#chapter 5 done babey!

[inkspottie]

Lab Rat

[luuxxart]

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[selfproclaimedunicorn]

Nearly 11.8k words, but I am finally onto the final section of chapter 6!

[cressthebest]

Art Heist, Baby! thoughts pt. 6

chapter 16:

1. awwww jegulus lay in bed and read and hold hands. they’re in love your honor

2. james is making plans for them after the heist nooooooo it’s gonna end in tears

3. like i said way back in my third ahb thoughts post, james has a praise kink. someone please agree with me. tell me i’m not crazy.

4. pleaseeeeeeeee wolfstar needs to stop being starcrossed lovers. they need to be together and happy

5. this chapter was so domestic i’m gonna cry

6. halfway done with the fic!!!

chapter 17:

1. ….im scared. what’s regulus gonna do?

2. HES VISITING SIRIUS AGAIN?????

3. BLACK BROTHERS REUNITE PLEASE

4. i fucking hate orion. broke reggie’s fingers just to save his brothers fucking life. man, fuck him.

5. SHIT WAIT FUCK SHIT REGULUS HAS BLACKMAIL ON SIRIUS ABOUT REMUS. HE’LL PROBABLY KILL REMUS IS SIRIUS DOESNT AGREE HOLY SHIT HOLY SHIT WAIT WOLFSTAR NOOOOO

6. NO FUCK WAIT REMUS LUPINS LIFE IS ON THE LINE FOR SURE NO WAIT NO WAIT NO WAIT NOOOOOO IM SO STRESSED JESUS CHRIST

7. holy shit wait. the plan was always to kill remus lupin if sirius didn’t comply. which is why regulus was so upset that james was close with remus. holy shit. i have too many thoughts about this and i can’t formulate them on this post properly. just know that i am ACTUALLY crying right now, very scared and very upset, actually sobbing.

8. BUT WAIT AS UPSETTING AS THIS IS!!! WOLFSTAR IS REUNITED ONCE MORE!!! AND!!! JAMES AND SIRIUS GET TO BE FRIENDS!! THE MARAUDERS ARE BACK TOGETHER BABEY

chapter 18:

1. the house is full of childhood memories for reg and siri and hold up. hold up. this is heartbreaking

2. i’m so worried for remus holy shit. this is gonna create tears and trust issues in the house

3. barty wouldn’t even hesitate to shoot sirius for reggie. he’s so dedicated. i love him

4. damn, it’s heartbreaking to see reg’s pov about how remus gets both the people reggie wants. sirius and james. that shit hurts y’all

5. this entire chapter is heartbreaking, i’m just gonna leave it at that so i don’t sob while writing this

6. everyone meeting sirius <3333333

7. regulus fixed a cup of tea for james and jt went cold, because for once james didn’t join him. this is my breaking point.

[soft-girl-musings]

WIP Wednesday

gosh, feels like it's been ages since i've done one of these

still trucking away at MK Bingo, still brainstorming for Dieter, still working on some other things. f i n a l l y started on the next chapter of PPP and we're a long way from finishing but we are making progress babey!!

from Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps chapter 5 (Something's Gotta Give):

Maybe years from now, society adopts stricter rules for how soon you should call on a lady. Even today, some would advise against showing your hand too early. Some men wouldn’t want to seem too eager, too desperate. But Jake Lockley is not a liar. If “desperate” is the word for the incessant drumming in his chest each time you come to mind; if it’s what has him cutting corners and driving recklessly, ushering customers along at double the pace so his thoughts can return to you; if it’s why his palms sweat and nerves ache at the memory of your face that night, that morning… then Jake Lockley is desperate. It’s hardly been a day and a half since he left your apartment cold and injured. The suit stitched him back together in seconds; the only ache that remained was at the thought of you. You, who scooped him off the pavement and took pity on him. Who stained your hands with his blood to make it stop. You, who set his skin on fire with the smallest touch and had him convinced he would burn with or without it. Screw the three day rule. He has to see you.

...needless to say, i'm excited.

[gubbles-owo]

How's Arknights going? Tried out any of the funky side-modes yet? Did you already get 4 of the same clue dropped on your desk by someone? (the essential AK experience)

YOU

WHY CAN'T I HOLD ONTO ALL THESE BLACKSTEEL CLUES YOU DUMPED ON ME For real tho, big thanks for all the clues!! Pretty sure I've at least once managed to fill the board entirely with cards from you LMFAO paragraphs of unnecessarily detailed answers under the cut

Arknights is going alright! Still on chapter 5 of the main story, progress has been slow cause I've been focused on upgrading the hell out of a few specific ops-- first e2'ed Manticore, then Matoimaru the other day (i love both of 'em sm). Definitely ain't maxed out, dunno if anyone would actually use em as support units rn, but regardless I love my arknights children just look at them they're so fcukfign cool

I adore the extra stories and insights that come with building trust and unlocking modules, and at the end of the day I'm ultimately here for the characters! Still figuring out who to promote next... Exu would be useful as heck but oughhh the materials required for her look like hell XmX I haven't really done all that much of the side stuff, tbh? Not out of lack of interest, but because shit just feels too difficult? I've been discouraged from doing all that much in events or novel modes because I inevitably get roadblocked by raw numbers-- my ops are too low level, enemies throw waay too much damage, mechanics and enemy types I've never seen or had explained are suddenly thrown at me and I'm expected to know how the heck to deal with 'em, etc etc. In all honesty it's a lil frustrating as new player to try and keep up, to curb the rampant FOMO from things I can't quite fully participate in yet. I'm sure I'll get there eventually, it's just a bit of a struggle >w>` Strategy games 'n tower defense usually ain't my thing, so admittedly there's a looot I still gotta learn, through both practice and example. Simply put: I'm babey xD I have been learning and discovering cool lil strategies tho! Random fun fact, while figuring out a better strategy to grind out 4-8 than the guide I originally followed, I discovered that you can get two sarkaz casters to bind the same target if you time your deployment just right

punished gravel jumpscare

(and yes, i am still working on texturing the low poly manticore model, progress has just been extremely slow sdhfjsdgh)

[wutheringheightsfilm]

2, 4, 5, 27?

YAYYY

2. a character whose POV you're currently exploring

wei wuxian himself babey <3 (in third person though)

4. a story idea you haven't written yet

i have several! but my mdzs/cql related one is that i have a series of older sibling character studies i want to do. since i started with jiang yanli, i wanted to do ones for lan xichen, wen qing, and wei wuxian but i haven't done them yet.

5. first sentence of the fifth paragraph of an unpublished WIP

scream okay i have multiple chapters already so i'll do the first sentence of the fifth paragraph of the second chapter that i just finished a couple days ago:

It both helped and didn’t help that he felt like he looked like an entirely different person.

27. your favorite part of the writing process

i think i really love just immersing myself in what the characters are feeling in that moment, especially because i write listening to music. i really love just sinking into whatever emotions i'm trying to write out... i feel like i sound like a method actor but i promise it's not that weird LMAO

thank u for asking my beloved bestie <3

[cwritesfiction]

It’s in the Cards Draft 1 is done 🎉

Word count: 55k - short, but several large chunks were summarized rather than written out to account for draft 2 changes. 

