#but you are also a knight and that means throwing yourself into danger at a moments notice

[biterflies]

my dnd session tomorrow is gonna be funny because im pulling an all nighter to get stuff done (not dnd related im just bad at time management ) so im either gonna be zoning the fuck out and not have a clue whats happening or im gonna be the most choatic bitch because if you know anything about me its that when i get tired i can get fucking incoherent

[muzansfangs]

Heh... Gonna send a thirst here of course for my baby girl ge- Sukuna, I love sukuna, I know he's bad I know he's killed millions of people, but come on guys, he's just a girl, he's just a silly little girl that may or may not have traumatized millions if not billions, I can honestly picture sukuna being a person too man handle his Beloved a lot, like picking them up by the back of their shirt maybe throwing them over his shoulder when he's bored or just wants them around, also I can definitely see him sitting his beloved on his shoulder while fighting others, because he knows they won't get hurt, not when he's around, also I know damn well he has two (≧∇≦)/

Handling his girl.

Starring: Ryomen Sukuna x f!reader;

Format: drabble;

Warnings: nsfw, language, manhandling the partner, bruises, creampie, hint to double penetration, Sukuna has two cocks, kind of yandere behavior, red flag, slightly controlling tendecies, if you squint objectification;

Plot: Basically, this is Ryomen Sukuna dealing with the girl who sticks around with him.

﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏﹏

Sukuna. Ryomen Sukuna. Massive body, giant menace terrorizing every human being and curse existing, a brute, a man who often showed up at your door reassuring you that the dried blood on his skin was not his. Crimson bloodshot eyes capable to stay vivid in the memory of his victims, he terrorized everyone around him, probably even purposefully. However, not you. He had no interest to scare you away.

You piqued his curiosity, you could not leave his side.

There were very few selected people that had impressed him in his long life and you were certainly one of them. Congratulations, honey. Or, as sorcerers would say, ‘sincere condolences’. Your beauty whetted his appetites, without the shadow of a doubt, but what had always kept him around you was the fact you were, in terms of stature and weight, the equivalent of a small kitten to an elephant. No matter how tall and strong you were, you would have always looked small to his eyes.

If you expected him to be a knight in a shiny armor, hopping down from his white purebred, you were oh so wrong. The fact that he was, as a matter of fact, the person you were dating, did not mean he was going to reserve you a special treatment. Your head was still secured over your shoulders, of course, but he was born to yank you towards him roughly, to haul you over his shoudler whilst walking, or if you needed to distance yourself from a possible dangerous situation.

He did not want you to get hurt. A broken toy was not fun after all, was it?

He always came up with the perfect excuses to unceremoniously grip you by your hips and hoist you over his broad, tattooed shoulders.

“Your legs are too little to run for miles. You’d end up dead”.

Clinging onto him for dear life, feet kicking the air, you were often silenced by harsh spanks making you jolt forwards, stomach flexing as you recoiled like a hedgehog. How dare you being a pest? He was involved in the middle of a serious conversation with a man he was going to dismember. Woman, what exactly were you doing?

And what was that? Were you really trying to run away from him after a silly argument? If you did not change your mind and came back to him, apologetically hugging his knees, you were met with a leash and collar. He did not particularly like the idea of having you trail behind him like a lapdog. He was so used to have you sitting comfortably over his shoulder that he had startedd calling you his little ‘parakeet’.

All of his manhandling left bruises on you. He never apologized, after all he did not beat you up. Those were the effects of being simply gripped too harshly by his huge hands to tug you back against his chest… Or what came along by sexually satisfying the King of Curses.

Mindblowing sex that left you sore for, at least, a couple of days. Your muscles were on fire, you core enduring that dull pain that lingered over the area after rough sessions. The sadist man you were involved with loved having you ride him to exhaustion.

“Jump on it. Come on, take it all. I know you can. Yeah, look at this greedy pussy sucking me in, tsk. Be good and I’ll give you the second one too” he cooed, grasping your chin roughly as you struggled to move up and down his length.

And, when he told you he was going to give you the second one, you always left the room limping around. Wrecked, you were in a desperate need of a bath. Being folded in half, stuffed full, sticky, you knew your life was not easy. Still, you were probably the closest thing to a ‘friend’ and ‘girlfriend’ he had ever had.

This was how he handled you.

AUTHOR NOTE.

Hello there! Not a big fan of Sukuna, but I believe this little shit is kind of fun to write for! I hope you liked this small thirst. See you in the next ones! Likes, comments and reposts are greatly appreciated!💫

Luce

[sp0o0kylights]

Part Six / Part Seven (YOU ARE HERE) / Part Eight

A03

If the odd, small sounding Steve had been a weird pill to swallow, then the loudly swearing, furious one might as well have been a different person.

Worse?

He wanted Gareth and Eddie to stay behind.

“You are not going to the lab by yourself.” Eddie deadpanned, blocking the door while Steve acted like an agitated snake in front of it.

“You don’t understand.” Steve hissed, weaving back and forth on his feet, like he was trying to find a way out without bowling Eddie over.

Or breaking a window.

“Then help us understand!” Eddie shot back, throwing his hands up. 

Which was just the crux of the issue--because Steve seemed fine to talk about the lab being a horrible place, but kept refusing to answer why.

“You don’t have to tell us the full thing man, but give us something.” Gareth pleaded, hoping it didn’t come off as desperate as he felt.

Not his fault Steve was setting off his own anxiety.

The jock stepped back, running a hand through his hair and making a mess of it.

"I don't have the time." He stressed, anger, worry and pure fear mixing together in his tone.

In a mutter he added; "You wouldn't believe me anyways."

Tentatively, Gareth reached out, putting a hand on Steve’s shoulder.

For the first time since they’d known each other, Steve didn’t react to being touched.

"Eddie and I are gonna go no matter what. So you can either give us a heads up now, or you can be mad at us later when we just follow you anyway.” Gareth said, a hell of a lot calmer than he felt.

Steve had turned partly to glare at him, but seemed to at least let the words sink in. To get through that no, really, they were going, and all this arguing was just wasting time. 

Not that Gareth trusted it. 

"I don't want you guys getting hurt." Steve burst out, and it looked like it cost him to admit even that much.

Like it was inevitable and all this was a Hail Mary attempt to keep them from that future.

Eddie seemed to pick up on it too, because he caught Steve's gaze and held it. "You're a part of Hellfire now. If you were in that lab, we'd be all coming for you. Not one of us--all of us.”

He followed it up by invading Steve’s space, jamming a finger into the jock's chest.

“I don’t know why you think we’d be okay with you getting hurt." Eddie stared hard at him, voice as serious as Gareth had ever heard it. “You’re our friend, too Steve. We’re not abandoning Tiff and the rest of the Scooby Doo gang, and we're also not letting you do something that has you this freaked out, alone.”

Which is what this all seemed to keep coming down to. How Steve was willing to throw himself at problems, how he kept wanting to handle his own issues, while trying to manage everyone else so that he was the only target.

The only person in the know, the only one in the line of fire. 

Like he was a burden instead of a person. 

Gareth kept wondering how the hell that had happened. If this had been anyone else he would have written it off as some macho bullshit, but Steve wasn't like that. He'd didn't need to be the one white knight. 

The fear he spoke with had always been too real, for that. 

It wasn't like they--or at least, Eddie and himself, hadn't picked up that something was happening, either. Something big. 

Given the weird, hushed conversations Steve kept have with Nancy, and Jonathan and even the kids sometimes…

Once, just once, Gareth had seen Steve talk to the Chief of Police. The asshole had looked awkward as hell, giving Steve a few pats to his shoulder, and Steve looking equally as awkward, leaning into it--but they looked like two people who'd gone through the same shit and now were stuck together. Not a police officer giving a warning to a teenager. Not even a family friend catching up. 

Something was up in Hawkins and now wasn't the time to dog Steve about it, but Gareth still wished he'd give them a hint. 

A tidbit, a morsel, of what the fuck had him so riled up.

“And if all this means our friends are in danger, then we're absolutely going too.” Eddie continued, nearly nose to nose with Steve.

Steve put his hands on his hips, frustration written all over his face--but he didn’t step away. "I don't think you'd be okay with it, it's just-- I'm just--already involved! This is how it’s been."

As if that wasn’t fucking alarming.

"And now, so are we.” Eddie threw back, pointing at the phone. "It’d help if you at least told us what to watch out for, but if not then we need to stop arguing so we can go help.”

That definitely got through.

Steve tapped a foot, blowing out a breath and overall acted as if Gareth and Eddie were the ones being unreasonable here.

(Or a pissed off single mother of six, not that Gareth was voicing that image.)

"Fine." He snapped finally, pinching the bridge of his nose and backing away from Eddie. “Fine! But you listen to me when we get out there, and if I tell you two to run, I need you to trust me and run.”

A grin tried to blast across Eddie’s face, the smug one he wore when he won and he knew it, but he covered it up before Steve saw.

Gareth doubted it’d take much to slide Steve right back into trying to keep them at the trailer, or straight up pull some dirty ass move to force it.

(He belatedly wondered if he should worry about Steve trying to stab one of Eddie’s tires out, but didn’t think the older teen would go that far.

Not yet, anyway.)

"I wasn't kidding when I said you wouldn't believe me." Steve spoke over his shoulder, blowing through the door the second Eddie got out of the way, marching down the steps to his Beemer. "But let’s just say that lab did a lot worse than create shit like rabid dogs, and a few of their creations might still be there. Grab a weapon!"

“I thought there wasn’t any rabid dogs!” Gareth protested at the same time Eddie said;

"So the cops can get us on felony charges? What is trespassing not enough for you?"

Eddie shook his head, following Steve down to the gravel. "No thanks, man!"

“I never said their weren't rabid dogs at all, I said--wait, who told you that?” Steve asked, trying to turn and face Gareth but Eddie simply pushed him forward, kept him moving.

“They’ve waited for us long enough.” He whispered lowly, as Gareth scrambled about for something to use.

Managed to fetch the fire poker he knew Wayne kept around to scare away coyotes, or rival drug dealers, or anything else wandering about.

If Steve said bring a weapon, he'd bring a damn weapon.

Felony charges or not.

"The cops won't charge us. Not as long as Hopper’s the one who gets there first.” Steve said and the desperation in his voice had faded a little, revealing something hard and self-assured underneath.

Not cocky, but with the strength Hellfire had when approaching a boss or baddie they had conquered once before and were familiar with. 

"And if El's involved? He will get there first." Steve said firmly, whipping the backdoor of his car open and yanking a bag out.

A bag that had muffled squawking coming out of it.

Steve snatched a walkie talkie out from it, interrupting a stream of high pitched, upset nonsense coming out the tinny speakers.

Gareth caught someone half asking, half yelling if "-literally anyone could pick up!" before Steve hit the talk button.

"What's happening!?" He demanded, as he slammed the car door and stormed to the trunk.

"Steve!" Several voices yelled at once, the speakers shrieking in static feedback.

One beat out the others, as its owner screeched into the walkie in a tone that only children under fourteen and small dogs seemed to be capable of. "Where the hell have you been!? We called a code red an hour ago!"

"Bitch later Henderson, explain now." Steve commanded, picking out a bat with fucking house nails hammered into it.

Several of which were stained a rusted, blood-red.

Eddie stopped dead in his tracks, eyeing Steve with his mouth ajar as the nails gleamed lazily in his porchlights. 

Gareth couldn't blame him; his own heart had just picked up speed.

Steve gave the bat two experimental twirls, flipping it easily in his hand, before he seemed satisfied. Both the weapon and the movement worked together, elevating Steve into something straight out of the fantasy novels Hellfire traded around.

Like a fucking paladin come to life.

Gareth felt his breath hitch at the way it highlighted the guy's biceps, already on display since Steve had shoved his sleeves up. The movement was so smooth and well practiced that it was clear this was his weapon of choice--and that he’d definitely used it before.

Gareth wasn't even attracted to Steve Harrington, but one couldn't be blamed for having eyes.

"Mike insisted he saw lights on at the lab, and Will thought he might have felt something--" Henderson started, before being abruptly interrupted by someone on his end.

"He did feel something, Dustin!"

"Shut up, I'm talking to Steve!”

"Stop arguing and give me the short version. You're all in the lab?" Steve cut in.

‘It should be illegal to sound that annoyed while moving like that.’ Gareth thought idly, as Steve dropped the bat to the ground, then propped it up against his car.

He waved Eddie and Gareth over, one hand going to cover the walkie talkie’s speakers as it spat static. ‘Pick one.’ He mouthed, in the exact same way Gareth’s mom did when she was trying to talk to him and someone on the phone at the same time.

With a short glance at each other, they went.

"--we got to the lab and El and Max were already here--" Dustin tried again, and once again was talked over, making the conversation extremely hard to follow.

Kids, God.

"-You told us to meet you here-"

"-and there were these older kids running around-'

"-excuse you, tiny bratling, we are not kids-"

"Was that Grant?" Gareth found himself asking, as Steve waved a hand above his open trunk distractedly, like a vendor showing off wares.

Except instead of trinkets, it held a gun, a knife and a fucking candlestick.

The latter of which sported another suspicious red stain.

There was a second explosion of noise, and what sounded like multiple walkie's being fought over before a young, female voice came on, its owner having apparently won the tug of war.

"The idiots thought they saw something but it turned out to just be some teenagers breaking into the lab for fun." She scoffed, and sounded suspiciously like a Tiff Jr.

It took a second, but Gareth finally placed the voice to the redheaded girl--the one who rolled her eyes a lot.

"The wall and part of the floor collapsed, some guy fell through a hole into a locked room and El thinks the collapse wasn't an accident." The words were spoken rapid fire, like a front line soldier relaying information. "She and Will both feel something."

Eddie picked up the knife while Gareth simply held up his fire poker.

Steve nodded to them, and closed the trunk.

"Can you all get out of there safely?" He asked.

"El thinks if we leave, the--thing here will attack the guy that's stuck."

'Thing' Gareth mouthed to himself.

Not a person.

Not a dog, or bear, or--anything else.

A thing.

"Fuck." Steve spat, taking his hand off the talk button so no one on the other side heard.

"She and Will aren't sure what it is yet but they're thinking it's from the Upside Down."

After a brief pause wherein someone could be heard shouting in the distance, she sarcastically added; "Honestly I'm happy to leave the guy that's stuck here, he's really annoying--"

"No sacrificing Stewart!" Steve snapped instantly, and despite all the swearing and dramatics, having contact with the kids seemed to ease something in him.

His movements were no longer frantic, back and shoulders looser.

Even the way he talked seemed to unclench, like he'd been told the worst had come and now that it was finally here, he could deal with it.

"If you're sure, because I'm pretty sure Billy is gonna start looking for me soon." Max argued.

Steve groaned. "I'll handle him if he shows up."

For the first time since Steve had picked up the walkie, silence descended.

Gareth wasn't exactly an expert in such things, but it felt judgmental.

"Are you gonna handle it like the last time you handled it? Cause we don't have anything to knock him out with and I don't know if your head can--"

"Thank you Max, but I can deal with him." Steve cut in immediately, face flaming and yeah, they were definitely out of whatever protective crazy mode Steve had started off in. "This time I have my bat and backup. So unless your brother has taken to carrying stacks of plates around, I think I'll be fine!"

"Step brother." Max corrected immediately, huffing.

Then in a slightly quieter voice, she added: "Hey Steve? Get here fast."

"I'm coming. Steve over and out." He said firmly, like an older brother reassuring a younger sibling.

How the hell the guy had ever managed to appear like a heartless asshole was beyond Gareth.

Apparently it was beyond Eddie too because the guy was practically drooling with heart eyes in Steve's direction.

The kids signed off, before quiet, blessedly descended.

"Can I ask one question?" Gareth asked, as Steve cursed at the finally silent walkie talkie.

Steve stopped, entire chest heaving in a sigh.

"Yeah, one." He said, as though even that cost him a lot.

Out of the corner of his eye Gareth watched Eddie shake himself to awareness, and then try to flip the knife with the same move Steve used on the bat's handle.

He fumbled it immediately, chasing the blade as it clattered to the ground.

"Why a candlestick?" Gareth asked quickly, before Steve turned and witnessed Eddie's awkward, scrambling retrieval.

"Jonathan tends to grab the weirdest shit as a weapon." Steve responded. "He's used a trophy, multiple chairs, a lamp," he made an etc. all gesture, as if any of that actually explained things instead of causing about ten more questions.

"The candlestick actually worked pretty well so I kept it." He finished.

"Jonathan Byers?" Eddie said, holding the knife once more and clearly pretending he'd never tried to copy Steve. "How very Cluedo of him."

Steve frowned, nose scrunching in confusion. "Cluedo?"

"He means the game Clue. It's called Cluedo in Europe, Eddie's just a tabletop snob." Gareth rambled anxiously, because throwing Jonathan Byers wielding a candlestick into the mix was just the icing on top of the weird cake.

Part of him wondered if it would be rude if he asked Steve to spin the bat again, while the other part vaguely wondered if any of this was actually happening.

Maybe Eddie had accidentally laced the pot with a hallucinogenic.

(Frankly he wasn't sure how he'd have missed the addition of extra drugs, but hey; you couldn't say that made any more sense than Steve Harrington, small town golden boy, parading around with a fucking bat with nails in it, using a walkie talkie to speak to children about how a thing might try to attack one of their friends.)

The kid’s involvement at least, made a little bit of sense.

They were young but they weren't that young--and they also weren't as quiet as they thought they were.

Particularly not when they were riled up at the arcade.

Gareth knew the lot of them thought one of the girls had superpowers. He also knew they often pretended Will Byers, the kid who'd gone missing, had spent some time acting as a "spy" for whatever evil they all pretended to be battling.

He'd mostly assumed it was a D&D-slash- LARP kind of thing, or even just traumatized kids playing pretend to cope with what had happened, but now?

"I might have lied about just having one question." Gareth admitted as Steve picked up his bat.

"I'll explain some of it later, after we get them out." Steve said, as if Gareth might actually trust him to do so after doing his damndest to dodge giving an explanation. 

"Lead on, Sir Harrington." Eddie said before Gareth could say just that, like the lovestruck idiot he was. "We're going to need both cars to carry our wayward friends home, so Gareth and I will follow your lead."

Eddie spun his keys around his fingers, and given the smirk on his face, Gareth would bet money he was hoping it looked as cool as Steve's bat handling.

It didn't.

"Provided you promise to try not to lose us, because I've lived here all my life, I know where the lab is." He finished, and somehow managed to make the words sound fun and not the blatant warning it was.

Steve nodded once, hard. "Alright. Stay close to my car, and flash your high beams twice if you run into any problems--or see like, people in suites."

"People in suites?" Eddie asked, the knife still clutched awkwardly in his hand.

"Government agent kinda dudes, they're easy to spot." Steve said, like he was cautioning them to look out for deer darting across the road. "They usually look like they shouldn't be wherever they are."

