#but i hate this world so luch

[trafficpan-ic]

You sometimes cry bcs no one will ever get you? Bcs same

[gothteddiesdotcom]

seems like my company is actively looking into some form of LLM AI to inject into our software to work with the financial advisors and I so badly want to kill myself

[just-leon]

_MY STORY AS WONYOUNG SOLO STAN

Warning®️this is Fanfiction about wonyoung's stan life with toxic hate by wonyoung haters.The main character is hidden Hurt by wonyoung's hate train .As defender but human tho .this is Inspired of real story

Be careful my english is break 😭

As wony stan,i have litteraly grew up with Jang Wonyoung debuted as izone center and maknae in 2018.I will breaking the silence of my life is always active as wonyoung defender since 2018

She was casted by starship before become trainee during 1 year .She participed in the mnet survival show named produce 48 also win as centrr with ton massive hate when she was only aged 14 yo(break my soul😔),shame on especially the international fans were always nasty toward wonyoung during final pd48 .I remember for them" she was untalented and lack much as iz*one center.Now we can the karma hit them also the table turn wonyoung is it girl and get more popular....this is sak*ra miyawaki get critized as untalented and didnt trying changed luch in kpop industry

During izone,they were underestimed girl group among the western kpop stans *they have no chill for unnoticed elegant concept and flawless discography but lucky this wondeful gg was so popular in asia esp korea and japan . I remember The sakura stans cyberbullying wonyoung with evil edits like that was such absurd thing for teenager girl like we need forget she want just realised her Dreams and sacrifices as kpop idol .

In ive she debuted at 17 yo with ton pressure and overworked schedules,she get ton hate even she did bring popularity for the group with yujin,i feel the non wizones (*izone fanbase is wizone) judged her much .This is suspect when there are ton youtube vidéos for critized wonyoung as evil idol or pick me .She isn't the one chosed her outfits for stage or schedules. SHE IS EXPLOITED NO FAVORISED .

Thet forget Wonyoung work hard for getting her opportunities even her members were worried because she didnt complaint about her busy schedules as teen. SHE IS IS SO PROFESSIONNEL AND RESPECTFUL.she trying her best for stay calm even with hate train by kpop stans on social media especially tiktok and YouTube sometime Instagram comments ruined my Day.

She is ovelooked because her visuel and her company didnt trying showcase her talents .Girlie write ton bsides by ive moreover many producers praised her .She improveduch herself as person and artist.

She want changed the kpop industry without trying hard show off front camera.For win lawsuit against YouTuber sojang also after there re many kpop idols like bts aespa exo sue this YouTuber because her statitic. DONT FORGET SHE SPEAK UP ABOUT HYPERSCRUZATION TOWARD FEMALE IDOLS IN KPOP INDUSTRY AND SOCIETY AMONG MEDIA AT AGE 19 YEARS OLD YES MOTHER .

She is hidden humble and sweetheart like she love her fans much every times .

Her company don't deserve her at all they cant promoted wonyoung at all..Lucky vicky she promoted herself well with brands deals and wonyoung fanbase support her so well on social media with fan accounts.

I notice only online people critized wonyoung hum the fact the staffs and seniors love her much.Obvious her haters are insecure and jobless. There is reasons why jyp said wonyoung is idea kpop idol.

There are times,we can feeling she isn't okay while herself this is freaking sad, i hope the peace inside her beautiful soul. HER VIBE IS AMAZING and we need pay attention to wonyoung as wonyoung stans because she can get much enough off camera with mental or physical.

Sttarship sabotaged her so much like she need get better promotion in other agency.We need more variety show and new concepts for her because she said that in many magazines or interviews.I know kinda she was overworked with ive world tour yet she get only brands photoshoot or brands events.

I hope many kpop stans know wonyoung story since many them think she focus about her visuel..they dont think her Dreams job is lawyer and annoncer but never kpop idol at all.

[kichimiangra]

Going into the new year batching and complaining about something I like (because I play digimon world next order on my switch during holidays when I get stressed or tired and just want to pass time)

-Koromon's forward facing eyes upset me. This tiny predator will eat me in my sleep I know it...

-Tyranomon needs bigger eyes on his model. Make him kawaii.

-I should not be allowed to recruit Grapleomon as early as chapter 2. I should not be allowed to just go to him and lock out all other evolution options except the one I want that early in the game. That should be a "Just before the final boss" kind of service.

-Himari I love the outfit but where the fuck were you going dressed like that¿?¿?

-(Too used to Guilmon's elmo voice from the dub to get used to Yukimura's deep intelligent sounding voice)

-okay so we doing a "pushed your digimon too far dark evolution" plot with Kouta and Yukimura and though I appreciate trying to be unique by not using Megidramon you just used Skullgreymon again. Clearly the only evil dinosaur you could ever use.

-Himari, it's nice to know your backstory of having no mom and two 2nd grade twin sisters that you are basically substitute mom for and that's why your worried and wanna go home, and imagining them hungry makes you sad but like you never said you didn't have a dad. I'm sure he's at least leaving saltiness crackers out for the ankle biters while worrying about your disappearance?

-(So used to the pronunciation "Machine'DRUH'mon" that I get angry everytime Jijimon called it "Machine'DRAY'mon")

-there is a pc port of this game and like zero modding scene. Like most of the mods are just changing the title song "Accentier" and switching it with "Brave Heart". I was hoping for like model swapping digimon using models ripped from Cyber Slueth and adding them over other models or like custom outfit mods for your player character but at best it's like a color pallet swap and I know mods are hard but still... disappointment.

-speaking of the player costumes why are they dressed like that? Mostly the girl. Ur hood isn't attached to you clothes. Your wearing a onsie with wierd panties that look like a skirt but they're so tight they're crawling up your ass. WHERE WERE YOU GOING DRESSED LIKE THIS?? Is this like Adventure 02 where the digital world gives you new clothes, which would explain Himarri but if so why is Kouta dressed like he's going to chess club?

-in some of the artwork for the girl player she's shown with Palmon and Biyomon as her partners and though superfluous it would have been a nice touch if that carried over into the game instead of both players starting with Omnimon's parts.

-I like the carnevoir vs herbevoir storyline in Oguino Wastelands but it's kinda wierd that you learn Rosemon was being sweet talked into leveling the wastelands by Myotismon because he's a real-estate guy and then the two upon recruitment are stationed right next to eachother and there's no dialogue to follow that up. Infact you recruited a LOT of digimon from both factions and there could have been a 'Two Spiderman pointing at eachother' event right in the city.

-I hate how the upgraded Floatia looks. I miss DW1's restaurant that was literally walking into a toaster oven. Now I'm just walking into a restaurant.

-Stardew valley style daily "Request board" would not be out of place or unwelcome in Floatia.

-I hate the name "Floatia."

-devs, putting big batteries and circuit board patterns everwhere doesn't make it feel digital worldy :(

-people complaining when their two digimon get out of sync are strait up fools as being a day or two out of sync is OPTIMAL statgrinding! Let the Mega carry the fresh baby through hard fights and get them stats! You'll have a rookie with Mega stats in no (ingame) time!

-Spoiler: Luche's Identity as the leftover data of the possessed kid's digimon partner is cool and I like it but Luche seems to care more about the player being their ONNI-SAAAAN than reuniting with their tamer and that feels like wasted drama for such a good set up.

-I don't want to send a townie digimon on an adventure to bring back items I WANT TO GO ON AN ADVENTURE AND BRING BACK ITEMS! What I mean is, more minigames plz.

[darkpuck]

AO3 First Lines Tag Game

Tagged by @caparruciaucia~

Rules: Share the first lines of ten of your most recent fanfics and tag ten people. If you have written fewer than ten, don’t be shy and share anyway.

01. watching in slow motion as you turn around and say (ffxv)

"And so, with the forthcoming wedding between His Royal Highness, Prince Noctis Lucis Caelum and the Most Honourable Marquis Besithia, Lord Mercurius Eleuthia-Besithia, we announce the end of the war and peace between Lucis and Niflheim." The Prince Regent laid aside his quill with a finality that seemed, to Prompto, like a jail cell slamming shut.

02. A Change of Pace (ffxv)

Ignis woke every morning at five. He'd always been a morning person, and sheer habit had ensured he never slept past half the hour, no matter how exhausted he was. The others all slept later than he — granted, Gladio tended to rise at six, but that was still a single, glorious hour he had to himself before duty reared its head.

03. Oathbreakers (ffxv)

"So many dead over so simple a thing," Luche says, looking at the small, almost insignificant talisman in his palm. "But why? For what?" He's taunting her, like he did Ulric, making them hate him. "Power," the Oracle says, meeting his gaze without fear. "Untold power beyond the control of someone like you." Her words are a taunt in return, and a challenge — prove yourself worthy. Put it on and demand recompense from the Kings of Old. "Power…" he says, looking down at the ring again. He could do it. He could put it on, demand that power, destroy Insomnia and the Empire alike. He could do it —

04. foreboding (pokémon)

"James." The name is enough to make Jim stop, because... nobody in Galar knows him by that name. Nobody outside Galar even bothers to call him by it, except... "Sabrina," he says, turning to face the Saffron Gym Leader. "Surprised to see you here." "I could say the same for you," she answers. "You shouldn't be here." "Windy called you, I take it?" "We're the closest Psychic trainers she knows." "I'm not a Psychic trainer," he says, the same way he does every time she calls him one. Because he's not.

05. of the loved ones that we've lost (kingdom hearts)

Lourd had learned a good many skills from the months he’d spent in bars, learning to support himself on the turn of the card. The most important of those skills was acting. For days, maybe even weeks, he’d acted as though he’d given up. Lying still instead of struggling within his bonds, no longer tracking movements with his eyes. Yes, he still had his heart, but he clung to that out of sheer spite. It was easy to make it appear as though that spite made him too tired for anything else. And then at last–                                                 –at last– His efforts were rewarded.

06. Unseilie (kingdom hearts)

Only three months ago, Maliaur had been free. A refugee, certainly, with his homeworld destroyed at the hand of one of his own kind, but he had been alive and free — and slowly amassing power to challenge she who had destroyed their world and betrayed all, enemies, allies, and kin. Now he had nothing — not life nor freedom nor even his own name. The so-called Superior didn't know what he was, but he did know the power of names. He had stripped Maliaur's name from him, rearranged it to his liking and put his mark on it, then presented it to him as though he should be grateful to be worthy: Marluχia. None of the others had noticed, but then, they were only mortals. 

07. Echolocation (kingdom hearts)

I don't know what I expected after diving deep into my own heart, but landing all but weightlessly on stained glass flooring was not it. Suddenly everything seemed — muted. Tranquil, almost, despite the disorientation of going from white hallways to stained glass in blackness. It was still imperative that I find the darkness I'd kept back from myself, but the time it would take no longer mattered. Glancing down, I suddenly realised that the stained glass beneath my feet bore a distinct image. I backed up, my steps echoing hollowly, until my heel brushed empty air. Now I could see the whole of the image, dominated by a boy in the centre. Black-haired and black-eyed, he wielded a lance two feet too big for him; his face was a grimace of rage, pain, and fear. He was me, as I had been the night Radiant Garden fell.

08. Glaciate (kingdom hearts)

Demyx hadn't been a member of the Organization for very long. Still, he thought it was just as well that he had made the attempt to play the shadows to their doom rather than his sisters. He wasn't sure humans were a delicacy they would willingly give up. Surprisingly, it hadn't taken him long at all to get used to walking. Getting away from Vexen had been a strong motivator, admittedly, and learning to control water instead of swimming through it a good excuse. The clone-forms were a happy accident, one he never would have discovered by practising magic as Vexen had shown him. Even as a merman, instruments had been his forté, and water simply responded better when he played. Why else would his sympathetic weapon manifest as a sitar?

09. Genesis (kingdom hearts)

Someone was watching him. Dilan pushed Aeleus back and signalled quickly for a pause. The other Guard frowned as Dilan glanced around the training room. "What is it?" Aeleus asked. Dilan shook his head, returning his attention to the taller man. "It's nothing."

10. Winter Court (kingdom hearts)

Rufus hated dealing with Maleficent. While not necessarily a usurper, she still ruled the kingdom that was his by birthright. Unfortunately, the witch had made it plain that his continued existence depended upon her unopposed rule. He supposed he should consider himself lucky the terms of their bargain hadn't altered as he aged.

Tagging @twocatstailoring, @tigerkat24, @shadowsong26x, and everyone whose tags i've forgot!

[onlyjaeyun]

hi baby!!! i read the chap last night but was exhausted and i passed out right after so now i’m sending in my ask!!

HOLYYY SHIT ZADIE THAT CHAP MADE ME FEEL ALLLLL THE EMOTIONS like first off i was annoyed at hoon for being so in denial and then the steamy parts came and i was like 😳😳 that chap was so well written baby it had me rereading every sentence like 5 times w/ how good it was

ik hoon is not gonna be able to hold in his jealousy any longer, i feel like he’s just trying his hardest to convince himself that he still hates her when we all know how that ends🤭 i’m also very curious to finally find out what happened between them that made them THIS angry with each other 🫣

i really love how you’re portraying this e2l trope bc you ACTUALLY made the characters enemies. bc usually it’s like one sided where one of them just pretends to hate the other’s guts and the build up is very anticlimactic. BUT WITH CH YOU HAVE ME ON THE EDGE OF MY SEAT EVERY TIME AND I LOVE IT THANK YOU ZADIE😭🫶🏻

i’m picking up my disposables today which i’m extremely excited about!!! also a little nervous to see how they turn out but i trust jungwon🤞🏻🥹 i hope you’re having a great day and overall week my love!! as always, take care of yourself baby!! love you so so much💞💞⭐️⭐️ !!

- 💌

MY BABY!!!!! i hope youve got some of that well deserbed rest my sweet love, dont ever worry about sending me asks pls i just want you to take care of yourself 🥺💞

AAAH THANK YOU SO SO MUCH ANGEL!!!🥺🥺🥺🥺 so so happy you enjoyed the chapter and sre also enjoying the whole e2l dynamics, honestly means the world to me when you guys tell me i'm doing a good jon portraying their hatred/attraction bc as you know this is my forst e2l fic ever so im still super nervous 😭 thank you for always giving me so much love and support inlove and appreciate you so luch 🥺💞🤍🫧

fingers crossed the pics developed well baby, cant wait for your update on that🥺🤍 sending you so many kisses, pls accept snd have a great day i love you

[a-midnight-rest]

I believe you are quite on point, even if midly exagerating how fast some of those conflicts are resolved considering Aveline and Isabella conflict are also resolved in banter. Although at least, in Veilguard, you see it.

I had forgotten about Blackwall mainly because I don't see his lies as a flaw at all. It's actually one of the most heroic character of the setting.

Still, I don't understand your definition of character flaw. What you say is that none are controversial. None have done terrible things or have extreme opinions that would make you question your own. But those are not flaws, those are traits you personally find impactful or not.

Definitions aside, I understand you. I am a bit sad I can't really share my love for the Veilguard character, so that you would see them as I do. Because I do find in them some very impactful trait I did not find in any other Dragon Age game.

Emmerich is learned, tender, but also so free and groundbreaking in his relation with the spirits. His fear of death is so understandable, but the price for it is also so high. And yet, it also make sense, "How many exception before tyranny" indeed.

Harding is all around adorable, but also her journey through the monumental reveal, voth lore wise and personal one, are great. That she reconnect with an essential part of her she never knew she had, that righteous anger, that indignity. How to deal with it? It gives me goosebumps.

Neve is so inaccessible, and yet care so much. She has the pokerface of someone who has failed so many times and yet got up and fought the good fight against all odds, she is scared shiteless of hoping for a good ending.

Taash, I don't like. But that's only because an emotionally immature character teying to find their own identity with an emotionally stunt mother who is so aware she's a bad mom you can't even villainize her hits WAY too close to home for comfort

I love how Lucanis is dealing with the trauma by absolutely not dealing about it. How in his mind he is still in prison, so luch that Spite hasn't realized they escape. I love he is so rich he doesn't know the value of money, and yet is absolutely thrilled to cook for people he knows are safe.

Bellara is adorable in her absolute curiosity, and again the self loathing and blaming herself hits too close. But I also like how her entire world is to help others, it's the one constant in the chaos of her endlessly creative mind.