Things I learned: Elliott likes spreadsheets, Adrian is a neat freak, Veronica is banned from the boardwalk amusement park, Reggie isn’t a government spy (or is he he’s not.) 

Fun fact: the word “orb” appears 38 times. Good god.

Chapter titles:

1. Elliott lies to some grandmas because that’s business, babey! Also this chapter is set up wrong but it’s cool

2. Don’t touch my cards! Also uh-oh whoopsy, this sounds like chapter 1, time to restructure

3. A lot of orb jokes in this one lads

4. Someone out there is into yellow rubber gloves and this one’s for you

5. We need to get hornier with the nachos next time

6. Just Lads Lovin Chads. Also, this is where the grandmas go

7. Oh no, I hope this doesn’t awaken anything. Also Elliott gets hit with a bean bag

8. Elliott makes a decision that totally won’t have repercussions later and by the way, don’t check their search history

9. Next draft, this is going to be a great bonding moment and point of romantic tension

10. Oops, we went off-outline and now Elliott is crying

11. Go Go Grandma Wedding! (And then go go straight to horny jail)

12. Lasagna Beach Picnic

13. Versatile Lemon

14. Elliott does not light Adrian on fire

15. Anyone who says “just talk to him” needs to remember how hard “just talking” to people is (oops! I only wrote half of this chapter)

16. Death

17. Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of my own actions

18. Regret

19. Looks like love…is in the cards. Ha! You see what I did there.

20. Happily Lemon After

[nonhumanhottie]

Book of boba fett rewatch

Chapter 1 - A stranger in a strange land

I love how gross the sarlac pit is

The massiffs are little lizard dog babies

Ugh the wookiee skin makes me so sad

Maxxxx reboooo

I love how petulant the child tusken is

Chapter 2 - The tribes of tatooine

I love the ribbons braided into fennecs hair

Black Krrsantan

Get into the flashback juice

The Tusken narrative + cultural exploration makes this show worth existing (even if it doesn't entirely align with Boba's character)

Chapter 3 - The streets of mos espa

The droid has such classic Matt Berry energy with 'he who should not be named'

I love the mods they're just little punk kids

Ugh the Tusken massacre is so lazy

Danny trejo babyeee

Is the 10x a size a reference to the holiday special where boba rides a dino

The mods are dressed so impractically for the desert keep slaying kids

Chapter 4 - The gathering storm

The modders are sooo cool god i want to see more cyborgs in star wars

Boba is so fucking bitter that he was left to die by his enemies

The tiny probe droid is so spy kids

Jabba didn't double cross you Boba?? At least not this time, bud

Fennec is so slay

Hit it Max!!!

Chapter 5 -The return of the mandalorian

Here we go here's where we go off the rails

Say the line bart

I love an awkward elevator scene

I hate everything about the darksaber in live action and what they say about mandalore

Housemate is so fucking mad about Din being cast out

I do love Peli though

I love that fennec is has good sense of humour

Chapter 6 - From the desert comes a stranger

Cobb babey you're back

Artoo is such a troll lmao

Luke is very clearly flying by the seat of his pants here

Luke why are you traumatising a baby

I really despise Ahsoka's attitude in this episode lmao

Cobb and Din reuinted again and these two boys are flirting

Oh bane you look so rough but I still love you

Chapter 7 - In the name of honor

Boba acts so fucking righteous considering all the violent shit he's done in his past that he hasn't redeemed himself from

Bonding with tuskens doesn't resolve his bounty hunter past--and it doesn't have to!

Anyway I love fennec's interaction with the mods

I love Santo so much and that he's still so bloodthirsty but also willing to accept help when he's injured

Landing on that jetpack must be so painful

King Kong rancor let's go

This show is a mess but at least there's fun to he had

[em-writes-stuff-sometimes]

darilaros (princess) │ Chapter 1: Sunrise

terms of endearment ‘verse: see my Masterlist for the correct series order!

Chapter 1 │Chapter 2 │Chapter 3 │Chapter 4 │Chapter 5 │Chapter 6 │Chapter 7 │Chapter 8 (COMPLETE!)

Synopsis: Queen Aemma brings a new child into the world—you. As the second daughter of King Viserys, you experience firsthand what it means to belong to the House of the Dragon.

Hello, everyone! Welcome to the very first instalment of this series, featuring baby!Babey and teen-uncle!Daemon! This prologue will be the only Daemon POV of this instalment (or at least that is my current plan), and there will be several time jumps in keeping with canon. Please keep in mind that, as canon diverges around Episode 5/6 in this series, much of what occurs in the show will also occur as-is here, so don’t expect anything particularly innovative in terms of plot, lol. I’m hoping this will be an opportunity to establish Babey as a firm part of the storyline in a manner that is a little less ambiguous, and will also serve to provide more wholesome Babey/Daemon interactions to foreground their later shift. A couple things: there will be NO ROMANCE in this fic, because Babey is a child. Ew. There may be mentions of romance between other characters, but this story will be told firmly through Babey’s eyes and thus events are limited to her own interpretations.

Anyway! Enough from me - on with the show!

TRIGGERS: mentions of miscarriage/stillbirth, mentions of childbirth trauma, blood.

“And so it was that, in the summer of 109 AC, Queen Aemma took once again to her childbed, remaining there for near two days for what would be a difficult and taxing labour. In the early hours of the morning, King Viserys and his lady wife welcomed a living babe—but not the babe they expected. The arrival of a second daughter took both by surprise, for they had come to believe the child in the queen’s belly had been their longed-for son. It was nonetheless announced that the queen had been delivered of a healthy girl, and a great relief was struck up across the realm, the bells of King’s Landing being rung from dawn to dusk and the people gathering on the streets in praise of their new princess.”

- ‘Fire and Blood: Being a History of the Targaryen Kings of Westeros’ by Archmaester Gyldayn

It's quiet this time, he thinks. No snivelling midwives, no wailing… A good thing, surely.

Still. The silence, in all of its peculiarity, is unnerving. After the last occasion—the frenetic activity bustling up and down the halls, the yelling, the sound of Aemma’s screams, the stench of blood thickening in his nostrils as he stepped forth to take his first and last view of the purple, unmoving babe in the cradle he would never outgrow—the absence of sound seems almost foreboding. Should he not hear the child cry? Should he not be within by now? He would venture to knock on the door, but he dares not risk disturbing this fragile peace—especially if it is not fated to remain so.

Thus, Daemon Targaryen, eighteen summers old and the king’s very own brother, waits in his seat opposite the entry to the queen’s chambers as he has done for hours. And, as he sits, he prays.

Well—not pray, exactly. He’d have to believe in gods to do that. But, should a higher power exist, it cannot hurt to lend his own voice to the masses that even now attempt to muster enough mercy to grant the survival of his cousin and the child she has worked so hard to bring forth these past moons. Let them live, he urges, pressing the thought out into the air around him, into the sky far above the keep. Let them both live.

“Any news?”

Daemon snaps to attention, head tilting automatically to the intruder. He suppresses a sneer. Now is not the time.

“Nothing,” he says, taking care to keep his tone even.

Otto Hightower sighs. “Well”—the Hand of the King moves closer, towering over Daemon with his hands clasped behind his back—“no news is good news, I hope.”

“Hm.” He’ll not dignify that with a response.

