#but also I have pulled for characters just to put them in the teapot with Klee

[cluescorner]

Me, gritting my teeth and sitting on my hands: No pulling until Dehya, no pulling until Dehya, no pulling until Dehya-

Genshin: Here’s Yao Yao she is very cute and could be a friend for Klee in the teapot. 

Me: FUCK 

[hyacintheros]

Brand New City

3. Starman

|| (Marauders Era Characters x Fem!Reader)

Series Masterlist Previous Chapter

Pairing: Marauders Era Characters x Fem!Reader

Warnings: Rude James

Word Count: 2k

P.S: Sorry it took so long, I was a little busy, but I am back! Please enjoy doves c:

“Hey- are these seats taken?” Y/N flits her gaze to the boy in front of her, chocolate cream eyes fluttered at her with hazel lashes glistening from the sun projecting onto his face.

She’s a little confused, as the area of the library she's seated herself at is practically stuffed at the back, near the restricted section.

“No, not at all. You're looking for extra chairs, right?” The boy next to him lets out a muffled chuckle, his midnight curls swirling as he speaks animatedly. “We meant if we could study with you, doll? S'that alright?”

The girl flushes, not realising that they wanted to sit with her, assuming they were just taking some chairs. “Oh! So sorry, yeah of course.” She lets out an embarrassed laugh.

The two boys smile at her, unpacking their things onto the table. “‘D’you hear what happened in McGonagall's class yesterday? Some bloke turned his desk mate into a teapot instead of the spider!” Sirius says, trying to keep quiet as Madam Pince was on his case not too long ago.

“No way! Would have loved to be in that class” Y/N laughs, amused at the story. Remus smiles and shakes his head imagining it, refocusing on his textbook.

“Y/N, could I borrow some ink?” The hazel-haired boy asks. They've fallen into a routine over the last couple of days, Remus forgetting his inkpot during class and always sharing with the girl.

“I've got different colours today! Black, Blue, Red, and Green.. which would you like?” Remus looks at her with a shine in his eyes.

“Could I borrow the red one please?” She hands the boy the red-coloured pot. He dips his feathery quill and starts taking notes, excited at the new colour rather than boring black.

Sirius, also intrigued by the different colours, pipes up. “Is it alright if I could try the green one?” The girl gives him a smile, sliding over the green ink for him.

“Woah! This is so fun, where'd you get these? They only sell black at Diagon Alley!” Sirius asks, hoping to snag a few for himself.

“I got them at a stationary store in London when I got my letter, thought they looked really fun!” The muggle girl says to him, happy that they found her oddly mundane inkpots fascinating.

Both boys hum in acceptance, facing back to their work and making small talk here and there. Remus, halfway through studying, pulls out a muggle book, The Silence of the Lambs.

“Sorry Remus, but is that book the one about Hannibal Lecter?” Remus gives her a cheeky grin, always being a sucker for muggle storytelling.

Sirius at this point in time, has given up on studying, instead putting great effort in making little paper doves. As he folds the wings, a pat on his shoulder brings him back to reality.

“What are you lot doing hanging out with her? Don't you see her robe? Come on, we've got better things to be doing than hanging out with a snake.” James, the boy Lily was always hanging around, said to Remus and Sirius.

“Don't you worry, I'll be on my way.” She says coldly, finally understanding why he was so cold to her. She packs her books in an instant and leaves with a stomp in her step. “Y/N, your inkpots!” Sirius calls after her, being held back by James.

---♡---

‘Why would Lily hang out with a foul git like that?’ She asks herself, unsure if Lily even knows of his attitude. She bursts into the common room, the coolness of the dungeon and the view of the Black Lake sending her a wave of serenity.

“Darling? What's going on?” Narcissa, who was reading in the common room, asked. Lucius, who was sitting next to her on the love seat looking back at Y/N, instantly knew it had something to do with a few Gryffindor boys.

“Your red lions giving you trouble, dear?” He snickers, Narcissa smacks his shoulder, hushing him. Y/N gives him a sarcastic laugh, glaring at him.

“Shut up, Luci!” She picks up a decorative pillow from the couch and chucks it at him. Narcissa giggles at this.

“Let's go to the Great Hall, I'm starving.” She lets out a sigh, tired and hungry from all the studying, having skipped lunch because she was too busy writing a paper for History of Magic.

Narcissa loops her left arm into Lucius’, then loops her right into Y/N's, telling her fiance and friend about the Hufflepuff girl who was being annoying in potions today.

Lucius, ever the drama queen, was gasping and gossiping along with Narcissa. Y/N was just bouncing around as they walked, happy to be out of the library.

“I hope they serve roasted potatoes” Narcissa says as they enter the Great Hall, taking their seats at the Slytherin table. Tucking themselves in, everyone grabs a generous portion of the delicious food that surrounds them.

While she eats, a pair of eyes, or three, stabs into her back. Signalling Lucius, who sat in front of her, he peaks over her shoulder, giving a sneer then looking back at her.

“That red-haired cousin of yours and your lover lions” Lucius snickers, earning a glare from Y/N. “Finish your food before I finish you.” She says, then continues conversation with a Slytherin next to her.

‘What the fuck.’ Lucius thinks, going back to his dinner, sulking.

---♡---

“Cissa, I'm gonna head out for some air.” The girl says to her roommate. Already tucked into bed, Narcissa responds, “Don't get caught by Filch, come back in one piece please” She mumbles, falling asleep.

Y/N tucks Bella in, already snoring in bed, then tucking Narcissa, and carefully escapes the dorms.

Paintings already asleep, therefore no need to be too cautious. The sleepless girl heads up to the astronomy tower, wanting to feel the breeze on her skin without stepping out of the castle.

On her shoulder, a throw blanket to keep her warm in the stoney tower. She sets up ‘camp’ next to the balcony, meaning a blanket and a muffin she snagged at dinner. ‘This muffin mad scrumdili-icious’.

Pulling out a book from her robe, opening to the page, which was dog-eared, finding solace in the book. Every so often, she would pause, the night sky captivating her attention.

“That constellation there is called Draco.” She turns back to the entrance of the astronomy tower. The boy with curly black hair greets her, his hair arching the colour of the night sky.

She pats the spot next to her, offering up the blanket to share. He strolls over, plopping down and crossing his legs. “You fond of astronomy?” The girl asks him.

“I'd hope so, being named after a bloody star!” He sasses back, pulling some of the blanket over his legs. “What are you doing up here, dove? Shouldn't you be in bed down in the Dungeons. Mighty cold down there if you ask me!”

She shushes him as she giggles, both of them obviously being too loud for this time of night, past curfew. “Couldn't sleep, needed some air. Shouldn't you also be sleeping? What are you doing?”

The boy dressed in a red and gold sweater pipes down, a gaunt look on his face. “S'nothing, couldn't sleep either.” The boy says, a slight clench in his jaw.

Seeing that this is clearly an odd subject for Sirius, she switches it up. “What's your favourite song?”. Sirius immediately lightens up, sort of like a puppy.

“Definitely Starman by David Bowie! Something about him is so alluring. They both hum the song together, falling into comfortable silence afterwards.

“How's Lily? Didn't get to speak to her today.” The Slytherin girl breaks the slience, missing her cousin dearly.

“She's worried about you, y'know? Always saying how you should eat more and sleep, which I can clearly see now why she says you need more sleep!” He laughs, her heart warming at the thought of her cousin.

Despite being rival houses, she doesn't care about such trivial things. So what if they're different? Just means they're different people with different aspirations, but that doesn't mean they need to hate each other.

“Tell her that I'm okay the next time you see her, I'll try to talk to her tomorrow. It's hard to talk to her with James around, guarding her like a dog! When I get my hands on him I'm gonna..” The girl yaps away about the Potter boy, not impressed with his behaviour.

The boy next to her shares a great bit of laughs at the predicament. “What's that book next to you?” The boy asks, curiosity killing him.

“Oh! It's a muggle book, Pride and Prejudice. Lily recommended it to me, we're supposed to debrief about it next Friday.” She hands him the book, and he inspects the cover.

---♡---

“Severus! Have you seen Nemesis? Need to feed her before class.” The girl runs around the common room, looking for her snake. “I saw her with Lucius, think she's choking him out.”

They look to the stairs where Lucius is rushing down, Nemi on his neck, grasping him like a slinky stuck on itself. “Get. Her. Off.” He says in-between chokes and gasps of air.

Y/N gently takes Nemi back, cooing at her and giggling at Lucius, dishevelled and red for the lack of air. “Let's get you some mice darling.” She heads back up to her room, feeding Nemi and setting her free. Nemi always comes back after classes.

“Come on Severus, we're going to be late to potions.” They hurry to the class, taking seats near the back. James and Lily sitting near the front. Both Slytherins burn holes into the boy's back, though for entirely different reasons.

Slughorn walks in, starting class off with theory, focusing on how Draught of Living Death was first made and how to spot its effects, as well as the cure.

Y/N practically falls asleep on Severus’ shoulder, lesson too long for her taste. With an annoyed look, he takes notes for her, trying to hide her sleeping form with his arm.

“Y/N wake up, he's approaching.” Severus draws out, propping her up. She quickly grabs a parchment and textbook, acting like she was, indeed, studying all along.

See, while Severus covers her notes for her in Potions, she covers notes for him in History of Magic, both forming a non-spoken alliance.

Potions is over and they part ways, heading to separate classes. The day draws on like an endless loop, even lunch didn't feel as fulfilling.

---♡---

Remus stops her as she studies at the library, pulling a chair to the table and sitting with her.

“You left your ink pots yesterday. He pulls them out of his bag, setting them in front of her. She sends him a sweet smile, thanking him for keeping them safe.

Lily comes in tow, sitting next to Remus and pulls out her study materials. “The Herbology test felt too repetitive! Like we reviewed the whole chapter for it to be on literally one plant?” Lily rants, angry she wasted study time on something that didn't need it.

Lily and Y/N catch up, talking about literally anything that comes to mind while poor Remus tries his best to focus, but how could he when the girls are talking about muggle books? It's like his kryptonite!

So, instead of writing for their History of Magic essay, the three spent two hours talking about Romeo and Juliet. Even reciting quotes verbatim just for fun.

Lily and Remus pack up, needing to head back to their common room. They all bid farewell, promising to catch up soon.

Y/N stays back for three more hours, promising to finish the History of Magic essay by nightfall. It's just about 10:00pm, meaning curfew is about to hit.

She packs everything, making sure not to be left alone in the library with Madam Pince. She races down to the Slytherin dorms, only to literally run into James Potter.

Next Chapter

[slasherhoe87]

🌹Loving Michael🥀

Chapter 5

Link to all chapters so far: https://www.tumblr.com/slasherhoe87/711619549600137216/loving-michael?source=share

OG Michael Myers x Fem Reader/You

WARNINGS: Slight mentions of the Spectrum from a characters uneducated in such matters

"And who is this handsome young fella?" asked your mom as she smiled brightly at Michael.

Suddenly nervous and unsure you twiddle your fingers (a nervous tick of yours) while trying to figure out how to explain Michael to your mom. You had thought about what you were going to say over and over in your head for hours, but of course when push came to shove all your thoughts got flung out of the window.

Michael stepped forward and put a comforting hand on your lower back. Holy cow is he sure stepping up or what. With a little boost to your confidence thanks to Michael's subtle show of support you smile at your mom and sweep your hand up towards Michael.

"Mom.... this is Mikey. Mikey Myles. Mikey, this is my mom, Cornelia. But everyone calls her Cora"

Michael extends his hand to your mom and they shake in greeting.

"Mikey is my boyfriend mom. We've been living together for a while now and we... just couldn't part from one another - I hope you don't mind. I know I should've told you beforehand but I was really scared of what you might say" you ramble out, your words fumbling over one another.

Your mom releases Michael's hand and instead pulls him into a big hug "Oh! Well I sure am surprised I'll tell you what!"

"Welcome Mikey, I'm so pleased to meet you. And you left everything behind in Haddonfield for my y/n? I can tell you're a gem already"

Your mom gave you a look to say that the both of you will be discussing this issue soon but her warmth towards Michael was genuine. You have never met a more kinder nor genuine person than your mom - ever.

Michael stood silent as a rock - eyes wide and staring like a deer in the headlights. You could tell he was extremely unsure and uncomfortable. No doubt the motherly love your mom was showing towards him was very overwhelming.

"Uh mom... Mikey has a... hard time interacting with people. He is easily overwhelmed and finds it difficult to communicate. He was also in an accident a few years back which damaged his vocal cords so speaking is painful for him" you internally grimaced at how easily and quickly you could lie.

Living with Michael gave you tons of practice.

Your mom noticed the large scar across part of his throat and neck and gasped before pulling him for another quick hug.

"Oh you poor boy!" she said, worry lacing her words.

A cold gust of wind swept past the three of you and your mom gestured for you all to bring in the luggage and get yourselves settled in your old bedroom while she makes some snacks and tea.

xxx

Up in your old bedroom you had Michael sit at the foot of the double bed while you stood between his thighs, your forearms resting on his broad shoulders while your hands gently cupped his neck. You kissed the top of his head and he looked up at you.

"Thank you Michael. You're doing so well baby. I know my mom can be overwhelming and you handled it well. I'm so proud of you" you praised him knowing that interacting with people in any way other than killing them was tremendously emotionally overwhelming for your lover.

He nuzzled his head against your belly and squeezed your ass. You giggled and stepped away from him while turning towards the door. "Get the rest of your things packed out. I'll go help mom with the snacks"

You made your way down the stairs and into the kitchen where your mom was making a few assorted small sandwiches.

"Hey mom" you say softly. "Anything I can help with?

She smiles up you and places the sandwiches on a large plate.

"Just sit and relax hon, you had a long drive"

You take a seat on the stool by the kitchen island and place your chin in your hand.

"How is dad? When can we go see him?"

Your mom sighs as she pours the water from the kettle into the teapot. "He's stable and can leave in a few days but he'll never be the same again. He won't be able to speak again and has lost his ability to use his limbs" she says as she looks out of the window, sadness overtaking her usually joyful features. "This is why I needed you back, I cannot handle such a large man on my own hon"

"How did this happen?" you ask as your eyes misted over. You always remembered your dad as a big jolly guy always up for adventure and new experiences and to think of him now wheelchair-bound and unable to speak.. it was devastating.

"His blood pressure. I kept telling him all that greasy fast food he enjoyed so much during his lunch breaks at work would kill him but he never listened" she clapped her hands together and walked towards you. "But, unfortunately for everyone involved it is what it is and we're just going to have to deal with this. We'll pull through, together, as a family. We always do"

She motioned for you to bring the sandwiches to the living room coffee table while she brought the tea tray.

"Now, tell me all about Mikey! Why didn't you tell us about him? How long has your relationship been going on for? Is it as serious as it seems to be?" your mom fired off while pouring herself some tea.

You laugh and sit back against the sofa, crossing your legs. "Woah mom, one question at a time"

You sigh and groan internally wondering where to start. "Well, we've been together for 2 years and 4 months - but Mikey moved in with me a little after the 4 month period"

Your mom's eyes bug out and she nearly drops her teacup. "2 years! And he moved in with you only after 4 months?! Y/n I can see why'd you be afraid to tell us. Normally I'd give you the benefit of the doubt but after what happened with Corey don't you think it was a little too soon?"

You cringe and internally shiver at hearing Corey's name. You absolutely did not want to think about him right now, or ever to be honest.

You lean forward and grab a cookie and begin to nibble on it. "Yeah, it was quick mom. The whole start of the relationship was a whirlwind but mom.. when you know, you know. Mikey is it for me. I feel safe with him, protected, loved, cherished and though he can be difficult to live with and understand sometimes due to his issues he has shown nothing but love and warmth towards me. There is no one else for me mom"

Your mom studies you for a moment before smiling again. "I know that look. Its the same one I have when thinking and speaking of your father" she seemed pleased and settled back down against the sofa. "I am incredibly happy for your honey. I know that your previous relationship damaged you in all ways possible. I truly hope you don't go down the same route with Mikey"

Your eyes shift to the floor, dark memories clawing at your mind and heart. You take a sip of your tea and will the feelings and memories away. That is all in the past and you intend to keep those memories dead and buried where they belong.

"Does Mikey work?" mom asks as she takes a bite of her sandwich.

Oh boy... had your mom been any other mother this would have been another strike against Michael. You are so incredibly grateful to have parents like your own. Such good people.

"No, mom. I'm the sole breadwinner. Mikey's issues make it difficult for him to interact with people for prolonged periods of time"

Your mom tilts her head slightly as she sips on her tea. "Is he on the spectrum hon? Does he have any personality disorders? that could explain it... has he been diagnosed?"

Well shit. What do you say now? Although... this was a good question to be honest. Did Loomis ever test Michael for such things?"

"We don't know mom. I don't believe he's ever been tested for such things"

Just as you finish speaking Michael appears around the corner from the staircase and walks silent as ever into the living room.

"Mikey!" your mom greets as she stands and motions for Michael to sit next to you and fill up on snacks and tea.

Michael sits down next to you, your thighs touching. You lean forward and place a few sandwiches and a two cookies on a plate for him before pouring him some tea.

As you and your mom continued to chat about the family and what everyone had been up to while you were living in Haddonfield Michael's thoughts were revolving around one name: Corey.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Short chapter. Chapter 6 (which will be longer) will be up soon.

[darkhymns-fic]

Being an angel is pretty inconvenient, huh? (Ch. 7)

Several years later, Colette reflects on what's changed and what hasn't - for Lloyd and for herself. [A Lloyd wingfic]

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters/Pairing: Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving, Frank Brunel Rating: T Word Count: 6493 Mirror: AO3 Notes: For Colloyd Week 2023, Day 7: Free Day! This fic is now complete! There are more notes over on AO3. Otherwise, thanks for reading along!

--

On Colette’s twentieth birthday, she went to visit her father.

Frank was busy in the garden that was facing the back of the house, pulling out the weeds and setting them aside on a cleared patch of green. Colette had been quiet when she arrived, hovering down to the ground with her wings, barely moving them. The sun was bright, overpowering any of her light. She was fine with this, curious to see how her father worked on his garden. He had always been a gentle man, holding onto the weeds with care, apologetic in his every gesture.

Her grandmother had always said she took after her father the most.

But even as silent as she could be, Frank still turned around, his faint blue eyes alight when he spotted her. He placed the weeds on the ground, wiping dirt onto his pants. “Colette! You made it.”