Davrin, I am meh about him. Well, I love how he takes his job seriously and really try to focus on the task at hand. But his unbending determination clashes well with Assan's chaotic demeanor, and I love how he explore himself throughout the game.

I also love how Bellara and Davrin explore their identity as Dalish without talking about humans, it's like they passed some sort of Beschdel test xD.

I love how Lucanis give to Harding the Arrow that will kill him because he absolutely trust her to do what needs to be done.

I love how Bellara desesperatly try to have Emmerich tell her vampires exists, to the point he almost admit it.

The Veilguard do not need to curse, or hate, or be borderline and anti-heroes to be interesting. Not to me at least.

I think one thing that bothers me about the Veilguard companions is that while they're fun, none of them are flawed in a way that matters. Like in Dragon Age 2 you've got Aveline calling Isabela a slut, and Anders approving if you sell Fenris back into slavery. In Veilguard, you've got to decide how many books Emmerich should bring camping, or say it's not a big deal that Bellara ate the last cheese stick.

And that's NOT me saying that I miss the misogyny of Aveline/Isabela's dialogue, or think Anders approving of selling Fenris is a "good" thing for his character, but rather it was that the characters had things that were genuinely dislike-able about them. I mean all you had to do was look at the fandom from the past decade to see some truly awful discourse about Cullen, Anders, Aveline, or even Dorian.

There just are no prominent character flaws in the Veilguard companions, which can make them fall a little flat, imo.

[famina]

School rumbles

It’s a gray day. There are no windows where you are but everything about today is…gray. The monotone voice of your French teacher giving his lecture seems particularly more boring then usual. You fight the urge to just fall a sleep on your open notebook. Who ever said college life was exciting ?!  

Your eye lids are about to close for good when..

GROOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooooooowwwwwwww

The whole class freezes…than burst into laughter. The one responsible for this glorious growl is the guy next to you. Ikarus was it..no ! Irakus ! A strange fella, he dresses like a victorian lord and is overly polite with everyone. Just right now he is shyly apologizing for disrupting the class with a big dumb smile on his face. Guess he skip lunch ?

A few days have passed since that incident. Today is a much brighter day ! The big windows in the cafeteria are lighting the whole room with warm sunshine. You are eating your lunch alone today, all your friends left for their respective classes. You enter the cafeteria with your lunch tray and are exposed to a sea of stranger. You hate eating alone, it’s so depressing. That is when you spot Irakus alone at a table. You don’t KNOW know him, but you at least know his name. And right now it’s better than nothing. You make your way to him.

Irakus is staring at the window and seems a bit troubled. But when you apprauch him he immediately smiles.

“O-oh ! (Y/N), what a pleasant surprise ! May I be of assistance to you in some way ?”

“Oh  You remember my name !”

“But of course ! I know the name of all of my classmate ! So what can I help you with on this fine day dear (Y/N)”

“Uuh…I just though…maybe you’d want to eat lunch together since we both have French class after.”

“B-but certainly ! Please take a seat.”

He scoots over a bit living you room to sit. He seems very happy that you came to meet him. You now notice he has no luch of his own.

“Are you skipping lunch again ?”

“W-wha…oh no..I simply…already ate ! That is all.”

“..okay.” He seems nervous all of the sudden.

“B-but I see you have a most delicious meal of your own (Y/N).”

“Uuh..yeah ! And it’s my favortie too !”

“…Favortie…I see..I see..”

He looks distant now and looks away from you. Maybe your boring him ? You try to ask about himself a little.

“What’s your favorote meal Irakus ?”

‘M-My favorite meal ???!! O-oh…hm..well…h-h-how can I choose ! There are…some many great delicacies in this world….haha..I wouldn’t know where to start…Hahahaha !”

Ok that is a weird response. Maybe you should change the subject.

“W-what about colors ?? What’s..your favorite color ?” you ask

“Ouh ! that is an easy pick ! It is blue without a doubt !”

“Cool ! I like (your fav color). And what about animal ?”

“Favorite animal…hmm..I would have to say..maybe frogs ? I find them truly adorable !”

“Yeah ! I find cold blooded animals cool too !”

“….blooded…!?”

GRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooowwwwwwwl

You both stand in silence. Irakus is as red as a cherry.

“I…thought you said you had lunch..?” you begin.

“I-I…hm…oh dear…p-please excuse me (Y/N) I-I must…”

Without even finishing his sentence he stands up and awkwardly makes his way out of the cafeteria in a hurry. Leaving you confused and alone. That was when you concluded that Irakus..was a weirdo !

The young men avoided you in French class and sat in the opposite side of the classroom. You moved on to your other class and hung out with a few friends until it got dark out, and you were almost the last one left in school. You made your way to the locker room to pick up your coat and leave. The locker room is always bustling and cramped in the morning. It’s uneasy to see so quiet…and dark. Half the lights are closed.

You’ve got your coat and are ready to leave when you hear a sound in the next row. It made you jump….but you soon realize it’s probably another student who stayed late like you.

“H-hello ?...” You ask to calm your nerves. But only a heavy silence answers you back.

“I-is there someone here ??....” Your voice begins to crack, the fear is getting to you.

You approach the next row of lockers, when you suddenly hear from behind you :

“..(Y/N)..”

You turn around quickly to discover…Irakus. His head bent down and half in the shadows.

“I-Irakus !? You scared me to death ! What are y-..”

“P-Please (Y/N) !!....I-I’m begging you…”

He slowly makes his way towards you. Something about him is..different. You back away until your back is against the metal locker.

“I-Irakus ?..”

“…..I am sorry (Y/N)…I can’t anymore…I..I..”

And he falls over on your shoulder sobbing.

“ I’m hungryyyy !” At these words his belly emits the loudest cry you’ve ever heard.

“H-huh !?”

“Pleaaase…I won’t hurt you I swear !” He is now pleaing like a baby.

“I don’t understand ?? W-what do you want from me ??”

“B-blood ! Just a little should do…” He leans in towards your neck. You push him away.

“Are you crazy !! You’re not a freaking vam…a vamp….” You now only notice the red eyes, the pointy ears and the lonf canine coming from the boy’s mouth. He realizes he is scaring you so he timidly backs away and ^puts on a gentler sad look,

“I-I beg your pardon…I’m rarely this…savage…but you see…I haven’t have a drop to drink in weeks…I….I am at my utmost limit !”

‘Yeah well you can’t have MY blood !! Why don’t you…I don’t know..go rob a hospital or something ?!!.

“I would never !!! That blood was given to save lives ! It would be monstruous to do such a thing !”

“Uh..I-I guess..” You are still scared, and pissed but you see Irakus is still the same Irakus even if he is a blood sucking vampire !

“So…what is your plan then ?! Because I’m telling you, you CANNOT have my blood.”

“Not even…..an itty bitty bite ??..”

“NO!”

“Awww…” He whimpers softly and his tummy does the same. You feel bad, but you can’t agree to give your blood !

“But wait, you said you haven’t had anything in weeks ?? And you didn’t starve to death yet ?!”

“Oh ! It takes much more to kill me dear (Y/N)” He said with a proud smile.

“Ah !...Then you’re fine for a while still no ?”

“Whaat !? B-but…the pain…and…and….”

“I know….but…can you just bear with it…until we find a solution ?”

“……….I…..suppose I can…..” He sighs pathetically rubbing his crying stomach.

“Alright then ! W-well…I need to go home now….I’ll..talk to you tomorrow ?”

“Yes, I have a good night dear (Y/N)” He bows to you politely. You smile awkwardly and quickly get out of there. He is still a threat even do he seems to have accepted your refusal.

You get home and go straight to bed. It was a long day. You wonder if you should not help this boy. You could contact the authorities. Or just change school and never deal with him again. But you remember his whimpers and his tummy cries. He is counting on you.

You close your eyes. Goodnight.

[sparklecryptid]

BUT HAVE I TOLD YOU ALL

ABOUT

How Luche gets Ardyn’s healing abilities but only enough that it heals him and only him of any injury thus making it so he cannot die no matter what and Luche curses it. Curses how it isn’t enough to save others. Curses how it makes him live with the knowledge that he will outlast everything he holds dear. It’s another reason to hate Ardyn of course, but the two of them find a reluctant bond in the knowledge that in the end they will likely only have each other

(Luche dies. He dies choking on his blood and gasping for breath as a sword splits him open.

Luche dies; the wound stitches itself back together and Luche wakes up bloodied and bruised and panicking and his first thought is ‘Tredd did Tredd make it Tredd has to be alive he has to-‘

Because the last thing Luche remembers before the world went black is Tredd screaming his name.)

[secret-engima]

rereading the whole Nox verse tag, just got to N!Axis meeting the canon Glaives a year pre-Movie. and i had the thought of post-marriage, post-kids Nox (and his Axis, who very much remembers that dimensional trip when they were younger, /Nox/) /also/ meeting - maybe different, maybe /not/ and ooo imagine /that/ - canon Glaives pre-Movie. possibly in the field, but just imagine it in the /Citadel/. if they saw these two bf, they were teenagers, now less than a yr later they're grown and /scarier/

Anonymous said: something i wanted to add to that ask about Nox and Axis visitng the same canon verse they did as teengers, but couldn't because of the damned character limit. At some point during the whole thing, the would-be traitor Glaives see/hear/are told something that makes them actually, really /realize/ why the Lucis Caelums are called Martyr Kings. also Nox casually spills the beans on his traveling to many, many other worlds/dimensions, mentioning the Fall of Insomnia, betrayal, and directly to Nyx,-

Anonymous said: - that in every future he's ever been to and seen, he's not been a traitor in one of them, and generally, he was a little /too/ Heroic in most of them. the way Nox says it leaves not doubt about what he means by that. no one familiar with Nyx is remotely surprised, but even after Nox and Axis leave, they're a bit more conscious of Nyx's recklessness and heroic tendencies. also: "Calm down, Axis, maybe I died when I was a kid here, yeah, but Uncle might not even have a sister, here. Leave it be.”

Me: ohhhhh interesting thought! I like it in the Citadel, maybe a few months after their first appearance (not a full year tho otherwise Game Events would be happening) and some of the glaives are on Citadel Duty (aka Titus’s ultimate punishment via the most boring job in existence) when there’s this- glitch in the world and then the Crownsguard are YELLING because apparently the Crystal chamber just did something weird. All hands are on deck and the glaives are called in with the Guard to watch the sealed off will-not-open-from-the-outside Crystal Chamber doors and the KING is there with his Shield and the Marshal and Captain and then-.

The door swings open from the inside and the argument can be heard as two figures emerge from the room, one growling at the other in a voice that sounds ... eerily familiar to Nyx and the Glaives.

“-to the Matrons for an exorcism so help me.”

“Hey, I’m not possessed OR cursed, blame the Crystal. It likes to mess with me.”

“It’s a non-sentient hunk of rock and magic, it can’t ‘mess with you’.”

“Wanna ...” the two figures stop and study the bristling mass of Guards, Glaives, Royal Retinue, and King, “bet?” the shorter one sighs and Nyx is having a few flashbacks already to That Time because that is DEFINITELY an older, crabbier Axis Arra and the man next to him looks freakishly like a long-haired Prince Noctis.

Who has a marriage braid and an ULRIC BRAID in his hair.

What the Six.

The Definitely a Lucis Caelum raises his hand, small sparks of flow dancing off it in some weird kind of royal greeting, “Hi dad.” he says with a lazy smile that almost hides the tension in his shoulders and the way his free hand is loose and curled around an imaginary hilt of a blade, like he’s about to whip something out of armiger.

The King gapes for a solid ten seconds before breathing, “Noctis?”

There’s a slight twitch, a flinch from the look-a-like and a low growl from the Arra before the Lucis Caelum (and Nyx knows who this kid is, he REMEMBERS that morning, that scrawny boy, and he knows the other glaives do too) smiles sheepishly, “Not quite. I’m Nox. His older brother actually. Though I’m going to guess Noctis is an only child in this dimension.”

So yeah dimensional shenanigans and Prince Nox being infuriately blasé about the entire thing and hanging out with the very befuddled glaives (Nox stares at Nyx for a c!solid thirty seconds while he stares right back until Nyx asks HOW Nox is an Ulric and Nox cheerfully goes “I married you, how else? We have four kids.” And Nyx spends like- the next three days in a perpetual Blue Screen until Axis takes pity on his Internal Scream by explaining that Nyx is a fem in their world. No. No there was no magic involved in the creation of the kiddos where is your mind even GOING Ulric (Nyx: I don’t know! Magic is weird! And alternate dimensions are a thing how was I supposed to know what other fanfic tropes AREN’T anymore?!?!). Nox quietly dies of laughter in there corner.

They keep a wary eye on the C!Arra-Furia-Lazarus trio in case of trouble because it’s been years for N!Axis but only months for them and it’s like- during one of those wary but cordial hangouts that Nox makes his Comment about Lucis Caelums after a long bout of brooding out the window.

“Dad’s dying a lot faster in this universe.”

All the glaives freeze. Even Captain Drautos lowers the report he was reading and pokes his head out of his office to stare.

“What?” Someone in the glaives says.

Nox doesn’t look at them, he’s glaring out the window and with a jolt they realize he’s glaring at the Wall, “Dad. The King. The Wall is killing him faster here. It was killing him in my world too but ... Uncle and I took care of it. I guess ... it’s different here.”

There’s a long pause before Luche’s brain finishes its dial up noises and he scoffs, “The Wall can’t kill the king. It’s his magic.”

“It’s Bahamut’s magic,” Nox corrects coldly without looking at them, “Magic he forced into human skin and veins that isn’t meant to keep it.” As if he can sense their continued disbelief he drawls, “How long can you hold a Shield spell before you get sick? Before you’re exhausted because the magic has gone past your reserves and started taking you as fuel? The Wall is just a giant, city-sized shield.” Tredd makes a noise that might be question or might be a strangled scoff and Nox finally turns to look at them.

There is something utterly inhuman in his gaze. His eyes are still blue, his face is still human, but there’s something in his eyes that speaks to their primal instincts and tells them to run, to hide.

To dread.

“Go to your local library sometime and look up the births and deaths of Kings of Lucis,” he orders in a deceptively light tone that almost makes it seem like a suggestion instead, “compare the lifespans of rulers from before the Wall was raised and after. Then compare the average lifespan of a healthy Lucian citizen at the time of that ruler’s reign.” There’s a beat of silence, terrible and weighty, then Nox’s lips curl into a tiny smile.

It’s a terrifying thing.

“The Kings of Lucis never die of old age. Sometimes it’s sickness, sometimes it’s war. Sometimes it’s assassination. Sometimes they just- die. For no reason science can explain because scientists never take magic into account. Sometimes,” the smile gets colder, the eyes older, “it’s betrayal. Those who are trusted when they shouldn’t, those who should stand loyal when they are not.”

He looks over them all and every one of them feels a chill up their spine. N!Axis leans closer to Nox as if in an attempt to comfort, to snap him out of this eerie mood, but it doesn’t work. “This has happened to me before you know. Going to parallel times. Do you know how my father dies the most often?”

There’s a breath, and when Nox speaks, there’s a hint of other voices beneath his, an echo of times past and souls lost and endless, ageless rage, “By the hands of the glaives he blessed.”

And none of the Galahdians dare to breathe. Those who have been listening to Captain Drautos’s subtle poison more and more these past few months, whose loyalty is not as solid as they pretend and to whom Niflheim’s lies are starting to sound sweet feel stricken, terrified. Like there’s a shadow of a blade at their necks even though there is nothing.

Nox inhales and when he exhales his breath is like frost. The room feels very, very cold, “They sell themselves to the enemy, they wait until his back is turned, and then they kill him. And when those glaives who are still loyal,” here his red-tinged eyes fall on Nyx and there is weight to the gaze, calm promise that of all in the room, Nyx has never been among those Nox has seen become betrayers, “resist and refuse to join in. The traitors slaughter them too. No regard for Clan ties, no regard for oaths or loyalty or any Color beyond Pink and Red and NIflheim’s White.”

Blue eyes are fully red now as he hisses, “And I hate it. I hate that I remember it, I hate that no one ever understands that magic has a cost. That they can study and feel magic strain over and over again for years and yet somehow they never believe that their king is just as human. That it hurts us just as much. Because Lucis Caelums are ‘blessed’,” Nox laughs and the sound is eerie, dripping in memories of things no one living is supposed to see, “as if an Astral’s Blessing is something to be coveted. As if being born with burning, inhuman magic, like a constant spell of fire in your veins and just beneath your skin that never turns off day or night, makes it easier.” Nox laughs again, something dangerous and sharp in the sound-.