Hightower’s eyes narrow in on him. “There is no need to sound quite so downtrodden, Prince Daemon. I am sure the king will find some use for you… now that you are no longer his heir.”

He knows what the man is after. A display of anger, perhaps—maybe even hot-headed insistence on his part that his position stands as it has since Viserys won the throne, that the child is dead, that the lord has every reason to fear him still. He won’t give him the satisfaction, though. If his brother ventures out to see Daemon once again railing at his most trusted advisor…

Daemon’s desire to meet his nephew outweighs his need to put this upstart in his place.

“Never fear, Otto.” He smiles, lips stretched wide with too much teeth, threatening more than welcoming. “I’ll always have a place by Viserys’s side. I am his brother. And you…” He looks the man up and down. Even now, the pin of the Hand is attached to the cunt’s lapel like a sycophantic badge of honour, gleaming in the golden torchlight. “What are you, exactly?”

Hightower’s jaw clenches. “I am the Hand of the Ki—”

“For now,” Daemon says, a smug half-smirk playing at the very corners of his mouth. “Don’t forget that. For now.”

What he doesn’t say is plain to read. ‘One day, he’ll understand. One day, he’ll see you for what you really are. A leech, one who latches onto power and drains those who truly wield it dry.’

The reminder makes Otto pale. “I—”

The door creaks open, the flushed face of one Viserys Targaryen appearing in the space between wood and frame. “Daemon.”

Daemon rises. “Is—how is—” He cannot get the fucking words out.

His brother grins. “Aemma is well, and the babe is healthy.”

He lets out a relieved breath, surprised to discover exactly how tense he had been since the messenger had roused him from sleep at the hour of the owl. That tension releases itself with the air he pushes from his lungs, his shoulders sagging from the freedom of it. Suddenly, his eyes no longer feel so wide, so fear-bright, and fatigue sets in. He is tired. But first—

“May I see him?” he asks.

At that, Viserys pauses, whatever he had intended to say to Otto left unfinished. He clears his throat, all joy fleeing his face. “Ah… About that.”

“Is the boy… crippled?” The Hand’s voice is hushed, apprehensive.

“No, no!” Viserys insists, shaking his head. “Only… she is small, quiet. Nothing at all like Rhaenyra was.”

“A girl? But Runciter was so certain!” Otto says, mouth parted in shock.

Runciter’s a fucking fool. Anyone who sets stock by his theories ought to be burned alive, Daemon thinks, rolling his eyes. He’d never liked maesters—any of them, least of all the doddering fuckwits appointed to the vaunted station of Grand Maester. That Runciter had gotten this wrong is hardly surprising. None of them seem to know what they are doing.

He pushes around his brother and leaves him to his latest inanity, moving onward to where his newest niece lay.

The queen’s chambers are stifling, unbearably hot, the windows closed tight and the fires blazing in spite of the warmth already pervading the early hours of the morn. Another ridiculous notion, he suspects, though whether it be Westerosi custom or Targaryen superstition, he knows not. Perhaps dragonbabes can only be born into the fire they are made from.

Last time he was here, Aemma had been gaunt, eyes red-rimmed and near hysterical from the passing of her first, her only son. She’d laid weeping in her bloodied shift still, bedraggled hair sticking to slick skin as she’d mourned the child, insensate to kind words or reason from any who had approached her. Eventually, Viserys had demanded all who were not the blood of the dragon to remove themselves from the room. Together, he and Daemon had borne Aemma from her childbed, had taken her to the bath still waiting, had disposed of the last markers of gloom and tragedy marring the space.

Only those of Valyrian blood should ever bear witness to weakness from one of their own. Only those of Valyrian blood could ever understand the magnitude of such a loss. Their line had been dying out since the Doom—every death since only ever added salt to the wound.

What Daemon walks into this time is different. So very, very different.

Aemma is gaunt still, overcome by weariness, no doubt sapped greatly by the trials of such long labour. Shadows carve deep hollows beneath her eyes, skeletal, made almost sinister by the flicker of dim light, and her mouth is pale and cracked. Yet, there is naught but a buoyant sort of lightness adorning her face, shining more brilliantly than a crown ever could.

The chamber bears none of that ominous atmosphere that pervaded that night, instead filled with the heady scent of frankincense clogging each breath he draws, earthy smoke settling warm in his gut. The sheets are clean. The midwives calm. The Grand Maester, asleep in the chair by the fire.

And, in the queen’s arms, the smallest wrapped bundle he has ever seen.

“Is that…” He swallows, dazed and speechless.

His cousin beams. “Come,” she says. “Come and meet her.”

Wordlessly, he approaches, taking care to make his footfalls light so as not to disturb the delicate creature enshrined in a mother’s embrace. As he draws close, he sees that the babe is not asleep as he had thought. Instead, open eyes look upward, deep dark indigo with the merest hint of lilac-violet-amethyst, the promise of Old Valyria in that muzzy, unfocused gaze.

This is the moment he meets you.

Aemma graciously accepts his silent question, relinquishing you to your uncle with naught but a gentle sigh and a stroke to the cheek. So little are you that you settle easily into the line of his arm, head to the crook of his elbow and rump to his cupped hand, light enough that it would be easy to forget you are even there. You let out a soft bleat, feet kicking beneath your swaddling—but that is all. For when that blue-nearly-purple stare shifts, locking with his, you fall silent, still. And so does he.

You are beautiful.

Of course you are. Viserys is hardly the handsomest of men, and Aemma comely enough though of no great noteworthiness, but their firstborn is about as lovely as any girl of nine summers old can be. Your sister.

Gods, he thinks. Rhaenyra, an elder sister. The very notion of his spoiled little niece playing such a part seems unwittingly hilarious in this moment. She will not like being made to share her mama and papa—her uncle—with you.

Right now, that is irrelevant. His attention returns to the slope of your nose, the rosebud bloom of your lips, the blush of your rounded cheeks, tracking the near ethereal features with a delicate fingertip. Newborns are dreadful-looking things, usually squished and red and misshapen. You look like a painting, or a doll made by the finest artisans, a sculpture rendered by magic rather than mortal hands. He wonders if it is love for you—and it is love, he has no doubt of that, for his love of family is perhaps the one truly redeeming quality he possesses—that blinds him to any imperfection, or if you really are as lovely as you seem.

“What will you name her?” he asks, smoothing the cloths off your fragile little head to take the briefest peek at your scalp. Ah—there it is. Targaryen silver. With an Arryn for a mother, one could never be certain.

“Rhaenyra’s insisted on naming her sister Visenya.”

Daemon glances toward the foot of the bed. Viserys has returned, absent of his loyal hound, drawing near without his notice. He snorts at the man’s words. “How very like her.”

‘Tis true. Rhaenyra has always been fixated on stories of the Conqueror and his wives, forming a particular fascination for the elder of Aegon’s queens. It is a powerful name. A warrior’s name.

He frowns. “A fine name—but not for this little thing.”

Visenya is anger and retribution, violence and chaos, death and destruction. Daemon can find nothing of the sort in you. Every part of you—from the tips of your fuzzed palewhite hair to the petite softness of your wiggly little feet—seems fit for a destiny of another kind. One of peace, of calm, of joy and goodness.

Aemma hums an agreement, wholly preoccupied with gazing at her newest child. “If she were a son, her name would be Baelon.”

