#blades of destruction and clan

[angela-the-fox]

My cosplay as Kratos from God of War.

The fun fact that i drew a cool and badass version of Kratos, in God of War 1 and my own designed chained blades, known as Blades of Destruction and Clan. Including that i made my own therian-like symbol of the God of War logo. Especially the burning flames in the background on the top hills from the place called Hades of Hell.

[leiandroid]

yakuza au

ok fam this au is now separated from my previous inohina yakuza/bratva au. had to fly the girls back to japan and they got a whole new backstory ! big wall of text incoming ↓↓↓

-- uchiha clan

a clan that was once powerful but was slowly eating itself from the inside. rife with internal conflict and distrust, key figures sought to strengthen the clan and each had an idea of how to bring about that change, though no two could come to an agreement on a single method. tensions amongst the ranks began to fracture the uchiha.

taking advantage of the power struggle, madara, with the hopes of seizing total control, ignites a spark that quickly turns into a bloodbath. many low level thugs employed by the uchiha flee the compound as each key figure and their loyal followers battle it out until so few are left standing it could barely be called a clan anymore.

the power vacuum left behind by the dissolution of the uchiha has created an extremely volatile environment in the crime world as different yakuza families seek to claim the uchiha’s previously held operations and territory.

-- hebi

sick of the endless politics and weakening bonds amongst the clan, sasuke left to forge his own path. as punishment for leaving the clan itachi takes his eye.

he had never expected that the power struggles within the uchiha would lead to a massacre. so when he heard about the bloodbath occurring inside the uchiha compound, he rushed home to save his parents from a grim fate. but was too late when he witnessed itachi kill them by his own blade.

sasuke quickly enacted revenge by killing itachi and when the dust settled and madara emerged as victor, sasuke turned his blade on him too and snuffed out the flame of the uchiha forever.

karin is an ex-cop that was the uchiha's informant within the police. she brokers deals and negotiations on behalf of sasuke. she is his mouthpiece, so to speak.

sasuke is also seeking two who were once allies/friends. suigetsu who had always dreamed to join the seven swordsmen's guild, and juugo a talented and brutal fighter who dominates the underground fighting scene.

together he hopes to form a small mercenary group for hire.

-- inoshikacho alliance / inoshikacho rengo

one of the first yakuza family alliances ever made going back generations. inoshin yamanaka, chosuke akimichi and shikanazai nara where the first of each clan to join the families into an alliance that has since become one of the strongest and long-lasting alliances in yakuza history.

at the age of 25 each member of the alliance is to have at least two children to ensure the next generation of the inoshikacho alliance grow up together and are trained to take on the mantle for the sake of the alliance's future. this also ensures that at least 3 generations are alive at any one time (if they don't meet an early grave that is).

the yamanaka run brothels, which act as a communication and information network. every girl is hand picked by ino or by trusted subordinates and trained in the art of seduction and information gathering. the yamanaka have large underground garden operations that cultivate plants for poisons with all kinds of effects and traceability, from the quick and painless to the slow and destructive.

akimichi control entertainment districts, money laundering operations and run the largest underground fighting scene. money flowing in and out of casinos and other avenues are fully controlled by the akimichi.

the nara are drug traffickers that control market price and distribution.

-- hyuuga clan / hyuuga kai

the strongest and most notorious yakuza in all of japan. their efficiency in all that they do make them a fierce clan. when the clanhead was found dead, many other groups thought this was finally the crack in the hyuuga shield and made moves to try and see if they could challenge their authority. but the second daughter stepped into place and ordered everyone in within a certain radius of the hyuuga estate dead.

if they thought hyuuga hiashi was a ruthless leader, hanabi, in one day alone, managed to put herself up as one of the deadliest and horrifying yakuza leaders in recent history.

their efficiency in the business and economics sector, as well as having ties within governmental and political bodies, makes them a very powerful clan with many branching factions reaching far and wide across the country.

someone, somewhere, always answers to a hyuuga.

-- neji hyuuga (tian)

after hizashi failed to protect the hyuuga leader's eldest daughter, he had to pay with his life in front of his only son.

watching his father commit seppuku and then swiftly beheaded by hiashi in front of the elders and close family, stuck with neji his whole life. he made a silent vow to exact revenge on hiashi. the bitterness in his heart made living amongst the hyuuga a slow acting poison. his hate for hiashi became stronger than his love for his father and he could never look upon a picture of hizashi anymore because his face was the face of his enemy.

neji bided his time for years and years until one fateful night he murdered hiashi in cold blood and fled the hyuuga estate. he made his way towards mainland china with some aid from a contact in the chinese triads. he disappeared for many years living amongst a guild of killers and started going by the name tian.

his next order of business was to find the abducted daughter that caused the death of his father and kill her himself.

-- hinata hyuuga (makoto)

the abducted hyuuga heir, taken from the hyuuga clan at a very young age. makoto lives her life as a simple woman, adopted by an elderly couple in the countryside, unaware of who she is or where she comes from.

when a 'chinese' man that bears an uncanny resemblance to her shows up at her cottage one day, calling her a name that does not belong to her, her life is flipped on its head and she finds herself plunged into the underbelly of society.

-- chinese triads / pirates

tenten is a weapons smuggler. though she is affiliated with the chinese triads, she smuggles and trades weapons for anyone that buys them, as her true loyalty is to money.

tenten's operations are done by sea and she has control over a small fleet of boats that answer to her. other than a port owned by the triads, she has claimed a small remote island as her home and base of operations.

she was also neji's contact that helped him sail the seas to mainland china after he murdered hiashi.

-- korean mafia

kiba is an animal trafficker. he acquires exotic animals for their ivory/fur/leather as well as selling them alive to the wealthy for their collections and keeps.

he has sold exotic birds to the yamanaka for their gardens. gathered all manner of cervidae antlers from around the world for the nara's collection. has captured the most venomous snakes known to mankind for several organisations, including certain individuals of the uchiha family. has also sold a number of species of animals for tenten for her island.

he is generally in good graces with all kinds of people/groups due to his connections and ability to acquire the even the most endangered and rare species in the world.

-- suna siblings

kankuro and temari own a small medical clinic. kankuro is a general family doctor. people come to him for check-ups and simple treatments and minor operations. temari handles all the logistics, and appears as the clinic's secretary. they have 3 nurses: matsuri, yukata, mikoshi.

kankuro is also a certified surgeon and operates on all sorts of gang members in the hidden basement operation room. matsuri has been trusted to help kankuro with these operations when needed. their practice offers complete discretion and the clinic has become off-bounds for any gang violence, even if rivalling groups happen to meet each other on the premises. they enter a truce for as long as they are within a certain radius of the clinic.

the brother and sister duo are a respected, unaffiliated group, and they also use their operations to get clues on their brother's whereabouts.

gaara was kidnapped at a young age and was tortured to the point that psychosis was induced. he is held in the same place as juugo and both are used in fights that many come to pay dearly to watch and bet on.

-- police

with his parents killed and taken from his home, naruto was raised by a gang who kidnaps boys to beat and torture, and train them into savage fighters. he dreamed for a life where he could see the sun and the sea, to eat a hot bowl of ramen once again.

when a police investigation finally bore fruit, naruto was rescued from the place. he was taken in by iruka, one of the cops, and eventually followed in his footsteps. he made a promise that he would find and save the redhead that had once clung to him down in those dark cells.

tsunade is chief of police. sai is a detective. lee is a chinese detective commissioned by the chinese police to go to japan to work alongside the tokyo metropolitan police dept to follow the chinese triads operations in japan. (or is it the hosting country that commissions?? anyway) a number of jonin from naruto are also police including: kakashi, yamato, genma, anko, etc etc.

-- sakura

sakura is the head of a large hospital that was once tied up with the uchiha who used her as an in for smuggling medical supplies. she was called upon as their emergency doctor to treat key figures when needed.

upon hearing about their massacre she felt total relief that the family threatening her life were finally gone. she thought she was free from them when a certain uchiha and 2 others showed up at her door demanding treatment.

she can't say she was happy to be back in such a predicament but it seemed that this uchiha didn't have a penchant for threatening her life as his family did. and for selfish reasons, she was okay with this arrangement.

-- the aburame

a family of assassins. their efficiency and untraceable methods make them a highly coveted group of hitmen whose services are sold to the highest bidder. the aburame have close ties with the yamanaka of the inashikacho alliance as they outsource some of their poisons from the yamanaka gardens.

even though the yamanaka, akimichi, and nara families formed an alliance generations ago, this agreement between the yamanaka and aburame remains a secret from the rest of the alliance.

the aburame are a completely neutral party and the yamanaka understands this. to pay for their secrecy and treachery towards their sworn brothers, the yamanaka accept that if a hit were ordered against their own, it wouldn't affect their business with the aburame.

if u read all this many hugs and kisses mwah

[kurogxrix]

Ummm….this is my first time doing this but Is there any chance I can please request a ao’nung x dreamwalker shyreader, he’s deeply in love with her despite they’re already together. Like the whole and every clan especially the children adore her. Bonus: The sullys are surprised theirs a dreamwalker at the meytikayna clan, pretty cute that Jake and Neytiri sees themselves in ao’nung and her 💙💙💙

No Cap

Ao’nung x Metkayina!Avatar!reader

The strangers' arrivals in Awa’atlu didn't take much to shake confusion and interest within the Metkayina clan. A crowd of aqua skinned na’vis circled the omaticaya family as they dismounted their Ikrans, Toruk Makto and his family themselves presenting themselves before the people. 

Pushing their way through the crowd, Ao’nung and Rotxo arrived on scene. The duo was like salt and pepper, never one without the other. The fierce looks on their faces didn’t go unnoticed by the two Sully boys that greeted them, before it switched to a teasing one. God, it was bad already that everyone was staring at them like they were a bunch of forest freaks, and now the Olo’eyktan’s son was making fun of them too? 

Everything went quiet in Lo’ak’s head when he caught a glimpse of a certain Metkayina girl emerging from the water. She was beautiful, unlike any girl that he had ever seen before in the forest. Neteyam observed his brother before turning his head towards Tsireya, noticing another girl following close after. Gracefully as ever, Tsireya and you exited the waters that you loved so much to check an eye out on the large crowd of na’vis. Though you couldn’t yet feel the obnoxious stares of the strangers on you and your best friend, Ao’nung surely had. 

His nose bridge creased as the Sully boy’s eyes strayed on you for too long, but he refrained himself from baring his teeth just yet. Neteyam quickly looked away from you, not wanting to get on the boy’s bad side even more than he and his family already were. You yelped once you came close enough to Ao’nung, feeling him pull you by the arm and onto his side. 

Though Rotxo’s and Ao’nung’s name calling season of the two Sully brothers came to end due to Tsireya’s scolding. Their parents soon followed shortly on their respective skimwings. You swatted a hand at Ao’nung when he made fun of the family for flinching when the Olo’eyktan flew his creature above their heads, landing in the waters beside you all. Your boyfriend only playfully bared his teeth at you, chomping down onto nothing as it made a loud resonating sound. 

Your attention had been stolen away from Ao’nung by none other than his mother, the Tsahik Ronal. You winced internally as you knew that this poor family was about to pass through hell and back under the judgement of the Tsahik, because you had been there at first. You remember your arrival at Awa’atlu like no other, mostly due to the fact that Ronal had quite literally held you under the sharp blade of her spear.

It was scary, if not terrifying as the many eyes of the reef na’vi turnt towards you in hatred. Though the Metkayina had never faced the ruthless face of human destruction, stories from around the globe spread faster than ever. It took you long for you to stand where you now stood, but you were proud of yourself for getting through it. 

You heard Tsireya sigh from besides you as she watched her mother forcefully grasp the hand of the eldest daughter, bringing it up to her face for a better look. Though the crowd of reed na’vi didn’t shake until she moved towards the son. 

“These children are not even true na’vi, they have demon blood!” you felt your heart stop as Ronal lifted the youngest son’s hand up for the whole village to see, and their noises of displeasures made you cave into yourself. You looked down at the palms of your hands shamefully, your ears stuck to your skull. 

Though it doesn’t even take a minute for Ao’nung to notice your pity-party. He moved his 4 fingered hand to hold onto your 5 fingered one, his thumb rubbing circles over your back hand. You couldn’t stand to look up at him and into those awaiting eyes, because you knew that he’d just read you more than he already had. Ao’nung knew the ways into your heart way too well, and sometimes you cursed him internally for being such a good people-reader.

It was maybe also because you were too shy to meet his flaming gaze, but that’s a story for another time. A mere look from the boy was enough to stir deep feelings inside of your stomach, and it was the last thing that you needed for now as you watched the poor family with pity. You could only pray that Ronal would spare them her sympathy. 

You knew that the clan loved you, that they accepted you as one of their own. After all, whether they wanted it or not, your boyfriend was the chief’s son. You knew that somewhat, this feeling of insecurity was stupid, because the Metkayina didn’t  treat you as an outcast or as a reject. On the contrary, they trusted you with their children, which was already one big step in acceptance.

The children loved you, begged for you to come play with them everytime that you were spared from training. Yet, as you watched the omaticaya children being shamed for something that you relate to, you couldn’t help the feeling of gnawing pain in your chest. What was so different between you and them? For all you knew, you were closer to those ‘demons’ than they actually were, because at the end of the day, you were still human. 

You still needed to feed and bathe your human body as your avatar slept comfortably at night. You still needed an exopack when you were not in your na’vi body, and for all you knew, these children didn’t. 

You were cut off from your self-deprecating thoughts at the booming sound of Tonowari’s voice. He told the village to treat the Sullies well, to welcome them into their home land asif it were their own. Your heart visibly relaxed at the sound of it, and you knew that the distressed family would have a roof above their heads tonight and a warm meal to feed their stomachs. 

“My son Ao’nung, my daughter Tsireya will show your children what to do.” you felt your boyfriend’s hand being ripped away from yours as he moved before his father, trying to protest his way out of it. Though it was short lived as he was roughly scolded by Tonowari. 

“Their dear friends, Rotxo and Y/N will assist them with making you feel at home.” Everyone turnt to look at the both of you, and you coward under their eyes. It didn’t help that their mother looked all intimidating and irritated. You watched anxiously as Neytiri’s eyes widened subtly, and you could obviously see that she was gazing above your eyes. 

God how stupid were you to believe that they wouldn’t catch up to you in mere seconds. After all, her husband was an ex dreamwalker, and some of her children had inherited his odd traits. How could she not notice the weird hairs upon your brow bones, or the extra finger that you shared in common with her children. You soon curled into yourself as you realised that it was not only Neytiri that was staring rudely, but quite literally the whole strange family. 

Although you could understand where it was coming from, because you were pretty sure that your program had not been informed to all sectors of the main lab. Words must’ve never gotten through Jake Sully’s ears, because they were visibly raised in shock. He must’ve only been aware of omaticaya avatars around, you must have been the first Metkayina dreamwalker to ever be programmed. 

“Quit staring, more moving!” your boyfriend came to the rescue as his words shook the omaticaya family out of their staring trance. Ronal smiled proudly from the sidelines as she watched her son stand up to those Sullies, mostly because of her little hissing altercation with Neytiri earlier. 

You appreciated the attention being short lived as the family thanked the whole of you, missing no time in following Tsireya to their new home. God you could’ve pounced on your boyfriend on the spot for saving you from their prying eyes, but that wouldn’t make a good image of you infront of his mother now would it. 

“Cmon, let’s go help them settle. I’m sure that with arms this thin, they could use your help.” you tried to motivate him, holding softly onto his forearm as you turned him back to look at you. Your voice was low but you watched as his ears raised at your comment, clearly feeding at his ego as you compared him to the omaticaya boys. He smirked as he dragged you by the arm again, making you grin as you watched that smile rise on his face again.

His thick tail swooshed around the place, knocking your lower back as you both laughed it off. You bounced on the stretchy material of the bridge, hopping next to your boyfriend with a few woven bags upon your shoulders. 

-

“You good?” you heard the deep voice of your boyfriend next to you, turning your head around to be met with the beautiful sight of the bonfire kissing his skin. The orange hue enveloped his skin in a beautiful mix of colours, and you felt yourself going shy under his stare. 

Ao’nung looked down at your chest to see a child sleeping comfortably on you. More specifically, the youngest son of Ayka, a close friend of yours. He admired the way the boy fit perfectly into your arms, before swivelling his eyes back to you. Though this time you were not looking at him like you previously was, instead you were staring at the bonfire with that frown that he hated so much sprawled upon your face. 

“Don’t take what my mother has said to heart, y’know she doesn’t mean it.” His hand found yours alongside the back of the sleeping child, his hand visibly bigger than yours. Though you find it hard to believe when she said it with so much resentment. Her tone was practically thick and full of it, and you didn’t know who to listen to anymore. 

“She’s just trying to find ways to not make them stay, she’s just scared yawne,” you smile coyly at the nickname, trying to hide behind your free hand as Ao’nung was still holding the other down. The sound of his deep chuckle made your chest flutter.  “She’s scared for her people, for her family, and you’re part of it.” 

Ao’nung watched as you slowly crept your way out of the hand wall that you had built yourself, your round aqua eyes staring at him so innocently. “She loves you too, like a daughter of her own.” 

“And soon I'll make you her actual daughter-in-law,” he teased and your ears raised comically at his comment. You gasped mockingly at his part-crude comment as he referred to the both of you mating, but you both knew that it was too early for that. Soon the time will come for you both to move up to the next step, but for now you’d enjoy your youth a little more. Plus as much as much as Ao’nung would love to see you as his little wife waking up everyday next to him, he also knew that it was not the time yet. 

“No cap?” you asked, using one of the human slangs that you had learnt and shared with him. Though he hated anything related to the human species, he couldn’t help but love you in every shape and form. He knew that once you were out like a light, your avatar sleeping peacefully in his arms at night, you would have to wake up in your human body to take care of yourself.

Sometimes Ao’nung would even suck it up and visit you at your outpost. Though it wasn’t that hard for him to do, because there weren’t many humans at the Metkayina shack, just enough to help you to keep going. 

“No cap.” he repeats, though he doesn’t sound interested in what he’s saying at all. You craned your neck to look up at him, his free hand raising to rest comfortably on your cheek as the other one kept laying on the child’s back. Ao’nung crept his face closer to yours as his eyes kept on switching between your eyes and mouth. 

For once, you didn’t feel shy at all to make the first step. Inevitably it had shocked Ao’nung as you leaned all the way before he even could, pressing your lips against him in a soaring kiss. The warm hand on your cheek followed along. 

Your ears fluttered back as you melted into the kiss, turning your face to the side to catch more of him. Ao’nung was like a drug, you just couldn’t get him off your mind nor could you get enough of him. He was like a constant thought running wild at the back of your head, being constantly sought out. You can't really tell what you would do of yourself if one day he decided to up and go, but you’d enjoy what you have for now. 

Unbeknownst to the both of you, the child that was resting upon your chest had already risen from his slumber. The high pitched ‘Ew’ made you jump a little from surprise, quickly moving away from each other as the boy wiggled his way out of your arms. 

The previous thoughts that you had of Ao’nung possibly deciding to leave you one day completely vanished as he stared you down with that lovesick gaze. His eyes sparkled like no other when he looked at you, and you found yourself falling under a similar spell everytime that you would look at your boyfriend. 

-

i didn’t really know how to make the reader any shyer i’m so sorry anon😭 hope you liked it either ways!

[venerawrites]

I saw the post where the anon asked for relationship hdcs for before/after the war this morning and I wanted to ask for something similar but make it sort of a spin-off where they broke off bc of his toxic behavior pre-war and then they meet again after it? I hope the anon don't mind me LOLOL i just loved the idea

author's note: I love the exes-to-lovers trope and I was about to go with that at first, but then I decided it's better if I kind of leave it with more of an open ending x For anyone wondering the post anon is talking about, the headcanons this imagine is based on. Hope you enjoy! <3

Loving him was never meant to be easy.

In fact, you often felt like it is shameful. He was cold and cruel, with heart poisoned by hatred. His desire for revenge has become a scary obsession, one which was pushing him closer and closer toward the edge of his sanity every single day.