"Alright." Gareth said, before his brain could come up with a list of questions regarding that.

Steve slung himself into the front seat of his car, Gareth claiming shotgun in Eddie's van shortly thereafter.

They waited to let Steve out first, and then stayed right on his tail as Steve promptly broke multiple laws to get to the lab.

"So this is all ominous as hell, right?" Eddie said, metal music pouring from the vans speakers and eyes on the taillights of the beamer.

"Oh dude, incredibly ominous. There was blood on that candlestick. " Gareth said, still in disbelief.

Whose candlestick had that even belonged to, originally? At what point in all this had Steve decided to hammer nails into a baseball bat?

Nevermind the weapon he was trying not to think about in the trunk of Steve’s car.

The gun.

Gareth knew instinctively why neither of them had gone for it. Eddie's father had drilled into him that the extra charge for carrying was never worth it and Gareth's own father had a firm "if you point it then you might as well have used it" mentality.

Steve didn't look like the kind of person to handle killing someone well himself, and yet the gun remained, locked up in the back of his trunk.

An option he'd offered to both Eddie and Gareth without bothering to fully fill them in.

"Blood on the bat too." Eddie said, dragging Gareth's attention back to the present.

Which at least, gave Gareth an opening for familiar ground. "I'm surprised you noticed that, given you looked like you lost all the blood in your head when he started swinging it around."

"Shut up." Eddie grumped, and though normally Gareth would tease him more, he found he just...couldn't. 

Not right now.

"I'm more worried that they all kept calling whatever the thing was…well. A thing." He said, because God was it bothering him. “I mean I guess it could be an animal still but the way they were talking about it…” He trailed off, uncomfortable.

"Personally I'm hoping for monsters." Eddie said.

Gareth turned to shoot him a look. "Seriously Ed’s?"

"Mmm. Because if it's not monsters Gareth, it's humans," Eddie tapped the steering wheel in time with Metallica's For Whom the Bell Tolls. "and humans scare me more than anything."

 Gareth leaned back, letting the seat absorb him, his own eyes sticking to the back of Steve's head. "I guess." 

Not that he wanted to deal with either.

Best case scenario in all this?

Everyone got out safely, and they drilled Steve into what the hell had happened to him, later.

Not that life was ever that simple.

xXx

Tiff met them outside the lab.

The place was desolate. Abandoned with the kind of tell-tale signs that boldly stated something awful had happened there.

Papers and a chair were still left in the guard shack and a phone dangling off the hook completing the look. The lab itself was dotted with broken windows, the corresponding shattered glass glittering all over the ground.

All it was missing was some lightning and it would be a great location for a slasher film.

One set of odd, claw-like marks on the ground later, right near where they all parked, and Gareth abruptly decided he'd rather focus on Tiffany rather than follow that thought more. 

Her arms were crossed tightly over her chest, her expression annoyed, but the dead giveaway to her freaked out status was the way she couldn't seem to stop moving. Not even after they’d gotten out of their respective cars and started towards her.

Gareth hadn't seen her this bad since the day she temporarily lost her SAT guide.

It didn't bode well for the adventure ahead.

"Finally." She complained as the trio approached. "Did you three stop for milkshakes on the way!?"

"Traffic Tiff, you know how it is." Eddie said with an easy smile and a wave of his hand.

She simply gave a pointed look at her watch before glaring back at them.

"Steve!" Someone yelled, and Dustin promptly launched out of some corner at the older teen, babbling a mile a minute.

“Slow down, God!” Steve interrupted, doing a clear head to toe sweep of the kid. “You okay? Everyone good? Nobody dead?”

“Not yet!” Dustin said chipperly, which caused Steve to swat at his hat.

“Are you okay?” Gareth asked Tiff, as Steve and Dustin began talking rapid-fire, in the kind of way that spoke of past events and made little to no sense to anyone not in the loop.

"Yeah." Tiff nodded stiffly. “Would have been a lot happier if Stewart had listened to me for once, but.” She shrugged, her version of ‘it is what it is.’

Eddie reached out, squeezing her shoulder gently. “Is everyone else in the lab?” He asked, peering about.

He got another nod. “The room the idiot’s stuck in is just up the stairs and down the hall a bit. I’m amazed he didn’t get hurt, he fell through the ceiling.” She shook her head, clearly worried and trying her best not to show it. “Everyone’s kind of been wandering between there and here, but the random children who showed up are insisting we all walk around in groups.”

She turned to eye Dustin, before looking towards the entryway to the lab.

“Probably a good thing given the wall collapsed, but they all think there’s some,” She huffed, arms shrugging helplessly. “monster lurking about.”

Gareth stared at the lab entrance for a moment, once again taking in random stains and smears that were all around them. Spotted a few more of those weird, elongated claw marks raking down the stairs, spread more like fingers than anything else, and the group of them that surrounded a suspiciously large stain in the entryway. 

“What made you guys want to explore the lab tonight anyway? It’s Thursday.” Eddie asked. 

This earned him a more animated eye roll.

“Would you believe me if I told you I owed Jeff a favor, and he owed Grant a favor, and Grant got into it with Stewart over whether or not the lab had glowing goo hiding inside?"

“Glowing goo?” Eddie and Gareth echoed as one.

“Like what Mikey the bartender was saying last time he was drunk? The whole thing with that weird green goo that fell out of some truck?” Gareth asked, and it wasn’t the stupidest thing that had riled up Stewart and Grant but by God was it up there.

Tiff sighed a second time, sounding pained. “Yeah. That goo. Stewart kept insisting Mikey got a “hot tip” that some military guys knew it was here,” Her fingers came up to make the quotation marks, somehow managing to make the movement sarcastic. “and wanted it moved over to that new mall they’re building. Starcourt.”

“So Stewart had to come see it.” Eddie finished, as if he wouldn’t have also been dying to go get a look.

Frankly, Gareth himself was slightly annoyed he and Eddie hadn’t been called upon as it were.

“Mikey also apparently believes something else wants the goo and chased the military guys who were here out of the building. That part must be going around, because the kids here are pretty insistent there’s a monster inside.” Tiffany added, waving a hand towards Dustin.

Eddie made a move to slung his arm over her shoulder, giving her a full body squeeze before letting her go.

Tiff allowed it, and for the briefest of seconds, even seemed to lean in.

“Hello Steve, nice murder weapon.” She greeted loudly, entirely unphased by the nail bat in his hands as Hellfire’s jock and his favorite small annoyance stepped up to them. “Having met your children, I have to say, your parenting skills are utter shit.”

Dustin frowned up at her, instantly offended. “Steve’s our friend.” He corrected, angrily emphasizing ‘friend,’ right over the top of Steve’s loud protest of;

“It’s not a murder weapon, jeez!”

“If anyone is lacking in skills it’s your little group’s!” Dustin cut in, waving a hand around. “Not one of you was prepared for breaking into the lab! No weapons, no back up, you’re the only one who even had quarters and one of you isn’t even wearing a jacket. If we hadn’t shown up you guys would have been in some real shit!”

Tiff stared flatly down at Dustin, ignoring Steve entirely. “Sure, pipsqueak."

“What are you guys even doing here?” Steve asked, before Dustin could fuss more.

“Glowing goo, apparently.” Eddie answered, moving with him.

Tiffany took the hint, starting to walk towards the stairs as Dustin trotted forward next to her, clearly intending to “lead” just as much as she was.

Gareth watched from the corner of his eyes as Steve automatically stepped to Dustin’s right, making sure the kid was surrounded on all sides.

‘Fuckin’ softie.’ He thought fondly, even as he gripped the fire poker he held in his hand tighter.

Eddie had managed to stow the knife away, making it vanish somewhere among his jacket and Judas Priest shirt, so it was just him and Steve looking like lunatics.

Thankfully, Tiff had spared Gareth her opinion on the fire poker. 

“Goo?” Steve asked, and unlike the rest of them, he sounded downright alarmed.

“So there’s this bartender at the Hideout.” Eddie started, launching into the story with a lot more pizzazz than Gareth thought it really required. He and Tiff traded glances, and Gareth got to see the exact moment Dustin’s eyes caught sight of Eddie and went dinner plate wide.

Gareth would have nudged Tiff, maybe made a joke about how Eddie was gaining a new sheep just by his terminal need to be the loudest person in a room, but a movement on the left caught his gaze.

Gareth stopped, as something unmistakably fleshy slunk back in the shadows, one weirdly shaped paw flashing as something caught the light. 

Fear raked through him, freezing Gareth dead to the spot, hands tightening on his fire poker.

“Hey, guys? He asked, interrupting whatever story Eddie had inevitably gone off of (likely one of the many, many backstories involving Mikey the bartender’s belief in UFOs) “That monster the kids think they saw. What uh, what’s it supposed to look like?”

“Why?” Tiff asked, at the same time Eddie yelled at him to; “Keep up, Gary, god!”

Gareth didn’t answer, instead staring deep into the shadows.

Nothing moved.

‘You’re seeing things.’ He told himself finally. ‘Unless it went through solid fucking wall, you would still be able to see it. You're just stressing yourself out because Steve’s being weird.’

Fuck knows it wouldn’t be the first time he thought he saw something when his anxiety started acting up.

"So Gare, did you bring the fire poker along because of the monster?" Tiff asked, amused, as she briefly dropped back towards him.

Clearly, she'd just been waiting for an opening to tease him about it. 

He flushed scarlet. 

"No!" He spat, hugging the thing closer.

A grin unfurled on Tiff's face, Cheshire-esque.

"I'm serious, Steve told us to bring it!" Gareth insisted, trying to look manly with it.

He knew he failed as badly as Eddie had earlier.

"You know, I'm starting to think Eddie's not the only one gone on our human fighter…" Tiff trailed off, raising one eyebrow, and causing Gareth to flip her off.

Thankfully that train of conversation was interrupted by loud arguing.

“We’re not cats Steve, you can’t just put us outside!” One of the kids was bitching, the group having caught sight of Steve and hustling over.

Jeff was seated on the floor in the hallway, one hand holding up his chin while Grant leaned against the wall next to him, both looking incredibly bored.

Across from them was a door that had looked like it had survived a full-blown seige. Cracks ran throughout the wood, and with the entire center of it bowed inward it was clear why no one could manage to get Stewart out of the room.

It was completely wedged in the frame, with thick enough edges to make it impossible to just pop it out by hand. 

The hoard of gremlins were harder to make out now that they were all clumped together, but Gareth quickly made out their very….unique outfits.

Only the girls had dressed normally, while the boys looking like they either were planning on robbing a train.

Bandana’s over their faces and all.

“Yes, I can actually.” Steve retorted in the exact same bitchy tone. "Tiffany can stay with you guys by the cars while the rest of us figure out how to get Stewart.”

"Thanks for volunteering me." Tiff said flatly, but alas, was ignored by the group at large. 

“Really? So you don’t want El to, you know. Help.” The terminally loud one spat.

“El’s gonna dump your ass if you don’t stop talking for her, Mike.” Steve warned, making the girl puff up proudly while Mike immediately cut a fearful glance to his girlfriend.

“And if El could have helped before, why wait for me to get here?” Steve continued, one hand on his hip, the other resting the nail bat over his shoulder, cutting in before Mike's scrambled apology derailed the conversation.

“I cannot move the door.” El admitted in that sort of flat, blunt way she spoke. “There is something here that is making my powers unstable.”

Steve pointed to her, face morphing into a clear “see?” gesture.

“Now unless Dustin is going to science the door open somehow--and I’m not saying you couldn’t,” Steve spoke the second part quickly, as Dustin’s mouth popped open, “then all of you are going to wait outside. Where the demo-the thing, isn’t.”

Gareth really, really hated how he kept referring to it as a thing.

One of the kids rolled their eyes and muttered; “We literally said we don’t know if it’s a--” and promptly got elbowed in the stomach for it.

Right.

Not suspicious at all.

“But we can help!” Dustin protested furiously.

Gareth wasn't sure if it was because Dustin truly thought he could help, or if it was because he wasn't used to the pushback.

For all that he was an only child, Steve had clearly inherited an older brother's prerogative of letting kids do stupid shit so long as he supervised (and typically, laughed at the outcome.

Gareth still fondly recalled the time Mike declared himself man enough to smoke.

Steve had conned him into chainsmoking outside the arcade until the kid finally threw up in the bushes on his fourth cigarette and declared Steve's smoking habit disgusting.)

“El could help.” Steve countered calmly. “Max probably, if I gave her my bat, but the rest of you are just moving targets. So make like a drum, and beat it.”

"That was lame, Steve." Dustin sniffed, while the other kids groaned loudly. “A real low effort pun.”

Steve just flicked his hand out in a shoo motion before leaning his bat up against the wall.

Jeff stared it before making immediate eye contact with Gareth, every inch of him screaming ‘what the hell!’

With a sigh, and an unfortunate side glance at Tiff, Gareth explained; “It’s for the monster.”

That at least, was easier than explaining Steve knew what was here and was doing his damndest not to tell them what it was.

Even if it made Tiff grin manically in his direction. 

His only relief was that Steve got her attention right after, calling "Heads up!" before tossing her his car keys. 

Because her hand eye coordination was superior to Eddie’s, she caught them easily.

If there's an emergency, get them out." Steve warned, voice just over the edge of too serious, losing the banter he’d kept up since they’d arrived.

"If there's an emergency we're coming back on to save your ass." Dustin snapped back, arms crossed, because of course he was listening.

“No.” Steve told him simply.

“Yes.”

“No, no, no-!”

Tiff let out a sharp whistle, the sound piercing in the echoing hallway.

"Gremlins with me!" She commanded, before catching Steve's eyes over their heads . "You fucking owe me, Harrington."

He nodded, before dropping a glare to the kids. "Just don't let them drive my car."

“God I can’t believe he’s still upset about that, it’s not like we fucked up the Camaro.” Mike complained loudly, allowing himself to be herded back outdoors.

“Max did hit a mailbox.” Lucas retorted, and then yelped a loud; “Ow, Max!” as he was presumably punished for voicing the fact out loud.

Their voices faded slightly as they went down the stairs, and Gareth managed to drag his attention back to the problem at hand.

One very fucked up door.

"Do you think we could kick it down?” Steve asked, as Eddie bent down to examine the door.

Refusing to look anyone in the face, Jeff said; “We may have tried that already.” 

“My darling lambs, you’re approaching this wrong.” Eddie cooed, and got several glares for it.

“The door might be fucked by the hinges here, are not. Looks like all I need is the right screwdriver and lucky for Stewart!--” He yelled his friend's name, banging on the door and no doubt hoping to spook him.

A muffled shout of “Screw you Munson!” was all he got for his efforts.

 “--I have my toolbox in my car.”

“Do I want to know what you have a toolbox for, Ed's?” Steve asked.

“Perfectly legal avenues only, I assure you.” Eddie replied, batting his eyelashes up at Steve innocently.

Grant and Jeff both gagged.

“Would the two of you gentlemen be so kind as to fetch me my box?” Eddie said, pulling out his keys and offering them up to Jeff. “I want to try one more thing. I don’t think it’ll work, but I can test it while you boys are gone.”

“He’s going to try to kick it in himself.” Gareth tattled flatly.

“I am not!” Eddie immediately denied, eyes wide in feigned hurt.

It was fake as shit.

“Let him!” Jeff said over as he got up. “That way I won’t be the only one getting made fun of for doing it!”

A car suddenly honked from outside, startling them all.

“Check that the shitheads aren’t murdering Tiff while you’re out there!” Steve called as Jeff and Grant took off towards the entrance, before moving out of Eddie’s way as he surged upwards.

“It’s more likely she’d be murdering them.” Eddie replied, and sure enough he was backing up like he was going to try and kick the door.

“Do you see how thick that thing is? The indent, here?” Steve sassed, pointing towards the giant dent slightly off center, where the door bowed inwards. “I’m pretty sure Jeff wasn’t the one who did that. These things are built to hold, man.”

“Ah but you’ve seen Jeffery's legs. Our beloved new cleric should stick to punching things, he’s not made for kicking.” Eddie said, tongue peaking out of his mouth as he sized up the door.

An odd, low chittering caught Gareth’s attention, the noise like nails on a chalkboard as the older teens continued to argue. 

“Have you seen yourself?” Steve asked point blank, hip cocked and bitch mode on. “You aren’t either.”

“Don’t be mean, Steven, just because I don’t have jock muscles--”

The chittering got louder, and Gareth found himself taking a few steps away from his friends, in the opposite direction of the stairs as he tried to figure out where the fuck it was coming from. 

A light at the farthest end of the long hallway gave out, barely noticeable. unless one was looking for it. Gareth hadn't even internalized the hallway had lighting, he'd been too busying with everything else--but it did. 

Likely the place had a backup generator, but that didn't explain why the lights in this hallway were on--and now, suddenly, giving out. 

'Maybe the kids did it...?' He thought, still trying to figure out why the chittering sounded like it was getting closer. 

“You’re going to break your leg.”

“Has anyone ever told you that you need to believe in people more Stevie? Have some faith?”

“I have faith that you’re face is about to hit the floor, does that count?”

Another light failed, giving the appearance of the hallway warping. Not all of it, just one weird wall, that seemed to stretch like something was trying to break out. 

"Okay but if I kick the door and it busts in, you owe me ten bucks."

"If you kick the door down not only will I give you ten bucks, Eddie, I'll go see that stupid new movie you won't shut up about with you." 

"Oh we'll be seeing Fright Night with or without my door busting talents--" 

Another light, out, and now Gareth could see a shape taking form. Later he'd swear it had actually, crawled out from the wall.

(Later, he'd find out the Upside Down creatures had a habit of doing that.)

He thought it was a tiger at first.

It has the same overall shape--long body with muscular shoulders, head low as it prowled forward.

Except the tail curled up over its back, hanging like a scorpion’s and its face…

It took a second for Gareth to make sense of what he was seeing.

The huge, oddly shaped bulb, like a flower’s before it unfurled.

Thick liquid drooled out from red tinged edges, dripping onto the floor. It was too far away to hear, but Gareth imagined the little plinks of noise it made anyway.

"Guys." He said, voice pitched impossibly high.

The Not-Tiger stepped further into the light, revealing it to be hairless.

Its skin was flecked red and grotesquely gray, with odd, thick folds of flesh hanging off its sides. Those pieces moved in weird little jerks and flutters, almost like another appendage entirely.

Another step forward, the weird, folded pieces of skin moving out and out and out on either side of it, hitching up in a U shape and oh, God.

They were wings.

'Lion body, scorpion tail, dragon wings.' A far off part of Gareth identified. 'It's missing the human face, but otherwise that's pretty dead on for a--"

"Manticore!" Gareth screamed, right as the things head split open into five petals filled with rows of fangs.

It screamed right back, then lunged at him, claws and teeth and tail all extending to attack.

