#be forced to go and then they'll find out the secrets of the safe. his f*cking MIND

[theinfinitedivides]

what did i say. what did i f*cking say

[runningfrom2am]

cold nights // part twelve

summary: may the odds be ever in your favour.

pairing: coriolanus snow x fem!reader

wc: 2.9k

masterlists / nav / requests

tags/warnings: tribute!reader and mentor!coriolanus, r is very sweet (too kind for this world. literally.), sunshine x grumpy trope kinda, he falls first, violence typical for the source material, r is very smart (as she should), district twelve!reader.

a/n: i can't believe we made it to the end of s1! i am so, so excited to move on to the next era of this story! this is a reminder if you love this series and you haven't already please reblog this or the masterlist! it makes such a big big difference for me and my fellow writers know it all too well lol.

my asks are also open to talk about this series! (i do have emoji anons open now too!)

send me any and all of your thoughts! here!

series masterlist // playlist

Coriolanus wakes up, head on the open pages of Romeo and Juliet as people start to flood in, everyone anxious about what would happen to you.

He rubs the sleep out of his eyes, quickly casting his view to the screen ahead, camera view still locked on you. There was no one else for it to be tracking, after all. Except now, you were on Lamina's beam, lying down with your eyes closed. He wasn't sure if you were awake, or when you had even made your way down into the clearing, but you don't move. He can see the steady rise and fall of your chest as you lay with his scarf bunched up behind your head. Tigris was right, you had survived, but you wouldn't have without him. You looked peaceful- not at all like the girl he had seen crumbling apart on the same screen just a few hours prior.

"I feel as though I should inform you, they'll be going in very soon." Highbottom says, grabbing the boy's attention. "But I'd put my money on those boys being dead in there. Congratulations, Coriolanus. This means almost nothing for you."

He walks away before Coryo is even done processing what he had said. He wouldn't get the prize, most likely, but he would still have you.

You don't stir until you hear the peacekeepers entering the arena, sitting up and seeing them with guns pointed in your direction. "Don't move." One of them spits at you and you nod, eyes wide as you raise your hands. You watch as a designated team in different uniforms make their way up to enter the vents, and others spray something over the piles of snakes, stilling those that were still showing any signs of life.

"Is it over?" You ask, confused.

"Not until we can confirm you are the only remaining tribute." One of them answers and you nod, chewing on your lip as you watch the men disappear into the vents.

"Okay... Thank you."

You know what they would find in there, the bodies of the two boys trapped behind your salt line. You could tell them where the boys would be found, but then you'd be outing yourself. You had only confessed to Coryo. Only he could know. Last night, you didn't care. You have to assume he was the only one who witnessed your breakdown, your confession, because if anyone else had, you'd likely be dead by now. You have to hope your secret is safe with him if you want to go home.

The morning drags on forever as you sit there with guns pointed at you from the ground, and Coryo is pacing in the hall. There were many people around, excited to see if you would be crowned as the victor. People were rooting for you, and he was proud of that, but support didn't mean that you were promised a win.

Vipsania and Domitia were the only other two remaining mentors, whispering to each other across the room after they came back. It was eerily silent.

Then, one of the men emerges from the vent, turning all heads including yours as he just nods toward the peacekeepers watching you.

"Alright. Come on down." The same peacekeeper addresses you and you nod, a tear falling down your cheek.

"She did it." Coryo whispers to himself, realization forcing a grin onto his face.

Lucky laughs, clapping his hands together. "She's won! Y/N Y/L/N from District Twelve!" He calls out, making his way over to Coriolanus. "Coriolanus Snow is the Victor of the Tenth Annual Hunger Games!"

Coryo laughs in shock, smiling as the man pats his shoulder. He catches in the corner of his eye as his two classmates storm out, and he's quickly crowded with congratulations and praise.

"I won?" You ask quietly, feet landing on the ground again.

"Yes, they were found." He nods, and quickly your arms are being grabbed as you're led out of the arena.

"Do you know, did Coriolanus get his prize?" You ask them, but your question is ignored as you walk down the hall toward the exit, looking back over your shoulder as the gate is closed behind you.

Just outside the gates, you don't get much of a taste of freedom before you're being pushed into the back of the same truck. Empty. Bigger. Lonely.

"Empty your pockets." The peacekeeper tells you, standing at the entrance.

You do so hesitantly, holding up the compact on a shaky palm. "I'm sorry to ask, but can I have some water? Please?" You ask, once again ignored as the compact is pulled from your hand. "Please, sir, that was a gift... If you must take it can you return it to my mentor? Coriolanus Snow?"

He opens the cold metal, pulling out the piece of paper and unfolds it, quickly scanning it's contents. "That is for him, too. Though, if I had the chance now I would change it." You explain. You knew you both would be in deep trouble if you were caught for what you convinced yourself was no more than salt, and clarity came to you enough to lie about what the compact had contained all this time.

The peacekeeper hums, closing it up again and shoving both items into his own pocket, pointing the gun at you again. "Clothes off."

"Ex-excuse me?" You reply, taken aback by the request.

"Clothes off. Now." He repeats and you nod, swallowing the lump in your dry throat as you begin to slide off your dress, letting it fall at your feet. He moves the gun again, gesturing for you to continue. With trembling hands you remove your underthings, your shoes, and the scarf, placing them on the floor in front of you. He quickly gathers them, taking a step back and nodding to someone outside.

He moves out of the way and you stand there confused, watching as he shakes out your clothes and searches them, when suddenly you're being sprayed down with a hose. You yelp from the fast contact of the cold water pelting against your skin, but it wakes you up. After the initial shock, it actually feels good to be somewhat clean again.

You pant as the water is shut off, catching your breath and rubbing your arms to try and warm yourself again. Your clothes are tossed back into the truck at you before the door is slammed, and you use the scarf to try and dry yourself off a little bit before tying it around yourself the same way Coryo had. By the time you pull the second strap of your dress back on, the truck is moving and you're lurching forward.

You're driving for a while before the door is opened again, and you're relieved to get some fresh air. It was cold in there, and you were shivering in your small dress that was now also damp from your skin.

Once the doors open you're staring down the barrels of more guns as the peacekeepers usher you out and into the train station, right where you were let off all those days ago. Days... or weeks? You don't even know anymore.

"Lay off, why don't you? She's been through enough." A man in a black suit comes into your view, and they drop their weapons and let you go.

He steps in front of you and you wrap your arms around yourself to try and warm up. "Thank you, Sir." You smile, nodding at him politely.

"Nothing to thank me for..." He sighs. "I'm Dean Highbottom from the academy, it's a pleasure to meet you. Congratulations on your victory." Surprisingly to you, he doesn't seem inconvenienced. Someone other than Coryo and Sejanus seemed to be willing to talk to you, to treat you like a human again. When he congratulates you, he sounds sad.

"Thank you, Sir." You nod again. "Do I... Will I be going home now?"

"Yes. In just a few minutes." He nods, gesturing for you to follow him toward the train. "I am extremely familiar with your mentor, Coriolanus Snow." He tells you as you join his side.

"Oh, wonderful!" You force a smile. "I have some things for him, just a note and something he leant to me. I gave them to that man over there. Would you mind making sure they make it back to him?" You point out the peacekeeper as you follow him toward the train.

"I'll see to it that he gets it back, yes." Dean Highbottom nods with a slight roll of his eyes, stopping next to the stairs that would lead you onto the passenger train. "But... if I may offer you some advice?"

"Please." You nod, urging him on.

"Be grateful you survived him."

You want to ask what he means, but the anger you saw behind your friend's eyes that night in the arena would haunt you and you knew that. Surely, that's what the Dean is talking about.

"Yes." You agree, unsure what else to say when he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a stack of cash.

"Take this, your prize, I suppose." He hands it over to you. It must be hundreds of dollars. Maybe over a thousand. With this, you could do so much for your family. "Oh, and Miss Y/L/N... You wouldn't happen to know anything about the rat poison that was in that compact, would you?"

You tense up, tilting your head at him with a confused smile. "Poison? No... All I had put inside was salt." You reply. "Sejanus Plinth gave it to me, with food from his Ma. Salt is good for protection, you know, so I kept it for later. Keeps you safe from evil and harm." You ramble on, panic and shock in your tone. Sejanus had given you salt to put on some vegetables and sandwiches he brought you, but now that you're trying to piece the story together, you don't remember even opening the compact until you were in that vent. Coryo had told you not to open it, so you wouldn't have. Your own memory is confusing you.

"I've heard that." He nods, eyeing you skeptically.

The train horn makes you jump before you can even thank him.

"Go on, now." He urges you onto the train, deciding to let slide however you had came across the rat poison. Clearly, you didn't know what you had done. Or you were convincing yourself you didn't remember. "Enjoy your freedom."

You nod and step up onto the stairs. You were hoping you would get to see Coryo again, it disappointed you that you never would. Maybe it was a good thing you wrote your goodbye note, even if you had survived. "I give you, upon my knees, a thousand thanks." You smile to the man still standing on the ground below you who just nods in acknowledgment before you close the door behind yourself, Coryo's scarf still wrapped around your waist.

"Y/N?" Coryo calls out, walking into the high biology lab. He was told you had something for him, no doubt the scarf and the compact.

"She's gone." Dean Highbottom cuts in, just before Coryo spots him in the poorly lit room.

"I was told-"

"I know what you were told. Here." The Dean tells him, pointing to the metal compact on the table.

Coryo looks at it only briefly before returning his gaze to the man who offered it to him. "Where is she?"

"I wouldn't worry about that, Coriolanus. Your work is done." He explains vaguely. "Were you aware that she cheated?"

"Cheated?" Coryo asks. "How?" He feigns ignorance.

"The boys in the vents didn't die from snake venom, or violently, or, naturally- for that matter." The Dean tsk's. "It was rat poison. Which, before you argue with me, cannot be found inside the arena or even within reach of the monkey cage at the zoo. I checked. So be honest, you have no idea how she got her hands on such a substance?"

"No, I don't." Coryo lies. "But she did what she could to survive- don't take it out on her because she somehow cheated your games. Next year give them uniforms, or up security or something."

"Just thought I'd ask. She told me she got it from Plinth." He waves him off, and Coryo ticks his head in slight confusion.

"Sejanus? No, he-"

"She really... declined, in there." Highbottom cuts him off, making it evident that he at least believed that Sejanus wouldn't do such a thing. "Told me it was only salt. Genuinely, it seemed like she didn't know. Or, she forced herself to forget. A sweet girl like that, it doesn't surprise me that that's how she would rationalize her actions."

"Is she alive? Because if you killed her for that I-"

"You'll what, Mister Snow? I thought you said you just wanted the prize."

"She deserved better." He states simply, swallowing the anxiety building in his throat.

"She does. I agree." Highbottom nods. "Which is why you won't see her again."

Coryo furrows his brow. "I... I don't understand how that could be relevant."

"Oh, I know you do, Mister Snow." His superior replies, a condescending edge to his words.

Coryo snatches the compact off of the table and quickly pockets it, storming out of the room. At least he hadn't been caught for helping you cheat, though he was sure Highbottom knew better. Now, he didn't have the Plinth Prize, and he didn't have you.

When he finally got home, he couldn't help but slam the door behind himself.

"Coryo?" Tigris calls out, excited as she puts down the project she was working on and rushes to the entranceway to meet him. "I didn't expect you home so soon! Did you get to see Y/N?" Her smile fades when she sees his expression. "What's wrong?"

