#but her dedication to the blade is real

[caffeccino]

She spent her spring break studying the blade, while all the other white girls frolicked

She's a weeb samurai <3 Total cultural appropriation 😔

[mothmanssweetsucculentass]

ZZZ Headcanons

Help this game has taken over my free time I love these characters sm <3 Billy Soukaku and Ellen my beloved

Nicole: has a not so secret hobby of bedazzling anything and everything. It’s a real problem in the Cunning Hares apartment, nothing is safe from pink rhinestones and stickers

Anby: cracked at rhythm games to an alarming degree. Can do a 2 person extremely hard DDR song all by herself

Billy: I don’t know how they did it but they programmed an android with autism. Has his own version of a skincare routine which is basically just maintenance on all of his tiny mechanical parts. Can also gain power multiple ways, including solar power. The apartment complex where the Cunning Hares live had a blackout once and everyone used Billy as a personal charging port. Nicole promised to pay him in Starlight Knight merch.

Nekomata: cuts her own hair and offers to do it for other people. DO NOT trust her when she says she’s good at it

Grace: did gymnastics as a kid which is why she’s able to pull off a ton of backflips and flexible maneuvers in battle

Anton: uses actual cement to keep his hair spikes in shape. Koleda caught him in the act once and instead of chewing him out, she decided to apply some to her own hair and now they’re cement combover gang

Ben: is completely vegan and loves chilling at hot springs a lot. Still sleeps with stuffed animals btw

Koleda: I’m making it canon right now Koleda is trans and you can’t do shit about it. Also has welding as a hobby and made most of her accessories from scratch

Corin: when not in Victoria Housekeeping Co uniform, is a Jfashion junkie. I’m talking super dedicated Lolita fits, menhera inspired clothing, the whole shebang. She ofc designs a lot of her own stuff like her bear backpack and is also responsible for a lot of the accessories Victoria Housekeeping Co wears (Rina’s bows, Ellen’s shark jaw head and neckpieces, Lycaon’s eyepatch and tail straps). She also has a massive crush on Ellen and is too scared to admit it

Rina: has a fur allergy and can’t keep animals around. Which also means she’s allergic to Lycaon. She has to take so much Zyrtec before clocking in but has such a good poker face that Lycaon has no idea. Ellen knows tho

Lycaon: specifically wears the heeled boots and has his odd posture because he’s self conscious about his digitigrade legs, he thinks they’re unsightly for a butler of his standing to have. He also tries to encourage Ellen to wear a long maid dress like Rina does to hide her tail.

Ellen: coincidentally falls into a lot of shark stereotypes. She loves seafood, has to constantly be fidgeting or she feels like she’ll go mad, and the kicker, she gets frenzied around blood, or if the thing she’s fighting puts up a struggle. Corin accidentally cut her hand while repairing her saw blade once and both Lycaon and Rina could barely hold Ellen back once Corin began bleeding. Ellen feels awful for scaring the already timid girl. Corin secretly thought it was hot and would die on the spot if anyone knew that

Soukaku: despite being a huge foodie this girl cannot cook for shit. Is also physically cold to the touch and during the summer her coworkers will ask her to hold their drinks because they’ll stay cold. Soukaku always secretly sneaks sips every time they do this to her.

Miyabi: has the worst sleep schedule known to man. Sometimes you’ll find her awake at 3AM and conked out by 4PM, other times she goes to bed at 8PM and wakes up at 4AM. It’s inconsistent and irregular and a gamble trying to contact her outside of work because she might not even be awake

Harumasa: GAY GAY HOMOSEXUAL GAY. Also pretty cracked at chess and other strategy games. Is also a major old fashioned guy and doesn’t own a lot of modern technology. He’s not into retro or old stuff, he just doesn’t like new stuff

Yanagi: her glasses are fake. When she was younger she needed them, but her vision had naturally gotten better over the years, so she now wears contacts, but for some reason still insists on wearing her glasses. Loses them constantly during battle.

Lucy: even though she was forced to play piano as a kid, she really wanted to be a sporty girl and play stuff like soccer and baseball. Now she has the freedom to take part in the sports she likes and watch them surrounded by the people she likes

Piper: insanely picky eater to the point it drives Lucy up a wall. Is also picky about a lot of other things, like how different fabrics feel, different comfort levels of chairs and beds, girl is a complainer and will always find something to complain about

Lighter: has a side gig as a tattoo artist, has really stable hands too

Soldier 11: has 5 younger brothers, a younger sister, and 2 older siblings who she doesn’t see super often. Has divorced parents who also liked to adopt, which is why she has such a huge family. Her younger brothers love it when she comes home and plays secret agent military with them

Seth: can’t drive. That’s it send tweet.

Qingyi: is outwardly dismissive of meditation tricks and hacks and tips but utilizes that shit in private ALL the time.

Zhu Yuan: shares the vegetables she grows in her garden with all her neighbors. Is also a REALLY good cook to the point people have encouraged her to potentially consider a different career path

Jane Doe: the rat girl has pet rats go figure. But in all seriousness she’d die for her little guys. She has a white one named Cocaine and a brown one named Tobacco and a gray one named Crystal Meth. She thinks the names are hilarious and every time she introduces the rats to other people their facial expressions are priceless

[idkyetxoxo]

Criston Cole - The Realm's Delight

Summary - Sworn protector of the heir, but he finds it impossible to resist looking out for her younger sister, a spirited tease who delights in tormenting him at every turn. Her playful antics and sharp wit challenge his resolve, leaving him both exasperated and inexplicably drawn to her.

Pairing - Criston Cole x Targaryen reader

Warnings - None

Word count - 2151

Masterlist for Criston • House of the Dragon General Masterlist.

Rhaenyra and I were our father's greatest challenges, constantly testing his patience and causing no end of headaches. Together, we shared the unofficial title of the realm's delights notorious for our spirited antics.

Rhaenyra, being older by a year, had inherited the weighty title of heir. This fact, however, did little to dampen my spirits. I preferred a life of lighthearted amusement and contentment, fully aware that such freedom would vanish under the weight of her future responsibilities.

"I'm rather bored," I murmured, a sentiment that earned a quiet giggle from Rhaenyra. 

Otto Hightower, the Hand of the King, shot us both disapproving looks, a common occurrence whenever we indulged in our irreverent banter.

"Make haste and choose your protector I added, to which she wrinkled her nose in silent agreement. 

The arrival of the next knight was a welcome distraction. He was the same knight from the tourney last week, his dark curls cascading loosely over his face, his eyes gleaming with a focused intensity that intrigued both of us.

With a single knowing glance exchanged between us, Rhaenyra made her choice effortlessly.

The knight visibly honoured and not at all concealing his pride, knelt before us to swear his oath. His voice carried the weight of solemnity as he recited the vows that inducted him into the esteemed ranks of the Kingsguard, becoming my sister's sworn protector.

"I could never tire of having him by my side," I remarked casually as the ceremony concluded, earning a laugh from Rhaenyra. "But I must depart, dear sister. Lingering here any longer, I fear, would lead to my demise," I teased, and she flashed a mischievous smile in response.

As I stepped away from my sister's side, I couldn't resist casting a lingering glance at her chosen protector. Our eyes met, his gaze unwavering and filled with a hint of intrigue that mirrored my own.

─── ✦⋅♡⋅✦ ───

Months had passed since Ser Criston Cole had been appointed as my sister Rhaenyra's sworn protector, and their relationship had evolved into something rather intriguing. 

He seemed almost like a loyal pup, ever at her beck and call, shadowing her through the halls of the castle with a watchful eye and a steady presence.

While I admired his dedication, I often found myself feeling like a forgotten ghost, drifting further from Rhaenyra as her responsibilities as heir demanded more of her time.

With her burdens weighing heavily on her shoulders, I began to wander the castle's labyrinthine corridors alone, seeking mischief in the quiet corners. The once vibrant laughter we shared had faded, replaced by the solemnity of her duties and the formality of court life.

One restless moonlit evening, unable to sleep, I slipped out of my chambers with cautious steps, the chill of the stone floor sending shivers up my spine. Before I could make any real progress down the hall, a firm hand on my shoulder startled a yelp from my lips.

"Ser Criston," I gasped, hand flying to my heart as he narrowed his eyes at me, the moonlight catching the sharp angles of his face.

"It's late. Where could you possibly be headed alone?" His voice carried a mix of concern and authority that was hard to ignore.

"Ser Criston, you are sworn protector of my sister, the heir, not me," I pointed out, crossing my arms defiantly, a boldness I hoped would deter him.

"Protecting the heir includes ensuring her sister doesn't find herself in trouble," he countered evenly, his gaze unwavering and piercing, like a blade cutting through the night.

"And who says I was getting into trouble?" I challenged, though I knew he saw right through my bravado. "It's not your concern," I added, attempting to walk away, but his grip tightened, stopping me in my tracks.

His hand slipped to my wrist, and I felt the warmth of his touch despite the cool air. There was a flicker of something in his eyes, perhaps curiosity or concern, but it was enough to make me pause.

"Where are you going?" he asked again, this time with a softer edge to his voice.

I glanced back at him, a smirk playing at my lips. I trailed a finger along a lock of his dark hair, letting it slide between my fingers as I met his gaze. "Why do you wish to accompany me? Am I so fascinating that even a knight like you can't resist?"

His eyes followed the movement of my finger, and for a moment, I could see the conflict in his expression but then his hand moved, firmly pushing mine away.

"Princess, I cannot allow you to leave," he insisted firmly, his tone brooking no argument. "Do not make me force you."

"Force me?" I retorted, meeting his gaze with a sharp glare, daring him to follow through but before I could react, he effortlessly lifted me and threw me over his shoulder, catching me completely off guard.

"Ser Criston put me down this instant!" I protested, squirming as he carried me back toward my chambers, my indignation flaring.

"I cannot, Princess," he replied calmly, his footsteps steady and sure as he opened the door and placed me gently on my feet. "Go to bed," he instructed, the authority in his voice unyielding.

"Go to bed," I mocked under my breath, feeling a mix of annoyance and something else entirely as he turned to leave. After a few moments, I convinced myself enough time had passed and cautiously cracked open my door, peering out into the corridor, only to find Criston still standing watch.

"I'm not leaving until I'm certain you will not try to flee," he stated firmly, his presence unwavering and resolute, like a sentinel guarding against the night.

Grumbling in frustration, I slammed the door shut, shedding my cloak in a fit of annoyance before collapsing onto my bed. I buried my face in my pillow, muffling a scream of frustration before exhaustion finally overtook me, forcing sleep upon my restless mind.

─── ✦⋅♡⋅✦ ───

I strolled through the sunlit courtyard, the warmth of the day casting a gentle glow over the knights engaged in their training. It was a welcoming scene, not something I often indulged in.

Finding respite on a weathered bench, I shielded my eyes from the sun's glare with my hands, momentarily lost in the tranquillity of the moment. The fresh scent of blooming flowers mingled with the earthy aroma of the courtyard, wrapping me in a comforting embrace.

"Princess," a knight called out in surprise, pulling me from my reverie. I looked up to see Ser Arys and Ser Lorent standing with a few others, preparing for a friendly spar.

"Ser Arys, Ser Lorent," I greeted warmly, a smile breaking across my face as I rose to approach them.

Before I could adjust to the bright light, one of the knights stepped forward, effortlessly blocking the sun's glare for me. "Allow me," he said with a slight bow.

"You are ever so kind," I acknowledged gently, placing a grateful hand on his arm. His bashful reaction, a subtle reddening of his cheeks, brought a smile to my lips,

In the distance, I noticed Ser Criston watching intently, his expression unreadable as he sharpened his sword. I dismissed the feeling stirring within me and focused on the knights before me.

"Princess, may I receive your blessing?" Ser Arys requested. "A kiss from you upon my sword will still my beating heart and give me the strength required to win this match."

I met his gaze, allowing a soft smile to grace my lips. My eyes flickered briefly towards Criston, who tightened his grip on his sword, a slight tension in his posture that didn't go unnoticed.

"Fairest Princess, the realm's delight, this match will be in devotion to you," Ser Arys continued earnestly, holding his sword out, the blade glinting in the sunlight.

With a graceful gesture, I leaned down and pressed a small kiss upon the blade of his sword. The moment felt charged, and as I glanced up, I caught Criston's intense gaze, his jaw set tight and fists clenching the hilt of his sword. 

The subtle edge of tension in the air shifted, stirring something deeper within me.

As the friendly sparring match unfolded in the courtyard, I watched with keen interest, my attention alternating between the rhythmic clash of swords and the knights' determined expressions. 

Ser Arys fought with a vigour that spoke of both skill and devotion, fueled by the blessing I had bestowed upon him.

With swift manoeuvres and calculated strikes, Ser Arys emerged victorious, cheers and applause erupting from the onlookers. I couldn't help but join in, clapping enthusiastically as he bowed gracefully before me.

"Well done, Ser Arys!" I exclaimed, a genuine smile brightening my features. The joy of the moment bubbled within me, and in an impulsive gesture, I leaned forward to kiss his cheek lightly in congratulation.

Ser Arys's cheeks flushed crimson at the unexpected display of affection, his eyes widening in surprise. The knights around us chuckled good-naturedly, teasing him amidst their own laughter.

"Thank you, Princess," Ser Arys managed to say, his voice tinged with both gratitude and bashfulness. 

He straightened up, instinctively touching the spot where my lips had briefly brushed against his cheek, a gesture that revealed his delight.

In the periphery of my vision, I caught Ser Criston's reaction a subtle shift in his demeanour, his expression unreadable yet observant. His eyes briefly met mine, and for a fleeting moment, I sensed a depth of jealousy.

Ser Arys, still blushing but visibly uplifted, rejoined his fellow knights with a newfound confidence, his victory not just a triumph in skill but a cherished memory of a princess's favour.

As the day drew to a close, I lingered in the courtyard a while longer before taking my leave.

Walking through the halls, I hummed quietly to myself, the lingering warmth of the sun leaving me in high spirits. However, my reverie was abruptly interrupted when someone stepped into my path with purposeful strides.

"Ser Criston," I greeted, noting the intensity in his approach. His eyes were sharp, and his demeanour was far from casual.

"Princess," he replied with a nod, his voice laced with an urgency that piqued my curiosity.

"I watched you out there," he stated bluntly, his gaze unwavering. I blinked slowly, feigning nonchalance.

"Did you?" I questioned lightly, tilting my head slightly in a show of innocence.

"I watched you give your favour to Ser Arys," he continued, his tone betraying a hint of jealousy that sent a ripple of surprise through me.

"And what of it?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "It was a harmless gesture, a token of encouragement."

"Harmless?" he repeated, stepping closer, his tone tinged with a mixture of frustration and something deeper, something more personal. "You leaned forward and kissed his cheek, Princess. That is not merely a token of encouragement."

I felt a flush of irritation rise within me, masking my surprise at his unexpectedly strong reaction. 

"Ser Criston," I began, my voice steady, "as a knight of the Kingsguard, your duty is to protect my sister, not to question my actions."

"Protecting the heir includes ensuring her family does not fall into inappropriate entanglements," he countered, his eyes flashing with intensity.

"Inappropriate entanglements?" I echoed, my temper flaring. "You presume too much, Ser Criston. My actions were nothing but a gesture of gratitude for his performance in the match. Nothing more."

He exhaled heavily, his jaw clenched. "It may appear that way to you, Princess, but to others, it may suggest something else."

"Why should it matter to you how others perceive it?" I demanded, stepping closer, my eyes searching his for an answer. "Are you jealous, Ser Criston?"

His silence spoke volumes. We both knew the answer, even if it remained unspoken.

"My duty is to protect," he said finally, his voice low and measured. "And sometimes, that means protecting you from the consequences of your own actions."

Our gazes locked into a silent battle of wills, both of us fully aware of the underlying tension. "Very well, Ser Criston," I said, my voice tinged with defiance. "Next time I seek the company of a knight, perhaps I'll ask for you."

A flustered expression crossed his features, and he momentarily looked away, his composure faltering. The sight of his discomfort brought a mischievous smirk to my lips.

"Princess," he began, regaining his composure, "this is not a game. The consequences of your actions—"

"Are mine to bear," I interrupted firmly. "I appreciate your concern, Ser Criston, but I am not a child to be coddled."

He exhaled heavily, his frustration palpable. "I am not questioning your judgment, Princess. I am merely reminding you of the responsibilities that come with your station."

"And I am reminding you, Ser Criston, that I am more than capable of handling those responsibilities," I retorted, standing my ground.

With that, I brushed past him, my heart pounding in my chest. His presence lingered like a shadow, a constant reminder of the boundaries I was both confined by and determined to test.

A/n - Criston's always sticking his nose where it doesn't belong, but honestly, he's too pretty not to write for.

[thefiery-phoenix]

YANDERE TANJIRO KAMADO HEADCANONS

Don't get fooled by his innocent look because beneath that innocent pure cinnamon roll exterior lies a hidden side, a part of him that's obsessive, possessive and lovestruck to the core along with being completely DELUSIONAL to the point where he doesn't even feel like there's something wrong with his feelings. You need to hand it to him though, he's quite the dedicated one indeed and from the very moment your eyes met, he's already devoted his heart, mind and soul to you, his precious beloved. He views you as a precious innocent angel that needs to be kept safe from the toxicity and darkness of the world and he's more than happy to be your protector and provider

He's actually good at masking his real intentions and yandere tendencies for you. In fact, he hides it so well that people won't even realize from the first look that he's so obsessed and possessive of you but his sister Nezuko knows all about his obsessive feelings of love for you, yet she won't really do anything about it other than encouraging her dear brother to pursue the love of his life. Both siblings are delusional to the core and congratulations, you have his equally possessive and obsessive sister who wants to keep you safe for her brother's sake after you

He takes the role of your caretaker VERY seriously, he does not want your health deteriorating or you suffering from any complications. He's taken the time and liberty of stalking the living HELL out of you and when he found out about your irregular sleep schedule, needless to say he was less than pleased. He realizes you really aren't capable of taking care of yourself which fuels his desire to take care of you even more. He's like a fussy mother hen always concerned and worried for you whenever you get hurt even in the slightest. The other day you accidentally received a paper cut and he was tempted to ensure you stay away from paper completely as he kept fussing about your little cut for hours and hours. He doesn't like seeing you in pain, when you're in pain, he's in pain. He feels like his heart is getting wrenched and someone dug a sharp blade into his heart, as an overwhelming amount of tender love and affections flows for you in his tender heart whenever you get hurt as he comforts you

He loves seeing that bright beautiful smile of yours and wants to ensure your happiness. With him. Where you belong. He'll buy small gifts for you such as your favorite flower, your favorite candy and such and give them to you with a sweet smile on his face, you won't even suspect how long he's stalked you for and how he's managed to find out these things without you ever telling them to him. He's very observant too and notices every single new detail about you. He can probably draw a freaking portrait of you with his eyes closed since he's memorized every inch and every part of your beautiful ethereal heavenly features. HIs mind is occupied with thoughts of you as he dreams about the happy and blissful life you both would have with each other after he brings you home with him and marries you

He's also quite the paranoid yandere, his fear of losing you to someone or losing you in a fight against a demon would send his concern and worry for you into overdrive and he feels the need to take you 'home' as in kidnap you, sooner than expected. Whatever do you want to be a Hashira for? There's no need for you to fight against those dangerous demons when he's around to take care of you and protect you. Your safety is of the utmost importance to him and that is something he will NOT compromise on at any cost. He admires your bravery and strength to save people but he doesn't want you facing the risk of you losing your life in the process. At times he might have to even keep you in the dark regarding a few missions but it's all for your own good in his opinion

He's good at masking his true intentions and feelings when he's around you and other people. He might look calm and friendly and collected on the outside when you're speaking to your so called friends but he's SEETHING inside as he has a fake plastered smile on his face. His hand is just ITCHING to slap your friend and throttle them for daring to steal your attention away from him, he feels like they're doing it deliberately just to drive a wedge and distance you from him. Deep down he's slightly worried that your friend might charm you too much and steal you away from him which is something he cannot allow to happen. He might not resort to killing the person off, but the next time there's a demon around the area, Tanjiro might not be able to save your 'friend' in time. Of course you wouldn't know that he's also asked the demon to TARGET your friend but that's a different story altogether. The only person he trusts to be around you is Nezuko

His love for you is like a passionate growing flame and your every touch is like a drug he can't get enough of. He needs you, he wants you. He needs you in a way like a drowning man needing air, he feels like he wouldn't be able to live without you. His family was killed by Muzan and he can't afford to let you fall in danger as well, he can't lose you. You're his world, the light of his life, his SOULMATE. His feelings for you would just keep getting worse and worse and finally it would lead to him ending up kidnapping you at some point in the night when you're asleep in your house. You'll wake up in Tanjiro's house on a bed with Nezuko looking at you with a curious look as she lets out a happy noise that you're awake and she'll alert her brother. "Oh, good morning darling, how did you sleep?" asked Tanjiro as you stared at him and blinked in disbelief, unable to comprehend what the hell was even going on at the moment. When you asked Tanjiro what was going on, he just let out a soft smile and told you the truth of how he took you in the night for himself and how he was going to protect you. Please don't scream or cry, he'll feel sad and he feels a sharp pang of hurt in his chest to see you upset. He doesn't like seeing you sad. He knows it's a big change and you'll need some time to adjust, he's understanding and willing to let you take as much time as you need to adjust to your new life and your new home with him and his sister. But one thing is for sure, he does NOT feel guilty at all, not even a single ounce of remorse because the way he sees it, he's keeping you safe. He's protecting you, that's what he tells himself every time and that opinion of his clouded his sense of rationality. Is it so wrong to protect someone you love?