“Hm.” Viserys steps forward, palm brushing featherlight across your side as he passes to sit by his wife. “Baelon and Visenya. Those are the names we had prepared. But alas, Baelon was not to be. And Visenya is not… right.”

Daemon stands, bringing you a scant few steps toward the window. Dawn is approaching. The sky has relinquished the darkness of night, and there, on the horizon, the faintest of ambers illuminates the locus where the heavens and the earth meet, silhouetting the city below. As he watches the sun rise, he just barely hears the staff behind him make their final exits, awash in a rustle of equipment and a hush of words offered to their mistress and exultant ruler.

A tiny noise below draws his interest. Your eyelids have drooped, soft lashes framing lavender lids that sweep across the skin of your cheeks. When he dips his finger into the parting of your mouth, you begin to suckle at him, reflex rather than need.

“What would you call her?” Aemma asks after seconds, minutes, hours.

He turns, brow arched in surprise. She seems genuinely curious, though she is admittedly not one for mean-spirited japes as it is. His cousin has always valued his opinion more than his brother ever had, even if was she who had forced his bitch of a wife upon him.

“If you could,” she adds, “what name would you give her?”

He looks to Viserys, wordlessly asking for permission. A dip of the chin is his response. Letting loose a soft grunt, he peers down at his small charge.

Visenya is too fierce. Gael too glum. Too many fucking ‘Rhae’ names, so no Rhaenys. Daella too bland, Saera too provocative, Alysanne too common.

And then, he thinks upon it. The perfect name. Your name. When he says it aloud, he is met with a shine in Aemma’s eyes, a gleam in Viserys’s grin.

“That is it,” the king says, nodding decisively. “That is what we shall call her.” Rising, he comes forward to clap Daemon on the shoulder lightly, hand warm even through the layers of his shirt and coat. “Thank you, brother.”

“Your Grace,” he murmurs, tipping his head.

There is a tightening in his chest, the sort of feeling that threatens to stop his heart from the depth of his own enduring emotion. As Viserys makes his way to the door to deliver the announcement—to proclaim your birth, to order the ringing of the bells, to declare your name for the entire world to hear and know—Daemon gazes down at you.

“What do you think, sweetling?” He says your name again.

This time, he swears that you smile back at him.

Read on AO3:

https://archiveofourown.org/works/48798151/chapters/123097897

Taglist (😭 thank you!):

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[shinogi-xx]

Arc 1 Babey (someday I will even name the arcs. How about that.)

ch 1 (Show Me What I'm Looking For) AKA Misery Business (lets take it from the top) ok so. I still think its hilarious that this is the only moment in the entire story that I broke my narrator, but the foreshadowing at the end is genuinely one of my favorite things about this story to this DAY. I think its fine because its the first chapter, like, its the introductory, it's okay to break some rules... but man, all for ONE LINE! (me breaking my narrator bc the story is written in third person limited with only Kei's thoughts and emotions known-- but then I just decide you know what. I'm just gonna tell you right now. That man doesn't know what he's gonna do, and the narrator also knows that) (because anything for the foreshadowing babey) But anyway the rest of the chapter is fine. I always feel like it needs more... something, but I don't know what.

ch 2 (Red Sky Warning) finding SPELLING MISTAKES THIS LATE IN THE GAME I DON'T UNDERSTAND??? I'm literally just making up words and not even in the good way-- Anyway that man in this chapter makes me want to shove an entire pillow in my mouth (shoves down lustful thoughts). I think I don't have very much to say because, after I did some serious rework of this one waaay back and then the little touches up since, it's definitely the strongest of like, the very early chapters. At least IMO, like, I think the emotions come across well, and Kei's motivations feel real here. I hope her desperate and grief stricken actions feel understandable, and you get the sense that she's willing to throw away *everything*. Maybe I just like being in his car

ch 3 (Walk On Water Or Drown) "iS tHiS LiKe YouR hEadQuArtErs Or SomEtHiNG?" --Kei X019 everybody!!! THIS BITHC IS STUPID she has not watched 1 mafia piece of media in her goddamn life and it shows. First how fucking hard she lowballed that hit and now this. What a goof. What's really funny about this chapter is that it gets so... randomly silly once that man and Rio are together and yet. that is the most in character thing about this entire story and I can't change it and I don't know what else to tell you. They are silly. But like before that I do really like how this chapter opens-- not crazy about it after that. Like I know I definitely had to have said this last time, but that ending needs some serious work. It doesn't do her thoughts or feelings justice in the slightest and feels like the most fanfiction shit ever. I'll make a note to really try and fix it before the next chapter reupload.

ch 4 (Last Hope) I deadass had to stop reading for a sec because like... what the fuck is this chapter :HA: fr,,, it feels so random. What is happening. Why am I only just feeling like this whole thing needs to be thrown out LOL I think I was in denial before because I didn't want to rewrite it and you know what. that's valid as fuck because I still don't wanna do that. Except for literally the very end where she realizes he was just driving around so she could vent rather than going directly to her place and cutting it short-- THAT is actually really cute and they win couple of the year already goodnight In all seriousness this chapter is just an exposition dump and its done in a silly way. Like I need to change how he just randomly happens to see her *from his car* and then actually, expand upon the fact that SHE WAS BEING FOLLOWED BY A MAN IN A RED HOODIE? like that never comes up again and it absolutely fucking should :HA: I have no idea how to make her finding out about his secret rap career any less silly either so that might just stay tbh. but also who am I kidding because am I really ever going to fix this shit--

ch 5 (Make Your Move) I like this chapter even though its not great and you know what... sometimes that's all that matters folks. Frfr though, I do actually think that things have been progressing well for their relationship, it's these little moments where they see each other in a new light, or suddenly realize there's a connection, these little threads are starting to weave them together and that aspect of the story I think I'm getting across pretty well. But deadass its a little frustrating to read because, the way I can see these events happening in my mind is so much more serious and stylish and Makes Sense more than how I've written it and man THAT is what is most frustrating about these earlier chapters I think. Like, I'm reading it thinking "noo you don't understand, I know the 75483798 layers of context that makes this work" but where is it in the story huh?

ch 6 (Camisado) I've always felt like this was the first REAL chapter of the story. Like, finally we have plot progression and the writing picks up and things begin to feel more cohesive. The first 5 chapters are so spotty and its something that seeps down to the bones of the writing. But this chapter finally feels better to read, for all sorts of reasons. I love you rising action and traumatic experience, thank you for your service.

ch 7 (Too Close) ahhh yes... I love this one! I think the subtlety of his actions make it clear that he's struggling to balance what their relationship is becoming. He wants to be there for her after this horrible experience, but he knows that he shouldn't get too close. He knows that what happened was too close of a call, and he knows that she's already letting herself get too close to him (haha ok I'll stoP). I began to wonder why nobody at the police station actually took Kei's coat for evidence but then I was like... no why would they? They don't need evidence, they all saw what happened :HA: Rio killed him jdfksa but it's okay because it was a government sanctioned killing /sparkle sparkle I like to imagine Jyuto coming out of the station though and just seeing the coat on the ground like "he just left this here..." Yes he did. Also very important to note these chapters are so good because Jyuto is finally in them and that's also why its the first REAL part of the story haha ok goodnight

END OF ARC 1!

yearly SaKe re-read post

because I've finally been working on chapter 21's outline again, and my last full read through was over a year ago and didn't include 19 & 20. If I'm going to attempt to start 21's document, I'm gonna need to get everything really fresh again first. Which also means: I dissect shit again, and blog about it. (I swear it helps with the process) (but it also just scratches my brain really nice) Also to note, I'm gonna be editing again. Maybe even tackling some of the bigger issues with the story that have bugged me but would be a project in itself. We'll see.