N!Axis fearlessly lays a hand on the back of his prince’s neck, “That’s enough, Nox,” Axis murmurs, “come back now.” And Nox blinks, once, twice, thrice.

And suddenly he is normal. The room is normal, the creeping impression of death and old fury is gone, leaving the glaives breathless from relief. Nox rubs his face with a hand and murmurs an exhausted sounding apology, excuses himself for the day to go lie down in the guest suite Regis gave him.

Nyx watches the prince and his Arra walk away and notices that Nox’s hands are shaking, that his steps are not as sure as they were just this morning.

He thinks of too old words and too ancient eyes, of the knowing bitterness when Nox spoke of magic burning just under the skin with no relief and thinks very suddenly that he is glad he is just an Ulric. Just a Kingsglaive. A glance at Luche, Tredd, and C!Axis reveal them to be just as pale, if not more so than the others.

That night, those glaives who had been listening to their Captain’s less loyal talk had a lot of research to do.

And a lot of silence to ponder in horror as they find that every word Nox said about the old rulers was true.

[chubbymoongoddess]

Minjoon|| Hybrid AU||

    The day had started out dreary for Namjoon. The sky was filled with dark rain clouds and it had been pouring since he had woken up. With a sigh, he had rolled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom to brush his teeth before he got dressed for work. Upon checking the time, he realized he was running a little late so he decided to skip breakfast and instead grabbed his keys, umbrella and suitcase and left his home, making his way as fast as he could to work. Thankfully, he had made it with just a few minutes to spare, causing him to release a deep sigh he had been holding in since he left his house. He already knew this was going to be a long day.

  Unfortunately for Namjoon, the day was in fact, a long one. Meeting after meeting was attended and frankly, he had a migraine because of them. So, he quickly packed up his things, say his goodbyes to his  coworkers for the day and headed out of the office. 

  “At least the rain stopped.” He thought.

    Taking his usual route home, the tall, young man sighed once more. Maybe he’d stop to get something to eat on the way home? That way he could take a shower as soon as he got home and then crawl into bed for the rest of the night. Maybe he’d even read a little before he passed out. His thoughts were quickly interupped by a weak crying noise coming from the alley he was passing.

   Now, Namjoon usually didn’t pay any heed to strange noises like this. He’d usually keep walking. But this? This cry? Sounded like something or someone needed help. It sounded pained. So, carefully, Namjoon made his way down the alley, peeking around trash bins and dumpsters to see if he could find what was making the noise. The closer he got, the louder the crying got. It was behind a few large boxes that Namjoon finally found what has been crying.

  A small samyoyed hybrid, curled in on himself and whimpering, peeking up at Namjoon once he moved the boxes. Wait.. a hybrid? Those were rare and you were lucky if you were even able to get a glimpse of one walking around the city, so why was there one abandoned like this in an alley? It was unfortunately still pouring, but Namjoon didn’t want to startle the poor hybrid so, he carefully moved the boxes to the side and crouched down, offering his hand, palm down to the pup.

  “Hey there. I’m Namjoon.. what are you doing out here all alone, little one?”

   The hybrid’s eyes widened slightly, though he tentatively sniffed and nosed at the taller man’s hand.  

“M’Jimin..” He mumbled softly. “Owner didnt want me anymore.. Was called useless and dropped off here so I-”

 Jimin’s eyes filled with tears at the thought of being abandoned and how long he had been living in that alley. How long he’s had to go without food. Namjoon, upon hearing the hybrid’s voice quivering, calming tried to sooth him, hand reaching out to pet gently through his blond hair. He doesn’t know what compelled him to say his next words or what he was even thinking, but this hybrid was way underweight. His face was gaunt and he was sure that he’d be able to see his ribs if he were to take his tattered shirt off.

  “Do you want to come and live with me? I can take care of you, I promise you’ll never have to worry about living on the street again.”

  It took Jimin a few moments to think it over but, this man seemed genuine. There wasn’t a bad smell or ill intention coming from him. So, after a minute or two of thinking, the hybrid reached a shaky, thin hand out to the taller man, accepting his offer of a new home.

--------------------

    It had been a few months since Namjoon had brought Jimin home. For a few weeks it was going well. He had Jimin eating his special hybrid food, had made him up his own room in one of Namjoon’s spare bedrooms and had grown closer with the smaller man and on top of that, Jimin had filled out to a healthier weight. No longer was he able to see the samyoyed’s ribs. His cheeks had filled out beautifully as well. That is, until Jimin had begged to try a little piece of Namjoon’s steak one night and it had gone downhill from there.

   After that, Jimin refused to eat his own food and begged Namjoon to let him eat human food too and how could he resist with Jimin pouting at him like that? So, from then on, Jimin ate the same things as Namjoon did. Now, human food wasn’t meant for hybrids to eat. It caused them to gain weight rather quickly which, is what happened to Jimin.

 The clothes that Namjoon had boughten him were slowly getting way too tight, his chubby, swollen tummy pushing against the fabric of his shirts. His ass has started swelling out more as well, causing his pants to be uncomfortably tight on him and not to mention he was now sporting a softer chest, not quite moobs but a few more weaks of eating would fix that. Jimin’s cheeks had gotten chubbier as well as his thighs and arms, not that he himself minded. He was more worried about what Namjoon would say to him.

  Along with Jimin’s expanding waistline, his apetite also grew. He used to be stuffed after half a plate of food but now he was having Namjoon make him at least two. Three on a day he was super hungry. This worried the older male and since he didn’t want to hurt Jimin’s feelings with bringing up his new found hunger and weight, he dicided to just stay quiet about it. Besides, Jimin looked happy and healthy right? He himself was beginning to enjoy watching him grow softer too. A few more pounds couldn’t hurt, right?

  Wrong. The more time that passed, the more Jimin ate and snacked and the bigger he got. He had gotten used to being pampered by Namjoon, to the point of getting whiny if he didn’t get his way. He’d stomp his foot and cross his arms, causing his belly to jiggle and sway. “Hyung I said I’m hungy! Please! I’m gonna die!” Namjoon would just sigh and get him his food so he’d stop pouting. It eventually got to the point where Namjoon had to make more that one trip a day to the grocery store because Jimin would clean them out of everything within a few hours.

-------------------

 Over the next few years, Jimin’s eating habits continued as well as his weight gain. It had gotten to the point where Namjoon needed to help him out of bed in the mornings as he couldn’t do it himself. Was the hybrid embarrassed by this? Not at all. He enjoyed it. Enjoyed the fact that he had to have his Joonie’s help for the simplest tasks. He enjoyed his owner turned boyfriend giving him all of the attention in the world when he got home from work. He reveled in all of the belly rubs and touched Namjoon would give him, enjoyed every single kiss and not once did the older male ever critisize Jimin’s weight or how much he ate... alright, except for the times where Jimin goes on binges and eats everything in the house, but he can’t help it!

  It’s not like Namjoon doesn’t enjoy it anyway. Whenever Jimin cleans out the kitchen and he can’t move, he begs and whines for the older man to rub his belly, to which, he happily obliges. Namjoon especially loves it when Jimin rolls over him when they’re sleeping and he get’s pinned under Jimin’s enormous gut and the mattress. Jimin always profusely apologizes in the morning, but Namjoon is never angry with him. How could he be?

  Unfortunately today, Namjoon has to work. He’s got an important meeting that he absolutely cannot be late for and as much as he wants to stay home and love on his massive, jiggly boyfriend, he can’t. While he straightens his tie, he peeks over at Jimin, humming softly.

    “Angel, can you try your best not to eat everything in the kitchen for me today? Just until I get home? If you’re good for me I’ll make sure to buy you extra treats when I go back out to the store.”

   Jimin huffs and pouts at this, but the promise of extra treats has him willing to try. With a small nod and another little whine, he agrees.

 “Okay but, you gotta promise you’ll get the extra treat! You know it’s really hard for me to not eat.”

 Namjoon chuckles and makes his way over to lean over, giving the hybrid a few kisses on his puffy cheeks and giving a small pat to his belly, making it wobble slightly.

  “Of course I promise, love. Now, I have to get going, I’ll see you in a few hours, okay?”

   With a kiss to the lips and another tummy pat, Namjoon made his way to the front door, making sure to lock it behind him once he stepped out of the house. As soon as that lock clicked, Jimin wasted no time in pushing himself up out of the chair he was sitting in. It took him a few minutes and the chair creacked under him, due to his mass and how much he was struggling, but he made it. He waddled himself into the kitchen to see that Namjoon haid labeled the food he was allowed to eat until he got home which to other people, would be enough for a small family for four but to Jimin it was nowhere near enough to last him that long.

  A long whine escaped his puffy lips. He hated this but he was willing to try and be good so, he took the food labeled for breakfast to the table and carefully sat down on one of the chairs there. It creaked dangerously under his weight but the hybrid didn’t care one bit. His stomach rumbled as he dug into his food with fervor. You’d think with the way Jimin ate, he’d make a mess of himself, but he made sure he didn’t waste one little bit of his food. It had only taken him ten minutes to scarf everything down, leaving only a few dirty plates behind.

   Damn he really should have paced himself. With the way Namjoon had laid things out, his snack before luch was still two hours away. He was going to go nuts.. Unless.. what if he just ate a few things from his snack plates? That wouldn’t hurt, right? Grabbing onto the edge of the table, Jimin hauled himself up once more, this time, dragging the chair to the fridge so he didn’t have to keep getting up and down. That was a pain.

  Carefully opening the refridgerator door once more, he sat back down in his chair, it once again creaking in agony and once again, Jimin ignored its screams. He reached to take a few of his snacks off of the plate, eating them one by one. After the third cookie, he knew he should have stopped but he couldn’t, they were just too good. After another five minutes, his cookies were gone and they didn’t even make a dent in his stomach. He was still hungry. 

  “Fuck it.” He thought. Sure Namjoon would be upset with him but he’d eventually forgive him and Jimin would find a way to make it up to him somehow. With that thought, he reached  back into the fridge, eating what was left of the food Namjoon had labeled for him. His lunch was gone just as fast as his breakfast, causing his tummy to round out just slightly, but, he wasn’t finished. The dinner Namjoon had set out for him was next and it was absolutely delicious. He always made Jimin’s favorites, all the pork and chicken he could eat. It took him a little longer to finish his dinner as it had the most food out of all of his meals, but once the plate was empty, he pouted again, resting his hands on top of his swollen gut.

  He looks at the clock that hung in the kitchen and it had only been an hour since Namjoon had left..and his stomach was still growling. Peeking back at the fridge, he shrugged and leaned in, continuing to stuff his face with the rest of the food that was stocked in there that Namjoon hadn’t labeled for the massive hybrid. Jimin had it cleaned completely out by lunch time. Leaning back in his creaky chair, he rubbed gently over his gut, panting quietly as he massaged a few burps out of him, making room for more food. He didn’t want to have to get up again, usually he had his Joonie home to bring him food, but today he had to do things on his own for once.

   After a few minutes of massaging his stomach, Jimin forces himself back on his legs, groaning loudly with the effort. He opened the freezer to take out all of the ice cream, waddling to set it all out on the table. That’s when he looked at the cupboards and, to make this the last time he had to get up, went to clear all of the food and snacks from the cupboard, setting them out on the table as well. The hybrid then dragged his chair back over and carefully plopped back down, chair audibly groaning under his weight.

   His ears twiched just slightly at the sound, but he couldn’t be bothered as he was already digging into his ice cream, not eating too fast so he wouldn’t get a brain freeze. As time went on, Jimin’s massive pile of food slowly started to dwindle. Containers and wrappers littered the floor but there was not one speck of food on Jimin or around him. He made sure he got all of that into his mouth. By the time he was finished, he was overly stuffed, skin taut and slightly reddened from the amount of food he ate, just like it always was. Leaning back in his chair once more, he rubbed over his stomach the best he could, massaging more tiny burps out of him. Leaning back was a mistake though as the chair beneath him couldn’t take his weight any longer, the legs snapping and bringing Jimin down with it.

  The impact of him hitting the floor caused his whole body to jiggle and wobble and he made a small pained sound, cheeks flushing red from embarrassment and arousal. He had to find a way to get himself off the floor. He needed more. Him breaking the chair flipped a switch in him that he didn’t even know he had. Reaching up toward the table, Jimin gripped it as hard as he could, rocking himself back and forth to gain momentum to pull his massive ass off of the kitchen floor. It took him a few tries of him falling back onto the ground, but after a few minutes he was finally able to pull himself up into a standing position.

    There was still a cake inside of the fridge that Namjoon had baked last night (assumingly while Jimin was asleep.) Waddling back to the fridge for the last time until Namjoon bought more food, Jimin reached in to grab the cake, turning to look at the other chairs around the dining table. Surely if he sat in them, those would break too and he didn’t want to have to go through hauling himself up again, or worse, losing the cake. Instead an idea popped into his head. Taking the cake to a clean spot in the kitchen, he carefully manuvered it and himself back onto the kitchen floor. Joonie was almost home anyway so he could help him up if he needed after this.

    ------

      Namjoon hurried home as fast as he could. He worried about Jimin, especially if he listened and only ate what he laid out for him that day. He knew he was probably starving and he wanted to be there when he was finally able to pig out, just in case he needed his help. He expected to open the door to him whining and crying about how starving he was. He did not, however, expect his boyfriend to be on his hands and knees, massive tummy squished up against the floor with his face buried in the cake he baked last night. His eyes widened and he moved his briefcase in front of his crotch to hide his oviously growing erection.

    “J-Jimin!? What are you doing!? Why aren’t you eating at the table?”

   At the sound of his boyfriend’s voice, Jimin froze. He slowly lifted his head to look at the taller male, wiping as much cake off his face as he could.

    “I..I tried Joonie. I.. I tried to do what you asked but it was so hard and I got super hungry.. I..I can’t sit in the chairs anymore Joonie. I broke one.”

  Namjoon was so fixated on Jimin when he walked in, he didn’t even notice the chair until now. Looking over at the splintered pieces lying on the floor, looking like a boulder was dropped onto it, Namjoon had to bite back a moan. Fuck. He, Jimin broke a fucking chair.   The hybrid’s voice brought him out of his thoughts though, as Jimin sounded a little teary.

    “A..Are you mad at me?”

   With a quick shake of his head, Namjoon briskly made his way over to his boyfriend, helping him into a sitting position. Jimin had to spread his legs wide to let his stomach rest comfortable between them. Namjoon inhaled slightly, eyeing his stomach before quickly shaking his head and kneeling down, cupping Jimin’s plush face.

    “Honey no, I’m not mad at you. I should have never asked you to hold back on eating when I know how hungry you get. I was just worried you wouldn’t be able to help yourself if I wasn’t home. I.. mm. I have to say I’m turned on though. I never thought you’d break a chair, let alone eat on your hands and knees like this.”

   Jimin flushed at his words, squirming in his spot slightly.

   “W..Well.. when I broke the chair I.. something switched in me and.. and I just needed more? If you like it so much.. do you want to do me a favor?”

   Namjoon nodded, pressing a few soft kisses to Jimin’s messy cheeks.

   “Anything, baby.”

   Jimin smiled shyly, resting his hands over his stomach.

    “Feed me?”

   Namjoon grinned, sliding his hands over Jimin’s before giving his tummy a gently shake.

     “That I can definitely do, Minnie.”

-------------------

Hi this is my frist time actually writing something in a very long while and while I know it’s not the best, it took me awhile to finally finish it. I hope you guys enjoy it and I’ll work on getting my writing to be better the more I practice. 

[littleorphancrowe]

1,2,5, 7-9, 14, 15 questions about the muse

1- Who does your muse consider their best friend? What’s the story?

Libertus Ostium she considered her best friend, along with Nyx Ulric. They were there before anyone and they were the closest Crowe had to her out of their friends. More like family, really. She could make friends easily enough, but Lib was the one she told her nightmares to, because she knew he’d understand them. They met when she was a kid, newly orphaned and homeless. He was a little older than her and took her in immediately. She figured he felt sorry for her, and he kind of did, but it was a sadness they recognized in each other. She’s always trusted him, and looked out for him when he was too stubborn to do it himself.