"They wouldn't let me see her. She's already gone." He explains, pulling off his blazer.

"Oh..." Tigris frowns, taking the blazer from him to hang it up. "I know you really wanted to say goodbye. I'm so sorry."

"She'll never forgive me." He shakes his head slightly. "If she's even still alive! I doubt they would tell me!" He laughs, bringing his hands up to rub his eyes with his palms.

"They wouldn't kill her, Coryo. People loved her too much." She is quickly reassuring, reaching out to rub his shoulders. "You did nothing wrong... You did all you could for her. She'll forgive you."

"Not that." He mutters. "It's what I told you. You didn't see the way she looked at me, Tigris. Like... Like I was a monster."

"She was already scared. She was way out of her element. I think now, that she's safe, she'll find the space to see it reasonably." She tries to soothe his worries as best she can. "You're a good friend to her, and she's a kind person. She'll understand."

"But I'll never know for sure that she does."

"You might one day... Don't beat yourself up about it, and don't give up on her."

After a long, two-day journey curled up on a bench on the train, you recognize the building the train is stopping at. Suddenly, all your energy is returned to you as it slows to a stop, and you're already waiting at the door. You hear the latch unlock and you couldn't get off fast enough.

No one you knew were there, not that you expected any kind of greeting party. You inhale the fresh air, once again surrounded by the trees and your own people. You walk out of the train station and down the street, in the general direction of your home. You tried waving at a few folks you knew on the way, but people just stared, for the most part, jaws slack with surprise. They had already grieved your death. Sometimes you were met with a sad smile, but no one wanted to speak to you. You understood. You were used to that after your time in the Capitol.

"Y/N Y/L/N, is that you?" An excited voice called after you resigned yourself to a quiet walk home, twenty minutes from the bustle of the train station. You turn your head to look up at the back entrance to the Hob, a wide smile taking over your face when you see the speaker.

Your friend is already barrelling toward you, throwing her arms around you as your eyes fill with happy tears. It was refreshing. "I never thought I'd see you again..." You sniff, resting your chin on her shoulder as you hug her back.

Rhythmically, your best friend sways you back and forth. "Oh, I know, I know, sweetheart..." She hums, rubbing your back reassuringly. You can hear her voice crack too. "But you're home now. You're okay..."

She lets you break down as she practically holds you up as you cry in each other's arms. From happiness or trauma, you're not sure. "I did some awful things, I regret it all..."

"Don't regret a thing." She shushes you. "You did what you had to."

"No, no... You don't know... You didn't see..."

"I watched, Hun. When I could." She pulls away, placing her hands on your cheeks to wipe your tears. "You did nothing wrong. All that matters is that you're home now."

You sniff again with a slight nod. "I fear too early, for my mind misgives; Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, shall bitterly begin."

"No... Y/N/N. You're safe here. You are forgiven." She assures you, rubbing your arms. "Now, let's get you home. A good rest will do you well, your parents have been waitin' on you." She waits for you to nod before stepping to your side, guiding you in the right direction with an arm around your waist.

"Thank you, Lucy Gray." You mumble, allowing yourself to lean into her hold.

taglist: @soulessjourney , @that-veela-girl ,  @dreamyysouls , @rockstarbfs , @maysileeewrites , @baybieruth , @kitscutie ,  @fratboyharrysgf0201 , @totallynotkaibiased , @stelleduarte , @secretsicanthideanymore , @bejeweledreverie , @drewsandsebastianswife , @niicole-87 , @queenofshinigamis , @innercreationflower , @nallasstuff , @scorpiolystoned , @iovemoonyy , @thatmarvelchick19 , @wearemadeofstardust0 , @regulusblackcore , @puredreamagination , @fantasticchaosthing , @becauseseaotters , @secretsicanthideanymore

okay suddenly tumblr isn't letting me tag more people than this so i just made some cuts unfortunately :') i just left the max amount of people i could whose users i recognized and see in my notifs all the time :) if you're not on here and you should be i'm so sorry!

also this taglist is closed now!! if you’d like to get a notification when i update, turn on my post notifications!! i promise i won’t spam y'all :,)

[whinesandwhimpers]

cw; noncon, kidnapping, dp in v

you being assigned with ghost and soap to go help los vaqueros and yandere!alerudy want you the moment they lay their eyes on you and even more so after you interact with them for the first time

yandere!alerudy faking your death on the mission and hiding you away, chaining your ankle to the floor and pushing you onto a thin mattress in their secret safe house (the other vaqueros don't know about) so you can't escape, watching you bring your knees up to your chest and cry

yandere!rudy slotting himself behind you, pulling your back against his chest, wiping your tears and telling you how they'll take such good care of you if you just behave like a good girl

yandere!ale's self restraint snapping when you start yelling insults at them, ripping your clothes off and pushing your legs apart, kneeling between them so you can't close them, can't hide yourself from him

yandere!ale wrapping a hand around your throat and with his other hand forcing two fingers into your mouth to get them wet before he's pushing them into your dry pussy, and you're crying out in pain, your nails digging into his other arm

yandere!rudy shushing your cries, bringing one hand up to squeeze one of your tits and play with your nipple, his other hand reaching down to rub your clit, the feelings his actions cause making you unwillingly wet in response easing the friction of ale's fingers against your inner walls

yandere!ale ignoring all your pleading to stop and let you go as he unbuckles his pants and pulls out his big hard cock, watching your eyes widen as he strokes it a few times with a wicked grin on his face

yandere!rudy using the hand that was tweaking your nipples to cover your mouth after your protests get louder

yandere!ale plunging his fat cock in your pussy with one quick motion, making you scream into rudy's hand, his violent thrusts making your lower back rub against rudy's clothed cock

yandere!ale keeping his dick buried inside you as he lifts you up and leans back, bending your legs around so your knees sit beside his hips and you're on top, pathetically lying on his chest and covering your crying face, he's jutting up into you a few times before he stills, waiting

reader about to move when you hear rudy unzipping his pants behind you then feel his cock pressing against your already filled hole, making you startle and wail repeated 'No's and 'You can't's

yandere!rudy who rubs your bare back soothingly before whispering in your ear about how you're gonna take both of their cocks like a good girl with a threat of punishment for misbehaving, before he's pushing his dick in alongside ale's, making you feel impossibly stretched from their big sizes

yandere!alerudy building up the speed of their thrusts as they find a good rhythm, pulling you off ale's chest so he can play with your tits and rudy can reach your clit

yandere!alerudy who makes you involuntarily reach a new high and cum on both of their cocks, screaming out in pleasure

yandere!alerudy both finishing at the same time, dicks pulsing and flooding your abused pussy

reader thinking they're done, at least for now, until ale pushes some of your hair out of your face and, staring at your tired face, says "i think our girl can handle another round, rudy"

[pyrosomatic-metamorphosis]

oh im gonna be SO annoying about bbh in a minute. i keep saying the same thing over and over again but his character is too fucking complex motherfucker is like:

"i'm a demon who is 11,000 years old and i refuse to acknowledge that im a demon nor that i do bad things (like steal furniture) but i will help people every chance i get despite saying im going to stop doing that and i am going to devote my life to protecting these fragile little eggs even though i know im going to lose them one day because i love them too much (and i know i can do that and it will one day be okay, because i have an immortal diamond to keep me company even if he isn't here now). when my friend throws himself beneath the spokewheel of the federation i will be there, bitter about my loss, but i will not start a revolution until he proves he deserves one. i will do what i can to safeguard his system against corruption because i am afraid the federation will use him to hurt us. i know he doesn't want to hurt us. he keeps hurting me. he is isolated by our distrust in him and he is still working hard to try to be a good person in an inherently corrupt system that cannot be fixed so i will build him a statue. i will not kill him when he takes a picture of me in the presidential chair (that was almost mine) and puts it on his wall and calls me 'employee of the month.' i didn't do all of that work for the federation i did it for him like i do it for others because they are my friends. i will exhaust every option i have to build a reason to NOT start a revolution. to not kill him. because i have to say that i tried. i feel like i have made so many compromises. i have held myself back to try to find reason. i will still remove his access to my base. when the island turns against me and he locks me in a cage for a crime i did not commit, i will remove everyone's access (except for my family the french and my family the eggs). i am having fun. when the eggs appear the next day with cracks and dirty shells i will worry, but i know they're strong. they'll be okay. (when i find my son's secret lab and his unethical experiments that cause him harm i will be proud because he has done what i do. he has helped. i want him to be safe but we are never safe and i trust him more than anyone else. i know now, and i can help him be safe.) when the eggs go missing i will be silent. i will look for them, and i will destroy for them, and i will bargain for them, and i will cry for them, and i will not accept their loss. when my friend who is president who once built a safehouse that saved my eggs' lives is finally damaged by the federation (like i knew he would be when he became president) and he starts to hurt people by pushing the same treatment onto them i will not be surprised. i will be surprised when he tries to marry me. i will not blame him (much) when he tries to kill me. our children are missing. he is forced to pretend that his is not. i wish i could too. i will not tell him yes or no because i need an open avenue to manipulate him (because to save him i will have to manipulate him). i will not marry him because he is out of his mind. i have said marriage is overrated. i have also said that i want to live with him in a house with our kids and my skeppy. when he tells me that he wants to be happy with me i will still say 'aw' because it is the most genuine thing he has said to me and i miss my friend. i will still try to kill him. i fail to kill him with someone else's plan. i don't place a block to lock him in place. i hesitate. it doesn't matter if it's on purpose because the next plan works. i will reveal an item that could destroy me to my closest allies (and tubbo) because it will let us save him. we save him. when he kills himself 18 times over i back away from the explosion in surprise and then step close again. while i have grieved i have thrown myself into mines. it doesn't matter. i am numb and want to feel something. everything has lost colour. we save him.

i visit federation workers and ask them about my eggs and they do not tell me anything. i know they are lying. i visit the graveyard to talk to my lost eggs. i have lost all of the eggs. i do not know how to save them. i lay in the mud. it rains and rain signifies the monster has returned to kill my children but my children are not here and so i do not care. when i go home i will become so angry and i will go down to my basement (which i have locked like my friend locked the entrance to his greatest fantasy. we are so alike and our delusions are different. he child was real; here is the secret to finding my children) where i have locked a federation worker away. i will not wash away the blood stains.

i am also part-time grim reaper and i only ever dress up in robes to make people drink more water."

[strwberri-milk]

Could I request Childe learning his sweet and gentle gardener s/o who's got a Hydro delusion in addition to a Dendro vision due to being a former Fatui agent?

S/O was forced into joining the Fatui against her will as a young girl after they saw her potential as a fighter. She wanted to run but they told her that even if she ran, they'll keep on looking for her.

After years of witnessing violence and bloodshed, she couldn't take it anymore. She wanted it all to end, so escaped after faking her death during a nasty fight.

You had never expected to be caught, ever. Your death was impeccable - you did everything you could, even providing a perfect look-alike as your dummy corpse. Attending your own funeral was one of the strangest things you'd ever done before, but it was also incredibly symbolic at the same time. It was the only way you knew how to create that clean break with your history, breathing your first sigh of relief ever.

When you met Childe, you were a little terrified. He practically openly admitted that he was a Harbinger, which of course was one of the worst people you could ever run into after running away from the Fatui. However, his friendly outward demeanor made you feel safe.

That doesn't mean that you told him everything right away. More like the opposite, really. You kept your own history buried deep in your chest, wanting to avoid even touching on your life before around him. He never seemed to mind, loving you all the same despite your secrets. He knows the feeling, so he won't hold it against you.

