbelief, and Kanan made himself press on. “She has an injury to one of her legs that’s playing up.”

They nodded as if a grave secret had finally been explained. “Well, I’m sure she’ll be up and walking in no time. Just make sure you get her the food she has requested - the body knows what it needs better than we could ever understand.”

All Kanan could do was nod. If Maar wasn’t going to understand that Hera wasn’t pregnant, he wasn’t going to push it. Stars, he couldn’t even make himself think about it fully.

He handed over the credits to pay, Maar handing him back the chunk that would have covered the extra fruit. Kanan didn’t bother arguing, quickly taking his leave and ending their conversation abruptly. The Nagai wasn’t at all putout.

It was only when he was sure they were out of earshot that Kanan felt safe to react. “Shit.” At least Maar had covered Hera’s requests - he wouldn’t have to face anyone else that day. “Shit.”

—

“You didn’t tell him I wasn’t?”

Hera stood with her hands on her hips, poised like she was ready to fight. She had him quite literally cornered, standing in the centre of the room while he was sat on the bed.

“I told him you weren’t secluded, I just didn’t specifically say you weren’t pregnant.”

It had seemed logical at the time to let the cover the town had invented for them fly, but Hera was taking this much worse than Kanan had thought she would. He’d assumed that he would come home, explain what had been said, and they would laugh about it - but, no, Hera was taking personal offence to it.

She threw her hands in the air, lekku barely bobbing behind her. “That’s the problem! You should have just said I wasn’t, corrected him before it went any further.”

Kanan shrugged. He wanted nothing more than to pull his knees up to his chest, but he’d been trained better than that. “Does it really matter? They’ll work it out soon enough, once you’re well enough to wander around and they realise you clearly aren’t pregnant.”

“They’re just going to assume I’m not showing yet,” Hera added almost too quickly. “Or worse.” Her voice cracked as she said that. Then she shifted, dropping onto the mat beside him. Her head fell into her hands. The defeat in her voice was obvious “I don’t want to be involved with this, Kanan.”

Kanan shifted himself to put his hand on her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Hera. I didn’t think about the impact this would have - to be honest, I’m not sure I even thought. I was so caught off guard, I’m not sure I was planning anything.”

Hera made herself breath, lekku still unnaturally calm. “I know.” She sighed, pushing herself further forward. “I know you didn’t mean it, I just… I don’t know how to deal with that.” There was another pause before she let out a frustrated, grumbling sound. “But I don’t know how we get out of it without sounding awful, especially with people giving us free things because they think I’m pregnant!”

He nodded, looking towards her carefully. “We could always let them have their rumour. Leave before they realise you’re not showing because you’re not actually pregnant.”

“That’s a terrible idea,” Hera said quickly. “We’d be breaking their trust, making them think something about us that we’re not. It’s one thing to keep saying ‘partners’, it’s another to actually commit to that.”

“But you’re considering it.”

“Yes. Yes, I am.”

Everything dropped away for a moment, except the bubbling of the curry over the fire. It smelt deliciously spicy and sweet, filling the room around them.

For the first time in a long time, Kanan wondered if he should meditate.

He immediately pushed that out of his brain.

Hera sat up a little straighter. “ Can humans and twi’leks even have children together?”

“I mean, yeah, of course they can?” Kanan couldn’t help the question in his voice, wanting to know how he knew that when she didn’t. “I’ve never met any properly, but I saw plenty of blended families when I was growing up.”

Her body stopped moving, even though it barely was in the first place. For a single breath, she was just looking at him, and he was looking at her, and something around them shifted.

“I’m never letting you near me again,” she said finally.

“What?” Kanan huffed, gesturing towards her where she stood in front of him. “I’ve never even been near you! At all! What- I- You-” He took a deep breath, staring towards the shuttered windows. Hopefully, no one could hear them. “Look. If it bothers you that much, I’ll start correcting people.”

Hera sighed, flopping back on the mat as if she’d given up. She tried to hold back the wince, but Kanan still noticed. He didn’t comment.

“I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you shouldn’t. Start correcting people, I mean.” She didn’t look completely convinced, but something must have done it. “It might be easier if they think I’m staying at home because of morning sickness. We wouldn’t have to explain why it’s taking so long to recover from a minor injury.”

“Do you think we can pull it off, though? No offence, but we’ve known each other for - what, a year? Do we know each other well enough to pass for a couple who would be having a kid together?”

Hera shrugged where she lay. “I don’t think it matters, Kay. Not every couple is physically affectionate in public - some aren’t affectionate at all. Hopefully no one will notice.” Then she laughed, bright and filling the room. “Besides, we wouldn’t be fake dating, we’re just… not correcting their assumptions. It doesn’t mean we have to actually pretend we’re together.”

Kanan hummed to himself, trying to find the line in his head. It would be incredibly difficult to find the line where people would just accept their relationship, and not ask any questions.

“So we have… what? Two, two and a half months here then?”

Hera nodded. “That would be the plan. We can probably go for more if we need to, but let’s aim for that.”

Two and a half months. Just two and a half months.

He could probably manage that.

#kaneraweek2020 #kanera #star wars rebels #hera syndulla #kanan jarrus #and a whole host of ocs!#boy this one got away from me #there will be more chapters i promise!#my fic #zi writes #zi speaks

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yoongisbars · 5 years

Text

Your Name Here: ____. | JJK

summary: Studying the Fae always seemed like a great idea, and it was-- You just didn’t count on that particular being to be so... Captivating. His face definitely helped his trickster ways. Maybe that’s how you fell for the oldest trick of all: “Give me your name”.

pairing: fae!jjk x elf!reader (named) genre: fantasy au | fae!jungkook | fairy!jungkook | fluff | one shot | strangers to lovers word count: 18k cw: very subtle smut if you can even call it that note: me, the biggest copycat of all but also not !! this was my 2018 XMas gift to @gguktarts, and since i HAVENT HAD THE TIME TO SIT DOWN AND WRITE QOO (i am so sorry life is v hard at the moment) -- so asking for some permish, as an apology for not posting for two weeks straight: here y’all gooooo

The forest was vast, clear, and prospering. Its canopy was dominated by walnut, pine, and cedar; their leaves and branches allowing just enough light to pass down for a flood of mushrooms to claim the branch and twig loaded ground below. Thick vines dangled from every tree, and a range of flowers, which desperately tried to avoid the shadows, were a welcome change in the otherwise brown and green landscape. A variety of noises, mostly belonging to small creatures, brightened up the forest and added to the trickling sounds of a gentle river stream.

You trekked your way throughout it, wary of your steps, but already knowing the path like the back of your hand. It was a long walk from the house to your destination, but it was nothing compared to the travels you made to get to where you are now. And frankly, it was worth it. The discoveries you made over the past few months made your journeys a total success. It all started when you lived in Everwind.

The city home to Elves was forged on the bottom of a mountain. It was erected there due to the healing properties the mountain had, which was of great importance to your people. It was a graceful place. Ceramic rooftops, maple wood walls and a frozen waterfall gave Everwind an enchanting air. It was known for alchemy, carpentering and jewel crafting. For 125 years you grew up there alongside your best friends, Lorelynn and Jackson. Eventually, Lorelynn moved away with her family to Roseshire due to business reasons. It was another elven township, settled at a grotto. Roseshire prided itself with their advances in medicine, alchemy and herbalism. From previous visits, you found it stunning, like Everwind, similar in its architecture and nature, but with a deeper and stronger connection to magic.

You and Jackson were left as a duo who then decided to travel for research and study once you turned 180 and 200 respectively. He stuck by you, though being of noble bloodline and birthright, since he preferred a much calmer life than that of a noble elf. You were drawn to the study of different beings and creatures, and witchcraft, and it was that interest that led you to the village of South Vale. Located on the edge of a glade the village is home to various magical creatures like Dwarves, Elves, Fauns, Witches, Mermaids, etc. The village’s main pride was an ancient water source, which natives believed was the source of their prosperity. Though it was just a village to most, with its oak wood rooftops and walls, and luscious gardens, South Vale’s atmosphere wasn’t like any other. Their main economic rise was due to their blacksmithing. Alchemy and animal training were of their better scholar activities, but their biggest strength is rare herbalism. You took especially to alchemy and herbalism. It was here where you met a much older witch, who was the one to guide you in your witchcraft studies. She was your mentor, and you were very grateful for it.

By the time you were 195 years old, you heard word of Lorelynn’s engagement to a Roseshire Elf named Yoongi who, from what you knew, was a medical student with a thrive for alchemy and herbalism, much like yourself. You had made note of that for when you met him, have something to bond over. It wasn’t usual for Elf folk to get engaged and have weddings, but with Lorelynn’s fascination with the human traditions of marriage, she needed a grandiose event like such, to proclaim their love further.

So, she ended up having a wedding in Everwind, since the waterfall “would make for the perfect ceremonial portrait backdrop”. You and Jackson decided to arrive a few days early to Everwind, in order to catch up and help with what she needed in a timely manner. You met Yoongi and he acclimated well with the temporary reunion of the trio. It wasn’t until after the wedding that you found out that Lorelynn wasn’t living in Roseshire anymore. She had moved about a year prior with Yoongi to Glistening Woods, where he tended to the locals in his medical clinic, and Lorelynn set up her bakery. The move was originally because she had apparently fallen victim to a strange allergy to Fae Dust. The mention of such was a first, and especially the fact that she would be visited by Fae, constantly being pulled tricks on. You envied such contact, but not the allergies, however. Fae were creatures you had yet to encounter, yet to study. They were so rare to find, that it was a small shock to discover the existence of Fae life in Roseshire.

A quarter of a century later, your mentor, well-versed in foretelling paths, insisted that your destiny lay in Glistening Woods, deep within the Silver Forest. It was of great importance that you went there, so she said, and maybe settled there for a period of time in order to progress on your studies. With no other explanation, and not ever once doubting your mentor, you and Jackson set foot once again in travel, heading to Lorelynn’s new home in Glistening Woods. After arriving the first day, you decided to drop by the bakery, as you heard all the way from various travellers that “If you’re heading to Glistening Woods, make time to stop by the Flour Pot”, which of course was the name of your elven friend’s bakery, and it seemed to draw in a lot of clientele. It was there that Lorelynn offered to put you up at her house, to avoid having to pay pesky prices at inns or struggle to find a personal lodging of sorts. So long as you and Jackson helped around the house and the bakery from time to time, of course. Not that either of you minded. A helping hand in exchange for baked goods and shelter? It was a better deal than any lodging could offer.

Of course, you only told Lorelynn that your reason for coming to these areas was for study, which was true, but when you found what your mentor meant by progressing your studies, it far too much to explain to Lorelynn, at least not yet. She would absolutely have you at the stake if she knew what you were up to. If she knew the reason, she had been getting a more sensitive nose was not due to just a dusty house…

Deep within the woods, after months of walking through it, searching for whatever it was that your Elder Witch meant, you found it. A mushroom circle, deep within the forest, where four Fae seemed to gather almost every day. You now spent most of your days coming near the circle, studying them. You were enthralled. By their ways, their personalities, their clothes, their looks. Specifically, the looks of one of the four Fae. They obviously knew you were gawking, studying, but they didn’t see you as a threat, so they let you continue. Even sometimes trying to show off just for the sake of tampering very slightly with your studies.