People were scared of him, you knew that. "The Demon with the Red Eyes", they called him. His name had become a forbidden curse, one that should never be mentioned out loud or it may summon his presence from the shadows. Parents hugged their children close when he walked down the dirty village roads and merchants lowered their heads, hoping he would pass by without a glance. He had became a legend of fear, a nightmare in the shape of a man.

Once upon a time the village you lived in was a peaceful haven - tucked away in the mountains, it was one of the few places where there were no ninjas. Instead of warriors, the people here were craftsmen - they were born and taught to create, not destruct. Blacksmiths forged fine blades from rare metals, making some of the highest-quality weaponry anyone can own. Weavers produced fabrics, so beautiful, every village and clan leader across the lands wanted their garments made from them to show their status and wealth. Over the years, these talents had secured not only peaceful relationships with other villages and nations, but also provided protection to the locals from the turmoil of the outside world.

Rogue ninjas rarely passed by and even when they did, they were not interested in attacking or stealing. They knew that destructing one of the main providers of materials to all the nations would bring only trouble, one that is not worth the headache if you are already a wanted criminal.

But nothing good can last forever and for your village the end of the peaceful times came in the form of Sasuke Uchiha.

It was a late summer night when you found him heavily bleeding on the forest ground near your house. Thinking back, you should've paid more attention to the small crest on the back of his shirt, before you dragged him back to your house. Because barely an hour passed before you found yourself pressed against the wall, the cold metal of his sword barely scraping the delicate skin of your neck.

"Give me one reason I should spare your life", he said calmly, yet his crimson red eyes narrowed as he stared you down. It was then the realisation of who you actually brought home hit you.

"Because I spared yours...", you breathed out, your voice barely above a whisper. Your answer seemed to amuse him and he let out a loud snort, his head leaning to one side. Not only you didn't beg for your life, but you also seemed to find the confidence to provide cheeky answers.

The boy didn't say anything else and you closed your eyes when you felt his blade pressing slightly harder against your skin, making a small cut. Before it can actually harm you, however it retreated completely. You stood there panting, one of your hands immediately moving toward your neck, wiping the small drop of blood that was slowly running down to your collarbone.

When you opened your eyes again, he was gone.

Months passed, yet the memory of that brief interaction haunted you like a ghost. There was something about him, something you couldn't really place your finger on, that allured you like a moth to a flame. Growing up hearing the rumours of a powerful Leaf Shinobi, who abandoned his home and his friends to seek power so he can kill his brother, you have always imagined him as big, scary, monster-like human. Someone who can justify the horror stories the people told about him.

The boy that you brought to your house, however, was too... perfect. His eyes glowed like rubies, making your breath hitch in awe, rather than fear. His skin, despite being covered with small scars and cuts, looked too soft to be one of a warrior. He was beautiful, no denial about that, but the aura of his presence was what mesmerized you. It was unlike anyone you've ever met before. It was powerful, demanding your whole attention and making you feel almost unsignificant in comparison.

Two seasons passed before you found him laying on your couch after you came back home from work, his white shirt painted red from the flowing blood from his abdomen. He didn't even bother to look at you when he heard you gasp and drop the bag with groceries on the floor, instead acknowledging your presence only with a few simple words:

"I need stiches."

Your mouth opened, intending to argue that you are not a healer, but before any sound could come out, your eyes met his and something inside of you broke. His gaze, as black as night, looked like he was silently pleading with you - something he had no guts to do out loud. Before you could think twice about the potential consequences of saving him a second time, you rushed to grab your medical box and sat on the floor before him, starting to delicately work on his skin. He guided you through the process with low voice, his rough fingers wrapping around yours when he noticed them shaking before scolding you for not keeping steady.

"If I knew you were so incompetent with simple tasks that even a child could do, I wouldn't have wasted my time coming here."

One thing about Sasuke is that he was not the type of man to spare your feelings. In fact, with time you noticed the he was taking extra minute before saying something, almost as if he carefully weighting and choosing the words that would sting the most. He seemed to find a certain dose of pleasure in it, his lips barely twitching upwards when you fire back insults at him, telling him he knows where the door is.

Yet time and time again, he found his way back to you. Of course, it was never accompanied by an apology for the way he treated you. He was not the type to apologize or admit fault. Instead, his visits were always paired with a demand. "Heal me", he would command you, before throwing his sword and shirt to the side; or "Let me stay for a while, I need to rest", before entering through the door uninvited. Your home has become a place of solitude, one where he could forget the pain, the lust for blood and the constant headache of having to deal with his old teammates from Konoha, even if it was for few days.

You were not one to hold back against his sharp tongue, matching his words with equal fire. "Ungrateful prick", you would say loud enough for him to hear after he sought your help once again after he was wounded, "This is the last time I am taking care of your stupid ass. Next time I am letting you bleed out on the front porch! I don't care!"

But you did care and it was never 'the last time', no matter how many times you repeated it. And the cycle continued: sharp words would be followed by mutual frustrations and him disappearing for a few weeks, before he found himself entering through the front door once again. You try to convince yourself you hated him, yet you kept leaving your home unlocked, a silent invitation for him to keep reappearing into your life.

It would've been easier to cut him out forever, if it wasn't for the rare glimpses of softness he showed you. The moments when his guard dropped, even if it was just for a bit, revealing that behind his cold exterior, he was just one broken boy. The way he would subtly press his cheek against the palm of your hand when you clean the wounds of his face, silently seeking your warmth and comfort. They way his eyes would soften while he listens to you ramble on and on about the rainy weather which makes it impossible for you to go and work out in your garden. The way he fixed random stuff in your house, after your complained you couldn't really work well with a hammer or that one of the chairs was wobbling, yet the local handyman was too busy to come and take a look.

These moments, so rare, yet significant to you, made it impossible to break this toxic circle you both found yourselves into. Slowly, he became such a constant in your life that it was impossible to even imagine not having him around. He had his own shelf in the wardrobe, where a few of his shirts were folded neatly, though he never explicitly asked you for a place to keep his things. His cup always sat turned upside down near the sink and he often brought "souvenirs" - random, odd trinkets - from his travels across the villages, carefully placing them on the small wooden rack next to the fireplace.

And in a weird way, you didn't mind. Instead, you found yourself doing small acts of care for him, things he never asked or expected you to do. You planted a small corner of your garden with tomato seeds, just for him, so he can have fresh food whenever he visited. You packed cooked meals for him and his teammates, despite never meeting them. You washed his clothes and folded them, so they were ready to be used next time he came. You adapted to his small habits like waking up at five o'clock every single morning and having jasmine tea for breakfast, so it was always ready by time he finishes his morning training.

The balance you managed to strike between the words of resentment and the gestures of gentleness was as delicate as a thread about to snap. You knew it cannot last forever, not when you were witnessing him falling deeper and deeper into the darkness of his own hatred. The closer he was to finding and killing Itachi, the further he drifted from the Sasuke you knew. But you clung to the hope it is not too late for him, that once he had this final battle he was preparing for so long, he would be free of the rage that consumed him and would see that the peace he so badly wanted, could not be achieved by spilling blood.

But that same battle turned out to be the beginning of the end. For both of the little sanity he had left and of the whatever bond you had between you.

When he came to your house that night, you almost did not recognize him. Not because he was covered in dirt and dried blood, because at this point you were used to seeing him like this, but because you have never seen tears in his eyes before. His battered body collapsed in your arms and for the first time, he opened the gates to his past and told you all about his family. In the past he has mentioned bits and pieces, but never the full story. Between shuddering breaths, he recounted memories from his childhood - the playful afternoons with his mother, the training sessions with his father and brother and memories of that one night that turned his whole life upside down.

"Everything I believed, it all turned to be a lie... I..", the words fell like broken whimpers from his mouth, not forming full sentences, yet you knew better than to answer. You just held him in your arms, letting him pour all his pain, frustration and guilt, hoping that this would ease the weight of the burdens he'd carried for so long.

But what you thought was a light in the end of the tunnel turned out to be flashing red warning of what was to come. The idea of revenge persisted, this time against his former home and its leaders. His words became sharper, his presence colder and there seemed to be a new fire of hatred burning inside of him, one brighter than before. The rare glimpses of care and protectiveness that he has shown to you before, now spiraled into unhealthy paranoia of someone coming after you.

"What exactly are you doing?", you asked one day when you came home only to find him pulling your clothes out of the wardrobe and putting them into a leather bag.

Sasuke didn't even spare you a glance, his jaw tight as he continued packing with swift, urgent moves. His hair was sticking in different directions and he had dark bags under his eyes, indicator of the many nights he spend laying in bed wide awake.

"You are coming with me."

These five words caused a shiver to run down your spine. Without thinking, you lunged forward, gripping his wrist mid-air as he was reaching to pull more of your belongings. His head turned sharply toward you, his eyes narrowing as a warning for you to back off.

"Sasuke, just stop!", you snap, retreating your hand but still standing your ground, "Tell me what is going on!"

The young Uchiha stared at you for a minute, his gaze boring into yours, before he let out a loud scoff and turned his attention back to packing. He was just about to reach for a pile of your shirts, when you slapped his wrist away, annoyed at how he seemed to ignore not only your words, but your whole presence.

"Sasuke, I said stop! I am not going anywhere!"

Your words hung in the air, firm and final. He turned toward you, making a small step in your direction so you were chest to chest. You could feel the heat radiating from him and for a moment the whole room felt too small, almost as if shrunk with the intensity of his inner fury.

"I am not asking you", he hissed through gritted teeth. Before you can reply, his fingers found their way to your jaw, gripping at as he held your gaze with his, "You are coming with me, whether you like it or not. It's not safe for you here."

The pressure of his grip made you wince, while your hands pressed against his chest, trying to push him away. But he was always bigger and stronger than you, and while you have spent countless nights admiring his physique, now you cursed his strength and size.

The darkness of his eyes transformed into glowing red, his silent way of showing that he meant what he was saying.

He was not about to leave you here, not when you belonged to him.

"Sasuke!", you cried out, pressing against his chest with more force, but he remained unmoving, "Stop! You're hurting me."

Your words seemed to fall on deaf ears, his grip on your jaw tightening. His thumb brushed against your bottom lip and you gulped at the feeling, your whole body tensing one he pressed his forehead against yours.

"Don't you understand?", he asked, frustrated at the way you pushed him away. His voice was laced with a mix of desperation and annoyance, the volume of it rising with each word he spoke.

"I'm doing this for you, for US", he stressed on the last word, his head moving just an inch away so he can look into your eyes again, "They will come for you! They will use you as leverage against me and I can't-"

"Freaking hell, who is they? What are you talking about?"

The questions seemed to annoy him and instead of loosing his hold on you, he fingers dug tighter, almost as if he was scared you may slip between them.

"Who is they?", he growled, shaking his head, "It's freaking everyone! All the villages, their leaders, every damn rogue ninja out there who is after the bounty on my head... they will all come after you! I can't let that happen! I WON'T let that happen."

With both hands gripping the front of his shirt, you finally relaxed in his grip and allowed yourself to actually look at him.

And then your heart clenched in fear. It wasn't because you were scared of his dark predictions or the possibility of any of his enemies getting to you. No. What you were scared of was that after seeing the way his body shook and heard how his voice trembled, you had to accept the one truth you tried to run from for a very long time.

That the the man you fell in love with was no longer there . The Demon with the Red Eyes was all that remained.

With one final, stronger push you managed to free yourself from his hold and you didn't waste even a second in putting some distance between you. Your hand moved to your face, rubbing the sore skin while you held your eyes glued to the floor.

Even the sight of him was too much to bear at this moment.

"Stop resisting and just listen to me-", he tried to reason with you, but his attempt did nothing more than make you sick in the stomach.

"Stop, just stop!"

"I am trying to protect you-"

"You can't protect me from yourself!"

The words felt like a slap to the face and he stumbled a step back, his face twisting into a hurt expression. It was a look you've seen only once, almost two months ago when he cried in your arms after killing Itachi, one that you thought you may never see again. It pained you too, seeing him so fragile and knowing you were the reason for his disappointment and distress.

But just as quickly it showed, it was gone and replaced with his usual mask of coldness.

"You think you need protection.. from me?", his tone was even, laced with irritation as he studied you from the opposite corner of the room. His fists clenched, the urge to just grab you and drag you with him getting stronger and stronger. He wasn't sure if he wanted to hear the answer to the question, not when he already knew the answer was a positive one.

"I thought...", you managed to say before closing your mouth again and moving your head to the side. The heaviness of his gaze felt like a unbearable weight on your shoulders, one which could crush you any second now.

"You thought what?", he pressed, his head tilting to the side, "What did you think, huh? That I would stay in this silly cottage in the middle of nowhere and garden vegetables all day long? That I would just forgive and forget the people who put not only me, but also my brother through hell? The people who took everything from me?"

You watched him walk closer, shortening the safe distance you've put between you just a few moments ago. Was this what you thought? Was this what you wanted? To be honest you didn't know... The fragile illusion of your domestic cozy life, accompanied by you falling in love with the idea of someone who you thought you knew, had shattered so quickly, that you didn't know what you thought. Or wanted.

Perhaps it was your fault. You invited a monster into your life and now the consequences of your actions finally caught to you. Was there really anyone to blame but yourself?

After a minute, you managed to gather your thoughts and you looked up at him, forcing your gaze to meet his despite the overwhelming desire to just turn around and run as far as possible from him.

"I thought that there may still be hope for you", you said, your head weakly shaking from side to side, "But I was wrong. You are too far gone... and I can't let you drag me with you."

Sasuke remained silent, his red eyes studying your face, searching for any signs of insecurity, any crack in your resolve. And when he found nothing, he couldn't help but clench his fists by his side. For a moment you thought he may lash out at you, but instead, he simply turned his back to you, walking toward the door with heavy steps.

"You've always been like this", he said flatly, stopping once his hand reached the doorknob, "Naive, stupid little thing... thinking the world is just flowers and goodness. Living in your little pink bubble and having no idea of how the real world works."

His voice sounded like a snake's hiss, low, yet venomous, each word dripping with disdain. He stood there for a few more seconds and you saw the muscles of his back tensing under his shirt. But when you thought he will turn around and say something else, you were met with nothing but his retreating figure, followed by the loud slam of the door.

He was gone. And this time, the cycle was broken.

.

7 years later, after the war...

.

Fate is a funny thing.

Growing up, you thought you would never leave your home village, let alone wander across unknown lands and dipping your toes into unknown cultures. After all, with so much cruelty and bloodshed happening, why would you leave your safe home?

Unlike many others, your village flourished during the war - the fine weapons the locals produced were in a high demand and the orders for them came one after the other. Business boomed, and what had once been a quiet place untouched by the chaos of the outside world, suddenly became a hub of activity. And while the people tried to continue their lives as normal, it was a fact that the village was now a central player on the global chessboard.

The decision to leave such a place during a time of conflict was not an easy one - this was your home, the only security you had. But seeing the people you loved and cherished create weapons, used to further fuel the war happening beyond the village walls, has shifted something inside of you and the way you looked at the world. Maybe all this time, Sasuke was right, and you did indeed lived in your own pink bubble.

The times were unforgiving, the people as well. The Uchiha frequent visits did not go unnoticed by the locals, especially toward the end of your "relationship" when they were happening every few days. As expected, none of them was willing to show any sympathy toward him or you, for that matter. The reputation that preceded Sasuke has always been tainted by his past and soon that reputation threw its shadow onto you as well.

Within a few months after he left forever, you were no longer viewed with the same regard as you once had been. Whispers followed you in the streets, and eyes watched you with suspicion, but always behind your back. The once warm greetings were replaced with cold indifference, and the stall where you continued to sell your vegetables for a while turned from one of the most crowded places on the Sunday market into an abandoned wooden table covered with your fresh produce that nobody wanted.

It hurt. You were once a part of this community and some of the people felt like family. Like the baker Pow, who always made sure to add olive oil and some lemon juice to at least one of his breads, because he knew this was how you liked them. Or the shoemaker Nara, who always made the same model of shoes for your birthday since you were ten and at this point it was some sort of a joke between you two.

But now these people had cut you off, leaving you alone with nothing but memories of what it feels to belong to something. The people you had grown up with, shared meals with, confided in, had now become strangers.

Sasuke Uchiha shattered not only your heart, but your whole life.

And were left with no choice but to leave.

Ironically, that turned out one of the best things that ever happened to you. You met many people during your travels and picked up many different skills. Your knowledge about plants has landed you the opportunity to work under the supervision of well-known botanists, exposing you the real wonders of the world. Under their mentorship you grew as rapidly as a flower - you hungrily soaked knowledge and cultivated it, eager to one day have your name known alongside those experts who you looked up to.

New friendships were formed and new loves were experienced along the way. Life still had ups and downs, but you were more confident now, more resilient, and better equipped to handle whatever came your way. The future was full of surprises, ones that you often embraced with open arms. Every day was different and you were always eager to see what the next one would bring.

What you didn't expect, however, was for fate to meet you with the last Uchiha once again.

It happened when you least anticipated it, in the most ordinary of places. You traveled to a remote village to assist one of your mentors in delivering a lecture about herbs that can be used in medicine at the local academy. This was your life now: sharing your knowledge, working alongside brilliant minds and helping inspire young students to follow the same steps. And while you usually didn't pay attention to the faces in the crowd, too focused on delivering your presentation, the onyx eyes you used to love so much were impossible to miss.

Sasuke stood in the same corner throughout the whole session, not daring to approach you till the end, when it was only you and him left in the room.

"You are hard to find", he stated, the faintest ghost of a smile playing on his lips. He looked different - older, for sure, but also with calmer and more mature aura. He was dressed in all dark and his hair was longer, covering one of his eyes.

"But you still did", you stated blankly, turning your attention back to putting the jars of dried herbs in your bag.

"I've had to do my research."

The words hung between you, as he lingered behind you, silently watching you putting away your stuff. Just like him, you have changed. There was no trace of the fiery, yet insecure young farmer that had saved his life so many times years ago. Instead, now you stood proud and confident before him, a testament to all you’d endured and achieved since those days.

After a few minutes of silence, you finally turned around to face him.

"What are you doing here?"

His gaze held yours, his eyes softening just the tiniest bit as he followed the lines of your face. Gazing at the person he had dreamed about for so many years felt almost too good to be true ... and for a moment he needed to just take it in, make sure you were really there before him.

The man lifted his left arm to reach for his bag and this was the moment you noticed it was the only one he had. You tried not to stare, but your throat involuntarily stiffened at the sight. Sasuke Uchiha, the strongest man you've ever met, the inspiration that has inspired so many legends across the land, had suffered a loss just like many other during the war. Another reminded that he was just a human, like the rest of the world.

He must have noticed your staring, because the moment he pulled one of the books you co-written with another botanist, he adjusted his cloak and hid the front of his body from view.

"I've read your book", he placed the book on the desk between you. His eyes moved a few times between the cover and your face, trying to find the right words to express the storm of feelings that was brewing inside his chest after seeing you for so long. Funny how on the way here he thought about all the things he wanted to say if he actually find you, yet now he was now unable to mutter even a word more.

"Thank you?", you raised a brow, unsure how to respond.

Sasuke has always been a man of action rather than one of words. In the past, you learned how to read the smallest twitches and movements of his body in order to guess what he is thinking. But as you watched him now, all nervous and unable to hold your gaze for more than few seconds, you felt like you were looking at a stranger.

"I am sorry", his suddenly said and you felt your breath hitch. You blinked a few times in surprise, unsure if you had heard correctly.

He lifted his eyes to look at you, before clearing his throat:

"I am sorry I treated you the way I did. I am sorry I was so blinded by my anger and hate to actually listen to you. I am sorry I left", with each word you felt your chest getting tighter and heavier with all the emotions you had thought you buried long ago.

"The thing I am most sorry about is that I couldn't protect you... from me."

The wound you thought has healed a long time ago was wide open again and you had to grab the edge of the desk to keep yourself from collapsing before him. Never have you even hoped to see him again, let alone hear him apologize. It felt almost like a dream, and you had to blink a few times, just to make sure his appearance was not just a sick joke your mind has decided to play on you after a long day.

