#and then i was so excited i sent it to my whole clan who doesn't play nor wants to play hfw just because holy shit it's eris morn

[loaksky]

— 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘶𝘴

the deets — in which you, a quiet healer in the tribe, have the biggest crush on the upcoming leader. sometimes you think the feelings could be mutual. until one night in the glowing forest shatters that.

the who — neteyam x fem omatikaya!reader

the word count — like 7.6k (jesus h. christ)

the tags — idiots-to-lovers (it's teyam, he's the dummy), childhood friends-to-lovers, one-sided pining (reader is a softie).

the warnings — language, a lil kithy kithy, neteyam's emotionally constipated, but he redeems himself! reader's kind of a pushover, but it comes full circle!

the notes — first post for avatar & i'm really excited but a lil nervous bc like ??? i haven't written fanfic in SO long. i imagine neteyam & reader to be a few years older in this fic (eighteen or nineteen), but at the same time the circumstances could fit their current age as well. finally, this is written in a heinous blend of second / third. don't know how to explain, but i think it flows okay? if you like it please leave a request or let's have a chat! (also barely proofread oops).

YOU AND NETEYAM HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN DISTANT ORBIT. Many would argue the two of you are cut from the same cloth; quiet, noble, mature, but you couldn't feel even more disconnected from the tribe's golden boy even if a chasm would crack the earth between you.

It's why you think it's silly that you'd develop such a yearning, your heart thudding like a war drum every time his amber eyes flit to yours. There's never any weight to his gaze, just fleeting glances among frequent observation, but you can't help but stare.

It doesn't help that his youngest siblings cling to you like a second and third skin, chattering excitedly about whatever piques their immediate interest. You just listen and hum your acknowledgements, a comfort to the two as you move through your studies.

Oftentimes he's sent to fetch his siblings, clearing his throat outside of the tent's flaps to announce himself, then wiggling a few fingers through the opening before peering in.

He's always in a hurry, never biting when you offer him opportunities to linger. You understand, how busy it can be when the whole clan begins to rely on you. So you bask in the short-lived moments in his space, skin scented with salt and the tang of the foliage.

But there are moments when you truly think he sees you. When you cross paths during clan meals, and the smallest of smiles twitches in his lips when you cut fruit and he's the first you offer to. When it's time to train to shoot your bows and he adjusts your form with a brief brush of his fingers on your elbow. When all of the older healers are unavailable and he shyly peeks his head into your tent for a quick patch up.

Nevermind the small tells stored in your short-term, but the little slivers of time when you were both growing into yourselves. When you were seven and he'd carried you to the elders when you hurt yourself. When some of the older kids in the clan would pick on you for keeping to yourself and he'd tell them that it was unbecoming and cowardly to pick on someone weaker than them. When he picked a flower during a group excursion into the deep depths of the forest and stuck the glowing stem in your satchel.

You had fallen so hard for Neteyam and your only hope is that he'd be at the end of the fall to catch you.

“You're not listening, ________!” Tuk whines and you look up from the scrolls you unfurled from the basket moments before she walked in.

“Sorry,” you murmur. “I have a lot on my mind.”

There's a small giggle from somewhere else in the tent and you peer from Tuk to Kiri who beads an anklet on her own.

“Yeah, like big brother,” Tuk teases, turning her attention back to her own beadwork.

Kiri's face splits into a grin.

“You've been lost in thought a lot more recently,” she observes. “Could Tuk be correct?”

You don't bother to deny it, the obvious flush in your cheeks a dead giveaway. Kiri's always been perceptive and the more you fight her on it, the longer she'll draw it out.

“I think it's worth a shot,” Kiri says. “Neteyam’s always had a soft spot for you.”

It's a million degrees hotter in the tent.

“You don't have to do that,” you say quietly, slouching in your seat.

“Do what?” Kiri challenges.

“Pretend I have a chance.”

Kiri makes a face.

“You do!” she argues. “Neteyam's just shy.”

You're silent for a moment, fingers twitching over a tear in the scroll. You want to believe her, tell her that you think it could be worth a shot, too. But you scent him before you hear him, and then you hear him before you see him.

Four blue fingers wiggle in the tent's opening before Neteyam is poking his head inside.

“Tuk? Kiri?” his voice rumbles. “Ready?”

Kiri glances at you as she stands to her feet and begins gathering her things. Her eyebrows do a little dance, eyes widening as she tilts her head discreetly to her brother.

“I'll see you,” you say quietly, patting Tuk on the back of her leg as she drops her finished anklet in your lap and giggles at you.

You follow their movements as they exit the tent through where Neteyam holds the flap open for them patiently.

He simply lifts a hand as a silent greeting and you wait until they're out of sight and earshot to expel the breath you'd been holding and slump down on your pillow.

In hindsight, you should have been more careful. Neteyam was a skillful hunter, the tribe's best warrior after his father. It's only normal that he'd be in the dense forest when you were plucking flowers and herbs for your salves, speaking quietly to Eywa about your concerns.

“Please, Great Mother,” you whisper, the woodsprites caressing the skin of your arms. "Please give me a sign, any form of motivation to be brave about my feelings."

The grass below your toes lights up and tickles the pads of your fingers as you pluck the glowing flowers.

There's a trail of them, purple and pink, and you pluck and pluck and pluck until you're led to the mouth of a clearing.

Something salty and tangy circles your figure and like usual, you scent him before you see him. When your gaze latches onto his lithe figure, you grin a little, lips parting to announce yourself. This must be your sign, of how vast and great the forests are surrounding your looming home tree, it must be fate that you stumble upon him at this hour.

But his name dies on your tongue when he shifts and you see the silhouette of another pressed to his side.

It's another Omaticaya girl, pretty and tall. You'd know her anywhere, the waves of her thick hair, the tinkle of her dainty laugh. But she is fierce all the same, far from perfect, but gritty enough that it doesn't matter.

Te'feyra draws a bow and one of Neteyam's hands come up to adjust her front grasp, fingers closing over hers and the arrow.

“Steady hands to make up for the recoil,” he says softly and your heart is in your throat.

He's engulfing her as she takes her aim and sends the arrow flying through the air.

Somewhere unknown to you, the arrow sticks its landing and Te'feyra jumps excitedly, pressing her lips to Neteyam's briefly.

You back away from the clearing, eyes burning as you fist the flowers so hard they wilt in your hands. A twig snaps underneath your weight and from your distance, you see the glow of Neteyam and Te'feyra's eyes through the brush.

You take off running without a single word, and despite your stomach tearing itself to ribbons, you thank Eywa for the clarity.

“Something's wrong,” Kiri says to you days later.

Instead of the tent, you two are sitting on opposing branches of a thick tree, observing the flora and fauna of your corner of the forest. You decide that you need some time away from the bustle of the clan's circle and venture off into the opposite side of the woods.

“Why do you say?” you wonder, scribbling onto one of your scrolls.

“You're naturally quiet, I get that, but the past few days, I feel like I've been in the presence of the dead,” she sighs, staring down at you from the branch above. “And Ewya's given me the feeling that all may not be well with you.”

You lick your teeth, then roll your lips nervously.

“I told you Neteyam didn't like me,” you admit.

Kiri's eyebrows furrow.

“What are you talking about?”

“I saw him,” you sigh, fiddling with your pen. “In the forest with Te'feyra. She kissed him.”

Kiri curses under her breath.

“This is stupid,” she huffs. “He's just being stupid. Neteyam likes you and I'm going to prove it.”

You open your mouth to protest, but Kiri's already jumping down from the branches of the tree and dragging you with her through the darkening forest.

“Kiri, this isn't necessary,” you finally pipe up. “It's okay if the feeling isn't mutual, I never expected it to be.”

Kiri stops in her tracks and her pinched face softens, braids swinging by the set of her jaw.

“________, we all grew up together,” she says softly. “I know my brother, and I know you. You two belong together, I feel it.”

You swallow around nothing, allowing her to drag you through the forest and back into the clan's main circle.

“Hey, Kiri! ________, where are you two headed off to in such a rush?” one of the elders calls from where they're working on tools.

Kiri smiles politely.

“Very important business,” she replies quickly, fingers tightening around your wrist to pull you across the grass.

You stop in front of their family's hometree and Kiri guides you through vines and steep inclines before pausing in front of their family's tent.

Lo'ak's voice sounds from within, whiny and irritated.

“Bro, are you being serious right now?” he squeaks and Neteyam grunts, obviously bored.

“Frankly, Lo'ak this has nothing to do with you,” he says.

“Dude, yes it does,” Lo'ak argues. “You've inadvertently involved everyone in this affair because you won't get your head out of your ass for three seconds and just admit that you like her.”

“I don't like, ________,” he says simply and Kiri freezes in front of you.

You chew the inside of your cheek, fingers twitching in Kiri's loosened hold.

“Who are you trying to convince?” Lo'ak moans. “You're really going to commit to Te'feyra even though you have no interest in her?”

“Te'feyra is a great huntress,” Neteyam says simply. “She's well-loved, a strong leader. What's there not to like?”

“________ is all of those things,” Lo'ak says. “She's a talented healer, always patches you up when you get yourself in trouble. The clan loves her, Tuk and Kiri love her, Mom and Dad love her.”

“The clan barely knows that ________ exists,” Neteyam says and you wince.

Kiri makes a move to infiltrate the heated conversation, but you put a hand on her shoulder and shake your head.

“Dude, that's low,” Lo'ak scoffs in disbelief.

“________ is a sweet girl, but she's weak. She's hollow and does what she's told. I wouldn't want to spend my life bonded to someone so passive,” Neteyam says plainly and Lo'ak lets out an exasperated hiss.

“You're kidding right? ________ is amazing,” Lo'ak challenges. “She's quiet, but she's caring. She's resilient and intelligent and anyone would be lucky to be bonded to someone like her, your stupid ass included.”

“Maybe you should focus more on training for your rite rather than trying to play matchmaker,” Neteyam says, showing the first signs of annoyance.

“You just won't admit that for the first time you're scared,” Lo'ak finally says.

Everything seems to still and Lo'ak presses on.

“Everyone loves you, you're the clan's golden child and you can do no wrong. You like ________ so much, but you're afraid that you'll let her down,” Lo'ak says fiercely. “But you don't realize that being a pussy about your feelings is the ultimate let down!”

“You'd know a lot about being a let down, wouldn't you,” Neteyam grumbles.

There's a split second of silence before Neteyam lets out a loud grunt of pain. The flap to their tent flies open and Lo'ak freezes before you and Kiri.

His eyes meet yours and his gaze softens before stalking past.

Neteyam stands stunned in the middle of the tent, lip bruised and bleeding. His gaze swings to the arch way, face falling when he finds you standing behind his younger sister.

“Wanna go swimming?” Tuk asks you the next evening, after dinner.

You smile down at her weakly, heart melting when she pets your hand. You can't deny her, nodding gently as you stand from where you're sitting on the outer circle of the scattered clan.

“Carry me?” she asks sweetly.

You heave her up with a grunt and she grins at you, playing with one of the braids in your hair. Her small fingers caress the skin of your cheek and you blink when she ghosts over your eyelid.

“Pretty,” she whispers, head nestling on your shoulder.

“I think you're prettier,” you tell her, readjusting her growing form as you walk through the brush, towards the rush of the waterfall.

You don't realize that there's a set of eyes on you, watching as you disappear through the trees with Tuk.

The cliff that houses the waterfall towers above you two in a semicircle, the water rippling gently as Tuk squirms from your grasp and splashes through the shallow pool.

“Stay close, Tuk,” you coo, toes wiggling through the pebbles washed up on the tiny shore.

“I've been practicing!” Tuk tells you. “Wanna see how long I can hold my breath under water?”

“Stay in shallow waters,” you advise her, wading into the pool until you're waist deep.

Tuk dramatically inhales and then sinks down under the surface. Something cracks in the distance and you glance around, met with the stillness of the forest and the chirp of bugs.

When you turn your attention back to Tuk, you smile fondly as you wait for her to emerge, counting the seconds diligently to report to her chubby cheeks.

Fifteen pass, then thirty. Your smile begins to fade as your arms feel around in the water around you.

“Tuk?” you call out, chest tightening when you're met with the subtle rush of the glittering cascade from the waterfall up above.

You push forward in the water until your chin touches the surface.

“Tuktirey!” you shout, thrashing around the pool, searching for her tiny frame through the illumination. “Tuk!”

Your toes lose purchase as the water deepens and you begin to panic without the youngest Sully in sight. You turn when you hear a splash, Tuk giggling on the shore.

Your stomach churns hard and Tuk's face falls when she sees your panicked expression.

“Tuk, I-I can't swim well!” you cry out, legs flailing as you splash through the water. You try to dig your toes in the earth below, but you're just shy of the mark.

Tuk looks scared on the shore, fidgeting as she looks around desperately.

“You're too deep, ________!” Tuk whines, voice laced with tears.

Your legs ache, head lolling under the water for a moment before you emerge with a splutter.

“Get– Go get help!” you instruct her, feeling your calves begin to burn as you try to keep yourself afloat. You don't know how long you'll be able to tread water. “I'll be okay, little one. Hurry!”

Tuk turns, picking up her satchel as she makes way for the path you took. When she's out of sight, you fall slack, chest heaving as you try to use your skinny arms to paddle at the water.

Meanwhile, Tuktirey runs through the forest, tears spilling down her rounded cheeks as she trips over sprawling roots and nudges low-hanging vines from the pathway.

She skids to a stop when Neteyam, who had finally worked up the nerve to excuse himself from dinner, comes into view.

He turns when he hears her wailing, face scrunching when he registers his youngest sibling's anguish.

“Tuk, wha—”

She grabs at his hands, tugging him towards the path to the waterfall.

“________ needs help!” she cries. “She can't swim!”

Neteyam's ears prick at the mention of your name, scooping up his youngest sibling in his arms before breaking into a sprint through the brush of the brightening forest. The woodsprites begin to emerge and he barrels into the clearing of the waterfall breathlessly.

It's still, like it's been untouched and his heart hammers nervously in his chest, eyes searching the pool for any sign of you.

He's setting Tuk down quickly before splash desperately into the water.

“_______!” he calls.

He ducks underneath the surface, eyes open wide as he searches for you. And there you are, body slack as you sink slowly to the bottom of the rocky pool.

He dives forward, lungs burning as he cuts through the waters with lean arms. His fingers circle one of your wrists, the other hand winding around your waist as he propels you two up above the water. He chokes on a breath, hand coming up to touch your face.

Your head lolls to the side, eyes shut as Neteyam holds you close.