There's no point in escaping from him, he'll just track you down and bring you back to the house. Scream, cry and insult him as much as you want, he'll just put you down on the couch and check you for injuries. He feels like the reason you ran away from him is because you didn't feel loved enough from him and he didn't shower you with love before but don't worry, he'll smother you with his affection now and cling to you like moss below a rock you'll barely have any time for yourself. Nezuko might like your head pats and likes hugging you but she wants her brother to be happy too which is why she'll side with him no matter what and prevent any means of you escaping from them. She likes it when you braid her hair and Tanjiro has a soft smile when he sees you and his sister interact with each other which is an adorable scene in his eyes

You're not to step into the kitchen for cooking either, the house is most probably baby proofed as well. He just doesn't want you getting hurt, the kitchen is a dangerous place, he doesn't want you cutting yourself accidentally with one of those sharp knives or burning yourself with the stove. He'll cook for you instead, you don't need to lift a finger when you're with him. Just let him take care of you and spoil you

[jolalibrary]

heyyyy! could I request Javier Peña for the #mmvalentinesevent with “I… thought I lost you” {14} and “Never do that again. Please” {15} from the injury prompts?? you do angst so well!

take me to yours

javier pena x f!reader (dea!agent)

warnings: reader gets injured, mention (brief) panic attack, post-injury panic. wc: 3.8k an: also, i’m dedicating this to @yeyinde who i know didn’t request this, but listens to me rant and rave about this man

A bead of sweat ran down his spine as time slowed to nothing.

It was the sound of her voice that made it. Birthed it. It doing a number of other things to him. His spine tensing as something twists. Sticking painfully into his abdomen—similar to the blade of a knife.

Hey, Javi. I’m real sorry to bother you, but something doesn’t feel right here. What? I don’t… I don’t know, it just doesn’t.

She never calls—not in the day. Not even when night kisses the city and he expects her.

Their conversations had started as fleeting. More said around breaths as hands explore fabric to unveil skin. Then they had grown into stolen moments, huddled in file rooms and down the side of buildings.

Now she had called him.

Not anyone else: him.

Anyone with you? No. I’m… I’m alone. Shit—my car. It won’t start. 

The sweat had begun building at the nape of his neck when Javi heard her voice. A reaction floods through him almost instantly—far too quickly.

Something he’d have to unpack later when he wasn’t under the watchful eye of Murphy or holding her voice in his hand. 

The bead had hung on for dear life, growing under the tension as he tapped Murphy, and stormed back to the car.  

I didn’t know who to call—and it’s you and me, right? Look— Fuck, Javi. I think they’ve seen me. Bonita—

Something strummed inside of him. It shifted, changed. All violent and unpredictable.

It played on his nerves and organs. It made his hand shake as he rammed the key into the hole, the engine roaring to life—ignoring the questionable stares from Murphy. 

All he focused on was the nervousness in her tone. 

The worry. 

The one he expects from others, but never from her. Not the woman who’d burned her lips against his, mixing tequila and whiskey as he pressed her back against brick; not the woman who raised her chin when someone talked down to her. 

The tone and the fact she’d called him.

I’m coming, Bonita. Alright?  What do I do, Javi? What do I do— Do not go into that house, Cariño. We’re coming, okay? We’re—

That same bead of sweat slid under his shirt collar when he saw the holes in her vehicle. The same ones he had heard being fired at her when the call went dead. How it had been accompanied by a gasp, the last noise he’d heard from her. 

The one which unlocked a fear he hadn’t known he even had for her.

His fingers gripped her truck door. His eyes taking in the phone discarded on the passenger side floor. A bullet firmly in the place keys once were. It lay in a pattern of shattered glass—all of the pieces twinkling under the bright sunlight. Appearing like stars which had fallen from the sky.

It was everywhere, shards that were dragged to the other door—the one half-open that Murphy stood at.

He can’t meet his eyes. Not yet.

Instead, he sweeps his gaze over the backseat does he spot her denim jacket, stomach lurching, twisting.

He knows without thought it’s the same one she’d had on earlier. The one which had spent weeks hanging on the hook near his front door from a time when she’d “forgotten” it.

I’ll get it soon. Don’t worry, I’m not sneak moving in.

Now, it’s covered in the softest spray of drying red.

Complicated. That’s what she had said about them. When she’d been busy reapplying her lipstick in the bar’s bathroom. His fingers had zipped up his jeans, meeting her eyes in the dirty mirror. We’re complicated. You and me. 

He hadn’t argued then, and he didn’t now. 

The sweat had finally dripped. Followed by so much more. It all burns a path down under his shirt. 

His hand swipes across his jaw as he meets Murphy’s gaze—trying not to crack under it. Even as one thought loops continuously, almost making him fearful of even speaking:

Where is she, Murphy?

Images conjured, appearing one after the other. Her bent in odd places, her eyes devoid of life—her soul, her sparkle. 

The bead began its path down his shoulder blade until it finds a home at the base of his spine. Collecting with the others, his fingers brushing his hair back, following his partner's eyes to the house. The one with its door wide open, banging against the inside wall as the warm breeze swipes against it. 

The one he told her not to go in. He takes a breath. 

The two of them fall into a line—one practised and drilled into them from training. One the two of them do countless times as Murphy gestures and he follows.

Javi is too busy trying to banish the thoughts which threaten to boil him over. The ones where his mind conjures her in positions he’ll never be able to forget; holes in her he’ll never be able to fix. 

It takes more than one breath, but two, until he feels a semblance of calmness washing over him. 

It’s quiet, eerily so. Each time their sole hits a loose floorboard, they expect a sea of bullets. Ones which never come.

Not as they clear the hallway, moving into a room with matted chairs and dead bodies. Alcohol, copper and cigarettes stain the air, all sliding past the hair in his nose into his throat. 

He should be thankful she’s not amongst them. But, he’s not. Not as he sees scarlet red spreading across the rickety wooden floor, some even with handprints, some of it even on the walls.

That same pain twists in his stomach. The silence between the two agents remaining, thick and uncomfortable. A mist falling, something churning in him that he fears Murphy can feel too. 

I’m coming, Bonita. 

He meets Murphy’s eyes. The two swap the same hopeful sentiment: the blood won’t be hers.

The tip of his boot kicks at one of the men, and his heel slides the gun from the second—content they’re both bathing in their own blood. All very much disposed of, taken care of.

He’s set to move, to follow Murphy when Javi sees a third gun, one that’s like theirs. A dread ballooning, growing so large it almost consumes him.

“She could still—“

“Let’s clear the rooms.”

He doesn’t mean to snap—didn’t mean to spit the words at him like poison.

It’s just… his breath is all mattered and clinging to his throat. A thing inside of him unfurling. It spreads itself through him. It tries to drag him into darkness, tries to make the corners of his eyes see speckles of red. 

The cracks in his walls widen as he begins to unravel. All of the well-kept emotions suddenly not remaining in their cage, escaping in bursts from him until they’re all out, hammering away at his bones. 

It’s Murphy who suggests they split, taking the next few rooms. Be quicker to find her, won’t it?

He doesn’t argue—can’t, argue. Swallowing the thickness which is doubling with each passing moment. 

The shell of the house whistles in its emptiness as Javi scans for beautiful eyes and a kind smile.

He tries not to feel anything when he doesn’t. Tries not to linger on the fact that as every second pass, the likeness of him hearing her voice grows thinner. It burns into him, twisting something in his stomach as the first room he clears is spared of death. 

Gratitude—glee—almost escaping with a sigh as he moves to the second. 

The second is the sight of disaster, but he’s not sure of what kind or magnitude. 

The stench hits him first. The smell of torture, cigarettes and sex. The matted mattress in the corner is stained with things he only casts his eyes over, the body in the centre of the room demanding his attention. 

He spots several body-shaped holes in the plaster, ones he hates the realisation that they match her height and frame. He sees the smallest amount of drying blood on what hasn’t crumbled to the ground from the force, the contrast of the once-magnolia plaster stark against the dark floorboards. 

The man in the centre is more than dead. The hole in his neck had stopped leaking at some point, having begun to congeal against the floor and the man’s shoulder. More holes in his chest, stomach and thigh follow a similar pattern. 

Javi spots the knife—the culprit of what had done the damage. It’s lodged in the decaying skirting board on the opposite wall, likely kicked there through fury and fear. 

His mind sinks into itself. It pulled open drawers he’d rather keep closed, yanking out past reports and horrid tales, seeing it like a horrid mirage playing out across the dust and debris. A part of him having already carved out space for her, and yet—

She may not be around to fill it. 

We’re complicated. You and me.

Protocol recounts in the back of his head.

His fingers twitch at his side, needing to be busy.

He should go to the car, and call ahead. He should check out the wallets of the deceased, and see if they’ve done damage against Escobar—she’s done damage.

Javi does none of that.

Instead, he puts the safety on and sheathes his gun in the back of his jeans, fingertips sliding against his thumb as he stares at the dead man in the centre of the floor. 

He waits. His teeth return to peeling the skin from his lip. Suddenly busy recalling the ways he could have kept her safe. The main one being he shouldn’t have allowed her to leave his bed. His hand should have slid over her hip, slid his thigh between hers and married his lips to hers until they both forgot about alarm clocks and responsibilities.

The sight of her this morning is what he wants back. The way her eyes had smiled more than her lips. That her palm had pressed against his cheek, laughing at something he’d said. 

It’s why he doesn’t leave the room now. Not wanting to stumble across her bent in a broken way and devoid of any life behind her eyes.

Needing, almost praying, for Murphy’s voice to carry through the house. 

That tone—that particular voice which said she was breathing, that she hadn’t been taken from him too. 

“Javi?!”

His boots sound on the floorboards before his name has stopped echoing around the emptiness. Eyes taking in Murphy, him leaning against a doorframe, gun in his bulletproof, hands over his arms. He shoots a look, one that earns him a jut of his head.

“I’ll call ahead. Give you both a minute.”

���Yeah, sure. T-Thanks, Murphy.”

He pats him as he passes—his partner. The one who likely knows too much, but Javi suddenly cares that much about.

His focus on the room. The one with no scent. The room where the plaster is peeling and the floorboards groan under his soles.

Occasionally, speckled shimmers of sunlight dance over the room from the hole-bitten curtains. The cracked window blowing a warm breeze, sliding over the cobwebs and the creatures that likely hide inside the walls.

He sidesteps around the slanted wardrobe, eyes finding her in the corner—spine pressed against two walls. She looks so small, so unlike the person he’d bid goodbye to this morning.

Her knees to her chest, arms around her calves, chin resting. But, it’s her eyes he focuses on. How they’re blurred, lost—that she’s fractured and withered at the edges.

Her clothes splattered in red, splotches on her skin. None of it bothering her, she’s being haunted by a moment they’ve not let go of.

“Bonita?”

She blinks. It’s quick, the way she banishes her thoughts as she drinks him in.

Realisation dawning, covering her face and body language as though he’s the sun at the start of a new day.

Javi is slow as he coming down in front of her, knees protesting as he does so. Her shaky smile growing, wearily placed joy spreading across her features.  

“H-Hey, Peña—you came? I know. I know you said you would-d, but… I’m glad you did. Really glad. Didn’t know if you’d find me. Anyone would find-d me. You know? You do, know. I know—”

He cups her chin, swiping his thumb under it as she swallows. “Hey, look at me. There she is… Bonita, you’re in shock, ok—”

“I am?” 

It’s forced nature not meeting her eyes, choosing to nod instead. His eyes assess the cut above her head, noticing how it’s become tacky—somewhat healing in various shades of red and black. He turns her face, surprised she allows him to, watching her eyes slide from him to the space behind him. 

The minutes before their arrival trying to steal her from him, almost doing so until her palm plastered around his wrist, surprising him. 

“Had to sit down… just for a minute. So tired, and then I couldn’t… I couldn’t get up—“

“Cariño…” His thumb strokes her cheek, the one blooming, bulging. “Hey, keep those eyes on me.” 

His hand tilts her face, spotting the severity of the swelling around her eye, her gaze blurring, altering. 

“You should see the other guy.” 

“I did. All three of them. You did good.” 

She swallows and it looks like it was harder to do than he cares to think about. “I-I did?” 

“You did, Bonita.”

Her eyes close, a second longer than they have been as her chest tries to rise and fall. “I channelled m-my inner P-Peña. What would P-Peña do? And h-he’d make sure they never g-got up-p… especially when…”

He should let go of her chin, and drop his hand back to his lap. He doesn’t. Just stares instead, taking in the flecks of her one good eye and the way her breath seems to be coming back to her. 

She places her hand on his arm. “I’m okay.” 

“You are.”

Biting the inside of her lip. “They’d spotted me.”

His heart slows, and almost stops. Just for a moment—so brief he could have ignored it, but he doesn’t. “I heard, Cariño.”

Not sure if he’ll ever be able to drink away the sound.  

“Thought… not him—not Escobar. But, someone… y’know? Important. That we could tick off. Red cross over their face. You know? You know, of course you do. But, I don’t think they was. Important, I mean?” Her lip trembles, the size of it sprouting the same as her eye. Tears welling up, sitting in her eyes as she furiously doesn’t let them fall. “Even for the way they… they really wanted to hur—kill me.” 

It drops, his stomach. Practically almost falls out of his ass into the floorboards.

We’re complicated. You and me. 

The fear he’d managed to stifle, darts through him again like wildfire. Scorching all the parts of him, fanning its vine-like fingers through him, tangling around organs as it flexes and tightens, making it hard to breathe. 

He acknowledges what it means—what she means to him.

He does.

Javi knows she isn’t just someone who has kept his bed warm or been there when he’s needed to fuck his frustration out; she’s not someone who he just looks for around the building. She’s—

“Where’s Murphy?” 

Her breathing suddenly difficult—challenging. Her hand slides under her blouse, eyes dilating, blurring before his eyes all over again.

All he can think is she shouldn’t have been here alone. Shouldn’t have been asked to come here without someone like him, like Murphy. 

“He’s outside. You good to walk?” 

She nods, just about. 

His brain latching, furiously clutching to the fact she’s alive—breathing.

He hadn’t lost her—she hadn’t been taken from him. Not yet. Something he hadn’t allowed himself to believe could be true when he’d seen her truck. When they’d walked in and heard nothing—not even the wheezes of someone’s last breath. 

You like her. He thinks. You like her, you like her, you like her. 

She’s taken to the ambulance the moment they exit the building.

It allowed him a horrid moment to take in the rips in her jeans, the way her once-white blouse was stained to ruin. How she limped, ever so slightly—something he hadn’t noticed from nearly carrying her against him out of the building.

As soon as she was taken from him, he hated how far away she was. His hands lighting a cigarette, and then another. Able to speak clearly to those who asked him things.

But, it didn’t quiet his thoughts or calm his frayed edges. 

“Carrillo says he can handle the rest, you coming?”

There’s a look in Murphy’s eyes as he asks—all-knowing and cocky. He hates it—despises it. It feels like a test.

Javi wants to roll it up and shove it down his partner’s neck. 

“Um, no. Think I’ll stick around here.”

Nodding, Murphy casts his cigarette down. “I called it.”

“No, you fucking didn’t.”

“Did. Look after her, yeah?”

He jostles under the slap of Murphy’s hand on his back, half-rolling his eyes as he tries to ignore the frustration building. The fact all of it, his feelings, are rising to the surface in thick bubbles. And he’s not able to keep a lid on it. Not the way he feels or how much he’s showing it. 

Me and you.

He lets his eyes find her again. 

Having tried not to let her out of his sight the moment the medic had taken her from him. She’d searched for him too, having been examined by the shut doors—desperately looking for him, calming when she seated at the edge of the ambulance having found him. She soothed him too, stopped the storm from taking over and rendering him more useless than he feels. 

It’s why he waits, and spends far too long avoiding going over until her head turns and shifts. The sight of it making him worry, panic.

Then he follows her line of sight, seeing the sheet-covered bodies, and his legs cut through the people and trucks until he’s standing before her. 

It pulls her back to him. Her eyes land on him, an easier smile able to spread over her lips as she leans her head against the inside of the vehicle. 

“You causing trouble?” 

“Me? No. I leave that to you, Peña.” 

He placed his hand on his hip, foot up on the ambulance's step as she watches him. Takes him in as he does her.

The bruising has developed, spreading its swollen fingers where it shouldn’t. Shouldn't have ever had the chance to spread, blossom. 

“You gotta go to the hospital?” 

Slowly, she leans her head against the side of the vehicle. “No. But, I can’t be alone, so I suggested this guy called Javier could keep an eye on me. Just has to make sure I don’t faint or pass out, vomit and something else, I kinda stopped listening.”

“Cariño.”

Her tongue sweeps out over her lips. “What? You don’t want to keep an eye on me, Javi?” 

More than fucking anything. 

Never wants to let her out of his sight again, if he could. Wants to press her body against his until no space remains, letting her breath fan out over his face and her heartbeat pelt against his ribs. 

“Javi…?”

Lifting his head, he meets her eyes. A more detailed conversation happens in the stare, one with words that fall with ease. Each is perfectly articulated, chosen and spoken which makes all of this easy. Not that she’s easy—not that the two of them are either. 

We’re complicated. You and me. 

They are complicated and messy, and brilliant. He knows it—feels it even. How complex it is that she even managed to get under his layers, weave herself into his life to the point he’s not sure if he could breathe as easily without her. 

He knows, on some distant level, he felt it more before today. That it had begun festering months ago, blooming into something sweeter and nicer than he’d ever allowed himself to have only once—if ever. 

“I… thought I lost you…”  

Slowly, her grin drops. Her lips spread out into a line—either in surprise at his confession, or at the truth of it. His words remaining, hanging, settling between them—not dancing up into the sky. 

Even as he heard them, he didn’t regret them. Even if it widened the gap in his carefully curated walls.

It takes a lot to render her silent, he’s learnt that. He’s found ways, but never with words. So, watching her mouth open and close is a sight to behold—somewhat waiting for a trophy he’s never sure will come. 

“Who’d annoy you if I went and died, Peña?”

“Knowing you? You’d find some way to fuckin’ haunt me.”

It’s low, but it’s there—her laugh. It brushes through the air to his ears, both of them tuning in for it, needing it. It settles a part of him—one which hadn’t believed she was out of the woods. Somewhat expecting at any moment for her eyes to roll back into her head and her soul be whisked from him, without him having much say in it. 

“Javi… I should thank you. For coming for me.” 

It takes all of his self-control to not let the words he feels slide out. Seeing something in her eyes too. Something hidden, stuffed down. Something likely akin to how he’s feeling. 

“You called me, Cariño. I’ll always come.”

Her lips slide into a smile, one softer, more genuine, and his heart skips a beat at the sight of it. “Because it’s you and me, right?”

His chest tightens. A thought growing, mouldering—that he doesn’t deserve her, isn’t good enough. It rises like a tide, filling his throat as he watches her lean forward, easing herself down from the vehicle. He tries to force how he feels back down, swallowing back everything and anything—

And then her palm brushes his cheek, soft and innocent. 

“You’re coming to mine.” 

She bites the inside of her mouth, lips pulling tight, nodding firmly. “Okay.”

He rolls his head on his neck, dragging his tongue over his bottom lip as he shifts his weight. “Never… never do that again,” he whispers, just for her. “Please?”

“What?”

He finds her smirking. Knowingly. “Scare me. I—I can’t… I don’t think I can lose you.”

She moves closer, letting him see the pale stripes against her wound—the one that the medic likely fought to stick on. He notices the flecks in her eyes again, almost sees the reflection of himself in how wide and beautiful they are. 

“Take me to yours, Javi.”