After waiting a few minutes for a response which never came, Sasuke let out a soft sigh, before making a few steps toward you. His fingers twitched, the need to reach out and touch you almost overwhelming, yet he held back.

"I am proud of you. You came far.."

The man offered you a small smile, one which you could not really return because of the state of shock you were still in. It all felt surreal, like a tsunami of unresolved feelings, memories and unsaid things hitting you all at once.

"You don't have to say anything", he said after noticing the struggle you faced in trying to convey your conflicted feelings into words, "I don't expect you to forgive me or to forget what I did to you. But I just... needed to see you. At least one last time."

He was just about to turn around, when your free hand reached for his arm and you wrapped your fingers around his wrist.

"Wait!"

He paused, turning his head to look at you. For a moment, you felt silly and vulnerable, unsure of why exactly did you stop him or what you should say to him.

"Don't go. Not yet. Just..."

Sasuke's expression shifted slightly and his features softened slightly as he gazed down at you. You could tell this was not the response he expected. Maybe deep down he hoped you were the same fiery person as before and that you would just throw a jar of dirt at his head for putting you through so much. Or that you would scream at him and just kick him out. Maybe that way it would be easier to actually cut the fragile thread of memories that still connected you. But you were not ready to do that yet.

"Would you help me pack the things back?", you nodded your head toward the bag of jars and pile of documents that were still sitting on the desk. As usual, your mentor decided to leave earlier, leaving all of the clearing up part to you.

"Maybe we can go to the local teahouse after. To catch up... for the old times' sake."

Your fingers withdrew from his arm and you took a step back, putting some distance between you. His one visible eye followed your figure and slowly he nodded his head.

Deep down you both knew that this may not be the best thing to do. You were both different people now, yet the memories of your shared time was bound to haunt both of you no matter how hard you tried to pretend it didn't happen. While you both grew and changed, he was not fully healed yet. And neither was you. You still had much to grow, to learn, to see.

Fate was indeed a funny thing. It intervened your paths before and for better or the worse, it was doing it again. And you couldn't really know if you should allow it, but who were you to get in its way? Perhaps this time it would be different. Or perhaps you would just go back in time, ending in the same position you found yourself seven years ago.

But as he stood next to you, silently organizing and packing the last few documents left on the desk, you knew you had to just allow life flow and embrace any change or challenge it threw in your way. Even if its name was Sasuke Uchiha.

cc artwork: Shan Yanan

[virginiaoflykos]

What to read after Light Bringer? (Series similar to Red Rising)

August 2023 update!

Red Rising is my favorite series of all time, and since I first read it, I have sought series and books similar in both spirit and execution. Some of these recs are books I haven’t read personally, but have often come up in discussions with other users!

1. The Stormlight Archive by Brandon Sanderson

Status: ongoing, expected 10 books in total, 4/10 out at the moment

Book 1: The Way of Kings. The Way of Kings takes place on the world of Roshar, where war is constantly being waged on the Shattered Plains, and the Highprinces of Alethkar fight to avenge a king that died many moons ago.

2. The Craft Sequence by Max Gladstone

Status: finished, 6/6 books out.

Book 1 (in publication order): Three Parts Dead. Comprised of 6 standalone books set in the same universe, the Craft Sequence tells the tales of the city of Alt Coulumb. The city came out of the God Wars with one of its gods intact, Kos the Everburning. In return for the worship of his people, Kos provides heat and steam power to the citizens of Alt Coulumb; he is also the hub of a vast network of power relationships with other gods and god-like beings across the planet. Oh, and he has just died. If he isn’t revived in some form by the turn of the new moon, the city will descend into chaos and the finances of the globe will take a severe hit.

3. Hierarchy by James Islington

Status: ongoing, 1/3 planned books out

Book 1: The Will of the many. The Will of the Many tells the story of Vis, a young orphan who is adopted by one of the sociopolitical elites of the Hierarchy. Vis is tasked with entering a prestigious magical academy with one goal – ascend the ranks, figure out what the other major branches of the government are doing, and report back. However, that isn’t quite as easy as Vis or anyone else thought it was going to be…

4. Suneater by Christopher Ruocchio

Status: ongoing, 5/7 books out

Book 1: Empire of Silence. Hadrian is a man doomed to universal infamy after ordering the destruction of a sun to commit an unforgivable act of genocide. Told as a chronicle written by an older Hadrian, Empire of Silence details his earlier adventures and serves as an introduction to the characters and the setting.

5. Dune by Frank Herbert

Status: completed, 6/6 books out

Book 1: Dune. Set in the distant future amidst a feudal interstellar society in which various noble houses control planetary fiefs. It tells the story of young Paul Atreides, whose family accepts the stewardship of the planet Arrakis. While the planet is an inhospitable and sparsely populated desert wasteland, it is the only source of melange, or "spice", a drug that extends life and enhances mental abilities.

6. The Expanse by James S A Corey

Status: completed, 9/9 books out

Book 1: Leviathan wakes. Set hundreds of years in the future, after mankind has colonized the solar system. A hardened detective and a rogue ship's captain come together for what starts as a missing young woman and evolves into a race across the solar system to expose the greatest conspiracy in human history.

7. The First Law by Joe Abercrombie

Status: completed. 3 books in the original trilogy + 3 standalone books + 3 books in the newest trilogy

Book 1: The Blade Itself. The story follows the fortunes and misfortunes of bad people who do the right thing, good people who do the wrong thing, stupid people who do the stupid thing and, well, pretty much any combination of the above. Survival is no mean feat, and at the end of the day, dumb luck might be more of an asset than any amount of planning, skill, or noble intention.

8. Cradle by Will Wight

Status: completed, 12/12 books out

Book 1: Unsouled. Lindon is Unsouled, forbidden to learn the sacred arts of his clan. When faced with a looming fate he cannot ignore, he must rise beyond anything he's ever known...and forge his own Path

9. Hyperion Cantos by Dan Simmons (one PB’s favorites)

Status: completed, 4/4 books out

Book 1: Hyperion. The story weaves the interlocking tales of a diverse group of travelers sent on a pilgrimage to the Time Tombs on Hyperion. The travelers have been sent by the Church of the Final Atonement, alternately known as the Shrike Church, and the Hegemony (the government of the human star systems) to make a request of the Shrike. As they progress in their journey, each of the pilgrims tells their tale.

[turbobyakuren]

The Yuzuki Team, in their casual outfits and Human forms!

(MagiMonster forms will be drawn soon... I promise...)

From left to right:

Yuzuki Yukimura, Tsukumogami MagiMon, heir of the Yukimura clan, wielder of the contract-bound blade Onino. Quiet at a first glance, she is extremely passionate about Youkai and aims to learn more about them. She is the core heart of the team that cements the five girls together.

Naoko Yamada, Bakeneko MagiMon, the "Calico Combatant". A friendly girl who cares too much about others. She values friendship a lot and claims to dislike competition while enjoying a competitive spirit. Her mother and her two sisters are also MagiMonsters.

Hikaru Katsushika, Chouchin-Obake MagiMon, heir to the Katsushika Industries corporations. She comes from a wealthy family, but she harbors a visceral hatred to everything surrounding her social class. She's the designated leader of operations and treasurer of the Team. She looks constantly angry at all times, but she is a very kind soul so long as you do not anger her... And she has a very short fuse.

Tsubame Fujimaru, Nukekubi MagiMonster. She doesn't like talking and she doesn't want to befriend anyone. So, there's not much known about her. One thing is apparent: she is strongly motivated by her sense of justice and will always be there to save people... To the point of self-destruction. She was reluctant to join the team, but conceded in the end due to feeling like she owes a debt to them.

Yuuka Morishita, Furutsubaki no Rei MagiMonster, "Lady Camellia". She seems dainty and polite, but there is a sadistic and ultraviolent nature underneath that facade. She is obsessed by the urban legend of Masked Hunter and claims he has "saved her life". She accepted to join the team under the condition of toning down her violence as a MagiMonster. She considers owing a lot to Yuzuki after she helped her in battle when she used to go solo.

[riptide-pools]

Me after I saw the latest post abt Haiyang ready to murder Mei.

Hrehehe I've got an idea >:]

THROWS YUE IN FRONT OF MEI FOR PROTECTION

Yueying: .... Sup, sis? You look like your about to UNLEASH the underworld upon Mei because she made a new blade to replace the old and ancient one that I may or may not have helped her make 😅

Yueying belongs to my friend, @dragonstone-au25

*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

So, why is Haiyang so worked up over the dragon blade's recreation?

As the heir to the Dragon Clan, Haiyang had recorded the honor and the values of each artifacts and treasures among the museum / home of her family.

And the dragon blade was her most coveted item. The promised relic that her parents promised yet destiny didn't allow her to possess.

So when she had learned the destruction of the blade from her sister's heroic deed to save MK (recklessness in Haiyang's eyes), she couldn't accept it. Which led to her seething anger.

For the blade held the powers of their ancestor; the insignia of the blade / intricate carvings of the blade was something Haiyang sought to protect and honor.

And with it destroyed and recreated, it's like a part of her ancestor was replaced.

[rilamelafin]

Offer Me That Deathless Death

Fandom: Dragon Age Inquisition Rating: M Pairing: Cullen x Female Lavellan Tags: Body Worship, Victory Sex, Bathing/Washing