“Neteyam!” Te'feyra calls from the shore, having followed him after being rebuffed during dinner.

Kiri and Lo'ak are close behind, eyes wide when they see their eldest brother wading quickly through the waters with your unconscious form in his arms.

“Neteyam,” Te'feyra repeats, hand coming to grasp his bicep.

“Not now,” he grunts, tugging his arm from her grasp to march through the brush of the forest.

Woodsprites surround you two as he takes you back to the village, a silent plea to the Great Mother not to take you away weighing heavy on his lips.

You awake to a shining sun and a wet towel on your head. You squint against the beaming light and sit up abruptly as the prior night dawns you like a swift strike to the gut.

“Whoa, wait, slow down,” a thick voice rumbles.

You scent him before you see him.

Neteyam's hands are on you, guiding you back to rest on the pile of pillows that had propped you up before.

You shoot up again anyways.

“Where's Tuk?” you ask anxiously.

“Tuk's fine,” Neteyam says. “She's eating breakfast with Kiri and Mom.”

You lean back in relief, eyes squeezing shut as you wheeze out a sigh.

His hands are on you again, gentle, warm as he takes the towel from your forehead and wipes your face to refresh you.

“Are you okay?” he asks quietly, hesitantly.

You pause a moment, but then nod.

“Yeah,” you affirm hoarsely. “M'fine.”

Neteyam just stares at you, yellow eyes unblinking and you know this isn't like one of those fleeting moments. He sees you and it makes your gut churn hard.

“I'll be okay here,” you say quietly. “You may have...someone, you know, waiting for you.”

Te'feyra's name is a silent implication and Neteyam doesn't look amused.

“I told them I would look after you until you're fully well,” he counters, wringing the towel into a bowl that sits next to the mound of blankets your rest on.

You fiddle with your fingers, fully disheartened because even in times like these, he remains the diligent leader-in-training that he is.

The air in the tent is think and you can't breathe.

“I'd like some air,” you whisper, crawling from the soft mat to climb to your feet shakily.

“You need to rest,” Neteyam says crossly, seemingly annoyed at your persistence to put as much distance as you can between the two of you.

You don't respond and finally he seems to burst.

“You can't swim and yet you still went after Tuk,” he calls after you like an accusation. “Why?”

You pause.

“Tuk is like a sister to me,” you say quietly. “I would never let anything happen to her.”

You make a move to exit the tent, but Neteyam's voice stops you in your tracks.

“You could have died,” he says quietly, and you can't place the emotion in his voice.

“I'd do it again,” you admit, craning your neck to face him. “I'm not that weak.”

Neteyam's face falls and you duck from the tent.

Neteyam becomes restless after that moment. He loses his focus, agility taking a hit as he hunts one on one with his father.

He goes to shoot another arrow, but Jake stops him with a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“Neteyam, I know I can be hard on you,” he starts. “But I’m always here.”

“Yes sir,” Neteyam nods.

“Something’s bothering you,” Jake observes. “You’re not yourself. You’re losing focus.”

Neteyam swallows.

“Sorry, sir,” he says, head hanging.

His braids form a curtain around his face and Jake gives his shoulder a squeeze.

“Son?”

Neteyam swallows again, head tilting up to look is dad in the face.

“I don’t want to be with Te’feyra,” he admits quietly.

Jake's lips twitch.

“Well I could have told you that,” Jake scoffs, the corner of his lips twitching into a soft smile. “You look about as dead as a washed up fish when she’s around.”

Neteyam recalls the kiss she’d given him nights ago and how he'd internally recoiled, body stiff under her touch.

“I’m sorry,” he repeats.

“Why are you sorry?” Jake prods.

“Because I know Te’feyra is who the clan wants me to be with, who is my most suitable match,” he says. “I just— I don't want to let you down.”

Jake gives him an impish grin.

“Neteyam, let me give you a word of advice. There are things in this world that are suited well for each other; you and Te'feyra are one of those things. But your heart and your mind are the two most powerful things about you,” he says. “You will not be punished for giving into your heart.”

Neteyam thinks of you. He thinks of your face, the lines of your timid smile, the idents that dimple your cheeks. He thinks of your touch when he's wounded, gentle and expert, warm against his skin. He thinks of your voice, airy, soft, a low rasp.

He thinks of when he'd called you weak. Of your face, wounded and hurt. He's stricken in this moment as he realizes that strength doesn't have to be audacious. It can be quiet, small acts that become mighty.

Tuk had told him about the waterfall, how she'd wanted to pull your leg a little. You'd accepted your fate if Ewya deemed it time, you'd even sent the youngest away in the chance you wouldn't surface.

You were far from weak. Your strength ran nearly as deep as the roots of Ewya herself, yet you'd taken the criticism in stride. Let Neteyam paint you as a coward, a pushover with no spine.

“I think there’s someone you need to clear the air with,” Jake says after a few moments of silence. “She should be in her tent.”

Neteyam's hands are clammy. It's been nearly a week since he'd last seen you. You'd reserved to spending time inside of your tent to brush up on your studies and refine your work. He'd catch glimpses of you, but you were used to blending in the background and Neteyam's used to overlooking you.

Was he being presumptuous? Maybe you only admired him as a warrior. Or perhaps it was a duty to the clan to revere him. He feels sick to his stomach thinking of confronting you. But Lo'ak wouldn't try to convince him of his own feelings if it wasn't mutual, would he?

And when had the feelings become mutual? He's recently began to think that perhaps he'd always liked you because you were the only one who didn't actively vie for his affection. Who only saw him as Neteyam, an equal, not Neteyam, the Olo’eyktan's son.

Maybe it was whenever he'd see you wandering in the forest during his hunting trips, murmuring to yourself as you picked herbs and flowers for you studies. Or maybe when he'd spot you still high on the branches of the lofty trees with a tablet of paper and ink. Maybe it was when you'd smile at him shyly when he'd adjust your form during archery and it'd melt his insides. Or when you two were little and he'd plucked flowers for everyone and you were the only one who'd smiled at it sticking out of your satchel.

If he recalls correctly, it's pressed to a scroll hanging in your tent and that alone makes his heart race.

Maybe you two are inevitable and he'd only prolonged it because of his own fears.

“Neteyam!”

Te’feyra steps in his line of sight, standing before him and the hometree that houses your tent. He glances away when she stops in front of him.

“Te’feyra,” he greets cordially.

“I haven't seen you since the incident with ________,” she says. “Are you alright?”

Neteyam nods.

“Never better,” he says simply.

“After dinner we should–”

He spots you, satchel thrown over your shoulder. You glance his way momentarily, but scurry in the direction of your tent when you lock eyes with him.

“If you will excuse me, please,” he says politely, extricating himself from Te’feyra to follow after you.

He catches up to you right outside of your tent.

“________!” he calls.

You freeze almost imperceptibly, but continue on your way, climbing the flattened incline spiraling around the center of the hometree.

“________,” he murmurs, fist closing around your skinny bicep.

You jolt to a stop, golden eyes razor sharp as you glance down at him. Your fist is wrapped tight around the strap of the satchel, knuckles stretched taut.

“Neteyam,” you reply softly. “Yes?”

He opens his mouth to say something, but finds that his tongue weighs heavy behind his lips.

“If you seek help, there are elders available for healing,” you inform him, making a move to remove your arm from his grasp.

He instinctively tightens his grasp and you shift uncomfortably.

“Sorry, sorry,” he says quietly, pulling away. “I just want to speak with you.”

A few beats pass as you blink at him.

“Well?”

“Oh,” he swallows. “Can I come in?”

You turn to face the flap of your tent before craning your long neck over your shoulder to nod.

“Sure,” you agree, holding the hide open to let him in.

You step in after him, table scattered with mixtures of finely-pounded dust, scrolls of research and bundles of materials.

You set your satchel down and begin unloading your finds from you excursion.

Meanwhile, Neteyam paces nervously, trailing the circumference of your tent, eyes flitting every which way to take in every piece of you.

A thick silence envelops you and you clear your throat when the satchel is empty.

“You wanted to talk?” you ask, watching as he stops in front of a scrolled tacked to one of the beams.

It's the pressed flower he'd given to you all that time ago as children. It's central in the room, catching the sun so beautifully and Neteyam uses this as the last bit of courage he needs to continue.

“You kept it,” he says, voice shaky.

“Of course,” you say simply, picking through your different finds. “You gave it to me.”

Neteyam turns, looks you head on and he feels his resolve crumbling.

“You like me,” he says bluntly, afraid that if he beats around the bush, he'll cop out.

“Everyone does,” you deflect.

Neteyam's jaw locks.

“No, ________, you like me,” he repeats.

You feel small, sorting the petals by color, fingers nimble against the soft grain of the wooden tabletop.

“Presumptuous,” you hum, unable to meet his piercing gaze.

“________,” he presses.

You bite your lip, tears clouding your vision as your fingers begin to trembling through the sorting. He's being so unfair and he doesn't even know it.

“Why?” you ask shakily.

“What do you mean why?” Neteyam counters, voice taking on the same edge he did with his brother days prior and he'd interrogated him about you.

“Why are you doing this?” you croak, and he hears the tears in your voice.

He's across the floor before you can blink.

“Are you crying?” he asks, shocked.

“Why do you want me to say it so badly?” you choke, poor petals strangled in your vibrating fist. “Is it not enough? To know that I yearn for you silently? That everyone pities me because my heart belongs to someone who's already spoken for?”

Neteyam is stunned.

“I like you, Neteyam. I always have,” you say, voice raw with emotion. “It's my biggest defeat to say I always will. Is that what you want to hear?”

Your eyes are tinged red and his throat feels stuffed with cotton.

“I've always admired you,” you say quietly, between hiccuping breaths. “But I didn’t know you could be so cruel.”

Neteyam winces, every word he’d practiced earlier, completely obliterated from his short term. He knows he should just tell you, tell you that his heart yearns for yours, too. That he'd been too blinded by his impending duty to feel the full effects of what a first love could be like.

“You should go,” you say when he's silent.

You brush your tears away and pat your cheeks dry with the back of your hands as you carefully set the wilted flowers the the edge of the table.

“I–”

“Neteyam, spare me, please.”

“I don’t want to,” he finally says.

Your eyebrows furrow, eyes swollen as you gaze at him unjaded. Who he believed to be so stoic and passive now baring every possible inch to him.

“You're–”

“I don't want to be with Te'feyra,” he finally spits, fists clenched. “I won't be with her.”

Your gaze softens, lips parting to ask what's gotten into him, but he cuts you off.

“You,” he answers firmly, before the question clings in the air. “It’s you. I want to be with you.”

"Stop," you whisper, shaking your head furiously. You take a step away from where he's quickly closing in on you. “Don't–”

He pauses mid-stride and the expression on his handsome face is absolutely devastating. His chest rises and falls shakily and you take a moment to meet his eyes.

“I’m sorry I didn’t notice it before,” he says desperately, “I was scared and didn't fully realize it, but I do now.”

“That’s unfair,” you hiccup. “This isn't just on your terms. You can’t— you can’t just tell me you like me and expect me to be with you.”

These passing moments are the most he’s ever heard you speak, and he’s afraid that he's severely underestimated you. It doesn’t taste so sweet now that he’s faced with the reality of things.

“You will be the future leader of this clan,” you continue. “That is a great responsibility that you've prepared for your entire life. Who you decide to be with is a permanent fixture that cannot be undone.”

“I know, I know,” he assures you.

“You find it in your heart pity me, Neteyam,” you breathe quietly. “But do you really want to be bonded to someone passive and weak?”

He opens his mouth to argue, but you've squared your shoulders, stomach caving and expanding with a deep breath. You turn to your prior task.

“You should go,” you repeat. “Duty calls.”

“What do you mean you need help?” Kiri asks incredulously, eyes widened at her older brother.

“________,” Neteyam says. “She's icing me out.”

Kiri's face melts in relief and she scoffs a laugh.

“Do you blame her?”

“Kiri!” he pleads.

Kiri stops her movements, falling back on her haunches to meet Neteyam's desperate gaze. It's so unlike him, being uncertain, nervous. He's picked up the habit of fiddling his fingers and Kiri snorts to herself.

“Actions,” she says simply.

“Huh?” he vocalizes.

“Words mean nothing to ________ if your actions don't support them,” she says. “This entire time you've acted so lukewarm towards her. Of course she won't believe you when you decide to acknowledge that you love her.”

Neteyam's throat bobs as he stares down at his sister.

“And how will I do that?” he presses.

Kiri shrugs.

“Not so mighty warrior now, are we?”

As the days progress, you begin to grasp at finally coming to terms with the tattered remains of what's left of you and Neteyam's frayed relationship. Your heart hasn't stonewalled him completely, but the yearning for him has dulled to a slight ache.

His eyes are piercing every moment you share the same vicinity. Kiri would even try to argue you that it's longing, but Neteyam's a slave to his honor and you aren't convinced.

“You should pity the poor boy,” an elder tells you as you cut up ingredients for the evening's dinner.

You pause, fingers tightening around the handle of the knife. You roll your lips together before briefly meeting her gaze, warm under firelight.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” you deflect, clearing your throat.

She laughs, peeling a purple fruit.

“Neteyam,” she says forwardly. “Hasn’t taken his eyes off you in who knows how long. Will you continue to let him suffer?”

You want to argue that it's you who's suffering. That the heart that beats inside the hollow of your ribcage feels like it'll tear in two every time you recall the venom in Neteyam's voice when he'd called you weak.

“I doubt his suffering has anything to do with me,” you say instead. “We are only acquaintances.”

The elder laughs again.

“Is that why he's been pestering the elders for input on how to sway your heart?”

Your head shoots up from where you've focused on the fine cuts of vegetables.

“What?”

“He’s been slacking on his duties, instead poking around the elders and villagers trying to pry information about you,” she says. “Heard him muttering about what kind of flowers you like.”

“It will take more than flowers to sway my heart,” you mumble.

“So you admit that there's something there, hmm?”

Your cheeks heat, caught like a fish in warm waters.

“I–”

“I'd argue that Neteyam’s liked you longer than you've liked him,” the elder says simply.

You bite.

“Why do you say that?”

“He's always asked Eywa for courage, and it seems like she gave you as an answer.”

The elder climbs to her feet, leaving you near the open flame. You open your mouth to call out to her, but the scent of salt and leaves envelops you before you can say anything.

You crane your neck and find Neteyam a few paces from you.

“Do you have a few moments?” he asks politely.

You want to say no, tell him that you'd offered him an infinite amount of moments that he'd spent building bridges between the two of you, but if he's a slave to his honor, you're bound by heart.