"Of course!" Looped around her right arm was the handle of a wicker basket. On the back porch, the outdoor table had been recently cleaned of any fallen leaves and petals. She spotted the teapot that was already set, along with the porcelain cups. "I brought a few sandwiches for us."

Frank took a moment to get to his feet, but even in his clear exhaustion, he was smiling wide as he pulled up a chair across from her. "Let me guess… is it your famous caramel apple sandwiches?"

"Oh, I made you a ham and cheese one, but I got some extra apple sandwiches if you'd like!"

And her father was kind, as he always was, gratefully accepting the food, as he would do when she was little and just learning how she could stuff her favorite fruits into sandwiches. It was at least more to it than just plain apple slices between two pieces of bread this time. After some lessons with Genis, her once plain apple sandwiches were now served with caramel sauce and creamy cheese.

Colette only remembered when she sat down to finally put her wings away, the action sending motes of lights drifting in the breeze, fixing up her dress that now stretched past her knees. She watched it mingle with the rays of the sun before dissipating. Once, her father would have long stared at her wings in silence, his lips never quite lifting into a smile. But now, he barely glanced at it, or even commented on it at all.

The ginger tea was warm, her father always brewing it just right. As they drank and ate, she also decided to count the rows of flowers that had just started to bloom. The brightness of the marigolds gave her once plain backyard a sunny feeling, but it was the tulips that took over, their colors more varied, from bright red to a deep purple that matched her wings. Still, never had she imagined her father to suddenly develop a green thumb.

“Did you not want something bigger for your birthday?” Frank asked, leaning back in his chair. He had finished her apple sandwich first before taking the other in his hands. “This seems so small.”

Colette smiled. It truly was small, compared to her earlier birthdays—of the whole village gathered in the plaza, to wish the Chosen another year closer to salvation. She sipped the tea, enjoying, savoring that warmth. “But I’m happy with this. And I get to see your garden this way!”

Frank chuckled. Hours in the sun had bleached his already light-blonde hair, but the laugh lines around his mouth had also deepened. She remembered his smiles more in these recent years than when she was a child. “Dirk has been giving me a lot of advice on fixing up the flower bed. I might even start growing some vegetables later. Without needing to attend the Church as often as before, I find myself with a lot more time on my hands.”

That reminded her then. “I also just visited Grandmother in the temple, along with the other children.” She cradled the teacup in her hands, the mixture having long cooled. “They had just gotten back from a trip to the beach. They all seem to be doing well! And Jonah and his little sister recently got adopted.”

Frank nodded at the news, chuckling softly. “She has been very busy lately. But I think your grandmother always liked being occupied as much as she can.”

Even when the priests eventually left the Iselia temple, with the importance of the Chosen starting to wane with each passing year, it hadn't stopped Phaidra from visiting it, climbing those steps every morning. It also hadn't stopped her from deciding that the great atrium, now free of monsters as well as those of the cloth, could still be useful. Orphaned children from the Palmacosta tragedy, or rescued from the once common ranches, needed a safe place to stay.

Also, Colette figured that Verius, who had taken the temple for their home, liked the company. After all, it didn’t hurt for the children to have an additional guardian, and the Summon Spirit didn’t seem to mind its new role at all.

“And Lloyd?” Frank poured her another cup of tea, his hands steady as he did so. “I’m surprised he’s not with you.”

“Martel called him,” she answered, blowing on the hot tea. “He has to honor his pact with her, since he hasn’t gone to see the tree in a while.”

“Well, I hope you can spend this day with him at least a little. Or…did he forget again?”

Colette couldn’t help but laugh at the suggestion. “I should ask him that! But he’s been getting better about the dates.”

“And… is he getting better overall?” Frank asked. Both he and Phaidra had been one of the last to finally know about Lloyd’s wings—although Colette had always wondered if he had seen them both that day when she and Lloyd flew to the temple. Her father had never pushed to know, had always been patient to a fault.

“He is,” and though her voice was soft, the smile came to her naturally. She recalled the softness of feathers against her palm, the sensation making her chest warm. “We have so many wonderful friends that helped him.”

Still, there was a greedy part of herself she couldn’t ignore. Once they were on their journey again, they would only have each other, and the promise of it made her eager for the days to pass—even for her birthday to pass.

“Well, please tell Lloyd he is always welcome to come visit us anytime. I’m sure by then, I’ll have my vegetable garden set up! He can have the first bite of it.” Frank tapped his chin, thinking over his possible plantings. “Grape tomatoes are supposed to grow well this season. I’ll make sure they’re juicy once he comes around.”

Colette nearly spat out her tea as a giggle bubbled from her throat. Tomatoes! she thought, already imagining the look on Lloyd’s face if she brought him around. “Y-yeah! I’ll tell him!” And it wasn’t like she had to tell Lloyd just what type of vegetables her father was growing anyway.

She chatted with Frank until the sun made its descent through the sky, its light filtering through the trees that surrounded the backyard. The summer beetles hovered around the branches, and the breeze lifted her hair. She wanted even more of the tea, which brought back memories of holding the same cup when she was little, watching as her father dipped a spoonful of honey into the mixture.

She was so distracted by it that she didn’t at first hear the footsteps from behind her. They were quiet and padding, barely making the wood creak as they walked along the porch.

But it was the mewing sound that caught her full attention.

A white, furry shape jumped onto the table, knocking aside one of the teacups that Colette attempted to rescue. It hadn’t broken, which was the important thing. Still, she barely gave it a second thought, grinning at the sight of the cat; his meowing still as high-pitched as it was when he was first found.

“Blippy!”

“Still a little rascal,” Frank commented, but didn’t mind any of the spilled tea that was running across the table, merely mopping it up with a cloth napkin he had. “He always gets more energetic whenever you visit.”

Colette hardly needed to reach out before Blippy pressed his head into her palms. His purrs rumbled through her skin, the softness of his fur as familiar as the feathers from this morning. “I hope he’s been good,” she said.

Frank’s smile was a peaceful one. “Always. Your grandmother can’t get enough of him.”

The grown cat, so content with her petting, was a far cry from the small kitten she had once carried around in a basket. Once, he had been such a tiny thing, sometimes shaking as if it still remembered the river it had nearly drowned in. But then it would also reach out towards Lloyd’s wings to paw at like they were toys, to rub his nose at her fingers, fascinated by everything all around. It had been like that when they traveled to Mizuho, to Ozette, to the World Tree, and to so much else.

But the journey wasn’t just about sightseeing or visiting friends. Gathering the Exspheres still meant weeks out on the road and in the open, and fighting with those who refused to relinquish what they had. She knew they had to get Blippy into a proper home.

“Then why not with your dad’s?” Lloyd had suggested then, the idea coming to him so quickly that even Colette had been surprised. “I always thought your house could have used a pet.”

Maybe Lloyd knew it would make it easier for her, to leave Blippy with her family, to reassure them when she would need to be gone once again from their lives. She could tell how often his fur was brushed, how well-fed he was, and how the collar around his neck sparkled with the tag that was attached to it. His tail swished across the table happily, with his paws kneading one of the cloth napkins.

“Lloyd needs to visit you too,” she whispered, her fingers threading through the fur on Blippy’s neck. “I know he’s been missing you.”

It had also been months since Colette had truly pet a cute animal! There were no longer as many stray dogs that hung around towns or fishing ports, and while it made her happy that most of those doggies now had a stable home, she had missed giving them both pets and names, to shower them with as much love as she could before she had to be on her way. So she got her fill with Blippy, repeating his name and patting down the fur.

But then, she heard a small ringing sound from beneath her hand…

“Ah, Colette!” Frank stretched out his hand, plucking something tiny from the inside of her teacup. It glittered within his palm, the smooth metal capturing the light of the sun. “You dropped your…”

Her eyes caught the shimmer of the intricately cut topaz, and the familiar engraving on the metal. “Oh! Oh no, I almost lost it again…” She quickly accepted the item, affixing it back to her finger. “Thank you. I think I had it on the wrong finger today.” That was why it felt oddly bigger than usual…

Frank sighed but was smiling all the same. “Lucky I caught it now and not in my garden patch like last time. I nearly buried it with the tulip seeds.”

Colette’s flush rose to her cheeks, laughing as she touched the metal band. “Lloyd said he would just make me another if I did lose it, but I hope it doesn’t come to that… Ah, speaking of Lloyd…!” Her heart fluttered, seeing just how far the sun had traveled across the sky.

“Forgot you already have to meet up with him?” Frank answered for her so easily, already getting up from his chair.

“Yes! I’m sorry, I was really enjoying our lunch and then Blippy showed up…” At the mention of the cat, she had to give her friend a few more pets, a few more scritches beneath his ears. It took the prompting her wings appearing to finally stop, despite getting fur everywhere on her dress.

Another chorus of meowing, and Blippy was reaching up to paw at a bright wingtip. She giggled when she felt his soft paws make contact. “Aw, I don’t think you’ll like playing with mine as much as Lloyd’s,” she said.

Frank moved to pet Blippy, giving Colette a moment to escape. “Go on. It’ll be the end of your birthday before you know it.”

In his voice, she heard a soft plea. He would have wanted her to stay, as he had wanted her to numerous times. Saved from her fate as a Chosen, yet even so, he had to keep seeing his daughter off to an unknown.

But the worry lines in his forehead were not as deep, and she saw him visibly relax as he ran his hand across Blippy’s fur. The loneliness was not as all-engulfing as it had once been.

Colette rushed over to give Frank a great hug, her wings fluttering to keep her afloat. She felt his arms squeeze her back. “I’ll see you again soon.”

He hugged her tightly. He used to hold her with hesitance, as if doing it too much was not correct for the man who was only supposed to watch over until she must save the world. But she felt his love in his embrace, his fear now gone.

“Happy birthday, Colette.”

And when she flew off, she couldn’t help but turn back. She watched Blippy jump into Frank’s arms, as if knowing he still needed a shape to hold.

Lloyd really did always have the best ideas.

--

.

.

.

On the day that Lloyd’s wings had changed, Colette felt that she had failed him then. It was how the shape of his wings imprinted themselves into her mind like nothing else, how his stuttering gasp of fear had clutched at her ribs, how he fell limp to the ground once the back of his jacket was ripped open.

The kitten in his hands had been shaking, and she had to coax the little thing to go to her. He had held it out to her, in a last desperate attempt. The blood drenched the ground like it was rain, but Colette could not split herself in two to help both at once. She wrapped the kitten in a towel, patted it dry, and kept it safe within the shade of the tree. It had curled up, already fast asleep. And then, she finally rushed over to Lloyd’s side.

When Colette touched his wings, it was sticky with blood. The feathers were sporadic, the bones jutting out at sharp angles. She looked at his back, and it was a ruined mess, his skin so torn. Still, her hands reached out to him, even as Lloyd shook, even when she heard him cry out in pain.

Colette was not a healer. Even with all her angelic artes, she didn’t know a sufficient healing spell. Professor Sage should have come with him instead, she thought, while reaching for their packs for any of their first aid equipment. Or Zelos. Or Sheena. They would have known what to do. They would have had the experience of healing Lloyd in some way.

She remembered how much she was shaking herself as she tried to make use of the bandages. But no, she needed to remove his jacket first. Except his jacket was destroyed with bits of it stuck to his wings, and with the blood everywhere, it was hard to tell which was clothing and which were his feathers, steeped in a gory mess.

It made her so afraid. To think being an angel could still keep causing so much suffering.

“Gh!”

Lloyd gave a sharp gasp of pain that pierced her chest. His wings were too big. They bent at odd angles, were crooked, and still so fresh with agony.

She at first just tried to hold his hand. His Exsphere felt so warm, and only when she looked down did she see it shine. Was it hurting Lloyd? Was it helping him? Still, she held on tight.

Colette had hesitated, and that was a moment she wished she could have redone.

“Lloyd…” she called out softly, but still he was shaking. His other hand clutched at the ground, and his eyes were shut. His wings moved, and somehow, in that moment, they seemed a bit less intimidating.

Colette finally embraced him, carefully, as the blood stained her dress so deeply, feeling sticky against her skin.

She was clumsy with the bandages, and she was slow when she tried to clean up his wings then. Her fingers made contact with them once again, worried that every motion from her was hurting him.

How broken he looked then, barely able to stay awake. Still, she felt him lean against her, clinging back to her hand. His shaking lessened, even if only by a little.

Colette only realized her wings were still out as she continued to bandage him, the light falling over the ground and his feathers.

“I love you so much and this is all I can do.” She bit her lip, her vision blurry with tears, but kept him in her arms. “I’m sorry.”

She didn’t expect a response, not until she heard him stir, mumbling something.

“Ah, Lloyd?” Trying to hold him gently, she avoided touching his wings, in case it really did hurt him. “Careful…”

“M’fine.” The words slurred out of his throat, and still she tried to keep him elevated. There were brief bouts of pain that made him shake, apologies once again spilling from her. But when he turned to stare at her, the light of her wings illuminating his face, he looked questioning.

She wondered if he had heard what she said earlier.

Colette had never before told Lloyd that she loved him. Not out loud, at least. It was tempting to say it again—but what right did she have when he was this weak?

“The kitten…” he whispered. “Is it…”

There was both relief and disappointment in her chest, a feeling she felt all too accustomed to, for so much else.

When she pointed to the sleeping kitten, all curled up and safe, she saw Lloyd smile. It looked almost euphoric; from the pain or from relief? But he quickly fell asleep again, still holding onto her hand. His wings lowered slightly, and through some of the blood, she saw their color was white.

Colette tried to set up a spot for Lloyd to rest, angling his body so that his wings wouldn’t be cramped. Her dress was still stained, and after she finally was able to change into a new set, she sat beside Lloyd, noting that most of his wounds seemed to have healed.

She did love Lloyd, but this time, the words stayed locked inside her throat. All she could give him was the touch of her hand, his fingers clinging to her again. I can’t push that on him now, she thought, even as part of her wished she could, somehow. The closest she had ever hinted at it was a kiss on the cheek every now and then, which Lloyd always accepted with a flush and a wide smile. Maybe I can just do that later…

It wasn’t long though before the kitten came to waddle up to her.

“You should be resting too!” she said. “Or are you awake because you’re hungry?”

In answer, the little animal pressed against her arm, meowing constantly that she couldn’t help but give it a few pets. “Hehe, you’ll wake Lloyd up,” she said, but didn’t stop from giving it a few scratches, entranced by its golden eyes.

At the petting, the kitten stuck out its tongue at her, making such a face that Colette couldn’t help but laugh at it—quietly. She really needed to let Lloyd rest for as long as he could.

With a small gesture, she coaxed the kitten to come closer. Its fur was no longer matted or dirty by the river. It even seemed to already forget the whole ordeal altogether.

“You need a name, don’t you?” She let it cuddle into her lap, all while she kept holding fast to Lloyd’s hands, hearing him breathe deeply as he slept. “Hm, you feel like a Blippy to me…”

.

.

.

--

“Heeeey, Coleeeette!”

Even if Lloyd hadn’t called out to her, it would be hard to really miss him at all.

The Great Tree had finally started to grow over the last few years, less of a sapling and more like a young oak tree whose roots had finally settled deep into the soil. It now reached past her height, inviting one to look above and try to see the very top. Birds flitted among the branches, rustling up the leaves that sounded hushed in the glade. If it weren’t for the mana that she could feel through the air currents surrounding it, the tree would have looked like any other in a forest.

As she flew towards it, she already caught sight of Lloyd, and the great wings that were outstretched as he flew over the top of the tree. The setting sun painted his feathers in watercolors of orange and violet.

He was waving at her with both arms. His wings flapped behind him excitedly. “Hey!!”

“I see you, Lloyd!” Colette waved back, her wings taking her further up into the sky. The leaves turned brighter from the light of her passing, and even the air around her seemed quieter too. She wondered if Martel was nearby, and if she would see her this time?

She only just barely broke past the tree’s canopy before Lloyd rushed to her with a great hug, tumbling them both through the air.

The feeling was almost electric; Colette’s wings fluttered to try and keep them upright, as well as from falling to the ground. But Lloyd’s arms were strong, his hands pressed against her back while his wings stayed outstretched to catch the gentle gusts of wind.

“We’re gonna fall!” she called out, except her voice was already devolving into laughter, mixing with Lloyd’s own.

“We’re fine, we’re fine!” Lloyd’s grin could be felt against her ear as he already kissed her cheek. The affection made her want to hold onto him even more. “I felt I was going crazy without you here.”

It was too easy for him to make her heart beat so fast at just a few simple words. But she didn’t let go, her fingers moving to interlock just at his back, to stroke at his feathers. “Hehe, it’s only been a few hours.”

“Really? It felt way longer!”

For a while, both held each other in the air, lifted by their wings; one made of light, the other of feathers. She could have been content to just stay, to just soak in his touch like nothing else. It seemed as if Lloyd was ready to just fall asleep in her arms like this—until he spoke again.

“…I think Martel could tell I was getting kinda bored.”

She tried to hold back her laughter, which came out as something like a sneeze instead. Lloyd moved back to pout at her. “It’s not that funny.”

“It’s a little bit! I wonder what Yuan would think?”

“Oh, I don’t even wanna know…”

Even as she slipped her grip from his shoulders, she felt his hand take hold of hers. His Exsphere, embedded in his thick glove, winked in the sunlight, and was warm as her thumb rubbed it absent mindedly. Looking at Lloyd against the backdrop of the Great Tree, she felt light. He still wore bright red, though no longer did he have suspenders on. His jacket was larger, the button clasps still fashioned tightly over his chest, and the longer hem pulled by the wind. Though he no longer sported flowing white ribbons, Colette knew if she let her hands wander around his collar, she’d find the bow she would tie up for him every morning.

He had also let his hair grow out slightly in the last few years, just slightly, with a lock or two sometimes falling over his forehead. It almost always called to her to push it aside, to let her fingers linger as she did so.

And of course, how bright and beautiful his wings were, framing both his face and smile.

With a gentle beat of his wings, Lloyd led her closer to the tree, to a certain spot among its branches. The more she looked at it, the more she understood just how much stronger it was getting, and just how fast it seemed to grow over these past few years.

But she could see the concerned expression on Lloyd’s face, even before he spoke.

“Martel says that she’s been sensing some unease in some parts of Sylvarant.” Lloyd sighed, leading them both to an outstretched branch that reached towards the west. “Probably those Vanguard guys again.”