While you were caught up in the moment staring at the youngest looking Fae, you ended up making eye contact for the first time, something you avoided constantly. He winked at you, sending flutters through your stomach and forcing you to end your studies a bit early. You hastily packed your things, leaving only the small offering of sweets that you have now accustomed to bringing every time you visit, as a thank you for allowing you to study them for hours.

On the way back out of the forest, you felt a… presence. It wasn’t threatening so you paid no mind to it, since your thoughts were elsewhere. Back to that Fae who for a split second you locked eyes with. How dare he wink? How dare you get all red in the face and nervous in the stomach? He was just an attractive Fae, they all were, but… By being lost in your thoughts of him, and only paying attention to your steps below, you failed to look forwards before bumping head first into something. With a step back and a sharp glance up, you noted it wasn't something, but rather someone, and not just any someone… But a Fae… That Fae… You had only ever seen him from a distance, and he was still beautiful, but from this proximity, he was sculpted like a God. He had both soft and sharp facial features, his black hair a playful mess, his expression was about as curious as a rabbit. He had a glow to him, warm and inviting, but his mischievous orbs quickly reminded you of who he was, of what he was. And you couldn’t fall for it. The sly grin spreading on his face meant he knew what you had realized. You felt your face slowly burn at his never-ending stare as he towered over you, and for the first time, you felt small.

“Hello,” He let out slowly, his voice smooth and enticing. “you’re leaving rather early today.” So, they noticed… He noticed and had to come all the way over here to let you know.

“I have some responsibilities to tend to.” You didn’t really know what to say, but you didn’t want to let him know you left because he made you nervous.

“More important than studying me? You hurt my feelings.” He snickered, there was a glint in his eyes you couldn’t place. It made your knees weak. He raises an eyebrow at your silence, you forgot to answer. “I’ll let you get to them then. I look forward to another chance like this. And another of these.” He pulled out a piece of sunflower bread you left behind as offering, took a bite of it, and gave you one more wink before turning into nothing but smoke and Fae dust.

Flustered, you made your way out of the Silver Forest and back to the outskirts of Glistening Woods. The woodland was settled along the banks of modest rivers and is truly an extraordinary marvel. Its elegance is only matched by the backdrop of a majestic Silver Forest which helped shape the city to what it is today. The climate this forest brought was of great importance for its fauna and flora, but it was also influential when it came to architectural designs as most buildings have been built with both materials and stylistic shapes of the forest.

You could see the outline of Lorelynn’s house as you approached it. From the outside the house looked old, but wonderful. It had been built with oak wood with mahogany wooden decorations. Large, octagon windows let in plenty of light and have been added to the house in a very symmetric way. The building is shaped like a circle, partially surrounded by glass overhanging panels on two sides. The roof is high and rounded and is covered with red ceramic tiles. Two small chimneys sit at the side of the house. The house itself is surrounded by a gorgeous garden, including various trees, bushes, flowers and a pond. While about to enter, you are met with Yoongi, dressed and ready to go to his clinic.

“Hey, Yoongi. Off to work?”

“Oh, hey Rowen. Back so…” He stopped mid sentence, and you could hear a sniff. He opened the door behind him and motioned for you to follow him. You didn’t hesitate, but you started to get a bit nervous. Inside, the first floor is equipped with a huge kitchen and two bathrooms, it also has a modest living room, two bedrooms, a roomy dining area, and a study. Yoongi went up the stairs to the newly added second floor. It was a bit smaller than the first, but part of it hangs over the edge of the floor below, creating an overhang on one side and a balcony on the other. This floor has a slightly different style than the floor below, as it only has two bedrooms, one bathroom and a study. Several small windows let in just enough light to the rooms below the roof. Your room, thankfully, owned both the study and balcony. Which is where Yoongi ended up taking you. He stepped in first, but let you go into the study deeper before closing the door behind him.

“You found the Fae.” His words caught you off guard, but you should have expected them. “The ones by the mushroom circle in the forest, correct?”

“Uh…” Before you could begin to formulate any kind of excuse, Yoongi brought his hand up in pause.

“Don’t worry. At least now I know why Lorelynn’s been having allergies lately. Though this is the first time I can smell the dust, were you really close to them?” He spoke, as if already knowing about the many times you went. Which was now obvious.

“Only one got too close, I guess I have residue of his departure.” He nodded with a small ‘hmm’. But a question did arise in you.

“Actually, I thought Lorelynn said that you guys moved here because there were no Fae in these parts… How’d you know about the mushroom circle?” Your question caused him to exhale heavily and put a hand on his neck.

“Well, I lied to Lorelynn about it. Everwind is the only place with no Fae reports whatsoever, but she didn’t want to go back. This was the next best thing, since there are not many here. She doesn’t know that though. So, I simply put up a protection spell to prohibit Fae from entering property grounds, but they never leave the forest from what I’ve gathered. So, it’s okay for her to wander around the city. But now…”

“Oh… I’m sorry. I’ll try to keep the dust at bay even more diligently from now on.” With that, you casted a quick clean up spell to eliminate the specs of Fae dust you have brought in today.

“Thank you, but I do fear that if one got close to you... Nothing, I should get going now then.” He shook his head in dismissal and made his way out of the study, before stopping to add one more thing. “Oh, and Rowen? Be careful with them… Don’t fall into their tricks.”

You gave him a curt nod, if there was anything to know about Fae, is that they are sly tricksters and con artists. “You got it. Have a good shift!” He knocked once on the door and saluted you before leaving.

You put your hands through your curls as you let out a breath. You needed to be more careful with what you were doing. And not only you, but Jackson too. You figured you should shower and change out of your Fae intoxicated clothes. You had already casted the spell, but you can never be too sure.

Now being sure that you were 100% clean, you headed out for the Flour Pot to meet up with Jackson and Lorelynn, you were hoping you were still on time for the surprise today. From the outside the bakery looked cosy, clean and cheerful. Large and small stones and marble details make up most of the building's outer structure. As you enter the bakery through the hardwood door, you're immediately welcomed by the smell of fresh baked pastries. It's as enchanting inside as it is on the outside. The walls were bright and gave a feeling of serenity. Rounded wooden beams support the upper floor and the variety of flowerpots attached to them. The Flour Pot draws in an alarming number of clients from all over, surely based off 50% Lorelynn’s charm and 50% her undeniably delicious pastries, which often leads to exciting stories. When you were first traveling to Glistening Woods, you did hear rumours about this bakery being famous, and judging by the warmth and joy radiating through the bakery, it's probably because of that.

Lorelynn and Jackson were both hard at work on the counter, decorating a batch of cookies. Even though they were busy, they managed to welcome you warmly. The bakery was surprisingly empty, besides an elder human couple, sitting by the window sipping on tea and sharing a lemon cake; and yourself. You sat on a stool in front of the counter, reaching quickly for one of the newly decorated cookies. Often your hand would have been swatted, but miraculously not today.

“What’s the occasion?” You asked as you munched on a classic chocolate chip cookie. Soft baked, her specialty. “You never let me eat them like this.”

“Well,” Lorelynn spoke’s busy hands and eyes never left her cookies. She was a lazy elf… She only turned to magic the moment she realized she could use it to do all the pesky chores she often hated. But when it came to her baking, the only magic allowed was that of her own skills. Jackson moved out of that side of the counter, cookie also in hand, plopping down on the stool next to you.

“Today my ‘sons’ are visiting.” Both you and Jackson nearly choked.

“Say what now? Sons?” You were flabbergasted.

“Since when do you and Yoongi even have kids?” Jackson was in disbelief.

“Calm down. They were at the wedding. And they’re obviously not my sons, it’s just a playful thing. Back in Roseshire, there was this lovely human couple of noble bloodlines, and they had two sons.” You did recall spotting a few humans at the wedding, and a small hazy memory of Lorelynn being hugged by some young boys. “Once I moved away, the couple and their sons would often come over and visit, always stopping by the bakery. I’ve basically watched them grow for almost 50 years,” Her cheerful composure became sombre with what followed next. “but being of this bloodline, they age slower than normal men, but much faster than elves… they don’t look a day over 20.” A soft chuckle escaped her. “Now they travel the world, learning new cultures and broadening their horizons.” That sounded interesting, they sounded interesting. You wondered what places they’ve been to, the things they’ve seen. You had yet to know them and already envied their experiences.

“Oh, right. The kids. Where were they this time?” Jackson spoke what was on your mind.

“That’s a good question. Usually they never know where they’re going until they get there. Free living, I guess. We’ll find out when they get here.” Lorelynn shrugged. What a free-range life…

As if on cue, two good looking young men walk into the shop. You could place them from that one time from seeing them at the wedding. Lorelynn was right, they were men now. “Ah! My boys! Welcome back home!” Lorelynn explained quickly removing her apron to go over and hug both boys warmly. They were quite excited to see her as well, noted in their big smiles and cheers. Lorelynn brought them over, mumbling something about how much older they’ve gotten, they look a few years older than her. She said 20 earlier, but you’d say they look between 24 and 25. You suddenly worried over Lorelynn getting attached to these humans, only to watch them die before her. A thought you put away tight in the back of your mind, never to be reached again.

“These are the boys I was telling you about. Rowen, Jackson. Namjoon, Hoseok.” Lorelynn pointed at each name respectively. The deep dimpled one, Namjoon, smiled and greeted first, Hoseok followed, quickly proclaiming to call him Hobi if you pleased. The cute nickname seemed fitting to his energetic self, so you obliged.

“I knew Lorelynn and Yoongi were tiny, but I didn’t expect to see another small elf.” Hobi cocked his head to the side both in confusion and playfulness. It stung but it was true. The three of you were rather… Short in elf standards. Lorelynn and Namjoon both elbowed Hobi gently, but Namjoon seemed to be holding in a laugh. He may agree. Ignoring this, you started.

“It’s been a while. Lorelynn was telling us about your travels. How were they?” You inquired quickly after all introductions were made. Namjoon was the first to speak, while Hoseok eagerly devoured a cookie Lorelynn offered. His eyes gleamed, perhaps those were his favorite.

“Well, we’re used to going to different places where there is usually a large concentration of only one race or species, this time however, we ended up in a village where a lot of different ones coexist harmoniously, something we hadn’t experienced yet. It was interesting to see how their interpersonal relations developed differently to those in concentrated areas.”

“Oh, sounds a lot like where I’m from. Where was it exactly?” Your interest slowly was deflating. Especially when Hobi confirmed.

“South Vale.” Muffled by cookie crumbs, but still understandable. It was a bit of a letdown. You already knew everything there was to know about South Vale. But now you can place Namjoon’s face from somewhere other than the wedding. You recalled once going to meet the Elder Witch and a man was exiting her dwelling. You wondered what he might be doing there, but that question did not serve purpose right now.

“Oh, yeah. That’s what we’re from!” Jackson exclaimed. He grew to love South Vale and prided it like a native. “Did you visit the Library there? It’s one of the best I’ve been to.”

“Indeed, we did, and I agree. It was greatly vast. I would have spent most of my stay in the library, had I not been eager to discover and experience more in person.”

“I mostly enjoyed the food, it’s really something else. But no matter where we go, nothing beats Lorelynn’s cookies.” Hoseok spoke cheerfully, and you could tell Lorelynn’s heart was swollen.