“Okay,” you say hesitantly, abandoning your task.

He holds his hand out for you to take and your fingers slide across his warm palm as he pulls you to your feet. Once he secures your hold in his, he tugs you along.

You don't know where he's taking you, or what he could possibly want with your time, but you feel a thousand times more nervous than ever now that the tangled web of your feelings drapes the both of you.

After a few moments of rugged silence, climbing through bushes and brush, he punctures the quiet.

“Are you well?” he asks.

“Yes,” you answer after a moment. “You?”

“Truthfully?” he responds, pausing to face you. You realize his hand still engulfs yours. “No.”

“No?” you parrot shakily.

“No,” he affirms. “I've been hurting actually.”

Your eyebrows furrow.

“You should seek help if you have an ongoing–”

“Here,” he says, the hand still caught in his being guided to lay flat against his chest. You can feel his heart hammering behind his ribcage. “It hurts here.”

You swallow, pulling away from his grasp when you realize his insinuation.

“Don’t,” you warn.

He breathes a shaky sigh before taking a step towards you. He's corded muscle and warmth as his palm comes to cradle your jaw. Your bottom lip twitches as you stare up at him.

“It’s always been you,” he says quietly, thumb brushing your chin as his eyes map every curve of your face. “I think I’ve always known it deep down, but...”

Your hand comes up to meet his, gently prying his touch away.

“Neteyam,” you sigh. “Had the last few days unfolded differently, I don't think you'd been saying this now.”

“Maybe not now,” he agrees. “But one day, I would. I know I would. Because when I recall every fond moment, you’re there. No matter how close to the background you get, you’re always there.”

You look skeptical, and Neteyam knows he's losing you. So he digs in the small knapsack he has slung over his broad shoulders and pulls out something thin.

When he holds it up with shaky fingers, your breath catches in your throat. Strung through the taut brown of tree vine is a line of beads identical to the one that he wears on a braid tucked behind his ear. Upon closer inspection, you notice the blue and purple beads formed to create your favorite flowers.

“Wha—”

“Until you decide you want to be mine,” he says, voice trembling nervously as he takes your arm and gently slides the band up until it fits snuggly around your bicep. “So that you remember I'm always yours.”

Your voice is caught in your throat as he brings your fingers up to his lips.

“I won’t push you,” he says when he realizes your words have evaded you. “But I’ll wait for you.”

“Neteyam–”

He simply smiles at you, golden eyes shy as he takes a step back to admire his handiwork. He seems satisfied, triumphant, when you eye the band but make no moves to remove it.

“I’ll wait for you,” he repeats, giving your fingers a squeeze before running off.

“He did what?” Lo’ak shrills a week later.

The younger three Sully's had hunted you down and brought you to the clearing dedicated to archery training.

Slender fingers wrap around your wrist and elbow to turn your arm to examine the band with wide eyes.

You can’t help but smile gently to yourself, watching the way the sun catches the reflection of the pearlescent beads and reflects them brightly.

“I knew that dummy was planning something,” Kiri grumbles. You bite your lip when she meets your gaze. “Well?”

“Well what?” you ask, arm still in Lo’ak’s grasp.

He twists playfully and your laugh glitters in the air.

"Are you going to put my knucklehead brother out of his misery or what?" Kiri hisses, arm drawing to shoot a arrow that stabs the target about a centimeter too left.

Tuk giggles as she runs up to the target to examine the damage.

“Yeah, please do, he's in love and it's disgusting,” Lo'ak grumbles, still eyeing the cuff.

Your heart skips at the mention of love, cheeks going warm when both Kiri and Lo'ak notice how you've gone quiet. They begin laughing, dealing you playful punches.

“Stop that,” you scold, swatting their hands away. “I haven’t given him an answer yet.”

“Oh, get real!” Kiri huffs. “You are so in love, you know you'll say yes.”

“Please put me out of my misery,” Lo'ak moans. “I'm tired of being his therapist because he's a little bitch.”

“Lo'ak,” you warn, eyes narrowing.

He giggles and Kiri stifles a laugh as you flounder, cheeks blooming under the siblings' teasing.

“You are both so awful,” you say petulantly, arms crossing one over the other. “How are you so sure I’ll return his feelings?”

It's Kiri's turn to groan, eyes rolling.

“Sure enough that I know if I let you in on a little secret, it'll light a fire under your ass,” she says seriously.

Your spine goes rigid, arms loosening as you wait with bated breath.

“Neteyam may choose you, but if you don’t choose him back quickly enough, someone could swoop in and claw that chance from you,” she shrugs.

Te'feyra's name is an ugly insinuation and something green coils its way into the pit of your stomach as you recall the chaste kiss she'd pressed to Neteyam's lips all those nights ago in the forest.

“Gears turning?” Lo'ak lilts.

They definitely are and suddenly you feel small, digging your big toe into the dirt to drag lines through the forest floor. You nod hesitantly, band suddenly tight around your bicep.

In your ruminating, Lo'ak and Kiri pass a knowing glance.

“Well?” Lo'ak prods.

You fidget, rattling with nerves.

“I suppose...”

Lo'ak sighs and his hands come down on your shoulders to steer you through the clearing.

“Where are we going?” you squeak.

“To put everyone out of their misery,” Lo'ak huffs.

The forest seems way more alive than usual, glowing so bright it almost overpowers the sun. Woodsprites gather around as Lo'ak nudges you through the thick foliage and you can't help but think about the sweet smile that curled on Neteyam's lips as he assured you that he was yours. All yours.

The fire crackles in the distance and you know that the morning meal is in the works when voices roar quietly meters away.

Neteyam sits near the center, surrounded by elders and the dreaded girl.

Te'feyra's obliterated every single centimeter of space available, nearly melded to his side as the elders talk animatedly over the two.

You want to turn back, uncertainty vice-like, but Lo'ak squeezes your shoulders as a silent plea. Not even a moment passes before Neteyam peels himself away and begins putting distance between them.

When Te'feyra gives him a curious glance, he gives her an uneasy smile.

“Be courageous, ________,” Lo'ak encourages. “You're one of the strongest people I know.”

With a final pat on the back, he pushes you towards the circle and the sudden movement catches everyone's gaze.

“________,” one of the elders calls fondly.

You smile and bow your head, fingers twitching at your sides.

“Hello,” you greet quietly, eyes swooping hesitantly to Neteyam who rises to his feet, already watching you intently.

That's when you notice it, the choker fastened around his throat. The vine is identical to yours, but it's strung with a line of beads that mirror the ones woven into a singular braid at the nape of your neck.

You hadn't realized that he'd noticed it all this time, but it's the ultimate confirmation that Neteyam sees you. And when he notices that you notice, he smiles softly.

The elders notice as well, drawing the link between your arm band and the necklace that Neteyam wears, now that you two stand opposite each other.

“May I borrow Neteyam for a moment?” you ask politely.

The same elder you prepared with the evening prior gleams a wide smile when Neteyam takes a step towards you, fingers brushing delicately with yours.

Te'feyra remains seated, lips twitching as her gaze flits between the two of you.

“By all means,” one of them says. “Take your time.”

You bow your head again, heart thudding when Neteyam's fingers twine with yours and he lets you drag him out of the circle and deeper into the forest.

When you deem that no prying eyes or ears surround you, you stop, Neteyam bumping softly into your back. The hair on the back of your neck bristle when he makes no moves to extricate himself from you, simply moving your braids from your face to reveal the string of beads tucked near the nape of your neck.

“You needed me?” he whispers, fingers still ghosting the skin of shoulder.

You swallow, squeezing your eyes shut as you relish the moment. Your fingers are still locked and for a fleeting second, you pretend that it's always been like this, the two of you.

“I am nothing extraordinary,” you start, and Neteyam's fingertips pause at your elbow.

“I'd argue differently,” he responds.

“I value time alone and I get overwhelmed often,” you continue.

“We all have our moments,” is his rebuttal as the hand covering yours squeezes gently.

You sigh.

“I could—”

Neteyam turns you and you're met with the the choker, beads glinting under the light. Your eyes drag up the column of his strong neck, flit past his soft lips and finally lock with his searing gaze.

“You can try all you want to run me off,” Neteyam laughs quietly, cupping your jaw. “But I'm not scared anymore.”

Your expression is skeptical and Neteyam decides to bite the bullet. He's closing in on you and your heart pounds violently in your chest.

“Neteyam,” you whisper weakly, hand coming up to his chest.

He traps your fingers against his heart, lips slotting between yours before you can protest some more.

It's like the forest comes alive around you, grass tickling between your toes as you melt under his touch and lean up into his mouth.

His hands are everywhere at once, branding your cerulean skin as he kisses you like it's your last moments. There's no hesitation, no feeling it out, just his warm breath and his soft lips as he pulls you impossibly closer.

“I'll take you as you are at any moment,” he says breathlessly between kisses. “You just have to say you want me back, ________. Please.”

You nod, nose brushing against his as one of his palms splay at the small of your back and the other grabs your chin, pulling you back to plant another burning kiss on your lips.

“Say it,” he begs.

Your eyes begin to mist as you nod again eagerly, parting for a moment to whisper the words.

“I'm yours,” you hoarse, hands on either side of his neck. “I'm yours if you'll be with me.”

Neteyam simply kisses you again, a satisfied hum rumbling from his built chest.

“Fucking finally,” a whisper sounds from the brush.

A LIL' BONUS

“You think they would have figured it out on their own?” Lo'ak asks, wolfing down his food.

Kiri shrugs, feeding Tuk a piece of fruit from her wooden plate.

“Maybe,” she says, unable to suppress her proud grin. “Maybe not. They're both stupid."

“I think so,” Te'feyra laughs watching you and Neteyam fondly from across the fire. “They were a long time coming.”

an – thank you SO much if you've made it this far! again, leave a request or let's chat hehehe. up next is lo'ak so stay tuned! :)

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neng © 2023

[moon-blanket]

I'M SO LATE TO THE NEW SAM VIDEO. Excuse me while i Yell about it.

So wonderful of Erik to specify that Asher will not be interrupting this time LMAO. Also hey this Purple color scheme is So pretty. he's done it again.

He kissed them awake :')) and turned off their alarm so he could wake them up himself. How about i cry.

HOORAY the Monarchial Summit is coming. I've been waiting for it with baited breath. I stand by what i said about the things i'd do to see him Dressed Up for it.

DARLIN' GOT THEM KICKED OUT OF THE CLUB ? For beating up someone who deserved it ? What a slay, actually. Oh my god He called them his Big Bag Wolf i'm skdf;a.

He's giving them a shoulder massage i'm just going to fall to the FLOOR. And he refuses to use his vampiric strength on them because he doesn't want to hurt them accidentally :(((

SUMMIT GOSSIP SUMMIT GOSSIP LETS GOOOO. All while rubbing their back :(((

SHAW PACK COULD GET INVITES TO THE SUMMIT ??? Oooh something is Going to Happen and that makes me. a little afraid !! It probably being William's way to cement their alliance and friendship with each other-- even if it could be another way to Show Off to other vampire clans. Them being two of the biggest seats of power in Dahlia is so hot. What a slay.

Vincent having to be "marched around like the golden child" definitely means that Lovely is going to be marched around by proxy. That's a fun thing to think about lmao.

DUKE MENTION !! TITLE MENTION !!! GOING CRAZY ABOUT IT !!!

Him saying to keep the title locked up in their pretty head. .. .. so you think we're pretty ? :)) And the way he laughs as he tells them to "get over here" oh my GOD i can only imagine they're laughing too and my heart is so warm and happy.

THE EXTRA SCENE ON PATREOOOON WHAT !!!!!!!!! PORTER ??? A SOLAIRE VAMPIRE ??? SENT AWAY BECAUSE OF A FEUD WITH VINCENT ??? Keep this man Away from Lovely dude. Leave them Alone. Be so nice at this Summit okay mf.

I'm SO excited for this Summit dude. You have No Idea. I've been sitting and kicking my feet about it this whole time. I apologize for the person i become when it actually happens LMAO.

This is still a sweet video. I'm glad Darlin' and Sam have some downtime like this after all the Quinn business is said and done. Everyone just stay happy please challenge (impossible).

[nach-yomish]

Day 2: Joshua 2 // יהושע ב

(Link to full chapter text on Sefaria)

I started working on this draft motzei Shabbos because I was so excited about this particular chapter, but I waited because I wanted to really get my thoughts right. So!

One of the reasons I wanted to start by reading Joshua rather than track the OU cycle (which is currently in the middle of Psalms/Tehillim) is because I absolutely love the character Rahab (/Rachav). Rahab is explicitly described as being a prostitute, and yet the text itself doesn't condemn her for it or try to whitewash it. She is described by her occupation multiple times, and her and her family are spared because of her intuition and bravery in facilitating the Israelite conquest of the city. Like Tamar in Bereshit, the future of the people hinges on the goodness of foreign women (likely converts or their historical equivalent) who engage in commercial sex. In Joshua it's even clearer - she and her family were said to be adopted into the people Israel and she is still described as a prostitute; unlike Tamar (which is a one-time exceptional circumstance that the text is clear did not recur) there is not explicit statement that she renounces this work.

This moment is also a moving reversal of the mistakes of the Israelites during the original spies narrative in the Torah. Notably, Joshua was one of the only two spies (along with Caleb) who tried to convince the people to fight for the land, while the remaining ten instill fear into the people, such that the generation that left Egypt is then doomed to die in the desert before the people can literally and figuratively move forward. Here, the spies sent are fewer in number and chosen by Joshua who, certainly, must be remembering his own experiences as a young man. By having a successful reconnaissance mission, the people are demonstrating the nation's collective teshuva for the sin of the original spies and the people’s reaction to them, and their readiness to enter the land.

The book of Joshua taken as a whole is very focused on the conquest of the land, the various cities that are razed and burned to the ground, and the many people and clans slaughtered. It's a tough book for those of us who oppose war for land or prosperity and care about human rights. But the acceptance of Rahab is a bright spot in a grisly war narrative.

[freesidexjunkie]

ooh interesting ask meme! maybe "lesson" for sarissa :')

ohhhh this one is good, I've been stewing it in my brain all morning. link to oc ask list here

I think the first big life lesson she learns has to be connected to her leaving her birth clan. She was very young when her magic showed (7/8, had to double check my notebooks). Her clan already had three mages; she couldn't stay. She was luckier than Minaeve, in that she was sent to Clan Lavellan to train as first under their keeper. She was also lucky to be Dalish, so her magic wasn't a stain or a sin or a punishment; rather, it was a very big responsibility.