Nodding, he swipes his thumb across his bottom lip. 

[bokettochild]

I just saw a post asking which Link would make the best villain and....

It's Time guys

Like, I love the man, but let's be real; he's a second from snapping and committing atrocities.

Twilight is so thoroughly traumatized by the vision the spirits gave him and Fi's judgement of him that he literally can't stand messing with magic that isn't actually his own or connected to him. And while, sure, he doesn't need magic to be a villain, let's be real, it'd take something magical to force him to turn his back on everything he's ever fought for.

Similarly, Wild fought and died for his kingdom, and his people. There is nothing and no one worse than what he's already seen that could possibly make him turn his back on it all and throw his work down the drain just to destroy everything he'd built himself.

Legend is the same. he's been doing this far too long to ditch now. Granted, he's a grump, but if you look at his games, you see he's a highly empathetic and caring person. Unlike the others, who were tasked with saving the world by a mentor or friend, or had to go and save a friend or family member, or who where sworn to duty; Legend was literally some kid who was asked by an utter stranger to help, and did. Six times. No way someone like that is going to go and destroy everything.

And Wind! Wind is a moral guy, with a good heart. he set out for personal reasons and saw in his journey that there were bigger fish to fry, and he fried them. He had no reason to take it on, no call of the goddess, no responsibility, no reason for him, a child, to go and save the world as well as his sister, but he did it anyway.

Sky and Warriors are simply too devout. Warriors to the kingdom and it's people; with everything he suffered for them, you can't tell me the man isn't dedicated to serving his country. And Sky is loyal to Sun, who is Hylia, so he literally would never go against her. And by the law of the Zelda universe, villains are those who go against Hylia and Hyrule.

Four is an iffy one. Most people might say "but Vio was a villain!" but let's be real; if you read the manga, you know Vio was bluffing all along. If Vio, part of Four, didn't bow even under Shadow's influence, and Vaati's, and Ganon's, then again; who and what would drive this man to become a villain? Granted, the persuing of dark magic to bring back his lost friend could be argued, but is more likely to lead to his corruption than his attempting to take over Hyrule and kill innocents.

Hyrule is tough, since we have very little to work off of in cannon, but come on, even if Hyrule did turn to evil, he wouldn't exactly be able to do much. Hyrule's already in ruins in his time, and the monsters wouldn't hear of working beside him. He'd have everyone against him, and even if he does hold the triforce in it's entirety and thus could do all sorts of horrible things, he has neither motivation nor reason to turn away to becoming a villain.

Time though......

Time has watched the world burn and all his efforts be turned around and lost. He has lost everything so many times, usually with no reward or reason. In the end, Time, though a good man, cares more for the individual than the country. He cares about his wife and his boys, and based off the scars, we can only guess what lengths he's already gone to in order to accomplish his goals.

Time, if faced with the right issue, has every risk of dropping from defender to threat. Hyrule be damned, this man cares for his wife, his kids, his home, and if you threaten that, no matter who you are, he will go after you. He's one second away from going after Hylia and all she has done to him and those around him. He detests the Blade of Evil's bane, the symbol of Hylia's blessing. He borders every moment on the precipice of taking power beyond mortals to fulfill his own wishes, even if it is to help those he loves.

Put Malon in danger, heck, one of the boys, and Time won't let something silly like morals stop him from doing whatever it takes to protect what little that is still his and hasn't already been taken from him. He will fight tooth and nail not to lose anything else, and he won't let even the goddesses stop him.l

[rakiah]

Musing on Leovil as I was rewatching the classic Snow White and a thought struck me: out of all 3, Vil is only one who actually understands what love is. The Evil Queen/Grimhilde outright dismisses it as non-existant while Snow White naively falls in love with the first handsome face that comes up. Meanwhile it took time for Vil to fall for Leona and understands that staying in love requires effort.

So a little drabble came to mind:

Fools, the lot of them. Despite not being related by blood, they were similar in their misbegotten conceptions of love.

His mentor, though wiser than him a thousand other subjects, belives that true love is simply doesn't exist. That any form love takes is meaningless and easy to erase. Grimhilde sees love as something that weakens, something that leaves one open to manipulation and defeat.

His mentor's enemy, though he himself has no real qualms with her, belives true love to be a pure thing. Something that can conquer all and leave naught but sunshine and rainbows in its wake. Snow White sees love as the ultimate goodness, something that is inheritly of light and not possible amongst the dark.

Fools, both of them.

Vil knows quite well what love is. It is time, patience, understanding, maturity, and dedication. Falling in love is random, but staying in love requires constant effort. Love was neither good nor evil, simply a feeling to be felt by people. The only thing Snow got right was that love could indead conquer. It could empower someone to commit the bravest of acts or the worst of atrocities for the sake of others. Vil would know. Had you asked him before, he would have said that murder was excessive and a mere waste of resources that carried far too much risk. Now he wouldn't hesitate to plunge a blade into the throat of another if it meant Leona could smile again. He didn't hesitate to poison all those statesmen that tried to have Leona shipped off to some desperate princess on the corner of the world. On that note, Leona also didn't hesitate to reciprocate when he had a fair share of Vil's rivals mauled by those hyenas.

Love is not pure, Vil muses. It's rather intense. After all, those nights spent together had never been pure. Though it did grow into love.

And even now, as Vil listens to his mentor go on with her advice to never love another if he wishes to remain strong, Vil can subtly feel the fruit of Leona's reciprocation growing inside of him. Twins, if the oracle was correct.

He can't help but smile, knowing that Snow White and Grimhilde would both be as red as Riddle if they new. The former embaressed and the latter enraged. He could see it now, his dear mentor marching all the way down to the Savanna just to yell at Scar for his "failure as a royal mentor" and just poison Leona right then and there.

Well, Vil had been pondering how to tell Leona he was going to be a father and the cat had been a bit too smug for his own good recently. But then again, he doesn't want to be a single parent.

Decisions, decisions.

Terrible overdue answer, I’m so sorry for the delay! 💦 I struggled a lot to find something to doodle with your gorgeous text because I really wanted to. And people need to read those great lines! Sorry for making you wait and thank you so much for sharing this! I love it! 🙏

So Evil Queen Vil will be.

[wormswurld]

forced feminization ollie with felix! (pt.1)🌟

this is dedicated to all the freaks that love forced feminization ESPECIALLY when it comes to our pretty little girl ollie 🎀

- since felix is close to venetia he’s picked up on some makeup skills from watching & being her little test subject so when it comes to dressing up his pretty doll ollie he knows what to do

- ollie feels so uncomfortable and nervous whenever felix dresses him up but he obviously can’t say no,, he’s willing to do anything to keep felix’s attention so it’s all worth it in the end (especially when felix calls him his pretty girl)

- love love loves it when felix brushes his hair & puts pretty bows in it,, always complimenting how long his hair has gotten and how pretty his curls are

- felix slaps ollie’s ass and treats him like the girls he’s messed around with at oxford cuz he knows how much ollie likes the attention (felix is just a misogynist lmao)

- first time felix ever proposes the idea (forces) ollie to be his “girlfriend” he shaves all the body hair off of his body 🤤 “pretty girls don’t have this do they?” and he just motions to ollie’s happy trail & pubes.. “gonna make you so soft and smooth ollie, just like a real girl” and ollie just MELTS probably cums from how close felix’s blade is to his dick 😵‍💫

- loves it when felix shows him off in front of his friends..just falls apart with all the lingering eyes on him as he sits in felix’s lap twirling his hair

- felix calls ollie a whore whenever hes talking to someone that isn’t him :)

- whenever felix feels wronged by ollie and wants to humiliate him he makes him strip in front of him,, revealing ollie’s pretty lacy lingerie 😵‍💫😵‍💫 probably forces poor ollie to do a lap dance to the raunchiest music UGHHH

- when they fuck ollie pitches his voice higher so he can Play The Part™️ making the prettiest little whimpers and moans

- ollie probably gets so brainwashed in the fact he’s felix’s girlfriend he forgets how to shave his face,, always begging felix to rid him of his “old self” and felix just happily obliges

that’s all i have abt fem! ollie atm but be prepared for future ramblings..feel free to share your thoughts on our lovely princess ollie 🤗🌟🎀✨

this post is specifically targeted towards my girly boy ollie lovers: @mcr-and-coffee, @coldblooded-angel, @fuckingwoodfuckingpaneling, @island-in-the-shadows , and @pr0fessional-cunt ! i love y’all 💖

[antlerclxws]

Charminghearts || Ghostface Headcanons.

(Imagine with me here, simply under different circumstances!)

- Red is the one to make the calls, voice modulator gifted to her by Maddox under the premise of simply pulling a few harmless pranks on her friends and on Chloe, no malicious intent, right?

- She always does it late at night, hissing out terrible jabs about their victim’s parents or who they’re related to by any means. (Ex; “One wave of your mother’s wand can’t save you from this, what a fairy she is.”)

- Chloe is the real one to do the killing, being sword trained and particularly fast, it becomes more of a game to her, even as something dark shifts in her the more the blood meets the blade.

- She might be the most unserious part about this whole affair, unable to stop herself from at least showing off one knife trick before ending the victim’s life. It ends up in her getting an eye roll from her girlfriend afterwards, “The last thing they see can’t be a knife trick! That’s dumb!” “It’s only dumb because you’re not seeing it!”

- Their ability to cover their crimes is practically uncanny, Red can cover their tracks faster than Chloe can make them and they often think of these events as ‘dates’ too. (Although more often than not they do go on real dates, these clean ups are like aftermaths.)

- Chloe does treat the killings as hunter hunting prey, an almost predatory behavior as she pushes open doors and tears down whatever’s in her way to get to the assigned victim of the night. It’s a scary sight that even manages to frighten Red at times.

- Their motive mostly hinges on Red, angry at her mother for keeping her from Auradon for so long and then pushing her out to be with them as if they won’t look at her like she’s some zoo animal. It made her angry, it made her lash out.

- Chloe follows Red like a lovely knight. When a Charming falls in love, they fall hard, and so deep it could border one something close to obsession if they’re not careful. It’s a thrilling feeling, killing under her girlfriend’s orders, even when it goes against every moral her mother’s storybooks have taught her.

- They often get told rumors about themselves, even when crossing the halls in Auradon Chloe gets stopped at least once to talk about it, with Red looking over her shoulder and sizing up the person. “Did you hear? Someone else was killed last night! I heard it was on the museum steps without the cameras even seeing them!” “Oh my god, that’s terrible.. isn’t it Red?” “Yeah.. I didn’t know people had the heart to do that.”

- Red is ultimately the mastermind to this endeavor, think Billy Loomis to Chloe’s Stu Macher. She is the angry one, the one who is lashing out, and there’s no coercion on Chloe’s part either. She loves her- they love each other, this becomes as normal as it can be for the two girls. They’re dedicated, and don’t see themselves getting caught in the future.

[crguang]

i feel like jingliu has so little content in hsr rn so... 😭

Would you might making headcannons for jingliu with a fem!reader, thanks so much xoxo <3

god, my beautiful fierce moon lesbian… she deserves the world

where do i even start. i would call jingliu a rock but unlike one, she doesn’t sit through erosion, she fights. she’s fast, she’s strong of mind and body, she’s relentless in everything she does… being with her is surreal because you have someone so ahead of everyone else, who stands on her own, and it’s often inconceivable to think that she needs you

jingliu has spent so much of her life just waiting to die. she’s spent most of her years haunted by the destruction caused by the abundance (and she still is… like ok), burning planets and scorched earth ruled her dreams and influenced her present until that one tipsy evening when she realized that she was more than just a sword. and she needs you for that

she faces the setting sky and she sees you in it, colorful and real, unlike her nightmares. you’re alive, she’s alive, and her life is her own. she doesn’t have to dedicate it to survival or revenge, it would be a waste when you look at her that way. she’s admired by many but the stars in your eyes make her falter. she feels like she can actually cut the heart of a star, if only to prove that she’s worthy of your adoration

jingliu is bruised, her hands are calloused and her body is lithe with scars and yet her touch is soft. she’s affectionate in a clumsy way because she’s spent too much time with a blade in her hand and not enough with your cheeks between her palms. she stares a lot, whether you’re in the training yard or lying next to her; she hopes she’ll see your face when she closes her eyes instead of past atrocities.

she doesn’t do PDA because she has a “undefeated sword champion” reputation to maintain and likes that the cloud knights under her command are all a little scared of her. behind closed doors, her way of initiating physical contact is subtle; she’ll wipe food from the corner of your lips or stand unnecessarily close as you show her something. she likes tracing your features with a finger when you’re asleep the most

tipsy kisses!! she can hold her wine but after a bottle her lips are always on yours. her cheeks are flushed, eyes lidded and shoulders relaxed, and she feels much less bothered about kissing you in front of her friends. it only gets heated when you’re alone though

she loves wine and sparring to relax. she knows real tranquility when you’re massaging the knots out of her muscles with warm palms and revering dedication. she’s not the type to sit still for long so at first you have to convince her that it’ll feel nice and that she’ll be much better afterwards. she indulges you, and after that she avoids asking for a massage every week by not so subtly twisting her neck when she knows you’re watching

jingliu strong. jingliu very strong. she can manhandle you regardless of your size. will have you seated on her lap and be offended that you think you could crush her. your weight on her feels nice in any setting, it keeps her grounded

if you’re a fighter please spar with her. she likes beating you. always available for a quick win, it lifts her spirits instantly. i mean, with her knees on each side of your hips and the sharp edge of her sword against your neck as she gazes down at you, are you really losing?…

dating jingliu is such a privilege, you’re privy to that part of her she’s nurturing just to be able to love you the way you deserve. she’s a quick learner, even if there’s still some hesitation in her touches. you make her feel like a woman and she cherishes that with everything she has, even when her mind starts to wither with the mara.

[yourheart-inmyhands]

HIIIII I LOVE YOUR POSTS SO MUCH IF YOU DIDNT NOTICED I WAS ONE OF YOUR FOLLOWERS WHO LIKE YOUR POSTS THE EARLIEST ANYWAYS I HOPE YOU HAVE A GREAT AND AMAZING DAY I HOPE YOU FEEL HAPPY AND JOYFULL! STAY SAFE :DDDD

Oh and btw i love love LOVED the last post you made :3 wasnt able to like it early since i was at school but can i please req a Zoro reader with a yan Yelan , Beidou , Alhaitham (all hail the ham XD) and Neuvillete (idk how to spell his name😒🙄) ANYWAYS PLEASE TAKE YOUR TIME REMEMBER TO EAT REST AND DRINK WATER <<<333

Plus points if reader is in luffys pirate crew , has 3 swords and stronger than Beidou and Yelan 🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰

YOUR THE BEST POOKS EHEHHEHEHE<<<<333 :D :3

(stan chuu 🥰🥰🥰😱😱😱)

LOVE YOU POOKS 🥰🥰🥰😍😍😍😍

i didn't wanna answer this one cause it's so cute and i wanted to keep it in my inbox foreverrrrr but i really appreciate the compliments ;v; <33 also i won't lie, Zoro is not one of my favorites from One Piece (i like greasy/deranged men) but i love his character, i was also binging some episodes while writing this and also this is pre-timeskip zoro cause that's where i'm at currently and brainrot be real but i hope you enjoy :D <3

Warning: this post contains yandere-themes, including delusional behaviors, implied being held against will, mentions of violence, and other potential topics. Please read at your own risk!

Yandere!Yelan would be stressed out, not only do you wield three swords and seem to always get yourself in trouble, but you’re always getting lost. She’s at least glad that you can take care of yourself if the need arises but your obsession with being Teyvat’s Greatest Swordsman is a little out of control. She prefers that you don’t go out without her because she knows you’ll get lost, but if you should otherwise she’ll be sure to send out someone to follow you, keeping her informed of your location and every move.

Yelan smiled to herself as you trained in the backyard. While your bizarre workout routine often had her a bit worried, she admired your dedication to her work. There was a lot about you she loved, but your dedication to your goals was what drew her in, reminding her of herself sometimes. She had to keep you on a tight leash though, your lack of direction often leaving you in places you shouldn’t end up in. She never minded though, it was just another of your adorable quirks, something she found keeping her on her toes. Yelan loved you and all your strange, unique quirks. 

Yandere!Beidou would find you very admirable, chasing so strongly after your ambitions as she had. While killing a Leviathan and becoming Teyvat’s Greatest Swordsman are two different life goals, she thinks you're an amazing individual for chasing your dreams so wholeheartedly.

Beidou smiled down at you from the top deck, watching as you polished your blades. While she didn’t understand the need for three swords, she knew you enjoyed it and so she never questioned it. She was grateful you didn’t put up a fight when it came to traveling on the Crux with her, not that you ever seemed to know where they were headed. It just made it easier for her to keep an eye on you, with your habit of wandering off and getting lost just to end up in a fight that she later patches you up from. She loved you and all your quirks but sometimes she wondered how you came to be this way, it wasn’t something you seemed keen to talk about.

Yandere!Alhaitham would find a beloved like this both a blessing and a curse. He loves your passion for swordfighting, often fighting with you for a bit of practice. While you certainly outmatch him with just one sword alone, he uses his intellect to spar with you, learning your moves and putting you into positions where you have to adapt and overcome. He finds the exercise to be an enjoyable break from his work, allowing him to keep his physical skills as sharp as his mental ones. He refuses to let you go anywhere by himself though, worried you’ll get lost and run into trouble, again.

Alhaitham smirked as he blocked another attack from you, having memorized every attack you’ve ever used against him. It was times like this that he enjoyed most with you, a proper challenge between brains and brawn. While your workout routine was intense, his mind was equally as polished, leaving the duels between the two of you relatively intense. On afternoons where you weren’t dueling, it was common to go into town, with Alhaitham usually picking up books or other things at stores while dragging you along with him. Even if he knew you were going to nap the whole time he was gone, he still didn’t trust you to not fight something or get lost while he was gone. So instead he took you to every store with him, keeping a tight watch over you and oftentimes tying a ribbon gently around your wrists that connected to his belt.

Yandere!Neuvillette has no choice but to keep you locked up inside while he’s gone simply because he knows otherwise you’ll get lost and he’ll be seeing you in the courtroom for yet another fight you got into. He doesn’t mind it though, knowing that at home you only do a few things, train, polish your swords, and nap. And while he admires your dream to be Teyvat’s Greatest Swordsman, he thinks you should settle for the strength you currently possess and simply stay here in Fontaine with him.

Unlocking the door and stepping in after a long day in court, Neuvillette isn’t surprised to see you napping in the livingroom. He will admit that the first few times he saw you napping, simply sitting on the floor up against a wall with all three swords nearby, he thought it was strange, insisting that you sleep in the bedroom or at least on the couch. Now though, he understands that it’s simply the way you are, quietly approaching and smirking as your eyes flicker open, looking up at the man. “Your senses are as sharp as ever I see.” Neuvillette offers you a hand, gently pulling you to your feet as you stretch, asking about his day. He enjoys the quiet life he has and he prefers to try and force you to comply than let you roam free, after all he’s doing this for the betterment of society. You’re simply too dangerous.

[shadowsndaisies]

codename: nightingale - performance

Reference: Young Justice Season 1 Episode 24

WC: 9.1k

synopsis: the team tests their acrobatic abilities and robin takes a trip down memory lane. aka the one where ng is a supportive girlfriend. ft. couply vibes from our favorite non-couple. 

main masterlist

codename: nightingale series masterlist

a/n: I know I'm consistently inconsistent, but. it means a lot to hear from each of you and to see your comments and responses to what I write. it's hard to believe that there are only two updates left in the season, but it's been a long time coming. I do plan to continue with this series, but the breaks will probably be similar to the ones many of you have already been experiencing. thank you again for all your dedication!

BRUGES December 22nd, 20:08 CET

You weren’t really sure how to feel as you stood before the crowd. Standing on the ground beside Conner, you were dressed in a white and red leotard, identical to the ones the rest of your team was wearing. Each of you was wearing a similar mask that covered the top half of your face, and while you pulled your daggers out, your eyes connected with Conner’s, he seemed to recognize the slight unease in your expression. Before he could comment on it, the Ring Master was walking into the spotlight, and the crowd seemed to get louder as he started the night. 

“Damen und Herren, Mesdames et Messieurs, Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the Haly International Traveling Circus! Where the world in the center ring is your oyster, and these are our latest pearls! The Daring Dangers!” he announced, and you straightened out, blades twirling in your hands.

“Dan Danger!” The spotlight focused on Dick as he swung from a trapeze high above everyone’s heads. Your breath caught in your throat as you watched; part of you absolutely amazed at how he moved in the air, and part of you trembling with fear as your brain flashed to the memory he had shown you at the start of November.