[jamiedc-they-them]

A Knight in not so Shining Armour

Requested Prompt: I'm BEGGING you for some sort of sweet, fluffy Maximus (fallout) fic because istg he's so forgotten and it makes me so sad because he's such a cutie patootie and arq3hrjdiwkejdnfnfieoej!!!! Just something sweet, like maybe him finding reader in the wasteland, or reader getting caught trying to scavenge his suit?? Tysm 🙏🙏🙏

Note: This one is a bit shorter, and is more of a light-hearted one to fit the prompt. I hope you enjoy anon!

Summary: At deaths door due to poor luck, you find someone who might just help turn it around.

So, because you're you, you've managed to not only have stairs you were on collapse, you've also got your foot caught in it as raiders run after you.

You fire you gun, hitting some but not everyone, before the inevitable gun click occurs. Out of ammo.

In a last ditch effort, you throw it as hard as you can. It actually hits a Raider in the face. You let out a childish 'ha!' at him, only for him to quickly regain his balance and run at you again.

"Oh, for fuck -"

You can never finish your words, as something crashes through a wall and slams into the Raider, tossing him into the air, before grabbing him and slamming him down onto the floor.

Your hear all of this, as you're too busy flaling limbs about trying to get any splinters or dust in your wounds.

"Woo!" you hear in a low, obviously pitched voice, and more movements. You open your eyes, seeing the...well, a brotherhood of steel member dancing????

"HEY!" you cry out. He stops, and stares at you. You clear your throat, calming yourself down, "help, please?"

"Oh..." he says, "sorry."

You lift up your arms, gesturing for him to pick you up. He does so, and its surprisingly gently given the big fuck-off suit he's in. He puts you back down on the floor.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, citizen."

You roll your eyes, before doing some stretches. He just watches you.

"What?"

"Are you from the Brotherhood?"

Another eye roll, "no. Not everyone who does stretches are apart of it."

"Oh..." he seems like genuinley sort of surprised. He even looks around, "was this your house?"

You finish your streches, and start looting the corpses - you can feel the judgmental stare from him - "nope. Though, I don't really think any house is anyone's anymore. Besides," you say, finding some caps on a raider, "this," you say, holding up the single cap, "is not mine. Finders keepers and all that."

He just stares at you again, "oh, don't get all judgy," you say, waving off your 'crime', "you bashed through a wall. If we ever do rebuild the world, I'll make sure you rebuild that wall, personally."

He looks to the broken wall. He looks at the stairs that collapsed, and then back to you, "only if you fix the stairs."

You look to them, then back to him. Funny fucker. You snort.

"Alrighty, then, Mr Knight," you say, holding your hand out, "it's a deal."

He shakes it. You then nod, "I'm guessing this is just like a patrol thing?"

He stands up straighter, as if you sparked something, "oh, no. No," he says to you, "I'm on a mission. I need to get to find someone, to save the world."

You raise an eyebrow, "you're gonna save the world?"

"Yes we - hey!" he says, actually offended.

"Can you lift your foot up for a sec?" he does so, and moves it back, "that, is what used to be, my weapon."

"Oh..." he looks at it, before back to you, "sorry."

You just put your head in your hands, you cannot believe this day so far, "whatever, I'll just find a new one --"

"I can be a weapon," he continues when you don't response, "travelling alone is dangerous. I mean, you got defeated by some stairs -"

"That's not nice," you pout.

You hear what you assume is a laugh, "you handled yourself pretty well," he admits, "but, especially without a weapon, you're not gonna last long."

"Thanks," you say, arms folded with eyebrows raised again.

He gestures for you to follow him. You do, and he goes outside the house.

"I can fly us there."

"Don't know if you noticed pal, but I can't exactly fly."

"Yes you can," he assures, "I'll hold you."

You're at a standstill. Don't get yourself wrong, you're thankful for this help. But this? This is a step too far.

He seems to understand, and his helmet opens. He smiles at you, "look," he says, voice sounding natural, not as deep as before, "I can understand the hesitancy. You've just met me, I've accidentally broken your gun, and that is understandable. But, I promise you I won't hurt you."

You don't really have many options, but he is at least giving one to you. That, and he has literally opened up to you. So, he may have a point.

"Fine," you relent, and move to him as he secures you, "but I swear if I'm sick, I ain't apologising."

His helmet shuts, "understandable," he says, before taking off."

The scream you let out may alert anyone around to you, but maybe he's right. Maybe it is better to travel with someone else.

[life-is-unreal]

Stranger Danger~ {Genshin x reader} Teyvat Chapter 11 - The Angel's Share

*more world building

The confusion and sheer shock when you floated down to the ground nearly made you hide in a bush. 

"The mora's worth it... The mora's worth it." You whispered under your breath. "Ok maybe not." you muttered, flinching as one of the children in the distance gaped at you. The boy's eyes were so large that you would've sworn that they would pop out of their sockets and his mouth was wide enough to fit your fist. 

You smiled awkwardly, almost sprinting away from the kids and to the Angel's share.

"A berry & mint burst please." You winced slightly as pretty much all of the mora that you've scavenged was placed on the table.

"Well aren't you a new face." The bartender, Charles laughed heartily, "Would you like a sample of dandelion wine? It's our top-seller, considering that you're new, you can have it for free." The man poured a small cup, pushing it in front of you, ignoring your frantic waving.

"Th-thanks?"

"One berry & mint burst coming right up!" He slapped down on your shoulder, "Go and talk with the fellows at the back, they're very welcoming to new faces." He placed the drink in front of you, pointing towards the little crowd near the stairs.

You weren't going to lie, but the tavern in real life was biggggg, it was like triple the size of the tavern in game.

"You there!"

"H-huh? Me?" You were going to curse yourself for all the stuttering, like why the hell were you stuttering?

"Aren't you one of the guys that chased Stormterror away a few days ago?"

"Raye! Stop scaring the poor kid." The man was elbowed hardly by one of his mates. "Kiddo, are you even old enough to drink?"

"Uhhhh, what's the drinking age?"

"Eighteen duhhh. Did you seriously order without knowing the drinking age?!"

You looked down at the drink you were given, "Yeahhh, but uh- I am over eighteen."

The man gaped. "I thought that you were like- I dunno sixteen? No offense of course."

"By the way, that drunkard's name is Raye. She's Leila, that's Nelson, and I'm Jace. There's a lot more others here and coming but I can't remember their names on the top of my head. Come on, sit with us."

Jace forcefully pushed you down to one of the chairs, sensing no ill intent you didn't bother pushing him off. "I'm Y/N. Uhhh, I'm new here."

"Yeah, we can see that." Leila rolled her eyes, throwing a hand over your shoulder. "Girlie, lemme guess, you decided to visit the Angel's share for gossip? Or are you here for intel?" She dropped the last bit to a whisper.

Raye smacked her hands off you, "Leila!"

The woman shrugged, "What? That's all what the new faces recently do!"

"That's because they're all fatui diplomats!" He hissed.

"Oh wait. You aren't one of them? My bad guys, my baaaad." She slurred, a blush creeping onto her tanned face. You weren't going to lie, Leila was hella pretty for a drunkard.

"Um, she was right for a point, the deaconess, Barbara did mention that there was gossip in here and since I wanted to get familiar with the city I just came?" You took a sip of the drink, and damn it was good. Whilst the dandelion wine was bitter with a dash of sweetness, the berry and mint burst was refreshing with a burst of fruitiness and had a nice aroma.

"Barbara? Quite surprising that she even listens to all those people that fawn over her. She has a fair share of stalkers, had she not been the sister of the Grandmaster, those dirty rascals would've probably kidnapped her."

"Leila!"

"What? That's the truth."

Raye laughed nervously, "Anyways Y/N, you wanted to listen to goss- I mean the latest news of Mondstadt right?"

Leila blinked, her misty eyes regaining focus, "Oooooh. Did you guys know? One of the knights literally cheated on their wives with another knight? Oh and the guy they cheated with was also a-"

"Leila!" All three of them scrambled to slap a hand over her mouth.

"Uh." You smiled awkwardly.

"Let's- Let's talk about other things how 'bout that." Nelson grinned.

"Uh, uh Y/N, how you settling down? And HOLY SHIT IS THAT A FUCKING SLIME?" Jace screeched, toppling over.

"Oh, I forgot about him. He's Bob, a cryo slime." 

"Yeah, no shit." Leila's were literally gleaming, "Girlie, how the fuck did you tame it- I mean him. That's legit so fucking cool."

"I didn't, he just. Uh, maybe he's a friendly slime?"

Leila raised her brows, "Yeahhhh totalllyyy."

"Um, anyways. I've found a place near the Adventurer's guild and uh, I'm an adventurer but I kinda, need another job-"

"Because they pay shit." Leila finished.

"Yeah."

"Girl, before I was a treasure hoarder I was one of those adventurer's and let me tell you. That job is like. Eugh, it seems high paying but it isn't really worth it especially when there's literally sooooo many adventurers around and inflation's happening because of that stupid dragon. Like they told me that I was too weak for half of the special commissions and quests they hand out. Since you're new you probably don't know those terms." She took a deep breath.

"You see, special commissions are like basic commissions except they pay like wayyyy more depending on the commissioner and how dangerous it is or how complicated it is. Then there's those quests that are uh, well I myself haven't received any but according to my fellow treasure hoarders they are usually super time consuming or are super dangerous. Both of them don't have to be issued by the Adventurer's guild. If you ever receive any by the guild, go to the commissioner because the Adventurer's guild takes a cut as the middle man, I mean they need to make money righttt?"

The woman took another deep gulp of her- vodka?

"Wait, you're a treasure hoarder?!" 

Leila nodded, "Jace is also one. The others are just normal citizens. Don't worry, none of us snitch, no point in it when most of the knights are pretty much useless."

You nodded in agreement, those fucking cowards that landed your ass in prison were probably the most useless of them all.

"You know, if you're reallly in need of mora, you can do some uh, not so legal stuff." Jace added on.

"Like being a treasure hoarder?"

"You can if you want. But you know, most of us treasure hoarders have another job so that the knights won't come knocking on our door going 'WhY dO yOu HaVe MoRa?' , for example, I work in one of the restaurants near the cathedral." 

Leila side eyed him, "How helpful. I'm going to be a good person and tell you actual shit."

She pulled a map out from her sleeve, "You see the map? The red spots on there are where you can make big money. I go to those places when I don't get enough mora to feed my family."

Raye leaned forward, "There's an extra spot near the hotel aye?"

Leila sneered, "Those fatui diplomats created a new place, never knew that fatui take on side jobs. Hell, the knights don't even know that any of these places exist for some reason, and even if they did, they sure did nothing."

"I went to the new place y'know. The jobs there were mainly on gathering intel and random shit. Pretty murky stuff if ya askin me. I can bring you to the red spots in the city if you're interested in making money off things like that. Dangerous? Yeah. Big bucks? Yeah. If you don't wanna risk it, I've also heard that there's a new cafe place opening up near the city gates." Jace tapped on a few red spots that were obviously a bit lighter in colour, so you assumed that the places were highlighted a long time ago.

"You think it's possible for me to get a job in that cafe and another job from the red areas?" You asked. You were it great need of accessible mora but if you didn't have a job to put on the surface, you wouldn't be able to get out the mora you've gotten in game.

Leila nodded, "I can bring you there whenever. I'm free for this entire week, just find me in the bar eh? If for some reason that I'm not here, find Jace. There's loads of scams in those red areas, if Raye or Nelson brings you there you might be stuck working for a contractor that gives nothing."

"Thanks Leila."

The woman nodded, "Leave your glass, Charles will tidy it up."

You stood up. "See ya'll soon then."

"Toodles."

"Bye."

"Nice meetin' ya and the slime."

"May Barbatos be with you."

-.-.-

You chuckled softly, Mondstadt was truly a lot more different in real life than you had expected. Mondstadt definitely would be a breeding ground for murky businesses had it not been for the vision holders and people that actually do their duties. 

"I wonder what the other nations would be like..." If Mondstadt's flaws were this obvious, it's no doubt that the other nations would have much larger potential dangers as Mondstadt is literally the starting ground for all newbie players. 

Liyue shouldn't be dangerous as long as it was in the harbour, but the outside would be unknown. Yes they had the adepti but you wouldn't exactly bet your luck on them. You shuddered at the mere thought of Sumeru and Inazuma. 

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

Teyvat Chapter 12:

https://www.tumblr.com/life-is-unreal/758119839983386624/stranger-danger-genshin-x-reader-chapter-12?source=share

[faulty-writes]

heyyy do you think you can write more knight!iida x princess!reader please 🌺🌺

[ Hello dear anon! *Takes flowers* I can most certainly make more Knight!Tenya x Princess!Reader content. I hope you enjoy it, this was so much fun to write. Since I love Tenya this has a somewhat romantic end to it. The summary is below the banner. ]

[ Summary: The Kingdom of Yuuei has many wonders, but none was more fascinating to you than Tenya Iida, a young knight serving under the royal family. As the Princess, you were far too used to getting what you desired, this included demanding he teach you the ways of swordsmanship. Unfortunately, this training session results in an injured ankle, and he insists on caring for you. ]

You cried out when his sword collided with yours, and your feet desperately dug into the ground to steady yourself. However, this was of no use as Tenya continued to push you back intent on following your orders despite them clashing with his own morals.

As a knight, it was his duty to serve and protect the kingdom, its citizens, and its rulers. This, of course, included you. The fair princess. He had grown to know you well throughout these many years serving the kingdom, and as such, he understood your fierce and yet kind nature.

You were very caring and always did what was within your power to help your citizens. But they did not know of the determined and chaotic side that demanded outrageous and furthermore dangerous requests like him teaching you swordsmanship.

While he agreed that everyone should know the basics of self-defense, it was a knight’s job to ensure that the kingdom was always protected no matter what evil arose to challenge it. Obviously, he couldn’t refuse a command given to him by a member of the royal family.

However, he tried to convince you there was no need to learn how to defend yourself. This is because he vowed to never allow harm to come to you, or so he thought. Unfortunately, you weren’t convinced and refused to listen to his logic and reason.

Eventually, you threatened to throw him into the dungeon if you did not get your way. This would effectively end his knighthood and his goal of becoming Grand Commander as his eldest brother was. So, with some regret, training began.

Despite your swordsmanship skills improving over the past few weeks, Tenya refused to use his full strength against you. This, of course, bothered you given that during training sessions with his fellow knights, he was quick on his feet and defeated them with intense fury.

You wanted fair and equal treatment. Just because you were royal didn’t mean you couldn’t hold your own or at least try to. “Pardon?” he asked, lifting his helmet visor. You crossed your arms and impatiently tapped your foot against the ground.

“As Princess of the Yuuei Kingdom, I order you to use the extension of your strength against me,” you explained with an unhappy scowl. Tenya frowned knowing there was an increased chance of injury if he didn't hold back. However, he was not willing to lose his position nor was he in the mood for another one of your idle threats.

He removed his helmet and knelt down. One hand was pressed against his chest plate, while the other was pressed against the ground to steady himself. “Very well, Your Highness,” he replied, “I shant hold back,” and he was true to his word.

‘Damn it,’ you clenched your jaw. He was like a mountain, unable and unwilling to move. The sun shined down on both of you, causing sweat to drip down your forehead and neck. It also shined off Tenya’s armor which somehow looked new and polished.

However, he was known for taking care of his armor and often spent hours cleaning it. This was because of his insistence that “a knight must always look proper and in accordance with the royal family.” The fact that he was without a helmet was a distraction.

Even with dirt patches coloring his skin and sweat dripping down his face, he was handsome. His hair stuck to his skin, giving him an animalistic appearance. This was only intensified by his glistening red eyes, which were slit in anger and determination.

You briefly looked over your shoulder, noticing that you were inching closer to the end of the training ground marked with wooden poles connected with a sturdy rope. You refused to be thrown over that makeshift fence, despite knowing you were going to lose.

You tightened your grip on your sword and used all your strength to move Tenya’s sword to the side. The sound of metal scraping together echoed through the air and your arms trembled without the weight of the other sword to hold yours up.

The relief you felt only lasted for a few seconds before Tenya brought his arm back and clashed his sword against yours in a sideways swipe. You stumbled back, only to feel your foot get caught on something and pain shoot through your ankle when you hit the ground.

You didn’t see or hear where your sword landed. However, you heard Tenya drop his and immediately kneel by your side. “Princess!” he exclaimed in a panic, angry at himself for following through with your orders despite not having a choice. You groaned, slowly pushing yourself up.

“Are you injured?” he questioned, glancing at your body. Your once white dress was now stained with dirt and your hair was a tangled mess. The tiara that normally rested atop your head was now lying in a patch of grass, some ways from where you had fallen.

“My ankle...hurts” you hissed behind clenched teeth, trying to ignore the pain. “Pardon, but I would favor examining your ankle in order to assess the type of injury or damage that has occurred. This will determine which kind of medical attention you require.”

You glared at him but knew you didn't have the right to be angry because he followed through with your orders. Still, you hadn’t expected to get hurt, at least not like this. You frowned and hesitantly moved your hand away.

“I believe it would be best to remove your shoe, Your Highness,” he suggested. “May I have permission to do so?” he asked, and you frowned in response. Your fingers curled into the dirt beneath you and with a huff, you said, “Fine.” He nodded and grasped your ankle with one hand.

He ensured to keep his grip loose but firm as he took your shoe off with his opposite hand. You winced and pulled your leg back. Although it was a normal reaction to want to get away from the source of pain, he tightened his grip and finished removing your shoe. He then tossed it to the side.

You continued to wince, trembling as more pain coursed through your ankle causing your toes to curl. “Apologies,” he did not wish to cause you more harm but knew it was necessary. You growled in response but said nothing as he lowered your ankle onto his knee.

Each touch of his gloved fingertips brought a small jolt of agony, but you clenched your jaw to silence any further whimpers. “You appear to have some swelling and the skin around your ankle is red indicating possible future bruising,” he explained, making you pout. “Oh good,” you said sarcastically, making him knit his eyebrows.

“Forgive me, Your Highness, ecchymosis is not something one usually finds happiness in as it's bleeding that occurs under the skin due to trauma, and in some cases, can be a rather serious condition.” He was as sincere as ever and somehow it was annoying and endearing at the same time.

You looked at him monotonously. Your eyebrows were lowered, and your lips were pressed out in a thin line. “May I carry you to your bed chamber? I believe that would be the most appropriate place as you are in need of a change of clothes.” You crossed your arms and rolled your eyes.

“After which, I will tend to your injured ankle,” he said before placing his hand on his chest and bowing his head. “Are you saying you want to undress me?” you asked, teasing him. But as usual, your jokes flew over his head or were completely ignored. “Please allow me this honor to redeem the injury I have caused to you.”

Despite the slightest flush washing over your cheeks, you were used to being treated like a flower. People were afraid to touch you in fear of your petals wilting, although this was typical for those lucky or unfortunate enough to be born into royalty.

While Tenya kept this in mind, he was not afraid to touch you or argue with you. This made him different from most of the Kingdom’s population and was one of the reasons you were drawn to him. You spread your arms out so that he can carry you as requested.