2- Who does your muse consider their worst enemy? What’s the story?

Luche Lazarus, to a degree, then it kind of morphed into the Glaives in general, then slowly just her whole situation and the state of the world. Crowe trusted her fellow Glaives, thought of them as family, fought with them. Luche almost killing her was a big blow, but she could have handled that eventually. Then everything fell apart, and she learned he wasn’t the only one. Her friends orchestrated her attempted death, and killed the others that remained. She hated everything then for a long time. She hated the Glaives, she hated her weakness, she hated knowing she couldn’t stop it. She hated how it changed her.

5- What were/are your muses’ parents like?

Perfectly ordinary, from what she rememberers. She took after her mother in looks, but her personality was entirely her father. Her father hunted game and her mother ran a connivence store. Sometimes they helped out taking care of any daemons that got too close, and Crowe would stay with a family friend while they were out. Her mother would always come home with flowers she’d picked on those nights and decorate Crowe’s hair with them.

7- Since you started writing your muse, how do you think they have grown?

I think she’s a bit more fleshed out, obviously. There was a lot of information we didn’t get about her from the movie and still don’t know, so just figuring out who she is beyond what we were shown has given her more depth.

8- How would you like your muse to grow in the future?

I’d like to see her grow her relationships, especially the ones after Kingsglaive. Gain friends, lovers, enemies. See how she deals with her trauma and relates to people now.

9- Is there anything you want to do with your muse that you haven’t yet?

Maybe do a plot with romance in mind, just because she’s never been romantic with anyone before. Also maybe have a thread that’s just super au, completely different and removed from her usual. I’d have to plot both of these things out though, because I prefer having a goal in mind beyond just meeting.

14- Does your muse focus on the present or do they look to the bigger picture?

Depends on where she is in her life. Kingsglaive Crowe was more of a present kind of person; she lived in the moment and as long as she was with her loved ones, she didn’t really care what the future held. That changes after the events of Kingsglaive, and Crowe starts to look ahead more. She wants to be prepared for anything, and never let anyone or anything get the better of her again. Though she’s mostly focused on survival, and not actually having any goals for the future. Well, other then not getting fucking shot again.

15- Are you proud of your muse?

Yeah, I think I am. I always thought Crowe was the most interesting person from Kingsglaive and when she died, I felt she was cheated. But that also gave me a chance to play around with her and build on what we were given, and I like the way she come along. She feels fuller now.

[doumekiss]

reconstruction (xxxholic fanfic)

Watanuki, Doumeki, Himawari // G // 1600 words // Fix Fic - POV second person What if Doumeki had used the egg to erase Watanuki’s memories of Yuuko ?

You don’t ask Doumeki what he wants for luch that day or the day after that. That’s an effort, it’s hard to spend the day without this and making food for him was not just something you did to make up for his many rescues but also a part of your routine that you reluctantly liked. He doesn’t seem to expect you to do however, he doesn’t come to ask what you did for him and when you say you don’t want to talk to him for a while he obeys. It was strange you always told him to leave you alone but he could always see when you really meant it. You cook just for yourself and you can taste your food again and feel as something bigger than just a matter of taste. You’re real, you can feel, you’re part of this world, the cost was great but everything is on the right track again. . . . Mokona and Kudakitsune will live with you in the apartment, not Maru and Moro however, they stay in the shop asleep until someone with enough power takes charge of the place. You ask Mokona to tell you how Tsubasa and the others traveling with the other Mokona are, and he does. You think you would feel if something was really wrong with Tsubasa, your souls are different, or became different, but your existence is connected with his and it will be like that until one of you two dies. You and this Mokona are probably the most similar beings in this aspect living in this universe. You also ask him to tell you a bit more about the Dimensional Witch. That makes him hesitate. You remember that one day you found a store and found someone there who said they could help you stop seeing the ayakashis in exchange for a certain amount of service. You remember the cases, the people you helped, and the people you weren’t able to save. But you don’t really remember her, her face or her voice, or the things she made you feel. Now there was a big hole in the place where there was something of great value before, something you had been willing to give up the whole world for the possibility of perhaps having again one day. . . . Himawari comes to visit you at your apartment over the weekend and this is a surprise, she has never done it before and you can see the reason why she thought it safe to do it there at the end of the hall. Doumeki doesn’t ask to enter with her and a part of you wanted him to do it just to say that you won’t allow it and knock the door in his face. But you allow yourself to ignore your anger for a moment, Himawari was there and this always makes the world seem a little better, a little softer. You wonder if the Dimensional Witch used to make you feel something similar. You both sit on the tip of the futton so as not to disturb Mokona and Kudakitsune who are both sleeping there. “So what do I owe the honor of your visit?” You ask. “I just wanted to see how you are, how you’re processing everything” “The idiot in the hall who asked you to come and ask me that?” “No, I came because I wanted to. Although I’m sure he’s also worried, he really loves you… you know that right? ” You don’t answer that, you decide to change the subject. “I made cake yesterday and I could make you some tea, would you like that?” “Yes, sure” “Well, you can stay here and I’ll be right back” When the water starts boiling Himawari appears at the kitchen door. “Watanuki-kun” “Yes ?” “Your computer was on and I noticed the page you were on” Oh, shit  you think. “Sakura Kinomoto, is she who I think she is?” “Yes, she is the Sakura of this universe” “Your mother” “I’m not sure if I can really call her that, or even anyone like that. I couldn’t see her face before but I remembered her hand so clearly on my forehead when I was sick and she calling me Kimihiro, but now I don’t think these things really happened and if they happened they happened to Tsubasa and I just mixed  things that happened to him about me, and it’s because of him that they sacrificed themselves, not for me. I am not their son, I am not a person, I am a side effect ” “Maybe it’s your memories, you told me that everything about your childhood and your time before coming here is confusing and complicated. Are you absolutely sure you’ve never interacted with her? ” “No” “And you know even if you haven’t had a mother you’re still a person, and you have relationships that are definitely real, I love you, Doumeki loves you, Kohane loves you. You’re here, you’re real ” “Thank you” “I’d hug you now if I could” “I know” . . . In the days after the end of that part of your life you were still passing by the shop after school, the place seemed cold and empty. But not today, you can hear the sound of Maru and Moro playing in the garden and when you arrived near the gate there was someone there blocking the passage. You suppose that most people would find you two alike, he was just a little shorter tha you, and but he had dark hair, blue eye and glasses. But the biggest difference was a serene arrogance that had never been present on your face. And also power, of a type you had never met before but one that you could recognize. “You’re Clow” “Wrong, I’m just a reincarnation and only half really. My name is Eriol ” “No disrespect, but your previous incarnation complicated my life and the lives of many people I care about” “Yes, that was the kind of thing he used to do. If that makes any difference, he felt sorry for everything, and so do I ” “It doesn’t. But I think there is nothing to be done now. So you’re the new owner of the store? ” “Oh no, she is” Only then you notice that there is a redheaded woman sitting on the porch looking gently at you. “Hi, my name is Kimihiro Watanuki, I worked for the former owner of this shop and I would like to offer you my services” The woman came to you and took your hand. “Nice to meet you Watanuki-kun, my name is Kaho Mizuki and I’m araid I can not accept your offer” “Why not?” “Payment. Your services would be too valuable for me to pay, and any desire you have is not one that I can grant it. ” “So what am I supposed to do now?” “Go live your life I guess” . . . You weren’t sure where you were going until you got there, but when you arrived you marched into the temple as if you were 100% centain on everything. You found Doumeki in the yard sweeping the leaves, he stopped when he saw you. “I want to talk to you asshole,” you announced. “Allright. Speak” “You had no right to do what you did. I was already forgetting a lot of things, I didn’t even remember the faces of my parents. It was selfish of you to ignore my desires of what I wanted to do with my life and my mind ” Doumeki kept looking at you for a long time, and when you were about to yell at him and ask him if he had nothing to say he said, “You’re right. I didn’t just do it for you, I did it for myself too. Because I wanted you living in the world  ” “This isn’t an apology” “No, it’s not. And you will not get one from me. Not when it comes to this. If you’re going to hate me for what I did I can live with that, but I do not regret anything and I will not apologize ” You can feel your anger boiling, and you leave without saying goodbye. You keep arguing with him in your mind on the way to the supermarket and also back home, and in the kitchen making the snacks for tomorrow, you don’t remember your dreams that night you’re almost sure you were fighting with him in those too . You’re waiting for him in front of his class room when the lunch bell rings and you place the wrapping you made in his hands.

He seems surprised by the sight of you. “What is this?” He asks. “A bento and some other things. But before you start eating I want you to be aware that you don’t deserve this delicious bento or the pleasure of my company and also of Himawari-chan. However I in my infinite generosity decided to take pity on your pathetic self and allow you to continue lunching with us until graduation, and only because there are only a few months left for this and soon I will not have any reason to have you in my life again and - Hey! I’d told you not to start eating before I finish! ” You two walk side by side to your usual lunch place, Himawari is there waiting, and when she sees that you two are together her smile, which is always beautiful, shines brighter than ever. You sit down and you three eat together until the bell rings again. The world feels like it’s in the right place, and for once so do you.

Also available on ao3 

[ertrunkenerwassergeist]

Born Into the Wilds - First Strike

First chapter is here! I’ve done it!

Still don’t know if the pacing fits though. Here’s the link to ao3.

Something wasn’t right.

Nyx crouched low in the tall grass, Luche next to him, and waited. There were next to no guards outside the base, just one watchtower at the back and one unit with one MA Veles at the entrance. Nyx fought the urge to growl from deep within his chest in agitation. There was something in the air he couldn’t place and it was driving him absolutely crazy.

Luche shot him a reproaching look as he twitched again. He didn’t even bother to look at the blond man; too intend to stare at the entrance of the base. It was near two hours before daybreak. The perfect time for an attack and something was wrong.

A near undiscernible click sounded in his ear followed by the hushed voice of Pelna: “Roh Unit in position. Luche, you sure this is a good idea?”

“Too late for second thoughts. Besides I didn’t make the plan,” hissed Luche into his earpiece.

“Kresch Unit ready. Let’s blow these bastards back where they belong,” sounded Sonitus’ voice, equally quiet.

Nyx felt his muscles flex, the stiff tension leaking out and then he went still. Be the hunter in the jungle, the coeurl before the jump. He felt Luche’s gaze on him again, this time a piercing stare full of caution, and again he ignored him. With a quiet hiss he unsheathed one of the two military grade kukris. Not for the first time did he wish for his hunting knifes because sometimes what he had to carry now felt like a blunted set of claws. He bared his teeth to chase those distracting thoughts away.

Now was not the time.

“On my mark,” he heard Luche say.

The world seemed to hold its breath, the tension so thick in the air he could nearly taste it. Something about all this made his hackles rise. Caution, caution, caution, it whispered in his ears. He couldn’t do anything about it. This, whatever it was, couldn’t be stopped now. The blade of his kukri didn’t shimmer in the light of the setting moon.

Danger in the shadows, death from beneath the trees, fast as a flash of lightning. Áris, guide our steps, Kyriákos, guide my blade, Orféfs, let my kills be swift and quiet.

“Go.”

Nyx threw his blade and reached for the feeling within him that was like jagged pieces of glass and foreign-doesn’t belong-intruder and pulled. For the fracture of a second he felt like freefalling through sulfur and ashes before he had the kukri in his hand again, his body near horizontal in the air in a hail of light blue magical particles. He used his momentum to slam the blade into the head of the nearest MT.

The thing started to crumble in a rattle of metal and Nyx twisted his body to tackle the one next to it, freeing his kukri from the helmet it had pierced. It took him less than two seconds.

A soundless snarl twisted his lips, unseen behind the silken cloth masking his face. He hated that thing. Not even the addition of the stylized horn of a Galahdian coeurl on his hood made it any better.

A low mechanic rumble made him look up. The MA Veles was turning in their direction. Nyx let himself wonder for half a second why that thing was suddenly so slow and clumsy when they never had been before. Not to that extend.

He threw the knife in his hand and warped a few metres above it, lightning flashing between his fingers and striking the heavy machine in a deadly crackle. Nyx landed on top of it, smooth like a cat, and prepared to strike it again. The metal death machine shuddered under his feet and swayed dangerously from side to side before it toppled over in with a low groan.

With a muttered curse he jumped off and tucked himself into a role to absorb his momentum upon hitting the ground. At once he twisted around again, crouched low and kukris in hand. The MA Veles laid there, still and unmoving. After a long tense moment he relaxed his stance and shared an incredulous glance with Luche who stood over the last MT to go down.

“That was too easy,” hissed Tredd from his left.

The man was right. Nine MT and an MA Veles? The fight hadn’t even lasted a minute by Nyx’ estimation. He shifted his weight onto the balls of his feet, suddenly tense again. Something like apprehension flashed through Luches eyes.

The earpiece clicked and Pelnas voice sounded through: “Roh Unit reporting. We have taken the watchtower.”

“This is Firn Unit, we have the entrance under control,” answered Luche. “Further commands are as follow: Kresch Unit on the lookout for any enemy units outside the base, engage at your own judgement. Units Roh and Firn are to conquer the base and to search for the plans of the rumored magic-killer technology.”

That statement made something heavy settle within Nyx’ gut. A barely guarded base, new as it was, with no blooded commanding officer and plans for a new magic-killer prototype? That couldn’t be right.

“Luche,” he growled but the blond man just shot him a dark look.

“We will continue with the plan as is Nyx,” he warned.

As an answer Nyx only rolled his shoulders and adjusted the grip on his kukris. Luche and the others stared at him for a moment longer, making sure he wouldn’t spontaneously disappear. Nyx suppressed a snort. He wasn’t that dumb.

He wasn’t.

“Kresch Unit on lookout. We’ll circle the surrounding area,” sounded Sonitus’ voice over the earpiece.

“Roh Unit ready for infiltration and takeover,” said Pelna. His voice had a strangely hesitant quality to it that made all of Nyx’ alarm bells ring. The communications specialist had a knack for recognizing sticky situations and traps. If he felt something was fishy…

“Permission for attack granted,” said Luche, tapped his earpiece and crept towards the gates, kukris drawn.

Nyx and Tredd shared a look before following. Stepping through the heavily fortified but conveniently open gate the red haired man was the one to check the control room right to the left. It was unmanned, as were the walkways and the second gate.

They encountered a handful of MTs between the storage depot stocked to the brim with shiny new weapons and the fenced in area leading to the third gate. It was pathetic and made the restless feeling in his stomach worse. He was waiting for… something to happen. Anything, really.

The group made their way through the third gate in silence, having checked every nook and cranny for the rumored construction plans. There had been nothing, only a conveniently placed keycard to shut the lasers at the gate down.

“Lucky. Someone must’ve forgotten it,” said one of the newer members of the Glaive only to be hushed immediately. The young man, still nearly a teenager, ducked his head and Nyx could easily imagine that he was turning red under that flimsy face guard. He patted the other on the back, not letting any of his thoughts show in his posture.

Niffs didn’t just forget things like keycards. The experience of long years of fighting, first in the resistance and then in the Lucian military, taught him that. Their regulations had regulations for ahtriihn sake.

Now even Luche was getting visibly restless but still he pressed on. Tredd was hissing something inaudible under his breath but still followed, as did Nyx and the rest. He really didn’t want another disciplinary punishment hovering over his head for perceived insubordination. Their captain shouldn’t go sprouting Galahds greatest motto around and then not follow through. It was bad taste.

Barely a second after they all had stepped onto the great empty space behind the third gate did the lasers hum back on again. Right at the same time did Roh Unit arrive, practically melting out of the shadows safe for two who warped in a glowing hale of magical particles. Those idiots.

In the middle of the huge place stood a strange machine, looming above them like a menacing thorn. Nyx had barely time to register all of this before his instincts started blaring.

Danger, danger, danger!

The floodlights went on, nearly blinding him in their intensity, and he jumped away from the gate as far as possible and not a moment too soon before a hail of bullets slammed into the place he had been standing mere seconds before. The boy who had rejoiced about his lucky find with the keycard went down screaming, the bullets sieving his legs and upper body. He was dead within moments. Tredd jumped away from him cursing loudly, back against the wall and shoulder to shoulder with the rest of Firn Unit.

Within the span of a few heartbeats the space between them and Roh Unit was swarming with MTs and MA Veles’ that didn’t move like they had a few too many screws loose. Above him a speaker activated and a voice he had only heard a handful of times before cackled in absolute schadenfreude. It was Caligo Ulldor.