[Read on AO3]

~~~

He all but carried her up the stairs to her bedchambers, exhausted as she was. He carried her staff for her, something he would never have imagined himself doing even three years ago, before he had been recruited to lead the Inquisition’s forces. Neddirra leaned heavily on his shoulder, every step leaden and weighted as the heat of battle ebbed from her body. She had saved them all. Again. Corypheus was finally defeated, the hole in the sky repaired with nothing but a scar to show how close they had all been to destruction. At the top of the steps, Neddirra’s knees buckled, and Cullen scooped her up properly into his arms. He set her staff in its place along the wall, carried her to the tub he’d had drawn when news of her victory had reached Skyhold ahead of her, and carefully set her back on her feet.

His hands were light as they set to the task of removing the Keeper robes she had crafted since the fall of her clan. As each layer was lifted, he could see her body growing lighter. The tension slowly eased from her brow. She tried to help, started to lean down to remove her leg wraps, but he gently pushed her hands away and insisted she let him. He knelt before her, a supplicant at her feet, as his hands unwrapped the leather that protected her. He was careful to put her robes and other pieces of her armor on their proper stands — they’d be cleaned in the morning — and in minutes he had her bare before him. Her body was covered in grime — blood and corruption, and viscera — and already-darkening bruises.

She was the most beautiful thing he had ever laid eyes upon.

She was alive. 

Cullen helped her into the bath and sat on the stool beside it, taking a cup to rinse the warmed water over her auburn hair. Her breath left her in a rush, her shoulders sinking lower as he worked soap into a lather in her hair. Flakes of red and black fell, staining the water in the tub. He wetted a cloth and began the slow, tender process of cleaning the battle off of her skin. He started with her back, careful of the angry red mark that burned a line over her shoulder blades, and moved slowly down each arm. With every inch of her pale skin he cleansed and revealed, a piece of her seemed to come back to herself and she relaxed against the back of the tub. She was so tired, drawn thin and empty from her battle with Corypheus high in the mountains. Cullen had only been able to see flashes of light in the distance, green and crimson and terrifying. When Neddirra had returned, triumphant, he had finally been able to breathe again.

Once her skin was clean, Cullen helped Neddirra to her feet and out of the tub. She leaned heavily against him as he drew a towel over her body, gently caressing as he helped her dry. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head, her forehead, the tip of one ear — the last one elicited a soft gasp. She tipped her head back to kiss his mouth, lips slow and languid. Cullen’s arms wrapped around her, drawing her as near as he could manage. Her skin was still warm from the bath through his linen shirt, and her hands glided over his chest to wrap behind his neck. She opened her mouth to him, and a low groan rumbled in his chest as her tongue slid against his. He should let her rest, he knew. But her hands tugged at the back of his shirt, drawing it up as best she could, and all Cullen could do was breathe out a laugh against her lips as he pulled back and lifted the shirt over his head. 

Her lips were on his chest the second it was bared to her, tracing over scars, kissing and sucking gentle bruises into his skin, marking him as hers and hers alone. His hands roamed her naked body, feeling for the aches and bruises from her battle, marveled at the strength of her. One hand cupped her breast, and she gasped, breath hot against his chest. Cullen moved his hands under her thighs and lifted her with ease — she was always so light — and she wrapped her legs around his waist. His lips found hers again as he carried her to the bed and gently laid her down into the plush covers. She stared up at him with desire-blown eyes, and a hand trailed down his side, to the hem of his trousers. Cullen gently grasped her wrist and brought it back up to his face so he could kiss her there.

“Allow me to tend to you, just this once.”

Their lovemaking was a place where they were true equals, usually. Tonight, Cullen wanted for Neddirra to just exist in pleasure. She had done so much for him — for the world — he wanted her to stop giving just for one night. His lips traveled slowly up her arm, dotting her skin with gentle, reverent kisses. As he reached the juncture of her neck and shoulders, one of his hands moved between her legs and cupped her there. The gasp and shaking breath she gave went straight to his cock, but tonight was not about him.  He worked her slowly, drawing gasps and sighs and moans from her lips with every pass over her slick core. Her hips canted in time with his fingers. 

Cullen slowed his movements and pressed a kiss to her lips at her responding whine. A promise of more to come. He kissed his way down her body, all lips and tongue — no teeth because she had been marked enough and he wouldn’t add to it tonight — and her hands buried themselves in his hair. She sighed his name as he continued his worship of her. He had learned the Chant of Light in his Templar training. Had he the time, he would recite it in entirety into her skin. He could spend weeks venerating her, and may the Maker strike him down for his blasphemy.  He kissed her inner thigh once, twice, and then his mouth was on her folds, and her voice echoed off the walls of her chambers. 

He could spend hours here, between her legs, tasting her very essence, tongue tracing every line of her while she whispered her pleasure for only him. He groaned into her, and her ankles crossed behind his back, holding him close. Even as fatigued as he knew she was, she was still so strong. His tongue delved into her heat, and he could feel the muscles of her thighs trembling. She was gasping his name now, all but begging him to bring her to release. And who was he to deny her anything? His lips and tongue worked her, sucking and licking gently in just the ways he had learned she liked. Her voice rose, a song sweeter than any lyrium, as she fell apart and he worked her through her climax until she squirmed under him. His jaw ached, but he kissed her folds once more before rising to meet her eager lips with his. She groaned, low and throaty, as she could taste herself on his mouth.

“I love you,” he breathed.

“Ar lath ‘ma.” Neddirra’s hands traced lazily over the scars on his back, leaving gooseflesh in their wake. They trailed down to his pants again, and this time she tugged insistently at them. “Aman na’mis.” He remembered this one. She often said it when they made love, and the memory made him impossibly harder. “Sathan, vhenan.” Please, she begged. Cullen realized she was so exhausted she had fallen back on the language of her people, but he had learned enough in their time together. His trousers were gone in short order, and he blanketed her with his own body. She begged him again in Elvish, and he slid into her with practiced ease. 

The pace he set was slow and languid. He relished in the feel of her, every inch of her skin that touched him. His lips were on her — kissing her throat, her jaw, her lips — as his hips rolled into her. She threw her head back, eyes closed in bliss, no coherent words passing her lips besides his name and a few words in Elvish that he hadn’t learned yet. He kept his pace even and controlled, bringing her to the brink of her climax again. Her whole body trembled beneath him, fingertips bruising into his skin — yet she still never allowed her nails to graze over him after that first time. She shattered again around his cock, voice high and keening, and he kissed his way up her throat again, swallowing her moans with his own mouth. He started to pull back, to finish over her belly as usual, but she managed to hook her legs behind him, holding him in place inside her. Her green eyes seemed to glow in the night as she met his gaze.

“Please,” she whispered. That was all it took, and Cullen’s release washed over him before he could even think to argue. He groaned her name, burying himself deep inside her. Neddirra held him close, whispering sweetness in both Elvish and the common tongue, and all Cullen could do was kiss her. 

As he finally slipped out of her, she dragged him to lay beside her in the bed and curled into his side. Cullen’s arm wrapped around Neddirra’s shoulders, drawing her close, and he pressed his lips to the crown of her head once more before she drifted off to sleep. 

She was alive. She was in his arms. He could finally breathe, knowing she wasn’t facing death and destruction. Tonight, there was no threat to face. No Inquisition to worry after.

There was only them.

[royonninjago]

Ninjago AU: Shatter Squad

With the insanity that has been the Ninjago Community on Halloween 2024, I personally an most excited to see Jay join the Forbidden Five and the return of Morro. And ever since then, I've had this really cool idea for an AU. I haven't started it since season 3 of Dragons Rising hasn't even been officially revealed yet, but when the time is right I swear I'm gonna make it a reality no matter what BS I have to use to make it work.

After the Forbidden Five have been dealt with, Jay is separated into two separate people. There is Jay Walker, the Blue Ninja and Elemental Master of Lightning who went missing in the Merge, and Ranga, the Former Forbidden Sixth and unknowing Elemental Master of Electricity who first woke up in the Administration after the Merge.

As a result of the Ninja healing Jay's shattered soul, his shattered half and post-merge memories were expelled from Jay and found themselves a new body. That is when Ranga, a Wolf Formling who looks very much like Jay with wolf ears and a tail, was born.

The Element of Electricity is very similar to Lightning, in a way that Heat is similar to Fire. Electricity can't match the power of Lightning and the user cannot generate their own, but its a lot better at controlling the output of electricity and absorbing electricity from other sources. The Master of Electricity can also store computer data and intercept radio signals since they're both forms of communication that rely on electricity, although the Master cannot understand this information without something to output it to.

At the same time, Morro is wandering around aimlessly through the Merged Realms with no Element to wield, no Master to serve, no place to call home, and no purpose in life except to survive (Lore and Details TBD).

Ranga and Morro meet up and become quick friends due to their shared trauma of living in another Ninja's shadow and no longer being the Master of their original Elements. They start traveling through the Merged Realms together.

Ranga, having learned Shatterspin from the Forbidden Five themselves with no need for a Wolf Mask, offers to teach Morro. As a former Elemental Master, he still has the spark of mastery required to learn it and it won't leave him completely defenseless in these dangerous and uncharted Merged Lands.

While Ranga teaches him Shatterspin, Morro points out how unhealthy and self-destructive the ideology is. As a result, Ranga refines both himself and his teachings to become less violent and hateful while Morro is able to better defend himself with Shatterspin.

Ranga's version of Shatterspin becomes less about "Forcing the world to bend to your will" and "Strength is Everything", to "Being the change you wish to see in the world" and "Using your pain to prevent others from feeling it".

Ranga and Morro often train together, Morro practicing his Shatterspin and Ranga practicing fighting in his Wolf Form. Ranga's weapons of choice are Nun-chucks and a Sickle, depending on the situation (Jay's weapon of choice, a Kusarigama, split into two). Morro's weapons of choice are a dual bladed Glaive (like in the leaked set) and a retractable Bo staff (in memory of Wu).

Eventually they come across a village that is being harassed by Wolf Clan Remnants, Wolf Clan Warriors whose masks have fused to their faces, becoming these cursed, half-human half-wolf creatures, like the Lycan King but smaller and less formidable.

Ranga and Morro fight them off and the Wolf Clan Remnants retreat, and the village thanks them and gives them food and shelter. The village leader tells them that the Remnants will be back unless they deal with the Alpha. They promise food, money, and whatever they can spare to help them with their problem. Morro convinces Ranga to help and he reluctantly agrees because they are broke.

When the Remnants next attack, their Alpha comes with them to raid. Morro deals with the Warriors while Ranga faces off against the Alpha. Unlike the others, the Alpha's mask hasn't fully fused to their face, they have Shatterspin armor, and they can use the type of Shatterspin that a Wolf Mask provides. The Alpha's attacks are strong and relentless, but wild and uncoordinated.

During the fight, Ranga reaches his True Potential and discovers he's the Master of Electricity by switching his goal from beating the Alpha to saving him by removing the mask, accepting the part of himself that wants to help people instead of hiding it away out of fear of being left behind again. When he's pinned down by the Alpha, he absorbs the electricity of the village and uses it to subdue the Alpha, knocking them out. Ranga removes the Mask and the Alpha is revealed to be Cinder.

When Cinder awakens a day or two later, he's hostile to Ranga and Morro but explains his situation (Details TBD, but excessive use of the Wolf Masks made him lose control and his memory becomes hazy).

Ranga and Morro talk and decide that if left alone, Cinder will just keep using a Wolf Mask and eventually fully succumb to the Wolf Mask. They decide to train him in their way of Shatterspin in the hopes of leading him down a better path. Cinder jumps at the chance at learning the Five's true techniques, but Ranga warns him that he's teaching him HIS way of Shatterspin and that he must follow everything he says to the letter, much to Cinder's chagrin.

After talking to Ranga about finding his True Potential, Morro decides to follow a feeling he's been having and the trio decides to set out towards an area that has been experiencing bad storms ever since the Merge.

On their way to the storm, Ranga and Morro train Cinder, starting with getting him to calm down and learn patience and control. They give him an incense lantern on the end of a chain (like in his concept art) to learn discipline. At first Cinder thinks its stupid and beneath him, but reluctantly comes around when Ranga explains a storm that happens only once a decade is more destructive than a storm that happens every week because the people affected have less experience on how to deal with it. This Incense chain eventually becomes Cinder's weapon of choice, along with two Scimitars.

Eventually when they reach the edge of the Storm-lands, they explain their mission to a village leader who explains that the eye of the storm is the peak of a nearby mountain and offers them a reward if they can stop the storm that wrecks havoc on them constantly.

At the top of the mountain, the trio finds the Storm Amulet that went missing along with Wojira at the end of Seabound. Morro keeps it and learns that because he is the Former Master of Wind, he can tap into the powers of the Amulet as long as he keeps the Amulet on him (in this AU, the Amulet is only about 4 inches in diameter instead of the size of someone's entire torso).

After the mission is over, the trio decide to keep traveling together and helping the people of the Merged Lands, officially forming the Shatter Squad.

Eventually I wanna add two other members to Shatter Squad to mirror the Forbidden Five, but who those members are is TBD. The only other non-OC character I can think of adding is Jordana as the resident Magic User who can use Shatterspin due to Rox possessing her, but DR seems to already be doing something with her so I'm not confident in adding her just yet.

And that's it! Feel free to tell me what you think or to suggest some ideas of your own!

[petchic101]

DA Elvish

I separated all of Dragon Age's known Elvish into Nouns, idioms ect

Nouns

Titles/Types of people/Groups

Anaris: – according to an old tale, he was once tricked by Fen'Harel while dueling the Great Hunter Andruil

Andruil: Goddess of the Hunt is the elven Goddess of the Hunt, known also as "blood and force" and the "great hunter."

Arlathvhen: Meeting of the Dalish clans that occurs every ten years. Means "for love of the people."

Asha'bellanar: "The Woman of Many Years." How the Dalish refer to Flemeth.

Da'len: Little child; little one.

Daern'thal: Known Forgotten One

Din: The dead.

Dirthamen: Keeper of Secrets, is the twin brother of Falon'Din and is the elven god of secrets and knowledge, and master of the ravens Fear and Deceit. Dirthamen gave to elves the gift of knowledge and taught them loyalty and faith in family.

Elgar: Spirit.

Dirth'ena enasalin: "Knowledge that led to victory"; the Elvish term for the Arcane Warrior or, more recently, Knight Enchanter disciplines.

Durgen’len: Children of the stone; the Ancient Elvish term for the dwarves.

Elgar'nan: God of Vengeance also known as the All-Father, the Eldest of the Sun and He Who Overthrew His Father—represents fatherhood and vengeance, and leads the pantheon with the goddess Mythal.

Elvhen: Elven name for their own race; our people.

Elvhenan: The name of the elven civilization before the arrival of humans in Thedas; the place of our people.

Era'harel: Demon-mage; similar to an arcane horror.

Evanuris: Leader; Translated by Dorian in context as "mage leader"; what the elvhen called their gods.

Falon: Friend.

Falon'Din: Friend of the Dead, the Guide is the elven God of Death and Fortune and guides the dead to the Beyond. He and his twin brother, Dirthamen, are the eldest children of Elgar'nan the All-Father and Mythal the Protector.

Fen'Harel: The Dread Wolf is an enigmatic trickster god of the elves, whose supposed betrayal of both the benevolent Creators and the malefic Forgotten Ones is the only explanation most elves have for the destruction of Arlathan. Dalish clans view him with wariness and seek to protect themselves and their kin from his treachery. It is revealed by Solas in Mythal's temple that this could be a misinterpretation by the Dalish and instead he was the god of rebellion.

Geldauran: Known Forgotten One

Ghilan'nain: Mother of the Halla is called the Mother of the halla—white deer-like creatures revered by the Dalish and used to pull their aravel, or "landships"—and goddess of navigation.

Ghil-Dirthalen: "One who guides seekers of knowledge true."

Ghilan'him banal'vhen: "The path that leads astray": a derogatory term for Arcane Warriors among those elves who eschewed physical combat.

Hahren'al: A gathering of hahrens during the Arlathvhen.

Hahren: Elder; used as a term of respect by the Dalish as well as by city elves for the leader of an alienage.

Harillen: Opposition.

June: God of the Craft is the elven Master of Crafts. He is variously described either as a brother to Andruil and Sylaise or as Sylaise's husband. He taught the elves to make bows, arrows, and knives to hunt Andruil's gifts.

Lethallin/Lethallan/Lethallen: Casual reference used for someone with whom one is familiar; generally, lethallin is used for males while lethallan is used for females; lethallen has been stated to be the appropriate gender neutral term unless otherwise stated later in canon, though it is likely to remain the same. Note: Though "lethallin" is usually used for males and "lethallan" for females, as stated above

Lethanavir: Another appellation of Falon'Din the elven god of death and fortune who guides the dead to the Beyond.

Mien'harel: Rebellion; depending on the interpretation, a violent call for justice; a concept that when humans push the elven population too far they must remind them that even a "short blade" must be respected; most commonly a term used by city elf.

Mythal: the Great Protector, the Protector and the All-Mother, and goddess of love, is the patron of motherhood and justice and leads the pantheon with her male counterpart, Elgar'nan.

Shemlen: The original name elves use for the human race; continues to see use as a slang term amongst the City Elves ("shems") even though its meaning has largely been lost; literally "quick children".

Somniari: Dreamer.

Sylaise: the Hearthkeeper is the goddess of all the domestic arts and the sister of Andruil the Huntress. Sylaise gave the elves fire, and taught them how to weave rope and thread, and to use herbs and magic for healing purposes.

Vhenallin: Friends of the People.

Nature

Adahl/Adhal: Tree.

Adahlen: Wood.

Alas: Earth, dirt.citation needed

Dahl'amythal: Tree of Mythal from which Dalish Keepers’ staves are cut.

Durgen: Stone.citation needed

Elgara: Sun.

Felandaris: Demon weed.

Vallas: Set, as in the setting of the sun.

Vallasdahlen: Trees planted in remembrance of those who dedicated their lives to the Dalish kingdom that grew into a mighty wood; life-trees.

Vhenadahl: The tree of the people.

Vhen'alas: The land itself, as in "the ground"; literally "our earth".citation needed

Vunin: Day.

Animal

Fen: Wolf.

Hallas: are a type of horned stag; some are herded by the Dalish—who use them to pull their aravels, or landships. Their milk is also made into cheese and butter.[2] The Dalish do not consider them beasts of burden but noble companions. To get them to accompany a clan, the Dalish elves ask rather than force them to.

Hanal'ghilan: Elven name for the mythical golden halla said by the Dalish to appear during times of great need; the pathfinder.

Body/Self

Banal'ras: Shadow.

Renan: Voice.

Taren: Mind.

Vallaslin: Blood writing; The art of tattooing adopted by some elves to more prominently display their worship of the traditional elven pantheon.

Vhenan: Heart; often used as a term of endearment.

Concept

Abelas: Sorrow; to be sorry.

Aravel: A wagon used by the Dalish; also a physical and spiritual path, a journey with purpose. Humans call them "landships."

Atish’an: Peace.

Athim: Humility.

Bellanaris: Eternity.

Din'an: Death; end.

Din'anshiral: A journey of death.

Dirth: A term for knowledge or secrets; tell; speak.citation needed

Enasalin: Victory.

Enansal: Blessing.

Enaste: Favor.

Halani: Help.

Hamin: Rest.

Harellan: Trickster; used by the Dalish to mean "traitor to one's kin".

Melana: Time.

Melanada: All time. 

Melava: Time;

Revas: Freedom.

Shiral: Journey.

Sulahn'nehn: Rejoice; joy.

Sulevin: Purpose.

Vir: Way; we.

Weapons/Equipment

Assan: Arrow.

Bor'assan: Bow.

Felassan: Slow arrow.

Mi: Blade.citation needed

Places

Arlathan: The major city of Elvhenan, original homeland of the elves; from the phrase "ar lath’an" meaning, "This place of love".

Banalhan: A name for the Blight or its place of origin; the place of nothing.

Dirthavaren: The promise; the Elven name for the Exalted Plains.

Halamshiral: The capital of the second elven homeland in the Dales; the end of the journey.

Setheneran: Land of waking dreams; a place where the Veil is thin.

Tarasyl'an Te'las: The place where the sky was held back; Ancient Elven name for Skyhold.

Vhenas: Home.

Vir'abelasan: The place of the way of sorrows; refers to the Well of Sorrows.

Other

Aravel: A wagon used by the Dalish; also a physical and spiritual path, a journey with purpose. Humans call them "landships."

Banalhan: A name for the Blight or its place of origin; the place of nothing.

Elgar'arla: Spirit-trap; a binding circle to hold a spirit or demon.

Eluvian: Mirror; literally "seeing glass."

Mi'durgen: Diamond; literally 'blade stone'.

Adjective

Eth: Safe.citation needed

Mirthadra: Honored.

Sa: One; one more.

Shem: Quick.

Tan: Three.

Then: Awake; alert.citation needed

Verb

Abelas: Sorrow; to be sorry.

Dirth: A term for knowledge or secrets; tell; speak.citation needed

Dirthara: Learn;

Dirthera: To tell tales.

Enfenim: To fear.

Ghilana: To guide.

Ghilas: To go.

Harel: To trick or deceive;

Him: Become.

Las: Grant; give.

Lasa ghilan: Grant/give guidance.

Lath: Love of being; to be in love.

Numin: Cry.

Nuvenin: Say, as in “as you say”.

Samahl: Laugh.

Somniar: To dream.

Sulahn'nehn: Rejoice; joy.

Sulahn: Sing.

Uthenera: The name of the ancient practice of immortal elves who would "sleep" once they tired of life; immortal; waking sleep; literally "eternal waking dream".citation needed

Pronoun

Ar: First person pronoun; I, me.

Mala: Your.

Mir: My.

Var: Our.

Vir: Way; we.

Ect

Banal: Never.

Dar: To be.citation needed

In: In.

Ir: I am.

Iras: Where.

Irassal: Wherever.

La: And.

Na: Is.

Pre/Suffix

-an: Suffix indicating place or location.

Da: Diminutive prefix; small.

Idioms

Andaran atish’an: "Enter this place in peace." A formal elven greeting.

Aneth ara: A sociable or friendly greeting, more commonly used among the Dalish themselves rather than with outsiders.

Ara seranna-ma: A way to excuse oneself, such as after a sneeze or belch.

Banal nadas: Nothing is known for certain./Not necessarily.

Boranehn: Lost joy.

Dareth shiral: farewell; literally "Safe journey."

Enasal: Joy in triumph over loss; a variation of joyful relief.

Falon’Din enasal enaste: A prayer for the dead.

Fen'Harel enansal: The Dread Wolf's blessing.

Fen'Harel ma ghilana: "Dread Wolf guides you." Indicates someone being misled.

Halam'shivanas: The sweet sacrifice of duty.

Hellathen: Noble struggle.

Ir abelas: I am sorry.

Lathbora viran: Roughly translated as "the path to a place of lost love," a longing for a thing one can never really know.