Notes from last time (for ease of access): here

[vermillioncrown]

notable quotes during this entire process of Suffering

"you need to be a little delusional to have a thesis. at least a bit."

"oo she's starting to believe"

"barring setting your hair on fire and sitting between you and the monitor, i don't think you can be stopped"

"if you could, you'd have a beard at this point. and be balding"

"is it drugs or do you feel Things inside?"

"doesn't have to be coherent. or logical. just needs to Be"

"just write 'let's be frfr, you're skipping this chapter my esteemed committee members' in the middle"

[pnatreactionpicoftheweek]

[beananacake]

Savior (Part 9)

Ikaris x Reader

Summary: Ikaris has felt a hum for millennia and he's never questioned it, until he found the source.

Chapter Summary: Truths are revealed.

Word Count: 6.6k words

Warnings: MAJOR MOVIE SPOILERS!! (read at ur own risk!!), mentions of ab*se and d*ath, ANGST babey!! that's it?

A/N: what's up what's up! Let me just say sorry for two things: one, i am sorry for making you cry, and two, part 10 would take a while to be out. My arm's killing me and i can't really move around/type as much while i'm on treatment. It's nearly done though but it would take probably an extra few days for refinement, etc. Call it delayed gratification?? I love reading your comments! (I'm sorry if I don't reply to most tho :/) Don't be shy to leave some or even leave some asks or messages! Not beta'd, not edited. Buckle up because here is part 9!!!

Masterlist

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | One Shot: Dear Diary

“I met Jack when I was close to giving up.”

You sat before Jack’s headstone, cross-legged on the grass. Ikaris took his place beside you. You kept one hand out, illuminating the granite slab as you touched the etched words. Jacob Nicholson. 1809 – 1886. Loving husband and father. I shall see you again, my sweet angel.

“It wasn’t really a meet-cute. More like meat-cute.” You grinned at Ikaris and tried poking him on the ribs with your elbow. “Get it? Meat, with an A instead of an E?”

He only gave a small smile.

“It’s funnier with the context,” you told him.

“What’s the context, then?” he relented and you chuckled.

“Well, it’s a sad story but the joke’s funny.” You looked back at the headstone. “I met him when I was looking in the trash for something to eat. You see, I didn’t really have a great track record with humanity. I’ve been used and abused and paraded and whipped and possibly had every torture done on me before I met him.”

You turned to the sky, leaning on your arms. The stars twinkled brightly as the clouds moved away.

“Like, they whipped me for standing up for a kid. They made me into this some type of circus freak for a while. I was… abused, for lack of better word, by men who thought they could exercise their power over me. I mean, good thing I wasn’t in Salem or they would have probably tried to burn me alive.” You chuckled lightly.

“Sometimes, I don’t really understand your humor, Y/N,” Ikaris said but he was more amused at you than anything.

“I had tons of bad shit done to me. Cut me some slack.”

He chuckled softly. “Go on.”

“Where was I?” You paused for a while. “Oh! Right. So, I didn’t get well with people after all those stuff done to me. I was apprehensive around them. The only way I could eat was through hunting and even that I can’t do. Phastos did a really good job with technology because people hunted with guns instead of spears. I couldn’t risk being out there without getting hit. I’ve always hunted with my powers and even if I do try—and I did—they ended up hunting me instead. So, the only solution I had left was to wait at night when they threw away their garbage.

“Jack was throwing his out while I was scouring for food. That was the first time I’ve ever been seen in that alley. I usually go when there weren’t as many people in the streets. When he found me, he offered me fresh food instead of the garbage chicken. Of course, I was cautious. What made him different than any other men who had done those terrible things to me? I just wanted to go but he was insistent that he help me. He promised he wouldn’t hurt me. They told me that, too, and when I trust them, they ended up hurting me. Jack…”

You swallowed as your eyes misted. You pushed the tears away with your fingers.

“When I looked into his eyes, I saw no malice. He just wanted to help me. He told me he will never hurt me. So, I took his offer of the meal.”

You gave wistful smile, reminiscing. You swore you almost smelt the scent of roast and freshly baked bread before you.

“Gil makes pretty decent stuff but Jack? He just served me reheated roast and fresh bread and it was like manna had fallen on my lap. I scarfed it all down; damning those Victorian etiquette or some shit like manners, and even asked for seconds. He never judged. He just gave me what I asked for. He even prepared me a bath and lent me his clothes so I could get out of my dirty ones.

“He never judged me for being rude and uncultured. He only thought I was rambling because I kept asking if he wanted to sell me or pluck my wing feathers or do some other shit with it or that maybe I didn’t know who I was. You know, he’s never seen my wings at all and I don’t know why. Of all the people and the beings I encountered in this earth, Jack should have been the worthiest one. He should have been one of the people who saw how beautiful these are.”

You saw Ikaris turn to you and you gave him a sad smile.

“Sorry if I’m getting too sentimental.”

He shook his head. “Just go ahead, Y/N. I want to listen to everything you want to say.” Ikaris told you quietly and you gave him a grateful smile.

“So I slept at Jack’s the very night I met him. Then he made me breakfast that morning. He told me I was welcome to stay for as long as I needed. I didn’t have the heart to tell him I wanted to stay indefinitely. His house, even though it was small, was better than sleeping on the ground. I was always at risk of being caught and animals still lurked the forest. Even if my bed in his house was just a straw mattress that he roughly put together, I still found it the most comfortable place of rest.

“The next day turned into a week, then into a month, and then a year. He seemed to have caught on that I wanted to stay when he saw me try washing the dishes. He was nice to me about it, teaching me how to use these modern things I missed out on. He just told me that I didn’t really need to do much around, only do the things I knew to do. He said he would take care of everything for me while I tried to remember who I was.”

You sighed deeply.

“But that’s the thing. I wanted to forget.

“I wanted to forget the things the people have done to me. I didn’t want my past anymore because it was so dark and sad and… I was an angel. I was supposed to be light and happy. I was supposed to be the very definition of joy. But instead, all my life, it was just sadness and pain and guilt and I told him everything.”

You saw Ikaris watching you intently and you touched his hand that was near yours. Your powers crackled but it was comforting for you. Ikaris was real and with you in that moment.

“We worked on it together. I didn’t expect him to really understand my experiences because I’ve been alive for so many years and he’s only been in this world for a handful compared to mine, but he understood. He understood my pain and my guilt and my suffering. He told me that it was eating at me because I let it consume me.”

You pulled away from Ikaris and brought your knees up closer to your chest and hugged them. The moon illuminated you both as you kept your power to yourself.

“So, with his help, I braved them. We went pretty slow when he suggested I tried reintegrating myself with the rest of the world. I tried reading again so I can make polite conversation with his neighbors. After I did that and when I was comfortable with being around them, he tried having someone teach me about the world. He was very patient with me. Then we’d talk about my past. It was painful at first, to talk about all of those bad things but I knew I had to face them soon. I had to stop running away from them.