“Ha! I have you Lucian scum now, like rats in a trap. Fitting, is it not? I never would have thought a few mere false rumors enough to rouse you from behind your precious wall. Now, do me a favour and die here today like good little rats, will you?”

Nyx bared his teeth in a vicious grin as the General’s amused chuckles sounded around him. Dying like rats? He thought not. Not with his prey parading around in plain sight.

“Luche, call the Captain, now! We need an extraction team and Kresch won’t be enough,” said Pelna over the coms, his voice grim.

“That will take more time than we might have.”

“I don’t fucking care. Do it. I hope to the ancestors that Drautos has a good explanation for this fuck up. Otherwise I’ll haunt him from beyond the gate,” Pelna spat.

To his credit Luche only tapped his earpiece and started talking to command. They were sitting at a checkpoint in Leide and were waiting on news of their success or failure. Well, right now it was neither.

Nyx lifted his own hand to his ear. “Tredd, you, Axis and me’ll take first wave; the others keep the things off Luche while he organizes our way out.”

He didn’t wait for an answer but threw his kukri and warped right into a group of approaching MT snipers. Two went down within the first few seconds and Nyx ducked out of the way of a bullet that hit a third one behind him. He jumped, kneeing another one in the gut, crashing it into an Axeman behind it and sent a thunder spell through both of them. They went down rattling and limbs twitching.

A huge metallic leg entered his line of sight. The MA Veles wasn’t aiming for him but Axis who was battling with two Magitek Assassins at once. The man didn’t notice the barrels aimed at him. Nyx cursed and warped. His upper body hit the muzzle of the thing’s gun, veering it off course just enough that the erupting hail of bullets didn’t hit his comrade but a few of the MTs flocking everywhere.

The impact knocked the air out of his lungs causing him to miss the kukri he had warped towards. His whole left side hurt. He groaned. The MA Veles moved and he slipped, falling, he instinctively tugged himself into a role to absorb the impact. A correctly executed warp only partway towards the linked weapon. Fuck, he hadn’t known that that was possible.

The landing on the concrete was harder than the one in the dirt outside but he still just jumped right back up and warped towards the fallen weapon. It would be suicide to lose one.

He appeared right beneath an MT and kicked its legs out from under it, sending it tumbling down, and plunged one of his kukris in its slightly lesser protected neck. Pressing his back into the concrete wall next to him he reached for his ear.

“Luche, please tell me you reached command.”

It took a few too long seconds for the other man to answer. “I did but it will take over an hour for them to reach us with an appropriate force. I repeat to all units: we’ll have to hold out for an hour.”

Nyx cursed and sent a volley of lightning into the MTs in front of him. None of them did stand back up. He tugged the irritating hood off and grinned. It was full of teeth and spite and a hunter’s arrogance. The strange feeling he’d had since his First Hunt buzzed within him. It had never led him astray, making his steps soft and quiet and his body graceful and lithe in its movements. It told him when and where to strike, to bare his teeth and growl and kill the ones who dared to hurt what was his.

And he did just that. With a wild glint in his eyes he prowled forward and attacked the Axeman coming at Tredd from the side. The redhead slew his opponent and stopped for the fracture of a second to stare. Nyx flashed him a grin, crouched down low and attacked another one.

He did not know how long they had been fighting already when they met with Pelnas unit more or less at the halfway point of this huge space, that strange machine looming above them like an unholy spire, backs against the wall and fighting a fight none of them thought they could win. Nyx could see it in their eyes. Four were already dead and the enemies just kept on coming accompanied by Ulldors periodic taunts over the speakers. When Nyx got to that piece of shit he would show him what an Ulric did to their enemy-prey.

“Something’s wrong,” said Pelna, half shouting at them half speaking through the coms. “The magic is draining way too fast!”

“I know!” Luche yelled back. He was bleeding from multiple wounds, the worst being on his right upper arm where a bullet had grazed him.

“… wher… rein…ment.”

The voices over the communication system grew static before going out entirely. Fuck. Nyx didn’t know if that had been Sonitus or their rescue team but if communications were out they were truly fucked. He hoped Libertus was okay.

One of the Glaives, Nyx didn’t know who but judging by the uniform it must be a newer member, broke formation with a desperate battle cry when Pelna warped out of the way of a flamethrower accompanied by a hail of bullets. The newbie was dead within seconds as an Assassin’s blade caught him across the throat and down to his ribcage.

That motherfucking idiot.

Hadn’t he learned? What were Drautos and the instructors teaching them?

No. This slaughtering had gone on long enough. He wouldn’t let these keiladisu continue to think they were makarisu.

The pressure that had been building in his chest during every battle he’d ever participated in didn’t recede this time. Instead it broke and a barrier within him that he hadn’t known even existed, vanished. Nyx didn’t know why and, frankly, he didn’t care. Everything after that was pure instinct.

He spun the kukris in his hands and then flung himself forward. The world around him spun in a dance so fast the glowing red eyes were nothing more than blurs.

Lightning flashed.

The prey fell under his claws one by one. How dare they attack his pack! None of them would be left alive, none.

Nyx barely felt the blow in his side. He snarled and dug his claws into the face with the glowing red eyes. They would pay. They would pay.

They would pay.

Sounds of metal shrieking and lightning cackling reverberated in his ears nearly drowning out the voices yelling around him. A metal giant stepped in front of him, clumsy on its two legs. Nyx hissed at it and jumped, digging his claws into its hide. His legs flailed for a few seconds before they found a foothold. Lightning traveled from his fore-paws to his claws and into the metal giant. It shrieked and fell, but Nyx couldn’t free his claws in time and landed hard on the ground.

For a moment he felt nothing but white hot pain. Someone was screaming. He blinked rapidly. His vision wouldn’t clear up and something was moving at its darkening edge.

Pack. Where was his pack? He had to protect his pack.

Forcing himself to move tore a hoarse scream from his throat and made dark spots dance in front of his eyes, but he managed to turn from his back onto his elbows. His arms shook as he heaved himself into a semi-sitting position.

“Nyx!”

He blinked at the form approaching him with careful steps, kukris sheathed and bare hands open and visible. It was Pelna.

“Fuck, Nyx. What was that? What were you thinking? Stop, don’t answer that. Fuck!”

Nyx wanted to laugh. He would like to know that, too. That strange… instinct in him hadn’t vanished but it had gone quiet. At last, he could hear his own thoughts again.

“Shit, you’re hurt. Axis, get your ass over here!”

A moment later a second face appeared before him. Axis didn’t seem too hurt, which was good, but the look on his face made him squint. He looked at him like he was a hurt predator in the jungle.

The wound in his side was bad. It looked like a blade had tried to cleave him in two and only hadn’t succeeded because it hadn’t quite been able to reach him. Nyx had no idea when he had gotten it.

“Pack. How’s th’ pack?” he managed to slur. Damn, his tongue felt like lead.

“Pack? What do- oh. Don’t worry. Nobody else was killed after you… well.”

“Well wha’?”

He hissed as Axis crushed one of their precious potions over his wound. Its feeling of creeping fingers-not right-intruder made him shudder involuntarily. A bandage was pressed into his side.

“Lie down and keep still. I have no desire to see you bleed to death because of your own recklessness,” hissed Axis, still avoiding eye contact.

“Kept us ‘live, didn’t it?”

“Yes you oaf, it did. Now can you tell me what the fuck that was? That wasn’t the King’s magic. Whatever that was, it was all you,” said Pelna, eyeing him with an intensity he seldom allowed others to see.

Nyx needed a few seconds for the words to register. That hadn’t been the King’s magic? He frowned. That spark of animal-deep jungle-instinct flashed. No, that wasn’t the King’s. This felt like-

“Galahd,” he muttered.

“What? Nyx, what are you talking about?”

Nyx didn’t answer. He was tired, but he wouldn’t sleep until his pack was safe and away from enemy territory.

Yells grew loud and he recognized Luche’s voice and – was that Libertus? Yes it was. His best friend looked a bit worse for wear but otherwise unhurt. Good. Behind them more and more people entered the space littered with fallen MTs and MA Veles’. Nyx flashed a vicious grin at General Leonis when their eyes met, not bothering to wonder what the man was doing here.

They were late.

[yourcoolfriendwithallthecandy]

Magic and Miracles

Ok so since Tumblr is being cool and offering my own posts back to me with the read more intact. Let’s try this again. 

Magic and Miracles, all the way from the beginning. Because I’m feeling nostalgic, that’s why. Also I’m slightly recasting. As always, Johan Akan as Nyx Ulric. Now featuring Liza Soberano as Selena Ulric. The ever lovely Nastya Kusakina as Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, Alex Pettyfer as Ravus Nox Fleuret because when I think of pretty blonde guys who can both be douche bags and have some character development and turn out into sweetheart hearthrobs, I think of Alex Pettyfer, I’m taking creative license. And Greg Blackford as Luche, I can’t recast him. He’s too perfect and pretty. And Heather Graham will be playing Sylva Nox Fleuret, that’s a good looking family right there. 

So again you can read it here-> AO3 or below. 

Magic and Miracles

Chapter 1

Nyx was walking into school with his little sister Selena, his best friends – Libertus, Crowe, Pelna and Luche before they saw a white limo pull up in front of the school.

“What kind of pretentious ass-wipes do we have now?” Crowe complained, her irritation and disgust clear.

The rear driver’s side door opened and a tall blonde guy came out, polo shirt that looked pressed and khaki slacks and just everything about him screamed prep, his posture was proud and the unimpressed expression he carried on his face was to those who looked on- was hardly surprising. He walked around the car to open the car door on the passenger side and opened it, offering his hand to the occupant in a very gentlemanly like manner. A slender, almost fragile hand reached out and grasped it. Nyx stood still, barely breathing, as a blonde girl, hair as brilliant as sunshine stepped out, it was in a twisted side braid and the prettiest blush dusted her cheeks as she came out of the car. She happened to look in his direction and their eyes locked and for that moment, while minuscule to everyone else, it seemed to stretch until it felt that time had stopped. Her big blue eyes were hypnotizing, then she smiled bashfully at him before she ducked her head and stole into the guy’s side as she took his arm before he escorted her into the school.

“Uh oh,” Libertus teased before giving a playful punch to Nyx’s arm to break him out of his trance.

“What?” Nyx blinked rapidly a few times before he turned to his friends who were snickering.

“Damn, Nyx, one look, one look,” Libertus teased.

“I’ll bet you ten bucks he’s smitten,” Crowe crooned.

“Shut up,” Nyx dismissed as he shrugged it off and began to walk into school.

“You better not be man,” Luche muttered, being the only one not snickering.

“Why?” Selena asked before Nyx could.

“Dude, have you not heard the rumors? That was probably Lunafreya Nox Fleuret, and that was her brother, Ravus Nox Fleuret, their family owns Miracle Hospital.” Luche informed them.

“What’s she doing here then?” Nyx asked, his curiosity piqued.

“Well, the last I heard, their mom wanted her kids to have a ‘well rounded’ education. Looks better on a resume apparently.” Luche shrugged.

“Well here’s to hoping we’ll get new uniforms,” Libertus chuckled as they all made their way into school.

When they walked past the office, he could see Lunafreya and her brother talking with Principal Regis Caelum. It was when Lunafreya was talking to the Principal that he saw her smile and his heart fluttered and he could feel himself swoon and his steps slowed to a stop as he stared through the windows of the office. It was almost odd since Lunafreya had now taken Regis’ arm like he was now escorting her and the way she looked up to him, the adoring bright smile was completely unlike the way any other girl looked at the Principal before, almost like the way a little girl would look up to her loving and doting father. Which didn’t make much sense, Principal Caelum only had one son unless she was like a niece? She must have been his niece, because it was such a familial smile that Principal Caelum and Lunafreya both smiled at each other with. But it was such a gorgeous smile nonetheless.

“Oh, Nyx Ulric.” Principal Caelum said as he escorted them out of the office.

“Yes sir?” Nyx answered shaking his head out trance.

“Ravus, Lunafreya, meet Nyx Ulric, he’s our quarterback and captain for our football team, he should be more than happy to show you around and to your classes.” Principal Caelum invited before he reached into his suit coat jacket pocket to pull out his note pad and wrote Nyx a pass to excuse him from all tardiness from all of his classes for the day.

“Sure,” Nyx nodded. ‘Jackpot!’ Nyx thought to himself he just had the best excuse to get closer to her.

“Excellent, if either of you have any questions or concerns my door is always open,” Regis invited before shaking Ravus’ hand with one hand while Luna had taken Regis arm and was practically glued to it and Luna hugged his arm before he wrapped his arm around her and they hugged each other from the side before he, out of habit and not thinking twice about it, kissed Lunafreya on the crown of her head. Oh yeah, she had to be his niece. And only barely registering her brother roll his eyes and glare at both of them in disgust. “Have a good day Sweetheart.” Regis bid Lunafreya who nodded eagerly and flashed the brightest of smiles back at him.

“Will do, I’ll come to you at the end of the day and give you a full report.” Luna offered with a light and melodic laugh that had Principal Caelum crinkling his nose at her. Oh yeah, doting uncle. Nyx had to be on his best behavior.

“So, what classes do you guys have?” Nyx asked once Regis retreated back to the office.

“AP Chemistry,” Ravus answered.

“Biology,” Lunafreya answered.

“Awesome, well, Ravus your class will be just up the hall,” Nyx invited as he turned to lead the way.

“So what brings you to Lucis High?” Nyx began curiously.

“Our mother insists on us having a well rounded education,” Ravus answered aloofly. “Personally, I prefer Tenebrae Prep or even Niflheim Academy.” Ravus added.

“I think it’s a great idea to come here,” Lunafreya countered softly.

“Yeah?” Nyx asked, as he turned his head to consider her curiously.

“Tenebrae Prep and especially Niflheim Academy has nothing but elitist snobs who are sheltered in bubbles of their own making who have no idea how the world really works.” Lunafreya professed softly, Nyx had to strain his ears just to hear her over the general roar of the throngs of students. But while her words were softly spoken, they were still quite astounding and Nyx found himself agreeing with that sentiment because he felt the same way.

“You’re just repeating what mother said,” Ravus retorted snidely.

“Doesn’t mean she’s wrong.” Lunafreya argued quietly before they came to Ravus’ class.

“Go break a leg.” Luna bid Ravus and Ravus just rolled his eyes as he walked into class.

“Sorry,” Luna apologized to Nyx once Ravus walked away.

“What are you apologizing for?” Nyx asked as they turned and Nyx led the way to their class.

“For him, he’s the biggest elitist snob I know.” Lunafreya murmured lowly with a playful grin as she walked a little closer to him so he could hear her before she reestablished their distance. Even so, Nyx got a good whiff of her perfume. It was sweet and floral and it took all of Nyx’s self control not to breathe in as deep as he could to try and smell it some more.

“Oh I’ve met worse.” Nyx dismissed.

“Gosh I would hate to meet worse.” Lunafreya grimaced with a soft laugh. Everything about this girl was soft and Nyx felt himself completely swoon. She wasn’t even wearing makeup and goodness gracious she was still so pretty. Model Pretty. 

“So what other classes do you have?” Nyx inquired curiously as he mentally tried to map out his route for the day.

“Oh um, after biology, I have social studies, algebra, history and then I have second lunch then there is gym, drama and study hall.” Lunafreya listed off from her schedule.

“Awesome, we actually have some classes together,” Nyx grinned.

“We do? Which ones?” Lunafreya asked, the light of her enthusiasm making her eyes shine bright.

“Well, we have biology then lunch, gym and drama together.” Nyx informed her.

“Awesome,” Lunafreya grinned happily.

“So, Luna-freya was it?” Nyx started, slowly enunciating her name.

“Just Luna, please, my friends call me Luna, only adults and my brother call me Lunafreya.” Luna insisted. “I don’t care for it.” Luna shrugged.

“Why?” Nyx inquired.

“Because my full name sounds pretentious and stuffy and blah,” Luna made a disgusted face which Nyx found utterly adorable.

“Ok, well Luna, here we are,” Nyx said as he nodded toward their first class. “After you,” Nyx invited as he gestured for her to walk in first taking advantage of her walking in front of him so he could get one more lungful of her perfume.

“Thank you,” Luna ducked her head as her cheeks stained rose again as she tried to hide her smile.