I'm stuck between "clan Lavellan was luckily close enough to her birth clan and in need of a First, so it worked out very fortunately" and "the arrangement was worked out at the Arlathven." I'm leaning heavily towards the Arlathven; it would be Sarissa's first wide exposure to Dalish culture as a whole, since it only happens every 10 years and she's still younger than that. Lavellan could have recently lost their own first. Or better, they could've just lost their keeper, and Istimaethoriel is brand spanking new in the role and needs a first, or maybe even a second at the beginning. So Sarissa is here as this terrified, shaking child, clutching at her mother's skirts, and what should be an exciting and illuminating first step into the wider world is actually her send off from everyone she's ever known.

It does end up working out well, though. Isti has no family of his own in my headcanon, and he's a very patient and kind teacher, so they form a very tight bond. She doesn't get to see her parents again; that bond just kind of...disintegrates. She was an only child when she left, but she has no idea if she has siblings out there somewhere. She doesn't even remember her parents' names, since she was so young and only ever called them mom/dad (in elvhen ofc but I don't think there's an elvhen word for dad off the top of my head?). I haven't decided exactly where they are or what's happened to them, but I think that's fitting; just like Sarissa knows she has parents but not where they are or why they never reached back out, I don't have a clear idea for why either.

So, long winded explanation, but I think the first lesson she learned was responsibility. She was chosen, by right of her magic, to bear one of, if not the, most important job any Dalish can undertake. Others always come before herself, because she lives to serve them, keep them safe and keep their stories alive. And that's why she falls into the role of Inquisitor so easily after the mark - she has, once again, been given what seems like a divine sign that she has to serve for others. Her life is not hers, and that might have chafed once in a while, but she has never changed that mindset. Is it healthy? No not at all, but who would I be if I didn't give my beloved OCs pieces of my own trauma? ❤️

Thank you so much for asking this and giving me an excuse to ramble about my fav girl 🥺 this really made me think more about her background in ways I haven't before, and I think it adds a really good layer to her story. Adding one of my latest picrews of her post-Inquisition bc I love her and I need to share her with the whole world.

[heleizition]

AIGHT im back and i did the reading and i need to know e v e r y t h i n g about the naruto au im not even fucking around. the amount of times ive fixated on that shit despite never finishing it is unreal. also which one was the one that got beheaded? because thats superb shit and i require more information to rotate them in my mind

HIIIIIII thank u so much for this ask i saw it at work and i was SO EXCITED to get home and tell u all about a) the naruto au b) eden who's the one who gets beheaded :3

BTW you can find the art i did of my ocs by checking out the tags on my blog of their name (ex nell art is under #nell, vik's is under #vik ...)

i'll start with eden !!! he's my token white haired guy (altho i have also a white haired girl in the same group of oc lol) to whom i do many terrible things. ever since i created him he's had a scenario where his neck got hurt (electric shock to his neck, knife injury, beheading to simply head explosiong lmao). he's an angel in the angel/demon scenario and the village's doctor in the farm au :3 he's always some sort of healer ! (he's that one "im a healer but... *cocks gun*" meme)

in the angel au he has extraordinary healing powers that antagonists want for themselves until they realise eden is not gonna give under the pressure and side with them so they behead him/make his head explode. not quite sure whcih one yet <3. except he doesn't die bc his power is more. body manipulation than healing and it acts by itself and stitch him back together . its a very traumatizing process but in return he destroys the other guys : D he's often nell's best friend in aus... moody guys who become menaces together. he was supposed to end up w jasper when i very first made him but eh !!!

THE NARUTO AU

okay so . disclaimer most of what i know of naruto is memories from what i watched when i was a young teen and a lot of sakura centered fanfics ive read the past few months lol

the story focus on on genin team but for the sake of the story ill jst go and talk abt the others too :

a) main genin team is nell, vik, lena and their teacher abel

b) second genin team is belly, jasper and eden with their teacher noah

c) cody is basically tsunade, titania is a civilian from a noble family who has a whole side story with lena lol

nell and belly (twins) are illegitimate kids from a clan's girl, who possess the clan's kekkei genkai. no i dont know what it is yet it's not even relevant to the story SEFJSEFOSFJOE

once their mother die they're put under the care of their mother's clan, where they're not rly treated well,,,, belly is a natural as using the clan's technic while nell isn't,,, they stick together but they're treated different and it sucks. tbh nell and belly's ways of dealing with family trauma is a recurring theme in all of the universes they're part of...

nell's fighting style focus on ice jutsu mostly, he's not a powerhouse but he's deadly. belly is more of a brawler type but i havent figured it out much yet :]

vik is an orphan who was groomed into roots (in universe it's a secret unit of ninjas like anbu but it's controlled by danzou who's a fucker and stole kekkei genkai including sharingans by STEALING DEAD PEOPLE'S EYES), who want's belly & nell's clan's kekkei genkai, and who's sent to pass as a new genin in nell's team to gain his trust and kill him and take his eyes,,, theres prob something going on to take belly's also but i havent gotten that far lol

lena (my BABYGIRL) is a civilian, born from a big player merchant family, who's supposed to inherit her parent's role but does Not want to :] she's lovely she's great she has a lot of chakra that she uses for summons (tigers!!!) and also she IS a powerhouse (uses . axes). not the most usefull of spy missions lol i love her <3

abel, in most of my stories, is a big brother figure to most of the kids especially nell,,,, i have not figured out yet what exaclty he does in this au BUT he and cody are old buddies and are destined to be together in all of my aus. anyway

quick other stuff, belly is very angry in hte beginning like her brother and does not know how to work with a team, jasper is kind and gentle and has to learn how to deal with her, also later masters mokuton (tree/plants jutsu) (which makes him very precious and rare), eden is once again a healer in this except he also works with poisons. bitch

and their teacher, noah, also works in torture and interrogation which will come up later.

basically the story follows nell's team as they meet and start working with each other, vik realising that maybe he's doing something that he shouldn't, almost kills nell once when infiltrating his living place but manages to get out when he hears belly coming in, discovers the power of friendship, then they're sent in the death forest for their chunin exam, antagonist guy sends more roots agents bc vik can't do the job, vik protects nell and lena, spills as much of the beans as he can before the seal in his throat starts to paralyze him, nell holds on to him for dear life and fights the other roots, lena gets one of her summoned tiger to go find eden and his team who save the day & also vik...

once vik is saved he cooperated with t&i and noah, who works on the case, adopts him,,, all is well. its not much . i feel like i had more thoughts lmao but its all messy in my head <3 thank u for reading

[ocean-in-my-rebel-soul]

OC questions on forms of love, 1 & 2 (or one or the other) on the very first list, any oc. I am very curious about the exploration of these questions generally speaking 😅😊 forms of love are so interesting to me.

Guess who doesn't get app notifications that someone's sent me an ask? :'-)

(Questions from this OC ask list, "OC Questions on the Seven Forms of Love")

Answering for.... (*rolls dice*) Ellara Lavellan! She has a weird relationship with love because of her backstory!

Eros – Romantic, Passionate Love.

Is your OC romantic in the traditional sense? Do they enjoy giving or receiving gifts of flowers or confectionary? Or are there other courtship traditions from their culture of origin that are important to them?

When Ellara was young, she had been romantic in the way children are; she dreamed of an exciting, loving relationship, and had a crush on a young hunter-in-training who was a couple of years older than her. He was so handsome, and was really skilled in skinning deer. As she grew older and began her training as the Emerald Knight apprentice, her role in the clan grew a little weird. In her canon verse, this role is a religious one, as well as martial, and is filled by someone chosen by the Creators to protect the clan. These assignments are usually given by sign or visions, and discussed with the Keeper as to their voracity. She was chosen by Falon'din to protect Lavellan in this way, given to her in an interaction with his avatar (a small fragment of the Creators' powers in the waking world). Her mother was similarly chosen to be the Hearthkeeper and head healer by Sylaise, so she had an interesting childhood in relationship to her peers. It set her apart, little by little.

Anyway. Because she knew that her life would be dedicated to Lavellan in this way, and because she was chosen by the god of death, she came to a realization in her late teens that she would probably not have the relationship of her dreams. Though she didn't advertise that she was chosen by him, word got around, and people saw her differently, and acted even weirder toward her. She still had glimmers of crushes, and still sorta believed in love and that she wanted that for herself, but tried her best to set it aside. Who would want a wife who was promised to the god of the dead?

In this verse, the Dalish have certain courting rituals. Chief among them are proving that you can provide for your intended beloved(s), and include things like crafting items, dedicating hunts, etc. There is a lot of community property among the clan that is crafted with everyone in mind (like weapons, tools, clothing, etc.), but this phase of the courtship creates personal property. This property becomes the permanent property of the recipient, no matter the outcome of the courtship. This phase is the most public of the whole process. Once all parties accept the engagement, they go to the Keeper to ascertain that they are not related enough to mess up bloodlines and the gene pool; there's a certain line of relation that is not acceptable to cross in order to maintain the health of the clan, but of course there is always the occasion where the parties involved ignore that. The Keeper and Hearthkeeper oversee and officiate the wedding, which are often held on auspicious dates.

2. How important is sex to them in a relationship? Do they see it as something essential to their happiness? Would they be able to remain in a monogamous relationship with someone they loved without sex?

Sex is not really important, though she does enjoy it. She's had a couple of flings at Arlathvhen (which I put as being every five years, not every 10), but seeing as Arlathvhen is only generally a month long, it's short-lived and casual. After she meets Blackwall and they develop a physical relationship, she does really enjoy that. Yes, she would remain in a monogamous relationship with someone she loved if the relationship wasn't sexual.

Ask me more questions about my OCs! Wardens: Ilya Surana (romances Zevran and Alistair [canon], romances Zevran [side canon]); Rhiona Cousland (warrior, romances Loghain) Hawkes: Adrian (mage, romances Fenris), Garrett (warrior, romances Anders); Inquisitor: Elara Lavellan (warrior, romances Blackwall)

[roughlytwentytwofrogs]

So besides Taliesin Jaffe, i think i found Eris Morn from Destiny 2(morla gorrondona), Bangalore Apex Legends (Erica Luttrell), Jill Valentine (and Daniela Dimitrescu in RE:V, Nicole Tompkins), Octane Apex legends (Nicolas Roye) and I'm p sure Allegra Clark as well (but I'm not sure about that one) in the wilds. Wait i forgot about i think G-Man's english va too voicing that noble carja in chainscrape but i forget his name. And his character's name too, oop.

I've somehow been even more excited about hearing VAs i know voicing random NPCs giving me quests.

[queenquinzel715]

1. Werewolf Borg

Growing up in Silentdew was always a mystery. You never know what would happen, or who would come through. Our kingdom was open to all sorts of people, because our King is Fae himself. We had faes, humans, orcs, vampires, demons, and many others that came through the kingdom's trading market. My mother would tell me stories of when humans would hunt these poor people, and still to this day some do. That is why they come here for the freedom to do as they please, within the law of course. 

            Today is porting day for most people, it is when traders would dock, and sell,or buy goods. I was helping mother lay out her fabrics. Mother was the best seamstress in the whole kingdom, and I was right behind her. My father was a blacksmith, but he died last year. When the King found out he died, with fight of my mother, still sent the monthly blacksmith allowance that he paid my father for his services. Mother sends him capes as "gifts". My mother doesn't like handouts, but the King is hard headed. 

           Mother only has a couple orders for some pregnant women, and she was so excited. They order some dresses, and some baby clothes. I was helping her cut the fabric they wanted when a big boat docks filled with men in kilts. It has been awhile since werewolves have come here. I was a child when the last clan came through. One by one they stomp up the docks to through the market, some stopping at some booths, and some just looking around.

"(Y/n) take over, so I can work on these orders." Mother tells me as she walks back inside. 

            I stood at the counter, fixing the fabrics, so they can be seen properly. I looked over at the water thinking of the different lands that could be out there. I was so caught up in my thoughts I didn't notice the two men standing in front of me until one of them clears their throat. I jump a little, turning, to see a blonde, and a brunette werewolves smirking at me. 

"Oh… I'm sorry." I smile. "Can I help you?" 

"Daydreaming lass?" The blonde one asks. 

"It's hard not to." I laugh.

"We need new kilts." The brunette chuckles. "In this please." He hands me the blue plade my mother just got. 

"Just you two?" I ask.

"Yes we ruined a pair during training." The blonde rolls his eyes.

"Come back here so I can measure you both." I guide them to the stepping post inside. "Mother I'll work on these. Did you get the baby clothes done?" I ask as the blonde guy stands in front of me..

"Yes, just these last three. What are you fine gentlemen buying today?" She smiles up at the brunette.

"Kilts ma'am." He tells her. 

"Are you enjoying Silentdew so far?" She goes back to sewing.

"So far it's the best place I could be." He says as his friend turns to him. 

           After grabbing the measuring tape I walk around, getting distracted by his tanned, muscular body, in front of him. 

"So do you boys have mates? I heard that's the greatest thing in this world." My mother asks.

"Yes ma'am" the blonde says with a smile. "My mate is the best woman I could ask for, but sadly young Borg here hasn't found his mate." He says.

            I try not to touch him as I bring my arms around, but my arm brushes against his side. The tingle that shoots up my arm, and his deep growl, I jump back. 

"(Y/n) are you alright?" Mother asks with concern. 

            I don't answer, my eyes are locked with Borg's, and he looks angry, maybe? He stomps out of the house, slamming the door behind him, causing mother and me to jump. His friend looks me over,  then with a smug smile. 

"I'm sorry about him. He has anger problems." He chuckles. "If you don't mind, we are the same size." 

"Oh! Of course. (Y/n) you can go finish that last onesie." I nod.

                As I sat there finishing up for my mother, and my mind can't get off his angry eyes. Once mother got the measurements she started on the dresses as I got to work on the kilts. They needed two each, and also needed sashes. I got done with the kilts, so I gave my hands a break by going outside. The cool air always would help the ache, and watching the stars was a plus. As I watch the sky I hear a howl in the woods, and it sounded sad. I hum the song mother would sing to me as a child as I walk toward the river. The way the wind picked up felt so relaxing, but I'm taken from my mind. A growl from a wolf that is coming toward me, and it looks like he has something in his mouth. I know I should go home, but I feel drawn to it. It drops the dead animal at my feet with a grunt, pushing it toward me. 

"F..for me?" I ask squatting down.

          I notice it is a rabbit, and the wolf nudges my hand before walking back into the woods. I carry the rabbit back home wondering what just happened. As I walk in, my mother is finishing a dress.