“Sometimes I cried when I remember them in my sleep but he only held me close and murmured to me that those were only my memories and that I was safe with him. Most of the time it worked. If it didn’t, I would just leave for the night and come back the next morning. He always left the light on for me.

“When I was finally able to at least keep the memories at bay, he asked me if I wanted to go out, with him but that went without saying. It’s been over a year since I first stayed at his house by then. I thought he was telling me to move out. I didn’t know there a slang for going on a date or something.”

You gave a small chuckle.

“Turns out, after all my shit, he was in love with me.”

You touched Jack’s name on the headstone again.

“And I was in love with him too. “

The wind howled and you unfurled your wings slowly, letting it cover you and Ikaris from the breeze. You touched the word ‘husband’ on the stone and lit it up with your power.

“I think you can guess where it ended up.”

“You married him?”

You nodded. “Loving him was the most natural thing in the world, aside from following and protecting you.” You looked at the Eternal beside you. “You’re probably wondering why I wasn’t following you around this time.”

He only shrugged. “You said you needed a life too.”

“You had Sersi. The past couple centuries, there weren’t any threats to any of you so I decided to be on my own. You and me are tethered, Ikaris. Even when I was so far away, I knew you were safe because there was no tugging in this invisible string that held us together. I knew how to come back to you but life and circumstances just held me back from returning to you at the right time.”

You rested your chin on top of your knees.

“I married him and it was one of the happiest days of my life. Even when I had nothing, he became my everything. I never thought I would be happy again but who knew that a roasted chicken carcass was my way to happiness?”

You chuckled to yourself. You felt Ikaris smile.

“I thought I was finally able to live out my fairy tale but it turns out, I won’t. I always knew I couldn’t have any kids and all Jack wanted in the world was to have a family. I was afraid to be a mother because I was still unstable and I never really knew how to be one so he kept his dreams at bay. That was the only thing I couldn’t give Jack while I gave him everything I can. I stayed with him for years and every year, he grew older while I remained the same. I was actually more afraid of his first white hair than he was. It meant… It meant that, at any time, time could take my Jack away from me.”

Your eyes burned as tears fell. You didn’t make a move to wipe them.

“I told him that I was afraid of him leaving me. I told him that I wouldn’t know how to survive if he died. He was the love of my life, Ikaris. I loved him with all of the broken pieces of me. He put me together and he made me whole and made me see the world like how I did before all of the bullshit that happened. How was I to take it if one day he didn’t wake up anymore?”

You swallowed.

“So, I left him. I left him even if I didn’t want to because I was so afraid of losing him that I made him lose me first.”

You pressed your eyes to your knees and wept.

���I hurt him so much, Ikaris. I hurt him because I couldn’t handle the truth that he was going to die. I stayed away for years, flew as far as I could from him but every distance made my heart break some more. I was so broken to the point that I tried to come back to apologize. Only, he’s told me he’s moved on.”

You breathed in raggedly. You rested your chin on your knees once more.

“He’s got a wife and a kid but he never stopped loving me. And as much as that hurt, I knew he had to spend the remaining years of his life with someone who would really be there. I met his wife and his daughter and I hugged them and told them to take care of Jack because he was the best thing in the world. In that moment, it was like my powers returned. I saw their good intentions and I knew that even if I had hurt Jack, what I gave him in return was happiness for the rest of his life.

“He wanted me to be happy, too. ‘Forget about me and go back to him,’ was what he told me.”

Your tears fell once more.

“He was the reason I went back to you, Ikaris. I was so close to giving up again but he told me that I deserved another chance at happiness. That if you were out there, another immortal like me, maybe I’d have what he had too. I knew that was impossible because you had Sersi and I told him you weren’t like me and we couldn’t be together. He only smiled at me in that way of his as if to say: I’m a human and you’re an angel and we made it work. And if that didn’t work, he told me that there was always more to life than love. I already loved him, he said that maybe it was time I returned to my duty and protect you. And I did. I kept myself busy, watching over you and integrating myself with humans until it all felt normal, like all of those bad things didn’t happen to me and I was back to square one with my duty.”

You were quiet for a while. You let out a bit of your power and lit his name.

“I wasn’t there with him when he died. Like I said, he got old and I remained the same. It would have freaked out his neighbors or the people we knew. It was the most painful thing in the world to watch from afar, watch the love of your life die before your eyes and do nothing about it. I wanted to hold him, Ikaris. I wanted to be there, to comfort him and touch his hand and tell him that I will be okay without him even if I knew I wouldn’t be. It hurt so fucking bad but I promised him that I would forget about him and go back to you. I never forgot about him. I couldn’t. I just kept him at the back of my mind, held my memories of him there. Druig let it all out and I… When Druig let it all out, I remembered how Jack said I should treat those memories. Keep them close to my heart and remember that he will always keep the light on for me to return to.”

You took a deep breath, weeping for a while. When you finally blinked away the tears, you looked at Ikaris.

“All of you had asked me why I want to fight for humanity. He is why. He took a chance on me. He was just a human who had the heart of an angel. He loved me in his own way. He helped me. He made me see that the world is not all the fucked-up shit I’ve been through. He’s the good side of it. I know there are people like me who had suffered greatly and I found my Jack. I want the world to find their Jack too.”

You traced an illuminated finger over the words. “He called me his sweet angel. I knew this was for me. He loved his family but I knew he held on to me because we loved each other first. And because of him, I loved the world again.”

You sat in silence, just looking at the granite slab that marked your first love. You missed Jack even after all these years. Some days the memories of him were painful but you held strong, like he did when he held you as you broke down. Jack did a lot for you and you were thankful for everything he had done and continued to do for you. For him, you would fight for the world he made you love.

Ikaris sat beside you, just listening to your story. He knew much of what you were telling him from what Druig had told them a few days back but hearing it from you, the rawness of the memories in your voice; it made him realize what an absolute ass he was to you. In all his years, all he had been thinking about was his life and his duty and his love for Sersi and anything new, he shunned. You were new even if you had been alive for seven thousand years and he did everything he could to send you away from him. But now, seeing and hearing how much you had endured, he would do whatever it takes to keep you safe.

The world didn’t deserve you. It had hurt you over and over and they weren’t remorseful for it. You had said that humans made mistakes but the errors and the sins they had done against you were too much. No one, not even an angel like you, deserved to be treated that way. And he vowed to make sure that you wouldn’t get hurt again.

Was it ironic or was it coincidental that you and he were one and the same? That you both left your respective spouses because of fear. He saw your reason. Loving a human was akin to loving a bomb. It had enough time before it went off. He could tell that you went away because you didn’t want the destruction that it would bring you when he died. While he…. He was also afraid for Sersi, not for himself.

But that was Sersi and he saw that she was capable and stronger than he first thought. You were you.

And for you, he would do everything he could to protect you from the world.

Jack was a lucky man to have you to love him. But Ikaris was luckier to have you now, if you even loved him at all. If all of those touches you sent him and your sarcastic quips and your lingering gazes and even your anger, if all of those meant you love him, then he would take it. Because he loved you.

He loved you. And he loved you more than his life. He loved you more than anything—or anyone—he has ever loved before. Nothing had ever been clearer than that moment.