“Luna?” Noctis said as he saw her walk into the class.

“Noct!” Luna gasped happily as she quickly jogged over to him and the two hugged each other tightly like they hadn’t seen each other in years.

“What are you doing here?” Noctis asked as they pulled away.

“Remember when I told you about my birthday wish and mom’s idea? Yeah, that,” Luna excitedly informed him.

“Awesome!” Noctis cheered before the two began their super friend handshake. “You’re so sitting next to me, Prompto, move over bud,” Noctis directed.

“Nice to see you again Prompto,” Luna greeted as they too hugged but not quite as tightly as Noctis and Luna had.

“Princess.” Prompto grinned as he moved over. Luna rolled her eyes but smiled none the less as she sat down.

“Please don’t call me that here,” Luna requested of Prompto.

‘Dammit,’ Nyx cursed inwardly as he hung his head in defeat and walked to the back of the class where Libertus could barely contain his laughter.

“Shut up,” Nyx murmured under his breath he took his seat.

“Aww, poor Noctis stole her away already,” Libertus pouted sarcastically.

Nyx glared at him in return.

“So what classes do you have?” Noctis asked Luna.

“See for yourself.” Luna invited as she handed her schedule over to him.

“Sweet, we have most of your morning classes together and lunch, oh and drama, for the win!” Noctis raised his hand to give Luna a high five.

“Ok, settle down class, we have a new student with us today. Would you like to introduce yourself?” The teacher invited.

“Hi, I’m Luna,” Luna said as she quickly stood up, waved a little to everyone before she sat back down.

“Oh come on, all of it,” Noctis prodded as he grabbed her arm and shook her gently. Luna was so tense it made to motion look more forceful than it was as her whole body seemed to move stiffly with the motion. Nyx frowned at the gesture, wanting to rip Noctis’ arm off in a flare of his temper which he quickly stamped down. It wouldn’t be a wise idea to rip the Principal’s son’s arm off. And who was he to be so protective of a girl he just met?

“No,” Luna hissed.

“This is my best friend, Lunafreya Nox Fleuret,” Noctis introduced proudly. Luna ducked and covered her face as she blushed scarlet. Nyx could see her ears turn bright red as he imagined the rest of her face to be as well.

“Idiot,” Nyx mumbled under his breath as he rolled his eyes. Was Noctis blind? Could he not see how embarrassed she was? Before he realized that Noctis said ‘best friend’ not ‘cousin’. Ok this wasn’t adding up anymore and Nyx suddenly worried that Noctis and Luna perhaps were ‘friends with benefits’ and that thought made him sick to his stomach and he couldn’t say why exactly. Maybe she was dating Noctis? And Principal looked at her like a future daughter in law? That made him even sicker.

“Also known as Princess,” Prompto added loudly.

“No, no, please don’t,” Luna spoke up, panic evident in her tone as she shook her head before giving Prompto a glare that could freeze lava. Luna then gave Prompto a jab in his side with her elbow in retaliation.

“Ow,” Prompto gasped as he rubbed his side.

“Alright, that’s enough, Luna, this is your textbook, we’re in chapter 14,” the teacher started to teach the class.

After class Noctis went up to Nyx. “Hey Nyx, I have the next few classes with Luna so I can walk her to those, ok? See you at lunch.” Noctis said.

“Sure man,” Nyx smiled politely.

“Bummer,” Libertus snickered as Noctis walked away.

Nyx shot Libertus another glare and simply went to his next class.

At lunch, Nyx wasn’t surprised in the slightest when Noctis continued to keep Luna by his side, moving his friends around so he could sit right next to her. So close their sides were touching and shared their food with each other as well as Noctis’ friends who all seemed very happy to see her and have her with them. She was talking with Ignis about something… about her phone before she handed it over to him. She must have been having issues with it. But when Ignis had solved whatever the matter was, Gladio took it from Ignis and held it just out of Luna’s reach.

“Give it back!” Luna demanded as she tried to get it out of Gladio’s hold.

“I just want to see your wall paper Princess,” Gladio waved off.

“I said,” Luna bit out before she got up, marched around the table and reached out and grabbed his ear and twisted it violently.

“Ow! Ow, ow, ow!” Gladio yelped as his towering frame crumpled from the pain.

Luna held out her palm expectantly and Gladio laid her phone into her palm before she grasped it and let go of Gladio with a victorious smile. Nyx smiled to himself. Gladio was a tower of muscle but he deserved what he got for messing with her. Ok so maybe she wasn’t all soft, she had an edge or two, he could definitely dig that.

After lunch Nyx walked Luna to the girls locker room for gym.

“So how is your first day treating you?” Nyx asked as they strolled down the hall.

“Treating me just fine,” Luna assured him.

“Having trouble with Gladio?” Nyx asked.

“You saw that huh? He’s...harmless, he’s just being...himself.” Luna shook her head as she waived it off.

“I can make him do extra push ups.” Nyx offered.

“Oh that’s right, quarterback and captain of the football team,” Luna recalled. “It’s ok, don’t worry about it. But I’ll keep that in mind the next time Gladio decides to be a jerk, I’ll have extra ammunition.” Luna grinned mischievously and Nyx found that grin out right enchanting. “Thank you, by the way for escorting me today,” Luna graciously thanked him.

“You’re welcome, happy to help.” Nyx said as he stopped just short of the girls locker room before he turned and went to the boys locker room himself.

He tried not to stare at her when she stretched, clearly doing the splits as she did so.

“Damn girl,” Crowe remarked.

“Ballet,” Luna tried to explain as she pointed her toes to deepen the stretch.

“Oh I gotcha ya,” Crowe nodded in understanding.

Nyx smirked as he continued to stretch, so she was a ballerina, he could definitely see that. She had the slender physique and grace of one. It was also evident in the way she ran, it wasn’t so much a run as it was bouncing and leaping from foot to foot. It looked beautiful. But she had very little hand eye coordination. They practiced basketball and she could barely dribble or shoot the ball.

The big surprise came in drama when everyone gave their own little performance. She had taken out her notebook, perhaps to recite poetry.

“Luna, Luna, play Hallelujah!” Noctis begged. “Play and sing,” he insisted as he shook her arms again.

Luna huffed in defeat and got up and went to the keyboard and selected the piano setting. She was blushing again, giving her pale complexion such a beautiful contrast. She squared her shoulders, sitting up straight but keeping her focus down at the keyboard and laid her hands on the keys and began to play the familiar melody. She slowly swayed a little to the rhythm, causing the wisps of hair that had fallen out of her braid to sway as she did so.

“I heard there was a secret chord that David played and it pleased the Lord.” Luna began softly as she focused on the keys, trying to block out the rest of the class as they quietly talked among themselves before the teacher shushed them.

“But you don’t really care for music do you?” Luna continued in the same soft tone before she looked up at Noctis who was smiling and nodding at her, trying to encourage her.

“Well it goes like this. The fourth, the fifth. The minor fall and the major lift. The baffled king composing Hallelujah.” Luna sang out much stronger as she found her voice’s sweet spot. And everyone’s eyes got wide as they all seemed to realize the girl had a hell of a voice and had already been classically trained.

“Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelu-oooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ya,” Luna closed her eyes for a moment, as a gently smile played on her lips, the class was silent except for the sound of her playing the piano and her singing.

“Your faith was strong but you needed proof. You saw her bathing on the roof. Her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you.” Luna sang as she chanced a look up at Nyx. He was staring in awe and he instinctively gave her an encouraging smile and nod. She smiled shyly in return before she looked back down at the keys.

Nyx couldn’t believe his eyes or ears, God she had to be an angel, she had to be. How could she not be? She was kind and sweet and gracious and funny and so pretty, he was definitely smitten, beyond smitten. God and she was so talented! Was there anything this girl didn’t have or couldn’t do? Then the tone of the song made as her face change to that of sadness and her tone was filled with such moving emotion, everyone seemed to forget that they were watching a student and not a professional singer.

“She tied you to a kitchen chair. She broke your throne, and she cut your hair.” Luna’s face morphed into one of pain and agony as her voice began to crack like she was in real physical pain as Luna tried to just imagine she was at home alone playing and singing and not in front of a class of strangers and her new instant crush, which made her so nervous, she wanted him to like her, so much, she didn’t know why she did either, she just...did, she wanted to impress him, make sure he knew that she was smart and kind and funny and she had tried to get him to laugh but she did get a grin and a smile and they had been beautiful and she didn’t care if she made a little bit of a fool of herself. God he was so handsome and so far had been nice and sweet and careful around her, almost like he instinctively knew she was a fish out of water and awkward that that was ok, she just...she felt safe around him. Which is something she hadn’t felt around guys other than Noctis and his friends in forever. She almost didn’t recognize the feeling but when she did, she was so pleasantly surprised and longed for more.“And from your lips she drew the Hallelujah,” Luna continued. “Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelu-oooh-ooh-ooh-ooh-ya.”

“Baby, I’ve been here before, I’ve seen this room and I’ve walked this floor. I used to live alone before I knew you. Well I’ve seen your flag on the marble arch. But love is not a victory march. It’s a cold and it’s a broken Hallelujah!” Luna cried out, her sorrow temporarily replaced with anger as she sang the last two verses and finding a raspy growling edge to her voice as Nyx’s eyebrows nearly shot up into his hair line, he wasn’t expecting that, that was surprising but thrilling. “Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelu-oooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ya.” Luna continued to sing before her key change.

“I did my best, it wasn't much. I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch. I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you. And even though it all went wrong, I'll stand before the Lord of Song. With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah!” Luna sang forcefully.

“Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelu-oooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ya.” Luna sang acapella her eyes closed serenely as she did so before playing the piano again. “Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelu-ooh-ooh-oooh-ooh-ya, Hallelujah Hallelujah, Hallelujah Hallelu-ooh-ooh-oooh-oooh-ya.” Luna sang as she continued to look at the keyboard, not being brave enough to look up at her classmates, too afraid to look up at Nyx, what if he thought she sounded horrible? What if he hated it? What if he didn’t like her singing? What if he didn’t like her? She faded her voice before she ended the song and was about ready to cry, her thoughts spinning and running away from her. But the whole class erupted in applause, whistles and cheers that it made Luna snap her head up as she looked at them in surprise, as she jumped in her own skin a little, not used to that kind of outburst but when she noticed that it was Noctis and Nyx who were cheering the loudest and clapping the hardest and the smile of relief that quickly donned her face and the small, soft giggle left her as she bashfully had to look down at the keys and wondered if the class wanted to hear something else.

“Are you in choir?” The drama teacher asked.

“No,” Luna shook her head.

“You should be,” The drama teacher encouraged.

“Thanks.” Luna smiled.

“Nyx,” The teacher called out. Nyx grabbed his special deck of cards and walked to the front of the class, gently and “accidentally” bumped into Luna as she made her way back to her table she shared with Noctis and Prompto before shuffling the deck in these very elaborate ways.

“Noctis, help me out,” Nyx invited and Nocits rose and stood next to Nyx.

“Pick a card,” Nyx invited as he spread the deck out and Noctis chose his card.

“Show the class if you want.” Nyx suggested and Noctis showed a king of spades before he put it back into the deck.

“Did you like your card?” Nyx asked as he began to re-shuffle the deck.

“Yeah man,” Noctis nodded.

“Good,” Nyx said before he held up a joker card. “Was this your card?” Nyx asked.

“No,” Noctis shook his head with a laugh as he perceived the trick going wrong.

“Huh, maybe Luna has it.” Nyx grinned and the class looked over to see Luna pick her hands up off the table in a ‘I surrender’ motion, a playing card underneath her sleeve on the table.

Luna’s jaw dropped as she picked the card up and looked at it before turning it around to show the class- the king of spades.

“How?! How did you do that?” Noctis demanded as he went over to Luna to get the card from her.

“Magic,” Nyx smiled victoriously as he took the card back and took his seat again.

Luna continued to stare at him in amazement before she got her notebook out and wrote down something before turning her attention to the next performer in class. Luna bumped into Nyx on their way out of class giving him a knowing smile as she did so before she went with Nocits who showed her where the library was so she could attend study hall. Nyx went to his next class and sat down before he heard the crinkle of paper in his back pocket. He reached out and pulled out a little note. Nyx looked at the folded piece of paper in curious amusement. Noting the definitely feminine way his name was written before unfolding the intricate folds.

‘Thank you Nyx, for helping me today. P.S. I know exactly how you did it. But don’t worry, your secret is safe with me. Let me know if I can help again. Sincerely Luna.’ Nyx smiled wide as he reread it over a few times. He refolded it carefully and put it into his pocket, his front one this time for safe keeping.

Nyx watched as Luna and her brother walked out of school and into the limo that was waiting for them. Luna caught his eye and flashed him a bright smile and a small waive which he returned before she got in the car.

“Ready for practice?” Libertus asked as he nodded to the football field.

“Yeah, sure thing.” Nyx nodded.

“So why do you guys call Luna- Princess?” Nyx asked Gladio as they did push ups together.

“Oh it’s what her dad used to call her all the time,” Gladio explained.

“Used to?” Nyx inquired.

“Yeah man, he died, of cancer, like five years ago, we all keep calling her Princess in memory of him, and we’ve all been friends since we were little, her dad was a real cool dude, she misses him a bunch, and she’s practically been adopted by Uncle Regis, and she’s practically adopted him too, calls him ‘Dad’ and everything, pisses Ravus right off every time she does.” Gladio explained between push ups.

“Oh, then why doesn’t she want to be referred to as that anymore?” Nyx asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Well, especially in this school, no one knows about any of that, I think she’s afraid people will assume she’s a spoiled brat, which, I mean she kind of is spoiled, you saw the limo right? But she’s not a brat, not even close. Her brother though, he’s the spoiled brat through and through. But keep that to yourself man,” Gladio urged with his own scheming and knowing grin. Having picked up on Nyx’s interest at lunch. And Gladio knew Luna well enough that he knew Nyx and Luna would be really good together so he would do all he could to steer Nyx her way. Nyx was the hero, always, and that’s exactly what Luna needed.

“I will,” Nyx nodded as they finished their rep. Now all of it made much more sense. Well they weren’t related by blood but they were basically family, and that meant that she practically was, for all intensive purposes, Principal Regis Caelum’s daughter. Ok, that made him a little nervous and felt a little inadequate, he was on good terms with him, was a pretty good student, but he felt like he should be asking Principal Caelum for “permission” to date his “daughter”. But he then started to worry again about the ‘friends with benefits’ thing again.

When Nyx got home, Selena was sitting on the couch watching TV. “Hey, how was practice?” Selena asked, happy he had made it home because she could barely contain her excitement another second.

“Fine, how was your day?” Nyx mirrored.

“Good, I made a new friend today, we made plans to hang out Saturday. She also helped me with my homework, got it done in study hall so I didn’t have any when I got home.” Selena baited with a scheming grin. 

“Oh yeah?” Nyx asked as he crashed on the couch with her.

“Yeah, she’s really nice, explained geometry better than Mr. Hills ever could.” Selena grinned wider and waited for Nyx to ask the inevitable. But Nyx was too tired at the moment. Selena frowned, wanting so badly to tell him her ‘news’.

“You’re not going to ask me who it is?” Selena finally asked.

“Should I?” Nyx asked as he turned his head to consider her curiously.

“I don’t know, I would think you would care if she came over to the house, considering she also told me about how you threatened Gladio with extra whatever for messing with her. She thought that was really sweet. She also, took a personal interest in me asked me what I wanted for a career and what college I was thinking of going to.” Selena explained as she started to smile even more mischievously.

“L-Luna? The new girl we saw this morning?” Nyx asked, suddenly much more alert as he angled himself toward her and leaned toward her expectantly as his heart started to pound in his chest.

“Luna, blonde hair, big blue eyes, really pretty and bright smile, totally your type? Yes, and I may have informed her that I was your little sister.” Selena teased as she got up and went to the kitchen to get another Gatorade.

“And?!” Nyx asked, he couldn’t help himself, he happily jumped right into her trap.

“And then it was 20 questions,” Selena giggled at the look on her brother’s face as she tossed him a Gatorade.

“What did she ask? What did you tell her?” Nyx demanded. Oh his luck could not get any better. She was interested in him enough to ask about him! This had to be a good sign.