He carefully removed your ankle from his knee, laying it gently back on the ground. Then he placed one arm underneath your legs and leaned over. He allowed you to wrap your arms around his neck before placing his opposite arm behind your back.

His armor clinked when he stood up, but he didn’t appear to have trouble lifting you. The sound of his metal boots against the grass brought you comfort, and you stared at him the closer you got to the castle. Like before, you thought he looked handsome.

From his dark, undercut hair to his sharp jawline. “Hm…” you reached up and threaded your fingers through that hair. He tensed up but continued walking and glanced at you. “Please refrain, Your Highness,” he said, making you pout again. While he knew you wouldn't listen, public displays of affection were not permitted.

Especially given the difference in social status between you two. He could feel your glare burning a hole through him and assumed you were unhappy that he had refused your touch. “Knight Iida,” you said, trying to sound as sweet as possible which caught his attention yet again.

He stopped and after a few moments of hesitation, he replied “Yes, Your Highness?” You smiled and threaded your hands through his hair again. This made him frown but he remained still as you had yet to give him an order or tell him what you intended.

Your hand continued brushing through his hair, making him tremble in response. “Your Highness, I am about to resume walking,” he stated. Yet again showing his willingness to disregard certain rules or orders from you such as not moving until told to do so.

“Wait a minute,” you protested, but he ignored you. “Fine,” you replied, grasping the top of his chest plate to pull yourself up and kiss his cheek. Although it tasted of salt, sweat, and dirt. He stopped again, clenching his jaw to avoid shouting your name.

His face was flustered, and he looked at you with wide, yet still angry eyes. You snickered, finding his reaction amusing. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his anger as he knew acting solely on emotions was dangerous. “Please do not do that,” he stated.

His voice deepened and a serious tone accompanied it. “It’s not appropriate behavior for one of royal status to partake in nor is public affection proper social behavior for anyone to display,” he explained. “Why should I care about proper behavior?” you asked, rolling your eyes.

“I’m just thanking my royal knight for everything he does for me,” you said, brushing your fingers along his cheek. “If the King and Queen witnessed their daughter treating one of the lower classes in such an affectionate manner, it would surely cause a problematic situation. I do not believe I would favor that.”

You frowned at his words, feeling both angered and ashamed, not of your actions, but rather of the belief that royals were above others. Everyone should be treated equally, regardless of their social status. You thought Tenya of all people would realize that.

“Mm…” You frowned but chose not to address it further. Instead, you rested your head on his shoulder as he resumed walking. His eyes widened when he saw Tenya carrying you. “I-Iida!” he shouted, running up to him. “Greetings Midoriya,” he stated.

“I was worried when Your H-Highness ran off! The King and Q-Queen were too. Where was she!?” he frantically asked ignoring how you glared at him. Izuku was your valet and assisted you with whatever you needed. You knew he was of the lower class as well.

He had originally wanted to become part of the knighthood as Tenya was. However, he didn’t quite fit the requirements and was given the option of caring for you instead. Some may say that’s more challenging than being a knight.

“I’m afraid that is my own fault. I insisted that I overlook Your Highness’s self-defense training. However, the session ended early due to an injury,” he explained, and worry immediately enveloped Izuku’s features.

“Injury!?” he exclaimed, and you leaned forward, shushing him. “You have the biggest mouth!” you hissed, not wanting the whole damn kingdom to make a fuss just because you hurt your ankle. “Uh, u-um,” he flushed and bowed. “I-I’m sorry, Your Highness, I just um…” He glanced to the side, trying to stop his panicked thoughts.

“I-is there anything you need? I c-can get it for you while you continue to t-tend to the Princess!” he offered, leaning back up and looking at Tenya with determination. It almost saddened him that Izuku hadn’t been considered knight material.

He imagined that if given the chance, he would be a worthy knight. You growled softly, annoyed by Izuku’s words. He was an excellent example of one of the many people who treated you like a flower. He worried about every small scrape and bump you received.

“Thank you, Midoriya,” Tenya replied. “I would favor a wash basin, preferably with warm water if available,” Izuku nodded, continuing to listen. “I believe I will also require two washcloths,” he explained. “R-right!” the green-haired boy replied, you could never fathom why he was so shy around others.

“I’ll b-be back!” he promised and Tenya smiled as he watched him disappear down the hallway. “Can we go to my room now?” you asked flatly. “Yes, Your Highness,” he replied, and a rush of relief came when he opened the door to your bed chamber.

As expected, it was large and spacious. Natural light filled the room thanks to the large windows on the opposite side which were decorated with purple silky drapes. Outside said windows, one could see the beautiful courtyard and flower garden.

The walls were painted white with gold trim. A large white wardrobe with diamond-shaped handles and elegant carvings was next to your bed which was constructed of an equally as elegant bed frame with a large canopy. Much like the wardrobe, it too had carvings.

The only difference was that they resembled flowers, as absurd as that was. The bed itself was covered in silky white and purple sheets and blankets. A mountain of pillows was piled against the headboard, each specially crafted for maximum comfort and arranged in an array of colors.

He carefully sat you down on the edge of your bed and stepped back, the sound of his armor clanking echoed through your room. Once again, he pressed a hand against his chest and kneeled before you. Unlike the many others who bowed at your feet, your heart raced when he did.

Of course, that was understandable considering he was one of the more attractive individuals within your kingdom. “I am going to select another article of clothing for you,” he knew that was normally the job of your lady’s maid, Uraraka Ochako, who happened to be another one of his close friends.

She too was of the lower class and wore patched-up clothing when not working. He understood that she had originally been dismissed when she fell at the King and Queen’s feet and begged them for a job so she could support her parents.

It was only because of your persistence that you convinced them to make her your lady's maid. She helped you with dressing, make-up, and hair care. She also kept your room neat and tidy. Tenya assumed she was absent because, like Izuku, she was ordered to find your whereabouts.

In any case, you needed to remove your dirty clothing as it was improper for royalty to have such an unpleasant appearance. “Hmm?” You tilted your head. “But I-” You leaned up, making the mistake of moving your injured ankle, and hissed when another jolt of pain came.

Tenya noticed this and frowned. “I would advise against moving your injured ankle,” he stated, although, at this point, he believed it was sprained. He stood up and walked over to your wardrobe, glancing at the various dresses you had available.

He tapped his chin, deciding which one suited you perfectly, and walked back to you. “Here we are,” he said, laying the dress on the bed beside you. “I will turn my back. Inform me when you are done or if you require assistance,” he stated before turning around. You pouted, seeing your reflection in his armor.

Your hair still looked disheveled, and you could see the dirt patches that stained your dress. ‘Well guess I could look worse,’ you thought before shifting your glance to the back of Tenya’s head. You tapped your cheek, debating about teasing him and why shouldn’t you? He was the reason your ankle hurt.

Okay, maybe that wasn’t necessarily true. While he had shut down your advances before, he could not refuse you this time. “Knight Iida,” you said, your voice holding that familiar authoritative tone that caused him to turn his head slightly. “Yes, Your Highness,” he replied. “I need help,” you said.

“What do you require assistance with?” he asked, refusing to turn around for fear he might see your exposed body. “Take off this dress,” you replied and found amusement in the way he flinched. “P-pardon?” he replied. Yes, he said he would provide you with assistance but didn't expect you to order him to disrobe you.

“I order you as my knight to take this dress off me!” you said before tilting your head. “After all, my Lady’s Maid isn’t here to help me and I can’t do it on my own,” you lied. However, Tenya was gullible so maybe he'd believe you.

A lump formed in his throat, making it difficult to respond, as did the rush of warmth that flowed through his cheeks, turning them a soft red color. He hesitated when he turned to look at you. Perhaps he didn't think this through thoroughly.

Yet again the thought that he couldn’t deny a royal’s request came to mind. However, like before, he wished to try and talk some logical sense into you. “Are you most certain you cannot perform this task?” he asked. “Yes, I'm sure!” you replied in a huff, and much like before he could feel your glare burning through him.

“I do not recall you complaining of any pain in your hands and your arms are free of scrapes or cuts,” he crossed his arms and your glare intensified. “Take. My. Dress. Off. Now.” you snarled, and he sighed. Upon second thought, perhaps he would be wasting time if he intended to argue with you.

The sooner he helped you, the sooner he could address and care for your ankle. “Very well,” he said, stepping closer. “Please raise your arms above your head,” he instructed, and you smiled, doing as he requested which was quite unusual. Princesses don't tend to take orders, but you made a special exception in Tenya’s case.

He grasped your wrists and closed his eyes before slowly tracing his hands down your arms. You trembled when he caressed your sides and hip curve. Your breath caught when he reached your thighs as he moved his hands to caress the back of them.

You latched onto your lip when his hands moved down and stroked the back of your legs before finally grasping the bottom of your dress. In one swift motion, he pulled the garment off you and allowed it to drop to the floor.

You shivered when the cool air hit your exposed skin and wrapped your arms around yourself. “Your Highness, shall we put on your fresh dress now?” he questioned and before you could answer, your door opened, and in stepped Uraraka.

She smiled and carried a clean pile of clothes for you. Tenya snapped his eyes wide open, turning his head toward the door. “Hello, Your Highness, I brought you-” she stopped talking when she realized what was before her.

A man was alone with you, and you were sitting on your bed completely bare apart from your undergarments. But the man wasn’t just any man, it was Tenya. A knight who served the royal family and was one of her closest friends.

“U-uh,” she looked mortified, and her face turned red. What an embarrassing sight to see. “O-Ochako!” Tenya stuttered; his face red as hers. “I c-can assure you this is not what it appears to be and I-” he turned when he heard your bed creak and immediately covered his eyes when he realized you were attempting to stand up.

You winced as soon as you put weight on your injured ankle and reached out to grab Tenya to steady yourself on one foot. You then hopped behind him to hide your exposed body from Uraraka. Although she had seen you like this many times, Tenya's presence made it different.

She shook her head and stumbled forward, throwing the pile of clean clothes onto the nearest chair. “I-I’ll j-just put this h-here, s-sorry!” she squeaked before rushing out of your chambers. Her heart was beating so fast she felt faint as she leaned against your now-closed door.

“Hm?” Tsuyu, a maid, walked by and noticed Uraraka’s unusual expression. “Are you okay?” she asked, but Uraraka wasn’t sure if she could speak at the moment, and even if she could, it wasn’t her place to share personal information, much less intimate information about a royal’s life.

Your heart was still racing and your face, along with the rest of your body felt hot. But Tenya’s armor was cool, and you pressed yourself against him, slinking your arms under his to keep him where he stood. “Y-Your Highness, may I…may I ask what you are doing?” His shaky voice was unusual to hear.

But that didn't stop you from nuzzling your cheek against the back of his armor. You waited for your embarrassment to fade before uttering the words, “Thank you.” Tenya raised his eyebrow, uncertain of what you were thanking him for.

However, he appreciated such words. He cleared his throat. “Y-you are quite welcome…Your Highness,” he said, his words lingering in the air for a moment. “Perhaps…” You lifted your head, your eyes wide with curiosity.

“We should put on your fresh dress now?” he suggested, making you realize or rather remember that you were still in your undergarments and yet again your face heated up. “Oh um, r-right,” you replied, lowering your hands.

“Please take your seat and I will assist you as ordered,” he said, pointing a gloved finger toward your bed. You pouted before carefully hopping over and pulling yourself back onto it. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes before facing you.

“Please hand me the dress.” Your lips curled but you did as he requested. “Thank you, Your Highness,” he stated, bowing respectfully before turning once more and opening his eyes. He made sure the dress was facing the right way and rolled it up to make it easier to slip over your head.

“Please raise your arms,” he instructed, turning to face you again. His eyes remained closed even as he slipped the dress over your head. He tried his best not to allow his knuckles to brush against your bare skin. “It is rather rude and inappropriate to look at a bare woman of your status,” you growled.

“My status?” you repeated, as he tugged the bottom of the dress over your legs and sighed in relief before opening his eyes. “Yes, of your status, Your Highness,” he replied, noticing the confused but angered look in your eye. “Royal, young, and unmarried,” he clarified.

“You could change that you know,” you shot back, and he stiffened in response. “I…I…p-pardon?” he questioned, and you snickered as his cheeks turned red. While marriage crossed his mind occasionally, you were untouchable and likely would be betrothed to another royal.

However, he was unwilling to entertain the idea of you being handed over to a stranger. Surely no one else could protect and care for you as he did. Regardless, his personal feelings should not interfere with royal dealings, nor his knighthood or so he would try not to allow them to.

He cleared his throat and opened his mouth to speak when a knock sounded. Like before, he snapped his head toward your door, thankful that you were clothed this time around. “Yes?” he said, and seconds later Izuku walked in.

“Uh, h-hello Your Highness…I-Iida,” he stated, being careful not to spill the water that filled the basin. “Sorry it took a while, I had to help O-Ochako fold the l-laundry and-uh…” he shook his head, guess the rest didn’t matter. “It is quite alright, please allow me,” Tenya replied taking the basin from him.

He could feel the warmth of it and the two requested washcloths hung off one side of it. Tenya placed the basin on the floor in front of you and turned to Izuku. “Thank you Midoriya,” he said. “Oh, i-it was no trouble, um…” He turned to you and pressed his hand against his chest, bowing.

“I…I hope you feel better, Y-Your Highness,” he stated. “You may leave,” you said, shooing him away with your hand. He lifted his head, looking at you before nodding. “Um, y-yes,” he said turning to walk out the door, leaving you alone with Tenya again.

He kneeled, removing his gloves before taking one of the washcloths and dipping it into the water. He twisted it to allow any excess water to drip back into the basin before standing again. “May I wash your face, Your Highness?” he asked.

“Hm?” Your eyes widened and you brushed your fingers against your cheek, feeling the rough texture of dried dirt. Oh yeah, you had almost forgotten about that. “Um…y-yes,” you replied, pressing your hand against your chest.

“Are you well Your Highness? There is little reason to be embarrassed about your appearance. You are rather alluring, pulchritudinous. No amount of dirt nor darkness can collapse such beauty.” Your bottom lip trembled at his words, and you leaned back, turning your head to hide your blush.

‘Why did he have to say it like that?!’ As a royal, you were used to compliments but none felt as personal as Tenya's. “Hm?” He blinked, noticing your odd response. “Forgive me, did I…perhaps Your Highness did not wish to hear such things?” Your eyes widened, and you snapped your head back.

“I apologize and if you wish so, I will refrain from-” he stumbled back when you shot your arms out and frantically screamed, “No!” Your eyes widened and you clamped your hands over your mouth. You weren’t sure if you were more embarrassed over your own actions or the fact that anyone walking by heard you.

Luckily you didn’t hear knocks or frantic footsteps, so you assumed you were safe. You looked away from Tenya and lowered your hands. “I-it…your words were fine just…unexpected,” you replied nervously. “And a-anyways, w-wash my face already!” you exclaimed, crossing your arms.

You knew you were like a spoiled child, but Tenya didn’t comment. “Very well, pardon my touch,” he said as he stood up and gently placed his hand underneath your chin. You closed your eyes as the washcloth touched your skin and collected the obscene dirt.

Tenya carefully cleaned your face in one swift motion, watching the once-white towel surface turn brown. “There you are. I do hope this helps your discomfort,” he said before kneeling again. “Please present your ankle. I wish to clean it and apply a warm compress to ease the pain,” you chuckled.

Tenya certainly had a way about him. You caught your breath when you lifted your injured ankle. That same shooting discomfort made you tense up. “Forgive me, I do not wish to cause you further pain. I will wash it in a quick and tidy manner,” he assured and laid the clean side of the washcloth on your ankle.

The warmth brought some comfort, but you winced as he moved said washcloth around. “There we are,” he said after a minute and looked at you. “Apologies for causing your displeasure,” he stated. “It’s…fine,” you said sighing, angry at yourself for allowing this to happen.

He folded the dirty washcloth and hung it on the side of the wash basin before standing up again. “Your Highness,” he said, bowing. “I would favor moving you toward the front of the bed as I believe it would increase your comfort if you laid against your pillows with your injured ankle elevated,” he explained, and you frowned.

Was he going to leave after this? “Mm…” you tapped your lips a few times as he removed your remaining shoe. You should properly thank him if that were the case. “Okay,” you replied and wrapped your arms around him when he leaned back up.

He nodded and carried you toward the headboard which was partially hidden by the mountain of pillows. He gently positioned you on the silky sheets and guided your head onto the said pillows. Then he grabbed a few spare ones.

Honestly, he wasn’t sure why you had so many pillows, to begin with, but assumed it was due to your status. One must ensure the Princess is happy as she is the ideal representative of the kingdom and sets the atmosphere for her citizens.

He carefully stacked the pillows next to your injured ankle and looked at you. “Please move your ankle slowly,” he said. “I will assist if you so desire,” he added, keeping a respectful and kind tone of voice. “I think I can do it,” you replied, clenching your jaw when you lifted your leg.

You pushed through the pain and slowly lowered your ankle onto the stack of pillows, sighing in relief. “Very good, allow me to prepare the washcloth,” he said, walking back to the foot of the bed. You leaned your head back and focused on the ceiling.

You could hear water swishing, followed by rapid droplets. “Here we are,” he said, approaching you again. “I will be gentle, Your Highness,” he promised before laying the second and more importantly, clean washcloth over your ankle. He then tucked it behind your heel making you wince.

“Apologies,” he said, standing up and bowing again. “But the warm compress should alleviate the pain temporarily. I will inform Ochako to provide you with a fresh one every hour,” he stated. “Are you leaving then?” you asked with a frown, reaching out to him, but he remained where he stood.

“Yes, Your Highness,” he replied, placing his hands firmly at his sides. “There are no further duties to perform here, and I must return to the training ground to retrieve your shoe and tiara. I will ensure both get properly cleaned and polished before returning to you,” your frown deepened.

The last thing you thought about was your shoe and tiara. They weren’t significant, or at least not to you. You opened your mouth to speak, but Tenya lowered himself onto one knee. “Huh?” you blinked, wondering what on Earth he was doing.

“I am afraid I must apologize for my actions. I am aware I was following orders. But an act of violence toward the Princess, even in training, is an act of war against the Kingdom. I wish to abide by my duties as a knight. I wish to serve and protect you above all else.”

Your eyes widened and you pressed your hand against your chest, feeling your heart's gentle thumps. “Um…” you glanced away, with the faintest blush dusting your cheeks. You looked back after taking a deep breath and leaned over, placing your hand on his head.

“Hm?” He blinked, startled by your touch. “I’m glad you followed my orders today, and…” you paused, retracting your hand. “Stand up,” Tenya raised his head. “Pardon?” he asked, making you sigh in response. “I said, stand up,” you repeated, motioning with your hand.

He looked reluctant but stood up and placed his hands by his sides again. You smiled and traced him from head to toe. He was a well-trained knight, and you were sore you wouldn’t see his training session today, but you could still leave a long-lasting impression on him.