"What do you got there?" She asks.

"A rabbit. Do you think you can make gloves out of this?" I set the rabbit on the table.

"I'm sure I could. Where did you find this?" She asks before grabbing her knives.

"A wolf just dropped it at my feet." I sigh, taking a seat at the table, watching her. 

"It.." She stops. "(Y/n) remember what your papa told you of mates?" She asks, going back to work. 

"Some yes. A mate is when you have a soulmate that is only for you." I say, getting really confused.

"Well for the most part, but a mate is made from each other's soul. This bond can't be broken. When your mate is sick, hurt, or upset you feel it." She has a soft smile as she tells me.

"Mother, was papa your mate?" I ask.

"Yes he was. We didn't know if you would get a wolf, or any traits. When you turned thirteen, and didn't get a wolf we thought you were just a human." I take a deep breath. "You did get some traits. You can hear a bird flap its wings." She laughs. "You run faster than anyone, and you have healing ability. We thought since you didn't have a wolf, you wouldn't get a mate, but I guess we were wrong." She smiles.

"How would we know who it is?" I ask.

"Well whoever that wolf was I'm quite sure it is him, because he is bringing you animals." I look at her confused. "Wolves show affection by showing they can provide for their mate." She throws the rabbit skin in a bowl before cutting the meat up. 

            We talk some more about mates, and who he would be. I think she knows. After she finished cutting the meat I made rabbit stew, helped her put everything up, and we settled in for the night. As I laid there I couldn't stop thinking about mates. If he brings the animal, then I'm supposed to cook it, so maybe I should take him some. I grab a deep bowl, put on my cape, and walk back to the river. I don't know if he will come back, but hopefully he does. Well I didn't have to wait long, because I heard a soft growl toward the tree line. I look over, and it's the wolf from last time. I keep my eyes on his as I sit on the ground, waiting for him to come closer. 

"I...um… I brought you some stew." I stammer, putting the bowl in front of him. "It's made from the rabbit you gave me." 

        He looks up at me before scarfing it down in seconds, and when he's done he looks up at me. 

"That's all I brought." I pick up the bowl. "I'm sorry. I'll definitely bring you more next time...well..I mean..if you…" it looked as if he rolled his eyes before bumping me with his head. "I asked my mother to make gloves for me out of the fur. It is very beautiful, and soft." I look back toward my house. "Umm I should get going, but if you could give me a hint of who you are. Maybe come by the seamstress hut." I smile before walking away. 

            The walk home I wondered who he was, and couldn't figure it out. Once inside I realized I forgot the bowl. I shrug with a yawn, because I was not walking back. 

             It has been a couple days since I've seen the wolf. I got the bowl back, at my door the next morning, and animals for breakfast and dinner. It's just when I got to the river he didn't show up. Maybe it wasn't my mate after all, so I just got back to work. The Wolves that needed the kilts, came and got them, but it was only the blonde guy, Alik. 

             Today seems to be going longer than usual, so I work on a basket whole I hum. I'm stopped by someone blocking the sun, and Borg is standing there. He is clenching a bag in his hand, and he looks very confused. 

"It will go with the rabbit fur." With that he left. 

"The rab...what?" I am confused.

                Opening the bag I pull out a neck wrap that is the same grey blackish color like the rabbit I got from the wolf. I jump up, looking at the wrap, and my heart is beating out of my chest. Before I know it I'm fast walking through the market, docks, and around town, but I come to a stop at the river. 

"Where did he go?" I look toward the town.

             With a sigh I put the wrap on, and sat next on the rocky shore. I can't believe Borg is my mate, or knows my mate. I wouldn't mind him being my mate, but I wish I knew. 

"Little one?" A rough voice scaring me out of my thoughts. 

        I turn to see Alik with a soft smile. I jump to my feet.

"You know?" He nods. "Then where is he?" 

"I don't know. I haven't seen him since he left earlier." He walks closer. 

I sigh. "Can you tell my mate I will be here tonight? I'm done waiting." I say before walking away.

"He will be here." Alik yells after me.

            Once home I kneel at my mother's lap, and cry. I wish he would just show himself. Mother pets my hair back as she tells me it will be alright. Mother didn't let me work the rest of the day, so I just sat around the house fixing a chair. Mother seemed to enjoy my relaxing time, because she would snicker to herself. After we ate dinner I wrapped some deer, and bread up. Since it was a cold night I was able to wear my gloves and wrap along with my cape. I sit in my usual spot by the river, build a small fire, and pick at the rocks around me. I watch the water as it gets darker, and slowly losing hope. After some time I hear a faint voice say no, go, or something like that, but when I look I see two big shadows walking toward me. Well ones being pushed. When they stopped in front of me I saw Borg was being pushed while Alik pushed him.

"I told you he'd be here." Alik smacks Borg's shoulder before leaving. 

            We just stare at each other before I grab the food basket, and hold it out to him. 

"It's the deer." He lightly takes the basket. "I don't know how this works, but I would like to try." I look down at my hands. 

He deeply sighs. "You don't want to be my mate, lass." He walks closer. "You'd get hurt. My wolf..he doesn't control himself." His hand moves his hair back. 

"But when I saw your wolf it wasn't mean." I say confused.

"Because I had control. If I let him loose you'd be marked by now." He growls. 

"Then how could you...we… I thought this bond can't be broken?"

"That's why I'm leaving. Your King needed my pack's help, and since that is done I need to leave." He looks at me.

"You'd rather leave, and hurt the both of us than to be with me?" I ask, my heart breaking.

             He doesn't say anything, so I take that as my answer. I take off my gloves, and wrap, dropping them, before walking home. As I was wiping my eyes I didn't notice Alik walking to me until I bumped into him. I just ran away from him, and ran home. Mother looks at me with concern when I come in.

"He would rather leave than to be with me." I tell her as I walk to my bed. 

            As I lay there I hear a long howl, and it breaks me. I look out the window that faces the woods, and I see a big shadow walking around. I just lay back down, and hope I can get through this. After some time I hear a whimper, and it sounds close. I run to the door, and when I open it Borg is there in his wolf form. I just walked to my bed, and after a moment he climbs in beside me. 

"I hope you don't leave." Is all I say as I fall asleep. 

                  When I woke up, the next morning, his long hair black hair was everywhere, one arm was under my head, my leg was on his, and my head on his chest. He is so warm I never want to get up, but I know I have too. As I slowly try to get up the arm under my head pulls me closer to him, and when I look up his deep green eyes are staring at me. 

"Where you going lass?" His scruffy voice asks. 

"I...um" I didn't have an answer.

           He just smirks at me as he moves my hair away from my face. He lightly lifts me as he sits up, and he sits me on his lap. When I look up in his eyes I watch his eyes turn black.

"I'm not leaving (y/n). I'm sorry I upset you." He lightly kisses my forehead. "My pack was only here for business, but they wanted to settle here before anyone else was hurt. I took over, because faes killed my parents. I didn't want to settle under a fae, and when I found you. I got mad, because I knew we would have to settle." His fingers softly rub my arm. "I can't have you hurt, but I know I can't leave without you hurting. Without us hurting." 

              I just lay my head on his chest, and relax into him. I can feel and hear him take a breath. I smile to myself as I realize that I have a mate. He starts to rub his cheek on the top of my head. 

"Borg?" I sit up.

"Yes love." 

               I grab the back of his neck as I kiss him deeply. He grabs my hips as he kisses me back, and as he lays me back we hear a group of howls. He growls as he looks out the window. 

"I hate being the Alpha sometimes." He says, making me giggle. 

             He gives me a soft kiss before jumping out the window, shifting, and running into the woods. 

"So I see you'll need your own cabin?" My mother asks, scaring my soul. 

"Gods mother!'' I fuss holding my chest. 

             She laughs as she walks away. Throughout the day men would stop by the booth with different goods, and bow to me. I asked mother if she knew what this was, and she only shrugged. 

PART 2?

[inessencedevided]

The Untamed, episode 46 - watching notes

Full disclosure: I'm not in a particularly good mood today. Have you seen that "no productivity. Only guild." Meme flying around? That's me today :|

Hopefully this will distract me (though distraction was the problem in the first place 🙈)

I apologise for any typos you'll finde in this post 😅

To recap, the last thing I learned was that apparently, Jiggy married his own sister because Jin Guangshan was a scumbag who raped more women than he could possibly remember

I was told by several people that this episode is their favourite. No pressures or anything :D

The way someone is dragging up Jiggy's secrets has a lot of poetic justice to it. Everyone is outraged and gossiping. Consensus is reached quickly. Kinda makes me feel that that someone (who probably also wrote the letter to jgy) knows exactly how to use the sect world's worst qualities as a weapon

Yao what's-his-name, resident gossip queen, at it again

Don't look at me my memory is as bad as wwx when it comes to names :D

I was about to write who is Lianfang Zum again and then I remembered that it's jiggy's honorary title. See what I mean? ^^

What does it say about me that my heart makes a leap when I simply see wwx leaning close to lwj to whisper to him? 😅 I'll probably die reading the novel, that's what that says

Oh so it was the maid who sent the letter

Come on Wei Wuxian! That was cruel

Yeah Yao what's-his-name, why would you need to know the identity of who ever is behind this? It's not like you've ever been deceived before!

What's... with that bracelet?

I love it how everyone looks positively startled when Lan Wangji says something unprompted :D

Wait ... Zwei Jun is in his hands? Shit, i don't remeber what happened there. Where did Xichen go again? 😬

I'm so confused right now 🙈 I can't watch and read the subtitles and type

Okay, watched the whole conversation again, now I'm following

I reiterate my earlier statement that whoever is pulling the strings here knows exactly what strings to pull to get the clans to act

Great, another mob 🙄

Loooool

NOW you want his help? 😂

Sure, as soon as he can serve YOU with his "evil tricks", that's okay!

You can see how much wwx changed because he does not hold their hypocrisy to their faces. He mostly seemed tired of it

And Jiang Cheng just realised that wwx might indeed not be responsible for Jiang Yanli's death, didn't he? He's almost stunned 🥺

Or is BEAUTIFUL to see Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji move in such unity! 😭

Oh ... those are the graves of his foster parents, right? :(

And Yanli ... oh God I forgot about Yanli 🥺

I'm crying again. Nothing on this show will ever hit as hard to me as the Yunmeng siblings' fate

I couldn't help myself, I legitimately just stroked my laptop screen where Yanli's plate was 🥺

So many conflicting emotions

Thanks to a friendly anon, I know that these three bows together are marriage thing! 😭😭😭

So yeah, they're married now. I dont make the rules :')

Somehow, this feels like them asking wwx's foster family's blessing

And now I'm imagining Shijie smiling back at them gently and I'm crying 🥺

And by God, I love lwj's gentle teasing :')

This whole scene, he's so soft! 😭

And it think that Wei Wuxian probably thought that he'd never get to step into Lotus Pier again. But here, he can finally say his goodbyes to his Shijie properly. He can heal! 🖤

And again, I cannot stress enough how wonderful that is! And how rare and precious in a show like this. So often character's get put through unimaginable trauma, but they either brush it off no problem or the show/movie ends immediately after the main action and you are left to imagine the number it did on the character's psyche. There are so rarely fantasy shows that really dive into the emotional fallout the plot has on their characters and then give them time to heal. Thus show does both and I'm so goddamn overjoyed my it!

Come to think of it, it reminds me of a very good hurt/comfort fic 🤷‍♀️

Jiang Cheng pleae, fir once, try not to be angry immediately when you're hurting :(

He still takes special offence that lwj is there. Makes me wonder if he still feels like wwx chooses lwj over the Jiang sect and is still hurt by it 😔 (note that at the same time, he reminds wwx that he's very much not a member of the Jiang clan anymore. God, the man has not worked through his own feelings ...)

For once, as much as I love it when lwj defends wwx (especially when it's not against any physical harm, but because he doesn't want wwx to be hurt emotionally) I think him interfering with this particular conflict does not help

Okay sorry, but no! lotus pier was not destroyed because wwx saved lwj in that cave. That was just an excuse for the Wen sect. They would have come eventually anyway

Ohhh

So there's my answer

He's still hurt because he feels wwx chooses anyone else over his family, which is to say him

And he probably can't understand because their positions are so different. The (future) sect leader and the son of a (dead) servant and a rogue cultivator who never felt quite like he belonged 😔

It's so goddamn tragic how much between these two was destroyed simply because they have such a different status in society and could never quite understand each other's perspective

And again, wwx just takes it 💔

Until, that is, lwj's honour gets besmirched

Don't fight in front of Shijie 🥺

Jiang Cheng's every action screams that he still loves his brother and that amidst all that pain for his lost family, is also deep betrayal and grieve for the brother he thought he could always count on 🥺💔

Can we appreciate for a second how much this shot tells us? From Jiang Cheng's angry desperation, to Wei Wuxian's quite acceptance of his rage (which must be so confusing to Jiang Cheng and probably hurt him even more. Because fighting is always how these two resolved their issues!) to Lan Wangji who is in full on protective mode (which I find more than heartwarming,but still think probably isn't helpful rn)

He ... what?

I still don't quite understand when exactly wwx's lack of golden core shows. Why does he have a nosebleed here?

What?

Oh!

Wen Ning 😱

I get what he wants to do!

Have we ever seen him this calm and determined before?

Abd they understand 😱😱😱

The look on all of their faces! Shiiiiit

I'm crying again

Oh wangii is crying 🥺

Wen Quing 💔💔💔 I'm crying even harder just looking at her. I've MISSED her 🥺

Lan Zhan your FACE!! 😭

The way he's looking at wwx in his arms, as if he's seeing him fir the first time

And by god, I can only imagine what he must be thinking

He must be reevaluation every single interaction they had since wwx started down the path of demonic cultivation 😭

I'm a bit in awe of Wen Ning here and how much he must have been holding in. That's the steadiest and most confident he's ever been

Oh Jiang cheng 💔

That looks like a man whose entire world has just been shaken to its core

And Lan Wangji is crying so much 🥺

God I hope he doesn't blame himself even more 🥺

Aaaaaaahhhh, so that is why he wouldn't just carry the sword for appearance sake and why he just had a nosebleed!

Jiang Cheng probably needs about a month to process all that :/

And therapy ...

Aaaaaaahhhh! The boat scene! I've seen gifs! 😍😍😍

A penny for Lan Wangji's thoughts ...

Oh I'm so so so so glad that Wen Ning gets to say thank you to the man who raised his ... cousin (?) :')

Oh god we get to see!!!!