Colette had known of that. The reunification of the world hadn’t been met with complete acceptance. Many feared Tethe’alla’s power, despite efforts from Zelos and Sheena to dissuade it. “It’s enough to affect the tree?”

Lloyd nodded, landing on the branch with her. It was steady, with just a small creaking of the wood, the leaves whispering as they seated themselves, as they would do when they were children and climbing up the trees around Iselia. “So along with the Exspheres, I’ll need to check on all of this, too.” He scratched the back of his head. “Sorry. I just keep dragging you around everywhere.”

Colette swung her legs from the branch. “You know I don’t mind. I can help talk with people, like Zelos does.” It was what she had already done on their travels. Not everyone would listen, and not everyone forgave the Chosen for not completing her journey, but there were still others who did, and in that forgiveness, she found more strength.

She grinned a little at a past memory, one that caught Lloyd’s curiosity. “Hey, what’s got you laughing now?”

“Just remembering when that little girl followed you around back in Asgard. I think your wings were her favorite. And you even helped her fly with you!”

Lloyd grinned slightly, all while still gripping her hand. “Heh… I don’t think her mom appreciated that though.”

“Oh, hehe. I guess you’re right.” Even so, that day had made her happy—seeing Lloyd comfortable, when once before, he hadn’t wanted to be seen at all.

The branch they sat on was more out in the open, allowing Lloyd’s wings enough space to stretch and fold evenly against his back, to not be too buffeted by leaves and other boughs. It had still taken time for Lloyd to show himself in public as he was now, with wings that evoked the angels of Cruxis. Some had even wondered if he was yet a third Chosen that had appeared with the reunion of the worlds.

But something Colette had always noticed during their travels, something dear to her, was how the children were always the very first to accept Lloyd, to reach out for his wings with no fear at all.

The glade where the Great Tree resided stretched out before them, the sky slowly turning to dusk. The tree was just tall enough to stand above most other trees of the area, allowing them a clear view of the mountains that lied to the south. Colette felt content, her free hand pressing against the bark, where the mana of the earth flowed through, while the other still lay in Lloyd’s palm.

“I saw Blippy today,” she finally mentioned, the color of his wings reminding her of that white fur.

“Oh! So he’s doing good?” Lloyd asked. She heard the little eagerness in his tone. “I think it’s been almost a year since I’ve seen him.”

“Yeah, he’s doing really good! Father loves having him around. He’s taking good care of him.”

Lloyd smiled at that. Before they had given Blippy to Frank, she would often find the kitten in Lloyd’s arms as he slept, positioned in a way to not put more weight on his wings.

After only a short while, Lloyd then gave such a great yawn that his jawbone audibly cracked from the effort. His wings fluffed a bit at the action, and his back stretched. “This place always makes me so sleepy…”

“If you want, you could sleep right now. I’ll watch over you.”

“I haven’t really mastered how to sleep on a branch without falling down though,” Lloyd answered, then winced slightly. “Also, I think I slept on my wings the other night. They’re a little achy.”

That only made Colette move closer so she could press her fingers into his wingspan. Feathers shifted at her touch, and she watched Lloyd’s eyes flutter shut at her massage. “Maybe I accidentally rolled onto them again…” she admitted.

“Aw, well, I like having them around you though.” He sighed happily, feeling her kneading touch. “Like…extra arms… or something.”

Colette smiled, her wings still out and illuminating his feathers with a gentle and familiar glow. “I also stayed a bit late when I was home, and I got worried I wouldn’t make it in time to see you, especially for today.”

Lloyd opened his eyes again. “Huh… Why’s today so important?”

Ah, Colette thought. She stuck out her tongue at him playfully. “Because,” she started with a little dramatic flair. “It’s today!”

Lloyd blinked, one of his wings curving around her once the aches went away. “You’re so dorky sometimes. Seriously, what’s so special about to… Uh…” He froze.

Colette found his shocked expression so cute that she had to cover up her giggles with a hand. “Did you forget again—?”

“I didn’t!” He paused, his face colored in tomato-red, just a shade brighter than his clothes. “Really! I knew your birthday was coming, just…not today… But I really didn’t forget! Promise!”

Teasing Lloyd was always a fun hobby of hers, but she tried to show him some mercy. “It’s okay, Lloyd. I really don’t mind at all! Especially when there’s been so much going on lately.”

“No, Colette, I’m really serious!” Lloyd leaned forward, taking her other hand in his. “I already have your birthday present!”

Now it was her turn to be speechless. The wind pushed aside her hair, the leaves of the Great Tree whispering all around her.

“Er, well, what I mean is… I made it ahead of time.” Lloyd threaded his fingers with hers, switching from looking at their hands and back to her face in intervals. “I really didn’t want you to not have a birthday present this year. Especially since…this is the first year that we’ve been…

Colette’s breath was caught when Lloyd took her hand in his—the hand that held the ring he had made for her. He touched that ring gently, biting his lip.

“So, I didn’t forget! Kind of, anyway. But, to give you your birthday present, I’m gonna need this for a second.”

Colette hadn’t expected it. She was still for a good solid moment until a distant bird call brought her back to reality. “Oh! But, how come?”

Through his flush, and the stray locks of hair she wanted to touch, he said, “Hey, trust me. I promise it’ll be good.”

She had no reason to deny that. And so, she held out her hand closer to him. He had been the one to first put it on her, after all.

Lloyd delicately slipped the ring from her finger. Even from their height, she knew he wouldn’t drop it. If it had been her, it could have slipped off her finger and fallen to the ground below, lost among the bushes. But instead, it stayed safe in Lloyd’s hold, looking small within his palm. The topaz that he embedded into the silver band glittered, along with the engraving of Sylvaranti letters alongside it.

She had read it so, so many times, yet it never failed to make her heart clench.

Lloyd was so adept with his hands, that his steadiness didn’t falter at all when he reached for a small box that he had within a hidden pocket in his jacket. It was several inches long, lengthwise, and made from oak that Lloyd must have carved himself. She remembered those few days when he had gone back to Dirk’s home a month ago. Was that when he had…?

He opened it, and inside it was a golden chain.

“Lloyd…” she whispered, watching eagerly as he picked it up. And with his deft fingers, he had opened the clasp to slide her ring onto that same chain.

“Hold on,” he said, seeing how she was about to speak. He grinned. “I’m not done yet.”

Using his teeth, Lloyd pulled at his right glove. The leather came off, and there, on his ring finger, was a golden band that matched hers, but with ruby for its jewel. The red matched his clothes, matched the blushes he would give when embarrassed, matched the passion she would feel from him in their kisses.

He took off that ring, slid it onto the same chain, and then shut the clasp. Both of their rings clinked against each other, the setting sun reflecting off the cut jewels, making them shine even more.

Lloyd offered the necklace to her. “Is it alright if I…?”

Colette didn’t hesitate this time. She nodded rapidly, then quickly turned around, lifting her hair so that no strands would get caught. Her wings were out, still, but they moved through him, her mana mixing with his. It sent soft warmth across her neck at the sensation.

She still wore the necklace he had first given her years ago; a birthday present given late, fashioned and re-fashioned numerous times, so that it could counter the once crystal sickness that had run rampant on her skin. The runes inscribed onto it had faded a bit with time, the golden surface of it scratched from so much use. After so long wearing it, Altessa had told them that any threat from her disease should no longer be a reality. She would not revert to her soulless state, especially now that she could better control her angelic artes and senses.

Yet, Colette still wore the necklace. Nothing else had been more precious.

But she trusted Lloyd when he unclasped that childhood necklace, to be replaced by the new one. She felt the rings bounce against her dress, the chain cool on her skin. Lloyd’s fingers, both gloved and ungloved, brushed her skin as he fixed the clasp.

“Dad helped me out with the chain,” Lloyd said. “He made sure it still had the runes on it, just in case.” She heard him clear his throat, caught the white patch of a wing near her side. “I know you were worried about losing your ring, so… I thought this would help! And necklaces are harder to miss…”

Colette turned back to him, finding that same red flush on his cheeks that she had always known. Her fingers reached to clutch at their wedding rings, both of them, and how close they were to her heart. “This is so… But, now that I have yours, too…”

“Heh, about that… I made another! See?” He went ahead and pulled off his other red glove, wiggling his fingers to show off a similarly-crafted ring, with the same design of the ruby and inscription on the band. “I thought it would be cool if I had two of them! And then when I thought of your necklace, I figured I could use one of them for it. But I still get to wear this one!

He cleared his throat again, as if just hearing how silly that all was when said out loud. “A-anyway, I really wanted it to be special. Oh, and,” he held out the carved box that the chain had been in, putting in the older necklace in its confines. “If you still want to keep this one or wear it again, it’s here. But… I really hope you like this new one I made.”

And with another shaky breath, his nervousness both endearing and wonderful, Lloyd told her, “Happy birthday.”

Maybe it was the way it was said in the setting sun, or maybe it was how his wings caught the light, reflecting so many colors just then. Was it the closeness of the Great Tree? The mana that existed all around them, but could be seen in their wings? She thought he had never looked so beautiful then.

Well, except once.

So it was this time that Colette rushed to him in a sudden hug, laughing happily, and kissing his lips when she could. “Thank you, Lloyd! I love you!”

And if they happened to have fallen off the branch and knocked aside some leaves before finding their balance in the air, that was okay too. She was sure Martel would forgive them.

--

.

.

.

When Colette and Lloyd got married, Dirk had helped fashion the groom’s clothes, for Lloyd could not just go to any regular tailor. His wings made it difficult just to wear most things, but his father was all too happy to make the clothes special for his son. For he could invoke all his love in every stitch, all his pride in the chosen fabric color.

Colette remembered how Lloyd’s wings that day were so grand, how their white color matched her own dress. She could barely pay attention to much else at all, to their friends, to their families, to anything else. Just Lloyd’s wonderful smile, and the way their hands linked together.

“Hey,” he had whispered to her once it was over. Her lips were still tingling from their kiss, just now catching her breath. “I love you.”

His wings seemed to catch colors then. Maybe it had been from the setting sun, for the feathers tinged with orange, or maybe it had been from her wings, for the feathers were painted violet. Yet, she thought there was more, an array of colors from cerulean to ruby, from silver to gold.

She reached out to touch them, whispering her love to him as she stroked those feathers, as she watched his wings curl around her. He's beautiful, she thought, melting in his hold.

For Colette had always loved every part of Lloyd.

[queen0fm0nsterz]

I saw you post about Seafarers, but to me, your finest work will always be Fifteen Notes to You, reread all of it the other day and... yeah, it still hits like a fucking bullet train.

I genuinely don't think it's possible to capture Mono's descent into insanity better than you did here. It reminds me a little of The Last Weekend from the anthology Inside no.9, in that, you know, both from the story itself and the context it exists in, that it won't have a happy ending, but the humanization of the characters just forces you to cling to hope that something will go right. But that rarely, if ever, happens in The Nowhere.

FNTY... Now THAT'S a name I haven't heard in years...

Thank you so much!!!! I'm super grateful to see folks still enjoy my old stories :)it seems to be the general consensus even among my friends that FNTY is the best complete fic I've put out. Reading thru the comments, I remember one of a person who told me that it made them cry - and the comment made ME cry LMAOOOOOOO😭

I'm very proud of it myself as it was not only my first published fic, but my first multichaptered fic I ever completed as well. Though I am a slow writer (SEAFARERS CHAPTER 5 IS IN THE WORKS😭), for FNTY it was never because I had excessive trouble figuring out what to put on paper - especially never when in regards to the letters themselves. The most troubling parts were the in betweens, funnily enough.

Mono and Thin Man come very naturally to me when writing. I think it may be because I tend to interpret them as having very big feelings... like myself, I guess. And since the story itself is short, I suppose that I managed to make the thing itself feel like there are many big feelings in a tiny box. I will admit I got emotional myself a couple of times... then went on to edit like nothing was wrong LMAOOOO like this is how I looked writing and then editing vvv

For Seafarers, the emotional payoff has yet to come, and it will be different -- considering we have World's Most Emotionally Constipated Woman and Our Strongest Soldier (the PTSD has yet to hit because she's still actively experiencing the horrors) as the protagonists this time.

Six and the Lady are both considerably harder to write for me. I had my chance to write the Big Feeler at the very beginning because the stakes there were skyrocketing from the getgo, but now things have gotten considerably more... silent. The feelings are there but they're all kept in. OUGHHHHHHHHH

I also can't wait to introduce more stuff; I've been writing down concepts for shadow magic and powers, how the Maw works, the various things the Lady of the Maw has to look after to keep it afloat... and the Ladies. Look, I'll say that I'm really happy with what I'm doing with Teapot and Rascal. And with Teapot in general. I really like the characterization I pulled out of my ass LMAOOOOOO and the DESIGN... ok so I'm willing to share a couple of the Teapot's I've doodled

(She's genuinely very silly [read: sick in the head]... i gave all the Ladies some nice additional details because. Ik the point is that they all look very similar but I love designing outfits fuck it this is MY au i do what I want)

So right now I have a suspicion that Seafarers will hit better when it's finished and can be read from beginning to end. Since it's longer (I plan it to be... around 15 chapters? A bit longer if the events require it to be.), there will be more time to let the stuff brew until it reaches its climax as intended.

[zhongrin]

ok so this isn't really selfshippy but can i just say that i love xingqiu with my whole heart /p?? he is so "sworn sibling"/"twin" coded for me. he was one of my first four stars and was part of the team that i refused to switch out/change all the way til i reached inazuma (where i was violently humbled by the raiden shogun and got kokomi to carry me through the whole thing lol). he's one of the ogs of my acc (alongside kaeya, beidou, and aether) so he is very precious to me

i gave him his own room in my teapot (and one of his fave sets too!) and sometimes, when i have nothing to do or i want to read smth on my phone but dont want to close the game, i pull him up on the character screen and just chill there with him while he does his idles and i do whatever. i like to imagine that whenever i do end up reading a little longer than i thought, hes peeking over my shoulder and trying to see if whatever im reading is something he can use to tease me or something we can read together while he sits beside me.

i dont have any siblings close to me in age, but if in some universe i did get lucky enough to get a twin, id want them to be like xingqiu. i love that guhua geek. i will put carrots in his bowl during family dinners so i can barter with him (ill take his carrots but he also has to give me either more slices of meat or take my fish fillets). i will go with him to qingce village so i can dig through his warehouse of novels for something to read, and write all of my thoughts and comments on a separate sheet of paper for him to read too, when he wants. i think hed make fun of the annotations i put into my own personal collection of books, because theyre almost never actually anything of substance and read more like wattpad comments lmao but i think hed like reading them bc it gives him a better insight to how i think and why i act the way i act (and i think hed also start to look forward to finishing chapters of the books ive annotated bc most of the time, theres usually a separate sheet of paper that ive stuck into it detailing my more coherent thoughts and analyses of things i found interesting in the chapter). id love to go adventuring with him and chongyun (and xiangling too, when shes able to leave their restaurant!) and get into heated, but playful arguments about whether or not his actions still fall under chivalry or "unwanted meddling" haha

ok sorry for the long ask, i just have a lot of Emotions about he so tl;dr my bro xingqiu, i very much admire and love him, even when hes being a brat and an annoying brother

a platonic/familial f/o! i consider that selfship too, just not the romantic kind! and i think it's perfectly normal!! just as valid and fun as the romantic ones <3

that is utterly, earth-shatteringly adorable omg??? i don't think i can even add to this bc your dynamic is already so adorable and wholesome wahhhh you even gave him a room in your teapot... i'm sure he's overjoyed to have a special home where he can read in peace and 'escape' to every now and then hehe

twins and siblings huh... i am. thinking. if it comes to a character in genshin, honestly... i might get along with diluc as a sibling??? he is literally my brother irl that i'm closest to (minus the whole batman thing ofc) lmaoooo but... the whole stoic and aloof demeanor, the stubborn unwavering belief he has in his values, likes to do things his own way to a fault, the whole 'it's not like i don't like you; i just never express it and prefer to protect & watch you from afar in my own way' schtick.... omg their personalities are so similar it's almost scary help-

also when are brothers not annoying cmon now lol 

[hiraya-rawr]

If you need a wishing ritual, build a little platform in your teapot, and place a bench in the upper middle area. Put your euphonium(the vase-like record player thing) nearby. Partially surround the bench with flowers, shrubs and/or lanterns, and place a few crystalflies of your desired character’s element/nation. Place a cute tree nearby, and then decorate the remaining space with things you associate with the character you like.

You can also do this inside your teapot house, if you’re fine without the crystalflies. Just place a bunch of lanterns down and put a bench in front of some nice bookshelves and paintings(if you have them). You can honestly rely on a few premade sets if you’re feeling too lazy to design something yourself.

After you’ve finished building this space, change your realm’s music with your euphonium, and sit down on your bench. Pull, and hope the Gacha gods have mercy.

TL:DR — Redecorate a small space in your teapot, and hope all goes well. I say this because I managed to pull 8 four stars in 20 pulls, sitting on my bench in my teapot. Good luck with your Al Haitham pulls!

that's... quite a ritual you have there. BUT THE TEAPOT PART!! yeah, I try to give everyone their own space as much as I can! especially a little tea hut outdoors where the party can relax.

[jones-friend]

So recently I took it upon myself to watch through all the Fantastic Beasts series. Why? Because after the subpar release of Secrets of Dumbledoor all plans to continue making Fantastic Beasts movies have been axed. The series pulled a Divergent and got cancelled before it finished its series. It is also far past the initial wave of hype of its release, and with all the movies being on HBOMax I did not pay money to see these outside the subscription fee I already pay.

And oh goodness, goodness this is not the viewing experience I expected.

So the first movie is the one that acts the most like a movie. There’s characters with motivations and their actions drive the plot forward. I’m fairly certain JKR did not research 1920′s New York but she never makes the history relevant. So you win some you lose some. The premise is Newt Scamander is a wizard conservationist and his beasts get loose in New York, and they have to gather them back up. Unlike the rest of the movies in this series there are scenes I did like here, for example one winged snake grows to fill its habitat and they have to trick it into going inside a teapot to shrink it back down. It’s delightful.

The actors also bring a lot to what would be some flat characters. Eddie Redmayne specifically plays a Newt Scamander on the autistic spectrum without the movie making a big deal out of it, which makes me think this was a choice by the actor and not the writer. The characters have a wonderful charisma and all the actors are having a great time, its very easy to see why there’s so much fanfiction on this series bc of how underutilized everything is.