“Come here,” you said, beckoning him closer with your finger. Once again, thanks to his gullible nature, he approached and leaned over. “Closer,” he glanced away, looking uncertain, but leaned down further to be face to face with you.

He gasped when your hand rested on his cheek and your fingertips caressed the ends of his hair. “Y-Your Highness, may I ask what you are-” his voice faded when you leaned closer causing his cheeks to turn red and his body to tremble when you laid your forehead against his, then you slowly leaned in.

“Let me thank my knight for all he’s done for me,” you muttered. Every rational thought in his head urged him to pull away, or else he’d break the unspoken rule between social classes and intimacy. But his mind and heart were on different wavelengths.

Despite his thoughts, his body remained still even as you tilted your head and pressed your warm lips against his trembling ones. His breath hitched as if he had just received a blunt hit to the stomach, and tingles ran through his body.

This was a sensation he had not yet known. It was different from the adrenaline rush he gets when in combat or clashing his sword against another. It was more intense, more needy, and yet in the back of his mind he couldn’t help but fathom the reason why this moment. This instance of lips against each other was wrong.

He panted desperately when you pulled away, and your cheeks matched his in color. “Y-you…” he could not form the words and found little comfort in your smile. He ducked his head and scurried to the door, remembering to grab his gloves.

“I…I must leave now,” he stuttered, trying to ignore your laughter. When he closed your door, he tried to focus on breathing. You…you were the only force in this world that caused him to react in this manner. Never had he faced a more challenging foe.

He swallowed thickly and pressed his fingers to his lips, still shocked that you had dared to kiss him. While he would long to experience a relationship, his personal goals would no doubt clash with any possible romantic endeavor.

He lifted his head, glancing at the ceiling with hope flowing through his chest. Although it seemed impossible for royalty and commoners to mix. Perhaps the two of you could blur the lines between human decency and love within the kingdom.

[a-bit-too-much-of-a-zelda-fan]

What’s the evidence for SS/BOTW/TOTK/ST Zelink being the most canon? I firmly believe in all of them myself but I like hearing other’s takes on this topic so I’m just curious

Ooh, yeah, I'll get into this.

Skyward Sword: This is such a slam dunk. It's as explicit in the text as it can be without Zelda saying "Link, you are my boyfriend, I love you." Groose is jealous of Link for his closeness to Zelda. Throughout the series, Link has gone through hell and back to save the people he cares about, not necessarily love interests (his sister in Wind Waker, the Ordon kids in Twilight Princess, etc). However, consider what Zelda says to Link when they talk in the Sealed Temple:

"I knew that if it meant saving Zelda, you would throw yourself headfirst into any danger, without even a moment's doubt."

She groomed him to be the chosen hero by baiting him with the person he loved most. Then, later:

"While it's true that I am Hylia reborn, I'm still my father's daughter and your friend... I'm still your Zelda"

She does say "friend," but this is the fledgling start of their romance. After the wing ceremony and Link and Zelda are flying together, she was a hair's breadth from admitting her true feelings for him. That's right there in the text. And come on, tell me "I'm still your Zelda" isn't loaded with deeper-than-friendship meaning. This is the kind of language that is absent in most Zelda games.

BotW/TotK: This is the next biggest slam dunk. Zelda could not for the life of her awaken her divine powers through prayer and practice. What finally activated them was a moment of desperation to save the person she loved: Link. Further, her journal details how close the two are personally. Closeness does not necessarily mean romance, but it is conducive to it. Link is comfortable enough are her to actually speak, which was originally nearly impossible from the trauma caused by the pressure to be her appointed knight and the Hylian Champion. Let's also not forget the look she gave him after he saved her from the Yiga assassins.

Now, that's all just in BotW. TotK easily cements it. Link and Zelda live together. They're in their early 20s living in the same house, a house with only one bed. Come on. That's solid proof right there that at the very least, SOMETHING is going on.

Spirit Tracks: This is less solid than the other two but still more explicit than the other 18 games in the series. The very first time Link lays eyes on Zelda, he blushes and audibly gasps. He is straight up taken aback by how attractive she is. He also blushes later when she hugs him. Oh yeah, the hug. The first thing she does once she has her body back is hug him. Then at the very end, as they watch the Lokomo depart from Hyrule and ascend to another realm, they hold hands. The devs specifically modeled hands for Zelda so they could hold hands. Come on. Confirmed.

If anything, I feel more strongly that other Zelinks aren't likely. Note that these are predicated on the idea that Link going to great lengths to save her is not necessarily indicative of romantic feelings. Skyward Sword is different because Hylia targeted Link for it. Anyway:

The Legend of Zelda: Zero chemistry. They only meet at the end.

The Adventure of Link: Zero chemistry. They only meet at the end.

A Link to the Past/Oracle of Seasons/Oracle of Ages: Barely any interaction, no indication they're more than acquaintances or, at best, friends.

Ocarina of Time/Majora's Mask: Okay, this is maybe the strongest case here. Link does spend a fair deal of time with Zelda/Sheik. In Link's later interactions with the Sheik persona, he actually tries to chase after her. Is this because he simply wants a friend? Or has he developed feelings for this mysterious young man? Man, OoT is startlingly sparse on textual evidence for Link's feelings. The writers get closer to establishing something in MM, what with Link and Zelda spending several months together following his return to his home era.

But I headcanon it a specific way, largely because of a particular video essay. In this interpretation, Link is desperate for companionship from someone who truly understands who he is and what he's been through. That's why he goes to such lengths to find Navi. She was his sister in arms and the only one who witnessed his heroism. Zelda was the closest thing to someone who understood, but not quite there. So, less than likely.

Also, they're 10. I was interested in romance when I was 10, but I still consider my first serious relationship, at 19, as the beginning of my true understanding of romantic love. I don't attribute much value to the *very* young love 10 years may have for each other, no matter how traumatized and mature for his age one of them is. That actually raises another question. Is Link mentally 17 by the time he slays Ganon? Or was he mentally a child the whole time? Because the 17/10 thing actually does make a difference here. Um. Moving on.

Wind Waker/Phantom Hourglass: There is also something to be said here in that Link and Tetra actually do have chemistry. She's seems to be a bit older than him, just enough that she initially looks down on him as a stupid kid. Then again, at 14 and even to an extent 13, I did see most 12 year olds as being much less mature than me. Then again then again, I was a very pretentious preteen. Okay, so maybe Tetra is initially just as pretentious in that sense. Anyway, she does view him as an equal by the end and fights alongside him like a badass. Hm. Right so there's some stuff here. Like how Link goes to such lengths especially in Phantom Hourglass to save her. At that point they aren't playing parts in a legendary conflict, he's just trying to save her. But once again, that doesn't really mean romantic love.

Four Swords: No chemistry seen, barely any interaction. That's a nah from me.

Four Swords Adventures: There's a TINY bit more here, because Link and Zelda are childhood friends. Still not much here. The Minish Cap: Barely more than FSA. Childhood friends, more interaction, but still not much chemistry.

Twilight Princess: Okay this might be my hottest take here. Not only do I not think it is evidenced by the canon text, I actually don't like this one. Even ignoring that Link has infinitely better love interests in Ilia and Midna, he has no chemistry with her at all. They barely interact. On top of that, and this is the biggest thing for me, she is 20. He is 16/17. A three year age gap at that point is uncomfortably large. I've dated people three years younger than me, but we were both adults. It's just a little icky.

A Link Between Worlds: I feel like a broken record. Barely any onscreen interaction, no chemistry. Just ain't there.

Echoes of Wisdom: Not to get too into spoilers here, but I agree with that post going around that Zelda probably has a big crush on Link. But that's just a headcanon and not really evidenced by the text.

All of this said, I don't think you're wrong or bad or anything for liking more Zelinks than I do. These are just my opinions and frankly I'm too old to be engaging in shipping wars. Then again, hey, you asked for my opinions. Oh yeah, and sorry for taking so long to respond. Whoops.

[howlingday]

Persemblance

1 / (2) / 3 / 4

Qrow: Hey. Some girl named Weiss Schnee went missing.

Qrow: All this work is such a pain! It's like people expect huntsmen to solve crimes or something!

Qrow: Ruby, get your uncle another beer.

Ruby: ...

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

Neptune: Weiss really isn't at school today...

Port: THAT'S BECAUSE SHE'S DEAD!

Neptune: It's almost like that crazy TV world we fell into has something to do with the murders!

Naaaaah.

Neptune: I can't just walk away this time. I need to find out why Weiss had to die like this!

Yang: Neptune...

Neptune: ...So can we go back in the TV again please, please, please~!

Sure.

Neptune: YAAAAAAAAY~! THIS IS GONNA BE SO AWESOME~!

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

Neptune: Alright, guys, this is going to be dangerous...

Neptune: So, I brought a rake!

Neptune: Also, Yang doesn't get to come!

Yang: Wh-What?! But I-

Neptune: Shut up and hold this rope!

Neptune: YAAAY, TV WORLD~!

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

Somewhat: Hey! It's you guys again!

Somewhat: Now I get it... You must be the ones throwing people in!

Neptune: SHUT UP AND TAKE OFF THAT SUIT!

Neptune: (Yanks Somewhat's head off)

Neptune & Somewhat: AAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Somewhat: We must join forces~!

Somewhat: (Hands over glasses)

Neptune: What are these for?

Somewhat: So you can look cool during battles~!

Neptune: Battles- Wait! This is Weiss' parents door! I bet this place has something to do with how she di-

Somewhat: TUTORIAL FIGHT! TUTORIAL FIGHT!

Neptune: What?

Grimm: (Licks Neptune's face)

Neptune: WAIT, WHAT, WHAT IS THIS?!

FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF PERSONA~

The Rusted Knight: I AM THOU, THOU ART ME...

The Rusted Knight: WE'RE A HAPPY FAMILYYY~!

Somewhat: Okay, listen; some Grimm have weaknesses, but they never make any sense! So just guess until you get it right! Here, press this button to get a helpful analysis!

Somewhat: I'm CHEESED to see your GOUDA input skills and FONDUE diligence for this SQUEAKER of a battle~!

ZIO!

Somewhat: Wowie, sir~! That was amazing~! Don't you think so, what's your face?

Neptune: Hey, why don't you call me sir?

Somewhat: Because you're comic relief!

???: WHY DO I HAVE THE WORST DAUGHTER IN THE WORLD?!

Neptune: Is that Weiss' dad? I don't get it. Weiss always seemed like she was having fun at work... Y-You mean to tell me she WASN'T happy working at the store that drove her family out of business?!

Weiss: Hey, Neptune~!

Neptune: Yes, my sweet~?

Weiss: GO KILL YOURSELF!

Neptune: WHAT?! B-But we were gonna get married and have a million beautiful babies together!

?Neptune?: Whatever, man. She wasn't even that hot.

Somewhat: (Gasps) Two Neptunes?!

?Neptune?: More like one Neptune and one... AWESOME Neptune. Gee, living in the country sure is boring-

Neptune: NO, YOU'RE NOT ME, I WOULD NEVER SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT EVER!

Somewhat: Whoa~!

Neptune: Naptiiime~!

Grimm Neptune: SOUNDS LIKE SOMEONE JUST ORDERED A STUPID LOOKING BOSS~! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

ZIO!

Grimm Neptune: OW!

Neptune: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO~!

Somewhat: You have to accept it, or it'll attack us again!

The strength of heart to face one's self has blah blah blah...

Neptune: Okay, fine, I guess I do kinda hate everything.

He has obtained the facade used to overcome life's hardships... THE PERSONA FARMER PIG MONK~!

Neptune: Sweet~! Maybe now we can save people who fall in here before they die!

Somewhat: Yeah~! You know, since you guys came in here, I've been wondering where I come from and-

Neptune: Yeah, whatever! See you later!

Somewhat: HUH?!

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

Neptune: Hey, we're ba- Oh, crap, I forgot about you.

Yang: You guys are jerks!

Yang: WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH~!

Neptune: Huh. I guess we should apologize.

Neptune: Later! I'm going to bed.

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

Blake: I'm wearing a kimono because I'm filling in for my mom at the inn we run!

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

TV: Blake Belladonna is wearing a kimono because she's filing in for her mom at the inn they run.

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

You should watch the midnight channel. There's a high school girl wearing a kimono on the screen. ...but you can't think of anyone who fits that description, so you decided to go to bed.

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

Ozpin: Helloooooooooooooooo~!

Ozpin: Person, persona, persona...

Ozpin: SOCIAL LINKS SOCIAL LINKS SOCIAL LINKS SOCIAL LINKS SOCIAL LINKS!

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

Neptune: Dude! I'm so excited to find out who's behind all these murders!

Neptune: Let's be friends~!

You became friends with Neptune~! Neptune will now DIE FOR YOU

Yang: AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

Yang: BLAKE'S MISSING! BLAKE'S MISSING!

Yang: BLAKE'S MISSING! BLAKE'S MISSING! BLAKE'S MISSING! BLAKE'S MISSING!

Yang: (Scroll buzzes, Answers) Oh, is this Blake? Yaaay~!

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

Qrow: Two bodies hanging from telephone poles... and we don't even know if this is a homicide yet.

Clover: Sir, I think we can probably assume it's a-

Qrow: Shut up, Ebi.

Qrow: We've got no clues about the perp. We don't even have a sus because the sec with the mo's got a perf al.

Clover: Sir, what are you even-

Qrow: SHUT UP, EBI.

Clover: Um, so what do we know about the case so far?

Qrow: The perp... is PROPBABLY in Patch!

ACE DETECTIVE~!

Qrow: Case closed! Let's get drunk.

Clover: Huh?!

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

...

Ruby: ...

[hesperidia]

so thoughts over all on the chapter:

first, the art is so clean and beautiful. These last chapters were straight up gorgeous ily harukawa <3<3<3 good art adds a lot to the story for me in particular i am 🥰🥰🥰

second, i didn't think we'd get another death so soon in the story. I'm talking about Bram's. I am SO glad asagiri included an scene where Aya could get some kind of closure even if it was bittersweet. She still got to say goodbye, it might look like she's throwing a tantrum because she is. having bra-chan back and then immediately knowing he's going to disappear is unfair. She's a child after all.

And looping back into the art i think Bram on this page is beautiful no notes:

He looks at her without an ounce of pity. "My valiant daughter, you yourself must become the knight" Nono i love this line. so much. Aya deserves her efforts and her bravery to be recognized this is so important to her udksndisn i love this line. Because it's hopeful but IT ACTS AS A DOUBLE EDGED SWORD this is such a burden to place in a child omg. Knowing Aya she Will take these words at heart.

Bram then leaving Aya under Akutagawa's care. The title of the chapter is "understood" what he says after Bram disappears. PROTECTOR AKU XNFOWJDIBISN HELL YEAH EVERYONE CHEERED Also it shows the peak of his character growth? for me at least????

Lastly on this topic, i would not be mad if Bram would stay dead. All he loved was already dead and taken from him, personally i think he projected a lot of his own daughter onto Aya and to keep being by her side, a constant reminder of the daughter he lost, It's not like they couldn't have found comfort in e/o and keep being a family, but it'd always be like an open wound i think. Also Bram must've been tired, or having to face the burden of being the catalyst of the creation of the tripolar singularity on the first place. I think if he stayed alive there would be so many obstacles he'd have to face and that would take a toll.

(besides!! i personally think that if he survived he would've been hunted down by mori. why? too long to explain here that deserves it's own post. just like Bram i suddenly have a lot of feelings about Bram as a character lmao).

INTERMISSION TO TALK ABOUT THE SKRUNKLY:

🥰🔥💥💣🔥🥰🖤🥰💥🔥🥰🖤🔥💥💣💣💣✨💥🥰🖤🥰🖤💣✨✨✨💥🥰🔥🥰🖤✨💥💣

you may now proceed

About Kunikida's "death": Personally it did not impact me as much because it was SO sudden after Teruko's, their deaths only served as shock factor and to instill Fukuchi as a very dangerous menace. His only presence was enough to paralyze Kunikida, who previously would gladly throw himself off a helicopter and ignite a grenade to stall his enemies.

Absolutely criminal that we are reminded Kunikida is the funniest character in the series moments before disaster like:

KUNI IM WONDERING THE SAME SINCE FOREVER YOU ARE SO REAL

and still even when he knows he's going to die he stands tall and finds strength to give a final order to atsushi and tanizaki

i don't exactly think his death served no purpose. at least they handled it better than Teruko's i'm still salty about hers.

INTERMISSION TO SEE SKRUNKLY #2

look at that expression. pure despair. can someone give him a break. gorgeous art i wish i could convey emotions like this on my own

Back to kuni:

"thou and this world are all equally hollow. by such logic both this blade and death itself has no power to harm thee" Why did the fukuchisingularitybeyblade say this. what does he mean.

I'm taking the obvious interpretation and say that the ppl consumed as bubbles will come back with the power of friendship mostly unscathed at some point. I admit i still don't know how amenogozen works in the singularity. (Or how the singularity as a whole works)

Also!!!! if the world and it's people is hollow. What about Dazai, who always felt like he was hollow inside and the whole "no longer human" does this mean Dazai is just as human as the others but now instead of analysis in his character it's explicitly stated in text. yada yada idk guys i am not a Dazai connoisseur i'm stepping into the unknown here. But i feel this connection could be made.

Could it be, that the complete opposite of hollow is the thing needed to defeat the singularity. Reaching here but bbtm+rashomon making an appearance 👀👀👀 ok i'll stop now.

Also. why is Kunikida dying drawn so beautifully omg. art SO beautiful it made me tear up counter: 4

Lastly i missed Tanizaki losing it he should lose it more often. I don't think he'll die in the next chapter not so soon. (if he does i'm going to be pissed off bc it would be cheap. cmon)

I wonder how the sleeping club (Tecchou, Kenji and Ranpo) is going to react when they wake up. Where are my girls (Yosano and Kyouka). Bonus points for this chapter because it didn't show me fukuzawa in turmoil.

and i think that's all!

[madame-fear]

I remembered a few days ago, someone asked ab if we could request a supernatural reader and it gave me an idea.

Dark Knight’s Scarecrow with a (fem) s/o with gravity manipulation powers. They can stop things like something dangerous (say like a rock, knife, bullets ect) and they can throw em back. Basically they can manipulate the gravity around em, heavy or weak, big or small.

Sometimes the reader may accidentally activate their ability and go on the ceiling but their hair isn’t like dangling, it stays the same like normally- lmao.

Their ability may activate without their knowledge due to certain emotions like for example anger, things could start to float or get crushed even. But if the reader realizes that their emotions are getting to them, they would un-activate it as in a matter of seconds before the reader accidentally harm anyone around them and they may start to feel bad because they didn’t mean to ruin anything :(

(Side Note: I just wanna say, I adore all of your writing and your such an amazing hard working writer 🥹❤️)

a/n : AHHH BABY IM CRYING, THANK YOU SO SM FOR ALL THE PRECIOUS LOVE YOU ALL GIVE ME 😭💞 hope you enjoy this, sweetheart !!