You held your breath as he launched from his trapeze and somersaulted in the air opposite M’gann, “Dawn Danger!” Haly announced, and the light focused on her for a second. 

“Diane Danger!” The light moved to Artemis as she notched three arrows and then to Roy as he did the same, “Dane Danger!”

You nodded at Conner as you took your starting position, knowing your alias was coming soon. “Dean Danger!” Haly called, and a light shone on Conner, who was juggling barrels. You watched the moves, and as soon as he tossed two barrels, you ran and pushed off his crouched back. Vaguely you registered Haly’s “and Dana Danger!” announcement as the light shone on you.

You sent two blades flying clear across the ring, through a few hoops where they hit their bullseyes, triggering confetti cannons that shot up in time with Artemis and Roy’s release of sparkler arrows and Dick and M’gann’s well-timed tumbles through the hollow barrels that Conner had tossed. You barely blinked as you tucked down into a roll and came back down, using the momentum to spring up into a handspring with the agility of a trained acrobat. 

“You'll never see another trapeze act like this, folks! And all of it, without a net!” you had straightened out and returned to the podium beside Conner, new blades in hand, just in time to hear Haly’s statement. You winced at the thought before your eyes caught on the pained sound that Dick made. 

“Robin!” M’gann’s shout had your gaze shooting up immediately. And your heart leaped up as you watched Robin fall, the imaging too real for a memory, paired with shrieks from the crowd. 

“Don’t blow our cover!” Robin instructed as he fell, and your eye twitched.

“Dean,” you hissed, at Conner, eyes dipping to the barrel in his hand, and he nodded, understanding your meaning. 

“But saving your life's okay?” Conner asked, sarcasm dripping from every word as he launched the barrel up in the air with enough force to meet Dick in the air and then push him back up to where M’gann was coming back around for another pass from the trapeze. 

“What did I just say?” Robin chastised as M’gann caught him.

“The crowd couldn't see me using telekinesis from below,” she countered, dropping him back at the platform of the trapeze frame. “Besides, I've been using it all night. I'm not exactly the acrobat you are,” M’gann adds as she lands beside him, the two of them wearing show smiles and waving out to the crowd.

“Yeah, neither am I right now. I think I've caught that 24 hour bug that's been going around the circus,” Dick admits, and you make a clicking noise in contempt that only Conner could hear. 

“But the show must go on,” you note with an obviously upset tone.

“Yes,” is all Dick answered. 

Your eye twitches once more as you start hitting targets that Conner was lobbying up in the air, most containing some confetti or glitter that would explode mid-air. You have a brief flash-back of the mission briefing, the one you hadn’t technically been invited to but had stumbled onto, to the great annoyance of Dick.

[FLASHBACK- MOUNT JUSTICE]

“Advanced weapons tech have been stolen at manufacturing plants throughout Europe. And each theft coincides with tour stops made by the Haly Circus. Batman is sending us undercover to catch the thieves,” Robin had led the briefing, and no one else had commented on it. 

But you had sent him a look that made it apparent that you didn’t believe that Batman had authorized anything, but you also trusted Robin too much to make that a public fact.

“This clown car have room for one more?” Roy asked with a faux cheerful expression. 

Your brows dipped as you looked at him. You weren’t completely sure where you stood at the moment. Everything he did to antagonize Artemis earlier this month still didn’t sit well with you. But this was Roy, who was practically your brother; after all the years he’s supported you and everything you’d been through together, there was no simple answer. 

“Uh..” Dick shot a look at you, noting your stormy expression, “We've got this covered,” he offers hesitantly. 

Your forehead creases as Roy leans closer to Robin, talking in a hushed tone you can’t hear. Whatever he says has the slightest effect in twitching Robin’s lips down. Not enough to be noticeable unless you’d been paying rapt attention to the interaction. 

Haly’s announcement pulls you from the memory, and you realize you’d subconsciously been doing your routine and were now standing on one foot in Conner’s hand, hitting a final confetti target before being tossed up in the air for a summersault and then caught by Conner once more. “Put your hands together for The Daring Dangers!”

“Didn't think you’d make it through!” M’gann adds as you all regrouped together on the center podium, waving out to the crowd with show smiles.

“Neither did I. Help me backstage,” Dick admits, your eyes flashing something dangerous as you and M’gann loop an arm around Dick on either side.

Subtly you support his weight, Conner, Roy, and Artemis flanked you as the team made their way backstage. Your eyes caught on Ray, the stage hand, as he talked with the next act as you passed by.

“Ray, have you seen my other torch?”

“Here, you dropped it outside the train.”

“Thanks, you're a lifesaver!”

“Break a leg!”

Haly’s introduction timed up perfectly, “Bear witness, ladies, and gentlemen, to the Dragon's Breath!'' and a second later, the Ring Master himself is walking back to the backstage area.

The twins immediately swarmed, “Haly, what's the deal? Giving the top slot to those Danger kids?”

The other pipes in, “That's our slot!”

“Was your slot until you missed that performance in Paris,” Haly scoffs, looking at the twins and then glancing at us.

“Carlo was sick! He's better now,” one twin argues

“Plus, those Dangers are a sham! They say they're brothers and sisters. They don't even look alike!” Carlo butts in, and you can’t help the quirk to your lip because he’s not wrong. A few of you could probably pass for siblings if the masks stayed on, but not all of us.

Haly simply waved a hand at them, “Ah, you just don't like the competition!” he huffed, shooing the twins away. When he turned around again, he noticed the man in the suit standing just a few feet away. “Ah, for crying out loud, not you again! We're in the middle of a show!”

The man in the suit offered an unimpressed expression, "Then we'll talk after. But we will talk. Another city last week, another tech firm robbed. Another stop on your tour. If I prove you're responsible, I will shut you down.”

Haly frowned at the man, “I've got three minutes to gather props and get back to the center ring," and promptly turned to grab what he needed. 

The suit noticed us when Haly walked off and approached, “Faraday, Interpol." He introduced himself, and you made eye contact with Robin. He hadn't mentioned Interpol during the briefing. "New act?” The agent asked. 

“Yeah, just joined the tour," you affirmed, plastering on the same camera smile you used at all the events Oliver would drag you to. 

“Probably clears you. But don't get too comfortable. Haly's going down for this," Faraday warns before stalking off. 

You were crouched on a roof with Robin and Miss M as you all observed the prospective target when Superboy spoke up, “If Interpol's already on this, why are we bothering?”

“Because Batman said so," Dick deflected, “Why? You had something better to do?”

You turned back to look at Dick and quirked your brow, you were well aware of the significance this circus held for him, but no one else on this mission was. To them, his attitude was most likely abrasive.

“How do we know the thieves will hit here?” Artemis asked from her perch with Roy; you let your eyes drift toward them and were happy to see they were both still in one piece. 

“There are more obvious targets,” Roy supplied, begrudgingly seeming in agreement with Artemis.

“And Faraday will have them covered!” Robin shot back defensively. “But I analyzed the tech already stolen, and the patterns suggest this is the place.”

M’gann interrupted with a soft voice, “How are you feeling?”

Her question had you turning back to Robin, features softening. You could see the strain he was putting himself through. 

“Lousy, actually, but I'll manage,” he offers, and a frown pulls at your lips.

You were ready to butt in and tell him maybe he should stay back, but before you could, Conner cut in, “Contact! North-East quadrant.” You all watched as a hooded figure approached the gate and managed to flip their way over it. Their acrobatic skill was apparent. “Looks like we know why Carlo missed their performance,” Conner offered.

“Could be Carlo, could be his brother,” Robin reminded everyone. “Keep an open mind, and move in!”

You repelled down, Robin doing the same by your side, though you noticed as he landed a bit harsher than normal, before turning and trying to find your mystery acrobat again. 

“Did you see where he went?” Robin asked as we regrouped, and everyone focused on finding any sign of your culprit.

Conner landed beside you, and a minute passed before he answered, “The warehouse.”

You all managed to slip into the warehouse undetected and took up positions surrounding the hooded figure from the railing above.

Robin laughed, drawing his attention, and that’s when you realized under the hood that he was also wearing a mask. “Caught red-handed! Red faced too, I'll bet.”

Artemis glared at him, “Acrobatics won't get you out of this.”

You saw the baton before he had it all the way up, and your eyes went wide, “Look out!”

No one else had a chance to say anything before your offender utilized a mock of devil's breath (fire) as a distraction. You all split up to avoid being burned, tumbling away from the heat. 

“Somebody do something!” You huff, pushing yourself up and looking down at your arm, you can feel a burn there, and you bit down on your cheek to keep from letting out a pained cry.

“Those crates are full of live ammo! Move!” Roy shouted, and your eyes went wide. Roy jumped down toward you and helped you up, pulling you to your feet before tugging you after him.

You all found a somewhat secure spot and pulled down the metal supports around you, blocking you from most of the blast as the explosion shook the building and shattered the glass windows. 

You waited an additional minute for aftershocks before Superboy kicked down the metal around you, “That guy is dead meat!”

“Superboy, no!” Robin shouted, stopping Conner before he could follow after our mystery firebug.

“You need to get her out,” you tell him as you gesture back to M’gann, wincing when your suit pulls against your burn.

“He's getting away!” Conner argued, and you couldn’t hide your surprise. 

You could feel the rage pouring off of him. You hadn’t felt something this intense from Conner in a while. It was potent but awkward. You were all upset, angry, and annoyed, but no one to his extent, even with them being as close as they were.

You frowned at him, “And that matters more than Miss M? The fire's killing her!” You remind him, and suddenly the rage evaporated; his fluctuating emotions became increasingly more baffling with each mission.

“Right right!” He corrects, taking M’gann into his arms and running out from the smoke.

With the pressing concern of M’gann’s health resolved, Robin turns to the rest of you. “Artemis, NG, Arrow! Find the thief!” he shouts, but you all see as he collapses.

“Fuck,” you mutter, rushing up to him.

“Because he matters more than you?” Artemis asks, repeating your words from seconds earlier.

“You're still off your gigs, pal. We're getting you out too,” Roy determined as he and Artemis each looped an arm around him. “Birdy, you alright?”

“Fine! I’m right behind you!” You affirm, wincing once again as you grab your grapple, every movement of your arm paining you.

By the time you returned to the train, your arm was throbbing. You had applied burn paste on the bioship in the small bathroom while everyone else decompressed and bandaged it up, deciding to deal with it fully once back on the train, hoping to avoid any questions about it. Everyone seemed to be in a mood when you touched down and relegated themselves to quietly fuming while preparing for bed. Between the six of you, there were two compartments, one for the three boys, the other for the three girls. M’gann got ready for bed first, and Artemis approached you while she was in the shower. You were seated on the floor beside your bed. Despite having changed to get in unnoticed by anyone who happened to be wandering about, you still smelt like smoke and had no desire to get that on your bed. Artemis gently sat down beside you, hands hesitating before gently grabbing at your arm. You let out a hiss at the contact despite how light her touch had been. 

“I saw it, before we carried Rob out, but it was hard to see, and there was fire everywhere, so I thought maybe it wasn’t as bad as I had thought, until you walked out of the change room with a bandage on…” she trailed. 

“It’s fine,” you tried to shrug off. 

“I know I messed up last time, but I thought about what you said. I want to be on this team, NG, I want-“ she cuts herself off, dropping your gaze. “I want them to be able to put their trust in me,” she says firmly. 

You stare at her for a second, knowing she’s trying to be exceptionally open with you right now. Allowing you to read every emotion she’s got while holding your arm and meeting your masked eyes. Tiredly you pull the mask from your eyes, and hers widen. 

“I’m not giving you my ID, not yet. I-” you take a deep breath cutting yourself off. “it’s a lot for me. But I could use some help with this burn, if you’re offering,” you respond. 

“Yeah, let me grab the med kit,” she nods, stretching out to grab a box from under her bed. 

When M’gann came out of her shower, Artemis had cleaned your burn and debrided what she could. You had taken a mild painkiller and used a localized anesthetic on the area to keep the pain at bay. M’gann’s eyebrows raised at your unmasked face but simply offered you a warm smile once you replicated though much more muted.

“That looks pretty rough, I didn’t realize you got burned,” M’gann notes, her tone full of concern. 

“It’s alright. You were looking pretty rough yourself,” you muse tiredly. 

“You feel any better?” Artemis asks, looking back at the Martian.

“Lots, but I’m still pretty drained,” she admits, walking over to sit beside the two of you on the floor. “Why don’t you wash up, Artemis? I can take over,” she offers. 

“You sure?” Artemis asks hesitantly. 

“Go,” you affirm. “It’s not like I can shower until this is properly bandaged up anyways,” you shrug,

“Alright,” she nods, standing up and grabbing her stuff before disappearing behind the doors and down the walkway to the shower.

“Big step,” M’gann notes as she picks up where Artemis left off, though her eyes glance up to make uninhibited eye contact with you. 

“Maybe I’m just high on the pain killers,” you lament. 

M’gann giggles, “No, but whatever the reason, I’m glad. I know you know I caught glimpses back in Biyaliya, but I’ve done my best to respect your privacy and the things I learned during that mission,” M’gann admits. 

“Yeah, we’ve all come a long way since Biyaliya, haven’t we?” you muse. 

“Very,” she affirms. “How goes the empath development? My uncle mentioned he and Canary have been corresponding regarding your training,” she inquires. 

“Did he tell you he thinks I may be able to manifest as a telepath? If my empathic abilities continue to develop the way they have been, I mean,” you tell her lazily, the pain killer defiantly helping in your unusual calmness.

“No, he hadn’t,” she admits. “How do you feel about that?”

“Honestly? I’m not sure yet, I just started understanding my empathic abilities, grasping how to read others, how to interpret the feelings, and it’s still so easy to get overwhelmed, when everyone else’s feeling are just too loud, and I can’t manage it all flooding at me… but Canary said I’ve always been an empathetic person, that I find it in myself to forgive and understand quicker than most, we just never realized it had to do with my latent abilities more than my experiences.”

“It’s both,” M’gann assured you. “You might be an empath, NG, but that just means you can read other people’s emotions, empathizing with them has more to do with your character than it does with your powers. It’s both, not one or the other, you’re more than your powers, don’t let their inherently emotional core make you think any different,” she says seriously, picking up the tub of burn cream. 

“Thanks,” you manage to croak out, staring at M’gann. You hadn’t realized just how much of a toll the overpowering nature of your powers had been taking lately.

“Anytime, Birdy,” she smiles warmly once more before wrapping your arm up. She added an additional layer of waterproof bandaging to help protect your arm while you showered. “We can check it in the morning, but the bandage should you last you through the day, and we can clean it again tomorrow night,” she adds as she finishes.

Artemis returned a moment later and smiled at your now cleaned and bandaged arm, “You’re up, Birdy,” she mused, tossing her towel over one of the hooks in the compartment. 

You smiled at the two girls, grabbing your towel and shower things before exiting the compartment yourself. 

BRUGES December 23rd, 08:13 CET

When you got up the next morning, M’gann and Artemis unwound your bandage, inspected it, and added more of the burn cream before rewrapping it. The three of you exited the compartment and met with the boys for breakfast. You had just finished when you spotted the return of Interpol Agent Faraday. 

“Another weapons plant is hit, and once again, the circus is in town. I don't believe in coincidences,” Faraday warned.

“I don't care what you believe! My people are not responsible! I did a bed check last night. Every single member of my troupe was asleep in their bunks!” Haly defended, and your brow quirked as you looked over to your team. Everyone was dressed in their performance outfits, but given that your arms were usually on display with the leotard, you had opted to slide a compression long sleeve on underneath, perfectly reasonable given the snowy weather outside, the sleeves covering your bandaged arm perfectly. 

“Well, we sure weren’t,” M’gann notes in response to Haly’s defense.

“And if he's lying about us…” Artemis trailed off as everyone settled with the idea. Your gaze flickered to Dick, caught as his eyes narrowed on Haly and then dropped to the floor. 

“Let’s go, I think it’s time to debrief,” you decide, urging your teammates to move and catching Dick’s gaze once more before you all moved back into the boys’ compartment on the train, closing the door behind you. 

Everyone took up varying spots in the compartment, Artemis and Dick seated on one side, M’gann and you seated on the other, while Roy and Conner stood on each end. 

“S, two thieves, right? The fire breather and one of the acrobats,” Artemis offered, starting the debrief. 

“Dressed in identical clothes,” M’gann offered. 

“Maybe not just two,” Dick decided, pulling something up on his holo-screen. “Here's the Madrid security footage.” you all watched silently as a hooded figure bent the bars. “And now, Paris,” confusion spread as you watched another figure walk on some cables, just like a tightrope. 

“So the strong man and the clown too,” Roy supplied. “If the entire circus is involved, Haly himself may be the mastermind,” he voiced, and you cringed internally, fighting to keep your face straight, knowing exactly where this was headed next. 

“You don't know that!” Dick argued, standing up to get in Roy’s space.

“It would explain his lies,” M’gann offered, though her tone was soft, as she tried to de-escalate the tension between Dick and Roy.

“I told you to keep an open mind!” Dick huffed before storming out. Your lips pursed, you wanted to run after him, but you also wanted to ensure that everyone was at least somewhat on the same page. 

“Hello, Megan! I'll read Haly's mind!” M’gann offered, but before anyone else could comment on it, Roy took a step forward with crossed arms.

“I’m not sure we can trust you to do that without tipping him off,” Roy decided, and your eye twitched; you were getting really sick of questioning everyone’s trust.

“Or maybe you don't trust her, period!” Conner roared, stepping forward, voicing your thoughts. “I heard you talking to Robin back at the Cave. I know you're only here to spy on the three of us!”

“There's a mole on this Team,” Roy said so seriously you could see his sureness, but it did little to change your opinion. “And there’s good reasons to suspect all three of you. Both Artemis and Miss Martian have already been caught in lies,” both of their heads dipped a bit, “And you could be programmed by Cadmus without even knowing.”

“Or maybe I take your head off without even trying!” you’re once again struck by Conner’s aggressiveness. You’d thought he’d sorted through most of it with Canary. He’d been doing better, but suddenly it seemed like it was all coming back, and you couldn’t place why.

“Okay, let's all take a time out,” M’gann decided, placing a gentle hand on Conner’s shoulder and tugging him back a bit. “Before we do something we'll regret.”

“Speak for yourself,” he grumbled, allowing her to lead him out of the compartment to cool off. 

Artemis waited until the compartment door shut again, “None of us are perfect. But each of us would give our lives for this Team. So try and keep an open mind,” Artemis reminds him, and it’s reassuring to hear your words echoed by another, but also to see the calm, collectedness she managed to keep about her this time. You were proud of her and offered her a smile of your own as she left too. 

“She’s not wrong, and it’s exactly what I’ve been saying for months, Roy,” you huff. 

“Just because you’ve gone all kumbaya on me-“

“Don’t,” you snap. “Just don’t. I don’t know why my empath abilities seem to be such a focus for you lately, but it doesn’t make me any different than I have ever been. And this.. This being on edge, being angry, whatever it is, you need to knock it off because I can only take so much.” 

“Birdy…” He says it softly, and you frown. 

“I’m gonna go find Rob,” you decide, pulling a jacket from Robin's bag. “Figure your shit out, Roy.”

You make a quick stop to grab one for yourself before running out after Dick. You find him while he’s stopped in front of an old poster on a tent. When you get closer, you know why. You stare at it a second longer, The Flying Graysons, and you take a deep breath before walking up next to him. 

He’s quiet as you saddle up beside him, and your fingers fidget for a second, trying to think of what to say. “They don’t know, and so they don’t understand, they can’t understand why this is so important to you, or why you’re being evasive and defensive… But I do. I know, I understand, and I’m with you all the way. If you truly think that Haly’s not involved, then he’s not, but I’m begging you Dick, please don’t block me out,” you say softly, voice barely louder than a whisper, as you drape his jacket over his shoulders and tentatively grab his hand. 

He doesn’t answer, but his fingers tighten around yours, and you release the breath you’d been holding. Only a few moments later, his com rings, a quick glance lets you know it’s Wally, and Dick answers, linking you in while you both stand out in the snow.

“Uh yeah?” he answers lamely, gaining an eye roll from you, though you can hear how bothered he still is in his voice.

“Dude, where are you?” Wally asks; there’s a slight note of concern in his tone.

“Confidential mission,” Dick covers, shooting you a pleading look, “from Batman,” he adds, and your eyebrows raise.

“Wow!” Wally exclaims. “You know what I'm doing? Making a baloney sandwich, kinda like you just did,” he laments, and you can’t help but snort. “Hey there, Pretty Bird, I was hoping you’d be around,” Wally greets, and you smile playfully at your best friend’s tone.