After a nice chit chat, you understood why Lorelynn loved these boys so much, what wasn’t to love about them? They radiated joy and familiarity, you hoped to get close to them soon, and learn more about their other travels. The boys presented Lorelynn with a South Vale native plant, a pale pink succulent. Succulents were common over there, but you hadn’t seen any here. Lorelynn adored it and quickly set it up nicely on the counter. They had to leave to go put away their things back home and get some rest after their trip. Namjoon said something about wanting to organize his field journal of creature behaviour, and as soon as they set foot outside the bakery, you jumped and followed suit. The thought that he’s probably met Fae before and had note on them invaded your mind, maybe he could lend you some advice.

“Namjoon, wait up.”

“Hm?”

“You mentioned something about a creature journal. Have you encountered Fae?”

“I have. Why?” His expression wrote suspicion, but you made nothing of it.

“I was just curious. I also study different creatures, but I hadn’t been exposed to Fae at all. I wondered if one day I could look at your journal and see your findings?” Your eyes were eager, and he found it amusing.

“Hm, past tense.” Hmm? “Sure, next time we stop by, I’ll make sure to bring it along. However,” His tone shifted to that of a warning. “Be very wary of Fae and their tricks, the ones in these parts… They’re fond of wordplay. Be safe.” Like Yoongi, he seemed to know you’ve encountered Fae.

“You know, I really can’t believe I’ve met three short elves in my lifetime.” He chuckled, and with that he and Hobi marched on with that, not before Hobi waved big and shouted, ‘Nice meeting you, Rowen!’

A few days passed, and you made your way to the mushroom circle with Jackson. He hadn’t gone in a while and said he missed watching them play. You of course didn’t hesitate to let him join you, especially with both Yoongi and Namjoon’s warning still fresh in your head. And maybe if you went accompanied this time, that Fae wouldn’t come near. In your bag you carried your journal, some water, and snacks for both the Fae and Jackson. He gets a tad hungry whenever he must walk such a distance. And jealous that the Fae got more treats than him, so to shut him up for the day, they seemed fitting. Already halfway to the checkpoint, he was complaining about hunger. His snacks were already in danger.

When you reached the bush you fancied, you and Jackson plopped down, ready to set up your study session. After getting comfortable for the long hours to come, you grab your journal and start onlooking. However, only three Fae were present… That Fae wasn’t around. For a moment, you felt disappointed, and even questioned if you wanted to stick around. But you set that thought aside, you were here to study the Fae, not just that one.

“Hm, I wonder where the other one is… It’s not like him to be absent.” Jackson mumbled to himself, he seemed to side eye you, waiting for a reaction. As if he knew what that Fae stirs inside you. An oddly inviting smell of smoke came from behind both of you. And a voice not belonging to either of you spoke.

“I wonder where I am, it really isn’t like me.” You turned around to see that Fae crouched down behind you with his elbows on his knees and his chin resting on his hands. “Hi.” His tone was puckish, your face getting hot, Jackson was spooked. With a hand on his heart he let out an exasperated breath.

“I know you like pulling pranks and playing tricks, but damn it, don’t give me a heart attack, you lil’ pixie!” The Fae enjoyed Jackson’s reaction, but you noted the glint of annoyance at the word ‘pixie’ and pleaded the Gods for this Fae not to give him a heart attack for real this time… The Fae ignored Jackson’s remarks and continued.

“So, this is what you do, day after day? Just sit here and take notes? Tsk, not even a favourable view of us.” He would speak to you, but his eyes and mind were elsewhere.

“It’s a respectful distance, I can see what I need to see from here.” He nodded at your answer and turned to Jackson.

“What about you, boy? I only ever see you come here to eat. Don’t you study us as well?” The Fae’s remark stung Jackson a bit, but in all fairness, he was right. Jackson only came to eat most of the time.

“Hey, that’s not true! I also came here to study…”

“Study what? How to continuously move your jaw up and down?” It was during their bickering that you noted that the Fae kept moving his fingers in an odd way, stealing glances from your journal ever so often. You looked down to discover why he seemed puckish in the first place. He had been tampering with your notes this whole time with Fae magic. Words were replaced, pages were missing and out of order, and a dumb drawing of what apparently seems to be him with his tongue out was now left on the page. You fumbled through the journal infuriated, months of study, altered and ruined.

“WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!” He simply cackled in a way that made your stomach boil. You were supposed to be enraged, but why did this Fae’s mischievous way of laughing sent flutters to your heart instead? The Fae laughed hysterically, rolling on his back and snapping his fingers, only to turn into a puff of dust and smoke. You looked over to the other three Fae, who had been watching the whole scene unfold. They were in on it, by the way they were also laughing. They all turned to smoke and dust one by one, almost simultaneously. Was this their way of getting back at you for leaving early last time? That dumb Fae… You mumbled and grumbled, annoyed as you put away your things.

“Sheesh… What was that all about?” Jackson uttered as he got up and stretched his back. “I didn’t expect them to leave so soon, also didn’t expect that pesky thing to come bother us.” You shot daggers at him, almost instantly, but you quickly composed. Why did his insult to the Fae annoy you? You were already set to go but remembered to leave the sunflower bread behind.

“Really, you’re going to leave them offerings, after that? After they did what they did? You’re getting soft for them, Rowen.” He snickered as he avoided the elbow you threw at him and headed out.

“Don’t leave me behind!”

The following weeks were more of the same. You’d either go study the Fae alone or with Jackson, but often ended up striking conversations with that one Fae, he would now always come to you once you reached the bush. Sometimes now it would just be him at the mushroom circle, waiting for you. Though he was quite impish, you found yourself growing to enjoy his company, dare you say, a friendship was building between you. You still weren’t on speaking terms with the other Fae, but they would wave hello and goodbye whenever they saw you in the woods. You felt lucky. Going from only glancing from a distance, to now being bothered and welcomed by them. That one Fae still made you a bit nervous however, especially when you noticed that Yoongi’s spell wasn’t as strong on the second floor as it seemed to be on the first. Either that or this Fae was just strong… You started to notice that some of your things would be misplaced. That went on for a few days, but you didn’t mind. As long as you always found everything and cast a cleaning spell to remove his dust, it was okay. Sometimes the dust got to Lorelynn before you could get to it, and her allergies had gotten a bit worse. Yoongi would worry, but he knew how much you were taking care of the dust, so he didn’t mind much, if by the end of the day there were no dust laying around, and nobody found out that it was because of that Fae coming here, it was all fine.

One day, however, enough was enough. Your rings and crystals… Not only were they misplaced, but after searching high and low all day you realized, they were missing… Simple tricks were okay, but downright stealing what was most precious and vital to you, that was crossing many lines. You were hunting this Fae down, and getting back what was rightfully yours.

The path to the mushroom circle didn’t seem far this time, your enraged self got there rather quickly. Still a bit at a distance, you could already make out the four Fae. They were playing with your crystals, trying them up with twine and twigs, to make them look like a crown of sorts. They seemed to be playing as Royals due to their exaggerated and fine movements, which led them to laugh at each other. The broad one wore the biggest crown, sitting atop a large rock. Even though it was just for play, he deemed authority, he was clearly the elder of the four. The other three, including that one Fae, were dancing and clapping to please their ‘King’. You almost forgot why you were here, almost forgot you were mad, you were captivated by their youthful and playful essence, clearly ensuring they were as Fae as Fae could get.

“Hey!” You shouted over at them, a bit louder than what you wanted. The young Fae looked over at you, and his expression turned into one of excitement. He disappeared from where he once stood and appeared before you. Taking your hand in his and dragging you over to the rest of the Fae.

“Come, come, we’re having a party of sorts! We have treasures!” Treasures?

“You mean my crystals and rings?” You knew where the crystals were, atop the head of the ‘Fae King’, but your rings… They were nestled on every finger of that Fae. Your heart was a mess again when you realized your hand was in his and he wore all your rings.

The eldest Fae, their ‘King’, was the first to speak. “Thank you for lending us your crystals.” He bowed his head slightly with a snicker. The other two Fae followed suit with their own thanks. The crystals were now the least of your worries, as they looked fantastic in the crowns made for them. Now they really felt magical.

“You’re welcome… So long as I get them back, it’s okay.” You nodded, taking your hand from that Fae’s as you noticed it was still tightly secured in his.

One of the other Fae spoke, his voice deep. “Of course, you will get them back, we were going to send our youngest to put them back where he found them after we were done.”

The smallest Fae out of the four chimed in. “But we can’t promise you anything about your rings… He’s grown too fond of them.” Your eye twitched.

“I need my rings.” You turned your gaze over to the Fae towering over you. His arms crossed and eyes avoiding your stare.

“No, you don’t.”

“Yes, I do.”

“No.

“Yes!” Your shout caught him off guard, his eyes finally meeting yours as he realized you weren’t playing.

“You really aren’t that keen on fun, are you? Here.” He started to take off his rings, with an expression you couldn’t make out, but it stung you a bit. He hesitated a bit before giving you a ring in specific, but he still gave it up. You took this as his preferred ring and decided to… let him have it.

“Keep it. Before I change my mind.” You saw his expression change back to the excited one when you first arrived, he quickly slipped the ring back on his pinkie. It suited him well. You stayed with all four Fae, getting to know them. The smallest Fae stood next to you, giggling.

“For the second time in my life, I’m taller than an Elf.” He burst out into laughter and they all followed suit… You sighed, fully knowing your height was going to be the butt of the joke every chance they got from now on.

As time passed by, you and Jackson bonded with all four Fae whenever you had the chance to. You could now cross reference your notes with their facts, hoping that they weren’t playing tricks on you again. As the time passed, you and that Fae grew closer and closer. You still didn’t quite accept that he made you a nervous wreck, that his eyes caused your knees to weaken. You couldn’t accept that this mere Fae could make you feel so small. One day, as you were leaving the circle, the Fae decided to walk with you to the edge of the forest, a newly found habit of his which you didn’t question. Though he made you tremble, you couldn’t help but enjoy the attention.

You get the feeling that since you are now both aware after months and months of getting to know each other, that you aren’t a threat to one or the other, that it is time to finally know each other’s names.

“So,” you started, a knot already forming in your throat, what if he didn’t feel safe yet? “What’s your name? I feel weird not knowing what to call you besides ‘boy’.” He chuckled softly; poking his tongue on his lip before responding.

“Jungkook. My name is Jungkook, Kook for short.” He smiled, looking forward.

“Jungkook… Kook. Nice.” You nodded.

“Mhm. And I believe it is now time for you to give me your name.” There was a glint in his eyes you didn’t understand.

“Rowen.” You were dumb, you were stupid, and it wasn’t until Jungkook guffawed in disbelief that you realized just how dumb you really were. You gave him your name. You fell for the one thing everyone warned you, wordplay. You were now bound by name to the most mischievous and impulsive Fae you’ve ever met, and you’ve only met four.