There’s a number of missteps, and the movie in my brain is better than the real one bc there’s a number of one off lines they could give to help fix things. And part of the problem I have with JKR’s world is that spells are just kind of nonsense. Newt fixes an entire apartment complex by waving his wand. A lot of her racism is still VERY present here as well, and the UK wizards taking pot shots at the US wizards for being unable to marry muggles is. A choice.

The second movie is where the problems begin. As Dumbledoor gets involved he becomes the main character over Newt. The second and third movies do not have to do with magical creature conservation, the creatures become MacGuffins (the item everyone wants) rather than what the movie interacts with. When we do get a scene interacting with Fantastic Beasts its a surprise, a breath of fresh air. Her terrible wizard politics come back and now Wizard Hitler wants to stop world war II, so its up to our wizarding pals to put an end to his evil deeds. It isn’t good.

But the third movie was something special. Out of all these the first can be a fun movie on its own, the second is Not Great, but the third movie is so unique. I have never had a moviegoing experience where the entire movie fell out of my brain immediately after the credits rolled. The issue is none of the scenes have connective tissue and the movie doesn’t set up or pay off enough elements, so this movie is extremely hard to recall in the correct order of scenes. It was like the men in black neurolized me immediately after the movie was over. So I’ll do my best to recall the plot here:

Newt helps a magical creature called a Qilin give birth. He’s attacked by Evil Wizards and is knocked out, one of his creatures flying him back home. Apparently the Qilin is an important creature to the wizarding world bc it bows to pure of heart wizards and decides wizard president. So it was giving birth 100% alone in the wild unprotected as evil wizards descended on it. Wizard Hitler steals the baby Qilin to make it choose him as wizard president. He also kills it bc its blood lets him see the future inaccurately. Bc of this Dumbledoor assembles wizard avengers and tells them the only way we can combat this is to not have a plan. An hour and a half of not having a plan passes. Wizard Hitler has zombie’d the baby qilin and will use it to become wizard president, but the other high profile expert wizards can’t tell he reanimated it like a puppet. There is a series of action scenes in the same physical set and then the zombie qilin bows to Wizard Hitler, but the good guys bring the secret twin qilin to the ceremony and tell it your undead sister can’t hear you. Then the blood pact necklace that kept Dumbledoor and Wizard Hitler from fighting decides to break and there’s a short fight scene. Then the movie stops.

I’m not trying to exaggerate, make hyperbole, it’s really interesting how unconnected all of this mess is. I wouldn’t recommend watching through the Fantastic Beasts movies as bad movies. I would say the first has good moments and isn’t a wholly bad movie, but that third one. There’s something really special about the third one. Its the only one to have the decency to leave nothing behind after it concludes.

[tirsden]

Bahahaha... was not expecting that, but I'm honestly happy for them. The "always wishing challenge" on Asia got mister snakey-snake at somewhere between 15 and 20 pity... they're the eternal AR35 fish/farm world that my no-wishing challenge (AR59) very rarely steals stuff from. These days they mostly just raid each other's teapots for spincrystals. Both of those challenges are also pure f2p. As to the always-wishies, I was mostly looking to bag the free Gorou from the event since they don't have him in their mess of a roster, and getting specific characters with their particular challenge rules (and being extremely neglected in general) is really hard.

So they can has da puppers. And a doctah. I'll probably build the latter in bits here and there, since the only other place I have him is the US f2p challenge (AR60).

The rules I've been using for the "always wishing" challenge from the day they started, for those who are curious:

Primos must be used on limited banners immediately as soon as they reach 160 (and never used on anything else but wishes), and all pink fates must be used immediately on limited banners. Limited banners means the ones that take pink fates, aka the limited 5-star character banner(s), Chronicled Wish banner, and the weapon banner. If you do not want to pull the current limited 5-star character banner(s) or Chronicled Wish, you must pull the weapon banner.

Blue fates must be used immediately to clear out the Beginner banner and then go into Standard immediately and indefinitely.

Starglitter must be used immediately to buy pink fates whenever possible, with Stardust immediately going first to pink fates and then to blue fates when there are no pink ones available. Excess Stardust can only be used on Dust of Azoth, and only in the amount you need to ascend a character right now that has everything else ready to go except for gems in the right color, and only when there are no pink or blue fates in the Stardust store. Starglitter can never be used to buy store characters, weapons, or materials, because it must always be used on pink fates.

P.S. Baizhu's tryout mode does him so dirty. Xingqiu makes sense but why the feck did they put Lisa in there, and no fourth character? Dendro traveler would have been perfect, and boot Lisa for Kuki. Or keep Lisa and have Xiangling in the last spot for burgeon option / dendro kitchen sink comp.

[kyogre-blue]

For the last couple weeks, I've been on a big grinding kick in Genshin again... it's been something, that's for sure. But I got a lot done (for some reason).

On alt:

Obtained Baizhu C2

Obtained Ayato

triple crowned Diluc, Kaeya and Zhongli, with also enough books for Childe to be triple crowned whenever I finally get him

Did the Narzissen quest line and explored a good chunk of Fontaine

...bought some cute wings...

I'm more or less finished off the Mond book domain. There's only Anemo Traveler left at 6/6/6, but since swirl scales from EM anyway, the talent levels aren't important enough for me to do another 114 gold books right now (for context, that's two weeks or so of doing the mond book domain every single day).

I did buy Welkin, so I'm going to keep logging in for the next few weeks, but I'm going to take it easy otherwise. My only current plan is to mess around in the teapot. I've finished another of the farming achievements, so I'll take the opportunity to rearrange the second area of Emerald Peak (since I can remove those fields). That should complete it, since I finally furnished the fourth area, and I've got some plans for Floating Abode next.

For future grinding, I should do artifacts (Deepwood/Gilded, then Emblem) and also the slow march to triple crown the next batch (Baizhu, Qiqi, Ayato). For future pulls, my priority will be Itto, Childe, and Neuvillette (for his kit lol), but since I don't care about the 4 stars now that I have C4 Thoma, it's just a matter of dumping everything I have into whoever comes around first and whether I get them or not isn't really pressing. The pity will carry over anyway. (Alhaitham and Wriothesley will be skips for now.)

On main:

prefarmed Navia levelling stuff (no artifacts or weapon for now, pending what the build guides will say)

obtained Kirara, currently finishing her last ascension

done most of Fontaine exploration, with every area except the Court at 100%

finished all world quests that aren't gated by the archon quest

finished all achievements except the commission and archon quest ones

Man, Genshin exploration is so... you just turn your brain off, and then suddenly it's six hours later. Repeatedly. Still kinda fun seeing the numbers go up though. Hopefully, the final region will be pretty small and easy to complete... But I'm 8 hydroculi short, which is not a good sign, since I can't get the resonance stone formula (no archon quests = no reputation).

The world quests this time were kind of a mixed bag, but mostly a miss. I liked the stuff about the Melusines and Elynas, very uh Durin-style. Generally, the Melusines kind of grew on me, though I still don't like their design, especially the bottom half. I liked the Pahsiv quest too, and unexpectedly the final little quest with Lanoire. (The handling of the camera on the small interactions at the very end?? Dang, who knew Genshin could do that kind of fine detail.) However, I really did not care about the Narzissenkreuz at all, or the Fontaine Research Institute stuff. The Narzissen fiasco was especially very tedious and convoluted. I know it's setting up Sandrome, but like... a perfect example of the issues with Genshin's lore and how it negatively warps the current day storyline, plus the worst of their excesses.

I'm going to be rolling for Navia in 4.3 because she is Geo (easy guarantee to get her, with 150 saved wishes, 10 pity, and 22K primos), and I'm considering the weapon banner. I think it'll come down to what the 4 stars will be (I really want Akuoumaru refines, so I might decide based on which half it's on). I did also fish for Kirara on the Ayato banner, and I did get her within 20 pulls, so that was great. She was the last pre-Fontaine 4 star I was missing, and I wanted to go ahead and build her. I'm not taking the Fontaine 4 stars past lv20, and now the only "backlog" character I am missing is Dehya.

I also... got Qiqi C1 in those twenty or so pulls. So hey, guarantee on Navia, which will put me quite a bit over budget. I can save for supposedly-Geo Chiori and Arlecchino, who has actual pants, holy shit. (That said, where's my Mond boy, Mihoyo??)

This 4.2 patch and the upcoming 4.3 one have some nice QoL updates, which bring some much needed minor conveniences. For me, the most impactful was probably the ability to quickstart weekly bosses. (Farming Apep on my alt to finally get some Dendro crystals, god...) But shout out to being able to unlock but not start story quests, and being able to replace daily commissions with exploration or events.

For next patch, we'll be able to one-click collect and resend expeditions and start at the key when doing a domain multiple times. Tiny things but holy shit, they're finally actually updating something. Man, if I drag this out enough, maybe they'll let you quickstart reputation too. And maybe even a goddamn skip button one day... we can dream.

But I gotta say the most exciting thing for next patch is probably the annual Lost Riches rerun with the new water-capable mini seelie. Really want that for my alt, where I have almost no pets.

[xiaophilia]

|| SAGAU ||

Note! Here is my take on self aware/sentient Genshin characters.I should've posted this first but I'm dumb so here u go. This has been in my notes for quite some time already so I decided to finish this first before I move on to my requests and other stuff I plan on writing. Also new format!

❬information: so far there are no disturbing topics so this can be taken as sfw❭

✎...Includes:....

Intro : Genshin had always been your comfort game. From the graphics to the characters—in you're eyes it was absolutely perfect. But you can't help but notice the sudden changes your game has been getting these past few days.

Were they bugs? No. Pretty sure they aren't. Well they are in a way... But they're certainly not harmful. Quite the opposite to be honest...you ignore them at first but the changes—they're getting more and more strange as the time goes by....

More under the cut!

Now you see the changes start out subtle in fact they were so subtle you barely notice them at all well at least at first. Like how your materials (flowers and fruits mostly) seem to increase every time you log in. The numbers start to drastically increase that even if you're not the type to keep count of the amount it becomes pretty noticeable.

The quality of your graphics start to improve despite playing on low or medium. The improvement is even better in comparison to the highest, since everything starts to become sort of realistic...?

Also whenever farming for artifacts comes you always get one with really good stats. Farming for ascension materials also becomes really easy—it's as if the world itself favors you.

Character cool down becomes really really fast, especially Childe's. Their attacks also start to become increasingly stronger—even when their builds or their weapons are shitty.

And speaking of characters, when pulling on banners you seem to get more than one five star every 10 pull especially on limited timed character banners. You aren't even close to pity but how come you already have a c3 Itto and two Dilucs? In one 10 pull nonetheless. Maybe it's just your insane luck? Or maybe the gacha gods are showing you mercy? Either way you're not really complaining, that's for sure.

All of those are on the more tamer side of the changes.

When in the teapot realm your characters just suddenly and randomly disappears at times and the same time characters you don't put in the teapot do the opposite. That being said missing characters just appear in the overworld; Jean in the Favonious headquarters as well as Kaeya (sometimes in taverns), Eula, Amber, Sucrose and Noelle, Lisa being in the library. While Barbara and Rosaria are in the church.

You'd often spot Diluc in Angel share's or in Dawn winery. Albedo would be sometimes spotted in Dragonspine standing in his lab or in Favonious Hq. Venti under the huge tree in Windrise.

Xiao in wangshu inn, Zhongli and Hu tao in the funeral parlor while Childe can be spotted in the bank.

It's a rather neat feature. But you'd later find out that's it's not a feature, well it is... But for some reason only you have it. You tried reaching out to Mihoyo themselves. You honestly didn't want it gone but you were afraid your game was glitched in some way but even the company themselves couldn't "fix" it. Well you're stuck with it.

Despite it not being harmful to your game or device it still bothers you quite a bit but not to an extent that you want to stop playing the game.

Also you notice that NPC's seem to be more livelier- having more diverse dialogues than you're used to—some of them mentioning something about an all powerful God who created everything—another part of the game lore perhaps?

Speaking of dialogues, you were start to get the feeling that your characters voice lines are starting to be aimed towards you instead of the traveler—it gets more suspiciously obvious when the traveler themselves start to do the same.

Also pretty fucking sure a few of them said your name at least once. Not your in game username but you real name. And it freaked you out. But at the same time it also made you a tad bit fascinated... The urge to discover more about the hidden secrets only you can find was starting to get to you—but the fear of discovering something you're not meant to know holds you back.

Oh...What to do? This game truly is wonderful.

Second part here....Osjsndjdjd planning to do a second part where I'll be covering the characters more. Note that this may have some similarities with other SAGAU writers so as a disclaimer, this is inspired by other SAGAU writers

[coffee-obsessed-writer]

The Pact - Part 10

Sam Winchester x Crowley's!Daughter Reader

Gothic AU

Series Summary: Lord Samuel Winchester has lost the love of his life due to the actions of the Demon King, Crowley. As he plots secret revenge, his father, the King of Lawrence, decrees that Sam will wed Crowley’s daughter in order to unite the two families to protect the sacred ground the Winchester’s Kingdom is built upon.

Pairing: Sam Winchester x Crowley’s Daughter!Reader

Other Characters: John Winchester, Crowley, Rowena, Dean Winchester, Bobby Singer, Pamela Barnes, Jessica Moore (deceased)

Chapter Summary: Sam and his wife are on the run, John and Crowley are at odds on how to proceed in finding their children. However, while they are too wrapped up in their own agendas, the greatest danger is still out there lurking.

WC: 11.9K

Warnings: Implied smut, childbirth, blood.

A/N: At the end of the Chapter.

Also a HUGE thank you to my bestie @kazosa, if it wasn’t for her, this story wouldn’t exist. She’s helped me with this from the very beginning, so this is just as much her story, as it is mine.

Pairing: Sam Winchester x Crowley’s Daughter!Reader

Other Characters: John Winchester, Crowley, Rowena, Dean Winchester, Bobby Singer, Pamela Barnes, Jessica Moore (deceased)

The days following the party were passing slowly. Bobby and Pamela tried to devise a plan of action, and once they felt good about where you and Sam should go, the Rift Storm made it impossible to leave the hut. On the third day, Bobby felt safe enough to travel back to the castle to see how much fallout there was, and if the King was still standing. 

On the morning of the fourth day, you woke to find your husband, conferring with Pamela outside the hut, speaking in hushed voices. You knew how scared Sam was for your well being, but as much as he tried to hide it, he had concern for his father as well. The impulse to eavesdrop on their conversation was strong, but the love you had for Sam was enough to trust that their conversation was not meant for your ears, so you went into the small area Pamela used as a kitchen. 

Putting the old, cast iron kettle to the fire, you went about fixing some herbal tea to hopefully calm your unsettled stomach. Unsure if it was from the stress of the situation, or the baby that grew inside you, either way you knew that traveling by horseback would make it worse if you didn’t do something to try and calm it. The night before, you and Sam had gathered the few things Pamela had given you for supplies, and prepared it all to leave that day. Pamela and Bobby knew of a place, well hidden in the Elven Woods, that you could call home for the time being. Pamela’s impatience to once again move locations was growing stronger, and she made no attempt to hide it from either of you. 

When the kettle was ready, you sat at the same table where she had read you days before. As the scalding water slowly poured into the teapot, Sam and Pamela made their way inside, and smiled when they saw you making the tea.

“Sure you’re not a psychic yourself?” Pamela asked and groped to find the chair to pull out and sit down.

“I wish,” you mused and began to share the tea into cups as Sam came around to you, lovingly kissed the top of your head, and took the seat beside you. “My stomach is queasy, thought this would help before we have to leave. This tea seems to help.”

“I made sure you had some in your pack,” Pamela smiled and gratefully took the tea that you guided towards her hands. “You should have everything you need in there. But, that area of the woods should have a lot growing wild you could use. Berries, herbs, mushrooms, along with some very poisonous roots, so–”

“Be careful,” you finished for her. “I know, I’ve made sure to know my herbs. Well, Rowena made sure I learned them.”

Pamela grunted a sigh and sipped at her tea. “Yes, Rowena. I know she’s your grandmother, but, Y/N, you know that she is a witch who’s magic isn’t always on the up and up. Trusting her…”

“Oh, I know that, too. Despite her being relatively kind to me over the years, I can sense her darkness. I know she and my father despise each other. But that doesn’t mean I would trust her outright. She’ll help me as long as there isn’t a higher purpose that would serve her better.”

“Well, as long as you keep your guard up, you should be fine. Besides, even she couldn’t find the spot where you’re going.”

The way Pamela said it, made you feel uneasy. You shared a pensive glance with Sam before going back to drinking your tea. 

“Where is that, exactly?” Sam asked. 

“Not too far, but the whole place is warded. Grounds and all. Even if Rowena were to cast her most powerful location spell, she would not be able to find you.”

“I wouldn’t put it past Crowley to ask her to do just that,” you replied, knowing that your father will do whatever he needs to find you.

“I promise, you’ll be protected there. It's one of my safe houses, a small cottage out on the outskirts of the woods. Should there be any trouble, there’s an escape route through the root cellar. I’ll show you when we get there.”

As you had worried, the ride through the woods was a bit rougher than you had hoped. Remnants of the Rift Storm were high enough that every so often the horses would feel the electricity in the air and get spooked. Sam insisted that you ride with him, in case one of the horses tried to rear up and throw you off. You wanted to say no, but could see the worry etched into his sweet face, and couldn’t deny him. All he wanted was for you and your son to be safe, and you would not add to his concern.

The roof of the cottage came into view and it struck you as familiar. Looking at your surroundings, you realized that you were nearing the same place you and Sam had run into on your first outing into the woods. Far off to your right was that tree you had encountered that day, and now realized why you had been so drawn to it. It must have held a powerful warding, and that kind of energy would easily have given you the feeling you felt emitting from it. 

Pamela pulled up the reigns on her mare, and Sam followed suit on Dean’s prize stallion. 

“This is the place,” she said as she carefully dismounted the horse. She had been leading the third horse, carrying the supply packs, and led them over to the post on the side of the cottage to tie them up. “Haven’t been here in a while, but I think you’ll find it cozy.”

“Oddly enough,” Sam started, dismounted, then reached for your hand to help you down, “we have been here.”

“What?” Pamela turned and asked sharply. “When?”