“Hey, Wall,” you muse with a light smile as you and Dick turn to start walking, your fingers still laced together with his. 

“Anyways, I talked to Tornado. You guys are NOT on a mission. Not an official one, anyway,” Wally continues, and you make eye contact with Dick. 

“A friend, Jack Haly,” Dick sighs.

“The circus guy? From your old Flying Graysons days?” Wally asks, tone suddenly soft.

“Yeah. He's implicated in this global crime spree. Someone in the show's dirty, but I need to prove old Jack's clean or he might lose the circus,” Dick admits, and you squeeze his hand.

“Then why not bring me along?” Wally asks. “I know your back story, I know what that circus means to you. It's where you grew up, it's where you lost your-“ 

“I left you behind because you know my back story,” Dick says quickly, effectively cutting Wally off, and he squeezes your fingers back again. “I didn't want my best pal questioning my objectivity.”

“Dude, that's what a best pal's for. Plus, Birdy got to go!” Wally shoots back, though you know Dick understands the immense support and emotion behind Wally’s words. 

Dick’s lip twitches up slightly as he looks at you, “Birdy didn’t give me an option,” he huffs. 

You smile back at him, “I really didn’t,” you affirm into the coms, and it’s true. Dick had tried to convince you that you weren’t needed on this mission, but you didn’t relent until he gave in.

BRUGES December 23rd, 22:34 CET

“And that's our show! Farewell, good people of Bruges!” Haly announced, gaining massive applause in response before exiting the ring and joining everyone else in the backstage tent. “Pack it u! The train leaves for Geneva in two hours!” he reminds everyone as we all load our gear. 

It’s nearing that two hour mark when everyone’s out by the train. You’d been helping Conner with the boxes that housed all our gear, both for the show and for our suits, when you heard Ray come up to M’gann. 

“Need a hand?” he asks, and you watch him reach out to grab the box in M’gann’s grip, tensing slightly because you know the box she’s got right now has Artemis’ suit inside. 

“I-I'm good, thanks,” she deflects gently, plastering on a small smile.

“Maybe one of the others could use some help?” you offer instead, with a fake smile of your own. “A lot of them seem to have that flu,” you note, seemingly offhandedly.

Ray nods, “Yeah, it's going around,” he affirms before offering one last smile and walking to the aforementioned performers sitting, trying to catch their breath. 

All aboard, everyone, now!” Haly’s shout comes minutes later, and you frown as you make eye contact with Roy. 

“Someone's in a hurry,” Roy notes, tone laced with suspicion, and you can’t help but search for Dick in response.

The train had been going, and you were on your way to Geneva. You were all in your compartment looking at M’gann, who wasn’t feeling well.

“You look better,” Artemis notes as she looks at Dick, “you too,” as she nods down to your arm, which still hurts, but not as bad. 

“It’s getting there,” you nod.

“I feel better,” he nods, “I'm sorry, M-Dawn,” he frowns, turning to M’gann where she was lying in her cot. “I hope you didn't catch it from me.”

“I feel so silly. Who knew a Martian could be vulnerable to a human virus?” she hums, clearly tired.

“H. G. Wells?” you offer with a slight smirk, eyes twinkling when you catch Dick’s lip twitching up.

“Look, when did you first feel sick?” He asks, cutting you off before you can try for another joke.

“Just after boarding the train,” she admits, and you can remember how she had been loading up gear before, seeming fine, “it came on suddenly.”

Dick frowns, “Same with me, the other night. I remember Ray rubbed my head for good luck right before we went on,” he explains.

“Ray? That roustabout?” Conner interrupts, “He touched her before we boarded. That guy must be a walking Petri dish,” he scoffs, shaking his head.

You’re struck with a thought, the seed of one which you didn’t like. As if sensing your sudden idea, Dick’s blue eyes focus on you. You freeze for a moment. You’re used to the whiteouts of his domino, so being able to see his eyes like this makes you pause just for a moment because you realize this is the look he must always give you on missions, the one where you both just seem to know the answers together, without ever saying a word.

“Yeah, yeah, maybe,” he mutters, nodding to the door. 

You quickly turn, and he follows you out of the train compartment. You look left as he looks right, and then he’s pulling your wrist, heading to the right, and you follow after him at the sight of a white button-up.

“Dana, Dan! You look refreshed!” Haly cheers, staring at you and then at Dick.

Dick’s still holding your wrist, and you can feel the tension coming from him. The nostalgia and longing that he automatically associates with Jack Haly and his past, and you have to bite back the innate need to comfort him because you would’ve hated it if someone tried to pity you, so instead, you shift your hand subtly from where it’s hidden behind his body and in front of yours, so that you can hold his hand, lacing your fingers together and offering a small squeeze.

“Thanks. Uh… Jack, how long has Ray worked for you?” he asks, squeezing your hand back once more.

“A bit about the start of the European tour,” Haly says after a moment of silence. “Poor lad's down with the same flu as the rest of them,” he adds, and you feel the team's presence appear behind you.

“We'll check on him, it’s the least we can do,” Artemis offers with a false tone of empathy.

“If you insist,” Haly smiles, and the team starts making their way toward the back of the train. 

You smile at Haly as he continues on with what he was doing before, while M’gann forces herself up to join you.

“You should stay in bed,” Dick tells her. 

She offers a coy smile, “As a friend of mine once said, I'll manage,” she teases, and you nod at both of them before following after the other three.

You manage to make it all the way to the back of the train, and when you get there, you’re honestly not that surprised to find the compartment empty. 

“I guess he wasn't that sick,” you drawl, sarcasm laced into your voice.

“Does this circus have an elephant I don't know about?” Roy asks with a furrowed brow.

“Not on foreign tours,” Dick answers, the words tumbling out quicker than he probably should’ve let them. 

Roy spares you another glance before opening the box, “empty,” he notes, and you lean over his shoulder to take a look.

He’s about to shut the box when you notice something off, “no, wait!” and he freezes as your hand reaches out and brushes up against the side of the box. “Ash,” you note, throat a bit dry as it begins to fit into place.

“From the warehouse fire in Bruges,” Dick notes, and he seems to come to a similar conclusion.

“Uh… guys?” Artemis calls, “I found Ray,” she says, holding up a face mask of who you all had assumed to be the Circus’ roustabout.

“Split up!” you decide, voice urgent. “Search the whole train!” you add, and everyone files out, heading to different carts. 

You and Dick split off toward the front compartments, and he’s a few feet ahead of you before he stops and looks back at you with wide eyes. The space is silent except for the sounds of the train moving and that’s when you hear it, the muffled shouts coming from one of the compartments. 

“Top?” you offer, trying to trace the sound. 

“No. Haly’s office,” Dick answers with a grimace before kicking the door open. 

Your lips part when you spot Haly, stripped down to his undershirt and pants tied up on the floor in his office. 

“Shit,” you mumble. 

“Who did this to you?” Dick asks, tone urgent as he pulls Haly’s gag down. Though you bite back a sarcastic, who do you think dickie?

“Ray,” Haly gasps, “Ray, the roustabout! Right after the train left Bruges!” he tells you, and Dick freezes to look back at you. You offer him a roll of your eyes and your best duh expression. “Hey, I'm not Houdini here!” Haly shouts, gaining Dick’s attention once more, and you grab one of your ring daggers, tossing it, hilt first, to Dick to cut through the ropes.

“Tell Dawn!” He shouts to you, and you step out into the hallway, clearing Haly’s sight before taking off. 

“Dawn, come in!” you call out over the comms. 

“Uh… Dana?” she answers.

“Dan tried to reach you, the other way,” you hint.

“I think the flu's knocked out my other way,” she admits and you stop running just in time for Dick to catch up to you.

“That clinches it,” he decides, and you nod. 

Clicking your comm again, you call, “Dane, Dean, Diane, come in!” you call and hear the beep from Dick’s comm as it’s linked to the call. “We're chasing someone who's stolen Dawn’s act. Her whole shtick, if you catch my drift,” you hint.

“I got him! But he's on to me,” Conner calls through, “Exiting the dining car now,” he adds, and you both take off towards the cart. “He's gone top side!” Conner corrects, and you skid to a stop, tossing a door open and climbing up to the top of the train, Dick right behind you.

“That won't work on me, clown!” Conner shouts.

“That's no clown,” you argue, theory confirmed.

“He's the Parasite! The guy who once stole Superman's powers,” Dick supplies, as you both stop across from Conner.

“As if you, kids, are who you claim to be!” Parasite argues, “please,” he scoffs, willing his disguise to melt away, leaving us staring at the alien. 

“Stay out of his reach!” you order, “there's no flu going around, the weakness comes when he makes physical contact and feeds on the powers and abilities of others,” you explain, pulling out a few more daggers. 

“I happen to be a bit of a glutton today. Chowed down on the skills of nearly every loser in this troupe. But, oh, my! But the pièce de résistance was Dawn Danger,” he drawled, and you saw as the rest of the team started appearing on the train roof as well. “Or whatever her real name is. Thought I'd pouch on her trapeze skills imagine my surprise when she tasted like Martian Manhunter, instead,” he grins. “She made a lovely appetizer. But guess who I want for my entrée,” he teases, and your eyes blow wide.

“SB!” you shout, trying to warn him, but it’s too late.

Using M’ganns telekinesis, Parasite pulls Conner to himself, hand wrapping around his neck while he drains him. “M-hmm, now that's the full body Kryptonian flavor I love!” Parasite taunts.

“Everyone, stay whelmed!” Robin orders, “Subdue, but keep your distance!”

Both Roy and Artemis pull out their bows, but before they can get a shot off, Parasite uses heat vision to burn them to ash in their hands, and your lips part in surprise.

“You know, I almost never say this, but I'm sated,” Parasite decides, dropping Conner's body, which falls at his feet. You catch as Parasite shifts his weight and adjust accordingly, to leap up as he takes off, “Hate to eat and run!” he calls back, but you timed it right, managing to catch onto the box he’s touting with him, but miss it as he hits Rob, nearly knocking him off the train. 

You get a sound footing and climb up the box until you can launch yourself at him. There’s a distant shout of “NG!” but you’re unable to progress any further before Parasite stops you. You managed to get a hold of him in time to find something of interest, but before you could continue, he’s turning to face you.

“Sorry, no hitchhikers,” he huffs, hitting you in the chest with his Kryptonian strength and knocking you back down to the train. 

You land harshly on your back, groaning when your head hits the train’s top before your body bounces off, and suddenly you’re falling. There’s a split second of panic when your hand ghosts your hip, the action trained into you by Dinah and Ollie, but there’s no grapple. There’s no pressure from your belt, no sting of a bow slung over your shoulder. For a moment you’re just falling. You think of Dinah and Ollie and how crushed they’d be, of Roy and how angry he already is, and how much worse it’s bound to get if you were to die in front of him.

Vaguely you hear shouts of “NG!” and “Birdy!” but it’s not until a hand wraps around your wrist that everything comes back to sharp focus, the sound of the train, the cold of the air, and as your eyes snap back open you’re staring straight into blue. Dick’s got a stern look on his face as he grips your wrist tight. straining as he tries to pull you up, but you know it must be taking all of his energy because there’s no leverage for either of you to grip onto. A second passes as you hang there, eyes sweeping out to the mountainside under you, “Birdy,” he grunts. You reach up and tuck a thumb drive into Robin’s wrist.

Your eyes meet his again, his eyes are wide, but you offer a wry smile. Before you can say anything, Roy is sliding down next to Dick, throwing a hand out to help grab onto you, grip bruisingly tight. Artemis and M’gann quickly drop down and help the boys pull you up, tugging until you’re back on the train with everyone else.

“Birdy? Birdy, are you okay?” your eyes had locked with Dick’s for a second, but it was Roy’s frantic tone that was addressing you. 

“‘M fine,” you say, pushing yourself to a sitting position.

“Conner!” M’gann’s shout has you turning your head to look at what’s happening. 

“C’mon, let’s get you up,” Roy’s voice is soft as he offers his hands to help pull you back to your feet, Artemis and Dick standing on either side of you as they maneuver you back toward the other two. 

“You alright?” M’gann’s voice is soft as she checks Conner over.

“Fine, fine!” he huffs, the anger and annoyance evident.

“You're drained!” Dick corrects. “Parasite took more power than you even have!” he argues, “Heat vision?”

“I have the genetic potential for it!” Conner reminds him, “Must've been enough for him.”

Dick lets out an irritated groan pushing forward, and you make hesitant eye contact with the two archers on either side of you. 

“Go! I'll manage,” Conner says, and the rest of you follow after Dick.

“Are you okay?” Roy’s the one to ask after you’ve climbed back down.

“I’m good,” you dismiss. 

“You hit your head pretty hard,” Artemis adds, concern evident. “Plus the arm Rob grabbed you by was the burned one…”

You look down and see specks of blood coming through the bandage and bite back a sigh. You hadn’t even realized that the arm Dick caught you by was your injured one; you probably pulled the skin off the burn, aggravating the injury more. 

“It’ll be okay, I’ll re-wrap it before I change,” you swallow, looking at both archers. 

“And your head?” Roy’s tone conveys his obvious big brothering. It’d be sweet to know it still exists if you weren’t in the middle of an emotionally charged mission. 

“Still smaller and smarter than yours, so I think I’ll manage,” you joke.

He scowls at you and at the slight snort that escapes Artemis, “Not what I meant, and you know it,” he grunts.

“No concusion, but I’ll probably have a nasty bump,” you relent.

“Good, and let’s not tell D and O that you almost died? I don’t think they’d be very happy with me,” he adds.

“My lips are sealed,” you assure him. 

Artemis scoffs again, “mine aren’t,” she smirks viciously at the way Roy pales a bit. 

You chuckle as you pull her into your compartment, so you both can get changed. 

You find yourself seated with the rest of the team shortly after, dressed in your suits, a new wrapping on your arm. Artemis had spare arm braces from her stealth suit, black in color, that she lent to you so you could use them to cover and secure the wrappings, which you did. 

“It's not a complete debacle,” Robin announces as we all settle. “Birdy picked Parasite's pocket, and got this flash drive,” he announced, and you feel some eyes slide to you questioningly.

“Did she?” Roy’s tone has an edge, probably because you didn’t tell him

“Looks like Parasite's working for Intergang. Everything he's stolen, they're all pieces of something!” Dick explains as data starts filtering through the holo-screen. 

“It looks like they’re putting together a weapon that generates…. Black holes?” you read over his shoulder, eyes blowing wide at the revelation.

“Oh, come on! To build that, you need a particle accelerator!” Roy argues.

“Like the Large Boson Collider in Geneva?” Robin offers, tone flattened, as he glances over at Roy.

“The circus's next stop!” Roy realizes. “But now that Parasite can fly, he's got a big head start on us!” he tacks on, gaze zeroing in on M’gann and Conner.

“Sorry,” her mumbled response comes out. 

“Not your fault,” you assure her with a glare at Roy.

“But this thing could wipe out entire cities,” Dick explains. “We need to hurry.”

“You, me, and Birdy need to hurry,” Roy corrects. “Without powers, the others would hold us back.”

Your eye twitches in response, but Artemis quickly counters, “Hey, you're not the only one with a backup bow,” she challenges, holding up a compact crossbow. 

Before anyone else can say anything, there’s a loud thud as Conner slams his fist into the wall of the train compartment, leaving a massive dent, “my powers are back!”

Dick stepped forward, lips tugging down, “how?”

Even M’gann looks a bit shocked, “I'm still-“

“I guess Kryptonians recover faster than humans or Martians,” he shrugs and eyes shift to M’gann, but you note the way Conner rubs at his arm subconsciously, and your eyes narrow.

“Don't even think about leaving me behind,” M’gann laments.

Roy turns to you, “Well, that settles that,” you shrug.

GENEVADecember 24th, 00:37 GET

Rocking up to the particle accelerator, you spot the body and crouch to run a quick diagnostic on the man. 

“Happy Christmas Eve, everyone,” you mumble while ensuring that the man would be okay until the proper authorities and medics could arrive.

“Trail of destruction, this way,” Robin tags on and you nod as you stand back up, all of you running back into the building, nearly silent as you go.

You can hear it when the accelerator starts up, and Rob’s quick to pull up his holo-screen, “We need to take him down, or at least lure him away so we can safely disengage the-“

“SB!” you whisper shout when he shouts out and starts charging at Parasite.

“No, wait!” Robin tags on, but it’s too late. Conner’s charging straight at him, revealing your location as well. 

“Seconds? No, I couldn’t,” Parasite teases, eyes lighting up green.

You cringe as you watch Parasite pull Conner forward with M’gann’s telekinesis and then let out a breath as SB decks him, but another wince quickly follows when Parasite pulls him back and launches him out. 

You suck in a breath as Parasite begins flinging Conner around the lab. Even Roy seems to be getting antsy when he raises his bow, “What's wrong with-“

Before he can finish, M’gann lays a hand on his shoulder, “wait,” she commands. He hesitates but does, “I might have an idea…”

We watch as Parasite pulls Conner to him a third time, grabbing onto him and feeding on his power again, “Ah, what a rush!” he goads. “How do you do it, kid? Even Superman never recharged this fast,” he says, waiting until Conner was drained before tossing his body to the side. Your eyes slide to Conner, trying to ensure he is still breathing while M’gann explains her plan.

Parasite quickly clicks something on the panel before him, “Alright, Dangers, come on out! Only a couple of minutes before this baby's done warming up and eats Geneva.

“What do you think?” she asks, and your eyes dart to the Martian.

“Big risk to take on a theory,” Roy bites, but Dick’s gaze settles on you.

He offers a slight quirk of his lip and a barely noticeable shrug; it could work.

You nod, “Do it. Go!” you order, and everyone splits up.

M’gann steps out, making her entrance obvious to the target as she all but waltzes up to him, “what do you have against Geneva, anyway?” she asks. 

“Never liked the food, but the menu keeps improving,” Parasite chuckles, rubbing his hands together, before summoning M’gann to him. 

“I'm just the appetizer, remember?” she huffs, managing to duck out of the way. “Here's the main course!” she shouts, knocking his feet out from under him. 

Everyone springs into action. Roy shoots off an arrow that covers Parasite in a foam-like substance that traps him where he is as it hardens. 

Parasite is quick to react; using his pilfered Martian telekinesis, he pulls Roy’s bow, and then Roy himself into the air, “Foam? You think foam can hold me? Or stop me from crushing you with a thought?” he demands. “Combined Martian and Kryptonian powers here!” he scoffs, using his strength to start crumbling the material.

“But do any of those powers free you before I sabotage your death thingy?” Robin asks from his spot beside the keyboard.

“This one does,” he groans, finally freeing his arms and aiming his heat vision at Rob, who ducked down in time.

Artemis drops down next, shooting an arrow that emits gas, and you roll a few marble bombs quietly into the gas’s bounds. When Parasite turns his heat vision on Artemis, it sets off the gas, and the explosion sets off your marble bombs, adding to the flames.

Roy drops to the ground with a groan, and you quickly run up to check on him. Dropping down on a knee, you roll him onto his back, and when he groans again, you breathe. Your hand checks his pulse to ensure it’s not too elevated.

“Birdy-“ he groans, trying to sit up.

You push him down, “No. Stay down, Red Arrow,” you hiss, forcing him to catch his breath and slow his heart. 

When Parasite stands up and starts goading, you pop back up and move closer to Artemis. “So clever… trick me into igniting inflammable gas… but you forgot… doofuses double dose of invulnerability… Fire can’t… touch me,” he argues, but you can hear the strain the flames are starting to take, and a small smirk graces your lips. 

“Unless you make a meal of my powers and get my weaknesses as a side dish!” M’gann all but hisses at the villain. 

Realization falls upon Parasite quickly, “No, No!” he shouts before finally succumbing and passing out.

“Aw, poor baby, something you ate?” M’gann teases.

Robin quickly gets back to the keypad, and in seconds he has shut the system down. 

You let out a sigh as you hear the doors bang open. Agent Faraday and his squad of Interpol agents run in with trained precision. “We'll take it from here,” he states as his team puts out the fire. 

“All yours,” you smirk lazily as Robin walks over to Stand beside you.

“Thanks for the tip, by the way,” he adds, smiling at you both. “Definitely helps to prep the inhibitor collar in advance.”

“Glad to be of service!,” Robin nods, and you bump his shoulder promisingly.

While Faraday turns to coordinate with his team, you and Rob turn back to yours. You turn in time to catch Roy taking Artemis’ proffered hand, pulling him back to his feet. 

“Wow… He deigns to touch the hand of a suspected traitor,” Artemis drawls sarcastically, and you can’t help but snort.