“I can’t believe you actually fell for it! YOU WEREN’T SUPPOSED TO GIVE ME YOUR NAME! YOU’RE A WITCH, YOU’RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW THIS!” Those were the last words he managed to get out before fully turning into unstoppable laughter. You weren’t even halfway back to the edge of the forest, and you were now nameless. Because of your dumb self wanting to know his name…

“Phew, I have to go take care of something, have a safe walk back.” He turned into a puff of smoke and dust with one last laugh. You sighed in disbelief… This could only happen to you, for falling for this stupid Fae, stupid Kook…

With shrugged shoulders you made it out of the forest and back to the house, the walk felt longer this time, what with being alone and losing your name and all. Your shoulders fell even more when you saw Lorelynn outside, waiting for you. As you got closer, you realized her eyes were watery and puffy, her nose was red, she was allergy ridden, all due to the letter she had in her fingers, dripping with Fae dust… Oh no…

“So, you met a few Fae… and gave one of them your name?” Was the first thing the stuffy nosed elf said. “I overheard Namjoon giving you advice. He could have warned of anything, but he chose: don’t fall for wordplay; and that’s exactly what you do.” She blew her nose into a tissue.

“I know, I’m dumb…” There was no other way around this, you were just dumb.

“Wow, you really fell hard for a Fae, huh?” She handed you the letter, which was obviously from Jungkook. “Here, it’s a name-binding contract. A warning, really. You’re officially his plaything, though I would dare to go as far as calling you his slave.” She sighed. “Yoongi told me about everything, including the spell.” At least you’re not the only 0ne in trouble. “Apparently, it's only been working on our floor, and now with this new dilemma… Just be wary of the name-binding consequences. And try to keep him at bay…” She motions for you to follow her inside. “Come on, you’re on cleaning duty. That dumb letter has gotten dust everywhere. And I might as well learn about the Fae, so you’re also on teaching duty.” You followed her up to your study, casting a cleaning spell almost every step of the way, can never be too sure anymore.

“Is he cute at least?”

“Shut up.”

It had been a few days since you gave up your name and you hadn’t seen its new owner; however, you’ve noticed he’s been around and fully using your name because lately some of the spells, charms and incantations that you’ve practiced with ease, are now suddenly… not working as they should. You were downstairs in the living room this time, since Jungkook shouldn’t be on the first floor anyways, you felt better off practicing there. You had placed Sage Incense, a Silver Spell Candle, a bowl of Sea Salt and a Chalice filled with water on the coffee table. You drew your circle, then lit the incense and the candle, and meditated for a few minutes while the sage filled the room. You held your hands over the incense and said, “with air I cleanse myself.” You let the smoke twirl around your fingers for a few moments. Feeling the cleansing properties of sage immerse you. Then you held your hands above the candle and said, “with fire I cleanse myself.” Visualizing the flame burning away anything unwanted within you. You took the sea salt and crumbled it between your fingers, gently rubbing it on your hands, and said, “with earth I cleanse myself.” Then dipped your hands in the water, again gently rubbing your hands, and said…

“With water I cleanse myself.” Another voice overlapped yours. Jungkook. He sat Indian style on the Lazy Chair, elbow on one knee, chin in hand, eyes on you. And that fluttering smile. How was he even inside? How did he break through the barrier spell? To your knowledge, the spell didn’t reach the second floor due to it being a new addition and Yoongi forgetting to correct it, but Jungkook had only been around in his diminutive state, from what he had told you. But now he was in full form, on the First floor. The forbidden floor. Oh no…

“What are you doing here?” You quickly blurted out in surprise.

“Well, visiting, of course. Haven’t seen you in a while.” His expression turned confused, as if you didn’t know he was coming over. Which you didn’t. This was completely unannounced, but that wasn’t the point of the question.

“No, I mean, what are you doing here, the First floor?” His smile turned coy.

“Ah, you mean the protection spell? Yeah, that doesn’t apply to me anymore.” Your spine went cold. He stood up, picking at his finger. “You are safe to come into the first floor, I own your name, therefore, I’m safe to come in also.” He gave you a sly wink, and then shrugged. “That, and the fact that Lorelynn has a lot of Fae inviting plants both inside and outside of the house, it’s stupid to be honest with you. The spell gets cancelled out due to the plants and the contract. Had there been no plants, maybe I wouldn’t be allowed in, but who knows. Too late now, anyways.” He walked towards you, with a questionable glint. “Why is there a protection spell against Fae, exactly?” He towered over you, causing panic. He liked having this power over you. Even though he was ten years younger, he asserted dominance over you.

“I’ll explain later, but really you have to…” You stopped mid sentence, already hearing Lorelynn’s steps up the entrance path. “Shit. Follow me.” You grabbed his arm and practically yanked it from its socket as you dragged him up the stairs and into your room. You close the door behind you and usher the Fae boy to stay quiet. Pressing an ear to the floor, you listened to Lorelynn’s movements, what was happening downstairs. You kicked yourself for not doing a quick cleaning spell the moment you heard Lorelynn sneeze, subsequently followed by a ‘Rowen...’ Shit, shit, shit.

“Listen,” You started to whisper to Jungkook. “you need to go, now. Even though Lorelynn already knows of you, she would be absolutely enraged if she found you here, she’s severely allergic to Fae Dust, which you leave around every which way! It could complicate my living arrangement here…” His eyes widened in alarm, he did not know of the allergies prior or what his presence could imply.

“Oh, I’ll leave now…” The both of you looked over to the door after hearing Lorelynn’s steps coming up the stairs.

“No time, you poof, more dust. In the closet.” You quickly shoved him in and closed the closet. He tried his hardest to stay still, quiet and not drop any dust.

Lorelynn knocked and opened the door to your room, looking a mess of confusion and death. “Whose turn was it to clean the house this week? Was it me? Did I forget again? Or did you go play with the Fae?” Her stuffy nose interfered with her pronunciation.

“Nah, it’s mine, and I was out with the Fae. I left some of my spell stuff downstairs but came to get something else, so I could get to it properly.” Truthfully, it was your turn. You had already cleaned the house, though. But forgot to do it again with the presence of the Fae, she just didn’t need to know he was there. She nodded in understanding but waved you off.

“It’s okay then, I’ll do a quick one while I get some medicine.” Yoongi had conjured up some herbal medicine for whenever the allergies took over, for now they were the ones that mostly helped her control the allergies, but it was only a temporary fix. She proceeded to go downstairs, and you closed the door after she left. You waited a few moments before releasing the Fae from the closet. You let out a sigh and dragged him over to your study, casting a cleansing spell in the room behind you.

“Well, I’m starting to understand why the spell to keep her allergies controlled, but it makes no sense with all those plants.” He sat on top of your desk, confusion on his face. At least he was trying to understand.

“If I didn’t know about them, then Lorelynn had a much lesser chance of knowing they’re inviting plants. That spell was put up by her husband because of her allergies to Fae dust, to keep the house at bay from exposure, and to keep Lorelynn away from knowledge that Fae lurk these areas, at least until he found a cure for her allergies.” Explaining this, you heard the bedroom door, meaning Lorelynn was there again. You forced the Fae boy under the desk with a swift motion and sat at it. Causing him to be face to face with your thighs. You didn’t know this, but this proximity was causing a little bit of Fae dust to fall off him, which he was trying desperately to control.

Lorelynn waltzed into the study, feeling better, but still looking much like death.

“So, I meant to ask, if you and Jackson would be willing to help me with a big order. A Dwarven wedding requested cake and an array of cookies, and I need to get on it quickly. The day after tomorrow, please?” She practically begged, but she knew you’d agree. A Dwarven wedding, you got to help in? Definitely.

“Of course! Count us in. Lorelynn,” She started to get a red nose again. “I think you should go rest a bit, wait until the medicine takes full effect before prancing about.”

“You’re right.” She was already stuffy again. As she left, she sneezed on last time, throwing out another cleaning spell as reflex. “Sorry…”

After she was gone, you moved away from the desk, and a blushing red Jungkook crawled out of it. Seeing the situation firsthand, his mischievous ways seeded for a moment, taking into consideration that you need this living arrangement for your research, to be near him. That’s what he understood. He stared at you for a moment, and you noticed a glint in his eyes. What it meant; you had no idea.

“I think I’ll go ahead and leave now, see you soon, Rowen.” Before he turned to smoke and dust, he gave you another signature wink. As a response, you casted a cleaning spell upon his disappearance. In his diminutive form, Jungkook decided to go ahead and scout the area, something he was never interested in doing before. It was a long time since he, or any of the Fae, had been in contact with species besides their own. He had now travelled as far as Lorelynn’s house, where Rowen currently lived at, but knowing he isn’t really supposed to be there, he decided to find where she works. He quickly gathered that it was a bakery, and the famous bakery by that. Once he found the Flour Pot, he was quick to scan if there was any spell like at the house. To his luck, no spell, but plenty of inviting plants. Another plus were the sweets, giving it was a bakery. He found the loophole, and Lorelynn wouldn’t be able to protest if she found him. Having this information, he seems its only fair if he drops by the day of the big order to help out.

It was the day you and Jackson would help Lorelynn with the Dwarven Wedding order. Lorelynn chose to work in the bakery the day it’s usually closed, to be able to concentrate on the order with no distractions from customers. You arrive early, even earlier than Lorelynn, eager to be able to participate in preparing goods for dwarves. You reviewed the list of cookies they wanted, and headed to the kitchen, looking for Lorelynn’s Cookie recipe book to get the ones you needed and prep the kitchen with the ingredients for the first cookie recipe to make. There was a total of 8 kinds of cookies, 125 cookies each, at a total of 1,000 cookies. What an event it should be. While reading over the recipes, you heard a noise in the pantry. Was it a mouse? You went over to the pantry to check, opening its doors and revealing none other than Jungkook. Covered in flour. With a mixing bowl on his head. You resisted the urge to scream. “What in blazing hell are you doing here?”

“I’m here to help with the big order!” You quickly opened your mouth to refute, but he put his hands up and spoke first. “There are a lot of inviting plants here and no spell to say otherwise. There shouldn’t be a problem with me here.” A loophole. He found a loophole. Along with many of the other ones he keeps finding for everything.

“Jungkook, please. I need you to leave. This is a very important day, an important order. I know you want to help, but today is just not that day. So, pleas…” Oh no, not again. Like last time, you didn’t have enough time to make Jungkook leave, before Lorelynn arrived. You heard her and Jackson opening the door. So, without a thought, you pushed the tall Fae, back into the pantry, along with yourself. For who knows, what reason.

“I just thought it would be fine…”

“SHH, us elves have superb hearing, shut up.”

You heard Lorelynn and Jackson made their way into the kitchen, and for your unlucky self, Lorelynn starts sneezing immediately. Her annoyed mutters grew rapid, as now she had to prep the kitchen and deal with food with an unexpected allergy. You both remained quiet, trying not to breathe loudly, to avoid detection. You suddenly were very aware of the fact that Jungkook’s chest was practically pressed on your face. The pantry fit one person fine, but two? The proximity between you started to quicken your heart rate, and by being so close to his chest, you noted that his was going a mile a minute as well. You looked up, only to be met with his eyes. He had been staring for a while, his eyes piercing through your soul. You could have sworn he was leaning into your face, that is until the dark pantry was suddenly filled with light when its doors swung open. Jungkook, for reasons unknown to you, and maybe even to him, blew out flour onto the face of the poor bakery owner.