“Feels like a lifetime ago,” he mused, then looked softly in your direction, “but maybe a few weeks ago. It was right after the wedding. Y/N and I came out here…” Sam paused, his expression falling into something more somber. He still had your hands in his and gave them a loving squeeze. “My Lady, I don’t feel as if I apologized enough for that day. What I did… then, for you to so easily forgive me and help me the way you did. I cannot imagine, with things as they are now, that I ever tried to…”

You brought his hands to your lips and left a soft kiss. “Husband, I’ve forgotten all about it. We didn’t know then that we would really fall in love, and be grateful for this arrangement. You were angry, and you lashed out. I know that feeling, so how could I not forgive you.”

“Ok lovebirds, let’s get inside so this one can rest. I know you’re not far along, but you will find your energy low, a lot. And something tells me you are going to need that energy to get through this pregnancy.”

As the months passed, and as the season began to change from the summer warmth to an autumn chill, the swell of your stomach also grew. The first few weeks had flown by in great contrast to the first few days after the party. Once Pamela had left you and Sam on your own, you hadn’t seen her again. She made quick work of packing up her things and disappearing into the breeze. Bobby did come by several times with fresh supplies of food and clothing, along with some herbal medicines he thought necessary to keep you healthy and strong through your pregnancy. 

The first time Bobby arrived, Sam grilled him about the King, but Bobby would always be vague and sparse with the information. All he would say is that John was still in power, but there had been a surge of unrest throughout Lawrence. Bobby promised it was handled, and that Sam’s only concern should be laying low and caring for you. Once you had asked about Crowley, and all Bobby could do was shake his head and shrug. It was a relief of course, but also left a bad taste in your mouth. If Crowley wasn’t out causing trouble to find your location, he must be up to something even bigger, and that didn’t sit well with you or Sam. 

Finally, settled into your quiet lives at the cottage, you and Sam found time to just be together. In all the chaotic aftermath of the party, you didn’t realize how much you both needed it. For once, there were no formalities; no reason to stand on occasion for the King or your father, and it felt wonderful. Most days, your mornings started off with tea and freshly baked bread brought to you in bed, with a bouquet of wildflowers. Sam’s hip continued to hold strong, so he would go out and chop as much firewood as he could to make sure you’d be stocked through the fall and winter. 

For as big as your belly had grown, you still insisted on doing your part to keep the quaint home in order. Living this calm, domestic life was all you never realized you wanted. The grandeur of the Winchester castle had enamored you, but this slow, less materialistic life was just what you needed. One of the last warm days of early autumn, Sam was out hunting, hoping to bring back a deer. You decided to make a pie with the fresh berries that he had gathered the day before as a surprise for him. When he passed through the doors empty handed, he slumped down into the chair at the table and grunted. 

“I had one in my sights, but a damn murder of crows flew overhead and spooked it.”

“Awww, my poor husband,” you crooned and wiped the flour from your hands before going to him. Carefully sitting across his lap, you kissed his pouty lips and smiled. “We have plenty in storage for now.”

“I know, but I was hoping more for the pelt so I could have it dried and ready in time to give you as an extra blanket. It’s going to start getting cold soon.”

“Oh, well,” you smirked and placed your arms around his neck, “I can think of other ways for you to keep me warm.”

Sam’s expression brightened, and when he smiled it showed off his dimples. Something that still made your heart skip a beat. He pulled you in a little closer and tipped his face up to yours. “Now, that’s a fantastic solution.”

As you leaned down to kiss him again, his arms held you tighter, and the desire for him to take you to bed ran through you like a warm summer wind. He must have had the same feeling, because you could see his desire burning in his eyes. Pregnant or not, it had not stopped the two of you from exploring each other in ways that you never would have been able to living at the castle. Here, you were freer with each other; taking any and every opportunity to act on the passion that continued to grow. 

Sam’s hand ran up your back and tangled into your hair, pressing your lips down to his greedily. A soft moan escaped you as his tongue parted your mouth, wanting as much of you as he could get. You let him, because you wanted him at that moment more than anything. Sam pulled back, his eyes wandering over your features as his fingers continued to stroke through your hair. 

“I don’t know how I got so lucky,” he started, then brushed a stray lock of hair that had fallen across your face. “Through everything, the pact, the wedding, our fathers, that party… it was all worth it because in the end, I have you. I’m still angry with John, but having you as my wife, the mother of my child, brings me so much happiness. I love you, Y/N.”

“I love you too, husband. I promise you, your son and I will always be by your side. No matter what happens. When I was Crowley’s pawn living in that godforsaken place, I would dream of what it would be like to live anywhere else. I would picture big, beautiful places, like Winchester castle, or a posh home somewhere near the sea. I even thought I would be happier as a peasant on the streets, as long as I wasn’t there. But this life here that we’ve made, is better than anything I could have thought of. Because not once in any of those past day dreams did I imagine that I would have a man like you by my side.”

Sam slowly began to stand up from the chair, making sure you were safely on your feet before fully rising. He reached around behind your neck and untied the apron you had on. He noticed the ingredients on the counter and the messy apron and smiled. “Do you think you could finish your pie later?”

Looking back over your shoulder, forgetting that you had even wanted to bake, you turned back to Sam with a playful smirk.

“Pie? What pie? Besides, I think there is something in the bedroom I need to show you…” 

Removing the apron and tossing it aside, you began to unbutton your dress as you walked backwards towards the room. Sam quickly followed, removing his boots and some of his clothes along the way. His eyes never left you. By the time you reached the bedroom, he was pawing at the clothes you had remaining, skillfully taking them off and throwing them aside. 

The room itself was dark, only illuminated by the fading light coming through the drawn curtains. It was enough though, that you could see your husband standing before you completely nude and very ready to take you to bed. His eyes continued to wander over your body as his lips pulled into one of the smiles that made you weak in the knees. Sam bent down to one knee, and lovingly kissed your swollen belly, before rising and kissing up to your breast, then neck. The intensity you both had a moment ago wasn’t as strong, but the desire was. He swept you up into his arms, carried you around the side of the bed and gently laid you down. 

Sam crawled onto the bed beside you and his hands excitedly caressing your skin, and caused a shudder of anticipation. You wanted to wrap yourself around him, but he shook his head and gently pushed you onto your back so he could have access to all of you. The amount of love that had grown between you, resulted in a shared lust that felt impossible to maintain. Anytime Sam touched you, even in a casual way, made you ache for him. He had been a ravenous lover; sometimes animalistic, other times, gentle and sweet. That night he took you into his arms and made love to you more than once, each time bringing you to a place of ecstasy and unsure if your body could handle any more. 

Eventually, both of you caved to rest, and you fell asleep tangled up in each other; content and peaceful. When you woke the next morning, he was still next to you softly snoring. It was the first time in a while he hadn’t woken before you and greeted you with breakfast in bed. Wanting to return the favor, you quietly got up from the bed and put on the cotton robe lying across the chair by the window. Peeking outside after putting it on, you could tell it would be another beautiful day. There wouldn’t be too many more like it, so you thought maybe you would join Sam out on a hunt later, if he didn’t object. He did like to be out there on his own, but after the night you two had shared, you didn’t want to spend the day apart. 

Going about the small kitchen, you fixed a tray of buttered bread, strawberry jam and tea, and cooked a few of the deer sausages you had made with Sam’s last Buck he brought back. The aroma of the food caused your stomach to growl, making you realize that the nausea hadn’t come that morning. You felt hungry for more than the usual bland breakfast you’d been eating. You felt strong and clear headed, definitely ready for a day outside in the sun and fresh air helping your husband hunt and gathering more herbs. 

Sneaking back into the room, you stepped on one of the old floorboards, causing it to creak loudly. Sam stirred and and opened his eyes to see you with the tray of food, and the robe opened enough to be revealing a lot of skin.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting my dreams from last night to come true, but here we are,” he chuckled and pushed himself up to sitting. 

You placed the tray beside him and took your spot back on the bed. “Thought I would bring you breakfast for once. I mean, after last night, I imagined you would need some sustenance this morning.”

“Boy, do I.” He rubbed his hands together excitedly and picked up one of the sausages, popping it into his mouth. “And you, dear wife? How are you feeling this morning?”

“Like I could conquer the world,” you said, a dreamy smile unfolding across your lips. “I haven’t felt this good in ages. The little one is behaving and not causing me to want to run outside, sick. So, I want to take advantage of this good feeling and join you today, if that’s okay.”

“Join me? What, out hunting?” 

“Yes. You know I can handle a bow, right?”

“Oh, I know you can handle anything. I had planned on going further out though. Are you sure you want to be that far from the cottage?”

“Yes, why not?”

Sam hesitated in his response, and took another piece of sausage. Once he finished with it, he took your hand and his worried expression said everything he couldn’t seem to say.

“Samuel, I do not fear your father or mine. It’s been months, and I’ve stayed close to the cottage any time I’ve gone out. I understand why you’re worried, but I am feeling restless. Besides, I don’t want to be away from you today. Last night, the way you made love to me…” you paused and felt your face flush with a bit of embarrassment, “let’s just say if I had any doubts about your feelings towards me, they were extinguished after that.”

“Were there? Doubts, I mean.”

“No, I’ve trusted your feelings for me for a while now. And as time goes on, and our baby grows, I am more and more sure of them.”

“Good. Because they are as real as it gets. I worry though. I worry not just about the threat looming, but that you will tire of this life. Being on the run, not living in the castle with the huge bed, the servants… not able to take your place as Queen like you should be. We have to make our clothes and make our own bread. Hunt for our meat. It’s not an easy life, and I know this is not the life you thought we’d have.”

“No, it’s not. This life is far better. I don’t need opulence and titles to be happy, Sam. I just need you and our son.”

“Speaking of our son,” he said and placed a hand on your belly, “I think it's time he has a name.”

“Hmmm, that’s a good point. I know tradition is to name a first born son after one of his grandfathers, but given that our fathers are both reprehensible men, maybe we could skip that tradition.”

“Agreed,” Sam laughed. “He deserves a good name, one that will represent his character and strength. Which I know he will have because of you.”

“And you… my husband. This boy of ours will be strong, both in physical matters and in his sense of self. He will be brave, and stand up for those who need it. He will defy traditions and carve out a life for himself he can be proud of. He will be a man of his word, and be empathetic to the plight of those who need his favor. For the woman he loves, he will be kind and gentle. For the people who follow him, he will be fair and loyal. But to those who wrong him or his family, he will be ruthless. So, I think the right name for him would be, Samuel.”

Sam’s face lit up, and you could see an array of different emotions play out across his features. 

“Sam, you really are all those things. You’re a good man; kind, loving and gentle. I’ve seen you with the people of Lawrence, you captivate them. Despite how things are now, I know that one day, you will show them that you are far better than your father. They know that you are pure of heart. And I’ve seen you go up against John and Crowley. I’ve seen that fire burn in your eyes when someone has wronged you. You are fiercely protective of those you love. Our son is going to be all those things. Samuel Winchester, the second, will be the spitting image of his father; in appearance and in character.”

“He will be even better than that, because he will have your blood running in his veins, too; his fierce, smart, loving, cunning and brave mother. I didn’t have my mother for long at all. I never got to know her, but from what I have heard about her, she was a lot like you. And if little Samuel here gets even a fraction of that, he will be unstoppable.”

You didn’t know what to say, and the way he was looking at you made it even more difficult. You leaned in to kiss him, which he welcomed happily. 

“Well, husband, now that that is settled, eat your breakfast and let’s get dressed. I have a feeling we’ll be returning later with a large bounty of goodies from our day out in the woods.”

The castle corridors had been hauntingly silent in the months since the party ended so badly. The Winchester guard was sent to stand along the perimeter of the castle walls, once the people had been ushered from the ballroom that night. The King had retreated to his chambers and spent most of his days there, so Bobby had taken up the mantle to keep the castle safe from the people who wanted to do damage after the truth had come out. Anytime John would call him to his room and ask if there had been any word on Sam or Y/N, Bobby would say no then find an excuse to leave quickly. John wasn’t in the best state of mind since the party, but Bobby still feared that John would somehow know that he was lying.

Being in charge of the castle affairs did afford Bobby the ability to slip away unnoticed when he needed to. It was how he met up with Sam and Y/N once they were safe at the cottage. He brought Dean’s stallion back so no one noticed it was gone. He had even been able to go back a few times in the last couple of months to make sure everything was okay and they had plenty of supplies. Still, doing so could be dangerous if any of the guardsmen who saw him leaving the grounds decided they should tell the King. So far, it hadn’t happened, but knowing how bad it could be, Bobby did his best to be stealthy and quiet when leaving. 

It had been a while since he was able to get out to the cottage, and with the weather turning he knew that he would have to go soon. Knowing that Sam’s hip was no longer an issue, he was confident in the young Winchester that he would chop enough wood and hunt enough game to keep his family comfortable for the winter. Before he was injured years before, Sam was always a great hunter, sometimes even bagging more deer than Dean had. Bobby paused for a moment in the darkened hallway at the memory of the boys so young, out with him hunting and just being boys. 

The dull sound of voices being carried on the drafty air of the corridor pulled him from his long ago memory. Curious as to whom it could be, Bobby crept further down the hall until he reached the King’s chamber door. No one had been permitted in there except Bobby, and until he heard the distinctive voice of the Demon King, Crowley, he was ready to burst through and kick some ass. However, Crowley’s voice gave him pause. Instead of busting in, he decided to wait quietly at the door, hoping to hear what the two men could be conspiring about now.

“For the last time, Crowley, I have no idea where they are.” John’s emotionless voice cut through the air, causing Crowley to grimace in frustration.

“What good are you then? I’ve had my demons everywhere, and there’s no sign of them. I gave you my daughter for a purpose, John. Losing her wasn’t part of the deal!”

John growled lowly as he sat up from his chair and began to pace the room. “I should never have agreed to any of this.”

“Well, ya did. I have the contract to prove it. Even sealed it with a kiss. Not my finest moment, but even demons have rules to follow. So, quit your whining and sulking and help me find my daughter!”

“Find her yourself,” John muttered. He stopped at the table near his bed and grabbed the flask of whiskey he kept there. “My son is also gone, if you haven’t noticed. He hates me, even if I knew where they were, Sam wouldn’t come home.”

“No offense, your majesty, but your giant son isn’t my concern. If I am the one to find him first, there will be nothing left of him to come home.”

John’s shoulders tensed and he fought the urge to turn and lunge at Crowley. But it would do no good. He would either disappear or just take the punch, completely unphased. He had considered sending out his secret Winchester guardsmen of demon hunters to take Crowley out once in for all, but he feared if they were successful, somehow it would rain more Hell down upon him then he already had.

“Threaten my son again, Crowley, and I will make sure your daughter suffers in ways you never thought possible.”

“I should have known better than to make a deal with a man like you. A man more worried about his own reputation than with his own flesh and blood. Offering up Adam to keep your indiscretions quiet, offering up Sam to wed my daughter so you could claim a win in Purgatory. Hell, even sending your Golden Boy Dean to fight on the front lines. The chances of him returning in one piece is slim, considering how many monsters there are fighting for Eve that would love to make a meal of Dean Winchester. How many of them do you think he put there himself?”

“Shut up, Crowley.”

“If I only could. However, I personally want to find my daughter. I have been through every crevice of this… town. Not one psychic, witch, seer, or demon has even had a whiff of her. All they could tell me was they were certain she was carrying the heir to the throne. So, Samuel did his part. Bully for him. As long as he doesn’t get in my way of retrieving my daughter, I wouldn’t touch one luscious hair on his head. If he does, well, I promise nothing.”

“Is that all you came here for? To threaten my son? To hold our mistake of a deal over my head?!”

John was growing more agitated, which Crowley found some entertainment in. “Sorry, Sire. But I don’t have expendable children as you seem to have. That child she is carrying, that child is important. It was never meant to be raised in this castle as an heir to the Winchester throne. That child is meant to be Eve’s downfall, and lead my army of Demons to take over all of creation.”

“Huh,” John laughed and took another swig of his whiskey. “I thought you meant to sacrifice it to Eve. Doing that, she would stand down, and allow you the souls in Purgatory.”

Crowley was taken aback. Of course he always kept his true intentions to himself. Crowley was smart enough to know that those little details were too important to trust in anyone else’s confidence. So how did John know? He had been so careful to keep those dealings quiet, yet somehow the King knew why Crowley was so intent on a baby created in the union of their children. Crowley cleared his throat and rolled his eyes, trying to play off his current expression. 

“You just know everything, don’t you. Must make you feel good, thinking you have some kind of upper hand. Sorry to say, you don’t. Clearly you have gone down a path of despair and whiskey. I think it’s all starting to catch up to you, John. Both of your sons are gone… sorry, all THREE of your sons are gone. Your people hate you for dealing with me, and even your salty Maester keeps his distance.”

Ignoring Crowley’s words, John chuckled. “I know the truth, Crowley. I’ve known for some time. Why do you think I am not out frantically looking for those kids? As much as I detest your daughter and shudder at the thought of her bearing Sam’s child, I would rather that child be born and kept far away from you, than for you to use it for your own gain.”

“Hypocrisy at its finest. You agreed to that wedding so a child could be born. You just figured it would be leading the battle in purgatory eventually, and getting the big ‘W’, then actually sacrificing it to appease Eve. See, that’s your problem. Your own ego won’t let you recognize that she, alone, could destroy all of us; all of Lawrence and beyond. So you keep charging in there with your armies and my demons, thinking it will make a difference. It won’t. Sometimes, Sire, you need to think outside of the box.”

“And you need to go, Crowley. Now. Regardless of what you think of me, I had good intentions at the start of all this. I just wanted my sons to be safe, but know how to be strong. To fight for their lands and their families, just like their mother did in the Angel Wars. Getting mixed up with you… stupidest thing I have ever done. And now, I will spend whatever time I have left on this Earth trying to make it right. So, leave, while you can.”

John paused and turned to face his adversary. Crowley took a tentative step back when he saw the darkness of John’s gaze fitted directly upon his own. His anger burned so deeply that the King looked as if he was carrying a black-eyed entity in himself. For all the confidence and ego he had of his own, Crowley realized that leaving would be in his best interest, and he would have to go to greater lengths on his own to find Y/N and her baby.

“I mean it, demon. LEAVE!” John drew in a breath to start an exorcism, but he barely got the first syllable of the first word out before Crowley disappeared from his view. He sighed deeply, grabbed the flask and went back to the chair that looked out the window and over the gardens. The blooms that had lived in those gardens were long gone, now that autumn had come. Trying to erase Crowley’s visit from his mind, he slumped into the chair and gazed out on the grounds that his wife had loved so much. Guilt ensconced his heart as her voice floated through his mind, ‘Oh, John, what have you done?’