He loved watching how you tended to your gardens so gently. To him, he could never see your soft touch do anything but bring life. He was determined to do all he can to protect you, holding you so tightly some nights you thought you would suffocate but you'd also never felt so safe.

One day you asked him to run inside and grab you some seed packets. You were busy out in the garden preparing the plots for those plants, trying to explain where he can find them in your room. He's rooting around a little, trying not to touch anything that might be too personal.

As he looks around, he accidentally brushes his fingers against something, feeling a notch click in place. The sharp sound of a surface pulling back startles him a little but not as much as the delusion sitting atop a pile of letters with official Fatuus letterheads does. He takes it out of the drawer, trying to understand what's happening as you come into the room.

The two of you meet eyes, your jaw dropping as you realise what he has. You don't dare reaching over to take it out of his hands, fiddling nervously with your fingers as you wait for him to say something to you. He doesn't seem to know what to say, just looking to you expectantly as you tell him everything.

He can't help but understand what you're going through. Unfortunately, with the way he is he doesn't exactly feel sympathy for you being forced to fight so young as he was in exactly the same situation and to him, it feels more like a fact of life. However, that doesn't mean that he doesn't understand why it is that you wanted to run away.

Despite knowing what the protocol should be, he decides that if you've lasted this long then clearly you know what you're doing. He puts your delusion back, closing up the drawer before asking you to show him where you were trying to point him to with the flowers.

You'd never wanted that life for you, and clearly, this life suits you so much better. He'll support you in this life however he can, even if that means killing any agents who come too close to realising the truth. If that means he can protect your smile, he'll do it no matter what.

[acourtofthought]

Tamlin gave Feyre an engagement ring. Something I'm guessing he never gave to anyone else.

It didn't make them endgame.

Az let Elain borrow his dagger. Something he'd never done for anyone else.

It doesn't mean they'll be endgame.

Tamlin gave Feyre jewelry which she accepted but then gave to the water-wraith.

The giving of jewelry didn't make them endgame and Feyre easily parting with it was foreshadowing.

Azriel gave Elain a necklace which she accept but then easily returned (not to be confused with Nessian considering Nesta flat out refused her gift from the get go).

Why can't that also be possible foreshadowing for the end of E/riel? At this point she's got a stronger connection to Graysen than Az considering she refused to return his ring when he demanded it back. To me that demonstrates Elain is the kind of character to hold on to something when it still has meaning to her versus Nesta who refused gifts that had too much meaning.

Tamlin had such lust for Feyre, he told her the magic of Fire Night had him searching for her.

That didn't make them endgame

Az spent a year pleasuring himself to fantasies of Elain, but only in the dead of the night when his shadows were asleep.

If Tamlin being drawn to Feyre during a ceremony which brings magic to their lands for an entire year still didn't make them endgame then why would Elain being Az's dirty little secret have more staying power?

Feyre was frustrated at being expected to wear dresses in the Spring Court.

That was foreshadowing that she wasn't meant to stay there and was only truly comfortable wearing them once she ended up in the NC.

Elain was noted by both Cassian and Nesta as looking bad in black (a Night Court color) and Elain herself refused the Illyrian leathers.

Why can't that be foreshadowing that she's meant to leave the NC just as Feyre left Spring?

Feyre once said the night Tamlin kissed her was the happiest moment of her life. She also enjoyed painting in the Spring Court at one point and felt she found a friend in Ianthe.

We all know how that turned out.

Elain seems somewhat adjusted in the NC with hobbies and "friends".

Is it not possible that just as we later discovered Spring was not where Feyre was going to thrive despite the initial evidence to the contrary, we'll find out the same for Elain but in reverse?

Tamlin only wanted to protect Feyre too, keeping her safe from harm, despite the fact that she told him she wanted to be more involved.

That didn't end up together.

Az doesn't think Elain should be exposed to the darkness of the Trove which is essentially him wanting to keep her safe despite the fact that she expressed the desire to do more.

Why would they end up together when Tamlin and Feyre didn't?

Feyre was initially very afraid of Rhys, to the point she said she'd never want to paint him. He twisted her bone, forced her to dress and dance proactively and manipulated her into a bargain.

Yet in ACOMAF she fell in love with him before hearing his reasoning for his actions in ACOTAR, later listened to his reasonings and the acceptance of the mating bond reigned supreme.

Elain already knows what happened in Hybern was a mistake and not what Lucien intended, she sees that Feyre continues inviting him around for holidays (therefore seems to grasp that no one is holding a grudge over what happened with the king) and her only real struggle in regards to romance at this point is knowing that she lost her fiance because of the mating bond and being turned. Knowing that fate thinks it knows best for her (which tbh, it kind of does 😂).

If SJM worked her magic and had us believing in Feysand, if Feyre could fall in love with Rhys without initially knowing why he scared Tamlin into sending her back to the human lands, got her drunk, forced her to dance in front of everyone, and trapped her into an agreement with him, then why is anyone acting like Elain and Lucien have bigger obstacles to overcome?

I love Feysand and I have no grudge over what happened in their past but let's be honest, what he did to Feyre was 10x worse than anything Lucien has ever done to Elain. The things Feyre had to overcome to end up with Rhys were a much bigger deal than Elain finding out she had a mating bond with Lucien, something Lucien did not do to her but was done by the Mother / Fate itself (and really, the same thing fate did to Feyre and Nesta).

Elain has her own traumas to work through and I'm not saying they're less traumatic than Feyre or Nesta's, they've been / will be equally as difficult for her to work through.

But anyone claiming there's too much water under the bridge when it comes to her and Lucien needs to go back and read how SJMs other endgame relationships started.

Lucien has been practically perfect in comparison to the way Rhys and Cassian acted with Feyre and Nesta at times.

Elain's biggest problem is not going to be forgiving Lucien but letting go of her prideful stubbornness. All she needs to do is stop being put out over the fact that maybe fate did know a bit better than her (because really, she's holding a grudge that she couldn't even get her mother's one expectation of her right by choosing Graysen) and her every single desire will come true. SJM has made it obvious that Lucien is absolutely perfect for her and they could share in a life beyond her wildest dreams.

Right now Elain is her own worst enemy and that's so very Pride and Prejudice of SJM.

[ryawinters]

An AU Idea I had

So I have heard from some people that if friendships last more than 7 (or 10 - I forget which), it lasts a lifetime.

The Marauders met on the 1st of September, 1971. While it is difficult to say whether they became friends instantly (like James and Sirius did, but I am not sure about the other two) or not. But it is safe to say that they did cross the 7 year mark right after they left for Hogwarts. (And assuming they became friends instantly, September of 1981 would have been their 10 year anniversary.)

So let's take the wizarding world. The whole friendship for a lifetime thing. Love and friendship are important themes in the Harry Potter saga, so let's take it a bit further. If you have been friends with someone for a certain period of time, you are bound to be their friend for a lifetime. You can choose the number - either 7 (the number with the most magical significance in the series) or 10 (a special number, which feels more significant when specifying the length of time spend together)

With 10:

For the 10 year friendship thing, I figured that they'd have to be friends instantly for their 10 year anniversary to fall before James dies. Now this gives us a period of 2 months - all of September + most of October (or even all). Let us consider 31st October to be the actual date their friendship started (like Harry, Ron and Hermione)

For the 10 year thing, idk I just figured Peter is really content with being friends with them. He still does spy, but he tries not to let his friends be the ones in danger. (The list eventually also includes Lily and Harry.)

Until the prophecy.

Until Harry Potter is Voldemort's newest target, and there is no way Peter can convince James to just hand over Harry. Peter knows, that James would die for Harry, if it came down to it. But it's okay, he figures. They'll go into hiding. He just doesn't have to know where, so Voldemort wouldn't find out either.

Enter Sirius and the brilliant plan.

Exit James and Lily.

Wait, wait, a whole bunch of stuff happens in between.

Peter doesn't want to betray his friends, not really. He doesn't want James, Lily and Harry to be in danger, because he does love them. But he loves living more.

So, when he becomes the Secret Keeper, and Voldemort asks him for the Potters' location, he gives it. Belatedly, he remembers, that their 10 year anniversary is coming up. That it is tomorrow - Halloween. If James dies on Halloween, the 10 year pact wouldn't really have kicked in, per say. Peter would be fine. He hopes.

He prays that James and Lily just let Harry die - atleast they'd survive. But he doesn't dare ask Voldemort that.

Now we're back to the 'Exit James and Lily' part.

But of course, the bond doesn't kick in - not really, not until the 31st of October is over. Somehow, Peter ends up cursed anyway.

Sirius Black confronts Peter on the 1st of November, 1981. Hours after the 10 year anniversary of their friendship. Peter betrays Sirius. Peter blows up the street. Sirius goes to Azkaban. Peter ends up cursed.

James seems to haunt Peter - a ghost only he can see. Keeps haunting him, keeps guilt tripping him, keeps blaming him, and most of all, keeps wanting to be with his son. It drives Peter crazy. He is unable to do anything about it because as far as anyone else is concerned, he is dead. So if he makes a reappearance to get help, he is dead. And he is worried that if he stays like this, he will kill himself.

(Ofc James is not really there. James cannot be forced to spend the rest of his existence haunting Peter. James is wherever dead people are - not with the living. Peter's magic, having bonded with the other 3, seems to be going against him for what he did to them. James is just the only one who could reasonably haunt Peter, so his magic (or head) conjures up images of James.)

(Or it could go a different way. Maybe they become friends on Sirius' birthday. Maybe Peter had James killed and framed Sirius right before their 10 year anniversary so he wouldn't be bound by the promise of a friendship lasting a lifetime (it did last a lifetime for James). Maybe Peter planned out the day. Maybe.)

With 7:

The same story really. Except, in this case Sirius is also haunted by 'James'. Yes, yes, I know Sirius did not betray James. But Sirius thinks he was (atleast partially) responsible for James' death. That guilt is enough to convince his magic that he broke the friendship pact.

The dementors ........................... do not help.

I admit, I got this idea from a Coco fanfiction called The Bedside Ghost by the amazing PengyChan. It is an amazing story and I 100% recommend everyone to check it out.

Anyway idk where I am going with this.

Ugh maybe I will write something like this one day when I have the time.

[rosemaidenvixen]

Tales of Arcadia Halloween Fic recs

Any TOA fans out there looking for something spooky to read around Halloween? Well then this is the the list for you! A compilation of my favorite horror and Halloween themed Tales of Arcadia fics. Some of these are safe for all ages, but some do lean hard into horror, so mind the tags and read with caution.

Arcane Blight @avirxy Do you like horror? Do you like Tales of Arcadia? If the answer is yes to both then stop what you're doing and read this. Takes place in an alternate universe where Jim is the new kid in Arcadia, and he quickly realizes that this innocent looking town has dark secrets lurking beneath the surface. To say any more would ruin a lot of the truly gut punching, jaw dropping twists and turns this story has.

The Changeling Masquerade @earth-ambassador-jim Takes place in the author's changeling Toby au. Shows how exactly changelings celebrate Halloween, but with a sinister twist.

Tear Me In Two (The Moonlight Will Anyway) @avirxy Two words. Werewolf Claire. In a monster hunter au Claire gets a nasty bite from a lycanthrope and the whole group struggles with the consequences. One of my all time favorite pieces of werewolf media for the absolutely phenomenal way it explores what it means to unleash the beast within.