“SURPRISE!” He shouted. You wanted to die, but probably not more than Lorelynn did. Blinded by the flour, she brought up her hands to wipe it off her face. Only after was when she realized, the Fae in her midst. You were anticipating a scream by the face she pulled, but it quickly turned into a sneeze. You and Jungkook exit the pantry as Lorelynn tries to compose herself, letting out an exasperated breath.

“So… This is that Fae?” She was blowing fumes, even though she spoke calmly. Jungkook didn’t even give you time to explain the situation.

“I am one of the Fae, but yes, I am that Fae. Jungkook. Nice to meet you, Lorelynn.” He quickly shifted his attention and waved his hand over to the other figure. “Hello Jack.” What?

“Hey Kook.” WHAT? Since when were Jackson and Jungkook on a nickname basis? And since when do they even know their names? It stung a bit that he quickly told Lorelynn his name, when you had waited months for it. But that was an irrational moment, put away quickly.

“Why is the Fa- Why’s Jungkook here? Why? Why are you here? Oh, ugh.” In her panicked interrogation, she reached for her nose. “Oh no, I’m already starting to get clogged up.” She casted a quick medicinal spell to be able to breathe, backing away from Jungkook, and casting a cleaning spell while she was at it. And there began her whining. “I never use magic here, this is upsetting… Rowen.” Whining like the stupid child she often was, but she had every right to.

“I am only here to help, I swear.” He put his arms out in defense, by now he had already taken off his mixing bowl hat, so he could be taken a bit more seriously. But Lorelynn wasn’t buying into it.

“No, you’re not, you’re here to play your Fae tricks and mess up my business.” She crossed her arms and plopped down to the floor, lips pouting out. You sighed, Jungkook needed to go.

“Jungkook, please. I was practically begging before they got here, you need to go.” A disconnect could be seen in his eyes, he had an expression you had never seen him do before, and it… Hurt.

“But I’m being honest, I genuinely want to help.” At the end, he scoffed. He couldn’t believe you didn’t believe him. And you still didn’t. Before you could respond. Lorelynn had already gotten up.

“Alright.” It seemed like she heard something you hadn’t. “You can stay. But in the back. No messing with the order. I will let you help in ways that would require your help, other than that, you are to be sat in the corner. Got it?” Her words were directed at Jungkook, but you felt that the consequences would be yours, her stare said it all.

You take Jungkook over to the back, bring a chair along with you and placing it in the corner. You breathe in deeply, looking how to make these instructions clear.

“You heard her. I need you to stay put, at least until the order is done.” You grab his hand, squeezing it firmly, hoping to pass on some understanding to him. “This is a really important order for Lorelynn. You cannot do anything to the goods being baked, or the tools used to make them, and that if you manage at least that, I will have Lorelynn bake your favorite snack.” His tense expression from earlier softened.

“I understand all of this, I wasn’t here to wreak havoc, but okay. I’ll stay still.” It hits you that all this time, he was in fact genuine, and not trying to play Fae tricks. Not knowing what to say, you simply nod and back away. “Thank you, Kook.” Heading back into the main workstation with Lorelynn and Jackson.

“Why’d you change your mind?” You asked Lorelynn, as she pulled her hair back and washed her hands, preparing for the work of a lifetime.

“He reminded me of when Hoseok and Namjoon wanted to help me when they were kids. He spoke with a child’s genuine interest.” Oh. She picked it up before you did… You were never near enough kids, or any to be honest, to know that, let alone that the same logic applied to Fae, or to Jungkook in any case.

For the rest of the evening, everything went about peacefully, as it should. The goods were not tampered with, and neither were the instruments and machines used for their preparation. Occasionally Jungkook would start to play a few tricks but only neither of you were dealing with the goods. He would fling flour, icing and glitter when he had the chance, never missing an opportunity. For the most part, he was calm. Helping in the way Lorelynn required it by bringing him a spoon with batter and having him taste test occasionally. This helped keep him in place and help Lorelynn get accustomed to having a Fae around, which you all realized that would be their new fate. The only problem being whenever Kook liked a sample, he would shake off a little bit of dust. Which is why he was mostly kept to the back of the room. After a busy day. The order, at least the cookie part, is complete. Lorelynn and Jackson left the bakery, leaving you and Kook behind, but not before she prepared some of his favorite sunflower bread, for behaving today. A peace offering.

“Wow, Lorelynn really is a good baker.” Fae dust immediately dropping has he took his first bites. “Remember to cast a cleaning spell after I leave.” He looked over at you with widened eyes and snickered.

“She is, and I will. I always do, or at least try to.” You shrugged. You both stayed quiet, but not an awkward silence. It was enjoyable, especially since you were both having your fill with the sunflower bread and a few of the error cookies left over.

“I’m sorry for today. I didn’t realize you sincerely wanted to help.”

“It’s alright. I’m a Fae, so mistrust is normal.” Mistrust…

“It’s not that I didn’t trust you… This was just important, and I couldn’t risk it.” Your shoulders slumped down. You should have known, should have felt his sincerity. But because of your various encounters and tricks, you couldn’t bring yourself to fully believe him. So, when Lorelynn noted he spoke true and let him stay… It hurt. You were supposed to know, you know him. But just how well do you know him?

He put a hand on your back and let it stay there. “Apology accepted.” He looked over at you with soft eyes and a smile. Your face started to burn again, as it had gotten used to doing whenever moments like these transpired, especially now, when you were practically wrapped under his arm.

“Y’know, I like spending time with you. And I think the rest might start liking it too.”

“Well, I’m glad. I like having you around too.” His soft expression became mischievous in an instant. “I like owning you too.” Your shock caused him to burst into laughter, give you a sly wink, and turn into a puff of smoke and dust. Not even allowing you a defense, or even a goodbye. You scoffed, and chuckled. What a Fae. You cleaned up thoroughly and headed back home.

The next day you and Jackson were asked to man the bakery front while Lorelynn was finishing the wedding cake in the back, just in time for the order to be picked up. You secretly wished for the order to have been a delivery run as well, just to catch a glimpse of the event.

The months to follow were simply just of you and Jackson going to study the Fae, which had now turned to be more of a hangout session rather than studying. Now you knew that the eldest one was named Seokjin, but you all called him Jin for short. Speaking of short, the shortest of the Fae, was Jimin, who constantly mocked your height being an Elf. And the deep voiced Fae, Taehyung. Jungkook hijinks were more prominent now around the house since he was partially allowed to be there, it also helped for him to grow bonds with Lorelynn and Yoongi.

Most days the bakery was visited by Hoseok and Namjoon, where they would vividly tell you about their many travels and experiences and invited you to in the future tag along with them to see what new horizons you may find. Over these months you grew to enjoy everyone you’ve met in your time living here.

Jackson, Lorelynn, Yoongi, Namjoon, Hoseok, Jin, Jimin, Taehyung… and Jungkook. Not all were connected to each other, but you were connected to all, and that filled your chest up with some sort of pride. Hopefully one day, everyone could integrate.

One day, you were sat at the Flour Pot, going over and comparing creature notes with Namjoon. His knowledge on creature and racial study was impressive as it was immersive, and you felt slightly ashamed that your findings were lacking, but you thought not much of it, until he reached your extensive chapter on Fae folk.

“Uh, Rowen… Things here seem a bit out of place.” He raised his eyes towards you, ridden with confusion. Ah, right. You had forgotten what had happened long ago.

“I’m sorry. Jungkook did Fae magic to some pages while on a study trip. He never bothered to fix them.” With a heavy sigh, you flipped through the pages, trying to find anything salvageable. The only thing you came across, was his simple yet characteristic self-portrait. It was quite endearing, no matter how falsely annoyed you may have gotten.

The noble let out a chuckle. “Should have casted a spell on it before you got too close.”

“Yeah… I might have pictures of the notes on my phone, but I highly doubt it. Worth checking though.” Your fingers worked on the screen as you spoke, eyes scanning the gallery in search for any of your pages. Instead, selfies of Jungkook, and pictures of a rather annoyed Rowen, taken by him, flooded the screen. Your cheeked reddened as you kept scrolling, he looked quite stunning in the images. Putting away the phone, you commented on your misfortune, but were quite fond of your new findings.

As three months turned to five, you had taken a job over at Yoongi’s clinic, where the both of you would discuss herbalism and find new mixes for medicine and such, he was mostly interested in the rare herbalism you had picked up in South Vale, and you were eager to unwrap that knowledge and present it to him. Jackson discovered a passion for baking, and while he would still go with you on your ‘studies’, he would mostly find himself working at the bakery. Both of you figured that by helping and working at Lorelynn and Yoongi’s respective businesses, it was a good way to give back to them for having put you up. Especially now with the whole Fae ordeal.

Jungkook would now spend his time in your study, often helping with the herbs you worked with whenever he notes some are lacking, by nourishing them, instead of being out in the woods with the rest of the Fae, and you would spend your free time at the mushroom circle with them. Other days there would be no sort of contact between the two, which left you feeling empty, but it was understandable, he was a busy Fae, and you were a busy Elf witch. Lately though, he’s traded his mischievous hand for a helping one. He takes care of some plants around the house, finds misplaced things, and even helps in the creation of new recipes for Lorelynn’s bakery, which have been getting popular, becoming weekly favourites.

Of course, in order to be spending time in the bakery, Jackson suggested; in a protective and humiliating manner, that Lorelynn make him wear a hazmat suit. Just for allergy prevention purposes. And maybe a chuckle or two for himself, since he was seemingly getting slightly jealous of all the attention the ‘pixie’ took from his best friends. Attention that was once his. Truly, they did get along, but they bickered like an old married couple.

Whenever Jungkook wasn’t helping at the bakery, he made time to play pranks and cause a bit of havoc in the house, but it was mostly rare now. He then since stopped messing with your name, but still very much enjoys pointing out that he owns it and therefore owns you.

One of the days that Jungkook was busily helping Lorelynn, he struck up a curious conversation.

“So, Lorelynn. You’re married to Yoongi, right?” The semi muffled voice came from the suit.

“Well, you’re quite observant.” She responded with sarcasm, a new habit of theirs.

“Funny.” His eyes rolled in time with the dough. “I just want to know; how did it happen? What was the marriage ceremony like? What is the Elf way of union?” He spoke with genuine interest.

“Well, funny you should ask. Yoongi and I had a human wedding for our ceremony.” A soft smile of nostalgia spread across her face, remembering that special day.

“Oh,” This came as a surprise to the Fae. “Why human and not Elf?” Lorelynn snorted at this remark.

“Because Elves don’t have weddings, silly. Our marriages are concealed through the act of sex. And in that case, I think Yoongi and I are pretty solid that we’re married.” The curious Fae reddened up, thankfully hidden in his suit. “I just wanted a big celebration like I’ve seen other races do, and a human-like wedding was the easiest to pull off.”

“So, if your kind doesn’t have a wedding, how do you show off that you’re married? Is it something you announce or...?” If he was interested before, there was no word to describe what he was now.

“Well, with Elves, you can see it in our eyes and hear it in our voice. Depending on how you look at it, it’s convenient, really. Instantly people know that you’re married, and to who.”

From the back of the kitchen, Jackson chimed in. “Well, if you ask me: it’s an inconvenience. What about Fae?”