“Oh gosh, we talked about your music tastes, which she, by a giant surprise, knew just about all your favorite bands and had been to their concerts this past summer with Noctis and his friends. And then we talked about your football career and wondered if you were going to go on to play professionally and wanted to know your college choices. And then it was what was your favorite food and your favorite everything else and blah blah blah.” Selena waved off. “I think she really likes you.” Selena ventured.

“You think so? Are you just saying that to mess with me?” Nyx asked. 

“I would say you like her too, by the way you kept staring at her.” Selena ventured.

Nyx hung his head. “Yeah a lot of good it’s going to do, Noctis has been hanging all over her all day, they are practically an item.” Nyx informed his sister as his head hung and his shoulders slouched.

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that.” Selena smiled evilly.

Nyx’s head shot up and fixed her with an expectant look.

“Do the dishes for me, and I’ll tell you.” Selena brokered.

Nyx groaned in frustration and pulled himself off the couch and went back to the kitchen and unloaded the dishwasher before reloading it and turned it on. He went back to the couch and sat next to his sister and folded his arms over his chest.

“Spill,” Nyx ordered.

“Ok, so I asked her about her relationship with Noctis and she said that they were just strictly platonic friends, like best friends and that they’ve known each other since they were little kids and that she stayed with him when he was hospitalized as a kid when he was in that horrible car accident and they’re more like brother and sister than anything and that she’s actually single.” Selena divulged. “But she was, I believe I would use the term – delighted- to hear that you’re single too.” Selena revealed with a bright beaming smile of her own.

Nyx’s eyes went wide as his jaw dropped. “No way,” Nyx breathed in disbelief as his hopes soared.

“Yeah so like maybe get to know her, keep walking her to class, see what happens.” Selena encouraged.

Nyx smiled and gave a small cheer of himself. Oh this could not get any better! “I will do just that.” Nyx vowed before he got up and went to his room to do his homework at his desk.

Once in his room, he shut the door and sat down at his desk and took the note out of his pocket and carefully unfolded it again to read it again. He set it aside and tried to focus on his homework but it took him forever to complete it because he kept looking from his homework to the note. He had to reciprocate. He needed to do something for her but he had no idea what.

Meanwhile…

Back at the Nox Fleuret’s residence, Luna had emerged from her room for snacks and was dancing around the kitchen as she cut up an apple and sliced some cheese and got a bunch of grapes, lip syncing her music. She ducked into the pantry to get crackers and when she emerged Ravus was standing in the kitchen with a friend he had made that day. Luna screamed and jumped as she dropped the box to the floor at the sudden appearance of them.

“Ravus! You scared me!” Luna scolded as she pulled the earphones out from her ears and put her hand over her heart to calm its racing rhythm.

“I’ve been talking to, if you stopped listening to that pop and rap crap you would have heard us.” Ravus retorted as he and his friend tried and failed to control their snickering laughter. “Could you please make us sandwiches?” Ravus requested.

Luna looked from Ravus to the guy standing next to him curiously then to back to Ravus.

“Lunafreya, this is Luche, he’s in most of my AP courses.” Ravus introduced as he realized she may not know his new friend yet, but knowing she should get to know him sooner than later.

“Lovely to meet you, please, call me Luna,” Luna greeted cordially as she regained her composure and shook Luche’s hand. “Would you like a sandwich as well?” Luna asked politely.

“If it’s not a bother,” Luche ventured.

“No, it’s not a bother, she loves to cook and host,” Ravus answered for Luna.

Luna cut her eyes at her brother for a brief second before turning back to Luche to try and save face. “It’s no bother at all, we have turkey, a couple different kinds of ham and roast beef and I have white, wheat and I think rye bread.” Luna explained as she went to the fridge to get out what she needed.

“So...” Luna began as she continued to gather her ingredients. “What do you like on your sandwich?” Luna asked.

“Chef’s choice, I’ll refer to your superior and refined tastes.” Luche smiled as he took a seat next to Ravus as they sat at the breakfast bar as he watched her appreciatively, not being the only one to be instantly smitten at sight of her that morning.

Luna smiled politely at that, goodness gracious, he was laying on the flattery a little thick wasn’t he? Right out of the gate too, she got the feeling Luche was going to pursue her as hard as he could and that made her feel dread. She didn’t want him. He was handsome and obviously charming but that feeling of safety that she felt with Nyx was non existent with him. In fact, she very much felt like prey and she felt on edge and could feel his eyes on her. She went back to the fridge to get out her favorite ingredients before she went to an herb planter in the kitchen window. She snipped a few herbs off before going back to the cutting board and assembling her own favorite sandwich before she plated it artfully and presented it to Luche.

“Thank you, so much.” Luche smiled as he graciously took it from her.

Luna nodded as she went back to make Ravus his preferred sandwich of turkey, lettuce, tomato and mayo on white. She went ahead and plated her snacks before she started to put her ingredients away before Luche practically moaned.

“Good?” Luna guessed as she shot him a curious look over her shoulder with a hopeful smile. 

“Oh this is extraordinary,” Luche praised. “What did you put on this?” Luche asked.

“Oh, um, smoked honey ham, arugula cause it’s spicy and sweet basil for extra flavor, and I used an heirloom tomato and this probably overpriced sandwich sauce...” Luna listed off before she showed Luche the bottle. Luche took his phone out and snapped a picture of it so he could find it for himself.

“Smile,” Luche prodded as he focused the camera on her. Luna indulged him and posed with the bottle herself like she was a model on the price is right.

“I’m happy you like it,” Luna grinned as she took a seat on the other side of Ravus, putting him between her and his new ‘friend’ to eat her snack. “So you're in the same classes as Ravus?” Luna asked politely, no use in being rude and get accused as a frigid bitch by her brother, again.

“Yeah, we take a lot of the same AP courses.” Luche answered.

“Wow,” Luna nodded, ok so he was smart. “So what college do you want to go to?” Luna asked civilly.

“Harvard.” Luche answered and Luna wanted to snort a laugh. Every ‘smart’ person wanted to go to Harvard. Ravus included.

“Well I hope you get in, maybe you and Ravus can be roommates.” Luna remarked with a dry humored sense of sarcasm that Ravus immediately picked up on and gave her an unimpressed side glance but it went right over Luche’s head and he thought she was being sincere.

“Where do you want to go to college at?” Luche mirrored.

“My mom wants me to go to Julliard for ballet and something Ivy League to get my doctorate.” Luna answered, purposefully being vague to keep him from immediately changing his mind and decide to go her school of choice to be ‘closer’ to her.

“So you dance ballet?” Luche asked even though Ravus had already told him that his sister danced. But Ravus had encouraged Luche to ask Luna about it as a way to find a common ground that they were both athletes. “That is one tough sport, anyone who says it’s not a real sport has obviously never tried it.” Luche complimented and smiled charmingly when Luna smiled appreciatively in turn. Ravus gave Luche an encouraging smile and nod of approval at that.

“Thank you, I try, but I don’t have the passion for it that perhaps I should, I would rather be a pediatrician.” Luna revealed.

“Wow that’s awesome, I’ll keep you in mind the next time I’m injured on the field.” Luche grinned.

“Oh you play a sport?” Luna asked.

“Yeah, football, wide receiver, get tackled a lot.” Luche informed her proudly.

“Oh, yeah totally, I work with a lot of the sports medicine doctors at Miracles, yeah from one athlete to another, you guys have a game on Friday night right? I’ll bring my goody bag just in case.” Luna offered and immediately wanted to face palm herself. WHY DID SHE JUST OFFER THAT? WHY?! She didn’t want to give this guy some false hope that he had a chance as Ravus smiled encouragingly at Luche. 

“That would be great,” Luche smiled even brighter and more victoriously and Luna immediately wanted to retract her offer. But then she remembered that Nyx played football, so she could still go and cheer Nyx on, so it wasn’t a total loss.

“I should get back to my homework, it was lovely to meet you Luche. See you tomorrow.” Luna bid him before she got back up and put her plate in the sink before retreating to her room again.

“You’re sister is really awesome,” Luche said to Ravus.

“Yeah, she is.” Ravus nodded in agreement. He had hoped the introduction would go well, instantly liking and clicking with Luche on so many levels and they had hit it off so well already and Ravus had hoped that Luche might be the one to get Lunafreya out of her frigid bitch phaze and start coming around. All she needed was the right guy and Ravus had a really good feeling about Luche that he could be that ‘right’ guy. Especially since Luche had been so respectful and curious and not derogatory in any way when Luche had asked Ravus about his sister.

Back at the Ulric’s residence, Nyx was banging his head on his desk while groaning and whimpering, trying to wrack his brain of how he could respond to Luna.

“Selena,” Nyx called out.

“Yeah,” She answered.

“Did Luna say anything about her favorite... anything?” Nyx asked as he leaned out of his room.

“Yeah, her favorite flower is the sylleblossom.” Selena answered from her room as she folded her own laundry and put it away.

Nyx went back in his room and googled images of the sylleblossom as he got out his drawing pad and practiced and practiced drawing them before their parents came home from work with takeout. Nyx took his food and went back to his room to eat and continue to practice the rest of the night before he finally made a decent picture of a field of wildflowers, most of which were sylleblossoms with butterflies. He signed the lower corner and oh so carefully folded it up to give to Luna in the morning.

He tried to sleep but the anticipation of the next day had his brain fighting off sleep no matter how badly his body begged for it.

The next morning he practically jumped out of bed and got ready for school, giving himself a pep talk to give himself the added confidence. He put the small folded piece of paper in his pocket for safe keeping.

He went to school and met up with his friends in front of the school but Luche was showing everyone a picture on his phone.

“And she made me the most delicious sandwich.” Luche boasted.

“Wait, what happened?” Nyx asked, not catching the first part of Luche’s story.

“I went to Ravus and Lunafreya’s house yesterday after practice and stayed for dinner, oh you should have been there, Lunafreya was so sweet and hospitable, made me her favorite sandwich, which is now my new favorite sandwich, and then she and her Nana made me the most amazing, delicious dinner and their mom is amazing, real firecracker, Luna said she would be coming to game on Friday to cheer me on,” Luche bragged as he showed the pictures of a smiling Luna, cropped from her shoulders up, both in her kitchen and at the dinner table. The ones at the dinner table tho were clearly taken in secret.

Nyx’s stomach dropped. How, how had Luche weaseled himself into Luna’s life already?! It wasn’t fair god damn it!

The white limo rolled up and dropped Ravus and Luna off. Luna found Nyx in the crowd and flashed him another bright smile as she left her brother to walk up to the group before she realized Luche was standing with them and froze at the sight of him.

“Ravus! Luna!” Luche invited and smiled and waved them over. Luna smiled politely back and forced her feet to move toward them and that was only because Nyx and Selena were there too. Nyx especially. She would be ok if Nyx was there. Even though Ravus had come and had his hand on her back and was pushing them over to Luche and his friends.

“Good morning,” Luna greeted everyone politely before standing between Nyx and Luche while Ravus stood between Luche and Pelna, Luna however stood closer to Nyx than she did to Luche by both subconscious and instinct.

“Good morning, thank you again for your hospitality yesterday,” Luche thanked her as he leaned towards her slightly Luna leaned back slightly to keep the same amount of distance between herself and Luche before he introduced her and her brother to the rest of the group. And it was then that Selena realized that Luna’s brother Ravus was actually… really... ok, he damn handsome himself, like crazy super fine hot kind of handsome even up close. But the way Luna talked about him, Selena knew she would be giving him a wide birth. He sounded like a fuck boy and she had no interest or patience for those. But still, whew, lord have mercy, why were all the super pretty boys assholes? Why? This wasn’t fair. 

“You’re welcome, happy to oblige,” Luna nodded at Luche before she turned to Nyx.

“Hey Nyx, would it be horribly inconvenient for you to show me to class again today?” Luna inquired hopefully, as her instincts told her to run and put some space between herself and Luche. “I’ve been trying to study the school layout and I suck at directions.” Luna tried to explain.

Ravus snorted at that. “That’s an understatement.” Ravus muttered under his breath. Selena frowned at that. Not liking the way he said that, because he was mocking his sister. Ravus noticed the change on Selena’s face and blinked as he noticed how Nyx’s sister was actually... really pretty herself. She had that slightly exotic look with her dark brown eyes and dark brown hair and olive skin tone and she was slender but had softness where it counted and she looked... beautiful if he was honest, she would be an absolute knockout if she did her hair or put make up on because she had a lot of natural beauty to build up on and actually... she seemed...really sweet, he decided. And he realized that she was actually so his type. But then he remembered that he shouldn’t be looking, since he currently had a girlfriend. One that would have his hide if she knew he was looking at another girl. Besides his current girlfriend was all woman and Selena was still clearly in her girl turning into a woman phase, but God, what a beautiful woman she’d be when she would... But that didn’t mean he couldn’t appreciate another girl’s beauty right? But it bothered him that she frowned at him and cut her eyes at him and looked at him with...disapproval. Every other girl always smiled at him. No matter what. But she didn’t, he couldn’t shake the feeling that she could see right through him. And Ravus didn’t know why that...it just didn’t feel right, like she saw who and what he was and was already disappointed in him and didn’t like what she saw- and he wanted her to smile at him, to like what she saw when she looked at him. He quickly tried to tell himself that he shouldn’t care what she thought of him. That it didn’t matter. But that resolve was the weakest resolve he had yet.

“Yes, I mean no, I mean, it would not be inconvenient, I would be glad to show you to class.” Nyx happily and readily agreed, tripping all over his damned self and flushing with embarrassment at his so not smooth answer as Crowe was damn near crying not to laugh too loudly. Oh but she was going to roar with laughter once they left. 

“Awesome, thank you so much.” Luna thanked him appreciatively before the bell rang and they began to walk together.

“So your brother and Luche are friends now?” Nyx asked as they weaved their way through the throngs of students.

“I guess,” Luna muttered with a heavy sigh. “I take it you’re friends with him too?” Luna guessed with a hint of apprehension and wariness. Oh god, what if there was like a “Bro Code” that they stuck too? What if Luche had already ‘staked a claim’ on her and that meant no one else could try? What if Nyx became deterred by Luche’s advances, thinking he didn’t have a chance? How could she possibly assure him that she wanted his attention, she wanted him to keep trying. She wanted to get closer to him without coming off as creepy or desperate?

“Yeah, kind of.” Nyx admitted even though deep down Luche was like a brother to him and was like another big brother to Selena but right that second he was the competition that needed to be beaten.

“Why do you ask? Is everything ok?” Nyx asked curiously, hoping Luna didn’t like Luche back. Hoping he still had a chance.

“Well, um,” Luna stuttered and stammered as she tried to be delicate about this. And then it dawned on Nyx that Luche made her uncomfortable and it was clear as day to him in her behavior.

“Was Luche a creep?” Nyx guessed with a barely contained knowing grin and laugh Luna immediately relaxed and the look of relief on her face was clear as day.

“Yes! And it was so awkward! So hear me out, so I emerge from my room for provisions and Ravus and Luche sneak up on me in my kitchen, nearly give me a heart attack and then Ravus demanded that I make them sandwiches, which, they have two hands they could have made themselves sandwiches but whatever. So Luche is all ‘chefs choice’ so I make him what I like on a sandwich and of course he thinks it’s the ‘greatest thing ever’ and just pouring on the flattery nice and uncomfortably thick and so I show him what I put on the stupid thing and he takes a picture and then he goes ‘smile’ and snaps a picture of me holding the sandwich sauce like I’m a model on the price is right, and of course he just had to stay for dinner and, ugh! It was so creepy! Like I was just waiting all day yesterday to go home already.” Luna confided as she put her things in her locker as she got ready for her morning classes as Nyx snickered a good hearty laugh. Yes! she was able to see past his pretty face and see him for who he was, a suck up. Nyx had listened attentively, relieved to hear her side of the story and eternally grateful he had chose to walk her to class, his hope and faith were restored.

“And so then he invited me to the game and I, sadly, feel obligated to go.” Luna grimaced.

“Well the next time that happens, you could always say you have plans,” Nyx suggested.

“With you?” Luna asked, raising a quizzical brow and a barely contained grin. Quite proud of herself for being that quick.

“Sure,” Nyx immediately agreed before he inwardly chided himself for appearing too eager, he had to play this cool, Luche had been too eager and had crashed and burned. He had to go slower. He couldn’t scare her off. He liked her way too much to chance scaring her away. Besides his gut was telling him, no, screaming at him that he had found someone, someone special, someone that could and would change his life forever. He couldn’t mess this up. He had to get this right.