“Mind open,” Roy replies, repeating your request from earlier. “I guess I never really saw you three in the thick of it before,” he admits. “Superboy's a hot-head,” he adds on, turning to the boy in question who had just wandered over with M’gann, and you can’t help but let out an even louder snort, one Roys glares at before adding, “but I know I'm not one to talk.” You smirk victoriously and he shakes his head before continuing. “You could each have betrayed us here, you didn’t. I’m sorry I doubted any of you. There is no mole.”

Roy’s admission immediately affects the general comfort level around you. Conner, M’gann, and Artemis all seem a bit lighter, Dick’s shoulders relax the slightest bit, but your eyes are focused on Roy. You want to believe him, want to think that the mission genuinely changed his mind, but you know him, and more than that, you can sense his emotions, and yet you can’t see a change.

GENEVADecember 24, 10:06 GET

The train made it to the Port of Geneva train station, the rest of the team was getting all their bags and gear together for exfil, but you had decided to go with Dick as he said his goodbye.

“So,” Haly drawled, “The show will go on. And I have the feeling I have you, Dangers, to thank,” he decides, staring at Dick, though his eyes flick to you quickly before returning to Dick. 

“Don't know what you mean,” he shrugs.

“No, of course not,” Haly agrees, a kind knowing smile on his face. “But I'm guessing

you'll be leaving now.”

“Time to move on,” Dick tells him, shaking his hand, and you can’t help but smile softly.

“Well, Dick, I'll miss you,” Haly tells him, and you can feel the swell of emotion in the room, and you don’t need to look in his eyes to know that this moment is so much more than Dick could have ever asked for when he decided to come back. 

He’s still quick to disagree. After all, he had covers to protect, “It's Dan! Dan Danger!”

Haly chuckles, placing a hand on Dick’s shoulder, “Son, you've grown, but some things never change. Like the sight of a Grayson on the trapeze. You can't fake that. Can't hide it,” Haly tells him, and you can’t help how your breath catches in your throat. “So, doing old ring master one last favor?” he asks softly. 

Haly’s standing in the center of the ring, spotlights focused, “Ladies and gentlemen, the farewell performance of the Daring Dangers! Introducing Dan Danger!” he announces, and the lights switch to Dick, who waves at the audience. 

You smile as you stand next to Conner in the wings, waiting for each of your queues. Dick looked so graceful as he launched from the trapeze platform, he always seemed at ease when he was in the air, and you were glad to see it again. You knew he needed this, this opportunity, for closure at the Circus in a way he’d never had before. You only hoped it’d finally help relieve some of the guilt you knew he still carried, despite how misplaced it was. 

everything tags: @butterfly-skinnylegend

dc tags: @grey-water-colors @batarella @loninctzencarat @escapenightmare

cnng tags:

@babymango-writes @smile-more19 @bruiscdlikeviolets @truly-dionysus @farfromjustordinary

@sometimeseverythingsucks @dweeb-central @casedoina @cipheress-to-k-pop @currentresidentinhell

@anonomano @seninjakitey @wherethesidewalkens @whelmedparker @meigalaxy

@officiallydarkgeek @midnxghtblue @unini @blackwhiteandshadesofgradient @dontmesswithbeebo

@raggedyoldwitch @tinybeantm @unicorn-mya @bouqet-of-gay @duckmylife18

@kendallambrosio @haniscrying @torchbearerkyle @cynthiarose07 @lolsnacks

@mono--moonchild @emo-space-tea @notsostraightweeb @cryingnotcrying @sassyspanishartist

@we-flower-fan @aces-tattooartist @awkward-youtube-trash @laurcad123

@so0bercore @sanovr @feverish-dove @raginghellfire @mischiefmanaged71 @evermoore580

[zhuoyichenpretty]

Ep 22-23 Commentary

Ha...I was inexplicably nervous for eps 22-23 and it looks like I was right to be (-: What a rollercoaster. Spoilers below!

I've just come out of ep 23 and uh????? holy shit????? ZYC????

Ok ok but to backtrack, let's do my comments semi-chronologically:

Ep 22:

A carry-over from ep 21 that I have to mention—heck yeah PSJ give WZY hell. She doesn't have all that many lines but she sure knows how to make them count. Also seeing PSJ and WX get screen time just the two of them makes my brain go "yay <3"

Back to ep 22, loved the fake-out sundial ayeee that was a nice Chekhov's gun that also brings the real sundial back into relevance for later. Also me eating up the PSJ and ZYC crumb of an interaction has brought to my attention how starved I am of their screen time together.

This whole ep was a great lament towards the feared inevitable. Every sad downcast look from ZYC, every complicated glance WX gives him. A wonderful, terrible crossroads for these characters. I love that for ZYC especially, it's such an incredible mess of emotion coming to a head. Bad enough that he's come to care about the demon who killed his family and ruined his life, bad enough that he's sworn a blood oath he regrets and tied himself to punishing someone he no longer finds culpable, bad enough that ZYZ's life or death depends solely on his choice and ZYZ is constantly practically begging for death when ZYC wants him to live. How much immensely worse it makes the whole situation that WX is literally ZYZ's soulmate. And obviously the whole team has only grown more and more attached to ZYZ, too. ZYC's personal turmoil aside, how heavy must that responsibility and guilt be? For the finishing blow that only he can deliver to also deeply threaten every other person he cares about? Everyone understands in the abstract what must happen and why, but just like seeing ZYZ lose control firsthand, the gulf between understanding and experiencing is so unimaginably wide. If he kills ZYZ, can there really be no resentment from his friends? From WX?

Also it seems ZYC only wears cloaks so that he can give them to other people lmao

Ah fuck, the farewell drinks. I didn't even factor in how ZYC might not survive the encounter (''': The drama truly was like hm can we possibly give ZYC a worse day than that night his whole fam died? Maybe give him a bunch of new family members and also the blade and the fate and the sole responsibility to potentially irrevocably scar said family members with? And he might die in the process too? (-: haha maybe? (((-:

Oh. Oh. Addendum. I forgot this til I saw it mentioned in another post—ZYC recounting his oath as he watched WX smile when they discussed reviving the tree...I could feel him weighing those words against his own life, against ZYZ's life, against WX's happiness. One way out of this impossible situation is indeed to doom himself. I'm in pieces.

Damn if WX isn't dedicated heart and soul, going into the sundial like that. I'm sad no one could keep her company for those 300 years but also I guess that's kind of an impossible ask (and maybe not survivable for the other non-goddess mortals? I'm admittedly very unclear on sundial time loophole logistics). It would have been nice to see someone offer though, even just to be turned down.

Ooh I like the soul needle fake-out, given this show's penchant for retroactive "actually we had a plan all along" moments. A good subversion of the narrative's own style.

Also I saved this for the end because it doesn't really fit the linearity of my comments but what the fuuuuuuuck oh my god I absolutely flipped out at this scene:

I am at once rabidly intrigued and at the same time not sure if I'll be satisfied with whatever payoff will come for this so I don't want to overindulge in theorizing and setting my own expectations too high. Maybe this is just a fevered hallucination, maybe it means nothing (I hope it means something). But damn!!! What a gorgeous man crazy scene.

In conclusion, ep 22 had some good stuff for me. Plot development and reflection and tension enough that I may have been satisfied with just that one episode. But they gave us two, so onward to ep 23 comments!

Ep 23:

I like how many solid reasons the team has to suspect ZYC being possessed. Even though I withheld judgment during my watch given how quickly the show usually confirms that kind of stuff with a possession mark, just simply casting that doubt made the whole build up that much more intense.

ZYC slowly walking down the corridor with the whole grounds lit a somber and haunting gold—*chef's kiss*

ZYC's monologue to a catatonic ZYZ is so important to me. The closest we'll get to his internal monologue about this whole situation. The kinds of things said when we think there's no conscious listener.

Okay so, having finished this episode and looking back, Li Lun's hands coming up from behind ZYC was not to denote possession (at least in this episode), potentially is a visual from ZYZ's POV, and seems related to the above screencap. I am so, so curious. Once again, I'm stopping myself from further speculation because I want to be surprised but ahhhhhhhhh

PSJ shooting at Ao Yin is so gorgeous. Her action scenes seriously never disappoint—the creativity of her fight choreos!! Also very cool that the whole team is getting to take part in the action, not just the two male leads.

Bai Jiu possession was not on my bingo card but I sure do love that we literally saw the possession take place and I still didn't connect the dots. Good shitttt. Also oh no ): ZYC was telling the truth about the soul needle, he was just tricked ):

Seriously from the Ao Yin case to getting PSJ released to reviving the Divine Wood to getting tricked by possessed!Bai Jiu to making pear soup to fighting ZYZ to fighting Li Lun—when will ZYC get a single goddamn vacation day holy shit.

Also when will WX tear up that contract so ZYZ can stop having a mild heart attack every time he wants to kiss her ): &I love that they saved the 300-year montage for this moment. While their ship doesn't give me brainrot personally, who could be unmoved by that incredible and undisclosed sacrifice? That's soulmatism.

Okay, I'd seen clips of them filming the ZYC and Li Lun fight but damn I did not expect it'd be happening right now!! Right after already taking damage from ZYZ? And my god is Li Lun brutal. The two actors did such an impressive job on this entire fight, what with Li Lun's ease and ZYC's suffering. I really appreciated the extensive hand-to-hand combat after Li Lun literally obliterated ZYC's sword. (Also though, given the origin of that sword, I kept hoping for a flashback to ZYC's brother once it broke, but alas, no dice.) Anyway, the show does not play around about ZYC whump it seems. I was very very shook by that throat punch; that shit legitimately looked like it hurt.

Honestly, I had a hard time with the extended ZYZ and Li Lun conversation at the very end because oh my god someone please heal ZYC lmao. But of course, that's the end of the episode~~

Y'all...check on your local ZYC stans because I was not okay after all that (': I need a heaping dose of comfort after all that hurt, but as always I'm cautious of hoping for much from canon itself. So yeah! Ep 23 was solid, but I would probably be in better shape if today's release just ended on ep 22 ((':

Time to go wait for the cast's Hi6 episode to drop so I can heal my battered heart ;-;

[delilah1990]

WHEN FIRE MEETS ICE

PAIRING:  Rhaenyra x Northern! Reader

SUMMARY:  Y/N comes from a small house in the North. By chance she finds herself in the capital, where she becomes fast friends with princess Rhaenyra. 

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS:  Alternate Universe. There will be slight Rhaenyra x Harwin Strong, Rhaenyra x Daemon Targaryen, and Norther! Reader x Cregan Stark.

WARNINGS:  Angst, character death, fluff, slight abuse, smut, and violence

WORD COUNT:  5,783

Part 1 of Fire and Ice

If someone had told Y/N that she would someday find herself in the Capital, she would have thought it a joke. Though she came from a noble house, it was a small house non the less. Nobles from small houses like hers did not find themselves in King’s Landing, yet the carriage she was in was drawing nearer to its gates. Her father did not tell her or her brother why they were summoned to the capital, only that they were, and they were to be on their best behavior.

Y/N could not help but to stare in wonder at her surroundings. She couldn’t help but compare King’s Landing to her own home. There was so much to see, but she knew there would never be enough time to see it all.

When they finally arrived at the gates of the palace, she was relieved to finally be able to stretch her legs. They had been traveling for six months, and Y/N hated the cramped-up space of the carriage. In the beginning of their travels, she had been allowed to ride on horseback, but as they grew nearer to the capital, she had to confine herself to the carriage. According to her father, the ways of the South were vastly different than the ways of the North. He did not wish to risk giving a bad impression by having this only daughter arrive in the capital on horseback.

Shortly after their arrival was announced, a Kings Guard had approached her father as an escort to the small council room. Before leaving, her father made a point to remind them again that they were guests here, and to not act out of sorts.

Both Y/N and her brother had waited until their father was out of sight before exploring the palace. This was their first, and probably last time they would find themselves in King’s Landing, and both siblings had every intention of taking advantage of it. Y/N looped her arm around her brother’s, and they began to tour the palace. The first place they spotted was the Godswood tree. Though it was beautiful, neither of them seemed impressed. “It doesn’t feel real, does it?” Y/N asked her brother Rob.

“No, I think they have it here as a reminder of the old Gods. The capital worship the seven, they have for years.” He responded.

They continue until they find their way to the training yard. Both stared wide eyed at the size of it. It was mostly occupied by the King’s Guard, City Watch, and a few lords. Rob was the first to spot a table dedicated to weapons. He led Y/N to it and grabbed the first sword to catch his eye. “This was just forged.” Rob notes as he runs his finger along the blade. “Here.” He tries to hand her the sword, but she shakes her head no. He gives his younger sister a confused look, she never refused the chance to hold a sword.

“It’s not appropriate for a lady to hold a sword here, remember.” Y/N reminds him.

“Right, I forgot. They have strange rules here. If we were back in the North, or even in Dorne, no one would think twice if a woman held a weapon.” Rob observes.

“But we’re not in the North, nor are we in Dorne brother.”

“Hey!” Someone calls out. Both siblings look around until they spot a young lord looking their way. “If you’re going to hold a sword like that you best train with it.” The surrounding lords mumble their agreement. Rob turns back to his sister, as if to ask if it’s alright.

“He does have a point.” She remarks. He smirks at her and turns back to the lord.

“Is that your way of asking me to spar with you, my lord?” Rob asks as he approaches.

The young lord gets into a fighting stance as his answer. He’s cheered on by those Y/N can only assume are his friends. Rob stops just inches from him and gets into a fighting stance himself. She moves a bit closer to get a better view. Rob’s opponent is the first to attack and Rob is quick to block. They continue to parry back and forth, but Y/N can see her brother is holding back. Probably to avoid showing off.

Unbeknownst to all in the training yard, princess Rhaenyra has stopped to watch the match. Beside her is her Kings Guard, Ser Harrold Westerling, and her friend Alicent Hightower. The sparring continues until the young lord manages to loosen the sword from Rob’s hand. It lands near Y/N, and his friends cheer for him. Knowing how much her brother hates losing, she uses her foot to lift the sword from the ground and catches it with ease in her hand. The men observing the match begin to whisper as she approaches her brother, not knowing she’s caught the interest of the princess. “Stop holding back.” Y/N states as she hands the sword back.

“But father said…” He’s interrupted before he can finish his sentence. “I know what father said, but I don’t think it applies to this situation. Now stop holding back and wipe that smug look off that lord’s face.” Rob turns and sees the lord bragging about his victory to the others. “He challenged you because he thinks he’s better than you. He thinks he’s better than you because he comes from a larger House. Prove him wrong.” Y/N holds out the sword to him.

“You should be handing that weapon over to a real warrior my lady.” The lord teases, causing everyone around them to laugh.

Rob takes the sword from Y/N’s hand and gets into a fighting stance. “I’d think this through if I were you. Do you really want to lose in front of all these people again?” The lord says in faux kindness. But Rob does not yield. Seeing this, the lord simply shrugs his shoulders and charges at Rob.

This time, he does not hold back. The lord struggles to keep up with Rob, it isn’t long before he is disarmed and has two swords held at his throat. “Bravo.” Everyone turns and immediately bows their head at the presence of the princess, everyone but Y/N. She can’t help but stare in awe of her. She heard Targaryen’s had distinctive features, the most prominent being the platinum blonde hair and violet eyes. To see them firsthand, she’s never been witness to such beauty.

As for the princess, when Y/N turned around the first thing Rhaenyra noticed about her were her eyes. They were a deep blue, and immediately she found herself drawn to them. Whatever slight interest Rhaenyra had, only intensified.

Noticing the princess’ stare, Rob figures it’s because his sister has yet bowed down to her. He nudges Y/N just slightly, causing her to come out of her trance. She immediately bows her head and curtseys. Rhaenyra herself comes out of her trance and approaches the Northerners. “Your guests here are you not, summoned by my father. From house L/Y/N?” Rhaenyra questions.

“Yes princess. Our father is with the king now in the small council room.” Rob thankfully answers. Y/N was still too stunned by the princess’ beauty to speak.

“Have you been given a tour?” Rhaenyra asks Y/N, but she still has her head bowed to notice.

“Y/N.” Rob whisper yells, gaining her attention. She looks over at her brother who is gesturing over to the princess. Finally realizing she is speaking to her, Y/N clears her throat before answering.

“No princess. I’m afraid my brother and I wondered the palace on our own until we found ourselves here.” Y/N answers, finally gaining control over herself.

“Then allow me to give you both a tour. We can’t have it known that House Targaryen are not proper hosts.” Rhaenyra approaches Y/N and loops her arm around hers. As she tugs her forward, Y/N can’t help but look back at her brother with an unsure look. He simply shrugs his shoulders and gives her a look that says, ‘just go with it.’

The princess is the perfect host. She shows them around the castle, offering pieces of history here and there. Eventually Y/N grows comfortable around the princess. When shown the tapestries she makes a comment on how visual they are, getting a laugh out of the princess, and a blush from Alicent. The tour eventually ends in the palace gardens where Rhaenyra orders one of the servants to bring out a blanket along with wine and desserts. Moments later they are brought, and they all sit in the middle of the garden eating cake.

“I must admit, until a few days ago I hadn’t heard of your house.” The princess comments.

“Most haven’t, those who do know of us is because of our relation to House Stark. A great aunt of ours was married to one of them, making us distant cousins of sorts.” Rob explains.

“And how did you come to know the sword Lady Y/N?” Rhaenyra asks. Y/N is caught off guard by her questions, she nearly coughs up the piece of cake she just swallowed.

“Apologies princess.” Rhaenyra doesn’t say anything, she just smiles in amusement. Though they’ve only exchanged a few words, the princess could tell she was unlike any other lady in court. She didn’t talk about the latest fashion or gossip. In fact, she was mostly quiet, when she did speak, she was direct. “May I ask, what makes you think I know the sword?” Y/N questions.

“While I may not know much, I can tell when one is familiar with it.” Rhaenyra answers.

Y/N nods her head in acceptance of the princess’ answer. “It’s quite common in the North. It’s a harsh place, especially in the winter, and when you live as far North as we do.” Y/N gestures to her brother and herself. “We often find ourselves raided by wildlings. If you do not know the sword you die. If you are a woman and do not know the sword…you suffer a fate worse than death.” Both Alicent and Rhaenyra are taken back by her words. Alicent even goes as far as to cover her mouth and turn her head to hide her expression. “Forgive me, I did not mean to cause offense.”

“You didn’t. I’m just ashamed I knew nothing of this. Is this what your father is discussing with mine?” She asks.

“We’re not sure. The only thing our father told us is that we were summoned by the king.” Rob answers.

“How are you liking your stay in Kings Landing so far?” Alicent asks, changing the subject.

“It’s incredible, though…” Y/N begins to answer.

“Though…” Rhaenyra pushes.

“I thought we’d see dragons flying about.” Y/N answers honestly, and Rhaenyra can’t help but laugh.

“I promise you my lady there are dragons, they’re just in the dragon pit. If you’d like I can take you to meet mine tomorrow. I’d hate you to leave here disappointed.”

Before Y/N can answer, she spots her father approaching. He’s accompanied by both the king and queen. She immediately stands and bows her head. Everyone else follows suit. “I see our children found each other, and they seem to be getting on quite nicely.

“May I introduce my eldest and heir Rob, and Y/N.” Their father Ben introduces. Rhaenyra is quick to notice he put more emphasis on introducing his son than he did his daughter, but she keeps that to herself.

“Let’s take a closer look at the both of you.” Queen Aemma approaches Rob first, she lifts his chin slightly and looks him over. “Such a handsome face. You’ll have many young ladies fawning over you.” Rob can’t help the smile that appears on his face at the queen’s compliment. She then turns her attention to Y/N, the first thing she notices about her is her eyes. “Such a striking color of blue. Your father will soon find himself drowning in marriage proposals. Am I correct in assuming you inherited your mother’s eyes?” Surprised by the queen’s question, Y/N turns to her father for an answer, but he averts his gaze.

“She did your grace. Forgive my sister’s silence, she never got a chance to know our mother. She died on the birthing bed.” Rob covers for his sister.

Aemma gives Y/N a sympathetic look. “The birthing bed is a woman’s battlefield. One we must face with a stiff lip.” Y/N doesn’t say anything, she simply nods in agreement. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” The queen apologizes before bringing Y/N into a hug. This catches her off guard at first, but then she returns the hug.

“You should join us for dinner, before leaving us tomorrow.” King Visery’s suggests in favor of lightening the mood.

“If you insist, your grace.” Ben says as he bows.