Through the Veil @pinkytoothlesso11 This one's just getting started, but holy hell what a start! Jim doesn't given much credibility to Eli's ramblings of monsters and conspiracies in their town, until he witnesses someone he trusts performing a horrific ritual on Halloween night that brings everything he thought he knew into question. Now Jim and his friends are far from home and lost in a world hostile to human kind, and no guarantee that they'll make it home safe.

Something's wrong with Arcadia @earth-ambassador-jim When Jim and team Trollhunters aren't running around causing problems, what does the average Joe think of the strangeness going on in Arcadia? Bular and goblins and changelings shown from a mundane point of view in a way that's absolutely chilling.

31 Days in the Darklands @xdeusxmachinax Not technically a Halloween story, but takes place near and on Halloween with tons of horror and spooky imagery. I always give it a re-read each spooky season. In the wake of an unconventional treaty Strickler struggles to keep balance between Trollmarket, the Janus order, Arcadia, and the Darklands but the universe seems to sabotage him at each stage, and there's more than just pumpkin spice in the air this year in Arcadia.

Snippets, Snails, and Trollish Tales @whitherwanderyouspirit Some mostly Stricklake centered Halloween one shoots ranging from sweet to spooky to downright terrifying.

The Manor atop the Hill @avirxy A Haunted House story like you've never seen done before. When a desperate and frightened Jim follows his mother into the mysterious mansion on the outskirts of town he finds himself trapped in more ways than one. No one has lived in this house for as long as anyone can remember, but it is far from empty. Forced to rely on ghosts and a mysterious girl, Jim has to keep his wits about him if he wants to escape with his life, and his soul, intact.

cave bestiam @rosemaidenvixen Based on the online two sentance horror story "A girl heard her mom yell her name from downstairs, so she got up and started to head down. As she got to the stairs, her mom pulled her into her room and said, “I heard that, too.” But staring Barbara and Jim.

Fear of Fears @rosemaidenvixen An alternate take on my sunshine au. Jim decideds to sneak out on Halloween by passing his troll form off as a costume, a decision that will ripple outward into horrific consequences.

Tales of All Hallows Eve @rosemaidenvixen Collection of my Halloween themed one shots and drabbles.

Dig your eight graves @rosemaidenvixen Eight teens from Arcadia wander far from home and suffer a brutal attack from an evil that was much closer to home than they could ever imagine. Alone and traumatized, one of them makes a bargain in order to reclaim what was taken from them. They gain everything they ask for and more, but lose more than they ever thought possible.

A Bunch of Hocus Pocus @rosemaidenvixen A collection of 31 spooky and Halloween themed one shots for Tales of Arcadia and The Owl House, released one per day each day of October until Halloween.

[pico-digital-studios]

Sonic.exe OC: Blank EX

I'd like to introduce you guys to my own Sonic.exe OC, known as "Blank EX".

They've got that name, because they feel empty inside and don't have a sense of purpose since their creation. Though identifying with he/him pronouns, they don't have any gender to call their own, despite being moulded after Sonic himself. After winding up on Earth/Mobius/whichever you prefer, they were left trying to find answers as to where they came from and what their purpose is.

And, of course, there were 10 spots he could start searching for answers from, each aligned to one of 10 different factions.

Factions

(Most sprites below by Mod.Gen)

Team Sonic

This group consists of Sonic, Tails, Sally and Nicole as a team, each seeking out adventure together wherever it may come. Though Sonic would initially be sketchy of Blank and cite them as another faker, he's quick to sympathise with them and is eager to help them try and discover their sense of purpose, which is set to begin when trouble starts in Park Avenue, courtesy of the Eggman Empire and a strange, demonic entity that came to the planet just recently.

Team Master

(Ray sprite by Xeric)

This faction consists of Knuckles, Mighty and Ray (alongside Chaos through the Master Emerald Shrine), not only there to keep the Master Emerald safe from harm, but also to explore the uncharted regions of Angel Island together. Though initially mistaking Blank for Sonic, the group can see their plight and understand that they're searching for answers as to their past and future. But when Eggman steals the Emerald yet again while their backs are turned, they need to go through Ice Cap to reach the retooled Launch Base and steal it back, alongside having said entity on Blank's trail.

Team Dark

This team is of the usual three; Shadow, Rouge and E-123 Omega, who are mostly an independent group, but aren't shy of cooperating with G.U.N. whenever necessary. Shadow is quick to understand Blank's plight, having been there himself, and is open to help them find the answers they need. As it happened, a Chaos Emerald has been left in White Jungle near a G.U.N. base, and it might help uncover some secrets, provided Eggman or that strange entity haven't tried scouring for it first...

Team Rose

This group consists of Amy, Cream, Cheese and Emerl, each simply enjoying life as it comes and embracing the best things in life together. Though Amy goes into her habit of mistaking Blank for Sonic, they're touched by the affection, and when she hears about what's going on, she's openly eager to give them a helping hand with Cream and Emerl as backup. When word gets out that Froggy had gone missing from Big, that's the call to start investigating one of the nearby lakes for him.

Team Chaotix

The batch of detectives themselves, Vector, Espio and Charmy, each ready to solve cases should the matter call for it... and, on occasion, for the right price, too. Such a case calls to them once they discover about Blank's plight when they stop at the Chaotix Detective Agency's HQ looking for answers, and it's a case they'll be ready to solve as need be. To see if Eggman has any answers, they see to it about breaking into Chemical Plant and unravelling whatever they can find.

Team Future

(Sonia sprite by Xeric)

This faction consists of Silver, Blaze and an alternate counterpart of Sonia, with the equal goal in mind to keep all of time and space safe from whatever may endanger it. After sensing that Blank may have a grim future ahead of them if they're influenced by evil forces, Silver decides that preventing that future and steering Blank on the right path is a priority. And with Eggman spotted flying past Attitude Limit with a bright red light trailing his airship, that could be a good start to discovering what Blank's past is, and what their future will result in.

The Restoration

The expanded Resistance from the original war, it's currently maintained by Tangle, Whisper, Lanolin and Jewel, who are there to ensure that peace remains on the planet as long as it can last. It doesn't take long for them to see that Blank really needs answers as to their past, and Tangle's especially eager to give them a hand if it means adventure can call. Like with Team Sonic, they've got South Island's city to help protect, in their case, branching from Sunset Heights. And like with Eggman and the strange entity, a certain shapeshifting psychopath has taken an eager eye in the lost and confused being...

G.U.N.

The Guardian Units of Nations, an elite force dedicated to protecting the planet from any major threats. Headed by Commander Abraham Tower, they're doing whatever they can to ensure the planet can prosper and have a positive future. Speaking of, Blank comes to one of their bases looking for answers, starting out in Prison Lane and trying to avoid confrontation, provided the strange entity isn't able to influence Blank into doing the wrong thing regardless.

Eggman Empire

The notorious big bads of the Sonic franchise, led by none other than Dr. Ivo Robotnik, otherwise known as Dr. Eggman. They have one major goal: to conquer the world and hold it under the grasp of the Empire, which is made difficult by Sonic and co. hindering these plans and beating Eggman time and time again. When hearing about Blank's plight, Eggman is pretty eager to give them a hand (if not to boost his own plot), but is stuck having to deal with the strange entity (which I will discuss really soon) messing with his schemes, giving Blank the mission to help deal with the dangerous aircraft around the area where Sky Troops took place.

Retro X

THIS is the strange entity I've built up hype around enough in this post. Retro X comes from his own haunted game, but he's bound by the rules and can't go beyond what the game will let him do, even though he's trying ways to bypass that. In Blank EX's story, X claims that he has the answers as to their past and to gather him the Chaos Emeralds to discover the truth. This plan begins on the Death Egg where Eggman has a Chaos Emerald on board, though Blank can still be swayed away from X's plans should he help Eggman stop the sabotage of the space station instead.

As it happens, Retro X has the closest ties to Blank; he is the confused entity's creator, and intended to have him walk down the path of evil, though due to him being taken from X's meteor and raised in a separate space station, it allowed Blank to question the nature of his existence, even with the comfort he received from someone close to him.

That's where you guys come in! Since Blank EX is a lost soul with confusion and no real sense of purpose, you guys can decide what path he takes in life, and what his future will ultimately result in. You can choose what gender they ultimately define as, who they work for, what they'll do or even what character they'll grow to love romantically. And even better? There is no "canon" outcome for him, so go wild!

However, there are some rules I should set in place:

Be sure to share your ideas using the "#blank pieces filled in" tag.

NSFW ideas are strictly forbidden. It would sour Blank's strengths if you did that, so please don't!

For shipping ideas, since Blank is not at an age on par with Cream, Charmy, Ray or Marine, shipping with them is not allowed.

Be sure to give credit to me for pushing forward this idea.

Take these into consideration while writing out your ideas:

What areas will Blank EX scale on their journey?

What will they do for the factions at play, and how often will they switch sides?

What boss encounters will they wind up facing?

Who is the main character influencing their personality?

Where will the journey lead them, and who will they face after their final choice?

What will be their destiny after this final fight?

What gender/pronouns will they identify with (if any) once all is said and done?

States to Remember

Neutral

You've seen this one at the top of the post, and it's as a result of Blank not taking anybody's side in conflict or going to aspirations of their own independent of all factions. For instance, they might aspire to become stronger than Sonic or decide that no-one tells them what to do, or in the worst case scenario, they might be stuck where they began with no real answer as to their future.

Pure Evil

If Blank is influenced far enough down the path of evil, they'll adopt this appearance for themselves. At this stage, redemption is highly unlikely, and they'll seek desires FAR beyond what X wished, like conquering the universe on their own accord or usurping X's throne. This is the version to be feared should a timeline include this version of Blank.

Semi-Evil

Should Blank not be influenced too far down, they'll adopt this appearance. Redemption is possible, but difficult due to them willing to be subservient to the villainous parties (Eggman, X or Mimic), and desire to cause trouble to the world aligned with those parties' beliefs. This version of themselves isn't too far gone, but it's difficult to help them climb back up to another state.

Semi-Hero

If Blank is influenced towards the path of good, they'll adopt this appearance should they discover the truth of their past and not take it well. Though they're willing to do good as this version of themselves, they're deep down scared of getting people hurt and will need encouragement from others to try and stay strong. Outcomes of this version can range from them seeing their existence as a burden, becoming the guardian of the space station they called home, or even settling down with one of the teams. This version of Blank is the least harmful between timelines, mainly because they don't wish to cause unnecessary harm at all.

Pure Hero

With the strongest push in the right direction, Blank will adopt this form, inheriting the heroic nature of Sonic himself and being willing to do good, no matter what. This version will always result in one of the villainous parties being beaten and/or killed (Eggman won't ever be killed by this version), and even if he slips down an "Evil" option at this point, it's only to encourage a friendly rivalry with a certain character (like Sonic, Shadow or Silver). Even Sonic's impressed by them coming in as their own hero.

Credit to Mod.Gen for the original sprites and sonicsez1234 for that particular version of the sprite sheet.

I can't wait to see what crazy ideas you guys will make! Have fun!

[ja3ger-the-3ater]

tell me your vore thoughts about junk rat

Oh boy-

So this is gonna be a lot, I hope that's alright. Sorry if it is too long. These are practically short stories.