He touched your phantom wing gently, moving away from it as he stood. He held out his hand to you, no words coming out of his mouth because he wanted to say only the very best for you. You only watched him before you took his hand and he pulled you up, closer to him and wiping your tears with his thumbs.

“I’m sorry,” he said solemnly. “I’m sorry for the things I’ve said and the things I’ve done to you.”

You only watched him with your doe-like eyes, bigger in the light of the moon. “It’s okay—”

“No,” he said firmly. “It’s not. I’ve been an absolute ass to you. My actions were inexcusable. All I’ve done was hurt you and push you away. I’m sorry, angel. Words aren’t enough to tell you how sorry I am. They don’t have enough to explain how regretful I am for how much you’ve suffered because of what I’ve done to you, deliberately or not.”

“Ikaris, I didn’t tell my story for you to pity me.”

“I know. I don’t pity you, Y/N. I understand you.” He held you closer to him now. “Contrary to your belief, angel, I know how to feel.”

Your mouth twisted upward in a smirk. “You’ve said so about a day ago, when you tried to kiss me.”

He smiled at you. His first genuine smile at you. Had it really it been that long since he smiled that way? He thought to himself.

“I still want to kiss you, you know.”

You made a show of looking around. “There’s no one around to disturb us. You can shoot your shot now.”

He shook his head. “No. Not here. Hold tight.”

You raised your eyebrow. He took your arms and wrapped them around his neck. Your powers pricked at his nape. You sent literal shivers down his spine but it settled in his gut.

“What are you doing, Ikaris?” you asked, looking at him unsurely.

He put his hands on your waist and started for the sky. He sailed above the city, into the clouds and stopped when he heard you gasp as you saw the moon. You were still clinging to him and he reveled in watching the emotions on your face. You had always been expressive and now, with his realization that he loved you, he cherished every single one that came to your face. You deserved the best and he would give it all to you. He would protect you from everything, damn the world.

“I’ve always loved looking at the sky at night,” you said, tone sentimental. “It’s the only time the world is quiet.”

He tucked your hair behind your ear.

“I’d be surprised if anyone from your family turns up here.” You joked. “Gil and Kingo really know how to cockblock a kiss.”

He chuckled. “Don’t worry. We’re the only two flyers.”

You smiled at that and looked at the moon once more. “Ikaris…” you trailed off, a thoughtful frown on your face.

“Yes?”

You turned to him. “Do you still love Sersi? Because I don’t want to hope. I don’t want to think there’s something going on between us if there really isn’t. Maybe we just have crazy chemistry or really good banter. Protector-protectee relationship. Pain-in-the-ass Eternal and exasperated guardian angel. That sort of thing, you know?”

He smiled at you, amused. “Do you always talk this way?”

You grinned at him. “I can do some other things with my mouth too, you know. One of them is to kiss.”

He chuckled. He cupped your face with his hand, and in the longest time he’s tried to kiss you, he finally did.

His lips were warm and soft against yours. He tasted the salt from your tears. He felt your mouth part and he let his tongue in. Your lips were silken against his as you opened up so more for your tongue to meet with his. You mewled at the contact and he breathed in deeply at the noise, making him produce a deep, guttural sound.

Your kiss sent a different current down his body. It was a different kind of buzz; something that was far more magnetic and powerful than anything he had ever experienced. He felt you pull yourself closer to him as you deepened the kiss and the parts of your body that were in contact with his sent him aflame. It was another kind of desire that he felt; not of carnal need but more of the need to protect you and love you.

You both made out under the moonlight, with the Chicago lights under your feet and the clouds surrounding you. It was a beautiful night that was made even more beautiful with his realization of his love for you.

He pulled away slowly, eyes never leaving your face. You still had your eyes closed and in the pale moonlight, you looked exquisite to him. His beautiful angel.

“I love you,” he said suddenly and he meant it. And felt it. He would have sung it if he let himself. You would have enjoyed that, he thought with a smile.

You opened your eyes at him, your mouth voicing a soft “oh” before you gave him your signature angelic smile.

“I love you,” he said again with a soft sigh as he looked at you.

You only hummed but you grinned. He knew you were teasing. “It’s up for debate, Ikaris, if I love you too or not.” You teased him.

“It doesn’t matter to me, angel.” He told you. “I love you.”

He bent down to kiss you again, this time with more feeling than the one before. You returned his kiss with equal fervor, tongues dancing again as you both kissed under the light of the moon.

Ikaris felt the gentle caress of the wind on his cheek and the soft tingle of your feather. When he pulled back, he didn’t stop the awestruck expression that took over his face.

Your wings were beautiful. They were magnificent. And he could finally see them.

“Y/N,” he whispered. “I can see it. I can see your wings now.”

He reached out a hand to touch your wing, careful in case he stroked too hard. Your feathery limbs were unlike anything he had ever seen, even the most faithful depictions of angels stood no chance against the one in front of him. They weren’t just white; they glowed with your power. Each white feather had been bathed in your light, illuminating every single one of them in your brilliancy. Every single one was lined in gold and with your light, they shone brighter. You were ethereal. You were divine.

“You’re beautiful,” he told you with reverence.

Your wings gave a mighty flap as you broke away from him, hovering before him now. He watched you with a smile on his face as you soared around him. He loved hearing your laugh as you flew some more again, circling him and teasing. You hooked your finger to him, beckoning him before flying away.

He chuckled out loud, flying after you. He chased you all over the city, trying his best to be careful of you lest he played too hard but it seemed like it didn’t matter to you because you’ve circled and swooped and pulled your wings closer to your body. To him, you looked like you were having the most fun you had in the times he’d seen you. He would like to keep it that way, whatever it took.

He caught up with you, holding your hand before you let him lead you back to Phastos’s house. You both landed on the front lawn gently and he pulled you closer to him. You placed both of your hands against his chest and you looked up to him.

“I love you, Y/N. I will do everything to protect you.” He promised.

“I—”

“About time you two returned,” Phastos said from his front porch and Ikaris felt you pull away from him.

“Sorry.” You said with a soft smile. “I got carried away after I… met up with an old friend.”

“Have you decided, Phastos?” Ikaris asked as he returned to his usual self.

“Ben wanted us to take a chance on this if this is all we have left. We want to see Jack grow up.”

How was it possible for Ikaris to feel your smile without looking at you? He watched you walk over to the porch and hug Phastos.

“Thank you,” he heard you say earnestly. You then hugged Ben. “I will keep him safe however I can, Ben. You can have my word.”

Ben hugged you back before thanking you. You went to Jack and hugged him, carrying him in your arms. “When all of this is over and when we come back, maybe we can convince your dads to let you fly with me.”

“Absolutely not,” Phastos said.

“I’ll keep him safe. I’ll never hurt Jack,” you said as you put the boy down. “Like my Jack never hurt me.”

Ikaris saw Sersi look at him and he gave her a nod. He knew she understood what you said.

“Let’s go.” Ikaris said and soon, the four of you were on your way back to the Amazon.

If anything, you were excited to see Druig be united with Makkari. When you, Ikaris, and Sersi returned with Phastos to Druig’s camp in the Amazon, the mind controller only gave you his sly smirk as if to tell you that he had expected you’d returned in that joyed state. You only raised your eyebrow at him but thanked him silently, in case he was reading your mind.