Nadas: Inevitability; something that must be; used as an expression of obligation, i.e. "must".

Ma nuvenin: As you say.

Ma vhenan: My heart; sometimes shortened simply to vhenan, "heart"; a term of endearment.

Ma serannas: My thanks./Thank you.

Mana. Ma halani: Help me. 

Mythal'enaste: Mythal's favor.

Penshra! Ghilas vellathan!: Politely translated as "I prefer that you remain close."

Revasan: The place where freedom dwells.

Sahlin: Now; is come.

Sa'vunin: One more day.

Solas: Pride; to stand tall.

Solasan: A prideful place.

Suledin: The concept of finding strength in enduring loss or pain; endure.

Tel'abelas: I'm not sorry.

Telanadas: Nothing is inevitable.

Var lath vir suledin!: Our love will endure

Vir enasalin!: We will win!

Vir sumeil: We are close.

Commands/Threats/Curses

Bellanaris Din'an Heem: "Make you dead."

Dirthara-ma: "May you learn." Used as a curse.

Fenedhis: Meaning officially undefined as of yet; a common curse.

Fenedhis lasa: Meaning officially undefined as of yet. A common curse.

Fen'Harel ma halam: "Dread Wolf ends you." A threat.

Garas: Come.

Garas quenathra: "Why are you here?/Why have you come?" Spoken by the voices of the Vir'abelasan

Masal din'an: A threat, meaning unknown.

Na abelas: You'll be sorry.

Na din'an sahlin!: Your death is come!

Na melana sahlin: Your time is come.

Specific Sentences

Ar lasa mala revas: "You are free." More literally "I give you your freedom."

Ar lath ma, vhenan: "I love you, heart/my heart"

Ar-melana dirthavaren. Revas vir-anaris: Fen'Harel’s secret greeting. Meaning unknown.

Atish'all Vir Abelasan: "Enter the path of the Well of Sorrows."

Dirth ma banal. Mar solas ena mar din: "You have learned nothing. Your pride will be your death/downfall." A Dalish saying.

Dirth ma, harellan. Ma banal enasalin. Mar solas ena mar din: Roughly means: "Your pride is responsible for everything that has gone wrong; you will die alone."

Ir abelas, ma vhenan: "I am filled with sorrow for your loss, my heart."

Ir tel'him: I'm me again.

Ma banal las halamshir var vhen: You do nothing to further our people. 

Ma harel, da’len: You lie, child.

Ma harel lasa!: You lied to me.

Ma ghilana mir din'an: Guide me into death.

Ma melava halani: You helped me.

Mala suledin nadas: Now you must endure.

Malas amelin ne halam: I hope you find a new name.

Melana en athim las enaste: Now let humility grant favor.

Sulevin ghilana hanin: Roughly translates to "purpose guides to glory". This is an inscription on the back of the Dalish shield called "The Path to Glory".

Sylaise enaste var aravel. Lama, ara las mir lath. Bellanaris.: Dalish marriage vows.

Tel garas solasan: Come not to a prideful place.

[lumireis]

Fairy Queen Titania, wife of King Gloxinia, originator of Tír na nÓg

Loooong character bio/story summary because I struggle with writing long fics!! I wish I could write a whole story about these two and their relationship but know I wouldn't finish it ;;

Her special ability is Wither, any living thing she touches will decay almost instantly — excluding fairies as their bodies don't rot even in death and she isn't able to turn it off. To compound her destructive nature, Titania isn't capable of any of the nature-nourishing magic that is innate to the Fairy Clan. Because her special ability is similar to an aspect of the Fairy Kings' ability, Disaster, but only the aspect of decay, Titania was surrounded by skeptics.

In her young life she was subtly outcast from the community by her fellow fairies. Titania spent decades of her life lonely and despising the fact that she was failing her duty as a fairy until she met the King of Fairies, Gloxinia. Gloxinia was curious about Titania's abilities as he noticed that even though Wither was destructive in the moment in following decades all flora that grew where Wither was used came up healthier and heartier, though Titania and the other fairies had their doubts.

The two spent years together trying to understand how to get control of Wither, though Titania was holding out hope that he would a way to remove her "curse" permanently. Slowly, the attempts to help her shifted into spending time together simply because they enjoyed each other's company. Gloxinia had it as his personal mission to try and make the sad woman smile with tricks or jokes or games, anything he could to try and lift her spirits.

It was through that closeness that they were able to learn that Gloxinia himself was able to neutralize her decay ability, just by being capable of using Disaster. With Gloxinia, Titania was able to feel safe enough to spend more time with the other fairies and finally experience what living as part of the community was like. Though Titania still felt like an outsider or a guest, rather than a complete part of the Fairy Clan.

Using her magic, Titania created an island for herself called Tír na nÓg, the effort she spent nearly ended up killing her. She only survived thanks to Gloxinia finding her and getting the help of the other fairies to heal her. The creation of Tír na nÓg granted Titania an immortal lifespan as her magic is tied to every living thing on the island. As long as a single blade of grass grows, Titania and any mortal being will live.

Tír na nÓg was the first place that Titania truly safe and comfortable, as she could walk around without worrying about upsetting anyone as she withered the flora around her. Only those who are given permission can set foot on or even find the island. One could search for a thousand years for the Land of the Young and never see its shores. It's Titania's own safe haven. She granted permission to her dear friend Gloxinia and it became a place for the two of them to spend an untold amount of time together, relishing in each other's company.

Eventually, their relationship evolved past companionship into love and eventually marriage. As it was the wedding of the first King of the Fairies, it was a gathering full of friends and love. Even the ever-anxious Titania was more rambunctious and lively, keeping the party alive until well into the next day with singing, dancing, and drink. On her wedding day, Titania truly got to experience being herself, wholly and unapologetically.

On the first night they spent together as a married couple, a nearby flower was made to bloom from the joy Titania felt and once she noticed it she was so overwhelmed at being able to create life for the first time, she cried while holding it. Gloxinia blessed it to never die and tucked it into her hair, his first gift as her husband and her most treasured possession.

However, following the ancient Holy War and the disappearance of Gloxinia as he joined the Demon Clan, Titania's joy came to an end. Without Gloxinia there to tether her to the forest, she retreated to Tír na nÓg permanently. No one within the Fairy Clan knew what happened to her and for thousands of years, until the unsealing of the Coffin of Eternal Darkness and Gloxinia's return.

Wanting to know the fate of his wife, Gloxinia asks Gerheade and the other fairies if anyone has heard anything about Titania as no one seems to mention her. Through them, Gloxinia learns about her vanishing but no one can say for sure what became of her. Taking this as a chance, he asks those at the Boar Hat to keep an ear open for rumors. He confesses that no matter how hard he tries he can't find Tír na nÓg and suspects that becoming a demon severed his connection.

Tír na nÓg might have been her personal paradise but he's sure she would have allowed other misfits like her to find refuge in its eternal paradise. Eventually, a lead turns up and brings them to an old woman with a much darker story to tell than Gloxinia is expecting. The old woman spent time on Tír na nÓg herself as one of the immortal Fair Folk. As a young woman, she was mistreated by the people of her village when one night a beautiful young woman appeared and offered her a place in paradise.

She spent years in Tír na nÓg, living in a place of beauty and bounty when she met a man she would soon fall in love with and wanted to return to the mainland to raise a family. The ruler of Tír na nÓg refused to allow them to leave, viewing the rest of the world as an inescapable hell, and warned them of the severe consequences if they should ask again. So the lovers devised a plan to escape the island that was as much a prison as it was a paradise. Under the cover of night for weeks they built a boat to flee on. When the night to escape came, the forest began to shake and shudder and rot as the full power of the ruler of Tír na nÓg approached them.

The man sacrificed his chance to escape and shoved the boat out, promising to distract the tyrant holding them prisoner and promising to find her. And so the old woman has been waiting for decades now, alone in her home. She laments leaving the love of her life behind, knowing that if he's alive she's aged well beyond her beautiful prime and fears for all the other poor souls that the tyrant has preyed upon. Her sweet voice promising the outcasts of society a home and safety only to chain them like dogs in a beautiful, immortal prison.

The woman's story lives Gloxinia reeling. He can't imagine his dear, sad Titania being capable of that level of cruelty but he also knows just what grief can drive someone to do. What it drove him to do. Gloxinia asks the woman if she knows any way to get back to Tír na nÓg which she confirms, giving him some stones from the shore as anything taken from Tír na nÓg can lead someone back. After expressing his gratitude, he takes the stones and returns to Meliodas to decide what to do next.

The group follows Gloxinia as he heads to Tír na nÓg and is unsettled by the eerie atmosphere and fog that hangs over the island. Screamers attack as they make landfall and quickly hide to avoid the sight of a fairy woman patrolling over the forest canopy. Slowly making their way through the forest, they encounter a village filled with terrified humans who beg them to bring them back to the mainland. The commotion is cut off by a man matching the description the old woman gave of her love, a man named Nico, who explains the reason the island is in the state that it's in.

Titania, the tyrant of Tír na nÓg has been using tricks to bring humans to the island against their will, even going so far as taking children and babies from their parents and replacing them with changelings if they weren't loving them enough in her eyes. Following the escape of one human woman, his beloved, an enchanted fog appeared around the shores, choking anyone who attempted to leave. It seems day by day, Titania falls further into madness. The island has been subject to earthquakes for the past few days as the ruler of Tír na nÓg is punishing them but no one knows for what reason. Gloxinia promises that he can fix this and when questioned, he simply smiles and says it's his duty as a husband to soothe his wife.

Their conversation is interrupted when a woman spots them talking to outsiders, flicking between everyone before calling them traitors and sprinting away into the forest to inform Titania. The man urges them to do whatever they're going to do quickly as they might not survive the day when Titania finds out.

Gloxinia hopes that Titania might come to her senses as soon as they reunite but the constant unending attacks from Screamers, the mysterious fairy, and the forest itself make him question his optimism. And sure enough when face to face with Titania, her eyes tinged with mania, those hopes are dashed. She calls them thieves and begins attacking. Gloxinia tries to calm her but for years Titania was tortured by visions of Gloxinia and believes him to be another one.

During the battle, Elizabeth asks why she's tormenting the villagers. Titania says she doesn't want to do any of it, they just need to give back the thing that they stole from her. It's then that Gloxinia notices the flower that he gifted her isn't in her hair but he can sense his magic nearby. He orders the others to hold her off while he finds it but makes it clear that if they hurt her too badly there would be hell to pay. Ban shoos him off saying they'll do whatever they need to do to make sure she doesn't kill anyone. Gloxinia isn't amused.

It takes some time and he's forced to fight the mystery fairy girl — Oberon, loyal attendant of Titania — but eventually Gloxinia finds the flower in the village. And it's utterly torn to shreds. Gloxinia picks up the damaged petals, looking utterly heartbroken when Nico appears behind him. Gloxinia asks if he was the one that destroyed the flower, which Nico confirms. He resents Titania for keeping him trapped here as one of her Fair Folk while the woman he loves will wait for him until she dies. Destroying the only thing she seems to treasure felt like a fitting punishment after she destroyed his happiness.

Gloxinia thanks him for his honesty and promises that Titania won't find out who stole the flower. He doesn't blame Nico for doing what he did but tells him that as her husband he can't stand knowing how sad she would feel if he didn't return it to her, then flies back towards the battle.

As he appears back on the battlefield, Oberon has joined Titania, even though she's injured. The pair of them look exhausted, having to take on the Sins but not too worse for wear. He flies up to Titania, offering the shreds of his first gift to her, and in an instant Titania begins crying - utterly horrified by what's happened to it. She swears she's going to kill everyone on the island but gets cut off by Gloxinia kissing the tip of her nose and chiding her for crying over something so trite.

In an instant, he injects his magic into the flower, healing it and restoring the bloom to full vitality. Titania is stunned, not believing her eyes before slowly reaching out and touching Gloxinia's face to confirm he's really there and not a hallucination. Once she confirms it, she utterly collapses into him, apologizing and begging for forgiveness but once again he chides her for her dramatics. He tucks the flower back into its rightful place in her hair before embracing her properly and finally kissing his wife again after three thousand years apart.

Following Titania's return to her senses, she returns the children to their families and allows everyone to leave Tír na nÓg. To her surprise, some choose to stay. As long as Titania is the same kind, just queen she was when they first arrived they're more than happy to stay. Oberon hands Titania a magic stone they can communicate through and says she'll take care of the Fair Folk while their queen spends time with her husband. If they need anything or she needs them, a message into the stone is all it will take. Nico doesn't hesitate to climb on the boat back to the mainland, ready to finally be with the love of his life again and fulfill his promise.

Gloxinia is just happy to be with Titania again and show her the world, the new fairy forest, whatever she wants as long as they can stay together.

[yandere-wishes]

⋆  ⋆ ℕ𝕖𝕨 𝕄𝕒𝕤𝕥𝕖𝕣𝕝𝕚𝕤𝕥 ⋆  ⋆

Masterlist for newer, more polished stories. You can look up older stories/fics HERE. There’s a wider selection there 

💜Honkai Star Rail

▹▹Blade

ɴᴇᴏɴ ɴɪɢʜᴛꜱ ᴀɴᴅ ɴɪɢʜᴛᴍᴀʀᴇꜱ

It's late and you're tired. Trapped within a dreamlike trance trying to figure out if you're sick or just in love. Although to Blade you're just confused and need a little more persuading of how much he loves you.  

▹▹Boothill

Doc-Ringo

˚ʚ♡ɞ˚ Plot: There's a slick black-clad little gal who's been missing with his bounties recently. Boothill's been dying to rustle her up and take a bite

💜Genshin impact

Little Red Ridding Hood (Yandere! Capitano x reader x Yandere! Ororon)

Capitano recognizes your ancient name before he recognizes you. Ororon thinks it's about time to confess his feelings to his childhood friend. You just wanted to protect your homeland.

Racing Au (Wriothesley, Neuvillette, kamisato Ayato)

Some racing snippets from the tracks w/ our fav genshin men.

▹▹Dottore 

1:00 am 

Dottore isn't the best at words, especially when it's past midnight and you both have an assignment due first thing in the morning. Yet as the clock tics onwards, he grows a bit bolder.

Comedic Tragedy

Dottore is lovesick and desperate. Reader just wants a life away from from the Akademiya. Neither get what they expected. 

▹▹Childe 

2:00 am 

The Tsaritsa sends two of her finest assassins to take out the head of the Kamisato clan. It's funny how repressed emotions and forgotten memories resurface at the worst times.

▹▹Neuvillette

Do Not Weep Hydro Dragon

There's a crack in Neuvillette's heart that bares your name. He sheds a tear for you each day. Yet once you return to Fontaine with your fiance. The cracks and tears begin to grow. 

▹▹Freminet

Sinking into the Depths

Freminet is desperate to take you diving with him. You are rather reluctant. 

▹▹ Baizhu

Yandere Headcanons

Just some headcanons setting up a longer story.~💜

Sweet like morning-glory

There's a melody humming within your bones. A tune Baizhu strums with his needles and drugs. The ballade sings of a love more deadly than any toxin.

▹▹ Rosaria

TBA

▹▹ Lynette

Yandere Headcanons

Yandere Lynette is such a conniving sweetheart!!

▹▹ Wriothesley

WereWolf

Heritage pricks Wriothesley like a valley of thrones, it's unnerving to find someone with the same pains. 

Yadere!Werewolf! Headcanons

Wriothesley has a secret...it's a pleasant surprise to find someone who harbors the same burden.

▹▹ Capitano

Ice on Ice

He's carved you into his perfect weapon.

princess of flame/captain of ice

He's the ice bearer, the monster sent to snuff out the flames of your homeland. But isn't that just love? To kill with such passion. Wouldn't anything else just be a lie?

💜 Transformers

Yandere Transformers One

Yandere Transformers One thoughts featuring D-16 Megatron, Orian Pax Optimus Prime, and the one and only Sentinel Prime

Yandere D-16 vs Yandere Megatron

How can the same person be so different?

Yandere Sentinel Prime's punishments

He's the worst. No, the best. No, the worst. Yeah definitely the worst.

Yandere Orion Pax VS Yandere Optimus Prime

He's always burned too brightly

💜 Obey me 

▹▹ Leviathan

Self-loathing

Levi’s caught in a trance, tempted and bewitched by the devildom’s new resident. Someone who’s self hatred rivals his own. Someone who might just comprehend his pain...

💜 Twisted wonderland 

▹▹ Leona Kingscholar

My Queen My Prey

You and Leona are opposites that keep getting in each other's ways. And yet there isn't a single damn thing Leona wouldn't do for you.

▹▹Idia Shroud

Dr.Frankenstein

Idia wants to prove the world wrong. To show that there is more to life than good and bad, villains and heroes. But somewhere along the way, he falls in love with what he is trying to prove.

Just Like The Gods

Idia falls in love, death and destruction soon follow. He can’t really help it, it’s in his blood.

▹▹General 

How To Be A Villain In Seven easy Steps (Riddle, Leona, Azul)

It’s easy to be the villain when life has already casted you for the role from the day you were born...

💜Record Of Ragnarok 

▹▹ Nikola Tesla 

Sleepless  

Tesla doesn't sleep, can't sleep. He has something he needs to finish, something to fulfill. Maybe for once in his miserable existence, his inventions can be acknowledged for what they truly are. You're trying to prove yourself before the world comes to an end. And if that means absorbing every form of toxicity your childhood crush has to offer then so be it.

💜Jujutsu Kaisen

▹▹Sukuna 

MONSTERS

Monsters aren’t born they’re made, but Sukuna stumbles across the rare exception…

💜Marvel

▹▹General

Love of my life (Yandere x-men 97)

Why is it so hard to say I love you?

Alice in Marvel-land (Yandere! Deadpool x Reader x Yandere Wolverine)

In some worlds, you were Logan's little darling. In others, you were Wade's starry-eyed lover. But here in the void, there is only one of you and two of them.

▹▹ Miles Morales 

Imposter Syndrome

Miles is the villain. You are the hero. You two shouldn't be in love...

The Perfect Girl

Somewhere along the line the villain won and the hero lost. Now your life is nothing more than a cautionary tale.

The Spider's Web

You are a hero, you feel it within your bones. Calamity may strike and villains may rise. But you are still a hero, it's time to start acting like one. 

▹▹ Miguel O’hara

Comic Book Love

You finally realize that you and Miguel are stuck inside a comic book romance.

Spider Love Bite

Miguel loves you, this you know. But neither the story nor the hero ever stops long enough to wonder if you love him too.

▹▹Michael Morbius

Late Night Calls

Sometimes Morbius is lucid enough to remember your name...

💜Barbie

▹▹Ken

He's Just Ken

You're just Barbie, perfect on the outside, dead on the inside. He's just Ken, neither perfect on the outside nor on the inside. 

💜Moriarty The Patriot

▹▹William James

Anomaly

Reader is an anomaly. A noblewoman of foreign descent. She doesn't belong here. But oh how she wishes to burn the world down just like William.

💜Star Wars

▹▹General 

Our Pretty Little Girl (Yandere!Anakin Skywalker x Reader x Yandere! Darth Maul)

You try to escape from two fearsome Sith Lords. Surprisingly they take it rather well.

Didn't Mean To Say I Love You

Love letters between lyrics

▹▹Darth Maul

Yandere! Darth Maul Headcanons

What's Darth Maul like as a yandere? How does he treat his darling?

Yandere Darth Maul Headcanons (Ft. Darth Talon)

You're Maul's little doll. Trapped between two scary sith lords.

▹▹Anakin Skywalker

TBA

▹▹Qimir

Strawberries

Why does the new apothecary remind you of old starfruits?

Acolyte

Your loneliness is suffocating, engulfing. Qimir is the only one who seems to subdue the pain. But every forbidden fruit has its price.

Cookies

Just a sweet moment between a bloodthirsty sith lord and his precious little acolyte

Dark Vacay

He steals you in summer. Castaway on a planet with no name. But the way his eyes shine under the hot sun has your heart beating out of your chest.

▹▹Master Sol

TBA

💜Dune

▹▹General

I love you, It's ruining my life

When they realize they love

Desert Rose (Yandere! Paul Atreides x reader x Yandere! Feyd Rautha Harkonnen)

You miss the desert. Miss the sun and the sand and the place where they buried your heart. So you run and pray that they won't catch you. 

💜Wuthering Waves

▹▹General

I might just be in love

Wuthering waves men and how they treat their darling

💜Miscellaneous

Superstar AU

He's the hottest new talent and he's only got eyes for you. Based on the movie Priscilla.

▹▹Dracula

A Confession letter

Dear Dracula...

▹▹ Monster High

Yandere! Monster High Ghouls

There's something ancient within you. Lost and forgotten. You're an eldritch creature living amongst monsters. A piece of you lives within each of them. And a piece of each of them lives inside you...

Yandere! Knight x Princess! Reader

Conquer, Conquer, Conquer

[mononijikayu]

akuma no ko—ryomen sukuna.

Sukuna's gaze, once softened by shared memories and tender affection, now hardened into a steely resolve, the pain etched into the lines of his face transforming into something colder, more distant. His response, delivered with a quiet finality, cut through the air like a blade, severing the fragile threads that bound you together.

GENRE: Heian Era to Shibuya Arc, 2018;

WARNING/s: Alternate Universe ─ Canon Divergence, Romance, Emotional Hurt, Found Family, Hurt/Comfort, Heavy Angst, Heavy Pining, Domesticity, Friends to Lovers, Character Death, Grief, Miscarriage, Mention of Depression, Mention of Mourning, Depiction of Physical Touch, Depiction of Mental Anguish, Depiction of Violence, Depiction of Harm, Depiction of Blood and Wounds, Depiction of Miscarriage, Depiction of Death, Depiction of Harm, Pseudo-Incest, Adoptive Cousins, Portrayal of Misogynist And Degrading Acts and Language, Smut, Detailed Depiction of Sex, Depiction of Sexual Foreplay, Sexual Penetration, Consensual Sex;

masterlist

ashes of love

song: akuma no ko by ai higuchi

note: there is four chapters left to write for this. this is just??? i cant believe ive written it this long. but i already planned the ending. im very excited for you all to see the end of this story with me. thank you for all your love!!! gojo also making parts here and there with this story, but he has a lot of things to say about his ancestor~ anyway i'll see you in the next chapter~ i love you!!!

LIFE WAS FULL OF SURPRISES. Seven years had passed since the destruction of the Ryomen clan. The warm summer days passed wondrously, a stark contrast to the turbulent years of rebuilding and war. You sat in the middle of the gardens, watching children play, their laughter a soothing balm to your weary soul. You had not expected your life to take this turn, but you supposed you could claim to be satisfied.

The war had grown ever larger, engulfing most of the clans in a web of alliances and enmities. The Zenin and the Kamo sided with the Fujiwara, while the Inumaki, the Ryomen, and the Gojo aligned against them. The Ryomen were still in the process of rebuilding, gathering old followers and new. The Mikoto were now upheld as the most trusted vassals of the Ryomen, with Masaomi always shadowing you, more so now that you were participating in the conflicts personally, leading your sorcerers against the Fujiwara.

As you watched the children, a sense of bittersweet nostalgia washed over you. The gardens, once a place of tranquility and beauty, had become a rare sanctuary amidst the chaos of war. The sight of the children, carefree and oblivious to the burdens you carried, brought a fleeting smile to your lips. They represented the hope for a future you were fighting so hard to secure.