LATER THAT EVENING

Before heading to the dining hall to join the royal family for dinner, House Y/L/N dressed in their best for the occasion. Like all Houses of the North, they are dressed in black and gray. Ben and Rob brushed back their unruly hair, while Y/N has hers in braids. Ben looks over his children ensuring nothing is out of place before nodding his head in approval. Just as they are about to head to the dining hall, Y/N asks a question that has been on her mind since meeting with the queen. “Is it true?” Ben looks at his daughter, wondering what she’s talking about. “Are my eyes truly my mother’s?”

Ben’s neutral expression quickly turns to anger, before she realizes what is happening, her father grabs her by the chin tightly. “What have I told you girl? Never mention your mother in my presence.”

“Apologies father, it won’t happen again.” Y/N says while doing everything in her power not to cry in front of her father. He releases her chin and storms off. Rob attempts to check on his sister, but she waves him off. She knew better than to ask that of her father. Ever since the loss of their mother, Y/N can’t remember a time her father has ever been able to look her in the eye.

The first time she had ever asked him about her mother, she was a child, no more than five. He had nearly struck her, luckily Rob had stopped him. She never asked about her mother again, until now.

When they arrived at the dining hall, Alicent was already there, along with her father, Otto Hightower, Hand of the King. Both he and her father exchanged pleasantries before introducing Rob and Y/N. Both bow their heads in respect. As they continued to exchange words, Alicent, Rob, and Y/N step aside to start a conversation of their own. Alicent had noticed the red markings around Y/N’s chin but did not comment on them.

A moment later the royal family enters, all conversations cease as everyone bows. As soon as Rhaenyra spots her friends, she rushes towards them. As she approaches, she notices the red marks on Y/N’s chin as well. She opens her mouth to say something, but Y/N shakes her head no. “Come, let us all sit.” As soon as Viserys takes his seat, everyone else follows suit.

Not even a moment later an entire feast was brought out along with wine. Once all the food is placed, the wine poured. The king raises his cup, “A toast to House Y/L/N, tis always good to host those loyal to the crown.” Everyone else raises their cups before taking a sip of their wine. “Music please.”

As the music played conversations began to flow. While the adults seemed to talk politics, their children are engrossed in Rob’s tales of hunting. “You really enjoy hunting my lord.” Alicent comments at the end of Rob’s story.

“It is an enjoyable pass time, but also a necessary one. During the winter crops do not grow, and the game we hunt hibernate until spring. We must stock up on food during the warmer months, otherwise we don’t survive.” Rob explains.

“Do you hunt as well Lady Y/N?” Rhaenyra asks.

“Yes, my brother and I make a competition out of it to see who can bring in the most food. I was the victor in our last hunt.” Y/N answers proudly. The princess gives her an impressed look.

“My sister can handle herself well with a sword in hand but give her a bow and arrow, she puts most archers to shame.” Rob praises his sister, and Rhaenyra finds herself more intrigued by her.

“Are you both really leaving tomorrow? It seems such a shame to leave King’s Landing so soon.” Alicent asks.

“Our father doesn’t like being away from home for too long.” Y/N responds.

The song ends and the musicians play something more upbeat. An idea enters the princess’ mind, and she turns to Y/N. “Then we must make the most of your short visit. Dance with me.” Rhaenyra stands and takes hold of Y/N’s hand, leading her to the dance floor. Feeling like dancing as well, Rob stands and extends his hand to Alicent, asking her to dance. She turns to her father, ensuring this is acceptable. He nods his head in approval, and she takes his hand. Joining Rhaenyra and Y/N on the dance floor.

Their parents watch as their children dance with each other. Y/N stumbles a bit but continues non the less. The dinner goes on, until the king announces he will retire for the night. The royal family is the first to leave, followed by Alicent and Otto, and then finally Y/N and her family.

In her room, Y/N prepares for bed, until she hears a knock on her door. Thinking it’s her brother, she opens it, and is surprised to see the princess standing on the other side of her door. “Did you think I had forgotten?” Rhaenyra asks as she enters the room. Y/N looks at her confused, not sure what she is talking about. “When I saw you last, you were well. Then at dinner, you arrived with marks on your face. What happened?”

Y/N closes the door but remains silent. She did not expect the princess to seek her out this late at night, nor did she expect her to care about the marks on her face. “Well?” Rhaenyra pushes. Y/N heads towards the nearest chair and takes a seat. She contemplates for a moment the best way to tell her what happened, but ultimately decides to just tell her the truth.

“Most marriages are arranged to secure certain alliances and resources, as well as ensuring both family lines continue. That wasn’t the case with my parents, they both married out of love. Which is rare.” Rhaenyra takes a seat across from Y/N, listening intently. “My brother and I, we were not born out of duty, but love. When my mother died birthing me, it changed my father. So, I’m told at least. I grew used to him barely able to hold my gaze or speak more than two words to me. I thought that was normal. Until I was about five and I asked about my mother. He’d gotten furious with me and nearly stuck me. Luckily Rob was there to stop it. That’s when I realized the reason he kept his distance from me was because he blamed me for her death. I never brought up my mother again until today.”

“When my mother mentioned your eyes.” Rhaenyra realizes.

“I knew I shouldn’t have asked. I was just curious. He never speaks about her; all I know is what Rob tells me.”

“You have every right to know about your mother. He shouldn’t get angry at you for being curious.” Though she agrees, Y/N doesn’t voice this to Rhaenyra. “It doesn’t seem right for you to go back with him.”

“He’s my family, where else would I go?” Y/N asks, and this time Rhaenyra is the one that is silent.

THE NEXT MORNING

Shortly after leaving your room, Rhaenyra spent most of the night thinking about how she could keep you here in King’s Landing. Your father’s treatment of you did not sit well with her. Her own father wasn’t perfect. With every pregnancy he hoped for a boy, only to be disappointed when the babe became stillborn. Despite that he never once faulted her for not being a son. Shortly after being born, he dubbed her the Realm’s Delight. And when she came of age, he made her cup bearer so that he could always be near her.

When morning came, she thought of a way to keep you here. Her mother had insisted she take on a second lady in waiting beside Alicent. She had spoken to many prospects from many respectable houses, but none of them ever felt like the right fit, until Y/N.

When first light came, and the maids entered to help her dress. She was already awake. She bathed and had them dress her quickly. The moment they finished the last braid in her hair, she ran out of her room and into her mother’s.

The queen was only halfway dressed when Rhaenyra burst in, giving her mother a fright. “Rhaenyra, what is the meaning of this?” Closing the door right away, she bounces on her heels excited to give her mother the news. “I have chosen my next lady in waiting, Y/N of house Y/L/N.” The princess is met with silence. The queen raises her hand to stop the maids from dressing her further and dismisses them.

“My daughter will assist me.” They bow their heads and leave the room. Rhaenyra approaches her mother and continues where the maids left off. “I am happy you’ve finally decided, but I must ask, why her? I gave you an entire list to choose from.”

“And I spoke with each one. None of them is a good fit.”

“But lady Y/N is?” Rhaenyra nods her head yes as she ties the last lace of her mother’s dress. “Well, if you wish me to approve this decision you’ll need to tell me why.”

“Did you notice the red marks on her face at dinner?” Aemma nods her head yes. “Her father did that, all because she asked about her mother. He holds no affection for his daughter, he blames her for the death of his wife when it’s not her fault.”

“That is unfortunate.” Aemma says sympathetically before taking a seat. Rhaenyra looks at her mother in disbelief before sitting across from her. She thought she’d have more to say, that maybe she’d be just as angry as she is. “Lord Y/L/N is her father; he may treat her however he sees fit. Even if it is disgraceful, that is the way of things.”

Shaking her head in disappointment, Rhaenyra stands and heads for the door. Surprised by her daughter’s response, she suddenly has a feeling there is more to this. “Is there another reason you chose her?” Aemma asks before her daughter can leave her room. She does not answer right away, it takes her a moment before she does.

“I like her, she is the only Lady besides Alicent I can stand to be around. When we speak, she doesn’t try to impress me with pretty words. She’s simply herself.” Rhaenyra turns around to face her mother. “I need someone like her by my side. Not someone who only seeks the position to elevate themselves or their houses.”

“You want someone you can trust.” Aemma realizes, Rhaenyra nods her head yes. “Fine, I’ll have a talk with your father. I cannot promise anything, and ultimately it is up to Y/N’s father…” Before she can finish, Rhaenyra rushes to her mother to hug her in thanks before leaving her room. Aemma can’t help but smile at her daughter’s excitement.

In Y/N’s room, she is packing the last of her things. Though she was only here for a day, she’s sad to leave so soon. She would have liked to see more of the capital, see the dragons fly, spend more time with the princess. She had not expected to run into her during their stay here, but it ended up being the best part of this visit. Rhaenyra was not what she expected, though if she’s being honest with herself, she’s not sure what she expected the princess to be like.

A knock at her door interrupts her thoughts. When she opens it and sees her brother, she steps aside to let him though. “The strangest thing just happened.” Y/N waits for her brother to continue. “The king summoned father right as we were leaving our rooms.”

“Do you think we’ll be staying another day?” She asks.

“I’m not sure. Father just said to ensure we were packed and ready to go.” Rob responds.  

YN turns and looks towards her packed luggage. She had just finished up when Rob knocked. When he sees she has finished, both siblings sit at the foot of the bed and wait. Neither of them speaks. Nearly an hour passes before their father finally appears. He doesn’t say anything at first, and the look on his face is unreadable. Rob and Y/N turn to each other with worried expressions, both wondering what the king could have said.

“There’s been a change of plans.” Ben starts, he turns his gaze to Y/N. “You will not be returning home with us. Instead, you will remain here as the princess’ lady in waiting.”

Both siblings are taken back by this news. Rob is the first to speak out. “She can’t stay here. The North is her home not this place. She doesn’t know anyone here, she’ll be alone.”

“Did you not hear me boy!” Ben raises his voice, silencing his son. “She’s to be the princess’ lady in waiting, which means she’ll always be in her presence. She won’t be alone. Tis a great honor.”

Rob is about to continue but stops when his sister places a calming hand on his shoulder. “You’re right, it is a great honor. I’ll not disappoint you.” Though she is not looking at him, Y/N can see Rob’s disbelief through her peripheral. She swallows the lump forming in her throat before continuing. “Would it be alright for me to see you off?”

“Of course, we leave now. We’ve kept the carriage waiting long enough.” Ben turns and walks out of the room, while Rob stands there frozen in place. He knew one day you would both part ways. He just didn’t think it’d be so soon. He thought he had more time with you, two to three years at least, before their father married you off to one of the Northern lords and you left to live with him.

“Come, let’s not keep him waiting.” Y/N says as she wraps her arm around Rob’s and follows their father out of the room. He couldn’t help but squeeze her arm a bit tighter. You’re his little sister after all.

Outside the palace, the servants have just finished packing the caravan. The royal family is present to send off their guests. They bid them safe travels and promise to look after Y/N as if she is one of their own. Ben then approaches his daughter to bid her farewell. “Be good you hear.” She nods her head yes as he gives her a quick pat on the shoulder. He then turns around and mounts his horse. Rob approaches her next.

“You write to me every day. I want to read about your adventures here in the capital, but more importantly, I need to know you’re safe.”

“I promise, I’ll write every day.”

Rob pulls her into a tight hug. They stay like that, clinging to one another until Ben tells them it’s time to go. They reluctantly part from each other, and Y/N watches as Rob mounts his horse, and her father gives the command to depart. She looks on as they cross the gate, just before it closes, Rob is the only one to turn back around and wave a final goodbye. Y/N waves back until the gate closes completely.

“Lady Y/N.” The king calls to her before taking hold of both her hands. “I know this is all unexpected, but I meant what I said to your father. You will be well looked after. It will be quite the adjustment, but I know with time you’ll grow to love this place.”

Y/N offers a smile to the king in response. The queen approaches and cups her face with her hand. “Welcome to King’s Landing dear girl.” Aemma says with a smile before departing with her husband. Leaving Y/N alone with the princess.

“You don’t seem happy about all this.” Rhaenyra observes.

“My father left me here in a city I do not know, surrounded by strangers.” Y/N turns her head towards the princess. “My home is not as grand as this, and my father…he’s not perfect. But home is home, and despite his faults I do love my father. And Rob…I’ve never seen him look so sad.”

Though she does not regret her decision in choosing Y/N as her lady and waiting, Rhaenyra can’t help but feel bad. She hates seeing her look so sad, she had honestly thought she would be happy to stay. Just then, an idea pops into the princess’ mind. “Come with me.” Rhaenyra takes hold of Y/N’s hand and leads her over to the stables. As soon as the stable staff see the princess, they get a carriage ready. Although she has questions, Y/N remains silent, deciding to just wait and see what the princess has planned.

They ride the carriage in silence. Y/N looks outside to try to get an idea of where they are going, but she does not know King’s Landing. She sits back in her seat until the carriage finally comes to a stop. A footman opens the door and helps the princess down before helping Y/N.

In front of her is a great dome, at the entrance stands two men in dirty white robes, with shaved heads, carrying long sticks. As soon as they see the princess they enter the dome. Finally having enough of the suspense, Y/N turns to the princess to ask what is going on. But before she can ask, the princess beats her to it. “Patience lady Y/N. I promise this will be worth it.”

Not wanting to argue with the princess, Y/N stands there and waits. She begins to tap her thumb against her leg nervously. Her frustration over not knowing what’s happening grows until she feels the ground shake beneath her. She looks over at the princess and sees she’s not worried by what’s going on, she’s smiling. It isn’t until she hears a loud screech that she realizes why.

Being led out of the dome, by those same bald men, is a large yellow dragon. Rhaenyra’s smile only grows larger. “Is that…”

“Syrax, my dragon. I claimed her and took her to mount when I was seven.” Rhaenyra says proudly.

“You took her to mount when you were seven?” Y/N questions, surprised.

“She was a bit smaller then.”

“Smaller.” Y/N comments as she lets out a nervous chuckle. It was one thing to see a dragon from afar, it was another to be this close to one. There was a reason only the Targaryen’s were able to ride these great beasts. They had the blood of the dragon running through their veins, and Y/N was no dragon.

“Come, she will not harm you; I promise.”

Taking a deep breath, Y/N follows the princess. When they are inches away from the dragon, Syrax lowers her neck to Rhaenyra. The princess has one hand on her snout, while the other runs along her neck. “Konir’s someone nyke jaelagon ao naejot rhaenagon. Nyke jaelagon ao naejot sagon nice naejot zyhon. Ziry’s going naejot sagon rusir ilva syt olvie mirri jeda.” (There’s someone I want you to meet. I want you to be nice to her. She’s going to be with us for quite some time.) Without looking at Y/N, Rhaenyra extends her hand. “Give me your hand.”

Y/N does so and allows her to place her hand on Syrax’s snout. She lets out a breath, not realizing she had been holding it in. She runs her hand along the dragon’s snout with a smile on her face. “Your magnificent.” Y/N comments, Syrax seems to purr at the comment and moves closer to her. “Oh.” Y/N runs her other hand along her neck.

“I think she likes you.” Rhaenyra observes.

“I would hope so.”

They both continue to pet Syrax a few moments longer before Rhaenyra speaks up again. “I know King’s Landing is not your home, but you are not surrounded by strangers here. You have me.” Y/N stills her hand at the princess’s words until Syrax bumps her head against her in protest. She continues in silence. “We haven’t known each other long, but I have a feeling you and I will be good friends.” Y/N can’t help but chuckle. Rhaenyra looks at her confused. “Did I say something to amuse you?”

“As I was packing my things earlier, I was thinking how unexpected you were. When I first arrived here it never occurred to me that I would meet you, that you’d want to talk to me. I mean you’re a princess, and I’m a simple lady from a lowly house who was just lucky enough to be invited to the capital.” Y/N explains.

“You may come from a small house, but you are not simple my lady. I promise you that. You would not be standing here if you were.” Y/N can’t help the smile that forms on her face.

“I think you might be right princess. You and I, we’ll be good friends.”

“Of course I’m right, I’m the princess.” Y/N can’t help but laugh at the princess’ statement, and Rhaenyra joins. The two would indeed become friends, and in a few years’ time that friendship would bloom into something more.

***This is my first time writing for House of the Dragon. Hope you all like it. There will be more to come. Please feel free to comment, I’d love to hear what you think.***

[barblaz-arts]

Hey! Since you mentioned "Soul Eater" before, can I ask what you think about it? From the anime, from the manga (if you read it), the powers, the story in general, the ships, the chops, the humor, etc.

The anime was stunning! I love that it managed to translate the gothic but campy vibe the manga had. The soundtrack was insane too. I used to be so obsessed with Paper Moon and the second ED. Even the character OSTs like Kidd's theme and BlackStar's theme were really good, even if the lyrics didn't make a lot of sense.

The character designs and powers/fighting style for each character was soooo cool btw. The aesthetic for this whole show was just so good. Like. If Tim Burton and Doctor Seuss went and collaborated on an anime idk what I'm saying.

And the animation for the fight scenes were just mesmerizing. Bones(the animation studio) are just real damn good at what they do.

Seeing Maka fight with that giant scythe changed my life. At the time shounen rather than shoujo/slice of life anime were my thing. It was my first time seeing a female main protag for a shounen anime, that was probably one of the reasons I was as obsessed with the show as I was. I saw myself in maka for many reasons, i loved her a lot.

I had my gripes with the anime. Like. The ending was a lil weird with how they defeated Asura, but I did love that it had Maka also be a weapon. Also the fact that Crona was alive and well by the end is a nice bonus.

I vividly remember being obsessed with this scene in particular. I had such a huge crush on them lmao

Also not to like out my cringey 12 yo self, but I used to ship Crona/Kidd. Looking back it's so funny.

Soul/Maka is still one of my favorites anime ships ever tho. Ships that start off being besties that gradually turn romantic are just always gonna be my favorite i guess

Also just... Soul's dedication to always keep Maka safe was so dang sweet??? He'd catch a sword on the chest for her. He'd break her fall for her. He'd really do anything for her. Like damn...

As for the manga, yes I did read it! I think it ended when I was in high school? I followed the manga as it updated along with other mangas like Pandora Hearts and Reborn etc. Soul Eater was the only shounen I finished reading (Unless PH counts as shounen. I don't think it does...).

The direction it went with was so painful. Crona leaving Maka and going back to Medusa was my NaruSaku fallout istg. It sucks that things didn't end happily for Crona in the manga, but I still enjoyed the journey it put me through. As dark as it was, the chapter where Crona finally kills Medusa was kinda cathartic.

And although the manga didn't have weapon!Maka, i like the upgrade when she honed the abilities of her grigori soul. Maka riding scythe!Soul like Cardcaptor Sakura with her magic staff was so cool. And the way she had Soul's blade turn into piano keys and turned the black blood into a dress was kinda badass. I wish we get to see these in reboot FMA brotherhood style someday

The humor was great. My brothers and I still quote/reference a lot of the funny stuff from it. I just wish it wasn't one of those animes that can get so pervy to the point it's uncomfortable....

Anyways, loved it a lot. Sorry I probably could have talked about Kidd and BlackStar too and I love them, but this reply would be a lot longer than i have the energy to do lol. They're popular anyways. This show had one of the best female anime characters in Maka and it will probably always have a special place in my heart.

And the chops? Great as always

[a-court-of-mischief-and-madness]

Shadows and Flames

Summary: Pheonix, a fierce and dedicated warrior, is indebted to Rhysand for saving her from the horrors of the illyrian camps. when she's assigned a perilous mission to retrieve a powerful weapon from the spring court, what happens when she must team up with Eris Vanserra? the cunning and untrustworthy heir of the autumn court

a/n: hey guys, hope you enjoy a start of something new, comment if part 2 is needed

Word count: 4.3k

Part 2

Eris Pov

Rhysand clasped his hands together firmly on the smooth wooden table, his gaze shifting between his wife and Eris with an unmistakable expression of distrust. Eris scratched at the freshly burnt scars on his arms, a grim reminder of his father’s wrath for not disclosing his whereabouts while he was supposed to be on patrol. Sawyer, that incessant tattletale, had seized the opportunity to undermine him, reflecting his jealousy for the attention Eris received from his father—attention he never sought.

"We need to send you with one of our members," a deep voice cut through Eris’s thoughts. He looked up, his expression impassive. Rhysand was meticulous, never missing a beat or an opportunity to stay several steps ahead. The idea of being paired with someone from the Inner Circle complicated matters even more.

"To ensure everything goes smoothly," Rhysand added, his smile a veneer masking his true intent. Eris knew the real meaning: "to make sure you don’t go rogue." He maintained a neutral expression, forcing a tight-lipped smile.