“Whenever Fae ‘marry’ we get matching marks on our bodies. In a way, it’s like your voice and eye thing, you just know.”

From then on out, the conversation slowly turned into a comparison of Elf and Fae differences, Jungkook giving small thanks as to Lorelynn and Jackson’s easily distracted minds.

One night, he was in your studio, sitting on your desk, watching you work your magic as he was accustomed to now. While caught up chatting the night away, the moonlight peaks into the room, catching your face, causing your usual elven charms to skyrocket for him right then and there. You noticed he stopped talking so you looked up at him, only to catch him staring at you dearly, but instead his eyes ended up catching you. Caught in his gaze, unable to escape, you felt under a microscope, yet you remained still. He started to lean in slowly, like when he did in the pantry long ago, but there wasn’t any flour in this scenario. No sneezing Lorelynn’s to walk in on you. Not to be disrupted in the locked room. Just the two of you. And before you knew it, his lips landed on yours, gentle at first, but slowly becoming greedier, and to your surprise, you met his actions. You were in a daze, and he seemed to be in one too, as the Fae dust would not stop pouring off him. In the time that you knew him, and the other Fae, you had never witnessed so much dust.

Unknowingly to you, it started to seep through the floorboards and reach downstairs to where Lorelynn sat in the living room, enjoying a cooking show. But her enjoyment came to an end, once the dust landed all over her and her allergies kicked into overdrive. You and Kook pulled away from each other as Lorelynn’s sneezes broke the sound barrier, only to begin laughing at what you had caused, both blushing tremendously.

“I don’t think a cleaning spell is going to help her after this one…” Jungkook laughed to himself. “Or the rest to come.” That second part sent shivers down your spine, because you desperately wanted more. “Does this mean we’re dating?” He asked softly in between breaths.

“I think so.” You say, might as well. This is your fate now. He smirked, and his tongue peered out just a bit.

“It’s good to know you’re mine in more ways than one.” In a matter of seconds, you were both consuming each other once again, with a passion neither of you knew you had.

After that, it wasn’t long before the other three Fae found out. And of course, they wanted to celebrate this union. Jungkook had quite the tongue, and you knew it well. You were outside in the garden, helping Lorelynn plant some new flowers she got. She wanted to ‘spruce it up a bit’ now that a Fae was visiting often. She had run inside to get another bag of potting soil, she would have been able to summon it, had it not been for Jungkook hiding it. Speaking of him, he was well on his way leading all the Fae over to Lorelynn’s house, and he took to using the fact that he owned your name, to be able to have his friends pass on to the property. You were in a coughing fit the moment all four Fae popped up at once, because of the amount of dust.

“What are you all doing here?” You asked hurriedly, not knowing when Lorelynn would burst outside.

“They’ve come to celebrate our kiss union!” Jungkook exclaimed as they all gathered in for a group hug. Cheers throughout. Panic started to set in. The Fae were gathered here, screaming at that, when Lorelynn could come out at any given moment. You begged them to at the very least turn into their diminutive selves and fly off. And they did so. The first part at least. You shouted at Lorelynn to not come out when she was nearing the sliding door, because of bees, and she was deathly scared of them. So, she just watched as you chased down these “bees”, shooing them off. After the Fae got their fun, they yielded and went back to the woods. A solution for Lorelynn’s allergies needed to be found before they could just all wander into the property like this…

Over the next few days, you and Yoongi got to work, trying to come up with a cure for Lorelynn’s allergies. After 1 week of testing and inventing, the both of you gave up the medicinal aspect, and opted for something creative. A mask of sorts, to cover her nose and mouth area. This one, however, would have a magic thread, just to fully prevent Lorelynn breathing in any Fae dust. This took another week to perfect, and after finishing it, with what you hope was 100% secure, you decided to bring Lorelynn and Jungkook in to test it out.

You, Yoongi, Jackson, Jungkook and Lorelynn all were gathered in your studio.

“So, I just put it on?” Lorelynn asked, answering herself by putting the mask on.

“Yes. Now, Rowen: cast a cleaning spell.” Yoongi ordered, and you followed. Making sure the room was perfectly clean. “Good. Okay, Jungkook: take off the hazmat suit.” Jungkook did as instructed, and now we waited. There was a little bit of Fae dust, not the amount he usually exudes normally, due to him being nervous.

“Does it work? I mean, I’m not sneezing.” The elf looked at all the faces in the room.

“Hard to say, there’s not enough dust.” You scratched your head, thinking of what to do.

“I’m trying really hard guys, there’s just nothing worth dusting about.” The poor Fae kept straining himself to dust.

“Well, what caused that dust storm the other day? She was practically in a coma.” Jackson questioned, perplexed.

“Really? You want them to start sucking the life out of each other again? We barely got rid of that dust last week!” Lorelynn’s exclaims made the blushing Fae suddenly start to drop some dust. With that, a thought sparked within you.

“I’m going to need you guys to leave for a while.” You started to point them out the door of your study, Yoongi didn’t want to risk his in case the mask didn’t work.

“But what about testing…”

“Just trust me.”

After a vigorous make out session with Jungkook, enough dust was swirling through the room to cause Lorelynn another near death experience. You called over for them to come over. Lorelynn was the first to walk in, with the mask on. Yoongi and Jackson followed suit.

“We were gone for 2 minutes and you managed to pour out all this? Kookie gets rather excited with kisses, eh?” Jackson poked an elbow at the Fae, the two often threw jabs at each other, always with their constant bickering, but you knew it came from a good place. Now, it was time to see if the mask worked.

“Okay, Lorelynn. The room is supposed to be a toxic zone for you right now. Take a few deep breaths to see how you do.” Yoongi spoke, he was quite hopeful this time around.

After five large inhales on Lorelynn’s behalf, there were no allergies. The mask was a success!

“FINALLY! I can breathe!” She screamed overjoyed; she had been liberated from the dust. So long as she wore the mask, she would be fine.

Over the next few days; you supervised party planning. Namjoon and Hoseok were going on another trip earlier than expected, due to family matters. But knowing them, it would probably be extended once they set off, so you all agreed on sending them off properly. Not only that, you all had to celebrate the success of the mask too, which involved inviting all the Fae over, for all to meet. Months ago, you only hoped for this to happen, now it was becoming real. All your friends, together at once.

Hoseok and Namjoon were the first to arrive, curious to see the mask and meet the Fae that they had heard so much about. You knew it was all a bluff now. When you pieced it together, your mentor telling you where to find your destiny, seeing the boys; specifically, Namjoon; in South Vale, the warnings of wordplay, it all made sense now. Your mentor really was an all-knowing Elder Witch.

The boys quickly go over to hug their Elf mother who bore her allergy mask.

“So, this is what’s helping you survive the Fae dust? Outstanding.” Namjoon commented.

“Yeah, and I can see why.” Hoseok started to pat at his arms, already catching dust on his clothes.

“See that? That would have had me in my room, sneezing my insides out.” Lorelynn was very much excited about being able to walk around her house freely again, even if she had to wear a mask most of the time. She says she doesn’t mind since it accentuates her eyes. Whatever works. “And that,” She pointed at Jungkook just walked into the living room with Jackson. “Is the main source.” The Fae rolled his dark orbs at her.

“Hello,” Jungkook spoke at them, but he walked towards you, who was standing near them, and grabbed your hand tightly. “I’m that.”

“Hello, That. I’m Hobi, nice to meet you!” He extended his hand out, and Jungkook shook it with his free one.

“And I’m Namjoon. It’s good to see that now there can be peace between Lorelynn and Fae.”

“It is, only that there’s only peace with me. The rest, that’s another story.”

And as if on cue, three puffs of smoke and dust appear outside the door, and knocks are heard. Since the spell still hasn’t been lifted, they can’t come in unless Jungkook directly invites them, which when he motioned the door opened, the Fae could waltz in freely.

“HELLO!” Jimin, the small Fae cheered, his eyes becoming little crescent moons. A small gasp could be heard from Lorelynn’s mask. You guessed it was because of Jimin’s cuteness.

“Nice to see everyone!” Tae walked in quickly after, going to greet Jungkook and you first.

Lastly, Jin made his entrance. “I forgot what it was like to be surrounded by other species after so long… I missed it. Hello, everyone.” Jin closed the door behind him and quickly acclimated himself to the party. They were all acting particularly civil. This was odd. Until they spotted the owner of the house, she was easy to single out because of her mask, even though she was trying to hide behind Yoongi.

“Wow, I didn’t think after Rowen, we’d ever see another small elf, but there’s two more.” Tae was the first to act.

“Wuah, they really are tiny, but what about that mask, the poor thing can only be around us if she wears it.” Jin teased.

“C’mon, take it easy on her.” Jungkook tried defending, but to no avail.

Jimin sparked up in laughter. “A tiny elf with a Fae allergy? That’s hilarious- wait.” He got really close to Lorelynn, Yoongi stepped in front of her instinctively. “No, don’t worry, I’m not going to do anything. She just seems… Familiar.” Yoongi moves away a little, but still wary. Lorelynn’s eyes are the only thing visible to Jimin, yet they stirred something in him.

“Is your name common among your people?”

“No…” Her eyes darted around.

“Did you live in Roseshire?” Jimin took a step further, in awe. Lorelynn nodded, something in her eyes said that Jimin also seems familiar.

“YOU’RE THE ELF KID WITH THE SOCKS, AREN’T YOU?!” Jimin suddenly hopped and pointed at her, face utterly in shock. Everyone jumped as well, spooked from his actions.

“STOP IT, NO I’M NOT.” Lorelynn practically mimicked him.

“YES, YOU ARE!” Within seconds he was gone and back, sporting one of Lorelynn’s fancy socks on his head, laughing loudly. “Those allergies were never real, don’t you remember?” Lorelynn furrowed her brows and crossed her arms. “I gave them to you for smacking me with a book!”

“I THOUGHT YOU WERE A FLY! HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW IT WAS YOU? And what do you mean you gave them to me?”

“It was a punishment. It was meant to only be temporary… But you moved away before I could even revert it! And I never found out where you went anyways, but now that we’re here.” Jimin snapped his fingers in front of her face. “There, now you can take off that silly mask.”

You and Yoongi just stared at each other for what felt like an eternity. The allergies… were magic. It took you and Yoongi creating a one of a kind magic mask, to find out that with the presence of the Fae, the allergies could have been cured with one fucking snap. Fantastic.

“You guys went through all that trouble for the longest time, for all your efforts to be undone with a single snap.” Jackson whispered and snickered into your ears. “Yoongi looks so defeated after this.” He did look… Tragic. Well, at least now Lorelynn can breathe as the rest of the world does, but you are never getting those two weeks back.

The rest of the evening went on as planned with no allergies and loads of fun. The Fae would go around playing harmless tricks that caused a laugh every now and then, Lorelynn and Jimin would bicker about the past, Jackson bothered Yoongi over not solving the allergy sooner, Jungkook stayed by you close, holding your hand firmly whenever anyone but Yoongi and Lorelynn got near you. Whenever any guy gets near you, actually…

At the end of the night, Hoseok and Namjoon decided it was officially time to say goodbye. Lorelynn was a mess, even though they reassured her several times they would come back. Yoongi, who looked so small next to them, seemed like a sad father bidding farewell. It was almost comical, but you also grew to like, no, to love theme, so it was a bit sad for you as well, but you were mostly excited for them. You know when they returned, they tell you all about their royal cousin’s wedding and the new places they surely would visit. After the boys had gone, the Fae trio decided it was time for them to leave as well.