• Jonathan would definitely be impressed by these abilities you have – it's unlike anything he's ever seen on Gotham!

• He would totally be curious about you, and will most definitely be thrilled by the abilities you have. Expect him to ask you several questions about how it feels to float, and be able to move around things and objects with the simple (yet complex) power of your mind.

• I believe he would always have you by his side, not only of mere protection for you, but also as to stand by his side when he attacks Gotham as Scarecrow. With you by his side, he's unstoppable.

• Police bullets? You just stop them mid air, and harshly throw them back. Someone tries to attack him from behind? The person gets pushed far, far away. Batman? Much like anyone who'd try to attack Jonathan from behind, you would have the ability to make the bat boy float in the air, and violently push him against a window, or a wall.

• All in all, Jonathan is pretty much impressed by your abilities... and often, he'll smirk and perhaps chuckle to himself when you accidentally float to the ceiling like a loose balloon.

• Though, as impressed as he is with you, the literal second your mood changes to an angry or a sad one, not only he'll realise because Jonathan is a professional when it comes to reading your facial expressions, but as well because it's literal MAYHEM surrounding him.

• Things float and start flying everywhere with no control, and that is often a bad signal when you're around.

• Immediatly he'll comfort you and would do his best to make you feel better. And will also tell you that you have to be careful with the way your emotions get to you, because otherwise you might harm yourself as well.

• Both of you are literally the best duo in Gotham... and an unstoppable one, that's for sure!

• Jonathan is pretty much aware you can defend yourself, though... poor imbecile the one who has the audacity in laying a finger on you, or disrespecting/mistreating you.

♡ taglist : ♡

@nighthawkling @anemic-royaltyy @imagine--if @scarecrow-jon-babe @corruqti0n @captainsophiestark

[transgenderer]

Prayer among the Kwakwiutl

Kwakwiutl Ethnography, Franz Boas. note that the original text includes the kwakwiutl words for but im just typing up the translations because i dont have the symbols. my notes in parentheses+italics

All nature, the heavenly bodies, rocks and islands, waterfalls, animals, and plants are being of supernatural power who man can approach with prayer, whose help he can ask, and to whom me may express his thanks. Prayers do not have a fixed form that makes them potent by the power of the repetition of the formula. They are all similar in form but express the emotion that fills the one who appeals for help or renders his thanks. At the end of a prayer, the supplicant himself answers, "Hau, it will happen that way".

The powers are addressed by honorific names; animals, by descriptive names that differ from their everuday names, without being exactly honorific or sacred. All are addressed as "Supernatural One". The sun is the Great-Chief or Father. Dangerous places are called Old-Man, Great-Owner-of-the-Weather; plants used as food or medicine are called Life-Owner, Long-Life-Maker

A number of these terms have the ending "-Making-Woman" like the last or like Rich-Making-Woman, and Right-Making-Woman. Evil powers are named in analogous forms, such as Short-Life-Maker-Woman and Killing-Woman. I am not at all certain whether these terms are nowadays in any way felt as personifications. They are also applied to very specific action, such as such as Sore-Healing-woman and in ordinary speech, such as poor (literally "pitiable-making-woman"), which is used as an adjective.

The olachen (note: usually eulachon or candlefish, a ~6-inch fatty river fish) is addressed as Chief-of-the-Upper-Side-of-our-World (?! what could this mean? perhaps because they swim up rivers to spawn, towards the mountains?). Salmon are generally called Swimmers. The halibut is called Born-to-be-Giver-in-the-House, Scenting-Woman, Flabby-Skin-in-the-Mouth, Squint-Eye; the beaver Throwing-Down-in-one-Day, Tree-Feller, Weather-Owner (connection to "owner of the weather" for dangerous places? perhaps because beavers make trees fall, dangerous, and falls from the sky like weather?)

Halibut Hooks are called Younger-Brothers

When praying, the supplicant stands still or sits down in front of the one he is praying to and directs his eyes at him.

At sunrise the Indian may pray to the sun, "Welcome, Great Chief, Father, as you come and show yourself this morning. We come and meet alive. Oh, protect me and let nothing evil befall me today, Father!"

"Look at me, Chief, that nothing evil may befall me this day which is made by you as you desire, Great-One-Walking-to-and-fro-all-over-the-World, Chief!"

When caught in a gale at sea, the canoe man prays to the sun, "Press down the sea in your world, Great Chief, Father, that it may become good, that your world may become right on the water, Great Father!"

Dangerous rocky islands and points are called Old-Man. In passing one of these in rough water, the traveler will pray "Look at me, Old-Man! Let the weather made by you spare me (so the source of danger from the weather is also the cause of the weather? perhaps sense that the rocks want to be broken up on? almost like cui bono), and, pray, protect me that no evil may befall me while i am traveling on this sea, Old-Man, that i may arrive at the place to which I am going, Great-Supernatural-One, Old-Man", or when passing in good weather,

"Oh Old Man, I pray before you. Have mercy and watch the weather that you are making, that it may remain calm at sea, Good-Supernatural-One; protect me, that the words of those who hate me may not penetrate me, that what they wish to do to me may just go into them" (belief that bad weather is caused by enemy magic? unclear)

A cascade in Knight Inlet is so high and full that it causes a strong wind and heavy spray at its foot. When the Indians go there for olachen fishing, they undress, and the whole tribe visit the falls in their canoes. One man stands up in his canoe and prays, "Welcome, Old-Man, we have come and meet alive. I have asked you for this, Great-Supernatural-One, last year when I came, I beg you to have mercy and to blow off all evil from us, all our sickness, Great-Supernatural-One, so that we may come to life. Protect our sickness, Great-Supernatural-One, and also, please, let the weather you are making be fine, Great-Good-Supernatural-One, you who are not a common person, Old-Man"

The workman will also pray to the material or tool he is going to use in his work

[section about praying to a tree you are about to fell, a trap you are building, and a net you are using to catch fish]

The hunter prays to his game or other animals he encounters. After killing a grizzly bear, he says, "O Great-Supernatural-One, you are lying there, overcome by me, friend! I have struck you first with my death bringer. Listen to me, Supernatural-One, now i will take by war your power of not respecting anyone or anything, of being fearless, and your wildness, great, good Supernatural-One"

After killing a beaver, he prays, "Welcome, friend Throwing-Down-in-One-Day, you Tree-Feller, for you have agreed to come to me. I wanted to catch you because I wish you to give me your ability to work, that I may be like you, for there is no work that you cannot do, you Throwing-Down-in-One-Day, you Tree-Feller, you Owner-of-Weather, and also that no evil befall me in what I am doing, friend"

[annkamol]

礼仪之丹

Dream I think Dan is not a rude guy, he just believes in violence, in fact, he is very educated… Vlad is a scientist! And Danny is also a very smart kid! A bad temper does not mean stupid 🤔… I watched the animation carefully, and I even felt that he maintained a very strange civilization Oh… I think I need to rethink some of my settings

skull when you say he is not a rude guy, do you think he wouldn't say things like "fuck" or behave like an animal? 🤔 yes… i suppose i have him act a little differently because he's never been beaten so low before and im choosing to interpret dan's depression as something that has chipped away at his intellect as well… perhaps he will behave more like his usual self when he's in a more comfortable situation

Dream No, I'm talking about my own understanding… I thought that maybe talking to Dan rationally could unexpectedly convince him, and maybe he would even be willing to listen🤔

skull oh! i think that's a good idea! 😳

Dream I used to think that when Clockwork tried to reason with him, Dan would say, Get lost, I don't want to listen! But I realized that if I think about it from another perspective, there is another possibility. He would look at Clockwork with contempt, wanting to see what nonsense he could say, and try to discern the sophistry in it and find out where he could fight back?🤔

skull yes… dan could be cunning!!

Dream Maybe he never had the chance to debate with anyone… or maybe his arrogance made it impossible for others to convince him

Dream Yes I mean this！ Because I saw some fan fiction that described Dan as an uncivilized beast… No, actually if you think about it carefully, if you want to rule the ghost world for so many years, wisdom is essential So maybe he is actually closer to that kind of high IQ criminal🤔

skull i think Dan could be a sore loser after everything is said and done… but he calls Valerie on the phone to gloat before destroying amity park's shield being a sore loser, i think he could constantly be throwing a tantrum, and that makes him act like a beast. but his ordinary characterization is very smart!

Dream As a ruler, force and wisdom are inevitable… After all, if he doesn't have a smart assistant, he has to think about many things by himself (Looks at the Terror Knight)（？） But you are right, I think he will beat Clockwork without listen any reason😋 After all, he is his prisoner Honestly, I think Dan will do very well in school！ He will definitely achieve high grades

skull omg definitely :3

Dream And sometimes Clockwork will say something bluntly sarcastic, which is funny！！

skull and dan will laugh…. it's like a dangerous meeting of two cunning minds

Dream Yes… so the observants must be panicking because they know how smart and cunning Dan is, and they're worried that Dan will convince Clockwork to destroy the world

skull oh my god????? 😂😳 thats CRAZY it could be crazy if dan was so reasonable… trying to persuade clockwork… and they spoke civilly, as the fate of all mankind swung in the balance like a pendulum, or a watch on a chain 😋

Dream Imagine! The observers saw the possibility of Dan and Clockwork merging, and they panicked, saying that you can't use yourself to act! What if you are really eaten by him, the world will be destroyed! So if Dan merged with Clockwork for pleasure, they would be homophobic🤣

skull LMAOOO the Observants are homophobic against their colleague's marriage…

Dream Thinking from this perspective, I think Clockwork might agree to Dan's request to merge (for pleasure), but they won't let observers see the fused form

skull what do you mean they won't let them see?

Dream These big eyeballs are gonna be scary!

skull surely they see almost as much as Clockwork

Dream Clockwork will ask to be unfused when an observer comes to visit🤔 Yeah, but they can't look inside the clock tower… they don't know how much debauchery there is between Clockwork and Dan😋

skull oh, i see! this is true…

Dream They could only see that Dan and Clockwork were very intimate, but they didn't know how far they had progressed or how many times they had sex😋

skull thats cute!

中文：

梦 我意识到，丹不是一个粗鲁的人，他只是相信暴力，其实他很有教养…弗拉德是个科学家！而且丹尼也是一个非常聪明的孩子！脾气不好不代表愚蠢🤔… 我仔细看了动画，甚至觉得他维持着一种很奇怪的文明 哦…我觉得我需要重新考虑我的一些设定

skull 当你说他不是一个粗鲁的人时，你认为他不会说“他妈的”之类的话或表现得像动物吗？ 🤔 是的……我想我让他表现得有点不同，因为他以前从未被打得这么惨过 我选择将丹的抑郁解释为某种削弱了他智力的东西……也许当他处于更舒适的情况下，他会表现得更像平常的自己

梦 不，我是在指我自己的理解……我认为也许理性地和丹交谈可以出乎意料地说服他，也许他甚至愿意听🤔

skull 哦！我觉得这是个好主意！😳

梦 我以前以为，当 Clockwork 试图和他讲道理时，丹会说，滚开，我不想听！但我意识到，如果我从另一个角度思考，还有另一种可能性。他会用鄙视的眼光看着 Clockwork，想看看他能说出什么废话，并试图辨别其中的诡辩，找出他可以反击的地方？🤔

skull 是的……丹可能很狡猾！！

梦 也许他从来没有机会和任何人辩论……或者他的傲慢使别人无法说服他

梦 是的，我就是这个意思！ 因为我看到一些同人小说把丹描述成一个未开化的野兽……不，其实如果你仔细想想，如果你想统治鬼界这么多年，智慧是必不可少的 所以也许他实际上更接近那种高智商罪犯🤔

skull 我认为丹在一切都说完做完之后可能会成为一个输不起的人……但他在电话里打电话给瓦莱丽炫耀，然后摧毁了阿米蒂公园的防护盾 作为一个输不起的人，我认为他可能会不断发脾气，这让他表现得像个野兽。但他平凡的性格塑造非常聪明！

Dream 作为统治者，武力和智慧是必不可少的……毕竟，如果他没有一个聪明的助手，他必须自己思考很多事情 （看看恐怖骑士）（？） 但你说得对，我认为他会毫无理由地殴打Clockwork😋 毕竟他是他的囚犯 老实说，我认为Dan在学校会表现得很好！ 他一定会取得高分

skull 哦，天哪，绝对的：3

Dream 有时Clockwork会说一些直言不讳的讽刺话，这很有趣！！

skull 而Dan会笑……这就像是两个狡猾的头脑的危险会面

Dream 是的……所以观察者一定很恐慌，因为他们知道Dan有多聪明和狡猾，他们担心Dan会说服Clockwork毁灭世界

skull 哦，我的天？？？？ 😂😳 太疯狂了 如果丹这么通情达理……试图说服发条……那可能就太疯狂了…… 他们说话彬彬有礼，而全人类的命运就像钟摆，或链上的手表一样摇摆不定😋

梦 想象一下！观察者看到了丹和发条融合的可能性，他们惊慌失措，说：你不能用自己来演戏！如果你真的被他吃了怎么办！世界会毁灭！ 所以如果丹为了欢愉而和发条融合，他们会恐同🤣

skull 笑死 观察者们对同事的婚姻是恐同的……

梦 从这个角度考虑，我认为发条可能会同意丹的融合请求（为了欢愉），但他们不会让观察者看到融合态

skull 你是什么意思，他们不让他们看？

Dream 这些大眼球子会被吓坏！

skull 他们看到的肯定和 Clockwork 一样多

Dream 当观察者来访时，Clockwork 会要求解除融合🤔 是的，但他们看不到钟塔里面……他们不知道 Clockwork 和 Dan 之间有多少放荡行为😋

skull 哦，我明白了！ 这是真的……

Dream 他们只能看到 Dan 和 Clockwork 非常亲密，但不知道他们进展到了什么程度，也不知道他们做了多少次爱😋

skull 好可爱！

[psygoth13]

THIS. ABSOLUTELY THIS. As a trauma therapist and as someone with complex trauma, Crowley OOZES trauma response like crazy. And let me tell you, it's not comfortable at all. It's panic, your worst fears materialized in your head and you are just on the precipice waiting for the shoe to drop. When your loved ones are involved, it makes it SO much worse. Not just because we don't want to see our loved ones hurt, but because WE ARE SO USED TO TAKING ON OTHER PEOPLE'S ISSUES AND TRYING TO PROTECT THAT WHICH WE LOVE WE FORGET THAT WE NEED TO TAKE CARE OF OURSELVES. We allow our focus to move to the other person because we relive our trauma in that experience in the hope that we can not only keep our loved ones safe but somehow find resolution to what happened to us, but it NEVER works out well. Crowley acts confident and self-determined, but his sense of identity and purpose is ALL messed up and he struggles to take care of himself. It's easier to throw yourself into someone else's issues than it is to heal yourself.

With that being said, Aziraphale has trauma too. He's been constantly berated, talked down to, belittled, made to feel insignificant. He is given so much responsibility and has it emphasized by the archangels who breathe down his neck constantly, but in the end they make it so he has very little control over anything and he's just stuck in this trauma loop with Heaven. He is trained to be selfless, to give his whole self for the sake of others. Loving someone else is SELFISH to them, because it means that you love yourself enough to BE loved. THAT'S why Aziraphale also sucks at emotional communication. Loving Crowley is not only considered bad (especially since he's a demon) but source of danger and potential damnation, not just because of the obvious tropes, but because what his trauma has told him his whole life. That's why he is into the whole "damsel in distress" idea- Crowley comes to save him like a knight in shining armor, relinquishing his need to be selfless and just feel loved.

But since they both suck at emotional communication and have wicked bad complex trauma, they can't communicate any of it. Trauma is a BITCH and you would think that our loved ones would be the easiest people to talk to about it, but it's the opposite. We feel like we are dragging people into our misery, that they are gonna Fall (figuratively and literally for Crowley) with us, or that we are going to destroy one of the only good things we have. So, of COURSE they are completely unable to emotionally communicate- these boys need serious trauma therapy, but also to just be real and vulnerable with each other.

Damn you, Neil Gaiman.

Rescuing Aziraphale does NOT make Crowley happy.

Crowley is deeply paranoid and hypervigilant, his nervous system is constantly running in high gear and regulating it is both exhausting and generally hard to do. To create some sense of safety, he constantly circles Aziraphale, sits with his eyes on the entrance/exit, is on the look-out for trouble, has contingency plans, and is always ready to throw himself in front of him to keep him safe—both literally and metaphorical.

When Aziraphale gets himself into trouble, it pushes him into panic mode, so yes, of course he goes to save him! Someone HAS to, and he is very aware of the fact that Aziraphale sometimes gets himself into bad situations simply to get rescued. But that does not mean that Crowley enjoys it.

Look at him in the Bastille, when he's driving to the burning bookshop, during the ball, with Jimbriel around—when Aziraphale is in danger, he becomes a nervous wreck. There is no joy or "happiness" anywhere. It is desperation and fear and 'if you died it would kill me too'.

What Aziraphale mistakes for Crowley being happy is relief.

The plan worked, he managed to get him to safety, the danger has passed, and they're both still on earth and together, and his body simply crashes because it has been running in survival mode and pushing itself past its limits to get them there.

Crowley does not want to rescue Aziraphale, he wants them to not be in danger in the first place so that there's nothing he needs to be rescued from. THAT would make him happy.

[atomic-thomas]

(Fake ASMR Commission) Meeting A Drake Knight [Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Roleplay] {Tarnished / Elden Lord Listener}

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

*Jagged Peak ambience plays for the entire audio. Link will be provided in Tumblr DMs.*

“Whew! Yet another dragon slain. At this point, I have so many dragon hearts, I could probably start giving them away… Buuuuut I won’t. If commoners started receiving dragon hearts that they didn’t earn, the world would be an even bleaker place than it already is.”

*sound of leaves crunching or a bush rustling. just something to signal that the listener has arrived.*

“Who's there?! Show yourself!”

…

“Oh… A Tarnished. All the way out here? Must be pretty tough.”

…

“Uh… Hi. Sorry for sounding so aggressive. Just got done slaying a dragon. I’m on edge. You startled me.”

…

“Who am I. Well, my armor might’ve given it away, but… I’m a Drake Knight. Dragon Hunter Extraordinaire. You’ve heard of us, right? We spend our lives hunting dragons, slaying them to collect their hearts & feasting upon them to claim their power. Not to brag, but frequent Dragon Communion rituals have made me incredibly powerful. Hehe~”

…

“You’ve also partaken in Dragon Communion. Doesn’t surprise me. I imagine you’re traversing the Jagged Peak for the same reason I am. This place is a roosting ground for dozens of dragons. They’re everywhere!”

“You should’ve seen the look on my face when I saw my first Ghostflame Dragon. The Lands Between doesn’t have any of those. The Shadow Realm is full of surprises.”