Here I go-

Ok, to start. In my mind, since I like all of my stuff safe, I'm gonna say that all the radiation that Jamison endured in Australia altered the way his stomach works and he can't digest anything alive or inorganic. He he uses this to eat people and tools for safe keeping. But the only person who knows that he has this ability is Roadhog and maybe a select few others.

Now for the ideas:

Idea #1.

Overwatch gains a new recruit, a sizeshifter that shrinks down to six inches when they get very upset/scared/nervous. But they keep it under wraps, afraid of what would happen if anybody found out. Until one fateful day, they're on the battlefield around a certain chaotic australian who was nearby when they get injured and shrink. Junkrat running and snatching them up, hiding them away from anyone who may have seen whether it be friend or foe, similar to a resource guarding animal. Then suddenly, he gets a bright idea, an ear to ear grin spreading across the junkers face. Eat them. They'll be safe, no one will get to them, and no one will know. He figured it'd be a win-win with the way his tiny teammate was in his hands frantically saying, "No. No. No one is supposed to know." Plus the fact that their injuries put them in grave danger. Quickly shoving them into his maw and swallowing as soon as they hit the back of his throat. Feeling bashfully accomplished with what he just did, but only for a moment. Eyes widening as he heard them panicking, hands shooting to his belly, trying to calm them the best he could while he found a safe space away from the fight. "Heyyy, shhhh. yer okay, yer okay. Ya secrets okay with good ol Jamison. " His plan backfiring when that didn't soothe them, so he continues to talk, trying to get through to them that they aren't in any danger where they are until he can get back to base and let them out away from prying eyes.

Idea #2.

There's a borrower living in the walls of the compound, specifically in Junkrat's wall next to his bed. They only come out to get supplies when the seemingly crazy man is all tuckered out for the night, taking whatever food is left over in his room, never straying far from their home. Borrowing has been successful for almost a year. But it all goes to shit one night when they find a half eaten apple on his nightstand, trying their best to heft it up. Looking over at the man for a split second to make sure he's still asleep, only to see the amber eyes of Jamison Fawkes staring them down. And before they could even think about running off into their hidey hole, he grabbed them up, inspecting them for a moment and then shrugging, bringing them closer to his mouth, but luckily for the borrower he's holding them with his flesh hand so they bite the hell out of it. Narrowly escaping being eaten as he drops them to the floor, huddling in on themselves and fearfully shaking once in the safety of their nest. Refusing to come out for almost two weeks until they have no other choice. Finding some food while he's out of his room, being so focused on eating their find that they don't hear him come in or sneaking up on them. Giving him all the time to pounce, yet again grabbing the tiny humanoid, this time with his prosthetic hand. Doing his signature manic laugh and opening wide, dangling the shrieking borrower overhead and then dropping them in. Devouring his little roommate in one swift motion. The borrower kicks and screams to the point that it upsets his stomach, forcing him to spit them out, leaving him dumbfounded at why it didn't work this time. Roadhog has to tell him,'You're scaring them dumbass, maybe try talking to them before you eat them'. Now Junkrat is starting to do small things to try to slowly gain the borrower's trust. The borrower themself does not want to trust him, but it's easy food, so little by little, they start coming out of their shell. Unaware that he still wants to eat his little friend, and he intends to keep it that way, for now.

Idea #3.

This one's an in battle idea that I had after yesterday's ask.

Moira being the evil bitch she is shrinks down one of the overwatch teammates after finding out a way to genetically do so through her experiments. She is about to eat them herself by throwing them in the air to let them plummet into her mouth. But to her dismay, Junkrat sees this, taking the opportunity to use one of his mines to jump and save his teammate. Snapping them up midair, stealing Moira's 'meal' before running off back to the overwatch base. Said teammate mentally reeling from the event as they are jostled around in the junker's stomach.

Plus, a secret bonus plot:

It's one I'm cooking up with my oc. That is a whole thing, but ik that not many people like oc x canon, so I'll only let that one loose if someone really wants to hear it.

Anyhow, enough of my rambling, and feel free to send ask or add anything if you want :)

[nnon-but-cwnancydrew]

Secret Sleuth Exchange (@secretsleuthexchange) for @katmichail13

Merry Sleuthmas Kat! I was honoured to be your Secret Sleuth this year. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas season and I wish a wonderful 2024 for you.

I'm so sorry that the initial fanvid gift fell through. Rest assured I'm still working on it but I'm starting completely from scratch so I wouldn't have had the time to finish before the dateline. Instead, I hope you'll enjoy a Christmassy version of your icon, a playlist, a couple of mood boards depicting AUs of our favorite platonic soulmates, and a few ficlets to go along with it.

And the playlist is here

Without furthur ado, let's begin:

1) Princess and Knight

AU Concept: Nancy "Crown Princess" Drew-Hudson and Ace "First Knight" Hardy  Tropes: Forbidden Romance, Childhood Acquaintances to Lovers, Slow Burn, Princess x Body Guard Dynamic, Royal AU Theme Songs: King (Florence + The Machine), Icarus (The Crane Wives), YOUTH (Troye Sivan), False God (Taylor Swift), Afterglow (Ed Sheeran), Fool's Gold (Niall Horan), King and Lionheart (Monsters and Men), Long Live (Taylor Swift)

Plot: Growing up, Ace's father was King Carson's First Knight until a wartime injury forced him to resign lest he wanted to forfeit his life. Thom started training Ace to become a knight after that, the exercises taking up Ace's time and slowly distancing himself from his friends.

Before Thom's injury, Ace and Nancy would play together with the children inside the palace walls, including George Fan, the cook's apprentice. The children would wreak havoc all around the castle, no one was safe; servants would spring it if their way, nobles would learn to fear when things got too quiet and the kitchens gave up trying to stop them from stealing a bun or ten.

Alas, good things never last and when Thom's injury happened, the group began to disband. Ace was taught in the ways of the sword, the bow and more. When Thom taught him all he could, Ace was gifted his own horse, a dappled brown mare, which he named Florence and was sent off to squirehood.

Nancy was saddled with more responsibilities and lessons, etiquette and diplomacy, languages and conversation, politics and household organisations (who said being a princess was easy?). George worked longer hours at the kitchen to earn better wages, needing to feed three younger sisters at home.

Things started to liven up when Bess Marvin, Marchioness Diana Marvin's long lost niece turned up at their citadel. Then, Duke Ned Nickerson, a distant cousin of Queen Consort Tiffany Hudson, appeared from the far south and started to court Nancy. The crown princess, equally besotted, returned his affection. And for a while, that was enough.

Then Queen Consort Tiffany Hudson was murdered.

Nancy didn't particularly care for her stepmother, but Tiffany was always kind to her. Setting out on a harebrained journey to find Tiffany's murderer, she would soon find a trustworthy band of friends in Sir Ace Hardy, Lady Bess Marvin, Ms George Fan and Duke Ned Nickerson. They'll go in to fight witches, evil within the kingdom and anyone that wishes them harm.

Three years later, she would find something even more precious than friendship in Ace, her heart, her love. When he proposes, it as at their secret glade, hidden from the burdens of Crown Princess and First Knight, becoming just Nancy and just Ace.

"Will you solve this part of the mystery with me?" he asks, the golden light reflecting off the water into his blue eyes, Kate Drew's diamond ring in his hands.

Her voice is watery when she says, "Yes", and she moves him until he's standing again, for she doesn't want him to be kneeling to her for this part. "Always. Forever." And she hugs him and kisses him and it's like the first time all over again but it's better and she can't help but laugh with joy.

Her Ace, His Nancy, together in the song of the afternoon. She couldn't think of anything else that sounded more right.

Other Tidbits of this AU:

Nick and Nancy break it off mutually then he has a whirlwind romance with George that ends in disaster. they both do their own thing for a while as friends before coming back together because they realize there's no one else for them romantically.

Bess falls for a couple of women, including Lisbeth the castle guard (they weren't right for each other), Odette Lamar the foreign businesswoman (before she found out Odette had a wife back home named Mary), and Addy Soctomah the small town of Horseshoe Bay's elected mayor (third time's the charm).

Other Tidbits of this AU: Nick and Nancy break it off mutually then he has a whirlwind romance with George that ends in disaster. they both do their own thing for a while as friends before coming back together because they realize there's no one else for them romantically. Bess falls for a couple of women, including Lisbeth the castle guard (they weren't right for each other), Odette Lamar the foreign businesswoman (before she found out Odette had a wife back home named Mary), and Addy Soctomah the small town of Horseshoe Bay's elected mayor (third time's the charm). Ace never became a physician, but he did invest a lot into their kingdom's medical research, helping the industry prosper and saving them from an unknown plague that other kingdoms fell victim to.

And they all lived happily ever after.

2) Ice Skater and Boxer

AU Concept: Bess "Figure Skater" Marvin and George "Hockey Player" Fan

Tropes: Strangers to Lovers, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Kinda Instalove, (Just a Soft Little Fic)

Theme Songs: Silk Chiffon (MUNA, Phoebe Bridgers), Tis the Damn Season (Taylor Swift), Girls Like Girls (Hayley Kiyoko), Friday I'm in Love (Twenty One Two), Enchanted (Taylor Swift), Slow Dancing (Aly & AJ), Ashes (Celine Dion), Daylight (Taylor Swift)

Plot: Girl I'm sorry I tried but I can't really view them from a romantic lens and so for Georgess I'm just gonna leave you with the vibes. I'm thinking a soft dreamy winter love in the big city.

If anyone wants to take a crack at this AU (or any of the others) please feel free. Just tag and credit me because I would love to read it!

3) CEO and Bodyguard

AU Concept: George "Spy/Bodyguard" Fan and Ned "Businessman/Inventor" Nickerson

Tropes: Strangers to Lovers, Spies AU, Forbidden Romance, Ballroom Scene, Making Out to Avoid Being Caught

Theme Songs: I Can See You (Taylor Swift), Plastic Hearts (Miley Cyrus), Weapon (Against the Current), Teeth (5SOS), Delicate (Taylor Swift), Roman Holiday (Halsey), Perfect (One Direction), New Year's Day (Taylor Swift)

Plot: Ned Nickerson thinks he’s done well in his life. Accepted into MIT on the honors roll, top intern at tech billionaire Tom Swift’s R&D department then branching off to start a very successful tech company of his own with the help of Tom and socialite and rich heiress Tiffany Hudson; all before the age of 28. Sure, his life is a little bland and his assistant Addy Soctomah had a bit of a point when she said that he was the most vanilla Black man she ever met but boring was good in the business world.

Then, the universe remembered he existed and made him the sole witness of Tiffany’s murder (which, was very traumatic, thanks for asking) by some terrorist company called the Road Back. Now, he was on the hit list of said terrorist company and had to be assigned a bodyguard (who very clearly did not want to be his bodyguard) that was maybe sorta cute when she wasn’t ignoring him like crazy. George said it wasn’t personal but it didn’t seem like the case to him when she stared at him unblinkingly when he was trying to close a business deal.

The mantra of ‘Fuck Drew’ was all that ran through George’s head when she had to protect Mr “Call me Nick”, rags to riches wonder boy and media darling, every day. She could be out chasing the Road Back with her team right now if Nancy had pulled the pin on that grenade 5 seconds later. 5 seconds and Owen wouldn’t have died; 5 more seconds and her foot wouldn’t have gotten pinned under all that rubble, and she could have lifted that column off Owen before he suffocated to death while their friends tried to get to them in time. 