The voices stopped suddenly, and Bobby assumed Crowley heeded the King’s warning and had vanished from the room. He fought the urge to bust through the doors and confront John with what he heard, especially about Sam’s unborn child. Moving away from the door, Bobby’s gut sank with the thought, ‘Would he really have let Crowley take that child and sacrifice it to Eve?’ Not being able to give himself a solid answer as to what John would have done made him feel sick. Bobby had known and been in service to John Winchester for many years; he had seen and heard him do despicable things. This, however, was the worst of the worst. He vowed to himself then he would do whatever was necessary to be sure that Sam and Y/N’s baby arrived into the world safely, and that neither John or Crowley would be able to find them.

Stepping outside from the warmth of the cottage was jarring. The air had turned from the fall chill to a winter bite faster than you had expected. Autumn had arrived in full force and with colder temperatures than you had ever felt during that time of year. If Bobby or Pamela had been around, you would have thought to ask them if this was an effect of the Elven Woods, but they weren’t and hadn’t been for a while now. 

Closing the door, you went back into the cottage to grab an extra wrap before heading out to gather the last of the living plants and edible blooms that somehow tolerated the colder air. 

“Sam, I’m heading out now!” You called out, hopefully loud enough for him to hear you as he took stock of the root cellar. 

“Take an extra layer!” he called back. “It was freezing when I was out this morning.”

“Already did. I shouldn’t be long. If you could, put the kettle on the fire so it will be ready for tea when I return. I have a feeling I will need warmth!”

Sam peeked his head from around the door to the root cellar, a big smirk on his face, showing off his dimples through the beard he now wore. “I can do that for you, but I’m also happy to use my hands to warm you.”

“Oh, yes, that I know,” you said with a smile and raise of your brow. “While I do love your method of keeping me warm, tea would be very helpful as well.”

“As you wish, my Lady. Don’t be gone long. I don’t want you to catch a cold out there.”

“Yes, husband.” You sighed and playfully rolled your eyes. “I will be quick.”

As you made your way through the almost bare paths, you noticed that your growing belly was now big enough to hide your feet. Smiling to yourself, you lazily draped an arm across the top and felt Samuel kicking around inside you. 

“Patience, my son. Your time will be here soon.” Drawing in a deep breath, you kept up your brisk pace to arrive at the patch of greenery you saw the day before and hoped that morning’s frost hadn’t killed it yet.

A short time later and a bit winded, you stumbled upon a patch of greenery that stood out amongst the dying foliage. The area felt like it was radiating a soft energy, one that felt similar to the tree you found that first day. This patch offered all the good herbs and mushrooms you could find, along with a small berry patch that still seemed to be edible. 

Gathering everything you could find, your hand brushed along the bush with the plump red berries. Popping one of the large berries into your mouth, you relished in the amount of sweetness it still had and continued to focus on getting as many as you could. The fact that anything was still alive in the woods while it was as cold as it was amazed you. It was just a reminder at how special the Elven Woods truly were. Getting lost in the patch and in the thoughts of the magic that was the woods, you never heard the footsteps approaching. 

“My dear!” a voice called out, startling you to drop the basket and all of what you had gathered falling to the forest floor. 

You whipped around, heart beating a mile a minute only to see Rowena standing not ten yards away, wrapped in a white fur wrap and hat, wisps of her bright red hair lazily blowing around her face in the breeze that came through.

“Whatever are you doing out here all alone!?” She took a few tentative steps towards you, and saw the prominent swell of your belly. “And so pregnant! My God, you look as though you are about to burst!”

“Rowena��� what… how did you…” you paused and looked around at the empty woods, unsure which of the dozens of questions you had to ask first. “What are you doing out here?”

“Why, looking for you! I heard what happened at the castle, and I’ve been looking for you ever since. I was worried for you, and for Samuel. Especially once I heard that Fergus made an appearance at your party. I’m just sorry I wasn’t there for you.”

“I’m sure,” you replied hesitantly. Squatting down as far as you could, you quickly gathered the spilled contents of your basket, never taking your eyes off her for more than a second. 

“Where have you been all this time? Not living in these godforsaken woods I hope.”

“I’ve been somewhere safe. Just came out to get the last of these before the weather took them.”

Rowena took a few more steps and looked in the basket. “Good pickin’s for this time of year. You got lucky. You’ll need some of those to help with the pain when the baby comes.”

“I know,” you said warily, pulling the basket closer to you. “I should be getting back. Sam will worry if I don’t return soon. He knows where I am, so–”

“Oh, my sweet girl, I am not here to hurt you. Trust me, Samuel will have no reason to come hunt me down.” Rowena chuckled in her nonchalant way. “I am solely here to make sure my only granddaughter is safe and healthy. I learned of your pregnancy, and I was scared you would be alone during the birth. No woman should be alone. When I had Fergus, I was alone in a stable, with nothing but horses to hear my screams. Nearly scared them right out of their stalls!”

“Well, I’m not alone. I have Samuel.”

Rowena waved her hand in annoyance. “Please, men have no business helping a woman give birth. Sure, they are good with the making of the child, but they really just don’t have the stomachs to handle the birthing part.” She reached out one of her small, gloved hands towards you; her expression soft and concerned. “Come, let’s get you back to where it's warm and see what we have to work with to make you comfortable.”

Reluctantly, you took her hand. Having forgotten gloves of your own, hers felt warm around your fingers and for a moment you felt grateful she was there. The idea of giving birth so far removed from a Maester or a Midwife did scare you, but because of the circumstances, you had to let that fear go or it would eat you alive. As if hearing your thoughts, Rowena offered a comforting smile and offered to take the basket from your arm. 

“Now, how far are we from home? It's going to be dark soon.”

“Not far, it's this way–” Before you could turn in the right direction, a sharp pain exploded from your stomach and shot down straight between your legs. A warm gush of fluid came from between your thighs, causing you to double over and cry out in pain.

“Guess I found you just in time! Come now, let’s get you home and ready to have your wee one.”

The hike back to the cottage was a blur. The pain that had struck you continued the whole way, and there were moments when you didn’t think you would make it back. Just as the smoke from the chimney came into view, you started to cry with relief because it meant that your husband was close by. You didn’t trust Rowena, but part of you knew that you needed her help. At least Sam would be there too, to keep an eye on your grandmother and make sure kept her word and was solely there to help.

Within steps of the cottage door, you felt the world starting to go hazy. A loud buzzing in your ears took over and your vision became distorted. Though you had never experienced labor before, what you were feeling didn’t feel right. It was as if all your senses were beginning to dull and you were losing control over what was left. 

The door opened with urgency, and you could make out Sam standing there before he rushed out towards you. 

“What happened?! What the Hell are you doing here Rowena! What did you do to her?”

“Oh Samuel, time for questions later, your wife has gone into labor. Get her inside and on the bed, quickly!”

Sam did as Rowena ordered without any further questions. You could feel yourself losing consciousness but found it in you to whisper his name as he scooped you into his arms and rushed you inside. 

“Samuel,” you repeated as he lay you down on the bed and wrapped the blankets around you, trying to get you warm.

“Shhh, Y/N. Just rest. I’ll get you some warm tea. I had it ready and waiting just like you asked.” It was the last thing you heard him say as you drifted off, unwillingly shutting out the world behind you.

“Tea won’t be necessary, Samuel,” Rowena spoke up as she entered the room and pushed him aside. Despite the difference in their size, Rowena moved about as if she owned the place and Sam was nothing but a peasant in her way. 

“Can you follow some instructions, boy? I need you to gather all the clean towels, and get that kettle of water into a pot and bring it here.”

Sam stood, motionless at first, watching his wife lay motionless on their bed. He didn’t hear a word Rowena was saying, he was too focused on how the day started so normally, and now it was breaking out in chaos. 

“Samuel!” Rowena shouted his name, finally grabbing his attention. “Please! Clean linens and boiling water. I will get her ready, awake or not, this baby is coming so we need to be prepared.”

He nodded in a daze, curious as to how she could remain so calm. Sam got his feet moving, and went to gather the things she requested. After bringing them back into the room, he saw Rowena had removed the wool pants that Y/N had worn beneath her dress, and that the blankets were up above her knees. 

“Is she? I mean, is the baby–”

“Yes, she’s okay and yes, yer baby is about to make his entrance. Now that you are all caught up, I need you to go and grab whatever salves or potions she’s crafted for pain. Also, in the basket I brought in, are some purple leaves with a white blossom. Ground the whole thing, root to bloom with a mortar and pestle, sprinkle in two parts Dwale. I assume you have some in the root cellar. If I know my granddaughter, she will have it in her pantry. No self respecting witch would go without it.”

Sam nodded, trying to just concentrate on whatever tasks Rowena handed to him. The sudden manner in which Y/N went into labor had him distracted. Even though he felt prepared for the arrival of his child, the way it was happening was scary and left him feeling helpless. His normally stoic demeanor was off balance, so he did his best to follow Rowena’s directions even if her being there was suspicious.

As quickly as he could, he foraged through the root cellar, looking for what she had asked for. Once he had ground the herbs together, he raced back into the room and placed them by Rowena’s side. He could see Y/N had a layer of sweat on her brow, and while she wasn’t completely conscious, she was breathing steadily and her face winced ever so slightly in pain.

“What’s wrong with her? Why is she not conscious?” he asked as he moved to her side and wiped the sweat from her brow.

“I believe the pain was too much. Childbirth is work, Samuel. Some women, even strong ones like my granddaughter, can succumb to it. Good thing I arrived when I did. Now, you can stay for this if you want, but I warn you, it's going to be messy. You may not have the stomach for it.”

“I won’t leave her,” he said firmly and without taking his eyes off Y/N. “Tell me how I can help.”

“Fine. If you really want to help, get a cool cloth for her head. Put a bucket of water outside, so it can freeze up. Once I get her awake, she will need some ice for her throat. Now that the sun is down and with the way the air has turned, it shouldn’t take long to freeze.”

Sam did as he was told. By the time he had gotten the cloth and put water outside, he heard Y/N’s voice cry out. He ran back to the room to find Rowena standing by her head, holding it up as she let the cup of herbs he mixed, sit under her nose.

“That’s it, that’s a good girl,” Rowena purred and gently laid Y/N’s head back to the pillow. Her eyes were still closed, but she was more awake then she had been earlier. “Before you ask, no, she’s not completely conscious, but enough to help push the baby out. It could take some time, so why don’t you go and prepare some extra firewood. You will need this place to be far warmer if you want this baby to survive his first few hours out in these woods.”

“I don’t want to leave her. I need to be here!”

Turning on her heel, Rowena marched up to Sam and pointed her finger into his chest. “If YOU hadn’t brought her out to these woods to hide, she would be giving birth in a warm castle chamber, with a midwife and proper tools. So, if I were you, Lord Winchester, I would do as I ask because I am the only one here capable of guiding her through this so they both live!”

Stunned by her brashness, Sam simply nodded. His fear of losing one or both of them took over, and again, did as he was commanded. 

A short time had passed, when he heard Y/N cry out again from inside the cottage. He fought against all of his instincts to run back inside, because he knew that Rowena would just force him out. He admitted to himself that wasn’t the only thing holding him back. He was petrified of seeing her in such distress and the guilt he was beginning to feel for having her in such an isolated place kept his feet stuck firmly in place. 

From beyond the cottage, he could hear the whinny of the sole horse they had kept. That high pitch sound bounced off the trees, followed by a gust of cold wind that carried a brief flurry of snowflakes. Feeling those flakes touch his skin, it prompted him to hurry with the wood. If it was going to start snowing already, Rowena was right, they would need as much firewood as he could possibly make. Then, they would need to find a better place to hold up for the winter. The cottage had worked to this point, but what she had said sat heavy on his mind. The Elven Woods, while rich with magic and bountiful with herbs, was no place to be caught for the winter. For all it had to offer in the warmer months into the autumn, it took it all away and left the grounds a barren white emptiness that could become dangerous. 

More time had passed, and Sam grunted with one last swing of the ax. He paused, waiting to hear something from the cottage. When another minute or two passed with no noise, he grabbed as many logs as he could and headed back inside. Dropping the wood near the fire that was already going, he again waited to hear some kind of sound come from the bedroom he shared with Y/N. 

“Rowena?” he called out, his tone laced with worry. “Rowena!”

When no reply came, he made his way into the room and saw that the witch was nowhere in sight. His gaze went towards the bed where he saw his wife laying, as if she was peacefully sleeping. He went to the side of the bed, and lovingly brushed back the hair that was stuck to her face. ‘Maybe Rowena went to the root cellar,’ he thought. Though it was more of a desperate prayer, because in his gut he knew she wasn’t. Sam swallowed thickly as he looked closer at Y/N’s body. The prominent swell of her stomach was gone, just a small bump where their son had been growing. The blanket that was up above her knees earlier, was now pulled down, covering her to her toes, and stained with fresh blood. 

“Y/N,” he said, softly at first. When she was still unresponsive, he began to shake her, calling her name louder and louder. “Y/N!” When he saw that her chest was slowly rising and falling, he pressed his fingers to her throat and felt a weak pulse. 

‘She’s alive,’ he said to himself and breathed a sigh of relief. 

The cottage was quiet. There were no sounds from the root cellar, or in the small pantry behind the fireplace. All Sam could hear was the crackle of the dying fire and the labored breathing of his wife. 

“Where’s my son,” he mumbled, the realization that there were no sounds of a baby crying anywhere in his reach. “Where is my son!”

Leaving Y/N on the bed, he tore through the cottage, throwing open every cabinet and looking under every surface. He grabbed the candle off the table and went down into the root cellar, nearly losing his footing and falling down the last few steps. Just as he caught his balance, he looked around hoping to see Rowena and his son. There was no sign of either of them. The only thing out of place was the shelf that blocked off the hidden door to the escape route Pamela had shown them. 

From above, he could hear Y/N moaning. Torn between chasing after his son, and keeping his wife alive, Sam wanted to scream. His breath became erratic, and caused his head to swim in fear. Knowing that Rowena could have been gone for a good amount of time—time that Y/N may not have—he raced back up the stairs and to the bedroom where he knew his wife was.

Dawn had just broken over the castle walls, and Bobby was already up and making his way to the dining hall where he knew John had slept. For the first time in a while, John had left his room and went into the hall to have a meal. Bobby had seen him in there the night before, but decided it wasn’t yet the time to confront him with what he had overheard between the two Kings. He did go back later that night to check on John, but he had over indulged in whiskey and was passed out face down at the table.

Bobby had not slept all night, going back and forth on what to do with what he heard. Finally, he decided that he would go and confront the King, then demand that John promise the child would be safe so he could bring Sam and Y/N back to the castle. They had already been out in the woods too long, and knowing she was close to giving birth, he hated the idea of them being out there all alone. First though, he needed reassurance that John would do whatever necessary to keep Crowley out of the castle walls, and that the baby would stay with his parents; not be given to Eve for any reason.

Pushing open the dining hall doors with authority, the sound of them bouncing off the stone walls echoed through the room, causing John to pick up his head just in time to see Bobby marching towards him.

“Wake up!” Bobby roared, his face set into a scowl. “I don’t care if you are my King, or a two bit hussler off the streets, get your ass up now!”

John groaned as he sat up straighter in his chair at the head of the table. Once he had his bearings, he looked up towards Bobby ready to demand some respect, but couldn’t bring himself to do so once he saw the anger burning on his old friend’s face. 

“Bobby, I–”

“No, you don’t get to talk. You don’t get to do anything right now. All you get to do is listen. I’ve kept quiet, and let you sit around wallowing in the guilt you brought on yourself. But I can’t do it anymore. It's time you pull yourself together and do what you should have done months ago.”

“Which is?”

“Get the fuck over yourself!” Bobby barked. “You've been moping around this place, all butt-hurt because Sam took off and condemned you to Hell for what you did. As if making that deal with Crowley all those years ago wasn’t bad enough, you use your son as a pawn in yet another deal, to what? Save your own damn soul? To stop a war that has been in motion for years?”

John went to speak, but Bobby raised his hand and shook his head. 

“I ain’t done yet. I heard you and Crowley not long ago, heard what you said to him. You knew his real intentions with your own grandchild, and you weren’t gonna stop it, were you? You were gonna let Sam have a child, then rip it from his arms! What kind of man are you!?”

“Bobby,” John started, his voice small and broken. “I, I know, I made the wrong choice… I hate myself…”

“Well, boohoo, I’m so sorry your feelings are hurt, princess. But you brought all that crap on by yourself. So, instead of wallowing in your own guilt, get over it and do something to fix it!”

“And what would that be, Bobby? Sam is gone, I have no idea where–”

“I know exactly where the boy is,” Bobby snorted. “Who the Hell do you think got him out of here safely?”

John’s attention piqued at this revelation. “So, where? Where is he? Is he okay?”

“Far as I know, he’s fine. Him and Y/N both. I wanna bring ‘em both home. She’s gonna be ready to have that child any time now, and she deserves a clean, warm, safe place to do that. But I won’t risk her or the baby’s lives if I don’t have your absolute word that they will be safe here. Safe… indefinitely.”

Before John could reply, there was a stir of commotion from beyond the doors of the dining hall. It sounded as if they were getting closer, causing John to rise from his seat, and Bobby to take a few tentative steps closer to the doors. They flew open with force, as they had when Bobby entered, but this time it was Sam that caused the rukous. He was soaked from head to toe, and in his arms he was carrying the limp body of his wife. 

“Bobby!! Please! She needs help!” 

Bobby didn’t hesitate, he ran towards Sam and helped him gently lay Y/N on the far end of the grand table. John watched from a distance, horrified at what was unfolding before him. When he heard Bobby declare that Y/N was still breathing, he finally found his footing and rushed towards where they were gathered.

“What happened?” he asked warily, unsure if he would even get a response. 

“What happened?” Sam repeated his question in surprise. “Seriously? As if you didn’t know!”

“Sam, I–I don’t. What–”

“She went into labor! That’s what happened! Rowena showed up right before she did. I–I thought she was there to help,” Sam swallowed roughly and rubbed his hand against the side of his face. “I thought… I did what she asked. She was helping Y/N with the labor. Told me to go and cut firewood because the cold had come on so fast.”

“Alright son, take a breath,” Bobby said as gently as he could, while continuing to check Y/N’s vitals. 