“Today was fun, thank you for having us.” Jin started.

“Yeah, thank you. Though we do have one request before we leave…” Tae, followed by Jimin, started to lead on what you were planning on asking.

“The spell… May you remove it?” Jimin directed his gaze at Yoongi, they know who put up the spell. “We’d like to visit, some other time.” His smile spread, and eyes landed on Lorelynn this time. It seems like she will be his target, yet again.

Yoongi sighed, knowing that once he removed it, he’d too fall victim to one of the Fae, and going off by how the night went, it seemed that he was Jin’s victim. Jackson was Taehyung’s plaything the whole night, so it goes without saying that he will also be fully pranked. And, obviously, you had Jungkook. But now, as Yoongi moved his hand with a swift motion, you were all doomed, the four Fae had full invitation to come inside the house.

“Thank you,” Jin bowed his head only slightly. “You will be seeing us quite often.” He winked.

“Better hide those socks, Lorelynn.” Jimin sneered at the Elf girl.

“Stop touching my SOCKS!”

One year later…

Ever since the Farewell party for Hobi and Namjoon took place so long ago, the house has never been more… busy. Yoongi had removed the spell, as requested by the Fae, which caused them to now freely go to the house whenever they wanted. Be it to just hang out and have a nice time, or… wreak havoc. Things started off slow. Jimin would occasionally sneak into Lorelynn’s sock drawer, not doing much, just moving them out of place, mismatching them, poking a few holes in some. Nothing too much. But then it grew into magically placing them where she could not reach. Last week she was dangling from the chandelier in the living room because she used a step stool to try and get it, but then Jimin got rid of the step stool under her and watched as she screamed. She was fine, though, he also magically tied her hands to the chandelier while she was trying to rescue her socks.

At first, Jin would mess with Yoongi using notes. He would leave random start-off jokes in one place for Yoongi to find, and then the punchline somewhere rather inconvenient, like in his sandwiches for example. But that then turned into Jin sneaking into the room in the middle of the night in his diminutive state, whispering a random pun into Yoongi’s ear, and then proceed to laugh like a broken windshield so loudly, even Lorelynn would freak out.

At the beginning, Taehyung would try to set up pranks meant for you, but Jungkook would quickly diffuse them, either by undoing the prank, stopping it, or putting misplaced things back in their place. After seeing how he would not be allowed to prank his Fae brother’s beloved, he moved onto Jackson… Jackson faced the worst of it. Tae would just unplug his phone from charging at first and lock it for a while. But then… He decided that playing with Jackson’s consoles, switching and deleting save files from games, finishing games before Jackson did and then rewriting that save file, was a much better way to spend his time.

Of course, it wasn’t all bad, the Fae’s also had their good times. Seeing as they got attached to each one of them, they not only pranked them on occasion, but mostly helped their elf whenever they deemed it so. Jimin would help Lorelynn with the garden, and her various plants in the house and bakery, and replaced Jungkook as the pastry tester. Jin would keep Yoongi company in the clinic whenever things got too stressful and helped around with menial tasks that would otherwise interfere with Yoongi’s work if it got too busy. Taehyung had a separate Memory Card for Jackson’s console that he didn’t mess with and was used to play games together.

And you, you had Jungkook. He did strike a prank every now and again, but it was rare now. He mostly helped you out by tending to your herbs and protecting you from random pranks from any of the other Fae. His time was spent mostly in your room, cuddling up to you, making you nervous, kissing you, teasing you, etc. You were always doing couple stuff for the most part now. But even after a whole year, you were still putty in his hands. And, he still owned your name.

Eventually Hoseok and Namjoon returned and a Welcome party had awaited them at the bakery. They shared their stories about the weddings and tales of a Vampire town they went to afterwards, you made note to ask more about it later, hoping to visit soon. Hobi and Joon’s arrival now meant that the Fae had another two victims to torment. And sadly, for both the humans, they quickly were invaded by all four Fae almost every week, but they all became buddied up with each other through the hi-jinks.

One day, Jungkook showed up in your room, urging you to come with him. He had a picnic basket filled with different finger foods and pastries that he had requested Lorelynn to make prior. Due to his excitement, you went with whatever it is he had planned. “It’s a really beautiful spot in the woods, you’re going to love it.” Were the words that piqued your interest for this exclusive date.

After all the time you spent wandering in the woods, you would have thought you could never have missed a place quite like the one the Fae took you too. Then again, these lands were his home, not yours, and you were as thankful as ever of having him by your side.

It was an open cave, from where the water from a resounding waterfall fell to connect with a river. Light came from the top, which you guessed has exposed to the continuity of the forest and that dwelled within. Birds swooped in from time to time, nudging their heads against the water and taking away their food for the day.

Near the centre, on a sort of islet surrounded by the streaming water, stood an elder willow, its whip-like arms swaying in the breeze as smaller, glowing creatures danced around it. Jungkook grabbed your hand and led you towards the willow. There he laid down the blanket and basket, motioning for you to sit down, so he could rest his head atop your lap, a habit he picked up a few months ago that caused the right kind of stir within you

Whatever attention you would have normally given to your surroundings vanished much like it always did when he was around, his presence enough to render you dull in seconds even after all this time. His doe eyes grabbed your attention first, like usual, warm and enchanting and speaking so many words left unsaid. His cheeks were your favourite shade of rosy, and his lips quivered by a corner. Your hand stilled the gentle caress it offered his locks when he scrunched his nose your way, mischief glazing over his features.

“You know,” he spoke, voice twice as velvety, “it’s been a year.” You hummed in confirmation, very much aware of how long your relationship had shifted those 12 months ago. A shy smile inched its way into your lips when you remembered the first night you kissed, the hunger behind it after every stroke, and the scalding touch that left you restless the few nights after.

“I'm well aware,” you answered, trying to shoo away unnecessary thoughts in whatever efforts to keep the innocence of it all. Though, he was never one to help in that department.

“One year since you've been all mine.” Before you knew it, his head had left your lap, and your back met the petaled floor, breath hitched and cheeks undoubtedly red.

If you didn't know any better, you'd have guessed he read your thoughts, the resurfaced memories and feelings. But you knew he could read your expression like his favourite book, every detail already engraved into his memory. It was very much the same to you, though the tightening of your stomach didn't quite let you function - neither did the leg he raised to separate yours, nor the now pupil-consumed eyes that practically ate you on their own.

“But have I been yours?” He added, an odd choice of words for the moment you were sharing.

“Well, have you?” You asked, a bit confused really, flustered all the same.

“I thought about that for a long time, but it always led back to you being mine. I’m changing that today.” He reached a hand into the basket that had been left untouched and pulled out what seemed to be a note. “I give you this.” You took it in your hands, unfolding each crease carefully. Inside, only one word was written. ‘Jungkook’. “I give you my name, as I have yours. Bounded by name. Forever.” He spoke softly, throwing in his signature wink that set your heart aflame that one day in the forest.

“Do you plan on keeping me then?” you asked, voice more of a whisper because of the lack of distance between you. His raised eyebrow would have been more prominent to you had your eyes not been too keen on observing his lips. They curled into a lazy smirk, and all you wanted to do was bruise them with your own. He could feel it in your heartbeat, both your nerves and your excitement, when he answered.

“Yes, permanently.” he said, eyes too dark and devastating you dared not doubt him. “You'll never belong to anyone else, but me.” As if to seal the promise, his lips came crashing down on yours, a tug of war between softness and greed. It seeped desperation and ardour, heat spreading everywhere until it became too much, and far too little.

Whenever he pulled back it was with a bite, only to continue with his tongue until he tasted every part of your mouth with his own, grunting against your gasps and trying to blurry the line between where you and he began. You could feel the dust leaving his skin in streams, coating everything it got in its way, though you paid no mind to it.

It was when he shifted to kissing elsewhere that it got too much, his skin too far away from your own to your liking. Sometime along the way, your garments were lost to the water along with his, and nothing stopped you from becoming one for as long as time allowed. Soft, feverish touches turned scalding and heady, sounds drowning out even the rush of the water farther in the cave.

You were thankful to have put up a sound locking spell, as well as a glamour wall around you to keep the privacy - really, the last sane action you committed before losing yourself to him. It wasn't like you minded at all, high on the ecstasy of his strokes and the playful kisses he managed to give during the process. You were absolutely drenched in the dust before you knew it, each shift of his hips sputtering more around your body, your hair, your face.

By the time you came down from the high, your skin glowed the faint lilac light the Fae dust had turned into. What a way to celebrate your first year. He rolled off gently to lay beside you, gazing at you with pure innocence that would betray what had happened just moments ago.

His breath hitched suddenly, and he brought his right wrist to his face. Simultaneously, you felt an odd but pleasant sensation creep up in your left wrist. Mimicking his actions, you saw as a simple dark outline of a crescent moon slowly appeared on your bare wrist. Your eyes went to Jungkook’s wrist, to see the same moon appear on his. He looked at his wrist and yours with a softness in his eyes. But what were these markings?

Finally, his eyes landed on you. A soft smile made its way to his lips as he spoke.

“I’m glad to know we’re bound together in more ways than one, love.” Bounded?

“Oh?” And then you heard it. Your voice. “Oh.” You… We are married. “These markings?”

“Symbols of our union. We’re bound in both the Fae way and the Elven way.” He really brought you here to get married, and your dumbass didn’t even realize you were doing so.

“I mean, it’s beautiful. I simply forgot that Elves got married by… doing that.”

“What?” His content expression shifted a bit.

“No, I mean, I’m glad we’re married! I just forgot, since Lorelynn had a human wedding and all, it slipped my mind.” You reassured him that you were okay with this, and you really were. The only problem now was… How to tell your friends?

“Well, I’m glad we’re married too. Now I need to go to Fae City and speak with the Queen. I just need to report that I’m leaving the group because I married out of race and then we’re good to go wherever we please. You should come with me, of course.” Wow, it was all such a bureaucratic procedure. And going to Fae City… That’s something most people only dream of.

“Then we’ll go to Fae City. But I need at least a week to figure out how to tell everyone we’re married. So, give me one week, no surprises, no showing up unannounced, for one week. And then we’ll meet with everyone and head on to Fae City.”

By your words, excitement spread across his face. “Deal. One week.” You nodded happily. The plan was set. You’d tell your household, you’re tell the rest, and you would go. It would be a simple task, and you could handle it in a day or two. You and Jungkook continued to enjoy your date, finishing off the basket, and cuddling under the elder willow.

You arrive at the house after your apparent wedding at the grotto. Before this, you stopped by a store and bought some very dark spectacles, avoiding eye contact with anyone and not speaking a word. Likewise, you walk into the house with your eyes hidden and mouth sealed. You also got a bracelet to cover up that new mark on your wrist. You really were Jungkook’s wife now, huh?

Unfortunately for you, Jackson, Lorelynn and Yoongi were all in the living room, playing a board game of sorts. Oh no…

“You’re back early, wanna play?” Jackson was the first to notice your arrival. “What’s with the glasses?” You wrote out words in the air. ‘I have a killer migraine. I’m also feeling a little hoarse, so I’m going to rest my throat.’