The thought that it took four minutes without oxygen for a person to sustain permanent brain damage was all that ran through her brain as she listened to the harsh wheezing from the person underneath the column slowly stop. George had never really seen the fragile process of human to corpse before, never sticking around after her bullets left their chamber, but she could swear that it took hours for Owen to flatline. 

It took three minutes. The brain damage would happen after four minutes. The team took eight minutes to get to them and they were the longest eight minutes of any of their lives. 

The team fell apart: Nancy blamed herself bitterly, Bess mourned her cousin, Ace kicked himself for sending them into a trap and George- George was numb. Then she became angry. Claw Superiors kicked their team into mandatory leave and psych eval after 2 months. Guess Carson didn’t want his only daughter to crack mentally even more than she already had. 

2 weeks in and George begged Carson for any assignment, after barely passing her psych eval. She snatched the first case he held in his hands from him, not even looking into the file and just showing up at Ned Nickerson’s company the next day. Boy did she regret not negotiating more. Turns out Nick witnessed the murder of Tiffany, the woman whose husband cheated on with George years ago, and now he was the Road Back’s No. 1 target. Talk about awkward. 

It took spending 3 days in Nick’s presence to figure out that 1) He had a ridiculously good moral compass, 2) He and Tiffany were super close and 3) Telling him about her past history with Tiffany would make him hate her. So she kept quiet and kept her walls up, not wanting to get close to another person so soon after Owen’s death, not she was just starting to bond with him. 

But it’s difficult to spend day in day out with someone and not get close to them at some point. Nick was gentle and persistent with her, prying personal details from George like she was one of the machines he was experienced with. How she was the eldest of four sisters, how she almost went into law school, how her favourite colour was green. In return, he told her about wanting to help troubled kids find a community, how he was discovered by Tom Swift (and had a brief fling with him), how his mother taught him piano because they couldn’t afford it at the time and for her last birthday he’d bought her a grand piano to play to her heart’s content. It wasn’t her favourite mission by far, but Nick wasn’t bad company, and there was little chance of her PTSD triggering in civilian bodyguard life while the rest of her team recovered. 

Then Nick caught wind of a Road Back operative that was gonna be at a major social function that’s being hosted by Nick’s dickhead rival companies’ CEO: Everett Hudson. George hatched a harebrained dream of capturing the person to win back the grace her team lost at their agency. Nick offered to be her date so she could sneak in and around but she has to help him find dirt on Everett about the Bonny Scott which can bring justice to 12 innocent people and send Everett to jail. George accepts, which was a horrible idea for them both because now they’re catching feelings for a colleague-ish person.

(As long as you save me a dance, Fan.

You're on, Nickerson.)

At the party, there’s a point where they’re in Everett’s office digging through his files and they hear footsteps coming so they panic. There’s nowhere to hide in the office, and George grips Nick’s arm tightly. 

‘Do you trust me?’ she says, urgency coating her words.

There’s a beat of hesitation when they look into each other’s eyes, George begging Nick to say yes. Still, looking, he nods, and she spins him around to pin him against the wall.

‘I’m sorry about this,’ she says quietly, before kissing him. 

For a moment, everything in the world narrows to his back against the wall, the girl he likes pressed up against him, her lips on his, her hands on him. Realising his hands are just hanging dumbly by his side, he moves one to run through her hair and the other to cup her cheek.

‘OI! You’re not supposed to be in here!’ A loud voice cut through the air, and he remembers why he shouldn’t be doing this. They spring apart, and he’s sheepish when he addresses the person who caught them.

‘Sorry sir. Won’t happen again.’

‘Not today anyway.’ George’s coy face and satisfied smirk makes him blush and he finds he can’t look at the security guard for more than a second without looking away in embarrassment.

‘I don’t care what you do and where you do it as long as it isn’t in here. Now get going before I change my mind.'

'Got it, sir.' He blocks George from view as she surreptitiously swipes the hard drive that had finished downloading information in the time they were caught by the guard. He repeats, 'Won't happen again.'

Outside, George apologises and they go home but there's still an air of awkwardness. She hands the drive over to Claw Agency superiors and is called back in the week to pursue Road Back members with her old team. Since the Road Back is disbanded, Nick doesn't need a bodyguard anymore and they part ways, both thinking this is the last time they'll see each other again.

Three months later, they round up the last of the Road Back members, and George hands in her resignation form. She makes her team promise to keep in touch, thanks the Claw superiors for giving her a lifeline back then, and shows up at Nick's house to confess her feelings.

'You know,' she says, after the heavy emotional talk. 'We never did get that dance.'

'Never too late,' says Nick. He holds out his hand. 'May I?'

'But there's no music,' she laughs, taking his hand anyway.

He smiles at the sound. 'Don't need music. Your laugh is the most beautiful sound of all.' And she proves him right by laughing again.

When they have their first dance at the wedding, they're laughing merrily through the whole thing, calling each other Mr Fan and Mrs Nickerson.

Other Tidbits of this AU: Everyone on the team is field cleared but George and Owen were the only true field agents so they were closer because they have to trust each other's back in the field. Ace is the Hacker, Nancy is the scientist with a focus on biochem and Bess is the pilot/driver/etc. George and Nick play chess but George is more logical and Nick is more passionate. They're equally skilled. Bess meets Addy while the team visits George and they start talking and start dating just before Fanson's wedding. Nace dance around each other for years before everyone locks them in a small room and they come with messy hair and red lips to a chorus of "Finally"s

In every universe, the Drew Crew wishes Kat Michail a very Merry Christmas and hopes that she enjoys her gift. In this universe, Shannon wishes Kat a Happy New Year too. I hope you liked your gift Kat!

[blitheringmcgonagall]

If We Died Tonight

For @mollymarymarie and @imsiriuslyreading a little Wolfstar angst with a happy ending… <33

If we could take a photo

Eternalize this moment

For the days when I don't believe

When our love gets stolen

'Cause there's no exception

And I know time will take you far from me

Let this night invade my lungs

You're all I wanna breathe

Right beside the lake, I burn for you

You burn for me

So kiss me the way that you would

If we died tonight

Hold me the way that you would

For the final time

Whatever may come, somewhere deep inside

There's always this version of you and I

So just kiss me the way that you would

If we died tonight, if we died tonight, yeah

All the deepest secrets

All the darkest moments

Oh, I promise they'll be safe with me

We've all been broken

There's no exception

But you carry it so gracefully

Let this night invade my lungs

You're all I want to breathe

Right beside the lake, I burn for you

You burn for me

(Kiss Me by Dermot Kennedy)

He finds Remus standing beside the edge of the Great Lake. He’s soaking, the rain pelting through his stupid battered jacket, the pointless one – not waterproof, and without a hood – wet curls plastered onto his face. His sodden, frayed jeans already clinging to his too thin frame, wearing his battered canvas shoes, completely useless in this weather, like an idiot. His shoulders hunched forwards – resigned, shivering. His eyes have a far-away, brooding expression, looking out at the grey waters lapping at his feet. It’s not unlike the look on his face before the full moon, except that expression is more resigned in its weariness. This one has more in common with hopelessness, a tiredness that sees no future.

He thinks he knows what that look means.

“What do you think about this whole spy thing?” Peter had asked him a week ago, interrupting Sirius’ thoughts.

“Fuck, Wormy,” Sirius said, putting down his fork with an irritated sigh. “I don’t even want to think about it.”

“But who could it possibly be?” said Peter, with terror in his voice.

“No clue, Wormy, no fucking clue!” Sirius said, picking up the fork again and moving food around his plate. “Dedalus Diggle? Seems a bit of an airhead though. Or Elphias Doge? But he’s a good friend of Dumbledore’s for years. It’s none of us, obviously. And it’s not the Prewetts, or Aberforth, or Hagrid, obviously. Not Marlene, the Longbottoms or Moody… I don’t fucking know. Who do you think it is?”

“I’ve no idea!” said Peter, his voice rising by an octave. “I wish I knew.”

“Yeah, listen, Wormy, don’t think about it too much. It’ll just make you paranoid.”

He’s already feeling very fucking paranoid himself.

“Thanks, Pads,” said Peter, with a forced smile. “I’ll try. If anyone had a reason to become the spy it’d be Moony, with all the anti-Werewolf shit that’s happening. But he’d be the last person to join Voldemort’s side. He’d rather die than join them.”

Sirius stared at Peter.

“Remus is literally the very last person I would ever suspect, Pads, don’t worry, I’m not a total moron! I’d sooner think it was me or you than Moony!” Peter laughed, shaking his head as though he had said something funny.

“Yeah, whatever…” Sirius let out a harsh breath.

“I’m joking, I swear!” Peter had squirmed, leaving the newspaper on the table as he left the room.*

Peter may well have been joking, but he hasn’t stopped thinking about this conversation, or that newspaper article, replaying it over and over and over when he lies awake at night, like a faulty record stuck on a groove, unable to sleep.

Remus was due to accompany him tomorrow on an Order mission to Shropshire, just the two of them, but at the last minute he bowed out, some pathetic excuse about having ‘double booked’ himself, about ‘needing to go on a recce for Dumbledore’. Which makes zero sense, because Dumbledore picked them, them specifically, to go to Shropshire. Which, by the way, he rarely does nowadays – not since the time James Fucking Potter told him he’s over-protective of Moony and therefore a liability on joint missions. Prick. He’s probably right, but he’s still a prick, regardless. He’s also his best friend and best brother.

Only brother.

Regulus Arcturus Black is missing, presumed dead, since December 1979, nearly two years ago. The spineless, soft, clueless, poor bastard idiot.

They say he’s dead, Death Eaters and Order members alike; Death Eaters taunting him, gloating, Cousin Bellatrix’s cackling laughter shouting it out with the aid of a Sonorus during battles, knowing he will hear it and how much it hurts him, ‘You betrayed him, disowned him, left him to die!’

Not strictly true, but he may as well have, a voice that sounds suspiciously like his mother tells him. He knows this already. Regulus point blank refused his help. His father made sure of it*. But he knows for a fact that he should have done more, forced Regulus to flee with him, made him renounce his upbringing, maybe even Imperiused him into…

Continue on ao3…

[mothnem]

Follow The North Star Home

Cold. Spy had been colder. But he had to keep moving. Failure meant death. If only, it had been just his death, he would have laid down in the snow and let himself die by now. But it wasn't. It was people he would die for. And that's why he had to live. Even as the blizzard around him intensified. Freezing his fingers to the vital briefcase, his thin suit no protective from the snow. Just a little further. Four more miles. To Coldfront. Four more. Twenty-eight miles down. Thirty-two altogether. Almost there.

---

Scout watched the blizzard rage outside.

"Spy's gonna be alright, right? I mean, yeah his last update was interrupted but... he had like, a secret base somewhere right? Somewhere to hide out until he can run. Right?"

Heavy frowned, they will have to move fast after the blizzard, to get to Spy before Grey Mann does.

"Spy is smart. He will find safe place to hide."

---

Another step. It's getting harder to keep walking. Spy was, unsurprisingly with his obvious hypothermia, feeling warmer. But he still was having a hard time moving. It felt as if gravity was a thousand times it's usual pull. But still, he kept going. Three miles. Just three more miles. He's so tired.

---

Medic fiddled with his equipment. The storm outside howling like the damned. It should let up by tomorrow morning. That's what Heavy said. And he knows more about these storms than he does. He glanced outside at the furious snow. Spy better have found shelter.

---

Slowly Spy realized he had fallen. Again. The snow embracing him, covering him. But he forced himself to stand back up. Just over two and a half miles now. Keep going.