Oh little a Yuan 😭😭😭😭😭😭

I wonder now, did Lan Qiren know who the child was that his nephew suddenly brought back to cloud recess?

I'm glad that we all learned from this that keeping secrets from the people we love, especially secrets that concern them personally, will eventually come back to bide us in the ass. Than you for delivering that important lesson, wen Ning!

Which reminds me that I hope they eventually tell wwx that they know 😬

I swear to god, one of these days I will melt from the gentleness in lan Wangji's gaze :')

Shit. He had to be awake? 😳

You can pinpoint the moment Lan Wangji's heart breaks for all the suffering wwx endured and how close he came to loosing him even then 🥺

Waking like that in you lovers arms in the middle of a lotus pond - that's the dream *sighs* (minus the passing out bit)

It's weirdly cute that wwx thinks that it's Jiang Cheng's insults that have lwj so upset 😅

Oh GOOOOD ...

I can't

The moment Yanli's themes started to play and she appeared I started to bawl 😭😭😭

And he's sharing the lotus pods with them ... oh please, lwj, please understand what he's saying. That's his pove language! His sister's food was how he received love and right now he passes it on to you! Please, please understand it! 🥺

Oh lwj, don't 🙈

Awwwwww ....

He's breaking the rules for you!!! Just to make you smile!!! 😭😭

And holy shit look at their expressions 😭

By now you should know that he's willing to break the rules for you :')

And poor third wheel Wen Ning 😂

Now there are glittering butterflies???

Do they have some kind of romantic aesthetic bingo going on in this episode???

Oh okay, messenger butterflies

Please appreciate wwx almost climbing into lan Wangji's lab in excitement :D

Thay scene transition was pretty af!

Hey! Why do they bully wen Ning? 😤

*shakes wwx by the shoulders* DO YOU GET THAT HE LOVES YOU NOW???

Huh, this episode was a roller coaster. you guys did NOT exaggerate! I loved it to pieces. I'm floored once more by all the actor's performances. Wen Ning revealed a lot about his character, Jiang Cheng broke my heart, Lan Wangji made it melt and Shijie is still able to make me bawl in an instant. But ... I'm not left with a bitter feeling. Sure, jiang Cheng and wei Wuxian havebt reconciled, but the truth is the first step to even have that possibility. Wei Wuxian and Lan Wangji are both healing and whatever happens in the last 4 (4!!!😭) episodes, I'm not dreading it that much right now. I feel like we're climbing upwards :)

@sweetlittlevampire @fandom-glazed @elenirlachlagos @allhailthedramallama @luckymoony @kyrrahbird @i-love-him-on-purpose thank you guys for staying with me for this crazy ride 💙🖤💙

Also one last thing: please don't tell me what happens differently in the novel in any given scene. I am still reading it (about half way through rn) and I'd like to still be surprised by stuff like first kisses and love confessions 💙🖤

I should have put something like this at the end before, but I always forgot. That's on me 😅 so don't feel bad, if you've shared something before :)

[the-firebird69]

Unfortunately or painfully aware of what day it is and is our son said they constantly remind me and they remind Hera every few seconds. We are prepped we are ready and we're going to assault this area shortly because it's a base for your practices, I'm sending in units right now and large quantities. They're very large number of people here they're in massive states of delusion and denial and they're constantly reminding us today is your day we are totally fed up with you it'll be extra extracted I can't stand hearing you dumbass I don't do anything to you ever it's ridiculous hey you screamed it for days and days so what. No we're coming in there to grab you to your Intel on today at first and you ought to swear you're going to do something to our son or to the financial system so we need to know what it is and we do appreciate your big mouth we need them to select easily who You are.

He also have other reasons for coming in there you have way too much time on your hands to be fritterring away in our sun. I'm in a major announcement yesterday most of you didn't even flinch and didn't even do a thing and even sitting there talking about it for years I know where you're at it's a matter of fact most of you need to leave I think we're doing everything to you this doesn't matter if it's a delusion or not it's dangerous and we agree and it's the same covering up someone who knows stuff and we agree with that

We also know that a lot of you know about the tunnels and there's big groups of people looking for you I was trying to get in last one was from China since in a whole bunch since you may not let us send I would hit you and start a fight here whole bunch of you died but most of them died. The came in again and again. Tons of Intel went out on the internet, and phone and comsat. A large number of communications for sensed even by you people and you know it went out virtually every single one of them had a complete schematic because you look at it every day to see if anyone's left. Well they didn't have that before and now they do and they're still crushing you here now it will be over.

I'm excited to say my son had the idea because nobody can get out of here with it I was sick and tired of looking at your stupid face and say it's him anyways all day what's the point.

Huge numbers of emails okay huge 15,000 from here punta Gorda going to look bad you didn't even block it you're such airheads about 7, 000 text messages that the body has some data 80,000 phone calls and about a million emails afterwards automatic attachments which were txt somewhere one or two megabytes of text you're going to hear about it incompetent swine.

It's very large ship headed down here and a whole bunch of others the blast through the blockade as they hear the plan for them. No that was mostly Chinese huge numbers of emails just went out about 3 million from Southwest Florida and 4 million more from the rest of Florida and text about 80 million and phone calls but a hundred million it's only going to increase people are sick of your s*** you see one of the computers of his clan sending the message 50,000 times a minute to almost anyone who will hear it it says we took your stuff now how do you like it it was a message sent to Arnie when he was in Millbury on his voicemail now these people are mean and a sun sent the message to Russia and China really deep. They asked already afterwards in person too so yeah there's a bunch of stuff down there and pointed to a few things so they memorize it and left and made it out started killing you over there to get information. Yeah real Chinese and real Russian you got cooked. You plan to do him in. You need him alive because you don't have the computer his dad thanked him and he said thank You back I just said later I've heard it happen before so it shouldn't be a big deal you started laughing and so it was kind of a big deal but I've been through it came over and held his son's hand. Our son begins to cry and he said why I said I'll miss you and said you're not getting it no you said we'll miss you too, it meant that we think we're going to not make it they're all say it our son wasn't afraid of either threatening the crap out of him they still are a bunch of losers so you're going to pay for those moments in time you're going to pay for it means you're going to pay with your lives you're going to sit here and wonder when it's over

Thor Freya

And yeah we're forcing them to flip you off what's it to you

Zig Zag

I hate you very much

Thor Freya

This is going to be a treat

Hera Zues it's always promising me a treat it never works out that great and finally this one oh boy it's going to be nice I see it too it's happening already California and coming in and grabbing you getting information I don't know it doesn't cut it anymore partials won't work a good look or finding them off it doesn't happen that well it's too late for you people

Olympus

[haruno-sakura-san]

"What's wrong?" Sakura asks, watching Sasuke's eyes dart across the room again. The corners of his mouth turn sharply down and for the first time all evening, Sakura's smile fades.

Before now, she was beaming. This was the second-best day of her life - the first being Sasuke's proposal. It hadn't exactly been the romantic declaration Sakura had dreamed up, but Sasuke wasn't the type. In fact, it had been after Sakura had outmaneuvered his Sharingan in a spar - weeks of hard work with Itachi paying off - that Sasuke had grabbed her arm and in a flat demanding tone, ordered her to marry him. She was too shocked to be angry, and the beat afterward when he realized what he'd said and turned slightly nervous, his eyes fixed on her shoulder with a vulnerable tilt, well, that made up for it.

Sakura is under no illusions that Sasuke would hold the same excitement as her for this engagement party, but even so, she wouldn't expect him to be this displeased and restless.

"He's not here," He says and Sakura's attention turns away for a moment to scan the room. Who is missing?

But of course, as she sees Sasuke's jaw flex in a familiar way, restraining anger-tinged disappointment, it's obvious that only two men could be at fault. First, she thinks of his father, but he is across the room with some clansmen, smiling for once. It's a little disquieting, Sakura thinks, like seeing a dog walking on its hind legs.

Then her eyes stray to Mikoto, looking over her shoulder for the man she'd grown so close to she'd consider him brother as well. But he is not there. She scans again and she's sure. Itachi is missing. Guilt heats her cheeks. It'd taken too long for her to notice her dear friend gone. She'd been too wrapped up in herself.

"Itachi?" She asks. Sasuke doesn't assent, but she knows she's correct. "Did he say anything about not coming?"

Sasuke gives a condescending look Sakura lets roll off her. She makes allowance for Sasuke's attitude when his family is involved. More than anything, Sasuke strove for the approval of his father and brother, though he would never admit it. Itachi's absence has the dangerous connotation of a silent protest. That maybe Itachi doesn't approve of her or more accurately Sasuke's choice of her. It's ridiculous of course, she and Itachi got along great. But that's all Sakura can imagine is going through Sasuke's head. It's always a bit of a guessing game.

"I'm sure something came up at the last minute," She tries to soothe his fears, "A mission or something. He probably didn't have time to tell us."

"No," Sasuke quick to dismiss her, "He would have sent word for something like that. He sends a summons to mother at the least."

"Maybe some other clan business?" She tries, knowing this is another worn-out excuse.

Sasuke turns his face to the ceiling, seeming a tinge exasperated at another dumb question, "This is clan business."

That reminder dims her spirits even further. She and this fairytale time in her life are now reduced to clan business. "Well, then maybe Shisui -"

"He's not in the village." Sasuke interrupts, then quickly as if to shut her up. "If my brother's not here, it's because he doesn't want to be and that's that." Conversation over.

Sakura tries not to feel rebuffed, but his discontent has turned her joy to raw anxiousness tightening her chest. She feels uncomfortable in her own skin, on edge, and hyper-aware of Sasuke and what he will do next. She knows she won't be able to enjoy this second happiest day of her life if he's like this, so her whole focus turns to how she can fix it and make him happy again.

"I'm sure it's not that. I'm sure he wants to be here," She placates. "You are very important to him, Sasuke."

He scowls. She's touched on a tender bruise, broken an Uchiha taboo. She doesn't care. He needs to hear it from someone.

"Are you sure he didn't say anything to you?" She tries one more time.

"Shouldn't I be asking you that?" He snaps and this takes her aback. She can't even guess what is hidden between his words. She doesn't know what to do with it. It sounds like jealousy, but that can't be right.

She fights the urge to kiss his cheek, knowing he despised public displays. Instead, she settles for seeking his stiff hand under the table and giving it a squeeze he doesn't return. "I'll find him. He's probably just not feeling well."

Though she'd never ventured to ask Sasuke, she had noticed on a few occasions Itachi's coughing spells- her medic's ear marking them as abnormal. She wonders if this is just another one of the long list of taboos his family didn't discuss or acknowledge - like that would erase it from existence.

As she stands, Sasuke doesn't look at her - probably a sign that he disapproves or thinks it's useless- but he doesn't stop her - probably a sign that he hopes it isn't. She can only guess.

Several people offer congratulations as she makes her excuses and slides out a door in the back. Now that the rose-colored glasses have been knocked off her face, she notes the mixed reactions on the Uchiha's faces. A pair of women offering sharp, judgemental smirks. An old man by Fugaku looking at her like a show pony they've just bought for a bargain. Younger clansmen too, with smiles too cheery to be real, hoping to gain some favor with her for political gain later on. She walks a little faster, feeling claustrophobic without Sasuke's daunting presence to keep them at bay. A flash of herself years older hits her - hardened in the same standoffish way by years of this clan life. Her throat constricts. She does not like this woman.

She moves more quickly to the exit, feeling frazzled, on the edge of overwhelmed. The cool air on her cheeks is just what she needs and she finds she's craving the same steady cool presence of Itachi as well. He's uncomplicated in a way his clan is not - in a way even Sasuke sometimes is not. As she rounds the back of the house, she sees a fat, orange cat curled up in a golden ray of fading sun. She's reminded of peaceful walks and quiet moments of kindness. She hopes Itachi is alright.

Doubling her pace, she's headed toward the only place she can think - Shisui's. If he's not there, she's not sure what she'll do. What if he had a coughing fit and passed out somewhere? Because what else could possibly cause Itachi to miss such an important day for Sasuke - nothing. He liked to spend time alone in the forest - in places even Shisui had trouble finding him. God, what if he was passed out, stranded in some hidden nook there? She'd have no chance of finding him at all. What if he was alone and hurt and struggling to breathe between those ragged, wet coughs and - She's almost jogging, a brisk walk at best, her fancy dress constricting her movements.

The tightness in her chest is back, the image of Uchiha - two-faced, red eyed vipers - pressing in on her at all sides tattooed to the back of her eyes. It flashes up with each blink so there was no relief, even as every step takes her farther away. She looks down at the ring on her finger, soon to be binding her to the clan forever. How did Sasuke and Itachi live with the stress of that every single day? How would she deal with it?

She's not sure if she can do this - any of it.

Focus, she tells herself, forcing air deep into her lungs.

If Itachi's not at Shisui's, she'd grab Naruto and have him search for Itachi's chakra, and if that doesn't work - if there isn't any lifeforce left to find - no, that's crazy. She's spiraling - she knows it. But the day has had such an unreal quality of a dream, that she feels it could just as easily twist into a nightmare. This is ridiculous, she tells herself. He's fine. He is fine. I am fine.

She's almost there, able to see the house in the distance. It looks dark and empty.

What if he's not there? What if he's not fine and Naruto can't find him - of course - she'd grab Hinata and they'd use her Byakugan to find him and Sakura would use her seal and some outrageous amount of chakra would fix everything.

The windows are dark, the inside of the house empty. The door is locked when she tries it, but Sakura is undeterred and focused. She has a plan - the house, Naruto, Hinata, her Seal - but her hands still shake. She runs one over the door jam for a spare key, looks under potted plants, under rocks - chipping her freshly painted nails. A back door? She swings around the outside of the house about to stomp carelessly through the garden, rose's thorns be damned when finally like a cool wave cresting over her, she sees him.

Itachi is there and he's breathing and that's all she takes the time to notice. His back to her, neck craned downward at something she can't see.

"There you are," there's a note of hysteria in her voice she hopes passes as anger. She's striding over to him quickly, intent to either punch him or hug him - by the way her head was swimming with relief, probably the latter. "Where the hell have you been? I thought something happened to you."

hanahaki disease starter for @haruno-sakura-san

It was supposed to be a happy occasion. Mikoto had been bustling about the kitchen all morning preparing food for the celebration to come that evening. Even Fugaku was in an uncharacteristically good mood. 

Guests had started arriving close to an hour ago. Everyone was dressed in their finest clothes. Everything seemed perfect for the announcement of Sakura and Sasuke’s engagement. Everything except for one notably absent Itachi Uchiha. 