…

“You heard that Drake Knights don’t speak. Yeah, about that… Only Drake Knights who truly believe that they’re dragons don’t speak. I’ve claimed the power of many dragons… But that doesn’t mean I am one. As such, I choose to speak. Life would be very dull if I didn’t.”

“Anyway, right now, I’m making my way to the summit of the Jagged Peak. I’m sure you’ve spoken with the Dragon Priestess; Florisaxx, right? (Pronounced Floor-is-sax) If you have, then she must’ve told you that the most dangerous & vile dragon of all has made it’s lair at the summit.”

“Bayle the Dread.” (Pronounced Bail)

…

“I’ve never seen Bayle myself, but I’ve heard countless stories. According to legend, Bayle was a rival to the Dragonlord Placidusaxx (Pronounced Placid-oo-sax). And his power was so great that he thought himself fit to challenge Placidusaxx for the title of Dragonlord.”

“As such, they clashed in a bloody, grueling battle. Two titanic monsters… Gods among men… Clad in fire & lightning… Tore each other to shreds in a battle that no one but the ancient dragons ever saw.”

“Both of them were grievously wounded. Flesh rended down to the bone & scars that would never heal. After reaching a stalemate, Bayle thought it wise to retreat to the Shadow Realm along with any dragons that believed Bayle to be superior. And right here… On the Jagged Peak… Is his domain.”

…

“You’ve slain Placidusaxx. Ha! Don’t make me laugh. That’s a rich claim. If Bayle couldn’t beat him then why should I believe that you did?”

…

“You have proof. Then show me.”

…

“No way! Is that the Dragon King’s Cragblade?!”

…

“Unbelievable… The only way you could have that legendary armament is if you slayed Placidusaxx.”

…

“I’m sorry for doubting you. That’s a one-of-a-kind feat. I didn't think anyone was capable of slaying the dragonlord.”

…

“Hold on. You’re throwing a lot at me right now. You’re also claiming to be the new Elden Lord?!”

…

“Slaying Placidusaxx is one thing, but slaying a God is something else entirely. You seriously claim to have slain Radagon (Pronounced Rad-uh-gone) & the Elden Beast; the Divine Creature sent by the Greater Will?”

…

“You can’t blame me for doubting you this time. Your claim is outrageously astronomical. I need proof that what you’re saying is true.”

…

“Is that… The Elden Ring?!”

…

“Marika’s Hammer… (Pronounced Mar-ick-uh) And the Sacred Relic Sword…”

…

“Oh… Oh… Wow… I…”

…

“I… I’m so sorry, My Lord! Please forgive me! I shall kneel before you & beg forgiveness!”

…

“It’s… Okay?”

…

“Whew… Thank you, my lord. A quadrillion pardons for my naivete. I swear on my life that I’ll never doubt you ever again.”

“Wow… What a privilege. Getting to meet the Elden Lord. I’m definitely not worthy of this.”

…

“I am? That’s… Really kind of you to say. You’re a very gracious lord.”

“At least now I know how you were able to enter the Shadow Realm. Mending the Elden Ring meant defeating Mohg. (Pronounced Moeg) And defeating Mohg meant that the Shadow Realm’s entrance was no longer guarded.”

…

“Ya know… Placidusaxx was the Elden Lord during ancient times. Long before the age of the Erdtree & the Golden Order. Godfrey (Pronounced God-free) claims that he was the first Elden Lord… But given what we know… That isn’t actually true.”

…

“Of course you’ve slain Godfrey. That’s extremely easy to believe now. You’ve slain all three prior Elden Lords. Jeez, is there anything you can’t do?”

…

“I was just about to suggest that. If anyone is capable of slaying Bayle the Dread… It’s you.”

…

“I would love to gorge upon Bayle’s heart & claim his unfathomable power… But you’re clearly far more deserving of it than I am.”

…

“No, I insist. I want you to have Bayle’s heart. It would be the purest form of communion. Fit for a lord such as yourself. Surely, I would just squander the power. You would get far more value out of it.”

"By the way, have you met Igon (Pronounced Eee-gone) by chance?”

…

“He gave you his Furled Finger. I see. Makes sense. No better person to trust than the Elden Lord themself.”

“I gotta say… He’s a bit crazy… But I admire his resolve. He’s been fatally wounded from an encounter with Bayle. He doesn’t have much longer to live. You carry his spirit within the Furled Finger he gave you. But I’m sure you knew that already.”

…

“I offered to help him, but he refused. Said that he’s completely wasted… Too far gone… But a Drake Warrior he remains.”

“Now he spends his final moments screaming out to Bayle… Cursing him. His body may be broken… But his spirit sure isn’t. He climbed pretty damn far up the Jagged Peak without his legs. And the fact that he survived an encounter with Bayle at all is a miracle.”

…

“Are you thinking what I’m thinking? It’s pretty obvious.”

…

“That’s right. You, Me & the spirit of Igon will take the fight to Bayle. We’ll slay him together!”

“Are there any final preparations you’d like to make?”

…

“You need a Somber Ancient Dragon Smithing Stone to fully upgrade your Dragon Hunter’s Great Katana. Oh, so you have one to. That’s perfect! Fortunately, I know of an Ancient Dragon slumbering somewhere in the Jagged Peak. Slaying it should give you exactly what you need.”

…

“I’ve slain so many dragons that I’ve long since forgotten the feeling of fear. And given the fact that you’re the Elden Lord… I’m sure you feel the same.”

“Now… Enough idle chit-chat. We have a major task at hand. Bayle the Dread will rue this day!”

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

THE END

Here's an image of the Jagged Peak. Perfect thumbnail!

[legends-of-time]

Amelia’s Story (BBC Merlin Story)

Chapter 47: The Wicked Day

Masterlist

Amelia's POV

Amelia had told Gaius, Merlin and Anne what she'd told Percival though doesn't mention the whole other life and notebook etc to them. They had admitted him into the fold so now there's another member of their gang. Percival was amazed and shocked to hear how much they have done for Camelot.

They also inform Percival about Agravaine which leads to Percival arguing to Amelia in private that they need to throw the notes away lest someone like Agravaine got his hands on them. Amelia is happy to agree.

Amelia soon throws herself into planning for Arthur's birthday that's coming up. A huge feast is being held along with dancers, jugglers and acrobats for entertainment. The day arrives and Amelia eagerly watches as the Square becomes a hive of activity. A caravan of colourful carts is being unloaded by acrobats, dancers, jugglers, strong men, and jesters spill into the walls of the Castle.

——

That evening, the Banquet Hall is filled with Knights and Courtiers and all those that are here to celebrate Arthur's birth, tucking into a feast. The entertainment Amelia had secured are wandering around, giving small shows and wowing the entire audience with their talents. Amelia herself sits beside Arthur, the man clapping as he sees an acrobat do a rather complicated twist in the air as they jump.

"Enjoying yourself then?" Amelia smiles at him.

"Yes." He nods, seems he can admit that. "Though... I think I would have liked it more if you had remembered a birthday present for me." Arthur gives her a teasing smile.

"And what do you call this?" She gestures at the entertainment in front of them and the line of food up and down the tables.

"A traditional feast."

Amelia scoffs in offence. "Fine, this isn't all my present to you." She glances towards Uther, who sits on Arthur's other side.

Arthur blinks and looks to where his father is sitting, having actually joined them, the man raising his goblet to his son as he catches his eye. He raises his goblet in return before he turns back to Amelia. "You got my father to agree to come?"

She shrugs. "I merely mentioned the date to him..." She doesn't like the man, borderline hates him, but that doesn't mean she won't try and make this a good day for Arthur.

Arthur raises an eyebrow. "Are you sure you didn't threaten him?"

"I felt it was necessary." Amelia remarks.

Among the performers stands a man, who bows at the end of the act. All eyes focus on him as a hush descends over the Hall.

"I require a volunteer..." The Entertainer steps forward and sets his eyes on Arthur. "Prince Arthur. What better or more fitting occasion for you to demonstrate your legendary bravery?" Arthur's caught out, put on the spot. "Do you accept the challenge?"

Amelia sees the eyes of the Courtiers and Knights awaiting Arthur's decision. Arthur stands and holds his arms wide in a dramatic fashion. "Of course."

Amelia groans internally as there's a round of applause as Arthur makes his way through the Hall. Merlin intercepts Arthur and they have a whispered exchange, likely Merlin trying to talk him out of it but Arthur instead takes off his cloak and jacket, giving them to Merlin, making an excuse to cover the true nature of their exchange. Arthur heads over to the circular board where the Entertainer waits for him. Arthur smiles at the crowd, reassuring and places himself against the board. The Entertainer and a shorter man strap Arthur's ankles and wrists to the restraints on the board.

"Do not fear, My Lord. I never miss my target." The Entertainer reassures.

"Good. Glad to hear it." Arthur replies loudly.

The Entertainer pulls out an apple and turns to Arthur. "May I?"

Before Arthur can object, the Entertainer places the apple in Arthur's mouth making the crowd chuckle and Amelia frown. The man is edging dangerously close to insult by doing that, but she remains quiet, Uther seems entertained, but Anne and Merlin are tense as well.

The Entertainer steps back, gesturing to his assistant who pushes the wheel, making it spin with Arthur on it. The Court makes "ooh" sounds. A small man runs over with a set of three rather sharp knives and holds them up to the Entertainer, who shows it to the crowd before he suddenly turns and throws the knife at Arthur, hardly aiming. It thuds into the board, centimetres from Arthur's face. A huge gasp goes up, followed by a round of applause. Amelia doesn't relax, she can't till it's over.

The tension builds, and suddenly the Entertainer throws a second knife. It flies through the air and thuds into the board on the other side of Arthur's head. Another round of applause. The Entertainer waves the final knife at Uther. Uther nods permission for him to throw it. Amelia hears the blade slice into something not wood and the crowd gasps and holds their breath for a moment. The wheel slows to a stop and it can be seen that the knife stuck straight into the apple. The Hall erupts in applause.

Amelia breathes a huge sigh of relief and joins the applause. Arthur sighs in relief as well, slumping against the board. Amelia had sensed Merlin using magic, had seen his eyes flash when no one else had (having all been watching the performance) and knows he'd slowed time down to make sure that the knife wasn't going to truly harm Arthur. The Entertainer takes a bow and the assistant is rushing to release Arthur from the wheel as Amelia makes her way over to help.

"Are you alright?" She asks him, hugging him tightly as he takes the apple from his mouth.

He smiles hugging her back. "There was nothing to worry about, Amelia." Arthur tells her, tapping her nose.

Amelia rolls her eyes at him, reaching out to snatch the apple as he tosses it in the air. "As though you weren't nervous." She smirks at him.

Arthur scoffs. "Knights are trained to never be nervous." He takes back the apple and saunters over to Merlin, who helps him shrug on his jacket.

Amelia rubs her forehead in annoyance and as she brings her hand down, a strange scent wafts past her. She blinks a moment, frowning as she looks at her hands. Amelia lifts her lips to her nose, masking it as though she is rubbing her nose but really, she is sniffing her fingers. There is an odd smell to them and she can only recall having touched that apple. The apple Arthur is now munching on as he celebrates with his Knights.

Amelia closes her eyes a moment and shakes her head. Oh, Arthur, what has he gotten himself into this time?

——

Amelia expresses her concern to Merlin about how through the night, Arthur gets increasingly drowsier and unsteady but Merlin dismisses it as Arthur being drunk. Amelia doubts this as she knows Arthur is quite tolerant and she's hardly seen him drink enough to be how he is. She's relieved when Merlin hoists Arthur towards his Chambers at the end of the night.

Amelia is finally retreating to her own Chambers a short while later when she sees Arthur walking along the Phoenix Corridor in the direction of Uther's Chambers. Amelia frowns in concern when she sees him let out an enormous yawn and struggle to keep his eyes open. She peeks around the last corner, seeing him slip past two Guards and into Uther's Chambers, and just moves to step around the corner when someone comes striding up the stairs beside the Chambers.

She barely manages to get her hand over her mouth as the Entertainer appears and quickly slits the throats of the first Guard, throwing that same knife into the heart of the second Guard. The man then steps over the two Guards that he has just taken out and draws one of their swords before heading inside.

"Merlin!" Amelia shouts in her head as she hikes up her skirts and bolts down the corridor towards the door. "Anne! Help!"

Amelia makes it to the door just as she hears the sound of swords clashing and moves to pull the door open but it is locked. She looks up, hearing a crash, hearing Arthur weakly shouting for the Guards.

"Alisan!" Amelia hisses at the door, not bothering to hide her magic as the Guards are clearly dead. She hears the lock click and tries the door again but it doesn't budge, it has to have been barricaded on the other side.

"Amelia!" She hears Merlin shout as he and Anne came running down the corridor when her head snaps back at the door, hearing a second clash of metal and Uther speaking. "Amelia, what's wrong?"

"The Entertainer from earlier is attacking Arthur and Uther!" Amelia tells them. "He's blocked the door..."

"I'll get the Guards." Anne says. She runs off.

"Merlin..." Amelia prompts, knowing they need a powerful blast.

Merlin nods throwing out his hands and blasting the door open then quickly flying at the door with his shoulder, making it seem like he'd broken it down with his shoulder. A wise choice as they do not know what might await them inside, whether it'll be Uther and Arthur awake and observant of the use of magic.

Uther stands over the Entertainer, thrusting his sword into him just as the man on the floor draws a knife and lunges at Uther, stabbing him in the heart. Amelia gasps at the sight.

"Father?" Arthur calls as he weakly lies on the floor on the edge of the room. Uther's knees buckle as the Entertainer falls to the ground, dead. Arthur jolts forward and catches his father as he sinks to the floor.

"Arthur!" Amelia runs over to him. Arthur cradles Uther in his arms and stares horrified at the blood on his hand that he'd gotten from Uther's shirt. Both Arthur and Uther look to be fighting to stay conscious.

"I'll get Gaius." Merlin rushes out of the room to get the Physician.

"Arthur..." Uther breathes as Amelia kneels at Arthur's side, reaching out weakly to him, "Arthur..."

"I'm here, Father." Arthur grabs his hand. "Amelia..." He looks at her for help.

"Anne is getting the Guards and Merlin's gone for Gaius." Amelia reassures him. She does feel genuinely sorry for Arthur but also feels happy to know that Uther seems to be finally dying.

"No..." Uther shakes his head. "It is my time..."

"No." Arthur cuts in. "You can't die."

Uther looks at him weakly, using the last of his strength to speak to his son. "I know you will make me proud, as you always have. You will be a great King."

"I'm not ready." Arthur whispers. Amelia puts a hand on his arm, squeezing it, trying to support him without speaking, not wanting to interrupt the moment between father and son.

"You," Uther swallows, "you've been ready for some time, Arthur."

"No. I need you."

"I know I've not been a... a good father." Uther breathes. "I put my duty to Camelot first, I'm sorry."

Arthur shakes his head. "Don't say that."

Uther grips Arthur's hand with all his remaining strength. "But know this one thing," Uther looks at him intently, "I've always loved you."

Arthur stares in horror as his father's eyes slowly close and his head slumps to the side, the King falling into unconsciousness. "No... father? Father!" He tries to shake him but Amelia stops him.

"Don't jolt him." She whispers in his ear, stilling his hand with one of her own. "Arthur... I'm so sorry."

"No..." Arthur gasps. "No, he... he's fine. He'll be fine." But even as he says it, his eyes fill with tears and Amelia turns, wrapping her arms around him as he starts to sob, his father fading fast in his lap.

——

Gwen is standing beside Arthur, Amelia with Percival and Anne with Merlin, the six of them gathered in Uther's Chambers, Gaius tending to the King. Uther is lying in his bed, unconscious, his breathing shallow and looking pale and weak.

Amelia watches as Arthur stares at his father mournfully, guilty, likely blaming himself for putting his father in such a state. Amelia gets it, if Arthur hadn't gone to see Uther, the Entertainer would have just gone after him and his father wouldn't have had to defend him and be harmed. Amelia fears that Arthur might be the one lying in front of them instead if that had happened, which is a worse fate.

Amelia tears up at the thought causing Percival to wrap an arm around her to comfort her. Likely mistaking her upset about what could've happened to Arthur as upset for what's happened to Uther. She's never expressed her hatred to Uther in front of Percival so it's not non-plausible.

Arthur fixes Gaius with a desperate look. "Gaius. Can you treat him?"

The two of them walk partly away before the Physician speaks, "The blade has touched his heart. He's bleeding inside."

"There must be something... there must be something you can do. Please, Gaius." Arthur begs.

Gaius shakes his head. "It is just a matter of time, I'm afraid. I'm sorry, Arthur."

Amelia looks at Arthur and sees him looking back at his father. His face reads that he can't accept that and is struggling to accept that Uther is going to die.

——

Amelia seems to have been tasked with a lot of Arthur's responsibilities as the man cannot cope and can only focus on his father. So when Leon and Agravaine are reporting to them about what they'd found out about Uther's assassins, Arthur just stands there, staring blankly and leaving all the talking to Amelia.

"We traced the assassin to the town of Whenham. It's in Odin's land. It seems he hired him to kill you to avenge the death of his son." Agravaine reports.

Arthur barely responds as he takes this in so Amelia asks, "Was he acting alone?"

Amelia had decided to be cordial with Agravaine while this is going on so as to not trouble Arthur too much. The last thing he needs is to find out his uncle is a traitor or have his family squabbling.

"We believe he had an accomplice among the performers, but he has fled the City." Leon replies. "We have doubled the Guard, should there be another attempt on the Prince's life."

Again, Arthur barely responds, so Amelia talks again. "Thank you." She says to the two men. "You are dismissed." The two men bow before leaving.

When they are alone, Amelia leans forward and puts a hand on Arthur's arm. He barely responds to it. "We're all here, Arthur. You're not alone in this."

Arthur finally manages to pull himself together enough to respond to her. He puts his hand on top of her own and gives it a gentle pat. "Thank you, Amelia. Your support means a great deal to me. I know it must be hard for you, too."

Amelia is glad he isn't looking at her as he'd see the tight smile on her face as she says, through gritted teeth, "We have each other. We'll get through this."

Merlin enters at that moment and Arthur immediately responds to Merlin's arrival. "What news of my father?" He asks.

"There is no change." Merlin replies.

Arthur snaps. "Well, why isn't Gaius doing something, then?!"

Amelia shares a look with Merlin and they both know they need to tread softly.

"Arthur." Amelia murmurs gently. "Gaius has done all he can for him. There is nothing he can do."

Amelia can see that Arthur knows this and that is what pains him.

——

Amelia is walking down the corridor when it has gone dark when something in the Main Square catches her attention. She slows and walks to the window and looks out to see it's the people grouped together as they hold a candle-lit vigil. Amelia is watching when she hears footsteps walking towards her. She turns to see a solemn Arthur approaching her.

"Seems the people are beginning to mourn." Amelia murmurs quietly. She's fearful that if she speaks any louder, Arthur will hear the disgust and annoyance at what the people are doing. They have no idea what the King is truly like.