---

Sniper kept his gaze on his thermal scope. Still couldn't see anything. Beside him Engineer fidgeted. As if he wanted a different answer than the one they both knew he was going to get.

"Nothin'. Not a bloody hint of Spoi."

Engineer sighed. The answer, had not changed. And Sniper sounded just as worried as Engineer felt.

---

Two miles! Two miles is nothing! Soldier would make them run two miles for warm up! Heh. Warm. Warmth seems like it was just a daydream now. He wonders if his brain is freezing. It would explain why his thoughts seem to be so sluggish.

---

"HE'LL BE FINE! HE'S FROM PARIS, KENTUCKY! HE'S AMERICAN STRONG!"

Demoman glanced at his friend. Soldier's words less to assure Demoman than they were to assure himself.

"Aye. He's a strong one. He'll make it. He has to."

"IF HE DOESN'T. WE'LL GET MERASMUS TO BRING HIM BACK SO WE CAN KICK HIS ASS FOR BEING A WEAK MAGGOT!"

"Aye! And than we'll make him sit down and sit on him so he can't disappear on us!"

Soldier's feral grin stretched across his face, his barely visible eyes gleamed.

"AFFIRMATIVE!"

Spy wasn't going to die. And if he did? They'll drag him back out of hell.

---

Spy was almost crawling now, from how much his legs were giving out on him. Half a mile. Half a mile. Half a mile. It was an eternity. He had given up on living. He just needs to make sure they find the case. The case that holds Grey Mann's plans for the Mercs, his FAMILY'S, lives. He's going to kill them. Unless Spy can get the plans to them before the blizzard is over. One stumbling, falling, crawling step at a time...

---

Pyro watched the ugly, cold void outside. Spy was in it. Spy was in that ugly. Why would Spy want to be in it? There was no Rainbows, or Balloonicorns, or bubbles. Just blank, ugly cold. Spy needs to come back. Maybe that's why he's so grumpy? Not enough time around the warm Rainbows. Well when Spy gets back Pyro will make sure there's lots of warm Rainbows for Spy to look at! Particularly in the funny box where Engineer says the Rainbows have to stay so the ugly, blank, cold void doesn't get them!

---

He hit the ground, he couldn't get back up. His brain trying to figure out if they were almost there or not. Spy weakly pressed his location beacon. He isn't going to make it. But they can find him after the storm stops. Closing his eyes, he let the snow bury him in its embrace.

---

Scout almost shrieked when Spy's location beacon lit up.

"He's outside. HE'S RIGHT OUTSIDE THE GATE! WE GOTTA GET HIM! I GOTTA...!"

Heavy picked up the screaming young man.

"You need to stay here. Get rope. Heavy will get Spy. I know this weather."

The others almost blocked the door trying to get in. Heavy easily pushed through them, Scout behind him.

"Unless you are Doktor and know medical things, get into common room and STAY THERE."

The other Mercs wilted under Heavy's snarl. Meekly, they left, leaving Heavy, Medic, and Scout alone in the hallway.

"Meet me by door little Scout. You will need to hold rope."

---

The blizzard was like a pack of wolves, tearing at Heavy's flesh as he stalked through the snow. The small beacon locator clutched in his massive hand. He pushed back against the wind, step by step. Finally, when he was right on top of the beacon, his foot came down, and he felt something break under his boot. He froze, and almost hesitantly, reach down, shoving the snow out of the way, until his gloved fingers met frozen sleeve. He had broken Spy's arm.

Frantically digging now, he pulled the ice cover Intel Agent out of his grave, a briefcase dangling from his other hand, had Heavy only pause briefly, what was so important that Spy had to bring it here? No matter. But if Spy died, with the respawn machine broken, it had BETTER be worth his life. The Russian trudged back towards the base, the rope he had tied around his waist, a guideline back to safety.

---

Warm. So warm. Spy slowly opened up his eyes. Medic's ceiling. The one in his medical room. Is this what hell looks like?

"Nein. But if you try to die on us again like that it could be."

Oh. He said that out loud.

"Yes you did Herr Spy."

And he said that out loud.

"Get some sleep now. You're safe. And Engineer is fixing what Grey Mann did to the Respawn Machine, thanks to your intel."

Closing his eyes, Spy fell into a warm, dreamless sleep.

[naffeclipse]

Eating up your response to my previous ask, so here's a follow-up: How would the events of Trouble play out in that AU? Going to Sun and Moon seems dangerous, not just because of their location but also their affiliation. So I'm assuming it would depend on if/how much the vigilante trusts them at that point. What do they end up doing in that scenario? Would that also be the first time they kiss Moon and Sun? 👀

Oh ho! I also love spinning Trouble for each AU hehe

In this case, the vigilante wouldn't find it safe to seek out Sun and Moon in the heart of Eclipse's hideout, so they flee to one of their safe houses. They try to take care of their injuries alone. That goes about as well as you'd expect.

After news breaks in the underworld about a deadly shootout and the vigilante missing, Sun and Moon are worried out of their minds and immediately seek out Y/N. Eclipse is, of course, concerned but refuses to believe the vigilante is dead and conducts his own search for Y/N, but Sun and Moon beat him to it and uncover Y/N's safe house. Sun and Moon used the gang's resources to make this happen, so it doesn't exactly fit right with the two, but it allowed them to find Y/N bleeding out in a crummy hiding spot, so, they'll deal with that internal conflict later.

The vigilante is quietly touched by Sun's and Moon's dedication to finding them and making sure they're okay. ("Oh, you don't have to tell me that you missed me, boys. I know.") There's a kiss for Sun and there's a kiss for Moon ♥

They try to persuade Y/N to let them take them to their brother's business where they have better medical supplies and can treat their wounds, but Y/N adamantly refuses, (partly out of fear of being caught by Eclipse and partly out of fear that Sun and Moon are lying and intend to take them to a hospital.) Frazzled and fearing how pale Y/N is looking, Sun ventures back to Eclipse's gang for medical supplies while Moon stays with Y/N, attempting to find some clean place to begin addressing their wounds. Sun comes up with a decent story to tell Eclipse's goons and gets the supplies. Then later, when infection sets in, Moon uses the gang's resources to get the medicine to treat Y/N.

The secret affairs get back to Eclipse, but by that point, he can't find his brothers. Sun and Moon have been doing their best to conceal Y/N's presence (and budding relationship) from their older brother, the mob boss, but Eclipse puts it together immediately that the vigilante is being cared for—he's just not happy that Y/N didn't come to him in the first place and spare his brothers some trouble, but that's what the vigilante's always been.

Eclipse, however, finds this information interesting as not only did his brothers use his gang's resources when they'd been so unwilling to before, but the vigilante is allowing his brothers to tend to them. That's trust that can't be bought, forced, or persuaded. That's actions that were compelled by something greater than ideals.

Whatever effect the vigilante is having on his brothers, his brothers are having the same effect on the vigilante, too. He finds that very interesting.

If his brothers want the vigilante, Eclipse is more than willing to give them what they want. Eclipse will take what he wants, too.

[ancientphantom]

Do you think the original Phantom of the Opera book has any sort of fairytale-like elements to it? If so, could you list some?

This ask is seven billion years old, but yes!

For one thing, the Phantom story is essentially a more specific version of the old Beauty and the Beast fairy tale - in both, a father "gives" his daughter to a terrifying monster who appears to be dangerous but turns out to love her, and she must find a way to love that monster in turn in order to keep herself safe and search for a happy ending. The Phantom story adds embellished elements, such as the heavy focus on music and the Phantom being a disfigured human instead of a cursed one, but the story is essentially the same, which means it carries over a lot of beats from the original fairy tale.

If you didn't know I'm a sucker for Aarne-Thompson-Uther, you do now, so let's go down a quick list of some of the fairy tale elements we see!

The Child Who Won't Leave Home: Lots of fairy/folktales have this element, where a child needs to leave home and make their way in the world or they will never truly grow up (which usually, in these stories, means they won't be able to be happy and/or they'll be a burden on their aging parents/community). Christine fits this trope, remaining somewhat locked in eternal childhood, focused on her memories of her father and his tales of the Angel of Music, until she is finally forced to see reality and make choices about her adult life.

The Girl as the Monster's Wife: This is a common fairy tale/folklore stock element: a beautiful young girl is given to a monster to become its bride. You see echoes of it in dragon/monster sacrifice tales, too, but the story usually uses its fairy tale themes to address real-life anxieties about women in earlier centuries having little to no control over who they married or how they were treated when they did. (And parents' fear over that for their daughters!)

The Animal Bridegroom: A subset of the Monster's Wife above, there are an absolute load of stories about young women being forced, either through trickery, blackmail, or magic, into marrying actual animals. Often, these animals can later be turned into humans through the power of her love and/or loyalty and devotion, but sometimes the moral is more about making the best of a weird situation. Obviously, the Phantom story inherits this from its Beauty and the Beast roots, even though the Phantom is no longer a literal animal.

The Dangerous Husband: The most common version of this is probably the tale of Bluebeard, but it appears in many stories and cultures (from the same anxieties as above!). In these stories, the husband is hiding a dark secret, and his innocent wife must realize he's evil and get out before it's too late or join others he has previously preyed on; in the Phantom story, Christine must realize that her "angel of music" is actually the murderous Phantom, and is in a constant state of discovering things like torture chambers and death threats until she and Raoul finally resolve the situation and escape.

Disenchantment by Kiss: In many fairy tales, the curse/transformation/evil is broken or defeated by a pure kiss from a loved one; in the Phantom story, it is Christine's kiss on his forehead (or mouth in later derivative versions) that causes him to realize that he has been behaving like a monster and end his reign of terror.

In addition to all this, there's also of course the mythology angle, which I mention a lot in reviews! Greek mythology is especially good with this - the Phantom story has heavy overtones of both the myth of Hades and Persephone, in which the god of the dead rises up from the underground to kidnap the beautiful young goddess of spring and everyone goes absolutely bonkers trying to get her back, and the myth of Eros and Psyche, in which the beautiful Psyche is forbidden from seeing her lover, who always comes to her in darkness with his face hidden, and when she breaks her promise and brings in a light to see him destroys the relationship and suffers as a result. The first has obvious parallels to Erik's kidnapping of Christine, while the second is a pretty clear comparison to the unmasking scene.

[12pt-times-new-roman]

c3e92 pt. 1: the Bells Hells

Man, Matt really had to open with that somber tone, didn't he—

Orym immediately takes the lead, begins to guide them away from the city, away from the storms. It makes sense — the rest of them haven't experienced something like this before, the loss of a loved one, of a friend, in the heat of a battle when you can't stop for even a second to process what just happened.

Liliana can't go with them — if she leaves, they'll know, and she's more useful to them as an agent on the inside. If she goes, then the Bells Hells won't know the developments on the moon, won't know what's going on; but while she's here, she can relay that information back to Exandria.

In order to reawaken Predathos, there are boundaries that imprison it within itself, set up by the gods. The Ruidisborn are part of pushing through those boundaries, and are supposed to be what breaks the final one; without an exaltant vessel, Predathos can't step beyond its cage.

Liliana is not the only possible vessel — she is simply the strongest one. If she goes, then another Ruidusborn will take her place. She's communed with it, and she doesn't think that it wants them, wants mortals — it just wants to be awake, to be free. But they, and especially Orym, cannot take her word for it, because everything she knows about it is what it has told her.