Itachi knew he was bound to get a lecture from Mikoto and much worse than that from his father. Sasuke was so excited about the engagement, that Itachi knew his absence would hurt his little brother dearly. But It was so much better than the alternative. 

The alternative which was Itachi ruining the whole evening by spewing bloody cherry blossom petals all over the freshly cleaned floors or his mother’s fine china. 

Instead, Itachi had slipped away to Shisui’s garden to instead spew bloody cherry blossoms all over Shisui’s roses. Gods how he hated the taste of cherry petals now, always coated in the sickly tang of iron as the smell of fresh blood hit his nose. 

Would she notice he was missing from the party? Was it entirely selfish of him to hope that she did? Would it be better to have her be angry at him or to have her say nothing at all? 

This time it was a full blossom that came up, coughed violently down into his palm. The delicate petals wet with blood reminded him of a newly hatched butterflies wings. 

It wasn’t fair of him to feel this way. She was never going to be an option for him. She was his brother’s teammate, even before she was his brother’s girlfriend (now fiancé. Thinking the word pains him. It makes more petals dance in his chest.) She had no clan and as much as Itachi hated it, as heir to the Uchiha head family there were certain things expected of the woman he would marry. And Sakura was none of those things. A skilled Kunoichi, a good match for Fugaku’s second son. Yet Itachi had found himself astonished by her. 

Her intelligence was striking. She rivaled Shikamaru and Itachi and every other clan prodigy with her tactical skills, though her prowess as a medical shinobi often overshadowed people’s ability to recognize her skill. Not only was she smart, but she was endlessly kind, forever putting the needs of others above herself. A trait he worried his brother would not appreciate. As if none of that was enough, she was constantly pushing herself to improve. To be better. To reach even greater heights, because it might mean she could save just one more person.

The first petal had appeared when Sakura came to Itachi for training in genjutsu. He expected her to be a novice. Genjutsu was not Kakashi’s specialty. But when he tested her abilities he found her to have already far surpassed her peers and indeed her skills rivaled those of many jonin ranked shinobi. She asked, begged Itachi to use his sharingan to push her to her limits and every time she reached them, it was not long before she had surpassed those limits. 

He’d done everything he could to hide his condition as it worsened. She walked with him as he fed the stray cats of Konoha. Itachi excused himself to cough up two petals in the bathroom of a teashop. 

She brought him Dango in the afternoons after she finished training. He carefully hid a petal he had coughed up into a napkin. Sakura joined them for dinner and Itachi had to work hard to silence his cough while Sakura, Mikoto and he all cooked together. 

With the engagement, Itachi knew that he was only going to get worse. He knew the appearance of blossoms meant his condition was well advanced. The only person who knew was Shisui (who had twice before caught Itachi spewing up cherry blossom petals in his garden.) who had been spending more and more time away from the village in hopes of finding a solution, a way to save his beloved cousin. 

Itachi, however, had accepted his fate. He wouldn’t begrudge his brother the happiness he so desperately longed to take for himself. But he also had no intention of making them suffer as he deteriorated. He’d already made the decision. He was just waiting for a chance to slip in after the guests had left and to leave a note for his family, letting them know he was leaving. Slipping away to suffer quietly, as had always been Itachi’s lot in life. 

Staring down at the bloody cherry blossom, Itachi’s only regret was that he didn’t have the courage to face her in order to say his goodbye. 

[queenquinzel715]

Part 1 Werewolf Borg

Growing up in Silentdew was always a mystery. You never know what would happen, or who would come through. Our kingdom was open to all sorts of people, because our King is Fae himself. We had faes, humans, orcs, vampires, demons, and many others that came through the kingdom's trading market. My mother would tell me stories of when humans would hunt these poor people, and still to this day some do. That is why they come here for the freedom to do as they please, within the law of course. 

            Today is porting day for most people, it is when traders would dock, and sell,or buy goods. I was helping mother lay out her fabrics. Mother was the best seamstress in the whole kingdom, and I was right behind her. My father was a blacksmith, but he died last year. When the King found out he died, with fight of my mother, still sent the monthly blacksmith allowance that he paid my father for his services. Mother sends him capes as "gifts". My mother doesn't like handouts, but the King is hard headed. 

           Mother only has a couple orders for some pregnant women, and she was so excited. They order some dresses, and some baby clothes. I was helping her cut the fabric they wanted when a big boat docks filled with men in kilts. It has been awhile since werewolves have come here. I was a child when the last clan came through. One by one they stomp up the docks to through the market, some stopping at some booths, and some just looking around.

"(Y/n) take over, so I can work on these orders." Mother tells me as she walks back inside. 

            I stood at the counter, fixing the fabrics, so they can be seen properly. I looked over at the water thinking of the different lands that could be out there. I was so caught up in my thoughts I didn't notice the two men standing in front of me until one of them clears their throat. I jump a little, turning, to see a blonde, and a brunette werewolves smirking at me. 

"Oh… I'm sorry." I smile. "Can I help you?" 

"Daydreaming lass?" The blonde one asks. 

"It's hard not to." I laugh.

"We need new kilts." The brunette chuckles. "In this please." He hands me the blue plade my mother just got. 

"Just you two?" I ask.

"Yes we ruined a pair during training." The blonde rolls his eyes.

"Come back here so I can measure you both." I guide them to the stepping post inside. "Mother I'll work on these. Did you get the baby clothes done?" I ask as the blonde guy stands in front of me..

"Yes, just these last three. What are you fine gentlemen buying today?" She smiles up at the brunette.

"Kilts ma'am." He tells her. 

"Are you enjoying Silentdew so far?" She goes back to sewing.

"So far it's the best place I could be." He says as his friend turns to him. 

"I'm going to go get some more supplies we lost." The blonde guy leaves. 

           After grabbing the measuring tape I walk around, getting distracted by his tanned, muscular body, in front of him. 

"So do you boys have mates? I heard that's the greatest thing in this world." My mother asks.

"Yes ma'am" the blonde says with a smile. "My mate is the best woman I could ask for, but sadly young Borg here hasn't found his mate." He says.

            I try not to touch him as I bring my arms around, but my arm brushes against his side. The tingle that shoots up my arm, and his deep growl, I jump back. 

"(Y/n) are you alright?" Mother asks with concern. 

            I don't answer, my eyes are locked with Borg's, and he looks angry, maybe? He stomps out of the house, slamming the door behind him, causing mother and me to jump. His friend looks me over,  then with a smug smile. 

"I'm sorry about him. He has anger problems." He chuckles. "If you don't mind, we are the same size." 

"Oh! Of course. (Y/n) you can go finish that last onesie." I nod.

                As I sat there finishing up for my mother, and my mind can't get off his angry eyes. Once mother got the measurements she started on the dresses as I got to work on the kilts. They needed two each, and also needed sashes. I got done with the kilts, so I gave my hands a break by going outside. The cool air always would help the ache, and watching the stars was a plus. As I watch the sky I hear a howl in the woods, and it sounded sad. I hum the song mother would sing to me as a child as I walk toward the river. The way the wind picked up felt so relaxing, but I'm taken from my mind. A growl from a wolf that is coming toward me, and it looks like he has something in his mouth. I know I should go home, but I feel drawn to it. It drops the dead animal at my feet with a grunt, pushing it toward me. 

"F..for me?" I ask squatting down.

          I notice it is a rabbit, and the wolf nudges my hand before walking back into the woods. I carry the rabbit back home wondering what just happened. As I walk in, my mother is finishing a dress.

"What do you got there?" She asks.

"A rabbit. Do you think you can make gloves out of this?" I set the rabbit on the table.

"I'm sure I could. Where did you find this?" She asks before grabbing her knives.

"A wolf just dropped it at my feet." I sigh, taking a seat at the table, watching her. 

"It.." She stops. "(Y/n) remember what your papa told you of mates?" She asks, going back to work. 

"Some yes. A mate is when you have a soulmate that is only for you." I say, getting really confused.

"Well for the most part, but a mate is made from each other's soul. This bond can't be broken. When your mate is sick, hurt, or upset you feel it." She has a soft smile as she tells me.

"Mother, was papa your mate?" I ask.

"Yes he was. We didn't know if you would get a wolf, or any traits. When you turned thirteen, and didn't get a wolf we thought you were just a human." I take a deep breath. "You did get some traits. You can hear a bird flap its wings." She laughs. "You run faster than anyone, and you have healing ability. We thought since you didn't have a wolf, you wouldn't get a mate, but I guess we were wrong." She smiles.

"How would we know who it is?" I ask.

"Well whoever that wolf was I'm quite sure it is him, because he is bringing you animals." I look at her confused. "Wolves show affection by showing they can provide for their mate." She throws the rabbit skin in a bowl before cutting the meat up. 

            We talk some more about mates, and who he would be. I think she knows. After she finished cutting the meat I made rabbit stew, helped her put everything up, and we settled in for the night. As I laid there I couldn't stop thinking about mates. If he brings the animal, then I'm supposed to cook it, so maybe I should take him some. I grab a deep bowl, put on my cape, and walk back to the river. I don't know if he will come back, but hopefully he does. Well I didn't have to wait long, because I heard a soft growl toward the tree line. I look over, and it's the wolf from last time. I keep my eyes on his as I sit on the ground, waiting for him to come closer. 

"I...um… I brought you some stew." I stammer, putting the bowl in front of him. "It's made from the rabbit you gave me." 

        He looks up at me before scarfing it down in seconds, and when he's done he looks up at me. 

"That's all I brought." I pick up the bowl. "I'm sorry. I'll definitely bring you more next time...well..I mean..if you…" it looked as if he rolled his eyes before bumping me with his head. "I asked my mother to make gloves for me out of the fur. It is very beautiful, and soft." I look back toward my house. "Umm I should get going, but if you could give me a hint of who you are. Maybe come by the seamstress hut." I smile before walking away. 

            The walk home I wondered who he was, and couldn't figure it out. Once inside I realized I forgot the bowl. I shrug with a yawn, because I was not walking back. 

             It has been a couple days since I've seen the wolf. I got the bowl back, at my door the next morning, and animals for breakfast and dinner. It's just when I got to the river he didn't show up. Maybe it wasn't my mate after all, so I just got back to work. The Wolves that needed the kilts, came and got them, but it was only the blonde guy, Alik. 

             Today seems to be going longer than usual, so I work on a basket whole I hum. I'm stopped by someone blocking the sun, and Borg is standing there. He is clenching a bag in his hand, and he looks very confused. 

"It will go with the rabbit fur." With that he left. 

"The rab...what?" I am confused.

                Opening the bag I pull out a neck wrap that is the same grey blackish color like the rabbit I got from the wolf. I jump up, looking at the wrap, and my heart is beating out of my chest. Before I know it I'm fast walking through the market, docks, and around town, but I come to a stop at the river. 

"Where did he go?" I look toward the town.

             With a sigh I put the wrap on, and sat next on the rocky shore. I can't believe Borg is my mate, or knows my mate. I wouldn't mind him being my mate, but I wish I knew. 

"Little one?" A rough voice scaring me out of my thoughts. 

        I turn to see Alik with a soft smile. I jump to my feet.

"You know?" He nods. "Then where is he?" 

"I don't know. I haven't seen him since he left earlier." He walks closer. 

I sigh. "Can you tell my mate I will be here tonight? I'm done waiting." I say before walking away.

"He will be here." Alik yells after me.

            Once home I kneel at my mother's lap, and cry. I wish he would just show himself. Mother pets my hair back as she tells me it will be alright. Mother didn't let me work the rest of the day, so I just sat around the house fixing a chair. Mother seemed to enjoy my relaxing time, because she would snicker to herself. After we ate dinner I wrapped some deer, and bread up. Since it was a cold night I was able to wear my gloves and wrap along with my cape. I sit in my usual spot by the river, build a small fire, and pick at the rocks around me. I watch the water as it gets darker, and slowly losing hope. After some time I hear a faint voice say no, go, or something like that, but when I look I see two big shadows walking toward me. Well ones being pushed. When they stopped in front of me I saw Borg was being pushed while Alik pushed him.

"I told you he'd be here." Alik smacks Borg's shoulder before leaving. 

            We just stare at each other before I grab the food basket, and hold it out to him. 

"It's the deer." He lightly takes the basket. "I don't know how this works, but I would like to try." I look down at my hands. 

He deeply sighs. "You don't want to be my mate, lass." He walks closer. "You'd get hurt. My wolf..he doesn't control himself." His hand moves his hair back. 

"But when I saw your wolf it wasn't mean." I say confused.

"Because I had control. If I let him loose you'd be marked by now." He growls. 

"Then how could you...we… I thought this bond can't be broken?"

"That's why I'm leaving. Your King needed my pack's help, and since that is done I need to leave." He looks at me.

"You'd rather leave, and hurt the both of us than to be with me?" I ask, my heart breaking.

             He doesn't say anything, so I take that as my answer. I take off my gloves, and wrap, dropping them, before walking home. As I was wiping my eyes I didn't notice Alik walking to me until I bumped into him. I just ran away from him, and ran home. Mother looks at me with concern when I come in.

"He would rather leave than to be with me." I tell her as I walk to my bed. 

            As I lay there I hear a long howl, and it breaks me. I look out the window that faces the woods, and I see a big shadow walking around. I just lay back down, and hope I can get through this. After some time I hear a whimper, and it sounds close. I run to the door, and when I open it Borg is there in his wolf form. I just walked to my bed, and after a moment he climbs in beside me. 

"I hope you don't leave." Is all I say as I fall asleep. 

                  When I woke up, the next morning, his long hair black hair was everywhere, one arm was under my head, my leg was on his, and my head on his chest. He is so warm I never want to get up, but I know I have too. As I slowly try to get up the arm under my head pulls me closer to him, and when I look up his deep green eyes are staring at me. 

"Where you going lass?" His scruffy voice asks. 

"I...um" I didn't have an answer.

           He just smirks at me as he moves my hair away from my face. He lightly lifts me as he sits up, and he sits me on his lap. When I look up in his eyes I watch his eyes turn black.

"I'm not leaving (y/n). I'm sorry I upset you." He lightly kisses my forehead. "My pack was only here for business, but they wanted to settle here before anyone else was hurt. I took over, because faes killed my parents. I didn't want to settle under a fae, and when I found you. I got mad, because I knew we would have to settle." His fingers softly rub my arm. "I can't have you hurt, but I know I can't leave without you hurting. Without us hurting." 

              I just lay my head on his chest, and relax into him. I can feel and hear him take a breath. I smile to myself as I realize that I have a mate. He starts to rub his cheek on the top of my head. 