"They won't be mourning for long." Arthur says.

Amelia turns to him in surprise, confusion and mild annoyance. Can't he just— "But... Gaius says he only has a couple days to live. There really is nothing that can be done."

Arthur shakes his head. "There is one way to heal him..." His voice drops off and he looks at Amelia hesitantly.

She frowns at him. He can't mean— "What?" Amelia asks.

Arthur doesn't answer her and pulls her down the corridor before pushing her into her Chambers and closing the door. "With magic."

Amelia is stunned as she takes this in. No... he wants to save the man that's caused so much fear and terror for people like her. She couldn't—

Amelia looks away so Arthur can't see her expression and swallows thickly before turning back to him. "You want to ask someone with magic to heal your father? Someone who is part of a community that your father has ruthlessly persecuted for over 20 years?"

"...yes."

Amelia reaches towards Arthur with her hand and taps his head. "Is everything alright in there?"

Arthur grumbles in annoyance and Amelia can see some light returning to his eyes briefly. "Yes. I've already talked with Merlin about it and he's gone to Gaius."

Amelia sighs. She can't blame Merlin as this seems like a massive opportunity. But they're in a perilous situation. Not only does Amelia personally not want them to have to save Uther and will happily take this, but if they use magic and save Uther, Uther will not be grateful, he will have them murdered. If they use magic and fail, Arthur will forever be turned against magic and they'll still end up murdered one day. If they try to dissuade him from using it, he will take it as them not supporting him or worse, not wanting to see Uther better.

"But... who'd want to do this, Arthur?" Amelia broaches hesitantly. "There... aren't many magic users that would be eager to risk the wrath of Camelot to heal its King."

"What?!" Arthur exclaims. "Why wouldn't they want to help?!"

Amelia blinks. "Uther killed their families?" She supplies. "Uther would kill them? You'll kill them if they fail? Uther would kill them if they succeed? It's nearly a death trap for them to even enter Camelot and you want someone who suffered at his hands to be willing to put all that aside to help him now?" Amelia shakes her head. "Arthur did you not learn from the Dragonlord incident that foresight is not your father's strong suit?"

"There is...truly no hope, is there?" Arthur whispers brokenly. He sits on Amelia's bed and puts his head in his hands. Amelia's mind jumps to the activities she and Percival have done on that bed but is snapped out of it by Arthur, who lets out a slight sob.

Amelia sighs. "Oh, Arthur." She sits next to him and rubs his back. "If anyone knows, it'll be Gaius."

Arthur calms and turns to stare at her wide eyed. "If you were me, if you had a chance to save your parents, would you use magic to save their lives?"

Amelia sighs, again, and closes her eyes. "Yes... yes, I would. I would do whatever it took."

——

Amelia is with Arthur in his Chambers when Merlin enters. Amelia tries to catch the Warlock's eye to see what's going through his mind but he doesn't look at her, only Arthur.

"Well? What did Gaius say? Did he have any information?" Arthur asks, his impatience showing.

"He didn't know much. But he has heard of a Sorcerer. An old man. He lives in the Forest of Glaestig. Gaius thinks he may be able to help you." Merlin tells him. Amelia knows this is a clear lie and knows exactly who this old man is.

"Will he lead me to him?"

"No, he's told me all that he knows. We will have to find him ourselves." Merlin tells him. He looks at Amelia as if he's asking for reassurance but she simply raises an eyebrow at him.

"Then we have no time to lose." Arthur declares.

——

Merlin, Percival (Amelia may have told him much to Arthur's irritation but Merlin supports this and says he may be of help) and Arthur head off the next morning. Gaius, Amelia and Anne wait in the Physician's Chamber, anxiously waiting for his return. Merlin and Percival eventually hurry in much to everyone's relief.

Amelia leaps up to greet Percival.

"Merlin." Anne hugs her husband. "I was worried. I thought something had happened."

"Well, apart from Arthur thinking there's something very wrong with Merlin's bladder, everything went to plan." Percival chuckles.

Amelia shakes her head, a smirk on her face and turns to Merlin. "You completely forgot you'd need an excuse not to go with Arthur to meet yourself and used 'peeing in the woods' as an excuse, didn't you?"

Merlin rolls his eyes and runs off to search through the books on the balcony.

"Then everything is set?" Gaius cuts in, more concerned with the plan than Merlin's excuses.

Merlin nods and darts back down with some books in his arms. "If I can heal Uther, Arthur has given me his word that when he is King, magic will no longer be outlawed. This could change everything."

"I'm still unsure about this." Amelia comments. Mostly because she doesn't even want this to happen. She doesn't want Uther to live or risk something going wrong.

"And what if something goes wrong? What of Arthur's attitude to magic then?" Gaius questions.

Merlin stops and looks at the three of them. "Me, Anne and Amelia live with the risk of being exposed every day. If I don't take this opportunity, maybe we'll spend the rest of our lives having to hide who we really are. And so will my child. Everyone's always telling me I have this great destiny. Maybe this is it. I have to try."

Amelia can tell by Anne, Percival and Gaius' faces that they feel the same as her. They can't bring themselves to argue, not after that speech. Merlin gathers up the books and heads into his old Chamber with Anne behind him. Gaius, Percival and Amelia share a thoughtful look. Can Amelia really let this go ahead?

——

They finally find the spell needed. Amelia quickly excuses herself from the group, feeling more determined than ever to do something about this. Amelia sees, to her surprise, Agravaine emerging from Uther's Chambers as she approaches them. She darts behind a pillar as he turns and walks past her. Once he is gone, Amelia pokes her head out and steps inside the Chambers. She walks up to the bed to see Uther is still breathing but barely. He's nearly gone.

Amelia frowns then when she notices something around Uther's neck. She reaches forward to lift it out of his shirt to see it's a necklace with a triangle at the end. Amelia realises immediately that this must be the work of Morgana. For once in a long while, Amelia smiles, pleased at the work her sister has done before realising something. What will this do to Uther when Merlin tries to heal him with magic? She knows that Arthur, against her advice, had told Agravaine of their plans and he must've told Morgana. This could completely backfire on them and turn Arthur against magic forever.

Amelia knows what she must do. She sits next to Uther on the bed. "Arthur wants to save you, I can't let that happen. After all that you have done, you really shouldn't live." Amelia hisses. She looks down at the necklace, taking it off. "This necklace is going to kill you anyway when Arthur tries to save you with magic and that will turn him against magic. I can't let that happen either."

Amelia recalls a spell Morgause had taught Amelia and Morgana. Amelia back then had planned never to use any of the spells she'd learnt from Morgause but perhaps it's time. She swallows thickly. "Goodbye Uther Pendragon." Amelia stands, takes a breath and stretches out her hand towards Uther. "Gesweorc, hine beclyppe!" She brings her fingers closer and closer together causing Uther to choke and gasp for air. Because he's so weak, it doesn't take long for the King to stop breathing.

Amelia hears footsteps and hears Arthur's voice speaking. She panics and slips out of the side door. She slips along the corridors before entering her Chambers, to her relief Percival is nowhere to be seen. Amelia slumps against her door as she registers what she's done. Revenge doesn't taste as sweet as she imagined and to her surprise, she begins to sob, clutching to the enchanted necklace. Amelia hopes Arthur never finds out what she's done.

——

Merlin's POV

Merlin, in his disguise as an 80 year old man, hides as Arthur approaches the Guards outside Uther's Chambers.

"You're dismissed." The Prince tells them but the Guards hesitate, surprised by the order.

"But, Sire. We were instructed not to leave our post." One argues.

"And I said you are dismissed."

"Yes, My Lord."

The Guards head off. Arthur waits until they've disappeared around the corner, then clears his throat. Merlin hobbles out of the shadows and is ushered into Uther's Chambers by Arthur, who then follows him inside.

As Merlin enters and approaches where Uther lies, he immediately notices something is off. Uther's chest is a bit too still.

"Your Highness..." Merlin croaks.

"What?" Arthur briefly looks at him as he hurries to his father's side.

Merlin steps up to Uther and feels for a pulse. There isn't one. Merlin reels. "He's dead."

Arthur struggles to accept this. "No... He can't be..." He shakes Uther. "Father... Father?!" Soon, Arthur realises the futility of his actions. He gives up and stares at Uther, his mind swimming. "I was too late. I should've been quicker."

"You shouldn't blame yourself." Merlin tells him.

Arthur's head snaps up, tears in his eyes. "Leave me. You can't help anymore."

Merlin panics. No, this can't be. "But what about your promise."

"Doesn't matter anymore." Arthur's voice catches as he speaks. "I made that promise if you saved the King, you can't do that anymore."

"But..."

"Leave!" Arthur yells. "This is your final chance."

Merlin, as quickly as he can, hurries from the room and once he's round the corner, he takes a sip from his bottle. Merlin feels the old man disguise fade away but he hardly notices, leaning against one of the walls in the corridor, trying to process what happened. Arthur was right, they should've had more time and now Merlin has lost his one chance to change Arthur's perception of magic.

——

Amelia's POV

Amelia stands in her Chambers, staring out the window. There's no noise except the wind gusting outside. She's waiting, waiting for someone to tell her of Uther's passing and terrified that someone has or will work her out.

She feels that everything is vibrating and it's only when she looks down, does she realise that it's her body that's shaking.

Amelia suddenly hears her door open causing her to tense and hold her breath. She doesn't dare turn around.

"Amelia?" Percival.

Amelia swallows harshly, still not daring to turn around in case her face reveals something, before speaking, "Did it work?" She's glad her voice stays strong and doesn't brake.

"No, I'm sorry, Amelia. Uther passed before Merlin could help him." Percival replies, walking up to her and standing behind her but doesn't touch her.

It must be the shock, guilt and just being overwhelmed that causes Amelia to just break down into sobs. Percival makes a sound of sympathy and wraps his arms around her from behind, holding her. At any other time, Amelia would take comfort in his hold but all she can think about is how she doesn't deserve this despite ridding the world of a monster. It's different from killing someone in battle because this was someone she knew and it feels so personal.

It takes a good while before Amelia emerges from her Chambers with Percival to meet the outside world. Everyone seems none the wiser to what Amelia has done. She continues to feel shaken and teary from the enormity of her actions and the enormous guilt she feels as she watches Arthur mourn his father. Those around her, just like Percival, interpret her behaviour as genuine grief for the loss of Uther and she isn't about to correct them.

This is a new beginning for all of them. Magic may still be outlawed but Amelia knows that despite that, life will already be tremendously better for all those with magic as Arthur isn't so murder hungry and jumping to conclusions.

Uther is soon placed in the Throne room for the Camelot's people to pay their last respects to their King. He lies on a raised Dias in the centre of the space, surrounded by candles. After everyone is gone, the doors are sealed, with Arthur still inside. He needs this moment alone with his father.

——

Anne's POV

Anne finds Merlin sitting in the Antechamber Corridor near the Throne room, waiting for Arthur. She takes a seat next to him.

"We must leave him to mourn." Anne takes in Merlin's shell shocked expression. "Merlin..."

"I don't understand. I thought he had more time." Merlin murmurs without looking at her.

"So did all of us." Anne solemnly replies. She hadn't thought she'd be so affected by Uther's death when it came, particularly since he sent her parents to the stake, but here she is. Though perhaps it's seeing how stricken everyone else is around her. Amelia has surprised her the most.

"We had a chance, a chance to prove to Arthur that magic can be used for good." Merlin continues.

"We must look to the future." Anne reminds her husband. "Uther's death will allow Arthur's progression to the throne. We must hope it brings peace and stability to the land."

"Magic will still be outlawed."

"What you were trying came with many risks. Gaius was right. You could've turned Arthur against it forever." Anne says. "Maybe this is a blessing in disguise."

"Arthur will be under even more pressure now that he's King. He will need us more than ever." Merlin declares.

Anne takes that in. She knows it's true. After a moment, she says, "I worry for Amelia."

"What do you mean?" Merlin asks, turning to her. He reaches over and strokes her stomach. He can just detect a slight curve.

"She's been acting strangely ever since Uther was injured and even more so now that he's died." Anne explains.

Merlin shrugs. "She's in mourning. She's lost a father figure despite her difficult relationship with him."

"Hmmm..." She isn't so sure. "There's nothing more to be done. Let's go and have some supper."

"I think I'll wait here."

Anne takes this in, touched by Merlin's devotion. She leans over to kiss him on the cheek then heads off, leaving Merlin to wait.

——

Amelia's POV

Amelia finds Merlin waiting outside the Throne room on the floor against the stone railing and plonks herself next to him quietly. Merlin acknowledges her presence wordlessly. Amelia has been in a daze ever since she killed Uther. She's full of guilt for what this has done to the others and feels she needs to make up for what she has not only done to Arthur but also to Merlin and Anne.

Amelia and Merlin sit there for the rest of the night without sleep or exchanging words. Just waiting for Arthur to emerge from his vigil. Dawn has broken by the time Amelia hears the door open and sunlight stream in through the windows but doesn't turn until Arthur speaks.

"Merlin? Amelia?"

The two turn their heads to see Arthur standing over them. Arthur has dried his eyes and is calm and composed, almost serene. Arthur looks at the light flooding in through the window - in a contemplative mood.

"It is a new day."

Merlin takes this in, then stands. Amelia stands and walks over to Arthur, wrapping him in a hug. She never knows what to do with someone that's grieving but always found hugging works though, on the plus side, it hides her face so Arthur can't see it. Amelia pulls back and trades a small smile with Arthur.

"You been here all night?" Arthur asks the two of them.

"Didn't want you to feel that you were alone." Merlin replies.

"You're both loyal friends." Arthur says, touched. Amelia winces at that. Is she truly a good friend? She took away Arthur's chance to save his father all because of her selfish feelings. She had found the necklace and could've stepped away, leaving Merlin to save Arthur, to show magic isn't evil but instead, Amelia was overcome with hatred and finished the job the Entertainer had started.

Arthur then closes the Throne room doors and takes a breath. "You must be hungry?" He says to the two of them.

"Starving." Merlin replies.

"Me too."

"I'm not." Amelia says quietly.

Arthur turns to her with a small, warm smile that Amelia doubts she deserves. "You need to eat. Come on, Merlin. You can make us some breakfast."

Amelia trails after Merlin and Arthur as they head up the spiral staircase.

——

The sun shines over Camelot. The start of a beautiful day. Guards take their positions, Villagers head up the palace steps, and Pages blow their trumpets.

The Throne Room is packed with Courtiers who bow as Arthur walks toward the throne. An air of excitement and anticipation fills the room. Amelia stands next to Agravaine on one side, surrounded by the Knights, while Anne, Merlin, Gwen and Gaius stand on the other side. The Court and Villagers also fill the room. Arthur reaches the throne and kneels. Geoffrey of Monmouth stands next to him with the crown in his hands.

"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of Camelot according to their respective laws and customs?" Geoffrey asks.

"I solemnly swear so to do." Arthur declares.

"Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?"

"I will."

"Then by the sacred laws vested in me, I crown you Arthur, King of Camelot!"

Geoffrey of Monmouth places a crown upon Arthur's head. Arthur stands and looks out over the Courtiers, Villagers and Knights.

"Long live the King!" Agravaine starts the cry.

Everyone joins in the chant. "Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the King! Long live the king! Long live the King! Long live the King!"

——

A/N: ...

Please leave comments on how you're enjoying this story and what you think.

[nitrosodiumofficialuses]

Goblin Cavern (habitat game) idea dump

So, this is my plan for Goblin Cavern. You play as a van helsing monster hunter-esque character, sent into the caverns to rid them of goblins. Not exactly a super-deep premise, but it doesn't have to be. The aim of each level will be to kill all goblins, using a variety of tools. You have a sword for close encounters, and bombs for help destroying goblin-made structures and armoured targets. You will also have a grapnel in your third slot, which works a little bit like the Whiplash tool from ULTRAKILL. You can pull things towards you, including vital items/keys, and heavy enemies. Regular enemies will have their hearts torn out in an instant kill move, giving you an extra health point. I also plan for there to be mines/naphtha bombs, which can be placed down and triggered remotely using the grapnel, or by baiting an enemy to trip over it.

The level design will be fairly open-ended. You'll be running around rocky cliffs and crags, but also wooden shafts built by the goblins. These will be destroyed by bombs, and also some enemy types, which I will get into later. There will be bubbling lava/acid and spinning maces as environmental hazards, and some areas will be gated off, requiring keys to access. Due to the interactivity of the world, this can lead to some interesting setpieces. Some of which I have written below.

-A section comprised of wooden platforms above lava, forcing you to not use your bombs.

-A section involving goblins with naphtha pots on a platform above you, giving you the option of a mad dash to the exit, or an interruption of their ambush if you have bombs to spare.

-A hard fight with many armoured enemies, that can be circumvented by yanking them into lava using your grapnel.

-A section involving a moving platform/raft that stops at various points throughout the level. Could be the basis for a level set in a goblin-controlled aquifer where you must shut down their waterwheels.

-Big steampunk drilling machines that you can activate for some optional fun, potentially being used to uncover secrets and drill through cracked rock. Obviously, these would be rare.

I will probably make the dangerous liquid acid instead of lava, since that fixes the issue of the wooden platforms not burning.

Now, onto enemies. There will be your regular goblin scamp, easily dispatched with a slice, a hook through the heart, or an explosion. There will also be goblin knights, wearing armour cobbled together from spelunkers who came before you. Slow, but deadly up close. Bombs are your best choice, though their sluggish movement gives you time to set up a little booby trap with a naphtha pot. After this comes goblin sappers, covered in soot and wearing goggles over their eyes. They will alternate between chucking bombs at you, or naphtha pots, depending on how they are set in the game world. However, they don't move, meaning you can shish-kebab a line of them with your grapnel. There will also be goblin ballistas, bolt-throwing devices pointed in one set direction. You could try to disable them with bombs, or find an alternate level path to avoid acquiring unnecessary ventilation. Finally, the biggest bad, the goblin panjandrum. Inspired by the ridiculous WW2 weapon of the same name, it's a gigantic spiked hamster wheel with a goblin peddling it. Its AI behavior consists of charging the player in one set direction, before turning and going the other way. It will mangle you in a single hit, and breaks apart goblin structures when it hits them. They can be killed if you place down a lot of naphtha pots, and use them like incendiary speedbumps, or find yourself an aforementioned goblin mining machine to redirect the level path straight into acid. The high levels of interactivity and immersion are things borrowed from my second-favourite game, Thief: The Dark Project, although my own game ditches stealth-horror tension for gratuitous gore and level augmentation.

A lot of this is wishful thinking, granted, but if I had unlimited resources and skill, this is the Goblin Cavern I'd make. This will probably have a similar development tale of id Software's Quake; a platformer promising unparalleled immersion, that ends up being a very different (and let's not forget cut-down) version to save the sanity of its developer/s. That's fine, it's my first proper college game. I will post the actual summer project work, the concept video, after this blog post.