Imogen makes the right call and clues the Bells Hells in to not telling Liliana about the secret passage. Liliana tells her that as long as Imogen is not on Ruidus, they can contact each other in dreams safely, presumably because she would be reaching out to Imogen beyond the eyes of the Weave-mind. She also tells them that the Weave-mind and Ludinus haven't been able to trust her because they cannot fully see within her mind. A wave of relief and heartbreak washes over her as Imogen tells her to stay.

Ludinus first made contact with the Weave-mind about three centuries ago (corresponding to the fall of Molaesmyr), and they both knowingly use each other to their own ends, each thinking that they'll have the final word. But Ludinus has been "following a path laid out for him by Predathos."

Liliana was at the conservatory in Jrusar when Ludinus found her and started to groom her to become an exaltant. He offered to free her and Imogen from the burden, but she didn't realize what was being done until she was already too deep in it.

"How can we get out of the city safely?" "Give me your hands." Liliana teleports them to the edge of the Bloody Bridge. "Find those who you can trust. Then, find me, when you need my guidance. I'll see you in your dreams."

As soon as they step through the bridge, they see that the interior is the same encampment. They bluff their way through, with the aid of a phantasmal force, and make it outside — there's evidence of recent battle here. There are "trophies," too — holy symbols and Vasselheim armor set out on pikes. They spot the familiar symbol of the Changebringer, looking off to an unknown horizon from a tattered cloak, and they take it.

Imogen sends a message to Keyleth: "We're back. We're at the surface of the Malleus Key, trying to find a way to get back to you." "Oh. That is wonderful news. I'll be at the encampment as soon as I can — can you get there safely? Oh. That's not how this works. Uh, I'll—"

The tension begins to fade as they make their way westward toward the encampment they first came from.

Ashton: "He'd been itching to do that since the day I met him." Orym: "But I've seen enough fights go south. If he didn't do that, we'd all be dead."

FCG made his death count, and they can all make it worth it — but Ashton can be angry, too. Those two things are easy to hold at the same time.

As for Liliana, they made the right call, not trusting her. She may have her reservations about Ludinus, she might not support him, but she's very much a believer of Predathos, of Ludinus' goal.

Laudna: "That bit she said, about how this is what you're designed for... it reminded me of FCG, but I also feel like I owe you an apology. I feel like I understood your mom, on a deeper level, in that moment; I think it's reminiscent of something I think we all struggle with, not being able to supersede that feeling of being designed. Controlled. Manipulated. But it also made my heart break for her. It feels like we've been very privileged to go on a journey guided by FCG to learn that we're more than what our creators intended for us, and I don't think she's had that." Laudna hits the nail on the head: any one of them could've been in Liliana's shoes. Until the shard incident, Ashton was. But they had someone, a group, to pull them back from the edge.

Ashton: "It made me very angry, and I don't like being angry. You're too fucking good for her. I hope she's right, I really do — I hope her ends are great, because these means are unforgivable."

Orym sticks one of Otohan's blades in the dirt. "That is the blade that killed my husband. She is not right." He walks away.

Chetney (/Travis) has a feeling about where Ludinus was; he turns to Everoa. She tells them that he's in Aeor. That's where he's been getting all these machines, the dispelling array, the influence for the keys, the war machines.

There are multiple layers of the Prime Pillar, and while they got through the first layer, the second was divinely-originated adamantine; when they discovered this, Ludinus left for Aeor to try and find a solution, but he hasn't returned in days. Something in Aeor, called the Dominox, was delaying his Aeorian excavations.

Aeorian technology had a unique understanding of how to unravel the basis of divine magic, which the Emperium needed to burrow through the shell containing Predathos. So Ludinus went in search of the Factorum Malleus within the depths of Aeor.

The glass on Ruidus is the remnants of Predathos' last form, the form it was imprisoned in. Its body was turned in to its own prison — the same thing that happened to Alyxian.

"There are moments in someone's life when they need to decide what to do next. I think this is one of them." Ashton needs to sleep, needs to break something — but in the morning, they'll all have some thoughts about who they're going to be next.

Orym breaks into tears, finally lets the facade slip to Imogen. "Every one of us makes our decisions through the lenses we see life through. I can't take mine down. It's not even about revenge for me; I'm just trying to honor what they signed up to do." Although they might not have seen eye to eye in the past, Imogen reassures Orym that he should have no doubts about her goals now; Liliana made her choices, and Imogen understands that now.

As Imogen leaves, Orym reaches out to Dorian. "We're home. Can you hear me? Northeast of Bassuras. Can you get there? I'm... struggling. Can you get here? Fuck, I miss you."

Matt asks everyone to leave the table, then he leaves, too.

Aabria sits behind the screen.

You know what? I think it's time to see the other half of the story.

I'm splitting this one into two parts! pt. 2 under the cut

This is most likely going to be my last summary-style liveblog post! I'll be reverting back to doing one-post stuff as things happen, it's just easier on me and my hyperfixation-addled interest that way :)

c3e92 pt. 2: the Crown Keepers

We open on the Crown Keepers plus Cyrus, not far from Kraghammer. They have been moving from village to village across the world to keep away from Poska. It's been nearly a month, and each of them have a cache of both money and brumestone. But two weeks ago, the Apogee Solstice began, and the Blightstar was lost from the skies of Tal'dorei.

Dariax's divine soul comes from a deity known as "the Observer." Even he, alongside Lolth, Melora, and the Raven Queen have felt fear from their patrons (though from the Observer, more a feeling of curiosity toward the world).

It was Orym's message that pushed the Crown Keepers to haste, trekking toward Zephrah. Even then, as they travel,

Dariax has no goal outside of a sense of kinship toward those he's traveled with, and a new sense of protectiveness over Opal. He's liable to stay at Dorian's side to follow in his footsteps. Protector.

Morrighan is like a horse chomping at the bit; she's been given new purpose from the Matron of Ravens, calls herself (and perhaps was designated) a champion. She feels distant from the Crown Keepers and allegiance to the Matron; the second she says bite, she'll bite, no matter who it is. She's multiclassed into paladin. Lying in wait.

Fy'ra Rai hasn't been fully lost or demoralized, but confused as to where she is most needed now. She remembers saying that not all family is blood, much family is chosen, so she's diverting her protective nature from her sister to the Crown Keepers, who the Wildmother pulled her to protect. She still feels the loss of her sister, Poska. Conflicted.

Dorian thought he wanted this scenario — freedom, adventure. But it's not the situation dragging his mood down; he's had more time alone, and he feels the group start to drift, and he's coming to an unsettling realization: he's missing something in this equation. It's something he ran from months ago, something he felt like he didn't have and wanted. He's starting to wonder why he's here, for the first time ever. From drifting to searching.

Opal is in a dream-like existence, where she's losing the thread. There are moments of clarity, and she works overtime to be more herself around the Crown Keepers then; she feels like if she can keep it together, then she has control. But much like when you're in that space between falling asleep and being awake, it's all confusing. In the moments where it feels more dreamlike, she becomes darker, unsettling and unsettled. Opal's dreams were the things that went first. It's not that she sleeps and has nightmares; every night for the past 2 weeks, she goes to sleep and wakes up exhausted, as if her body had been tensed and moving throughout the night, with no memory of the time between. Every dawn, if she reaches for Ted, she is exhausted. If she presses, she tells her little. It's not her fight.

Some days into this journey, something in Opal's mind breaks. She stops in the middle of the road, listening. Immediately, the Crown Keepers snap to attention.

Morrighan feels that same ineffable sense of purpose, the absolute density of presence, the pure light that she felt when she made the pact with the Matron — inverted. The same bestowment of power and purpose, tinged with something that curdles the stomach of the Matron, and so curdles Morrighan's.

Morrighan sees it in a crow's song before it happens, but Opal raises, levitates, then expands outward in every direction.

Matt slides over to the other side of the table, leaving Amy alone on the top table, and we launch into combat against Lolth-Incarnate Opal!

Opal hears the voice in her ear. "Hah. So sorry. I think... I wanted us to have a little more time to do this organically. But your sister keeps getting in my way. I don't care about my image; I care about my life. And what I need more than rehabilitation and public perception is a champion — a true champion. I need you to come with me, and I need to sever the ties that keep you with [the Crown Keepers]. They tie you to this place, they hold you back, and what I need is someone who works for me, who serves me. You accepted my crown, and now, the bill is due. Opal, Twice-Crowned, you will become my champion."

Morrighan update: She's an oath of vengeance paladin!

She hits Opal, but Opal takes none of that damage — Ted takes all of it. As the blade sinks in, it hits the dark shadow of something that looks like Opal but cut and muscled.

As Dorian beseeches her — "why are you doing this?" — the Opal that is acting responds, not the Opal that is within: "she doesn't know."

Off of a successful religion check, Fy'ra Rai asks the Wildmother first what she, Fy'ra, could do to stop Opal's transformation: remove the crown. Then, she asks what the Wildmother could do to stop it: why would I? As the third question, what does the Wildmother need from Fy'ra to help Opal? Why would I stop this from happening? The answer is not furious, it is fearful.

Melora, the Wildmother would not herself stop this transformation from happening. Opal donned this crown willingly, and these are the consequences; why would the Wildmother intervene? And further, the Wildmother is afraid of the Blightstar, of Ludinus, of Predathos. Why would she stop the exaltation of the champion of the gods? It's not like the Prime Deities and the Betrayers have never been united before. It's not like the circumstances weren't almost precisely the same.

Lolth speaks again: "What are you willing to do? I will make her mine. Are you willing to kill her? I will not die to that." They see a flash of red.

Then, as Morrighan picks up one of the clusters of crystals surrounding her, something inside Opal's mind shatters — a memory rises, then breaks and fades. There's a story, told to the pair of them shortly before their mother disappeared, when they were three years old. There's a word: "evalux." A splinter-group, mis-matched eyes. "A long time ago, a group of people found something called a Beacon. They learned from it about some great entity or god, a concept that sought to know itself, to understand via experience the world of Exandria. It split itself apart. This one was found far away. These people that worshiped the Luxon found and created magics within themselves to split their own souls apart so that they could learn who they were via observation." Opal was a child, torn in two, learned what she liked and loved and knew through observation of Ted — and so, Opal and Ted are entangled. Opal understands herself because she understands Ted; she is not lost to her, she is her. They are something rare and magical — a memory, rare and lost forever in the moment of knowing.

Matt: "I'm gonna go ahead and cast bless at 2nd level—" Aabria: "GOD DAMNIT"

Cyrus the Himbo my beloved — "BROTHER, I CANNOT SEE. Should I shoot an arrow??" "NO—"

As they pick up the gems surrounding Opal, they each see a memory. The one that Fy'ra picks up is from a week ago, a village hardly more than a hamlet, a mixture of cold and humid and quiet. In an inn, in the memory, they bump in to each other — Fy'ra is holding the two pars of the once-whole tiger eye, moving them between her fingers like worry stones. "I told you it was... important to heal things with [Ted]. I've always known that [my sister] is... my sister, but she's always been a bit of an asshole. But I never thought that she would want to kill me."

Fy'ra and Opal find common ground, being the one whose asshole sister is trying to kill her and being the asshole sister (respectively). As they do, Fy'ra looks to the crown digging into Opal's skin. "I don't know what is happening to you, but you can trust me to fight for you as if you were my sister, too."

(guys please watch this instead of reading my recap, the humor here is so much better than I could ever transcribe—)

The episode ends on the Crown Keepers breaking away from Opal and fleeing as she pursues.