"Borg?" I sit up.

"Yes love." 

               I grab the back of his neck as I kiss him deeply. He grabs my hips as he kisses me back, and as he lays me back we hear a group of howls. He growls as he looks out the window. 

"I hate being the Alpha sometimes." He says, making me giggle. 

             He gives me a soft kiss before jumping out the window, shifting, and running into the woods. 

"So I see you'll need your own cabin?" My mother asks, scaring my soul. 

"Gods mother!'' I fuss holding my chest. 

             She laughs as she walks away. Throughout the day men would stop by the booth with different goods, and bow to me. I asked mother if she knew what this was, and she only shrugged. 

[the-firebird69]

It's actually a mix out there in Indiana Wisconsin and I believe the Chicago and it's all s mostly yes at this point in those cities and the max are after them, and I think that they fixed their motorcycles in the race and they did in a lot of them wiped out they're trying to ruin the name of the hard knock kicker franchise and for theirs to step in even though it's a different genre of bike completely they're not racing bikes are. Then they say they have a long range plan but the max document I mean all they do is check the film and they see them doing it and then come in and disguise them. They see them listening bolts and messing with things transmissions right before the race so they win and several races wipe out it's a bloody mess actually they going over a hundred miles an hour tons of them stop and check their bikes it took too much time and they lost and found things loose and missing they went to the tapes it starts a war between them and it's supposed to and it's covering stuff and it works sometimes no but that's what they're doing and I think that the cover is like most of it and they keep on sassing us here because they say that their cover is working and this idiot is completely undercover she says and he says you're Alicia you're Alicia you're Alicia and you're bothering me the whole time and she never acknowledges it I like little kids with it playing around. And the max found out well before it happens and by many of their own infighting parties tremendous amount of infighting my son doesn't want to put up with it and says you're talking to me wrong I'm going to wipe your race out of white retard Garfield says why don't you shut your mouth you're filthy f****** potty mouth goes on for a while looks at my son for sympathy Bernie does says well what would my perspective be it doesn't care what goes up to f****** wigger it starts as huge argument on set but we say is it takes time to listen to like half an hour and ruins like 40 years of your work you yelling your s*** out. So when in grab the Intel and tons of it came around they started barfing this out we're going to go after him so he sent Lauren and the moron starts screaming right now so he sent Maureen and we just kept sending him in cuz I kept a mouthing off by the end of the day the empty the areas completely empty and everyone was dead let me start going after people who are connected to it so his jerk offs have like these people connected to it to do it they suck worse than the idiots who are already going to do it and we started laughing today he said we know your whole plan it's practically defunctual do it again anyways like a bunch of morons would cuz that's what you are in the Mexican stuff thinking it's a threat on us and our son when we help negate every single move and every single plan by knowing what it is as our son always says knowing is half the battle and he's a GI Joe so are is race and cadre of ours of his damn it well we are too but they're the core and they are really good at it they rule at it these people in their territory spewing like madness and my son says pull it all out and up and blow the living s*** out of them so we're going to do that and an excite more of them and we can get them out of there and they agree and that's how they talk and we taught him so we're going after you here because you're a bunch of boobs and Trump is getting cleared out by the way in his kid c*** kid he's a huge c*** he really is they're all going to die up in Oregon as a matter of fact the numbers are huge as a percentage of their race there's their own clan that is a clans whatever you want to say no Dan and Trump about 70% of them are gone as of yesterday out of the total number of them in Oregon due to Oregon and Corky's once again moving in on their stuff if he gets to it Trump is done cuz a lot of his had their brains messed with

Thor Freya

[akairondragon]

I'm answering this for characters from my SFF WIP, The First Sin. I haven't blogged much about TFS overall, so this will be a great way to introduce the cast to everyone!

The 12 characters, in no particular order, are:

Kehai

Makaio

Abezårí

Ciradår

Rohëwa

Tårik

Kalaanë

Vindelí

Atitim

Daríus

Cerobi

Jälen

Answers under the cut! Beware — there are a few TFS spoilers.

Who would make a better college professor, 6 [Tårik] or 11 [Cerobi]?

There is no such thing as "college" or "professors" or schools of any kind in Cerobi's culture, so Tårik is the natural choice. Tårik comes from a society in which everyone is expected to attend one or more academies of certain flavors, so who knows? Maybe in his later years he would consider taking up this profession. But, Cerobi would make a good guest lecturer, provided she received some guidance first on what the expectations are. She could lecture on religious topics as well as leadership.

Do you think 2 [Makaio] is hot? How hot?

Makaio is Cerobi's most senior warrior-cleric and her primary lover, so yes, he's hot. Cerobi certainly thinks so, anyway! For a skarastaja he is muscular, thoughtful, and has this wonderful streak of black fur running up his back to his scalp that Cerobi just loves to fluff up.

Character 12 [Jälen] sends 6 [Tårik] on a mission. What is it, and does it succeed?

Jälen is Tårik's commanding officer. In TFS, Jälen chooses Tårik to accompany him on the mission to escort the Clan Sokôn dignitaries to Sanctuary. To do that, they have to traverse the Barren Gale, a desert containing slot canyons at the heart of the Clan Tsinna territory. This mission...does not go as planned, disastrously so.

What is or would be 9’s [Atitim’s] favorite book?

Atitim is a warrior-cleric, so one of few members of the Whole who can read and write. The skarastaja don't have books though, because they don't know how to make paper. But if they did... Atitim's favorite book would probably be a religious text related to the Whole's worship of Talgor the Destroyer.

Would it make more sense for 2 [Makaio] to swear fealty to 5 [Rohëwa], or vice versa?

If Makaio met Rohëwa specifically, he would decide she is one of the Emissaries of Light, sent by Talgor, and would certainly swear fealty to her. At first. >.> Later? Not so much.

For whatever reason, 5 [Rohëwa] is looking for a roommate. Should 5 [Rohëwa] share a studio apartment with 9 [Atitim] or with 10 [Daríus]?

Between the two choices, Atitim would be over the moon to share a room with Rohëwa, because he would (at first) think he was getting to share a room with a lesser god of Talgor. Daríus, on the other hand, doesn't like Rohëwa much because, let's face it, Rohëwa is not very nice to Daríus and his friends. But in the end, Rohëwa would end up living alone, because once Atitim discovers what she really is, he wouldn't be so excited anymore. He might even get...eaten.

Characters 2 [Makaio], 7 [Kalaanë], and 12 [Jälen] have dinner together. Where do they go, and what do they discuss?

Kalaanë would probably choose a restaurant that serves a variety of foods, since she and Jälen primarily eat meat, while Makaio primarily eats fish, grubs, and plants. It would be a very awkward dinner, especially for Jälen. He would suddenly be confronted with the truth: the skarastaja are people in their own right. Makaio would also feel overwhelmed at being invited to eat in the presence of two Emissaries of Light...at least until he realized they are also just people in their own right. After that... They would probably leave without finishing their meals.

Character 3 [Abezårí] challenges 10 [Daríus] to a duel. What happens?

This would be a sword duel. If these two were ever to meet, it might be even odds as to whether or not Abezårí could defeat him. Daríus is the bigger, stronger warrior, but Abezårí is lithe and graceful. She could outmaneuver him and get the upper hand, but if Daríus decided to simply brute force his attack against her, she would probably lose.

If 4 [Ciradår] stole 8’s [Vindelí's] most precious possession, how would 8 [Vindelí] get it back?

In TFS, Ciradår kind of already does this by taking away Clan Tsinna's autonomy. Vindelí wants her clan to be strong and independent as it has been in the past, but when she sees what is happening around her, she decides the only way to get back the autonomy that her clanmates deserve is to divorce Tsinna and start her own clan. She invites anyone and everyone who wants a fresh start to go with her.

Suggest a title for a story in which 7 [Kalaanë] and 12 [Jälen] attain what they most desire.

Redemption. The title would be Redemption.

What plot device(s) would you use if you wanted 4 [Ciradår] and 1 [Kehai] to work together?

These two characters already work together in TFS. Ciradår is Clan Sokôn's High Ambassador, while Kehai is a well-respected member of the military tasked with guarding Ciradår and Abezårí on their mission to see Clan Tsinna. The plot device would therefore be, I suppose, "the quest".

If 7 [Kalaanë] visited you for the weekend, how would you get along?

Pretty well. Kalaanë is a good soul, well-tempered (for the most part), and kind. She would probably try to teach me sword fighting.

If you could command 3 [Abezårí] to perform any one task or service for you, what would it be?

Hahaha. The only person who can command Abezårí (probably) is Ciradår. If I asked her to do something she would look down upon me with disdain, as if I were a bug to be squished or a bit of mud to be scraped off a shoe.

Does anyone write or draw anything regarding 11 [Cerobi]?

Cerobi is the Holy One, the warrior who fights on behalf of and protects the Whole, and also speaks for Talgor the Destroyer. Her decisions and deeds would be carved with runes into the walls of the grotto, to forever be chronicled for the Whole to bear witness to.

If 2 [Makaio] had to choose sides between 4 [Ciradår] and 5 [Rohëwa], which would it be?

In TFS, Makaio never has the opportunity to meet Ciradår, and probably doesn't actually meet Rohëwa either. But if he had occasion to get to know both of them... That's a toughie. Rohëwa is just bitchy to people, while Ciradår is an asshole with an agenda. From Makaio's perspective they are both Emissaries of Light. He would probably end up choosing Ciradår's side, if only because Ciradår would smooth-talk him into it.

What might 10 [Daríus] shout while charging into battle?

Daríus would roar fiercely. He's not the kind of guy who would scream a slogan like "For the clan's honor!" or some BS like that. He'd just get angry and throw his buff self into the fray.

If you chose a song to represent 8 [Vindelí], which song would you choose?

Maybe not her specifically, but her colony venture is represented by the song, "Andrew's Song" by IMAscore. Have a listen!

Characters 1 [Kehai], 6 [Tårik], and 12 [Jälen] are having dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left, and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets to eat it?

Kehai, no question. She's so aggressive, she would just take it. Jälen would raise his eyebrows (if he had any) but ultimately be "whatever" about it, while Tårik would glare and think she was particularly rude for not offering it to Jälen.

What might be a good pick-up line for 4 [Ciradår] to use on 10 [Daríus]?

Hahahahaha. Daríus is gay and might find Ciradår physically attractive, but Daríus would be repulsed by him otherwise. Ciradår is straight, but... Well, Daríus is pretty awesome so he might still be able to get Ciradår hot and bothered for him. Ciradår is pretty high on himself, so if he did try to pick up Daríus, he'd probably say something like, "You know, if I were you, I'd have sex with me." Daríus might appreciate the brazen audacity.

What would 5 [Rohëwa] most likely be arrested for?

She gets into fights on a regular basis, which is not so unusual in årdrakin society, but if the fight spilled over into a brawl that destroyed property, she'd probably get arrested for that.

What is 6’s [Tårik's] secret?

Tårik wears a necklace, and on it is a preserved talon. It is the hallux talon from his twin sister's right foot. She died after she and Tårik turned six. After she died, he was so distraught that he nearly died as well. For whatever reason, having the talon with him helped calm him down. He's kept it ever since, and if he's ever separated from it, becomes very agitated very quickly.

If 11 [Cerobi] and 9 [Atitim] were racing to a destination, who would get there first?

Atitim would probably let Cerobi win, simply because she is the Holy One and he is also one of her lovers.

If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, would you feel safer in the company of 7 [Kalaanë] or 8 [Vindelí]?

Kalaanë probably, but only because she's an active clan guard, while Vindelí is part of Clan Tsinna's court and probably doesn't have to keep up with her combat skills as much. Vindelí could probably still hold her own though, so she wouldn't be a bad choice either.

Characters 1 [Kehai] and 9 [Atitim] reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4’s [Ciradår's] sinister secret organization. 11 [Cerobi] volunteers to help them, but it is later discovered that they are actually a spy for 4 [Ciradår]. Meanwhile, 4 [Ciradår] has kidnapped 12 {Jälen] in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of 5 [Rohëwa], they seek out 3 [Abezårí], who gives them what they need to complete their quest. What title would you give this fic?

Improbability. Even though Ciradår might very well have a sinister secret organization, the combination of characters for this scenario is just so improbable that it would never work out that way!

I hope you've enjoyed my character answers! ♥

OC Scenario Game

I've had this game sitting around in my files since the mid-00s (yes, I'm that old). It seems to have originated with Meguey over on fairgame-rpgs.com and was popular on LJ back in the day. Must be time to resurrect it!

This game is a fun way to explore other aspects of your characters by putting them into random situations.

First, select 12 of your characters, in no particular order, and number them. Once you've done that, look at the questions below and answer accordingly. (No peeking until you've picked your characters!)

Reblog to answer for your own OCs! Be sure to tag some friends to join in the fun!

Who would make a better college professor, 6 or 11?

Do you think 2 is hot? How hot?

Character 12 sends 6 on a mission. What is it, and does it succeed?

What is or would be 9’s favorite book?

Would it make more sense for 2 to swear fealty to 5, or vice versa?

For whatever reason, 5 is looking for a roommate. Should 5 share a studio apartment with 9 or with 10?

Characters 2, 7, and 12 have dinner together. Where do they go, and what do they discuss?

Character 3 challenges 10 to a duel. What happens?

If 4 stole 8’s most precious possession, how would 8 get it back?

Suggest a title for a story in which 7 and 12 attain what they most desire.

What plot device(s) would you use if you wanted 4 and 1 to work together?

If 7 visited you for the weekend, how would you get along?

If you could command 3 to perform any one task or service for you, what would it be?

Does anyone write or draw anything regarding 11?

If 2 had to choose sides between 4 and 5, which would it be?

What might 10 shout while charging into battle?

If you chose a song to represent 8, which song would you choose?

Characters 1, 6, and 12 are having dim sum at a Chinese restaurant. There is only one scallion pancake left, and they all reach for it at the same time. Who gets to eat it?

What might be a good pick-up line for 4 to use on 10?

What would 5 most likely be arrested for?

What is 6’s secret?

If 11 and 9 were racing to a destination, who would get there first?

If you had to walk home through a bad neighborhood late at night, would you feel safer in the company of 7 or 8?

Characters 1 and 9 reluctantly team up to save the world from the threat posed by 4’s sinister secret organization. 11 volunteers to help them, but it is later discovered that they are actually a spy for 4. Meanwhile, 4 has kidnapped 12 in an attempt to force their surrender. Following the wise advice of 5, they seek out 3, who gives them what they need to complete their quest. What title would you give this fic?