Luna smiled brightly at him as she took out her phone and tapped on a new contact page before she handed it to Nyx. “Name and number please.” Luna watched as he Nyx typed in his name and cell number in.

“Thank you,” Luna smiled brightly again as she took her phone from him before she turned and walked into class.

He went in and sat down before he felt something in his back pocket again. He pulled it out and found it was an ace of spades with her own number written on it. Oh she was smoother than he gave her credit for. He pulled out his phone and put the number in it and saved the contact as Luna before Libertous walked into class himself.

On the way out of class, Nyx slipped the picture he had made for her in her own pocket.

While Luna continued to sit with Noctis and his friends at lunch, she did spare Nyx several smiling glances while he did the same. After lunch Nyx walked Luna back to the girls locker room.

“Thank you for the drawing, it was beautiful, you’re a really good artist,” Luna praised feeling herself become absolutely smitten and falling hopelessly for him. He was handsome and sweet and talented. And he was a freaking artist and her heart immediately melted because what were the chances?

“Thanks, and thank you for the card.” Nyx replied bashfully.

“Well if Noctis was the king of spades, then you should definitely be the ace,” Luna reasoned as she ducked her head back down to hide her own bashful smile as she cheeks started to stain rose and she fidgeted with the edge of her sleeves. The bell rung before Nyx could say anything else.

“See you in there,” Nyx bid her as he turned and walked quickly to the boys locker room.

And for the rest of the week, they would continue to subtly flirt with each other, afraid that if they flirted too hard it would drive the other away and it was clear to the whole school that something was happening between them even if both of them were too shy and uncertain of themselves to make a real move on the other yet. But they did get to know each other and quickly became friends even if they both wanted so much more. And Nyx was blown away that Luna wanted to be a doctor, a pediatrician of all things and was practically a doctor already with how vast and intricate her knowledge was about it. He could listen to her talk all day long and never get tired or bored of it.

When Friday evening came around, Luna found herself sitting next to Selena and her parents while Ravus sat behind them with Luche’s parents and Luche’s little sister Luca who was a decade younger than Luche but who Ravus got along with really well, kicking into cool big brother mode. Meanwhile, Luna practically froze in her white hoodie and jeans.

“Here,” Selena offered as she shared the blanket that she and her mother were using to shield themselves from the cold snap that had seemed to come out of nowhere. Luna, Selena and her mom snuggled together closely to retain heat and Selena’s mother broke out their thermos of hot cider and Selena and Luna shared a cup, taking turns holding the cup to keep their hands warm.

“Next time I’ll bring hot chocolate,” Luna offered. “And a blanket, and a coat, preferably a parka, like the kind they use in the arctic. And boots, and a scarf, and a hat, and a face mask, and hand warmers, possibly some wool layers.” Luna muttered to Selena as they laughed. Noctis arrived not long after with Ignis and Prompto. Noctis sat on the other side of Luna as Ignis sat on the other side of Noctis while Prompto took pictures of the game. 

Nyx and his team came onto the field and everyone cheered. He chanced a glance at his parents and did a double take to see Luna sitting next to them, sitting extremely close to his sister. Luna smiled brightly at him and gave waive. Nyx gave a small wave back. Thrilled that she was there, and unbelievably pleased she was with his family as he suddenly put so much pressure on himself that his team needed to win this game, if only to have Luna see them win, see him win. Every girl loved a winner right?

“Wait is that Crowe?” Luna asked as she saw her on the field too.

“Yeah, our school is quite progressive, she isn’t the only one,” Selena revealed as she pointed out two other girls on the field. “The best players make the team, no matter their gender.” Selena informed her. Luna nodded her approval of this.

“Alright, you guys are going to have to talk me through this because I have no idea what’s going on.” Luna explained as the teams warmed up before the game started. Selena, Noctis and his friends all tried to explain the game but Luna, for all her trying, still could not figure it out.

However, only into the first quarter, Libertus sustained a sprained ankle in a pileup when the opposing team fumbled the ball. Luna left the group and grabbed her bag and made her way to the field and talked with the medic and coach Drautos before she was allowed on the sidelines.

“Hey, Libertus is it?” Luna asked as she knelt down in front of him. “On a scale from 1 to 10 how much pain are you in?” Luna asked as she dug through her bag to find the tube of cream she had been looking for before she pulled out a pair of exam gloves and put them on.

“11,” Libertus told her as he tried to keep his cries and hisses of pain down to a minimum.

“Sounds about right,” Luna nodded in understanding. “Now Libertus, what I have in this tube is a proprietary medicine, still being tested by the FDA for human use, it should help alleviate the pain and swelling, think bio-freeze or mineral ice on super jacked up steroids.” Luna informed him.

“Do it, put it on.” Libertus authorized.

“Do you swear to not hold me or the school liable for any ill effects.” Luna warned.

“I swear,” Libertus confirmed.

“Ok then,” Luna grinned as she squeezed some out into her hand and carefully took the ice packs off his ankle and applied it generously.

Libertus watched in amazement as the cream, within less than two minutes alleviated nearly all of the pain before the joint became nearly completely numb.

“I don’t suppose I get to keep that tube of yours.” Libertus hinted as Luna took off her gloves and sanitized her hands.

“Uh, well, sure, um, just,” Luna stuttered before she blushed scarlet and whispered something in Libertus’ ear. Libertus blushed crimson himself and nodded before Luna handed it tube over to him.

Nyx, Crowe, Pelna and Luche watched the exchange curiously. Luna carefully replaced Libertus’ ice packs before standing and turning to them.

“He’ll be fine,” Luna assured them. It was only when she was closer that Nyx realized she was wearing makeup. Subtle but gorgeous all the same. And her hair was either naturally curly or she had curled it and it was sticking out around her face from her hood, framing her face with it’s golden brilliance. She was like an angel who had materialized in front of them again.

“Thank you,” Nyx thanked her earnestly before the rest of them followed suit and thanked her.

“You’re welcome, happy to help, sorry it’s needed.” Luna smiled and nodded before she went back and sat with Nyx’s family.

“What did she say to you man?” Nyx asked as he took a seat next to Libertus.

“I’ll tell you later,” Libertus muttered.

“Oh come on, what did she say?” Crowe pressed before Libertus whispered it in her ear before she fell onto her knees cackling. 

“What? What?” They pressed her. 

“Apparently, this stuff is so potent, if you try to jack off with it, your dick will literally fall off!” Crowe cackled as she laughed so hard she was crying. “Tredd! Tredd! I have lotion you should jack off with!” Crowe howled as Tredd frowned and flipped them off. 

With Lucis winning the game, everyone decided a victory pizza party was in order. Luna continued to sit next to Selena who was quickly becoming another best friend, only this time Selena chose to sit with Nyx and the rest of the team, putting Luna between herself and her brother purposefully trying to get them together like she had been subtly encouraging them to do all week. While Luche invited Ravus to do the same, putting Ravus across from Selena while Luche sat across from Luna.

“Libertus, how’s your leg doing?” Luna asked Libertus who was sitting on the other side of Nyx.

“Doing fine, thank you again, that’s some miracle cream.” Libertus informed her.

“Good,” Luna grinned before she pulled out her notebook again and wrote down recommendations for doctors to see and programs to use to help with his recovery and tore the page out and folded it and handed it to Nyx to pass to Libertus as Nyx smiled proudly, eternally grateful she went to that length to make sure his best friend would be taken care of. Her heart was just so big and she really, genuinely cared and he went from smitten to head over heels for her. He really needed to make a move sooner than later. He just needed the right moment. He couldn’t let her slip through his fingers because he was too afraid. Maybe tomorrow when she came over to his house. When they wouldn’t have everyone staring at them, she seemed to be such a private person, he doubted she would be up to being asked out in the middle of Pizza Hut in front of the whole football team, even though part of him wanted to stake a claim to her in front of all of them, especially Luche who hadn’t let up in the slightest and who was giving her every look, smile and compliment and piece of praise he could. And while Luna had accepted it all with grace, it was clear she just didn’t like him like that at least and while she was friendly, civil and polite, she was never more than that and that gave Nyx so much hope. 

[charlottedabookworm]

So, this is that regisson au where absolutely nothing changes until Nyx puts the ring on that y’all convinced me to write. Hope you like it and tell me what you think

“Show yourselves, Kings of Lucis.”

The darkness lit up as, one by one, spectral kings appeared around him. He forced himself as upright as he could manage with a bullet in his chest and gods knew how many broken bones – refusing to have this conversation while flat on the ground.

This wasn’t exactly how he’d wanted to meet his ancestors, but he’d make do.

(Though, to be fair, Nyx would have preferred to have never have had to meet them at all. From what Nyx knew, the majority of his ancestors on both sides of the family were complete dicks)

He looked around curiously as the Lucii spoke, telling himself that he wasn’t looking for Regis – for the man who had been his king, who he had been forced to watch die, who had been his—

No, Nyx wasn’t looking for Regis.

“How long,” he gasped out. “How long will you do nothing whilst Insomnia burns?” Nyx tried to force himself to his feet – the Lucii might be spectral giants but Nyx had always felt better about arguing with powerful beings who could easily kill him when he could stand – but ended up doubled over in pain instead. Fucking bullet. Fucking Luche. Fucking traitors. “Old or new, or whatever it is. Summon your wall!” Because what sort of kings were they, that they refused to even defend their city as it was being destroyed, that they would prefer to watch their people die rather than help.

Nyx hated his ancestors.

“You do not command us. Yours is not royal blood.”

And, at that, Nyx blinked. Really. Really? Did they seriously still not know?

So much for being all-fucking-knowing. This entire situation was almost enough to make Nyx laugh, if he wasn’t in so much pain. He hated broken ribs.

“It does not fall to us to guard your city.” Another of the Lucii said and Nyx turned with a look that he hoped portrayed the depths of his scepticism.

Seriously?

“Man is a fool creature, clinging to his past and cowering from his future. Wasting his strength on bygone days.” Yet another of them said, and really what was with all of the leapfrogging? Couldn’t they see that he was dying here? It hurt to have to keep turning to look at whoever decided to speak.

Wow, he thought, staring up at the king with raised eyebrows, bitter much?

“And what future are you wards of?” Nyx forced an elbow beneath him to prop himself up, his voice echoing around him as he questioned these so-called kings who preferred to stand back and do nothing.

Nyx decided that he really fucking hated his ancestors.

“So short-sighted. And cursed to never rise above it.” That was the Mystic, he was sure of it, and it made him want to snarl.

Nyx didn’t need to listen to that from him of all people.

“Wait.” A new figure called out and Nyx froze at a voice that he knew well, the voice of a man that he’d watched die mere hours ago (was it hours, it had seemed like it but now Nyx wasn’t sure). “I have seen what this brave soul is prepared to do.” King Regis, Nyx’s—The King said. “He, too, seeks to safeguard the future.”

“Your Majesty,” he whispered, holding back everything else that he wanted to say by sheer force of will.

Here and now, having watched the man in front of him be murdered by someone who Nyx had trusted, Nyx regretted. He’d never spoken to the King because he didn’t know how, because he’d feared being rejected, because he’d tried to convince himself that he didn’t need or want a… He’d never spoken up because he’d thought he had more time.

Nyx laughed silently at himself. He always thought that he had more time than he actually did, and he never managed to say what he needed to to those that he cared for before it was too late. He was just cursed that way, he guessed.

“Very well, young king. We will weigh your warrior’s worth. But our boon does not come cheap. The cost is a life. His or hers.”

The world itself was still faded away, but Libs and the Princess both sharpened into focus – frozen in the same moment that Nyx had last seen them – and he refused.

“No.” He wanted to scream, but he was so tired. Nyx took a moment just to breathe, drawing on his reserves and pushing the pain from his mind – he was dying anyway, it wouldn’t matter in the long run. “To hell with your power!” He yelled. “I’m not here for it.” Nyx didn’t want the Lucii’s accursed power, wanted nothing to do with the abilities that had been granted to them by Bahamut.

Nyx would reveal himself to be what he was before he did that.

“I only came to tell you,” he said, starting to laugh, his eyes bright with mirth. “You are no kings.” And he laughed, and he laughed, and he laughed.

Nyx couldn’t breathe, and his ribs were killing him – or maybe that was the bullet – but he still couldn’t stop.

He didn’t even know what it was that he found so funny, just that right now it was either laugh or cry and he refused to cry in front of these kings.

“Your worth has been weighed and found wanting.” The Mystic thundered, but still, Nyx couldn’t stop.

Just, the sheer irony.

The irony of this man, who usurped his throne and murdered his own brother at another’s behest, calling him unworthy. Nyx couldn’t even be offended, the mere idea of it was hilarious.

“Now, burn.” Somnus Lucis Caelum ordered, and pain flooded through him like a tidal wave, yet still, he continued to laugh.

Rolling onto his back, Nyx tipped his head back and laughed even as his hand burned. “Unworthy, am I?” He asked between gasps for breath. “Not of royal blood, am I?”

Nyx shook his head, tilting his body so that he could look directly up at the supposed Founder King of Lucis. “Are you really so unable to recognise one of your own line, Great-Grandfather?”

Silence.

His hand stopped burning, the flames gone, and Nyx continued laughing.

“What?”

“I asked you, o’ false king, if you were really so senile so as to not notice one of your own blood.” He gasped out between laughs.

“You mean to barter for your life.”

“No,” he shook his head again, his laughter finally silencing. “No, old man, my life is my own. If and how I die matters not, at this point. I merely wish to speak with the man who sired me.”

And, with that, Nyx let his magic – already boiling under his skin, begging to be used – rise to the surface and stain his eyes green, proclaiming his heritage to all who could sense it.

“Sir Ulric. Nyx…”

He turned his head to look at the figure who spoke, propping himself up once more with what little energy he had left. “King Regis.”

Father, Nyx didn’t say, because his use of that title depended fully on the other man’s decision. Nyx had known of Regis his entire life, had always known of his heritage – even if he’d sworn off of it entirely for a short period of time while young, after learning the truth of the Mystic, and even if he had done his best to keep it hidden from the Lucians – but Regis had just had a second child dumped on him, shortly after his own death, and one that he might not even want in any case.

This, any of it, all of it, was up to Regis.

“Why did you not say anything?” Regis seemed almost sad, or maybe Nyx was just imagining things that he wanted to see.

Nyx shrugged. “It wasn’t my place, your majesty.” He said with a small, sad smile, trying to meet his sires’ eyes behind the new helm. “Besides, I’m just a bastard-”

“You are my son.” The king interjected vehemently. “The circumstances of your birth change nothing.”

He paused, stunned, and blinked slowly. That- that was actually a far better reaction then he had ever dared hope, and even if it was only due to the fact that the man had died, Nyx still couldn’t help but wish…

Shaking his head to dislodge thoughts of could-have-beens, Nyx smiled again, brighter this time but still sad. “I think, your majesty, that I would have liked you as a father.” He dropped his eyes. “I’m sorry…” He trailed off, not quite certain what he was apologising for.

Not trusting the man enough to tell him years ago, maybe. Or not giving them the opportunity to have a relationship as father and son, instead of a King and his glaive.

Or even letting him die, doing nothing but watching as Glauca killed him.

Or maybe it was all of that and more. Maybe it was everything – every missed opportunity, every never-had conversation, every lost chance.

Yeah. Yeah, everything – that seemed about right.

Nyx was just. He was sorry.

Wasn’t all that different from his ancestors in the end, after all, was he?

Regis shook his head, attracting his attention and drawing him out of his thoughts. “No, Nyx, it is I who is sorry. I am sorry that you never felt as though you could tell me.” Nyx went to interrupt, only to fall silent at the look that the King gave him. “Know that I love you and that I am proud of you, Nyx. And tell Noctis that the same is true of him, when you see him once more.”

“Good luck and Godspeed, my son.”

And then, before Nyx could say anything in response, the world flared back into focus and Nyx reacted – tossing Drau-Glauca aside with lightning that came as much from his own magic as it did from that of the ring.

He glanced down at the ring that twinkled on his finger and pulled it off, rolling it in the palm of his hand. “Thank you, father.” He said quietly, clenching his fist around the ring momentarily.

“Nyx?” A familiar voice asked, and Nyx turned to look at his oldest friend and brother.

“Hey, hero, have I got a story for you…”