Masaomi approached silently, his presence a constant and reassuring one. He bowed slightly before speaking, his voice respectful and steady. "The preparations for the next mission are complete, Ryomen-sama. Your sorcerers are ready and awaiting your command."

You nodded, standing up and brushing the grass from your clothes. "Thank you, Masaomi. Let's not keep them waiting." As you walked towards the assembled sorcerers, your mind shifted from the peaceful garden to the battle ahead. Each step you took was a reminder of the responsibility you bore, not just for your clan, but for the future these children represented.

The sorcerers gathered, their faces a mix of determination and reverence. They looked to you for guidance, their leader in this relentless struggle. You addressed them with a calm authority, the weight of your words underscored by the years of hardship you had all endured together.

"Today, we fight not just for our clan, but for the future we wish to build. Our enemies may be strong, but our resolve is stronger. We will reclaim what was taken from us and ensure that our legacy endures."

As you led your sorcerers into battle, the memory of the gardens and the children remained a beacon of hope. The war might rage on, but you were determined to see it through to the end. For the Ryomen, for the future, and for the promise of peace that seemed just within reach.

It was Masaomi who had orchestrated the daring escape, leading you and his own clan to safety across the borders. There, the Gojo clan awaited, their formidable presence a beacon of hope in the turmoil. The Gojo had welcomed you and your followers with open arms, providing sanctuary and respite. Suzaku Gojo, the head of the clan, was particularly glad to keep you as his guest for as long as possible.

However, amidst the warmth and hospitality, there were growing concerns. You have become more valuable than ever before. As the clan leader of the Ryomen and, more critically, as a woman in a position of power, you were a target. Men from rival clans and ambitious factions would undoubtedly seek to use you, aiming to impregnate you to seize the power of the Ryomen through blood and prestige.

Suzaku was acutely aware of these dangers. In a private conversation, he expressed his concerns, his demeanor serious and protective. "You are a beacon of strength for your people. Your brother saw that too. But that also makes you a target. There will be those who seek to take advantage of your position and lineage."

You met his gaze, appreciating his candor. "I am aware of the risks, Suzaku. But I won't let fear dictate my actions."

He nodded, his expression softening slightly. "And you shouldn't have to. I promise you, nothing will happen to you here. The Gojo clan will protect you and your people. You have my word."

His assurance was comforting, but the reality of your situation remained ever-present in your mind. As you navigated the treacherous waters of clan politics and warfare, Suzaku's promise was a beacon of hope. The Gojo clan's support bolstered your resolve, and with Masaomi by your side, you felt prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

In the days that followed, you found a semblance of peace within the Gojo estate. Suzaku's presence was a constant reassurance, his protective nature evident in the measures he took to ensure your safety. Yet, the specter of war loomed large, and you knew that the respite was only temporary.

The gardens of the Gojo estate became your sanctuary, a place where you could find solace and clarity. It was here, among the blooming flowers and serene pathways, that you gathered your thoughts and prepared for the battles ahead. The child's laughter, the warmth of the sun, and the unwavering support of your allies gave you the strength to continue.

The war was far from over, but with each passing day, you grew more determined. You would reclaim what was rightfully yours and build a future where the Ryomen clan could flourish. And in this journey, you knew you could count on Suzaku's promise and Masaomi's loyalty, guiding you through the darkness towards a brighter dawn.

A child runs towards you, snapping you out of your thoughts. The child's laughter fills the air, a sweet melody that brings a smile to your face. You run your hands through the child's hair, gazing down at him with your striking purple eyes. When he looks up at you, his eyes are revealed to be as blue as the sky.

"Mother," the child asks, his voice full of innocent curiosity, "when can I meet Father?"

You smile softly, a hint of sadness in your eyes. "I do not know, my love. Your father is still busy with his duties."

The child pouts, his tiny brows furrowing. "Do you not like your mother, little one?" you tease gently.

"I love you equally, Mother!" the child exclaims, his pout quickly turning into a bright smile.

You laugh, the sound light and full of affection. Just as you are about to reply, a servant approaches and bows respectfully. 

"What is it?" you ask, your tone courteous yet curious.

"Lady Gojo, Lord Suzaku has arrived," the servant announces.

The child's face lights up with joy, and he jumps excitedly. "Father is home!"

You stand from your position, feeling a mix of relief and anticipation. "Thank you." you say to the servant, who nods and steps back.

Hand in hand with your son, you make your way towards the entrance of the estate. The warm summer breeze carries the scent of blooming flowers, and the sound of the child's laughter echoes through the gardens. Despite the turmoil and uncertainty of the world outside, this moment, with your son by your side and the promise of reunion with Suzaku, brings a sense of peace and hope.

Gojo Suzaku entered the room quietly, his presence as gentle as ever. His eyes softened as they met yours, a small smile playing on his lips. He approached you, his steps light and measured, and you could feel the warmth and care emanating from him. Ever since your marriage, Suzaku had always been kind, but there was a newfound gentleness in his demeanor, a tenderness that had grown even more profound after the birth of your children. 

The soft glow of the lanterns bathed the room in a warm, golden hue as you sat by the window, gazing out at the serene garden. The blue hour was calm, and the air was filled with the subtle scent of blooming jasmine. The tranquil scene outside was a stark contrast to the turmoil you had recently faced in childbirth.

He approached you, his steps light and measured, and you could feel the warmth and care emanating from him. Ever since your marriage, Gojo Suzaku had always been kind, but there was a newfound gentleness in his demeanor, a tenderness that had grown even more profound after the birth of your children.

As Suzaku stepped further into the room, the door burst open, and a small whirlwind of energy bounded towards him. Seiryuu, your son, with his bright eyes and infectious laughter, leaped into Suzaku's arms with an exuberant shout.

"Father!" Seiryuu cried, wrapping his arms around Suzaku's neck.

Suzaku laughed, a deep, warm sound that filled the room. He lifted Seiryuu easily, holding him close. "Seiryuu, my boy! I've missed you."

Seiryuu's face was radiant with joy. "Did you bring me anything from your trip?"

Suzaku nodded, his smile widening. "Of course. But first, tell me, have you been helping your mother?"

Seiryuu nodded vigorously. "Yes, Father. I've been very good and training hard. I even practiced the new techniques you showed me!"

“And towards your sister?”

“I made sure to sing for her, father! Ma-chan adored my songs!” The boy beamed proudly.

Pride swelled in Suzaku's eyes as he glanced over at you. "That's my boy. I'm proud of you, Seiryuu."

Seiryuu beamed, his excitement barely contained. He wriggled in Suzaku's arms until he was set down, then rushed over to you, grabbing your hand. "Mother, come see what Father brought!"

Suzaku extended a hand to help you stand, his touch tender and supportive. Together, the three of you made your way to the lord's chambers. As you entered, everyone bowed lowly, reverence and respect evident in their gestures. You felt a mix of humility and pride wash over you. This was the acknowledgment that came with bringing the six-eyes into the world after a hundred years.

Suzaku led you to a comfortable seat, where you settled with Seiryuu by your side, his excitement palpable. Suzaku retrieved a beautifully wrapped package and handed it to Seiryuu.

"Go on, open it," Suzaku encouraged, his eyes sparkling.

Seiryuu tore into the wrapping with the eagerness of a child, revealing a finely crafted wooden sword and a small, intricate figurine of a dragon, its eyes resembling Seiryuu's own unique gaze.

"Wow!" Seiryuu exclaimed, holding up the gifts for you to see. "Look, Mother! It's amazing!"

You smiled, touched by Suzaku's thoughtfulness. "They are wonderful, Seiryuu. Your father always knows just what to bring."

Suzaku sat beside you, his arm around your shoulders. "I'm glad you like them, Seiryuu. They are to remind you of your heritage and your strength."

Seiryuu nodded solemnly, his young face filled with determination. "I'll make you both proud, I promise."

You placed a gentle kiss on Seiryuu's forehead, feeling a deep sense of contentment. "You already do, my love. Every day."

You smiled at Seiryuu, your heart swelling with pride at his enthusiasm and determination. For a moment, you savored the warmth of his presence, the bond between mother and son palpable in the air. Then, with a gentle pat on his shoulder, you parted from him and moved to position yourself comfortably, preparing to greet Suzaku as he entered the room.

As Suzaku stepped closer, you lowered yourself into a respectful bow, a gesture ingrained in the customs of your household. It was a sign of deference and respect, a recognition of Suzaku's position as both your husband and the lord of the land. But before you could complete the motion, Suzaku's hand was there, reaching out to help you up immediately.

You looked up, surprised by the sudden interruption, but the warmth in Suzaku's eyes melted away any hint of confusion. His touch was gentle yet firm as he lifted you upright, his expression filled with tenderness and care.

"None of that, my love," Suzaku said softly, his voice a soothing murmur. "You needn't bow to me. Not now, not ever."

His words were like a balm to your soul, easing any lingering tension and replacing it with a sense of profound gratitude. Suzaku had always treated you with kindness and respect, but in moments like these, his gestures spoke volumes of his love and admiration for you.

You smiled up at him, a softness in your gaze as you met his crimson eyes. "Thank you, Suzaku," you murmured, your voice barely above a whisper but filled with genuine appreciation.

Suzaku's smile widened, his hand still resting gently on yours as he leaned in to press a tender kiss to your forehead. "Always, my dear. Always."

You allowed Suzaku's hand to assist you, feeling the comforting warmth of his touch as he guided you towards the sitting mats. Seiryuu sat nearby, his vibrant blue eyes alive with curiosity, a nursemaid attending to him attentively. The sight of your son brought a tender smile to your lips, his innocence and joy a welcome respite from the weight of your responsibilities.

As you settled onto the mats, the soft cushions providing a sense of comfort beneath you, you couldn't help but feel the gravity of your position. The role of wife to the lord of the land came with its own set of expectations and duties, and in moments like these, it was impossible to ignore the weight of those responsibilities. But Suzaku's gentle touch on your arm served as a reminder of the unwavering support you had in him, a pillar of strength upon which you could always rely.

Seiryuu, now nestled securely in his father's arms, giggled and played, oblivious to the solemnity of the moment. His laughter filled the room, a joyful melody that lifted your spirits and brought a sense of lightness to the air. It was a reminder of the simple joys in life, the moments of happiness that made the burdens of leadership bearable.

As you watched Suzaku and Seiryuu interact, a sense of gratitude washed over you. Despite the challenges you faced, you were surrounded by love and support, both from your husband and your son. In their presence, you found strength and courage, knowing that together, you could weather any storm that came your way.

With a contented sigh, you leaned back against the cushions, allowing yourself to fully immerse in the moment of peace and tranquility. The weight of your position may have been heavy, but in this brief respite, surrounded by the ones you loved most, it felt as though the burden had been lifted, if only for a fleeting moment. And as you closed your eyes, basking in the warmth of your family's embrace, you couldn't help but feel grateful for the love that filled your life, making even the most daunting of challenges seem surmountable.

Suzaku smiles at you, his expression filled with pride and affection. "How have you been?" he asks, his concern genuine.

"I’ve been resting," you reply, a small smile playing on your lips. "Masako has been keeping me awake. I've been a bit sore since birth, but I have been well.”

Suzaku nods, his expression serious yet understanding. Your pregnancies have never been easy on you. "And how has your rest been? Are you feeling better?"

You nod. "Yes, much better. The gardens are peaceful, and Seiryuu keeps me company."

Suzaku glances at your son, his eyes softening. "He is a remarkable child. Tengen-sama was most amicable during my trip, happy to know that everyone was well."

"Tengen-sama is most interested in Seiryuu," you say, acknowledging the connection between your son's six-eyes and Tengen-sama's interest. "Seeing his progress, Tengen-sama wants to see more of Seiryuu's success."

Suzaku's expression is one of pride. "Seiryuu is extraordinary, just like his mother. Tengen-sama's interest is a testament to that, you know.”

You smile, feeling a sense of pride and warmth. "He is, indeed. And with your guidance, he will continue to thrive. He will be most worthy as your heir.”

Suzaku reaches out, taking your hand in his. "We will guide him together, as we always have. You are not alone in this."

As the laughter of Seiryuu filled the room, escaping the hands of his nurse-maid. Your husband’s expression sombered. Suzaku was good at keeping a poker face more often than you could say. Much more when you played a game with him. But his own eyes clouded with concern, with worry. Seiryuu rushed to his father’s arms, giggling as he laid there. Your husband smiled at his son, though his eyes remained firm in its worry. He gently shifted Seiryuu in his arms, his attention turning towards you as he prepared to share the weighty news. He turned to Seiryuu’s nurse and nodded at her. 

Suzaku knelt down to his son's level, his voice gentle as he whispered, "You must go and wash up, little one." He leaned in to plant a soft kiss on the boy's snowy white hair, a tender smile curving his lips. "I'll come and read you a story after, hm?"

Seiryuu's face scrunched up in a pout, his blue eyes wide and pleading. "But I would like to have more time with you, father."

Suzaku's smile deepened, a hint of sadness in his eyes. "And you will," he promised, his fingers tenderly tracing through the boy's hair. "I just have some matters to finish first, hm? Now, kiss your mother goodbye."

The little boy hesitated, his gaze flickering between his parents. Finally, with a reluctant nod, he turned to you. "Goodbye, mother," he said, his voice small and earnest. He leaned in to give you a quick, affectionate kiss on the cheek, his warmth lingering.

You smiled, your heart swelling with love. "Goodbye, my little Seiryuu. Be good for your father, alright?"

Seiryuu nodded solemnly, his eyes glistening with the innocence and trust only a child could possess. He turned back to his father, who gave him a gentle nudge towards the door. As Seiryuu left the room, a soft murmur of footsteps echoed in the corridor, growing fainter with each step.

Suzaku straightened up, his expression shifting to one of seriousness. The tender moment with his son had been a brief respite from the weighty responsibilities that awaited him. He turned to you, his eyes searching yours for a moment of understanding.

"Actually, that's not why I was called to meet Tengen-sama," Suzaku began, his voice grave. "There has been a matter of great concern that Tengen–sama wished to discuss with me, one that concerns you."

You felt a chill run down your spine at the shift in Suzaku's tone. Something serious must have transpired for Tengen-sama to summon Suzaku in such urgency. Tengen–sama was kind, always making sure to treat you and your family well. But it was rare that Tengen–sama would say outright that they have a concern with you. 

Suzaku continued, his words measured and deliberate. "Tengen-sama informed me of a series of disturbing events—a massive murder of the Kamo clan's subsequent minor blood relatives, followed by similar atrocities within the Zenin clan. These incidents bear a striking resemblance to the slayings found in prior raids, where the victims were already deceased.”

“How bad were these incidents?”

His silence was more than enough for you.

But you wanted him to say something to you.

To confirm the truth, with his own words to you.

“Beyond humane.” Suzaku says, his eyes lowering. You think he has seen things. Too many things. “They should not be for anyone’s eyes, wife.”

Silence fell over the room as Suzaku's words sank in. The implications were grave, and the weight of the revelation hung heavy in the air. And these killings were not just of regular human people. They were sorcerers. To the jujutsu world, the lives of sorcerers were more valuable than anything else. You remained silent for a moment, processing the information. He does not speak either. As though letting you comprehend this moment. You settle your shaking hand away into your sleeves  before finally speaking up, your voice barely above a whisper.

"Is it him?" you asked, the words heavy with dread.

Suzaku met your gaze, his expression grim. He nodded solemnly. "It's him."

The realization sent a shiver down your spine. The perpetrator behind these brutal acts was no ordinary threat; it was someone with a deep-seated vendetta, someone capable of unspeakable atrocities. The safety and stability of your clan were now at stake, and the responsibility to protect your family weighed heavily on your shoulders.

Ryomen Sukuna has returned to the world.

But in what form, in what truth — you wondered.

What could have changed in these seven years?

YOU NEVER THOUGHT THIS COULD HAPPEN. The battle for Hida unfolded like a dark symphony, its crescendo building with each clash of swords and burst of magic. From the moment the first echo of cursed energy was thrown, it truly set loose to the final breaths of combatants in thunderous echoes, crescendo of souls burning through the worst of humanity. It was too much for you. You could feel the air crackled with tension, thick with the scent of sweat, blood, and burning earth.

As the chaos of battle raged around you, you stood firm, your resolve unyielding despite the recent trials of childbirth. With the flames of determination burning fiercely in your eyes, you fought alongside Suzaku, each movement fueled by an inner strength that refused to be extinguished. 

Your blood mingled with the elemental forces at your command, conjuring white flames that danced and swirled around you, consuming your enemies with righteous fury. The air was thick with the sounds of war, the agonized cries of the wounded mingling with the clash of cursed energy, steel and the roar of flames. 

The torrent of flames upon the land, the inferno roaring with an intensity that seemed to mirror the ferocity of your convictions. The gods were happy to see it, you think. Your sacrifice in blood, burnt underneath it all, white echo of cursed energy blended into bleeding hell fire. The gods find more souls in the hell that you created. The heat licked at your skin, searing the very air around you, as the sorcerers who dared to stand against you found themselves consumed by the flames they had invoked.

Amidst the tumultuous chaos of battle, the air was thick with the acrid scent of burning flesh. It lingered like a haunting specter, a grim reminder of the brutality and devastation wrought by the clash of opposing forces. Each gust of wind carried with it the stench of charred skin and singed hair, assaulting the senses and leaving an indelible mark on the memory of those who dared to tread the battlefield. Despite the horrors that surrounded them, sorcerers and warriors pressed on, driven by their unwavering resolve and the desperate hope of victory amidst the carnage. 

Yet, you paid it no mind, your focus unwavering. This conflict had raged for far too long, and you were determined to see it through to its end. With gritted teeth and a steadfast gaze, you pressed forward, your determination unwavering. Though Suzaku had initially protested, he soon relented, acknowledging the indomitable fire burning within you that refused to be extinguished.

Beside you, Gojo Suzaku wielded his cursed whip with deadly precision, its dark tendrils lashing out like serpents, striking down any who dared to approach. Each crack of the whip echoed like thunder, a harbinger of doom for those foolish enough to stand in his path. His strong cursed energy pierces through over and over. 

Mikoto Masaomi, a stalwart sentinel at your side, moved with the grace and precision of a seasoned warrior. His blade danced with deadly elegance, cutting through the enemy ranks with a fluidity that belied the chaos of battle. He yells, pushing the resistance forces forward. There would be no more surrender. Not anymore.

The forces of darkness threw everything they had into the fray, their desperation palpable in every incantation and strike. You hissed, kicking a sorcerer hard as you tried hard to maintain the flames of inferno. Masaomi screams, killing the sorcerer for you. Blood stains his face tenderly. You nodded at him as you still your breathing. You and your allies must come and stand firm. unyielding bastion against the tide of tyranny that sought to engulf Hida in shadow. 

As the relentless battle unfolded, the ground beneath your feet transformed into a quagmire of blood and mud, each step fraught with the slippery remnants of fallen comrades and foes alike. Above, the once serene sky was now a tapestry of crimson hues, illuminated by the fiery infernos that ravaged the battlefield. Time seemed to stretch endlessly, each passing moment marked by the cacophony of clashing steel, the thunderous roars of magic, and the anguished cries of combatants locked in a struggle for survival. With every swing of your weapon and surge of power, you propelled yourself further into the heart of the fray, inching ever closer to the inevitable climax of the conflict.

But through it all, you fought on, drawing strength from the courage and camaraderie of those who stood beside you. For in this moment, amidst the chaos and carnage of battle, you knew that victory was not merely a possibility—it was a certainty. And with every fiber of your being, you pressed forward, until at last, the forces of darkness were vanquished, and Hida stood free once more, bathed in the light of a new dawn. You waited seven years.

Amidst the chaos of battle, a figure emerged from the swirling maelstrom of combat, a harbinger of death and destruction. It was your grandfather, Fijiwara Ankoku, a formidable warrior whose mere presence sent tremors of fear through the ranks of the Gojo forces. With a single-minded determination, he cut through all who dared to stand in his path, his eyes fixed unwaveringly on you, his target. As the clash of swords reverberated around you, Ankoku's voice cut through the din, dripping with malice and contempt.

"Pathetic. You think you can stand against me, little child? You're nothing but a weakling clinging to false hope." Ankoku laughed maniacally.

You gritted your teeth, your determination fueling your resolve to prove him wrong. "I may not have your strength, grandfather, but I fight for something greater than myself. I fight for the future of the Ryomen, and I won't let you destroy it."

Ankoku's laughter echoed across the battlefield, a sound as cold and heartless as the blade he wielded. "The future? Ha! You're delusional, child. The only future you have is one of suffering and despair."

You blocked his vicious strike with all your might, the clash of steel ringing in your ears. "You're wrong, grandfather. We will never surrender to tyranny. And neither will I."

Ankoku's eyes gleamed with cruel amusement as he pressed the attack, his movements swift and deadly. "Brave words, child. But words will not save you from the fate that awaits you at my hands."

As you fought tooth and nail against your grandfather, each strike and parry a testament to your unwavering determination, you knew that the battle was far from over. But with every fiber of your being, you refused to back down, for you knew that the fate of the future depended on your strength and resilience in the face of darkness.

Before he could reach you once more, however, a sudden and cataclysmic force swept through the battlefield, tearing through the ranks of the Fujiwara forces like a scythe through wheat. A shockwave rippled outward, engulfing Ankoku and almost all of the Fujiwara forces in its fiery embrace. The air crackled with searing heat, as though everything around you was being consumed by flames.

Screams echoed through the chaos, a chorus of agony that pierced the very soul. Masaomi, ever the steadfast protector, stood before you, his blade drawn and ready to defend. Suzaku, your husband, held you close, his arms a shield against the storm of violence that raged around you.