Sam released a slow, shaky breath. “It got quiet, so I went back inside the cottage,” he continued, talking directly to Bobby now. “Rowena was gone. The baby was gone. And she…” he stopped again to gaze down at Y/N, fighting desperately to hold back the build up of fear that was nearly choking him, “she was just laying there, covered in a bloody blanket. I didn’t know what to do, except bring her to you. Can you help her? Please, Bobby, I can’t… I can’t lose her, too.”

“Good news is she is breathing, and even with the blood loss, her pulse is strong. Let’s get her up to your bed, and I’ll see what I have in the apothecary that will bring her around. Gotta make sure that bleeding has stopped.”

“Son, I’m sure she will pull through,” John said and placed his hand on Sam’s shoulder. 

Sam shrugged it off violently and turned to face his father. “Don’t touch me.”

“Sam, I know you’re scared, but–”

“You have NO IDEA what I am right now!” he roared in reply. “This… This is all YOUR fault! You, you and your goddamn deal… making promises to a demon! You did this! If you hadn’t lied, and made the deals you did, we wouldn’t be in this situation! We left, because we weren’t safe here! All the warding this place has and somehow Crowley always manages to slip through. Why is that, dad? You offered me up like it was nothing, then married me off, like it was nothing. I did as you asked, I married her, and I fell in love with her! You never trusted that it was real, did you?”

“Sam, please… I know what I did was wrong. But, son, you have to understand–”

“No! Nothing you could say makes any of it okay! Now, because you let Crowley in, again, we were forced to hide! Hours away from help if we needed it, no guards, no way of getting word to anyone!”

“Look, I get you’re pissed, and rightfully so,” Bobby said as calmly as he could, “but now isn’t the time, Sam. We need to make sure she’s stable, and safe.” He said the last word with an authority that made John look in his direction. 

“I need to find my son,” Sam said, glaring at his father. “I need reassurance that you will do the right thing, for once in your pitiful life, and make SURE my wife stays safe while I go after our son!”

John nodded, guilt and regret coating his throat, leaving him unable to speak. 

Sam shook his head. “Not good enough. I need to hear you say it. You owe me that at least.”

“Y/N will be safe here. I swear it on your mother’s soul.”

That was enough for Sam. He turned back to Y/N, once again picking up her limp body and made his way out of the dining hall, with Bobby following close behind. John stood there, stunned by all that had just happened. Regardless of how he felt about Y/N, he would be true to his word and keep her safe. He took a few moments to gather his composure, then bellowed for the closest guard. 

“Tell the others to reinforce the warding. I want this place on lockdown. No one goes in or out, under my orders. Call back half the guards that are on the walls. I want them stationed through the hallways near Lady Winchester’s chambers. I want the best healers brought in, as soon as possible. Shamans, white witches, whoever you can find. She is to be protected at all costs, do you understand?”

“Yes, your majesty,” the guard replied and went off to do as he was asked. 

Knowing that Sam wouldn’t want him in the chambers, John slowly walked back to the head of the table of the grand hall, and stood behind his chair. He squeezed his eyes shut and felt the weight of the choices he had made in the vein of his own desires. The lives that were lost because of his actions felt suddenly overwhelming, and he knew then that no matter how he felt about Samuel’s wife, he would do whatever he had to to keep her alive.

By the end of the day, Y/N seemed to be stable. Bobby was able to stop the bleeding she was experiencing from the birth. When Sam asked how bad it was, Bobby just lowered his head and shook it slowly. 

“Son, you don’t need to know. Let’s just say that whatever Rowena did, it was quick and probably painful as all hell. Luckily, I was able to stitch her up, stop the bleeding and make her comfortable.”

“Will she wake up?”

Bobby’s heart broke for Sam, because the truth was, there was no reason for her to not have woken up already. “I can’t say for sure. I don’t know what else Rowena coulda done to her. It’s like she’s in a deep sleep. None of the usual things are working to bring her around. I’m no witch, but I do know some of their tricks. If we can find Rowena; find out what she did, I can probably reverse it.”

“Oh, we will find her, Bobby. She has my son.”

“Are you sure about that? Did you hear the baby cry? Do you know, for certain–”

“Bobby, don’t.” Sam interrupted. He looked as though he may be sick if Bobby continued with what he was about to say. “He’s alive. My son was born and Rowena took him.”

“Ok,” Bobby said, doing his best to sound hopeful. “Ok, then we go and find them. Best bet, let’s start with Crowley. I know him and his mommy don’t always get along, but in this case, it's a good place to start.”

“Can’t hurt, that’s for sure. You need a night of rest first,” Bobby paused and held up his hand knowing Sam would want to leave immediately. “Before you go and start tellin’ me we gotta go now, you aren’t gonna be good for much if you don’t get some sleep. Y/N’s resting comfortably, stay in here with her tonight, and the Midwife will be here by morning to keep an eye on her when we leave.”

“A midwife? How is that enough to keep her safe?” 

“Did I mention she’s a psychic who also knows some pretty strong hoodoo? Trust me, I wouldn’t leave anyone here that couldn’t protect Y/N. Missouri is the right woman for the job. We can leave for Crowley’s at first light to go find your boy.”

Sam was thoughtful for a moment, then nodded. He was exhausted, and the idea of sleep wasn’t appealing but it was necessary. “You sure she’s okay? Comfortable?”

“Yeah, I’m sure. Just don’t know why she won’t wake up.” 

The two men stood quietly, watching the slow rise and fall of Y/N’s chest, both deep in thought about what came next. 

“I’m going to kill him, Bobby.”

“Now, Sam… I know how good it would feel to send Crowley packin’, but–”

“Not Crowley. My father. Once this is all said and done, I’ll come back and take his throne. He doesn’t deserve to rule Lawrence, or this family. I’ll go get Dean from Purgatory if I have to. But trust me, King John doesn’t have much time left in his rule.”

McLeod Castle stood tall and ominous as Bobby and Sam watched it come into view. Neither of them had ever traveled that far East, and it wasn’t hard to see why. The lands surrounding it were barren and bleak; pockets of fire bursting from the grounds. The bright, blue skies that he was used to in Lawrence were gone. In its place were dark purple and black clouds that screamed with bolts of electric blue lightning. It broke Sam’s heart to know that this was the place his wife grew up in. Sharing a look of uncertainty, Bobby kicked his horse into high gear and they continued on to the castle in a full on gallop.  

Once at the gates, they were ready for, and fully expecting, some resistance with Crowley’s minions. Instead the tall wrought iron fencing was left wide open for them to enter. 

“Think it's a trap?” Sam asked, looking around trying to see if anyone was watching them.

“When isn’t it with Crowley?” Bobby scoffed, but continued to maneuver his horse through the opening.

There was no one standing guard at the door to the castle, either. The faint sounds of screams and chains rose up from somewhere beneath their feet, but neither Sam nor Bobby paid it much attention. Being at the literal gate of Hell, they expected nothing different.

Pushing open the door, Sam walked through first and was again surprised when there was not one demon there to greet them, or try to kill them. The sounds heard outside were a bit louder, but not loud enough to hide the approaching footsteps.

“Well, about time.”

Sam and Bobby turned to see Crowley standing in the arch made of black stone, fitted in his best black suit and holding a glass tumbler of scotch whiskey.

“Care for a drink?” the demon asked with a raised brow. When neither man answered he continued. “Guess not. Ok then, I imagine you are here to find the child.”

“Rowena took him. Where is she!” Sam roared while marching at him.

“Easy Moose.” Crowley cleared his throat while contorting his hand into a tight fist, suddenly cutting off Sam’s airway, stopping him in his tracks.

“We aren’t in your castle anymore. You’re in my house, and in MY house we play with magic.”

Bobby watched them nervously, knowing that if he didn’t intervene things would turn ugly fast. “Listen,” he said, cautiously stepping between them. “We just wanna know where the boy is. If Rowena has him here–”

“She doesn’t. I asked for her help in finding my daughter, but, you know mother, she does what she pleases.”

“I guess helpin’ you didn’t please her,” Bobby snorted. 

“No, the only thing that pleases that old hag is screwing me over.” Crowley relented and unfurled his fist, giving Sam back his breath. 

Sam gulped for air for a moment, and then finally felt the pain leave his chest. He tried to calm himself from lunging at Crowley again, but rational thought prevailed and he tried to turn the situation to his advantage.

“Look, we both want the same thing; my son back safe and for Y/N to wake up.”

“Wake up?” Crowley asked, his tone showing a worry that surprised Bobby and Sam. “What happened to my daughter?”

“Rowena showed up where we were,” Sam sighed. “Y/N fell unconscious during labor. Rowena had me running around, gathering things to help. I was outside getting firewood and when I came back in, Rowena and the baby were gone. Y/N was left on the bed, bloody. I brought her home and Bobby was able to save her, but she just won’t wake up.”

Crowley stood silently, his mind racing at what could be wrong with Y/N. “What things did my mother have you gather? Herbs, bones?”

“I–I don’t know, she had brought in a basket of things… roots, mushrooms, berries, herbs… She did have me ground up some and used them to try and bring Y/N around, but it didn’t really work.”

“She’s hexed her,” Crowley grumbled, more to himself than to the others. Shaking his head, he slowly paced around the room, polishing off what was left of his whiskey.

“How can you be sure?” Bobby asked.

“Because I know my mother. I’m just surprised she actually left the girl alive.”

Sam thought back to the items Rowena had him blend. “The roots, they had this purple bloom at the top of the stalk. I’ve never seen them before. Then she added Dwale, but that’s for pain, isn’t it?”

“Oh, for Hell’s sake, that’s Reaper Root!” Crowley shouted and growled deep in his chest. “Reaper Root and Dwale together, will make a person hover between life and death, until they attract a Reaper. It’s just a matter of time before one comes to take her soul! I thought you Winchesters knew a thing or two!”

Sam felt a deep ache hit his chest. She was alive, but for how long was anyone’s guess. “So, what can we do to reverse it?”

Bobby’s mind raced through everything he knew about magic and spellwork. While that knowledge was vast, not one thing came to mind that would work. Finally, it hit him, there was one thing in the known world that could reverse just about any magic. 

“Angel Grace,” he said softly, causing both Sam and Crowley to stare at him wondering if they actually heard what they thought?”

“‘Cuse me?” Crowley scoffed. “Angel Grace? Are you mad? There’s not a drop of Grace left! Cause all the angels are dead!”

“Not all of ‘em,” Bobby said and looked at Sam. “When Dean was back this last time, he told me he found Cas.”

Sam couldn’t believe Bobby’s admission. “What?! Why didn’t he tell me!”

“Because, you had your hands full. Also, he’s trying to keep it real quiet. Cas is his Ace in the Hole. Figures, he’d be a good asset to have against Eve.”

Crowley rolled his eyes dramatically. “Great, so now we have to go to Purgatory, a literal war zone, and look for the one Angel that’s left. Who happens to be your brother’s favorite toy?”

“That’s exactly what we are going to do,” Sam said and turned to leave the castle. “Bobby, get word to Dean as soon as possible. We need to leave for Purgatory now.”

A/N: This chapter is the end of The Pact. Sam’s story with Crowley’s daughter, will continue in the next part of The Winchester’s tale, Purgatory Rising. 

Sam and Bobby are desperate to seek out Dean and the last angel on Earth, Castiel. They will have to navigate Purgatory and Eve’s army of monsters in order to obtain the Grace needed to save Sam’s wife. Finding Dean and Castiel won’t be easy, but having Crowley’s help could be the key in their success. Purgatory Rising will then follow Dean in his quest to kill Eve and end the war for good. To do this, he will need as much help as he can get from those closest to him

Series Tag: @theplaid-wearingmoose @zombiewerewolfqueen @silkiechicken @collette04 @katiecurls75 @death-unbecomes-you @colie87 @roxytheimmortal @klanceiscannon14 @voltage-my2dlove @flamencodiva @xhannahbananax03 @traceyaudette @winchester-wifey @pilaxia @babykalika2001 @lil-frenchfri77

SPN Tags: @wings-of-a-raven @negans-wife @kazosa @deans-baby-momma @hobby27 @breereadsthings @maddiepants @sorenmarie87 @screechingartisancashbailiff @lovealways-j @cloverhighfive @spnhollis @unlikelygalaxyiver @linki-locks11 @stoneyggirl @clarinette07 @lefthologramdeer @destielhoneybee @faughnphotography @katehuntington @81mysteriouslyme @mrswhozeewhatsis @deathofmissjackson @lauravic @akshi8278 @rebelminxy @fictionalabyss @blackcherrywhiskey @his-paradox @destielhoneybee @donnaintx @squirrelnotsam @weepingwillowphoenix @austin-winchester67 @krazykelly @igotmadskills @foxyjwls007 @hotwifeintern

[teddys-dollhouse]

Diaboys playing Genshin Impact!! + their mains (Diabolik Lovers × Genshin Impact)

• Shu: Kaeya

"Oh I remember recording voice lines for this game"

- As Kaeya is a f2p character he didn't have to do too much effort to get him

- Repeats voice lines

- Doesn't use too much gacha, he is pretty fine with his actual team

- Reiji got mad at him for not building his characters correctly and made him a good team (Just because is uncomfortable to watch)

• Reiji: Diluc

" I have build my characters perfectly"

- Got Diluc on standar banner

- In the instant he gets a character, searches if it is recommended to build it

- Gets angry for not doing good damage

- Has all characters and all of them with perfect builds, except for the "useless" ones

• Ayato: Arataki Itto

"This guy looks strong!"

- Didn't know how to use gacha and randomly got Itto

- Doesn't know how to build characters and just puts damage to all

- Every time he gets a character boasts about it

- Just stares at the girls boobs during cutscenes

• Kanato: Klee

"WHY ARE THEY SO STUPID!?"

- When he wanted to play Klee's banner was over, so Reiji has to buy him an account with Klee

- Is 24/7 trying to explode and burn everything

- Insults every character while playing

- He thinks is the best in the game

- Gets angry when he sees somebody doing more damage than him

• Laito: Lisa

"All characters are too good!!"

- Fall in love with Lisa

-Loves using Lisa while climbing without earphones (Just for annoying his brothers)

- Tried to see under the characters pants (Didn't get a good view)

- Doesn't mind the builds or the damage, he is just playing for the waifus

- Gets damage just to hear Lisa's sounds (cof cof moans cof cof)

• Subaru: Lumine and Xiao

" I'm just going to play it 'cause I don't have anything else to do"

- Chose Lumine by accident (He is not mad about it)

- Likes to play with Lumine, but when his brothers are around he switches to Xiao

- Likes to explore

- Hates when someone tries to help him

• Yui: Barbara " Let's go!!" - Her Barbara is build as a DPS...you can imagine Reiji's face - She's the healer of the team when she plays with the Diaboys - Proud of her builds - Loves every character

• Ruki: Beidou "I like using her" - His first 4 star character - Likes to no recibe damage when using her - Protect his brothers with her counter - The expert with builds

• Kou: Tartaglia "Do you recognize his voice?" - Repeats voicelines - Tries to carry but fails - Has too much luck with artifacts and gacha - Ruki helps him with builds

• Yuuma: Itto "He looks kinda like me" - Had a hard time trying to get him - Is also the carry of the Mukami team - Bad luck with artifacts - Is 24/7 in the teapot

• Azusa: Qiqi "She is...cute" - The healer of the Mukami Team - Likes to run with her - Lost 50/50 with her in Kazuha's banner - Takes a lot of photos • Shin: Razor " HE IS A WOLF!" - Love the fact that Razor is related to wolves - His team is completely full of characters similar to wolves (Gorou, Diona, Sucrose and Razor) - Loves to explore - HILICHURL GENOCIDE

• Carla: Raiden Shongun " So she's a godness, right?" - Electro to match with Shin - His Raiden is literally a serial killer - Expert in strategies - Just pulls for the best characters • Kino: Zhongli " Does he sounds like me?" - OSMANTHUS WINE-- - 50k HP - Plays in his phone - REALLY BAD LUCK ♡My mains are Hu Tao and Itto!! What about yours?

[ayuki-ikuya]

I come bringing ideas and headcanons.

OK, so we all already know what The Three oldest archons abilities. So I’ve come up with my own ideas we could use for the younger archons! (And yes I’m grouping Ei, Venti and Zhongli as the older siblings since Ei Is 1000 years old Venti is 2,500 and Zhongli is 5,000-6,000 and the other archons are still in the hundreds I think)

Again these aren’t canon just stuff you can use for future Requests for Twisted wonderland x Teyvat God! Reader

For Dendro archon!Reader

Definitely a Bow User. And Is a Healer. But the their Ult can cause damage

I have a theory That during the Archon War The dendro Archin created the Regisvines to fight for them, and only two were left. I also Headcanon The dendro archon can bring plants to life and overwrite what each plant can do. (Maybe even bring mushrooms to life 👀).

Maybe They can create a giant plant from the ground that spreads Healing energies and since this is a god where talking about can Cure Curses (Ahem Vils Curses Ahem) and major Diseases and what not.

For Their Ult maybe a giant plant monster (kinda like how Gouba and Oz exists ) that will attack for them (could make for fun combos with different elements like if the dendro archon was wet Hydro Plant monster)

For Hydro archon!reader

Polearm or sword (theirs way too many Hydro Catalyst) Healer and Dps, Why? Cause I say so.

You’ve mentioned how Hydro archon summons a giant wave? I’ll do you one better and their E skill summons a giant sea creature of your choosing to soak the fighters (A cool visual is their polearm turning into a big dream catcher then going swoosh and Baam Maybe like A giant Water Koi fish finna drown your ass *ahem ace ahem*)

Now mihoyo likes to reference Their character form honkai impact into genshin impact (and since they took a characters look from Honkai and another characters abilities with the whole Dual ego thing for Raiden shogun and Ei) I’m gonna base this Ultimate Skill From a character from Honkai (for research search up Herrsercher of Sentience)

Since the Hydro archons whole thing is about Justice. Now here me out here. WATER WHIP. Just a giant whip of water that can go on for miles (maybe it’s salty maybe it’s like fresh water depends on our readers mood lolol). Like, It’s whip of water strong enough to cut diamond or whatever it would be very cool (Kalim would wanna see if he could do something like that with his UM Que jamil trying to stop him)

Maybe their hair turns into water too.

Pyro archon! Reader

Claymore. A Big strong war god needs a big strong weapon. Dps and Defense.

Now It’s not just one claymore, It’s DUAL-CLAYMORE, why? Cause it’s a war god that’s why!