"And who exactly is this person you're so eager to send with me?" Feyre’s gaze was intense, her curiosity barely concealed as she glanced at Eris.

"You will be informed in due course," Rhysand replied.

Frustration flared within Eris. "Time is of the essence. I can’t keep returning here. My father is already growing suspicious, and I can’t afford to give him more excuses."

Rhysand cleared his throat. "You will receive a letter with all the necessary details. For now, stay put." His calm demeanor faltered momentarily, revealing a flicker of anger before it was masked again. Eris offered a small, empty smile.

"If that’s all, I’d like to return. Some of us have tasks to finish." Feyre rolled her eyes and dismissed him with a wave. Ignoring her, Eris winnowed away without a backward glance.

Phoenix’s POV

Your hand tightened around the hilt of the blade, your stance precise as you threw with practiced accuracy. The blade hit the bull’s eye once again, but the routine was becoming monotonous. You needed a greater challenge. A cold wind cut through your leathers, and you turned, scanning the area.

"I know it’s you, Azriel," you called out. A series of soft curses followed, and shadows began to coalesce. Azriel was attempting to improve his stealth skills. Despite his talents, you could always spot him, much to his frustration. You chuckled softly.

"Don’t worry, you’ll master it soon enough," you said.

Azriel emerged, his large wings stretching to fill the space. He frowned at you, clearly annoyed. "I need to make sure you can’t detect me. That’s when I’ll truly know I’m invisible," he said, scratching his chin.

"Is the Shadowsinger feeling embarrassed?" you teased, pouting. Azriel glared at you before a sly smile tugged at his lips.

"By the way, Rhysand wants to see you."

You rolled your eyes. "Seriously? What does he want now?" Azriel’s grin widened.

"Don’t know, but I have a feeling it’s something you’ll enjoy," he said, emphasizing the last word. You turned and made your way to the House of Wind’s staircase, flipping Azriel a playful middle finger. His rich laughter echoed after you, fading into the distance.

The last time Rhysand summoned you like this was to send you on a distasteful mission to the Court of Nightmares, where you had to seduce Keir—a repugnant experience you still shudder to recall. You felt the remnants of that encounter as you approached Rhysand’s office, your long blonde hair a tight, unwelcome bun that strained against your scalp. Training demanded focus, and loose hair was a distraction.

As you neared the office, you heard voices—one unmistakably Rhysand’s, and the other, Cassian’s.

"But that’s too dangerous! You know what he might do to her. He could hurt her, and we wouldn’t know!" Cassian's voice was tinged with concern. You paused, listening as Rhysand’s calm response cut through.

"Pheonix, please come in," he said. You groaned and entered the room. Cassian didn’t acknowledge you as you asked, "What’s going on?"

Rhysand sighed. "I need you to go on a mission."

You froze. "What kind of mission?"

Rhysand’s violet eyes sparkled with determination. "I need you to accompany Eris to retrieve an artifact—a dagger forged by the Cauldron itself—"

You tuned out at the mention of Eris. His history with Mor was something you could never forget, and sweat beaded on your brow. Rhysand noticed your reaction and paused.

"Phoenix, are you listening?" he asked.

You swallowed and nodded. "Yes, I’m listening."

"This dagger is crucial; it’s the only weapon capable of killing Beron," Rhysand continued. Your thoughts raced—Beron had been growing more powerful with his alliance with the King of Hybern. The possibility of another war was chilling. You forced yourself to speak.

"But why can’t I go alone? You know I work better solo," you argued, making air quotes.

Rhysand furrowed his brows. "Eris is the only one who knows the area well; it’s in the Spring Court. His presence will be less suspicious. Cassian started to speak, but Rhysand cut him off. "This is your choice, phoenix . I won’t force you, but all other options are exhausted. I would send Azriel or Cassian, but Eris knows them well and their weaknesses. On the other hand, Eris has never met you. You’re a complete unknown to him."

You rubbed your fingers together, suppressing your emotions. "I’ll do it. We all have to make necessary sacrifices," you said, more to yourself than anyone else.

Rhysand beamed. "Thank you, Phoenix. It means a lot." Cassian stood in stunned silence as you bowed and slowly left the room, leaving without another word.

The next few days were filled with relentless training sessions that Azriel insisted upon. He constantly muttered about Eris being a traitor and untrustworthy. Cassian was furious. He treated you like a sister and was determined to keep you safe. But what he didn’t understand was your deep-seated obligation to Rhysand, who had saved you from the horrific Illyrian camps when you were a child. You felt an unwavering duty to repay him. It was a principle instilled in you from a young age: your life belonged to him. Cassian insisted that Rhysand had saved you out of compassion, not to be repaid. Yet, your upbringing and sense of duty drove you to serve him. This meant embarking on missions with the arrogant and potentially treacherous Eris Vanserra, never knowing if he might betray you.

As you walked toward your room, the pain from fifteen hours of intense training radiated from your back to your feet. If you were to face the upcoming mission, you needed every ounce of strength. You reached for the golden handle and paused—it was unlocked. You always locked your room. Narrowing your eyes, you sensed someone inside. The warmth of the handle confirmed it.

With your long silver blade ready, you flung the door open. Scanning the room, your gaze landed on a figure and you immediately knew who it was. Eris stood there, his red hair styled to perfection, cascading smoothly around his face. His jaw was clenched, and his auburn eyes blazed with a fiery intensity. His physique was impressive; his tunic fitted him perfectly, accentuating his muscular shoulders. An overcoat draped elegantly over him, and his black pants clung to his powerful thighs. His boots, polished and black, made a soft, deliberate sound with each step. His presence was magnetic, almost as if he was meant to be the first thing your eyes landed on. You tried to mask your surprise as he spoke.

"You’re quite the warrior, aren’t you?" His voice was smooth, laced with an enigmatic challenge.

“What the fuck?” you almost screamed, stalking towards him with the blade pressed to his throat. The bastard just continued smiling wickedly, as if this was exactly what he wanted you to do.

“She’s feisty, it seems,” he drawled, his smile widening. He smelled of peppermint, autumn leaves, and sandalwood—a scent that was both comforting and infuriating.

Your right leg bent, trapping his legs, ensuring he couldn’t escape. “What do you want?” you demanded, your voice low and dangerous.

Eris’s eyes sparkled with amusement as he tilted his head slightly. “Relax, Phoenix. I’m here to discuss our mission.”

You tightened your grip on the blade, pressing it harder against his throat. “And you couldn’t have waited for a more appropriate time or place?”

Eris chuckled softly, the sound reverberating through the room. “Where’s the fun in that? Besides, I thought you might appreciate a bit of... excitement after your training. Your room is beautiful, I must say. Pity you aren’t worthy of it.”

Your cheeks burned at the thought of Eris seeing your nightgown that you always left hanging in your room. You glared at him, your patience wearing thin. “Get to the point, Eris. What do you want?”

He stepped closer, the air between you crackling with tension. “I want to ensure that we’re on the same page before we head into the Spring Court. This mission requires precision, cooperation.” His eyes flicked to the nightgown hanging in the corner, and a smirk tugged at his lips. “And perhaps a bit more trust.”

“Trust?” you scoffed. “You’re the last person I’d trust, Eris. Especially after what you did to Mor.”

His smirk faltered for a moment, a flash of anger darkening his eyes. “She deserved it, didn’t she?”

Your grip on the blade tightened, every muscle in your body coiled with anger. “Don’t you dare.”

Just then, Rhysand’s sharp claws scratched at your mind and you took a few steps back. “You are to discuss with him how you will go about the mission, to ensure everything is going as planned. There isn’t much time left; you leave tomorrow at dawn.”

You felt like slicing Rhysand’s throat. “And you didn’t think of informing me beforehand, before some intruder invaded my personal space?”

Rhysand spoke, guilt lacing his tone. “It all happened too fast, sorry about that. Now go ahead and have fun, will you?” he chuckled.

You opened your mouth to say something when Eris began walking towards you. You held out your sword, pointing the tip towards him. He raised his hands in defense, smirking. Cauldron, this was going to be a long day.

"So, you’re the one member of Rhysand’s inner circle I’ve never met. Phoenix, is it? Quite clever of Rhysand to send me someone I have never met. What he doesn’t know is that I can find out a lot about someone in a matter of hours," his mask was unfazed and arrogant.

You narrowed your eyes, the blade in your hand trembling with the effort it took to hold back your anger. “And what makes you think I’ll let you get that close?”

Eris’s smirk widened, his eyes dancing with amusement. “Oh, I don’t need to get close. I can read people from a distance. And you, Phoenix, are an open book.”

You ground your teeth, lowering the sword just a fraction. “You think you know me? You don’t know anything.”

He stepped closer, his movements fluid and unhurried. “I know enough. I know you’re loyal to a fault, that you’re driven by a debt you think you owe. I know you’re strong, fierce, and that you don’t trust easily. And I know that right now, you’re wondering if you can survive this mission with me without losing your sanity.”

You swallowed hard, hating how accurately he’d read you. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? This mission isn’t a game, Eris. If you screw up, it’s my head on the line.”

He dropped his hands, his expression turning serious. “I know what’s at stake, Phoenix. Believe me, I have just as much to lose. However, I would really like to know how you have never been seen before as a member of Rhysand’s inner circle.”

You crossed your arms, matching his intensity. “Maybe you’re not as informed as you think you are, Eris. I’ve been in the shadows, handling things that required a... discreet touch. Not every battle is fought on the front lines.”

He raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Interesting. So, you’re the secret weapon then?”

“Call it what you want,” you replied, your voice steady. “But don’t underestimate me just because you haven’t seen me in action.”

He nodded slowly, not showing any hint of emotion. “Let’s just get this over with. I am to lead this mission, especially if we are going to the Spring Court. Tamlin is not someone easy to fool.”

You clenched your jaw, suppressing your irritation. “Lead the mission, fine. But I make my own decisions when it comes to my safety.”

Eris tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing. “Agreed. Just know that if you compromise the mission, I won’t hesitate to do what’s necessary.”

“Likewise,” you shot back, meeting his gaze head-on. “We both have our roles to play, and I don’t intend to be a liability. But just remember, I won’t and never will trust you. Given who your father is.”

You immediately regretted how far you’d gone because his expression subtly changed, and anger radiated through him before he calmed it down and spoke, smirking. “Let’s not forget, you are an orphan, Phoenix.”

You felt the sting of his words like a physical blow, your breath catching in your throat. But you refused to let him see how much it hurt. “Being an orphan doesn’t define me,” you said, your voice steady. “It’s made me stronger. And it’s why I’ll do whatever it takes to protect those I care about.”

His smirk didn’t waver. “Is that so? Well, then, perhaps you’ll prove useful after all.”

The venom in his words was unmistakable, and it took all your self-control not to lash out. “You’re a monster,” you hissed, your voice low and filled with contempt.

Eris’s smirk widened, his eyes gleaming with a cold amusement. “Perhaps. But monsters have their uses, don’t they? Especially when you need to navigate the treacherous waters of Tamlin’s court.”

You sighed, the weight of the mission settling heavily on your shoulders. “Do you have the maps and necessary details we need to go over? Because, hell, we need a plan.”

Eris's smirk softened into something almost serious. “Of course.” He reached into his overcoat and pulled out a rolled parchment, spreading it on a nearby flat surface. The detailed map of the Spring Court unfurled before you, showing paths, patrol routes, and the location of the vault.

“Here,” he said, pointing to a small, nearly invisible path. “This is our best route. It’s less guarded and will give us the cover we need to get close without being seen.”

You studied the map, noting the twists and turns of the path. “And the guards? How many are we looking at?”

Eris’s finger moved to several marked spots. “Tamlin has increased security, but most of the guards are concentrated near the main entrance and the throne room. If we stick to this route, we should encounter minimal resistance.”

You nodded, mentally tracing the path. “What about the vault itself? Any additional defenses?”

He hesitated, then produced another smaller piece of parchment. “This is the layout of the vault. It’s heavily warded, but I’ve managed to procure a few counter spells. They should get us through the main door, but once inside, we’ll need to be quick. The wards will start to reset the moment we break them.”

“Great,” you muttered, absorbing the information. “So, we break in, grab the dagger, and get out before the wards reengage.”

“Precisely,” Eris said. “But there’s one more thing.” He looked at you, his expression unreadable. “The dagger is guarded by an ancient sentinel. It’s powerful and will be alerted the moment we breach the vault. We need to be prepared for a fight.”

You rolled your shoulders, feeling the tension build. “Any weaknesses we can exploit?”

“Fire,” he replied. “The sentinel is weak to fire. But it’s not easy to bring down. We’ll need to be strategic about it.”

You took a deep breath, the reality of the mission settling in. “Alright. We stick to the plan, stay focused, and we’ll get through this. But may I know how exactly you’re going to get Tamlin to let you in wherever you want? He’s not exactly going to think you’re just here for a vacation.”

Eris grinned, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “I didn’t want to mention it since you might get too emotional, but my plan is to tell him that I’m married and have come to spend my honeymoon in Spring. It’s tradition, after all, for a honeymoon to be spent in the neighboring courts.”

You stared at him, trying to process the absurdity of his plan. “Seriously? That’s your grand strategy? A fake marriage? You’re nuts if you think I’m going to partake in this.”

Eris’s grin widened, his confidence unwavering. “Already nervous, princess? We’ve barely started—oh, I know, I guess you’ve never been close to an extremely handsome male before.”

You glared at him, the annoyance in your voice unmistakable. “Do not call me ‘princess.’”

Eris chuckled, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “But you are one, aren’t you? Helpless, a damsel in distress.”

Your eyes flashed with indignation. “You have no idea what you’re talking about. Don’t mistake my focus and caution for weakness.”

Eris’s grin didn’t waver. “Oh, I’m sure you’re more capable than you let on. Just don’t be surprised if your ‘damsel’ facade doesn’t hold up under pressure.”

Your cheeks flushed at his audacity, but you refused to back down. “You love to flatter yourself, huh? I guess it’s because you barely receive any compliments.”

Eris raised an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching with amusement. “Is that what you think? Or are you just trying to deflect from your own discomfort?”

You crossed your arms, trying to maintain your composure. “Maybe a bit of both. But let’s be clear: if we’re going to pull off this mission, we need to focus on the task, not on your ego.”

Eris chuckled softly, the sound like a caress. “Is the princess scared she’s going to fall in love with me?”

You narrowed your eyes, struggling to keep your voice steady. “You’re delusional if you think that’s even a possibility. My focus is on the mission, not on your over-inflated ego.”

Eris’s grin widened, clearly entertained by your reaction. “Oh, I see. So it’s just my ego that’s troubling you? Not the fact that we’re about to spend a lot of time together in close quarters?”

You rolled your eyes, trying to ignore the flutter of nerves in your stomach. “One, we’re here to do a job. Nothing more. And two, don’t think I’m going to kiss you or anything.”

He smirked, a glint of mischief in his eyes. “Already thinking so far, huh, princess? You’re more invested in this relationship than I am.”

You raised an eyebrow, meeting his gaze with a steady look. “Don’t flatter yourself. I’m simply focused on making sure we don’t screw up. Your relationship status is the last thing on my mind.”

Eris’s smirk deepened, clearly enjoying the exchange. “Is that so? You seem awfully concerned about how this ‘relationship’ plays out. Maybe you’re more intrigued than you let on.”

You rolled your eyes, trying to ignore the heat rising to your cheeks. “You’re reading too much into it. I’m just here to get the job done and stay alive.”

He stared out the window. “Trust me, it’ll work. Tamlin’s pride and tradition are his weaknesses. He’ll be too pleased to host a high-ranking member of the Autumn Court on what he believes is a romantic visit to bother questioning my motives.”

You raised an eyebrow. “And what if he decides to test your story?”

“Then,” Eris said with a shrug, “we’ll improvise. After all, improvisation is an art I’ve mastered.”’

You pondered aloud, “Why can’t we just get Tamlin on our side? Doesn’t he want Beron dead as well?”

Eris’s smile twisted into something cruel. “Have you learned nothing, princess? Tamlin cannot be trusted. He will go running to my father the moment he notices something is off.”

You smirked. “And you don’t think he’ll notice that the arrogant, insufferable Eris Vanserra managed to find a wife?”

Eris’s smirk widened, a glint of amusement dancing in his eyes. “Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong. Tamlin’s arrogance and pride will blind him to the truth. He’ll see this as a chance to flaunt his hospitality and believe he’s outwitting me. The more ostentatious my ‘marriage,’ the more he’ll want to prove his superiority by playing along.”

A thought struck you. “Eris,” you said, glancing back at him. “If you betray me or try anything-”

“I know,” he interrupted, his voice calm. “But for now, our goals align. Let’s focus on that.”

“Now will you leave my room?” you muttered, irritation edging your voice.

Eris raised his hands in mock surrender, his smirk still in place. “As you wish, princess. I’ll leave you to your peace and quiet. Just don’t kill yourself thinking about me in the process.”

He turned with a flourish, his footsteps echoing as he made his way out. The door closed behind him, and you were left with a mix of frustration and reluctant amusement. His parting shot stung, but you couldn’t deny that a part of you was already bracing for the unpredictability he brought with him.

The next day was a whirlwind of activity. Your belongings were packed with precision: knives, daggers, poison, and every conceivable tool you might need to escape or navigate any situation. In the midst of this chaos, a package arrived from Eris.

Inside was a stunning autumn dress. The fiery red fabric seemed to capture the essence of the season, adorned with golden glitter that sparkled in the light. Delicate shapes of autumn leaves embroidered the edges, giving the dress a soft, ethereal glow. The dress was beautiful, but it also felt like another layer of the charade Eris was weaving.

Azriel’s laughter echoed in your mind as he taunted you about it, and Rhysand’s apologetic demeanor contrasted sharply with Cassian’s barely contained rage. Cassian’s reaction was understandable; he was livid at the thought of Eris turning this mission into a spectacle. But Eris had made it clear: you needed to look the part of his delicate, gorgeous wife.

With a sigh, you took one last look at the dress, then at your packed gear. It was going to be a long, challenging journey ahead, and you would need to play your role to the fullest—no matter how uncomfortable it might be.

Eris asked you to meet him outside the border. After bidding your goodbyes to Rhysand and the rest of the Inner Circle, you made your way through the forest, your heart pounding with anticipation and anxiety. The autumn dress Eris had sent did little to stave off the biting cold; your body shivered violently as you stomped through the underbrush, your breaths coming out in frosty clouds. You touched up your make up before leaving but still maintaining your hair in a tight bun.

You reached the border and waited, the minutes stretching out into an eternity. Of course, Eris was late—classic Eris.

Just then, a sudden wave of warmth enveloped you from behind. You gasped, spinning around to find Eris standing there. He looked as impeccably handsome as ever, his gaze sweeping over you with an intensity that made your cheeks flush. The dress, with its fiery red and golden glitter, seemed to catch his attention, but his expression remained inscrutable.

You spoke, cutting through the silence. “The dress is beautiful.”

Eris’s eyes flickered with surprise before he masked it with his usual smirk. “Why, thank you. I had a feeling you’d look stunning in it.”

His gaze lingered on you, and for a moment, you felt as if you were under a magnifying glass. Despite his attempt at casual charm, there was something in his expression that hinted at a deeper scrutiny. You squared your shoulders, determined to hold your ground.

“So, are we going to stand here all day or do you plan to actually lead this mission?” you asked, your tone laced with a mixture of impatience and resolve.

Eris’s smirk widened, and he gestured toward the path ahead. “Patience, princess. The real adventure is just beginning. Let’s do this.”

But there was a problem. You couldn’t winnow very well. It was the one skill you’d struggled with for years, and despite your best efforts, you always ended up in the wrong place.

Eris glanced at you, his eyebrows arching in surprise. “You can’t winnow, princess? This day just keeps getting better. How pathetic.” He laughed, the sound rich and melodious, a sharp contrast to your frustration.

You groaned, your patience fraying. “Shut up, asshole.”

Eris’s laughter subsided, but a smirk remained on his lips. “Well, it seems I’ll have to handle the travel arrangements then. Try not to get us lost, will you?” His tone was teasing, but there was a hint of genuine amusement in his eyes.

You glared at him as he extended his hand. Reluctantly, you placed your hand in his, feeling an unexpected jolt of electricity race through your veins. His touch was surprisingly soft.

Eris's eyes locked onto yours, his expression unreadable. “Just hold on tight,” he instructed, his voice low and steady. You could sense the warmth in his tone, though it was buried beneath layers of arrogance.

As he began to winnow you both, the familiar sensation of being pulled through space enveloped you. Despite the tension between you, you couldn’t help but notice how his hand fit perfectly with yours, a connection that was both startling and unsettling.