As the dust settled and the acrid scent of burning flesh hung heavy in the air, you dared to peek through the haze, your heart pounding in your chest. And there, amidst the devastation, stood a lone figure, bathed in the eerie glow of the battlefield. It was someone you knew all too well, someone whose very presence sent chills down your spine.

You hitched your breath, your eyes widening in recognition as you realized who had unleashed such devastation upon the battlefield. It was him—the one who wielded the power to rend reality itself, whose very existence threatened to tear apart the fabric of the world. And as you stood there, frozen in fear and awe, you knew that the true battle had only just begun. For now, faced with the wrath of a god, you could only hope to survive the coming storm.

Ryomen Sukuna had changed. His once familiar form now towered over you, his frame elongated and imposing. Two sets of red eyes gleamed beneath his own, casting an eerie glow in the darkness. And as if to accentuate his newfound power, two additional arms sprouted from his sides, a testament to the monstrous strength that now coursed through him.

You watched in horror as Sukuna strode forward, his footsteps leaving crimson ripples in the river of blood that flowed from his very being. The air crackled with an oppressive aura, heavy with the weight of his malevolence.

In a desperate bid to shield yourself from his gaze, you moved to stand in front of Suzaku, seeking refuge in his comforting presence. Tears streamed down your face, a silent testament to the fear and anguish that consumed you.

Suzaku met your gaze with a mixture of concern and determination, his crimson eyes blazing with a fierce resolve. Despite the danger that loomed before you, he remained steadfast at your side, a beacon of strength in the face of overwhelming darkness.

The two of you stood together, united in your defiance against the encroaching evil. And as Ryomen Sukuna drew nearer, his monstrous form casting a shadow over you both, you couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu—an eerie echo of the past, where fate had once torn you apart.

The demon bowed to his master.

Tears flowed from your eyes.

“I have returned to you, as promised.”

IT WAS QUITE SURPRISE. As Ryomen Sukuna reentered your life, a palpable tension hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow over the once serene halls of your ancestral home. Despite the dissolution of your marriage, the ties of blood and kinship still bound you to him, making him an inseparable part of the Ryomen clan's legacy. His presence stirred a mix of emotions among the clan members, ranging from curiosity to apprehension. 

The grandeur of the clan, once illustrious and revered, now lay in ruins, its glory faded and its power diminished. Those who served the clan, once proud and loyal, now regarded Sukuna with wary eyes, their apprehension evident in their hesitant movements and whispered conversations. The air crackled with anticipation as the prodigal son returned, his every step echoing through the corridors like a harbinger of uncertainty.

Sitting across from each other in a modest chamber that had once been the heart of a thriving household, you and Sukuna attempted to catch up. The conversation was stilted, each word carefully chosen, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved tension. The weight of your shared history hung heavily between you, a barrier neither of you seemed willing to breach just yet.

"You look well," Sukuna remarked, breaking the uneasy silence that had settled between you.

"Thank you," you replied, offering a polite nod. "And you, Sukuna? How have you been?"

Sukuna hesitated for a moment, his gaze flickering away before returning to meet yours. "Surviving." he answered cryptically. "Things have been... complicated."

"I understand, do not worry." you said softly, the understatement hanging in the air like a heavy fog. "It hasn't been easy for any of us."

A tense silence fell between you once more, punctuated only by the distant sounds of the household bustling outside. Each of you grappling with the weight of unspoken words and unresolved emotions, unsure of how to bridge the chasm that had grown between you over the years.

Sukuna's eyes, once filled with a ferocious intensity, now held a glimmer of something softer, almost vulnerable. He looked around the room, taking in the familiar yet changed surroundings, before his gaze settled on you. You, too, found it difficult to find the right words, memories of past conflicts and shared dreams flickering like shadows in the back of your mind.

For a moment, there was silence. You looked at Sukuna, your expression softening. "Thank you for returning, for coming back to me." you said, your voice sincere and filled with gratitude.

Sukuna met your gaze, his own expression serious. The usual bravado and arrogance were absent, replaced by a rare honesty. "I will always come back to you, you know that." he replied, his tone firm and resolute. "No matter what."

The declaration hung in the air, a promise that transcended the broken bonds of marriage, reaffirming the deeper connection that bound you both. Despite the awkwardness and the unspoken pain, there was a sense of comfort in knowing that, regardless of the circumstances, you would always be family. You will always know he was someone you loved.

You took a deep breath and led Sukuna into the main hall, where your children were waiting. Seiryuu, your eldest, stood with a confident stance, his eyes—a rare and powerful six-eyes—glinting with curiosity. You had told him stories about his lineage, but meeting Sukuna in person was a different experience altogether.

Sukuna’s gaze lingered on Seiryuu, a flicker of recognition passing over his features. “I can tell the boy already has power in him.” he remarked, his voice carrying a note of approval.

You nodded in agreement. “Yes, he does. He is quite an intelligent boy.”

Seiryuu looked up at Sukuna with wide blue eyes, filled with a mixture of curiosity and awe. “Who are you?” he asked, his tone innocent yet direct. Those eyes made Sukuna uncomfortable. “You’re tall. And your arms, and your eyes! You have four!”

You purse your lips. “Seiryuu.”

“It’s alright.” Sukuna tells you softly as he turns to the boy. “You’re quite curious aren’t you?”

Seiryuu grins at him. “I do! Father thinks so too.”

For a moment, Sukuna hesitated at the mention of Suzaku. He could feel his usual confidence giving way to an uncharacteristic uncertainty. Then he spoke, his voice gentle. “I am your uncle.”

Seiryuu’s face lit up with a bright smile. “I’ve never had an uncle before! Father never had other siblings! Are you my mother’s brother?”

“No, I am her cousin.” He responds.

“So you were great uncle Hisamu’s son?”

“Yes I was, boy.” A hint of sadness pierces at his reply.

Seiryuu's curiosity seemed to know no bounds as he bombarded Sukuna with questions about their family history, drawing out tales of their ancestors and the legacy they carried. Sukuna, despite his initial hesitation, found himself opening up, sharing stories of their lineage that had long been buried beneath layers of time and secrecy.

As the conversation flowed, Sukuna couldn't help but feel a sense of nostalgia creeping in. It had been so long since he had connected with someone from his past, someone who understood the weight of their shared heritage. Seiryuu's youthful enthusiasm was infectious, breathing life into memories Sukuna had long believed to be forgotten.

You smiled at their interaction, feeling a sense of warmth and hope. Turning to the lady servant who held your baby daughter, you gently took the child into your arms. As you cradled your daughter in your arms, a rush of tenderness enveloped you. Her tiny fingers grasped at the fabric of your dress, her innocent gaze fixed upon your face with unwavering trust. In her presence, the weight of the world seemed to lift, replaced by a profound sense of peace and joy.

“Is there another one to meet?” Sukuna turns as Seiryuu plays with one of his arms. You smiled at him as you nodded.

 "She would like her uncle.” you said, walking closer to Sukuna with babe in hand. “This is my little one. Gojo Masako.”

Sukuna's gaze lingered on Masako, a tenderness softening his usually sharp features. "She takes after you, night flower." he murmured, his voice carrying a hint of wistful nostalgia. The endearment, once a whispered promise of affection, now echoed through the chamber, stirring memories long buried beneath the weight of time. “She’s truly beautiful.”

A pang of longing pierced your heart at his words, a bittersweet reminder of a love that had once blossomed between you. In that fleeting moment, the shadows of the past danced with the light of the present, weaving a tapestry of emotions that bound you and Sukuna together, forever intertwined in the threads of destiny.

"I know." you replied softly, your smile tinged with sadness as you cradled Masako against your chest. You look at her tenderly. “My adorable little one.”

“But mother, I am your adorable little one!” Seiryuu pouted in Sukuna’s arms. “Aren’t I?”

“Hm, you always will be.” You smiled at him. “But your sister is still a baby, hm? Give her a chance. A good adorable elder brother should love his adorable little sister.”

He pouts, nodding at you slowly. “Alright.”

The moment was poignant, a rare glimpse of peace amidst the turmoil that had defined your lives. Despite the complicated history and the lingering tension, this simple family introduction felt like a small step toward healing. Sukuna’s presence, while still tinged with the shadows of the past, also brought a sense of solidarity and a reminder of the bonds that could never truly be broken.

Sukuna's eyes softened as he looked at your children, a rare vulnerability crossing his usually stoic features. "They could have been ours, wouldn’t they?” he lamented, his voice tinged with a sadness that mirrored the longing in his eyes.

You smiled at him sadly, a melancholic understanding passing between you. "They would have had the happiest life together," you replied, your voice barely above a whisper.

For a moment, the two of you sat in silence, the weight of unspoken emotions hanging heavy in the air. Sukuna broke the silence first, his tone measured. "I'm happy you've found a life," he said, though his words lacked conviction.

You gave him a knowing look. "Be better at lying," you said softly.

He didn’t respond, the silence stretching between you once more, heavy and unresolved. After a moment, you decided to break it. "Where have you been all this time, Sukuna?" you asked, your voice filled with a mixture of curiosity and concern. "Does it involve massacre?"

Sukuna's lips curved into a familiar, unsettling smile. "I regret nothing." he said, his voice carrying a dark, unapologetic undertone.

You sighed, a mixture of resignation and sadness filling your heart. Despite the distance and the divergent paths your lives had taken, Sukuna was still a part of your world, a ghost from your past who refused to fade away.

The complexity of your relationship, filled with both love and regret, was a testament to the depth of the bond you once shared. In that moment, surrounded by the reminders of what could have been and the reality of what was, you found a fragile, tenuous connection that, while fraught with pain, was still unbreakable.

In the quiet aftermath of Seiryuu's departure, a palpable tension lingered between you and Sukuna, a silent acknowledgment of the complexities that defined your shared history. As Seiryuu reluctantly departed for his lessons, his parting tantrum echoing faintly in the air, Sukuna's gentle assurance carried a weight of its own—a promise of presence amidst the lingering uncertainty that surrounded your family.

"I'll be here and play with you when you finish, boy." Sukuna's words were imbued with sincerity, a genuine pledge to honor Seiryuu's desire for companionship despite the constraints of their circumstances.

Seiryuu's pout softened, replaced by a hesitant smile as he sought reassurance from his uncle. "Do you promise, uncle?"

Sukuna's smile widened, his eyes softening with affection as he met Seiryuu's gaze. "I do." he affirmed, his voice carrying the weight of a solemn vow.

Silence echoes through your chambers.

You looked at Sukuna, he looked back at you.

He smiles towards you, like he did years ago.

With a gentle nod, Sukuna rose from his seat, a sense of resolve in his demeanor. "I should take my leave." he said, his voice tinged with a mixture of regret and acceptance. One of his palms rests on your face. You lean against his palm, taking a deep breath. "But know that I am always here, should you ever need me. Just call on me.”

You met his gaze, a flicker of gratitude shining in your eyes. "Thank you, my love." you whispered, your voice carrying the weight of unspoken emotions. "For returning to me.”

With a final glance at Masako cradled in your arms, Ryomen Sukuna turned to leave, his steps echoing softly against the chamber floor. As the door closed behind him, you were left with a sense of closure, a faint glimmer of hope stirring within your heart.

Within the walls of the manor, an uneasy atmosphere lingered, thick with tension and veiled hostility. Sukuna, an outsider in this realm of familial politics, bore the burden of suspicion with an air of stoic acceptance. Despite the sidelong glances and murmured asides that shadowed his presence, he maintained an outward facade of calm resolve.

To Sukuna, the Gojo clan held little significance compared to the ancient lineage of the Ryomen. In his eyes, they were newcomers, lacking the weight of history and tradition that defined his own heritage. He refused to yield to those he deemed beneath him, his pride and arrogance serving as an impenetrable shield against the subtle machinations of those who sought to undermine him.

As the insolent behavior of one of the Gojo servants grated against the already strained atmosphere, Sukuna felt the urge to unleash his wrath upon her. The impulse to tear her limb from limb coursed through his veins like a torrential storm, fueled by her audacious disrespect. In his mind, she was nothing more than an insignificant nuisance, unworthy of even a moment's consideration. Surely, no one would mourn her absence if she were to disappear.

However, Sukuna's gaze lingered upon her with a magnetic intensity, drawing Suzaku's attention like a moth to a flame. With a voice as sharp as a whip crack, he addressed the servant's misconduct with unwavering severity, his words laced with authority and reproach, cutting through the air like a blade.

In his reprimand, Suzaku's tone held an unwavering firmness, cutting through the tense atmosphere like a blade. "Sukuna-dono is still a relative of my lady wife," he stated sternly, his words carrying the weight of authority. "I expect you to treat him with the respect he deserves. Or else, I will not be lenient." 

There was no room for negotiation in his command, the seriousness of his tone leaving no doubt as to the consequences of disobedience. The servant’s eyes were wide, terrified as she bowed deeply, murmuring apologies before scurrying away. Once alone, Suzaku and Sukuna found themselves discussing the ongoing war and, inevitably, the topic turned to you.

The servant, visibly cowed by Suzaku's admonition, offered a hasty apology before retreating, leaving behind a palpable sense of discomfort in their wake. Sukuna's reaction, though subdued, betrayed a flicker of irritation in his steely gaze, a silent acknowledgment of the constant scrutiny and hostility he endured within the confines of the manor walls.

"It seems our time here has become increasingly difficult," Suzaku remarked, his voice tinged with regret. "But rest assured, Sukuna-dono, that you have my support. I will not allow any disrespect towards you, regardless of the circumstances."

He snickered. “Your servants are disobedient. If they were Ryomen servants, they would have been punished severely.”

“Too bad they are Gojo servants, Sukuna–dono.” Suzaku's lips twitch into a small wry smile.

Sukuna's lips curled into a smirk at Suzaku's response, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. "Indeed." he replied, his tone tinged with sardonic humor. "But even Gojo servants must learn to respect their superiors. I will ensure they understand that."

Suzaku inclined his head in agreement, his expression reflecting a mixture of approval and anticipation. "Your authority is unquestionable, Sukuna-dono, of course." he acknowledged, a subtle nod of respect accompanying his words. "But I have doubts they will heed your words. You are not a Gojo." 

“I do not want to be a Gojo.”

“That is quite clear to see, yes.”

Silence engulfs the two men.

Sukuna shifts his haori to the side.

Suzaku shrugged as he looked away.

"When did you two wed?" Sukuna asked, his tone casual but his red eyes sharp.

"Shortly after you left," Suzaku replied evenly as Sukuna watched him. "To protect her from being taken by the other clans. They would have sought to use her for their own gain. It was the only way.”

Sukuna's lips curled into a mocking smile. "And do you care for her, Suzaku? Or is it just the six-eyes that bind you to her? I’d like to have a good response.”

Suzaku's expression remained calm, but there was a steel in his eyes. "I have great fondness for her, as I always have. I may even love her."

"May even love her?" Sukuna scoffed, his voice dripping with derision."You should have a more definite answer to me, the man who loves your wife the most. Speaking about love with such uncertainty makes me think you only care that she gave you a six-eyes boy.”

Suzaku met Sukuna’s gaze steadily. "You may think what you want, but I will not debate my love for her. It is what it is, and nothing you say will change that."

The tension in the room seemed to thicken as Sukuna's eyes narrowed, a glint of something unreadable passing through them like a fleeting shadow. The air crackled with unspoken words, each man standing firm in the silent confrontation. Time seemed to slow as they locked gazes, a silent battle of wills unfolding in the space between them. Then, just as abruptly as it began, Sukuna broke the gaze, his expression shifting into a bitter smile tinged with resignation. The weight of their shared history hung heavy in the air, a silent reminder of the complexities that bound them together despite their differences.

"Well," he said, his voice softer but still edged with sarcasm, "let's hope your love is enough to protect her from what's to come."

Suzaku nodded, his resolve unshaken. "I will protect her with everything I have. That is my vow." 

Sukuna remained silent, his thoughts veiled behind a mask of indifference, but beneath the surface, a begrudging admiration stirred within him. Despite the tension between them, he couldn't help but acknowledge Suzaku's unwavering determination and strength of character. It was a quality Sukuna had always respected, even amidst their differences and conflicts. Though he may never admit it aloud, a part of him grudgingly admired the steadfastness with which Suzaku stood by his convictions.

Ryomen Sukuna had made up his mind.

You would always be in good hands, he thinks.

You could live life without him now, he knew.

But he thinks he needs time, he needs a moment.

He needs to accept that he has lost you forever.

IT WASN’T AN EASY DECISION. Sukuna grappled with a profound sense of displacement, feeling like a relic of a bygone era in a world that had moved on without him. Despite his enduring love for you, it was tainted by the melancholy realization that he no longer belonged in the life you had forged. Part of him yearned to whisk you away, to selfishly claim you as his own and shield you from the complexities of the world. 

Yet, he harbored an innate understanding that such a course of action was untenable. Deep down, Sukuna recognized the inherent impossibility of uprooting you from the existence you had painstakingly crafted, even if it meant sacrificing his own desires for the sake of your happiness.

In the quiet embrace of the night, you and Sukuna clandestinely convened in the secluded sanctuary of the Gojo manor gardens, cloaked in the silvery luminescence of the moon. Its soft beams illuminated the delicate petals of blooming flowers, lending an otherworldly quality to the serene ambiance. The fragrance of blossoms perfumed the air, intermingling with the faint rustle of leaves stirred by the gentle breeze. Each element conspired to create a tranquil tableau, a poetic setting befitting the gravity of the emotions that hung palpably between you and Sukuna.

In the solemn intimacy of the moonlit garden, Sukuna's declaration hung heavily in the air, his words carrying the weight of both resignation and resolve. His voice, a subdued murmur amidst the tranquil night, echoed with the ache of longing and the burden of acceptance.

Your gaze, brimming with a tumult of emotions, sought solace in the contours of his face, a canvas etched with the scars of time and distance. Hurt and determination intermingled in the depths of your eyes, reflecting the depths of your heart's turmoil.

"Sukuna, you can't leave me again," you implored, your words a fervent plea that resonated with the echoes of past separation. "Not after we've endured the agony of being apart for so long."

His sigh, a weary exhale that seemed to carry the weight of the world, was accompanied by a downward cast of his eyes, a gesture of resignation that mirrored the heaviness in his soul. "You have a life here, a family," he murmured, his voice tinged with a melancholic realization. "I don't belong in this world anymore."

"You are my family," you countered, your voice a steadfast declaration that cut through the night's stillness. "We may no longer be lovers, but we could still be a family again. Together, we can navigate this world, find our place amidst the chaos and uncertainty."

Sukuna's expression hardened, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes. "I can't consider Gojo my family. Not in my entire life. You are my only family. And I can't have you as such. I can't be with you. Not anymore.”

You stepped closer, desperation in your voice. You knew he was right. But you didn’t want him to be right. You didn’t want him to leave you. Not again. "We don't have to be lovers, Sukuna. Just stay. We can find a way to make this work. You are my only family left, we are the last of the Ryomen. Herons….”

“Herons cannot exist without the other.” He completes for you, your eyes widened. “But you cannot be a heron with a monstrosity. Not ever.”

“You are not a monster to me.” You insisted on him, your hand taking his massive palm. You pursed his lips. “You are Sukuna. My Sukuna.”

He shook his head, a bitter smile playing on his lips. "I want to take you away, to be selfish and keep you all to myself. But you have responsibilities, people who depend on you."

"And you think I don't need you?" you asked, your voice trembling with emotion. "I have always needed you, Sukuna. Your presence in my life matters more than you know."

Sukuna looked away, his hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I love you," he whispered, the words heavy with regret. "But I don't belong here. Not in this world, not in this life you've built."

Tears welled up in your eyes as you reached out, taking his hand in yours. "Please, don't go. We can figure this out together."

For a moment, Sukuna allowed himself to feel the warmth of your touch, the connection that had always been there between you. But he knew he couldn't stay. Not without causing more pain.

"I will always come back to you," he said softly, his voice breaking. "But for now, I have to leave."

“You do not have to leave—”

Sukuna's piercing red eyes burned with intensity as he spoke, revealing the depth of his distrust. "I know the Gojo elders are displeased with how much of their resources are being spent trying to retake Ryomen land. They see no benefit in it. I fear there will be a betrayal."

You listened, your heart heavy with the weight of his words. "What are you saying, Sukuna? You think that our most trusted friends—”

He stops her with a glare. “They are not friends.”

“They have helped us, Sukuna. In our hour of need!”

“I cannot trust them. Not now. Not ever.”

You felt your throat dry as you stared at him, as though frightened of him. “What do you want me to do?”

"I'm saying you need to come with me," he insisted, his voice urgent. "Leave this place before it's too late."

You shook your head, tears already welling in your eyes. "Sukuna….you knew this was….I can't leave, not without my children. And my children will not leave without their father."

Sukuna's expression softened for a moment, a flicker of pain crossing his eyes. "Was there ever a chance? When I came back, did you ever consider choosing me?"

You looked at him, your voice trembling. "I chose you, Sukuna. I always chose you."

"But never when it comes to your children, or this life you've built," he countered, his voice growing harsher. "You never chose me over them."

"Don't make me choose," you pleaded, tears streaming down your face. "Please, Sukuna, don't make me choose."

He looked at you, the pain in his eyes mirrored your own. "It's me or this life," he said, his voice breaking. "Choose. You must.”

You burst into tears, your heart shattering as you realized the impossible decision you were being forced to make. Sukuna watched, his face a mask of sorrow and resignation. He knew your choice before you even spoke it. You cannot expect to leave with a monster, and not expect to be one too. But you won’t be herons. Not anymore. Never again. You swallowed the bile down your throat.