I like to think the shield is like Xinyans and XiangLings combined and it’s constantly sending off tiny Fire Discs. Or just symbols shooting fire like what the Pyro Abyss mages can do

For Ultimate I like to think it’s like Childes Daggers but Bigger and on fire just a huge sword made of fire.

The pyro archon doesn’t think just BURNS. and STABE

Cryo archon! Reader

I can’t really come up with much for Cryo archon. But maybe a Catalyst that can summon a giant blizzard that drops down giant ice swords (kinda like Ganyus)

Definitely a sub DPS.

Maybe a healer too since The Tsaritsa is The archon of love?

What do you think about these abilities? Since you mentioned that the students and staff would assume their just strong mages I tried to be very creative with these abilities.

Also how I think the lore could go is maybe somewhere after leonas overblot and before azuls, Crowly has found a way to send Yuu home reluctantly. Yuu, grim and the aduece duo, and maybe some of heartslaybul or savana claw whoever you want come with them to the office to send them home. But Yuu is contemplating whether or not they WANT to go home now. But something goes wrong, maybe grim messes up the spell for the portal to work becuase (although he doesn’t want to admit it ) doesn’t want Yuu leaving, and their greeted with a surprise guest. Now this gives Yuu time to decide if they genuinely wanna go home and when teh archon finally has the materials they need to create a portal Yuu will tell them to leave the portal open (maybe put it into a tiny pocket mirror like the how we have the teapot) because they wanna stay for a little while or just until grim graduates (Que a happy fire cat ) and the archon whose grown attached to some people here was like ok “let our friends visit whenever they want, only if their headmaster allows it”

Now onto the headcanons

Anemo Archon! Reader and Mondstadt! Yuu

Everyone expected a lot of things not a person with Green eyes and (H/C) hair with green highlights. And an odd thing about them was the glowing stone on their person, Yuu didn’t have that?

Everyone’s freaking out because they’ve accidentaly taken another person from Yuus world.

And since Venti Is a well known famous bard In teyvat let’s say or Dear (y/N) is also a known bard and is not at all freaking out about what’s going on in fact let’s say our dear reader recognizes Yuu! And so now (Y/N) is now a new student (and a new headache for Crowley) in the ramshackle dorm! Yup! Just an ordinary human bard, Ehe~.

I’ll leave the rest of this up to you, Where Yuu has to explain what the world of teyvat is like (and why Yuu doesn’t have a phone (and a vision) because Twisted wonderland is far more advance in Technology and teyvat has JUST invented the Camera)

Also I head canon that people with Visions can summon their weapons and object with their visions, ok? Ok. To make things make more sense when reader pulls out a lyre from floating glitter.

Geo archon!reader and Liyue! Yuu

Same things happend here, but hey! We’ve summoned a Funeral Consultant! A very (ahemATTRACTIVEahem) Wise funeral consultant at best!

Our dear Friend (y/n) is very calm about the situation as well. After all everyone and liyue knows their god was killed and The Adepti are watching over them

So Our dear reader is seeing this as a free vacation 😊

Electro Archon!Reader and Inazuma!yuu

Since the god of Inazuma isn’t “Dead” or hasn’t left and the people know what their beloved archon looks like, Yuu will definitely Be Freaking the fuck out

“YOU DIDNT BRING ME HOME YOU JUST SUMMONED MY PEOPLES FUCKING GOD OH SHIT”

insert the meme of the womens face that gets zoomed in on the second panel “the. WHAT.” 😃

And y’know how Eis “Hello” voice line where she makes the traveler her guard she says the same thing to Yuu except “I recognize you are one of my people as your archon I shall be your guard and keep you safe from any danger in this Foreign world” and let’s say The puppet will not be used and Reader will be in control becuase they don’t have to worry about erosion right now so the puppet will be resting while (Y/N) is in control protecting their Precious Inazuma citizen is ok.

Well until They can get the materials they need to open a portal. I’ll let you figure out the rest, but congrats ramshackle you now have a god in your abode 😃✨

-Plot Anon 💗

PLOT ANON-SAMAAAAAAAAAA ILY!!!!!!!!! Thank you for your hard work sob

Anyways, for skills of the archons-

Dendro Archon

I think they'd use a sword or a catalyst tbh, if the skills you listed, it makes a little more sense to have them be more of a catalyst

For their elemental skill, I think they'd summon/throw something similar to Klee's and Aloy's elemental skill except they heal if someone in your party is nearby, their healing could scale by their EM or ER.

For their burst, I like your head canon for the Dendro Archon, so I might go off from that and your idea for their burst, just more tweaking. The dendro archon would be able to summon a large plant that heals AND deals Dendro damage by sapping mobs hp. The amount of life sapping it does and the healing would scale off their original HP (artifacts that give hp won't be of use)

Hydro Archon

I agree with hydro polearm or sword. Too many catalysts

Mmm... To be honest, I think you should have the burst be her skill... The whip idea is intriguing, but I think it would work more for a skill which can allow them to use it several times before waiting for the CD to go down. I think the whip skill would work better with Crit as well.

AND AS FOR THE MENTIONS OF WAVE AND A SEA CREATURE, I'LL DO YOU ONE BETTER BUT FOR THEIR BURST!!!! They summon a large tsunami which takes form of a monster/animal and lunges at the mobs (similar to Zhongli tossing down a dumbbell), however the amount of damage the burst can do is depending on if they are afflicted by the wet status the mobs are afflicted by. If already afflicted with hydro, the mobs would receive double damage while those with other elements afflicted on them would receive the element combination DMG and normal DMG while those that aren't affected by an element, they would receive normal damage. The amount of damage the burst does is scaled by EM.

Pyro Archon

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA CLAYMORE

Hmmm.... I think the skill would be they set an AoE with magma, mobs will receive damage from it and will continue to receive damage if they stay on it, but those who are in party, they will receive an ATK boost that scales from HP.

For the burst, I think I'll use a character from Honkai Impact with their special move which is Murata Himeko in Vermilion Knight: Eclipse battlesuit. Pyro Archon uses their claymore and another claymore but made of pyro and is far more larger and their cut scene has the Archon raise the pyro claymore above their head and slam it down to send pyro erupting from the ground (similar to the pyro axe wielding hilichurls)

Cryo Archon

I agree with catalyst

Mmmmmm.... I'd say her skill would beeeeee... Trapping several mobs or so in ice. They can either do 2-4 ice traps depending if you got their c1. (The ice traps are similar to Mirror Maidens traps BTW but it deals or affects the mobs with cryo)

For burst, I like the idea of summoning a blizzard/swords, but it's similar to Ganyu's. SO I'LL DO YOU ONE BETTER!!!! Cryo Archon will summon a blizzard which freezes mobs without having to use hydro, the freeze status lasts for a total of 15 seconds or higher if you got their c3

Hmmm... I like the idea, but imma tweak it a bit. The archon was in fact summoned through that portal because Grim decided to mess it up just for Yuu to stay a little longer, and so the Archon now resides in Twisted Wonderland as well in order to aide them until they can return back to their world. That way it makes more sense and makes it more fun.

Anemo archon

Yuu would be a bit jealous about them because they got a vision.

Crowley needs to hide his money

Sam has been strictly told to not give them wine that Sam stores in his shop...

Vargus is conflicted about them because they legit float without magic

Trein recurved a major headache

Divus is praying to whatever god existing to take them back

Ehe

EHE TE NANDAYO!?

Geo Archon

Yuu feels awkward meeting the consultant of the funeral parlor having to meet the Director...

Crowley is praying for dear god for them to go away.

"STOP TAKING MY MONEY YOU GORGEOUS FIEND" - Crowley

Train + Crewel + You = Besties

Sam was literally threatened to not joke around with you with business.

You legit did not fuck around with people when in contracts.

"Osmanthus wi-"

"SHUT THE HELL UP" - everyone

Electro Archon

Yuu is literally terrified in "your" presence.

Shogun malfunctioned due to being in an entirely new world so you had to disable Shogun's rules and create new ones regarding this world.

Yuu is still unaware of Shogun being a puppet

Crowley is no longer safe.

The staff (specifically Crewel) is supporting Shogun/You to beat Crowley's ass into shape.

Only the Diasomnia dorm knows your predicament with you and your puppet(s).

You are the definition of Queen/King/Royalty of the school. If you search up NRC, your picture literally plastered on it as the definition.

[kyinpeachichu]

Genshin impact boys reaction to showing them your magical serenitea pot

===================================================Basically their reaction when you show them a whole adeptal world of your own inside something that can fit in a bag. Characters mentioned: Diluc; Kaeya; Childe/tartaglia; Zhongli; Bennett; Xiao; Kazuha; Albedo. ====================================================

Diluc:

"Your house? I never knew you actually had a place to stay."

- Aaaannnndddddd he turns you down cuz he's busy at the moment.

- You had to ask him a few times but he pretty much turned you down every time.

-He didn't mean anything bad by it. He really was just busy. He still is the dark knight hero after all.

- When he had free time though, he was sitting by himself in his room, and he feels like he's forgetting something.

- Then he remembered you and he thought "Well I have free time now. It would be interesting to see where the traveler lives."

- He went out to find you, and when he did, he brought it up.

- You were so excited and happy when you pulled out your teapot from your inventory..... that it confused him for a second.

- "Oh... uh, I didn't know you collected antiques too Traveler. Is that a new decoration you found for you home?"

- To be honest he thought the teapot looked kinda normal, and it didn't have any historic value by the looks of it. But he didn't want to be rude and question your tastes.

- You looked at him for a second before remembering that you actually have to explain

- "Oh, right. This may be a little confusing but...... this teapot, is my house......"

- Diluc was just straight up confused. He didn’t know what to say. "Uh..... I see....."

- But you didn't let him wait and you let him your teapot home.

- He was surprised of course, but at the same time, he somehow knew something like this could happen to you.

- He was in awe, but he didn't show it. (Much to your disappointment)

Kaeya

"Oh my, Are you inviting me over? Well what gives me the right to say no?"

- you were happy he said yes almost immediately.

- "So, where do we go?" / "Oh, we dont need to go anywhere. My house is riigghhttt- Here!"

- He was surprised when you dug through you inventory and pulled out a teapot.

- He was confused but he didn't say anything.

-You didn't waste time pulling him into your humble abode~

- You turned to see his reaction, and you were happy to see it

- He showed more reaction than Diluc did. His one un-covered eye was open wide and his mouth was ajar. But he didn't let out so much as a gasp.

- After that he laughed and said "You never cease to amaze me Traveler."

Childe/Tartaglia/Ajax

"Sure, I dont have anything to do at the moment."

- and just like that, he agreed

- Being a rich bank owner- (*cough* sugar daddy), you can bet his home in snezhnaya will be a friggin mansion.

- He doesn't expect your house to be a mansion though. But if he sees that it's just an old shed, he's gonna buy you one.

- "So where is this home of yours?"

- You pulled out your teapot from the inventory and he didn't seem surprised.

- But he did wonder what that teapot was for.

- When you finally showed him what it was for, he definitely didn't expect a whole terrain. Much less the mansion infront of him.

- it was smaller than the one he had back home, but it was still a mansion.

- His face was full of wonder than with shock or surprise.

- "I gotta say comrade, when you said you we aking me to your house, I definitely did not expect this."

Zhongli:

"Your house you say. Well I dont have a reason to decline right?"

- To be fair, being an archon who associated with the adepti, he wasn't surprised and immediately knew the second you pulled out a teapot.

- However, the thing that surprised him most was how one of these fell into your hands.

- He cant assumed you found one on your travels. No adeptus would be so foolish as to leave something like this around for a human to find.

- Anyways, when you were both inside he immediately knew who gave it to you.

- "Ah, I see, it was madame Ping who gave thus to you."

- "How did you know?"

- "I feel a certain..... presence of hers. Also, the terrain seems to have her touch."

- He was pleased with how well decorated the place was. (Assuming you didn't fill the place with pine folding screens)

- (He was considering getting one too because he's probably too broke to get a place of his own)

- (But lets leave it to the imagination and hope he's living with Childe in the meantime)

Bennett:

"Oh, you have a house? Gotta say, since you were a traveler, I didnt actually expect you to have a place to stay. Sure I'll visit your house!"

- You dug through your inventory and presented him a teapot

- "Woah whats that? An artifact?" / "Nope, this is where I live."

- Then lo and behold your very own world!

- His eyes were ✨sparkling✨

- Probably have the best reaction out of everyone.

- "Wooaahhhh!!!! Traveler..... you live here?!? I-in the teapot?!? This is a teapot!?!"

- The boy was so excited, running around the place and exploring the whole place!

- He almost didn't even notice the giant mansion that was actually the place where you stayed.

- When you let him inside he was even more excited.

- He asked if he could stay the night before he was even aware he said it.

- And you let him, even gave the guy an extra room.

- "I gotta say traveler, you really are lucky to have a home right in your bag! And I'm lucky to be invited here. Thanks so much!"

- such a sweet boi

Xiao

"Perhaps I can spare some time. Alright, I'll come for a visit."

- Well he was alot easier to convince than you thought

- Actually no you had to find him all over liyue and whenever you did find him, he'd be too busy.

- This is like, the 6th time you asked him

- "Where is it? Is it somewhere within Liyue?"

- You got your teapot and he was confused for a second but immediately knew what it was later.

- before he could say anything you were both inside.

- He was more or less the same as Zhongli. Being an adeptus himself, he had an idea on what was going on, but was surprised you had access to this kind of adeptal magic.

- So sadly, he didn't have the best reaction except for: "Huh, I didn't know you had access to an adeptal world like this. Much less make it your home."

- "Do you like it Xiao?" / "Well ...I suppose it is quite peaceful here."

Kazuha

"An invitation to the home of the traveler who saved Inazuma? Well, it's not like the wind tells me not to."

- He had to ask permission from Beidou first before leaving. She didn't mind.

- "So traveler, where's this humble home of yours?"

- While still on Beidou's ship (cuz thats where he was), you took out your teapot, and he looked quiet puzzled.

- "Fogive me but, is there something you need with this teapot?"

- You let him in (the crew on the ship didn't even notice)

- He was amazed yes. His face looked like he was watching a firework show.

- It was night time in your teapot so the stars were out.

- "Amazing, a whole entire world, all to yourself, inside a simple trinket that a person could turn a blind eye on if it were at a flea market.

And to think suck a world could fit inside a bag, and in the palm of our hands. Traveler, you have always been one to be full of surprises."

- Aw god his poetic speech is just 👌👌👌 (and I'm putting in more)

- he closed his eyes and inhaled the air, listening for the slightest gust of wind. (Yes there is wind the the teapot I think, I do see the grass blowing)

- "It's quiet here, so peaceful. It feels like it's completely safe here. I could find the nearest rock and doze off right now. It's beautiful here traveler. Do you mind if I stay here, just a little longer."

- Boi you can live here for the rest of your life more rent free than Mona if you'd like!

Albedo

"Huh, I never thought a traveler would have the need for place to settle in and sit still for a period of time. But sure, I'd like to see your house. I'm not too busy at the moment"

- You were in his research place right in dragonspine when you asked him.

- He began to clean up his things and getting ready to go, but then you told him that wasn't necessary.

- "Hm? Aren't we leaving?"

- You brought out your teapot, and he looked at it like it you were holding a baby bird.

- "strange, why would we need a teapot traveler?"

- without any further explination you grinned and then you brought him in.

- He was in awe.

- his eyes widened slightly while his mouth fell ajar. But other than that, he was quiet.

- "Amazing, traveler, may I be so bold to ask on what sort of alchemy you used to create this? Or maybe, this isn't alchemy at all....."

- He was more curious about every explination there is to be made than the actual place you two were at.

[astheroid]

WHO THE HAIKYUU CHARACTERS MAIN IN GENSHIN IMPACT

PT2

- Includes: Kuroo, Atsumu, Osamu, Bokuto, Sakusa, Oikawa, Iwaizumi, Matsukawa, Hanamaki, and Daichi

a/n - i’ve had a ton of genshin brainrot lately, so i decided to write about it!! i’m a zhongli main btw >:)

KUROO

- Bennett

Kuroo really likes playing support characters. His team always includes Bennett and Zhongli, who he can’t survive without. His Bennett is built as a healer/dps, though healing isn’t his top priority. He finds it absolutely hilarious when Bennett gets hit in the head during his idle animation, but teared up while doing his hangout event </3

ATSUMU

- Klee

Chaotic child + chaotic twin, what could possibly go wrong? He loves her playstyle and is obsessed with setting things on fire. Surprisingly, he does a ton of damage because artifact farming is fun for him. He always brings her into the crimson witch domain and messes around while his teammates do all the hard work.

OSAMU

- Ningguang

He has an insane amount of respect for her after the Jade Chamber scene and now mains her. He definitely believes she should be five star and feeds her like a queen <33

BOKUTO

- Beidou

They both have big tiddies. He also loves claymores and electro users, meaning his team is Beidou, Razor, Keqing, and Eula. How he passes his ascension quests is a true mystery, considering he doesn’t build any support characters.

SAKUSA

- Chongyun / Xiao

Omi used to main Chongyun but switched to Xiao later on. Even though he won’t admit it, he’s super attached to both characters and uses them regularly. He has insane luck and always pulls good characters, but prefers to spend time working on his teapot. He made special areas for all the characters he likes <3

OIKAWA

- Diona

He loves her spunk and is a huge fan of bow characters. He tries his best to ice bridge with her (he hates Kaeya), but always falls and makes his teammates save him. Honestly he just runs around and picks flowers. Playing with him isn’t the smartest choice.

IWAIZUMI

- Noelle

This man is enamored with geo characters. He wants to collect them all like Pokémon because he doesn’t really understand elemental reactions and prefers to stick with physical/geo dmg. He treats Noelle like a queen, though. He always carries his co-op team in every domain, even if geo is debuffed.

MATSUKAWA

- Zhongli

Matsukawa loooves using his ult to kill random hilichurls and scare other players in co-op. He does decent damage, but really just keeps him for his shield and comedy. All the squirrels, boars, and random slimes better watch out before Issei’s Zhongli wants order.

HANAMAKI

- Lisa

Boobs + her Japanese voice. That’s it.

DAICHI

- Jean

He admires her strength and perseverance and relates to being an overworked older sibling. He bought her summer outfit because he’s way too attached to Jean. He also always puts Barbara on the same team as her because siblings <3 he got Jean because he didn’t know the difference between the standard and event banners and spent all his primos on the wrong one.