“Oh, I have a nice herbal blend for that, you’ll be fine in no time after you drink it.” Yoongi suggested and panic went through you. Lorelynn got up quickly in the direction of the kitchen.

“I’ll prepare it and bring it to your room, go lay down or something.” She stopped in front of you, you felt a quick assessment of the situation. She brought a hand up to your forehead, and your panic subsided. “You’re awfully sparkly. No fever.” The first part was a whisper inside your head, a point being made: telepathy, and the suspicion in her eyes raised the hairs at the back of your neck. The second part was discretion. You hoped she didn’t figure it out, but if she did, you knew she’d keep quiet until you talked. You went upstairs, took off the spectacles, and dove right into your bed face first. A few moments later, Lorelynn walked into your room and you heard her put down the cup of tea on your night table and leave the room with a ‘Feel better.’ You needed a week. You would tell them before the week ends. And then you will go to Fae city. You will do it.

The week went on, hiding your eyes and voice, drinking herbal blends that left Yoongi dumbfounded because you were ‘still sick’, and speaking only through magic words that appear in thin air. You spent most of the week hiding in your room, due to the ‘sickness’, avoiding any contact that could reveal you were now a married woman.

Jackson, Lorelynn and Yoongi were all starting to suspect. The latter was absent, when Lorelynn and Jackson were downstairs at the table having breakfast. You figured you could grab a quick bite and come back, giving out another excuse about being sick. So down you went, with your dark spectacles magically secured on your face, to avoid any mishaps. You reached the kitchen and noticed the pair at the table, giving them an acknowledging nod, but speaking nothing whatsoever.

“Feeling any better?” Jackson asked first.

“Or are you going to speak only through magic now?” Lorelynn added. ‘No & No’ appeared behind you as a response.

Meanwhile… Jackson and Lorelynn had their own private conversation.

“She could just be using telepathy if she were actually sick.” Jackson texted Lorelynn. “Actually.” ‘We could be using telepathy; this is much quicker.’

‘Yeah, I know. She’s been hiding her eyes and voice for so long… You don’t think?’ Lorelynn’s eyes widened, matching Jackson’s.

‘No… Really? I’m going to make those spectacles fall off.’ Immediately Jackson looked over to you, and suddenly started to strain. ‘Huh, they’re… not coming off? You try.’

‘What do you mean they’re not,’ At that, Lorelynn tried too, meeting the same fate. ‘I CAN’T REMOVE THEM EITHER, THEY’RE BOUND BY MAGIC. THIS BITCH!’

‘THEN DID SHE ACTUALLY-’ Jackson’s telepathy was interrupted by a sudden puff of smoke and dust.

A Fae figure stood in the middle of the kitchen, bearing with him a huge bouquet of flowers. “GOOD MORNING, DEAR WIFE-O-MINE. ARE YOU READY FOR FAE CITY?!” Jungkook screeched. Your spectacles fell off on their own. You had forgotten you had to tell them, you just kept hiding it, ashamed.

“WIFE?!” Lorelynn and Jackson both shouted at once. Lorelynn was clearly faking, she probably knew and was just letting you do you. You couldn’t even answer anything as they both quickly got up to look at your eyes in awe. Lorelynn was quick to check Jungkook and noticed his wrist so she went to inspect yours to be met with the bracelet. “Really? This too? Y’all got married and didn’t say a damn word.”

“Didn’t Rowen tell you?” Jungkook asked, his excitement quickly deflated at the realization that you had not mentioned your union at all, but was mildly interrupted when the plethora of Fae and Royal blood humans swarmed into the house and kitchen shouting cheers of celebration. Of course… Jungkook took your previous deal literally, as Fae do. One week, and we’ll gather everyone. They caused such a commotion that even Yoongi was awakened from his slumber to join the festivities.

Shamefulness, guilt and regret washed over you like a tidal wave as you laid eyes on the momentarily crushed soul that was Jungkook. Mouthing a small, but sincere ‘I’m sorry’, Jungkook gave you a nod, and the purest smile of understanding before responding ‘It’s okay.’ You’d talk it through with him eventually. It’s not like you weren’t excited for it, anyways. He knew that.

After explaining to everyone that you had been married for a week, and apologizing for not saying anything about it, the celebration went on. Jackson was the one hurt most of all, feign of course.

“I’m your best friend, I could have been your Man of Honour. The disrespect. Our friendship is ultimately over.”

“Really? You wanted to be there, holding my hand, while I had a fucking?” You whispered to him, only with him would you be so crude. His brows furrowed, and his nose crinkled in disgust.

“I forgot that’s how our kind does that… Our friendship is reinstated.” He rested his elbow on your shoulder, a classic move since you were the smallest.

“Hah, same. And I thought so.” You smiled, winning this round of many bickering that have come and gone and have yet to happen between you.

Everyone left after roughly an hour, since it was a workday for most elves and humans, and the Fae had to go man their post at the mushroom circle, lest they completely abandon it and get scolded for it again. You all said your ‘see you soons’ and went your own way for the day.

Jungkook stayed downstairs, while Lorelynn was busy helping you pack your bags upstairs.

“You knew, didn’t you?” You asked, breaking the silence that was overwhelming the room.

“I knew the minute you walked into my house covered in Fae cum.” You almost choked on her words. FAE CUM. “I asked Jungkook a long time ago what happens to Fae Dust when Fae have sex because I noticed a slight change in colour with the dust whenever you guys kissed.” So, it was obvious… dumb.

“Why didn’t you say anything? You let me go on hiding this, thinking I was completely keeping it hidden.” You put away the last few things you needed to pack in a hurry, already nervous again.

“I wanted to see how long you kept it up and how long it took Jackson and Yoongi to figure it out.” She smirked. “It’s about time to go, isn’t it?” She handed you the small travel bag with your essentials. It was indeed about time to go. The two of you were not a hug-and-kiss type of friendship, so goodbyes were always sorted with a quick jab at the other. “The least you can do is not show up in front of the Queen in Fae Jizz, be respectful.” Before you could respond, the Elf dashed out of the room, you could hear her footsteps rushing down the stairs. You left it at that, sighing, and headed downstairs to where your husband awaited, with his own bag, rather small.

Jungkook was gleaming, excited for the next step on your journey together, both your journey to Fae City and your journey in life. He took your hand as you approached him, slightly trembling with excited nerves.

“Are you ready, love?” His eyes darted all over your face as he bit his lip eagerly. This was a moment he longed for.

“As I’ll ever be.” You gave him a small squeeze and nod in confirmation. You were ready. To go to Fae City, face the Queen, and start your life with Jungkook, wherever it took you.

You were back deep within the woods with Jungkook, only this time it was for nothing related to the grotto. Well, technically. You had carefully passed way beyond the mushroom circle, down a hidden path bound to Fae City. Jungkook knew the way like the back of his hand, but for you, like the grotto, this was new territory. You almost doubted why you were going so deep, why you were venturing so out of the way, but you knew that the entrance to Fae City had to be hidden.

Jungkook comes to a stop in quite likely the most ominous spot in all the forest.

“Well, this is it.” He squeezed the hand that was entrapped in his for the entirety of the walk.

“Fae City?” You asked dubiously, there was nothing there. The area looked bleak and depressing, too dark and humid, not like anything you had imagine.

“The entrance, yeah.” His eyes stayed forward and then landed on you. “I have to go in first and wait for you on the other side. It can be overwhelming for non-Fae.”

“Oh, okay.” Your voice betrayed you, nerves hitched.

“Don’t worry. Just wait a few seconds before you follow me in. I’ll be right on the other side, I promise.” He kissed your fingers in assurance. You simply nodded, he had a way of calming you down in ways unknown to you, but fully appreciated. He let go of your hands carefully and walked ahead, giving a small nod back at you before disappearing completely.

As he said, you waited a few seconds before following him. A few seconds that felt eternal in this dark, musky and foggy swamp-like place, but still you took your first step, and then another, and another… Until you saw it.

You advance forward through the glistening portal hidden deep in the forest among a layer of fog. You're immediately met by a vibrant, soothing world that welcomes you. A gentle breeze touches you gently from the lush and thick forests in front of you as the rays of a blueish sun warm your skin. Perfect conditions in a perfect world and a sense of excitement takes hold of you. A barrage of the senses takes over as you begin to take in every element of this world you can.

As promised, Jungkook was standing right there. He chuckled at your awe as you took in Fae City. It was unreal, but it was real. You were there. It felt like a dream. The colors were bright, yet soft. The air was crisp and gentle. The sun… Blue, yet it shone with such brightness that not even your yellow sun could beat. You never would have guessed, never would have imagined, that this was what Fae City would be. You were enthralled. “I told you it could be overwhelming.”

You spent that week in Fae City, getting to know what Jungkook’s life was up until now, the places he went to, his culture. Everything a Fae was about, you learned and kept engraved in your mind forever. The visit to the Queen was short. Jungkook simply had to present you and report that he would now be leaving their group due to marrying out of race. His report was marked with the royal seal and archived, he was now free to roam wherever he wanted, for as long as he wanted. He now belonged to you, and not his Queen.

So far, life has been great. You never imagined that giving up your name to a Fae would change your life the way it did. If you had to do it all over, you wouldn’t change a thing. Months after having gotten married and reported to the Fae Queen, Jungkook and you had settled into Glistening Woods semi permanently. You moved out of Lorelynn and Yoongi’s house and moved into your own that was acquired through your and Jungkook’s savings. With a little help from Lorelynn, Yoongi, Hoseok, Namjoon, Jin, Jimin and Taehyung, you managed to furnish your house entirely, which otherwise would have been a hassle. You had a two floor, three-bedroom house, like Lorelynn’s. You were quick to invite Jackson to live with you and he obviously accepted. Wherever you went, he followed. Destined best friends. The remaining room was a guest room which often became Tae’s since he would visit and stay over quite often. The rooms you and Jackson abandoned in Lorelynn’s house quickly became shared rooms for Hoseok and Namjoon, and Jin and Jimin, whenever they needed to stay. Lorelynn liked to call her home the Hotel because of how many of you had stayed over time.

You were sitting on a bench outside your porch at night, drinking a warm cup of tea before you went to bed. You heard the front door open and close behind you. A kiss landing softly on your forehead revealed who it was. Jungkook took a seat next to you, admiring the night sky. Moments like these, silent and unassuming, were the important ones. They made you realize just how lucky you are.

“So,” Jungkook spoke, a smile toying on his lips. “I think we should try for a kid soon.” These sudden words almost caused you to choke on your tea. Almost. You turned a serious gaze to him, as he waited for a response.

“Elves stop craving sex after children.” The Fae��s eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped slightly to a small ‘o’. After blinking and nodding a bit too quickly, he spoke again.

“Yeah, we should wait a bit more before we have children, we’re still newlyweds and all.”

“Waiting sounds good, yeah.” You nodded in agreement, both of you chuckling at shared inner thoughts.

After finishing your tea, the both of you headed back inside and into the bedroom where once again, you would bind yourselves together in lilac marriage.

-end-

#jungkook fanfic #jungkook fluff #jungkook x reader #bts fanfic #bts imagine #jungkook x oc #jungkook

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