As the weight of your sorrow enveloped you, your words emerged in hushed whispers, each syllable laden with the heavy burden of remorse. Tears welled in your eyes, tracing silent paths down your cheeks, as you struggled to articulate the depths of your regret.

Sukuna's gaze, once softened by shared memories and tender affection, now hardened into a steely resolve, the pain etched into the lines of his face transforming into something colder, more distant. His response, delivered with a quiet finality, cut through the air like a blade, severing the fragile threads that bound you together.

"Goodbye, night flower," he uttered softly, his voice a poignant echo of the intimacy you once shared. With those words, he turned away from you, each movement a silent proclamation of the irrevocable distance that now lay between you. "From now on, we are strangers."

In that fleeting moment, amidst the whispered apologies and the weight of unspoken regrets, the ties that had once bound your souls together unraveled, leaving behind only the echoes of what once was, and the poignant ache of what could have been.

You watched him leave, your heart breaking with every step he took. The night seemed to close in around you, the silence deafening in its finality. As you stood there, feeling the weight of your choice, you knew that a part of you had left with him.

The news of the main branch of the Fujiwara being eradicated struck the Gojo manor like a thunderclap, reverberating through the halls with an ominous intensity. Whispers of disbelief and fear echoed off the walls, mingling with the palpable tension that hung heavy in the air like a suffocating fog. 

In the wake of the sudden and brutal attack, the once bustling manor now stood cloaked in a veil of uncertainty and dread. Servants moved about with hurried steps, their expressions etched with worry as they exchanged anxious glances, grappling to comprehend the magnitude of the devastation that had befallen their esteemed counterparts.

Within the confines of the manor's walls, the atmosphere crackled with unease, each passing moment fraught with a sense of impending doom. As the hours stretched on, the collective sense of foreboding cast a shadow over the once tranquil abode, leaving its inhabitants on edge and trembling in the wake of an uncertain future.

You knew, deep down, that this was Sukuna's doing. A final act of defiance, a way to strike back at the world that had taken so much from him. As you held your children close, the weight of your choice pressed down on you, a constant reminder of the love and sacrifice that had defined your life.

Even with tears in your eyes, you still were still spring. Yet he would never be able to put it into words. Even if these words could be translated to life, they would never capture the true meaning and wouldn't be conveyed: I'll still love you in every cruel world. you sobbed. and he walked away, a child of evil, tearing you apart whole.

You sobbed for days alone in your chambers.

In the next years of your life, you were miserable.

The return of the Ryomen was a truly lonely life.

Herons would never end up lasting together forever.

You stand alone, yearning for the life that could never be.

facts about the chapter

writing this chapter, i looked at the family tree that i made and thought it was okay to reveal now but i realized that there's still some spoilers about it.

seiryuu's name is spelled as 聖琉 - 聖 means holy or sacred. 琉 means gemstone or precious stone. hiromi chose the name, the characters were chosen by suzaku. his name is sacred gemstone.

masako's name is spelled as 万咲子 - 万 means ten thousand. 咲 means blossom or flourish and 子 means child or small thing. hiromi chose the name and spelling. her name means a child of ten thousand blossoms.

hiromi at this point would be 30 or 31. sukuna is 27 or 28. seiryuu was born 2 years after the war (5 years old), masako was born a few months into year 7 of time skip (3 months old).

hiromi and suzaku are very amicable. but hiromi does not love suzaku in the way she loves sukuna. suzaku however is different.

sukuna occupies some part of hida and builds his own shrine. sukuna was very popular in hida according to some legends and ended up being some sort of protector.

hiromi stays in hida as well, but in ryomen manor - which is a bit further than where sukuna is at. wives often stayed in their own home rather than stay with their husbands. but hiromi often returns to the gojo manor.

as mentioned in the manga, tengen is very connected to the six-eyes. so it was fair to mention how interested tengen is with the six-eyes holder of the heian, seiryuu.

sukuna has fully developed malevolent shrine by this point. but he really had no reason to use it that much, as its rare to have someone as good as him in using jujutsu.

sukuna wiped out multiple bloodlines of the fujiwara, including koku's own bloodline but he hasn't really completely done so as they had managed to escape and mingle with their allies.

seiryuu starts to get headaches for his jujutsu a year after this, because his powers manifested fully. he also has the limitless, which made it worse. he starts having to cover his eyes with special bandages his mother blessed for him.

gojo satoru likes seiryuu as an ancestor a lot, because he wrote a lot of his experiences with limitless and six-eyes - most which satoru understood. a lot of the materials satoru used in his childhood was seiryuu's diaries.

the next chapter is set at least ten or fifteen years in the future.

[mortifying-macaroni]

What's got you into the whole Tremere/Tzimisce dynamic? Just curious to know. I like them too

Well, anon, I'm glad you asked (btw you've got excellent taste). I'll try to keep it short and sweet with a few main bullet points *cracks fingers*

It's the perfect foundation for "somewhat acquaintances to enemies to lovers". Their first means of interaction stemmed from curiosity to potential cooperation laced with some form of trust as they partook in exchanging of knowledge and magic acumen, hell even some Tzimisce got embraced while carrying a Tremere name. Moreover, they lived in this brief unity until it all got squandered by the blood wizards' betrayal as we know.

Both clans are pretty much two enigmas wrapped in a mystery that battled on a tight rope throughout the ages. Despite the rocky road they're fiercely tangoing on, the fire from their mutual hatred keeps them on their feet as they're restlessly trying to take the lead in bringing the other party to their downfall. There are certain things that entwine them, things that establish a common ground for them to agree upon. Aside from the bit of blood they share by forceful means from the Tremere's side, both clans foster this penchant for torture in the name of academic pursuits. If melding their minds by combining their methods for causing destruction, then these two bloodlines could've been the most fearsome clan duo of educated executioners throughout kindred history.

I've already quoted this one part somewhere (*ahem* my fic), but they have the potential to work like scissors- the blades function to that of a married couple that carry out their tasks together in perfect synchronicity and unison, with equal toil put into it. They're two hands holding the gun, the hammer and firing pin pushing the bullet out. One example of that is their co-op dependant ability to create Blood Brothers. Think about it, A koldun fleshcrafter and a thaumaturgy sorcerer can mass produce walking weapons of annihilation, sort of like their "children" birthed for war through brutality and blood magic.

The whole kindred world may be cursing at them, deeming them as inhumane monsters and murderers and yet the Tzimisce and Tremere can only slow dance to the beat of chaos and pure pandemonium unfolding around them. Everything may as well be crumbling into ruin, but they'd still see an opportunity to salvage something from the suffering of others. What's more, I imagine if they were in a relationship they'd be partial to mutual inflictions of pain. All the pent up clan tension could provide an outlet to channel that (whether it be caused or sustained) hurt into a sort of gratification that nobody else could provide them.

A Tzimisce is an instrument of pain that a Tremere can learn to, not only appreciate, but study, even without applying force; just how a Tremere's knowledge can serve as a song for a Tzimisce to learn through guidance. Furthermore, if given the chance, either of them would kill or burn the whole world for their partner no questions asked. Even though they bring out the worst in each other, they'd remain where they are because nobody else can handle or keep up with all of their "ugly" aspects.

In other words, if only they weren't so stubborn about their clan beef, they could not only have the kinkiest sex imaginable, but also establish a Gomez/Morticia relationship if they'd just work everything out.

I have only one Tremere/Tzimisce ship, so I'm kinda going based on my own little headcanons regarding their own issues and how they can personally work together through them, in addition to some lore I've dug out on top of that.

Final verdict (in my humble, yet correct opinion): Best ship dynamic in VTM with Nosferatu/Toreador being the runner ups

[reyalvr]

oki i have a req now !! can u make a fic of #18 and #19 with tsu'tey and reader (i have a big fat crush on him) where they're on a date night laying down somewhere just cuddling and enjoying the moment. while cuddling, reader confesses that they've dreamt of having a family before, meeting and being mated with tsu'tey and just indulging with all the love they have at that moment but then also shares to him that they're scared that it'll get taken away from them soon and that sometimes it feels too good to be true (either bec of sky people or for other reasons). hehe its straight up fluff with a hint of angst but you can add more details abt their family status like are they just newly mated or are they already established for n years with kids or with their standings in the clan (olo'eyktan/tsakarem) and etc.

ps. specifically wanted #18 cause i get lucid and prophetic dreams too and they happen way too often for my liking -🐬

SEE YOU AGAIN.

୨⎯ in which feelings and thoughts are confessed. ⎯୧

genre┊ fluff, slight angst

pairing┊tsu’tey x fem-omatikaya!reader, tsu’tey x tskaha-mo’at’ite!reader 

wordcount┊2.4k

warnings┊ slight movie spoilers

author’s note┊ AHHHHH i love this request sm it’s so cute !! as always, feel free to listen to the song recs i added since these are the songs i listened to while writing this teehee … simon franglen put crack in ‘happiness is simple’ istg 

song recs ┊ see you again, happiness is simple.

Tsu’tey had many sides to him; fierce, strict, and even cold. But there was a side to him that was unknown to most of the clan. It was the side that had captured your heart, the side that had made you so irrevocably in love with him. 

Gentle. 

You watched from afar as Tsu’tey played with the children by the river, their giggles and laughter filling the forest each time he splashed them. Most knew him as a ruthless warrior of the Omatikaya, even more so after the recent destruction of the sky people. He was recognized as one of the finest hunters your clan had seen in years, his skills and talents surpassing most of the men his age. 

But you knew him as him; kind and patient Tsu’tey. Even in your younger years, he was always softer with you – like he had some built-in switch in him everytime he interacted with you. Needless to say, the match between the two of you was fate. 

Tsu’tey’s voice roared as he found two of the kids hiding behind the rocks, each one encircled by one of his arms as he carried them. They laughed even harder as he spun them around, the other kids coming up to him with fake attacks. 

“Now!” One of the girls yelled to the group as the sounds of little feet splashed loudly towards his direction. 

“What is this! Have I been ambushed?” He said, a mocked expression of surprise painting his face. 

Though your husband was a mighty warrior, not even he would be able to withstand the strength of energized children. He fell back into the water, the kids in his grasp landing on top of him as the other children continued to surround him. You couldn’t help but laugh along with them as you finally made your way to them. 

“Oel ra’un! You have bested me, you sly hunters!” He said in feigned desperation. 

The children yelled in victory as he moved to sit up properly, his smile gracing his features. He ruffled one of their heads, the small child giggling as he did so. The girl who had led the ambush spotted you then, her eyes lighting up as soon as she saw you.

“[Y/N], [Y/N]! Look, we have defeated the river demon of the forest!” She exclaimed, her fist pumping up as she continued to wield her makeshift blade. 

Tsu’tey turned slightly, clearly surprised to see you here. He was not upset, though, as you were already aware of these excursions he had with the village children. He smiled even wider, glad to have your lively aura grace the younglings. 

“I see, ma’evi.” You said, stroking your head as you looked down at your defeated mate. “How very noble of you, the village is safe!” 

Tsu’tey only stared at you as you spoke, his smile never faltering. You held your hand out, pulling him up out of the water. Once he was stable, he pecked you quickly on your temple as his hands came up to stroke your back. The children cringed at his affection, and you only laughed. 

“It is getting late, ma’eveng.” Tsu’tey paused to let go of you momentarily, crouching down to be level with the little ones. “You must return to the village before Tsahik scolds me.” 

Their groans of protests and pleading whines made your heart melt; you were always swayed by children and the light they brought to the harsh realities of life. You almost pleaded with them, almost begged Tsu’tey as well if they could play a little longer.  

But you knew he was right, the children needed to be back soon before it got too dark. The forest was home to many beautiful things, but it was also home to luring dangers. They all looked up at you, their eyes wide with childlike wonder. You only nodded in agreement with Tsu’tey’s orders, and they finally gave in once they realized they wouldn’t be able to persuade you. 

You waved them off as they started making their way back, their disappointment fizzling away as quickly as it came. You felt Tsu’tey grab you by your waist then, a more intimate gesture now that the kids were gone. You smiled at him, your ears pinning back as you made yourself comfortable in his grasp. 

“I didn’t know you were coming, yawne.” He said, stroking stray hairs away from your face. “I have a persona to live up to, you know.” 

“Persona of what? Being the river demon?” You teased, and he nudged you lightly. 

“You know what I mean.” He said with a knowing tone. “I cannot let you have such leverage over me, I am the Olo’eyktan-in-waiting!”

You laughed at him as you moved to place your hands on his shoulders. He was as dashing as always, even more so in the warm light. 

“The children love you, that is not leverage.” You replied seriously, though you knew he was only joking. “It is admiration.” 

He only hummed before he closed the gap between the both of you. His lips were so plush, so soft. It felt like heaven every time he kissed you. His passion engulfed you fully, and your hands came up to cup his face as he moved to wrap his arms around your lower back. When you finally pulled away he pouted, and you stroked his bottom lip with a smile. 

“Come,” You said as you stepped back, arm outstretched for him to take your hand. “I want to fly tonight.”

Flying on your own was always an exciting feeling, but flying with your mate was something entirely else. It was an experience that you wished upon everyone. The sky people would call it love, but it was more than that. Txasunu was what best described it; to do something you enjoyed tremendously with the person you loved greatly. 

Your laughter filled the night sky as you sent Tsu’tey and his banshee a gust of wind, flying under him to avoid his own retaliation. You sped forward, sending him yet another blow. 

“Skxawng!” He yelled, though you knew he meant it lovingly. 

You looked back at him through your visor, your fangs showing as you beamed brightly. You swerved upwards then, flying over him as you were suspended upside down. Tsu’tey had never gotten used to your skill as a rider, and he figured he never would. Amazing would not even begin to describe you; you were brilliant. 

He laughed as he finally moved to be level with you, the both of you spinning around each other before dipping back down to fly over the hanging vines that connected the floating mountains. You yelled out into the air as you both made it over the rocks, your laughter never fading. 

His hand gestured for you to follow him as he yipped, and you quickly flew to the direction he had pointed to. He was ahead of you now, navigating the both of you up to one of the grass plains that grew atop the mountains. He landed swiftly, and you followed soon after. 

He held you by your waist as you hopped down, his grip secure so as to not let you slip. You thanked him quickly before removing your visor. You could see clearly now, your eyes adjusting to the darkness of your surroundings. The grass glowed as you stepped on it, illuminating your movements. 

“That never gets old,” You said, spinning out of his hold. “How is it that my father chose you as Olo’eyktan-in-waiting when you can’t even beat me in flying?”

“Because Eywa has blessed you with abilities so strong that it leaves you unbalanced.” He smirked at you, grabbing your arm to pull you close to him once more. “Your father chose me to balance you out.” 

You smiled at him before he pulled you down to rest, his back leaning against one of the smoother rocks. You sat in between his legs, your back pressed up against his broad chest. He let out a heavy sigh once you were comfortable, wrapping his arms around you. Your hand went up to hold one of his arms, your thumb tracing small shapes on his skin. 

“Now this,” He breathed out. “This never gets old.”

You laughed lightly as he nuzzled your neck, his lips pecking your shoulder. 

“You are awfully affectionate today,” You paused to tilt your head up to him. “Not that I am complaining, though.”

He chuckled lightly against your shoulder, still peppering kisses along your skin. Your heart was happy in this moment, the solace of being safe in your mate’s arms quelling your tensenes away. You leaned further against him, closing your eyes as you matched his breathing. 

Though you were recently mated, your bond with Tsu’tey had stretched back all the way to when you were still young. He was never good with expressing his feelings – his real feelings. You were aware of the expectations his parents had set for him, and you always did your best to relieve him of the weight of it all. 

He did the same for you, just not outright. But anyone who knew him knew that he only had eyes for you, and that he would quite literally go to hell if it meant that you would be safe. You were grateful for him, grateful to the Great Mother for allowing you to meet someone who cared for you as much as you cared for them, if not, even more. 

Now that you were one with him, you felt it was your duty to make sure he was free from shame, free from the torment of never being good enough. None of it mattered to you anyway, in your eyes he would always be perfect. You kissed the inside of his forearm, right on his pulse. 

And while your efforts seemed to have worked to keep him steady, the suppressed concerns within your own heart had started to take over your mind once again. 

“Tsu’tey?” You whispered. 

“Hm?” He replied, his head now resting atop yours. 

“Can I tell you something?” You looked up at him, watching him as he still kept his eyes closed. 

“Anything, yawne.” He whispered back.

“I dreamt of this once.” You said softly, your hands still holding onto his arms. “Dreamt of being with you.” 

He looked at you now, confused. “Why would you have to dream? Surely you could not have doubted my promises to you-”

“It is not that, ‘Tey,” You reassured, turning your body to face him fully. He did not let go of you, only adjusting his arms to rest on your lower back. “It’s just- I was afraid. And I still am, sometimes.”

“What is it that troubles you?” His confusion was now replaced with concern. “Tell me and I will do everything in my power to stop whatever it is.”

“I believe it won’t be that simple, yawne.” You said as you shook your head slightly. “My fears concern the sky people.” 

He hissed at the mention of the demons, infuriated by the fact that they have been clouding your thoughts. You sat upright then, grabbing his hands to place them on your lap. His lips had formed a slight frown, his expression troubled by your worries. 

“This fear has been brewing inside of me for so long, Tsu’tey.” You said, your tail laying flat as you confessed your feelings. “The day I lost Sylwanin, my baby sister, I was changed. I thought I was going to lose everyone to the sky people – I thought I was going to lose you.”

He sighed as he moved to hold your face, his eyes looking deep into yours. You had no tears in your eyes, only a pensive look as you continued to tell him your thoughts. 

“I pushed these fears away by dreaming, dreaming of what life would be like without the sky people – without all this tragedy.” You said, your hand coming up to grasp his wrist. “I dreamed of a lifetime of happiness with you, dreamed of having our own family one day.” 

“[Y/N], please hear my words as I say this,” His expression softened. “You do not need to dream, because I am here. I promised your father that my sole purpose to the Great Mother is to make sure you remain happy, remain safe.” 

Your heart swelled, a wave of relief washing over your senses. You knew deep down that it was pointless to worry about such things, but still it troubled you. Nobody could ever be sure of what the future held, not even your own mother. The will of Eywa was absolute, and it could be cruel just as much as it could be divine. 

But you didn’t linger on your worries for much longer, finally smiling once again. You leaned forward to kiss him, relishing in his comfort. He was gentle with you, his hands moving to rub your back as you held his face closer to you. The scent of the forest still lingered on him, fresh and earthy. 

You pulled away to rest on his chest, one of his hands coming up to caress your head. You heard his heartbeat then, steady and strong. You laid a hand directly on top of his heart, and he held it as you soothed yourself of any more troubling thoughts. 

“So,” He said, breaking the peaceful silence. “A family, you say?” 

You smacked him lightly as you laughed, your spirits lifted from the dull emotions you had been feeling only a moment ago. 

“Yes, a family.” You said as you stared up at him, a smile gracing your lips once again. “Two children, if we are lucky.”

“Oh, we most certainly are.” He replied almost immediately. “Our first born will be a strong Olo’eyktan, I am sure of it.”

“Or Olo’eykte.” You added, already firm on your decision of succession. 

He hummed, smiling as he did so. “Of course. A girl would be a fierce leader – just like her mother.”

“And a boy would be a mighty warrior.” You said, still beaming up at him. “Just like his father.”

He held you closer, and you felt content – you felt at home. You yawned then, your body starting to succumb to your tiredness. He rubbed circles on your hand as he lulled you to rest with a melodic tune; his songcord. 

“Sleep, yawne.” He said quietly, his own fatigue starting to take a toll on him as well. 

You felt yourself smile once more before you finally drifted off, his voice the last thing you heard before falling into a restful slumber.

“I am here.”

reyalvr © 2023 ... do not repost, alter, or steal my work.

taglist┊@wishuroses, @neteyamslovrr, @avatarkv, @cheolattes, @samiiistarss, @normspellsman, @sharkybabe9.

[icedragonlizard]

While I'll start returning to working on my Magolor & Marx fanfic...

I'm curious to hear people's opinions here.

Here are links to each of the AUs' synopses if you've yet to see them:

Dark Stormy Matters: Kracko's hatred for Kirby really gets the best of him in this story. He chooses to willfully go off the deep end by willfully combining himself with Dark Matter, and then causes mass destruction in a desperate attempt to finally one-up the pink puffball. A big cloud becomes everyone's problem because it despises a child.

Memories Still At A Halt: Susie accidentally stumbles upon a clockwork star, and then decides to spend her wish on reviving her father. Unfortunately, as he's brought back, he still can't recognize her as his daughter. But because Susie is now the HWC's president, she's more easily capable of reigning Max in as she takes care of him.

Hope Within The Darkness: Morpho Knight makes the one-time decision to allow the Dark Matter Swordsman another chance at life due to witnessing him being badly mistreated by the rest of the Dark Matter clan in hades. DMS adopts the name 'Blade' as he tries to fit in with Kirby and co., in hopes that he can try to be friends with them.

Friendship Really Does Shine Like A Star!: This dramatically rewrites the story of Star Allies. The cult is now much more threatening during this event, and three extra dream friends (Gryll, Drawcia and Prince Fluff) tag along Kirby and all the other existing dream friends. This also slightly rewrites Forgotten Land to include the dream friends.