Ikaris had become aloof around his family again but you still felt the warmth in him whenever you stood near him. You were still his guardian angel after all and you balanced your duty with your emotions. He, on the other hand, you saw, can only handle one thing at a time. Which was fine; it was progress. He was feeling human emotions and he was beginning to be like the rest of his family. He hadn’t admitted to you the other emotions but you saw it on his face: he was scared and vulnerable and there was regret on his face too from time to time. He was starting to look more open. You guess saving the world would finally break the great and mighty Eternal to his barest state.

Like what you expected, Druig was pleased to see Makkari inside the Domo. She had been staying inside the ship for centuries, awaiting the rest of her family so they could return to Olympia. You let your calm linger in the air when they told her that Olympia did not exist and the true nature of their mission was to birth a Celestial, not keep humanity safe. You were surprised at how she responded to the news but not too surprised considering the books she had hoarded over the years.

You gasped as you went over to her collection of manuscripts by Da Vinci, taking one and examining them. You had met the master once, in Vinci when he was a little boy, and you saw the greatness in him. He had always made an impression on you and you were glad he got the recognition he deserved.

“You like to read too?” Makkari asked as she stood before you.

You knew the speedster was deaf, which made a lot of sense considering how often she broke the sound barrier whenever she ran, and you took it to yourself to learn sign language over the millennia you had been alive.

“Yes! I can’t believe you have all of their manuscripts!” you told her. You picked up a copy of your favorite philosophers and thinkers and showed it to her.

“They’re very good ones.”

You put the books down and smiled. “I’ve met some of them in my lifetime too. I’ve listened to them talk. They’re how you expect them to be. Descartes was more mathematical but I like his idea of man.”

Makkari smiled at you. “How about Kant?”

You made a face. “I could go on and on about Kant but I think someone wants to have some time with you.” You winked and pointed to Druig, who was approaching with the Emerald tablet.

“So, how did you end up scoring this emerald tablet, my beautiful, beautiful Makkari?” Druig asked as he teased her with what he found.

Makkari smiled at him slyly, like how Druig did with you, as she tried to grab the item from him.

You felt Ikaris approach you from behind, holding a book on Greek myths. “What’s this?” you asked as you took it from his hands.

“Read it,” was all he said as he stood close to you. Your powers responded to his proximity but neither of you bothered with it.

It was the story of Icarus and you smiled to yourself as you read through the passage. “Such a stubborn little boy, this Icarus, much like you. It was his hubris that was his downfall,” you said as you looked up at the man.

“You think I’m stubborn and proud?” he asked, amused.

“Your words, not mine.” You grinned. “So, did you really fly up the sun? Got the wax on your wings melted off?”

“You’re the one with wings, angel. I should warn you not to get too close to the sun.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

He raised an eyebrow at you. “I never flew close to the sun. It was Sprite’s idea to tell them about my story but she made… changes when she told it.”

“I guess you pissed her off for her to say that.” When he smiled, you chuckled. “I knew it! You’re such a pain in the ass!”

He chuckled.

“What’s this? Karun! Are you getting this?” Kingo asked.

You were too ensconced in your own little world with Ikaris that you forgot the rest had not known about the development in yours and Ikaris’s relationship with each other. Kingo definitely made too much ruckus of it.

“Did you miss me?” You heard Druig ask and you looked over to see him teasing Makkari.

“What?” Kingo pushed the camera to them and you chuckled. “Is this new because I hate it.”

“Ikaris and Y/N got together in Chicago,” Phastos, who was beside the superstar, said matter-of-factly. “But I don’t know about this,” he gestured towards the mind controller and speedster.

“Phastos!” Druig exclaimed as he stood closer to Makkari. “I need to control the mind of a Celestial.”

You watched as Kingo looked at you with a confused look on his face as he pointed at you and Ikaris. You only shrugged and made an action like you were zipping your mouth.

“Okay. Get ready for it,” Phastos said and you heard mechanical whirring. He waved his hands around and the patterns of the Inventor took shape in the air.

“Bracelets?” Kingo asked, unimpressed. “You made us bracelets?”

“Here’s a little Celestial 101. So, Celestials are the most powerful energy generators in the universe. When Arishem made us, he imbued us with infinite cosmic energies to keep our bodies regenerating. The bracelets, in theory, shuts down our regeneration process. Once that happens, our bodies accumulate extra cosmic energy.” Phastos said as he did some hand gestures, patterns dancing before him to show everyone what he was talking about.

“What for?” Sersi asked.

“Well, the Deviants can absorb our energy. What if we absorb each other’s energy as well? If I could find a way to connect us all, one of us can become immensely powerful, pooling the accumulated energy from the rest, forming a Uni-Mind.” Phastos said with a flourish.

You only looked at him. As did the rest of the Eternals.

“Uni meaning one. Mind meaning mind.” Phastos tried to elaborate.

“Oh, no. We heard you the first time,” Kingo said.

“Terrible name,” Sprite said and you had no choice but to nod.

“We’ll brainstorm—Brainstorm! That’s a winner!” Kingo exclaimed.

“Or Mind Meld?” You suggested. “Because, you know, you want to meld minds?”

“No,” he said to Kingo before turning to you. “No. First, that’s Star Trek and second, I invented it so I’m calling it whatever I want.”

Makkari waved her hand and you all looked at her. “Let’s say, Druig couldn’t put Tiamut to sleep. What should we do then?”

“We find humans a new home on another planet.” Sersi told everyone.

“Are we building a big ship too?” Sprite asked sardonically. “Take a pair of each animal?”

You felt Ikaris smile beside you and you elbowed him on the ribs, even if you did find Sprite’s words pretty funny.

“You know what’s never going to save the planet? Your sarcasm.” Phastos said.

“Space colonization can take decades.” Sprite put in.

“It can happen quickly with our help.” Sersi insisted.

“What if we accidentally end up killing Tiamut? We could be responsible for billions of lives not being created across the universe. Boss, am I right?” Kingo said.

You all turned to the man beside you. You touched his arm, infusing him with some of your calming essence when you saw how much strain he had put on his shoulders.

“Say something, Ikaris.” Sprite asked. “You don’t think we should be doing this.”

You looked at everyone inside Phastos’s lab. Phastos still had the Uni-Mind up in the air. Kingo was looking at Ikaris like he needed to know what he should be doing next. Gil and Thena were standing beside each other, handling their own weapons but watching closely like they were waiting for their next orders. Makkari and Druig were also looking at him expectantly, although unlike the warrior couple. They seemed to only want to hear his thoughts. Sersi appeared ready to bow to his next instructions.

“Ajak chose Sersi to lead us,” Ikaris said instead. “Sersi should decide.”

All eyes turned to Sersi now, except Sprite, who you had been watching because she seemed to be resisting your powers.

“Forget who Ajak chose. You’re the strongest. You should be making this decision.” Sprite stressed. Ikaris only looked at her. “Fine,” she huffed. “Keep lying to yourself.”

Sprite walked away from the group and you almost followed her, if not for Ikaris’s hand on yours.

“Sprite.” He said and as he squeezed your hand, he pulled away and followed where she had left.

You turned to everyone and you brought your hand up a bit, letting your powers flow through the lab. The Deviant seemed to have sucked a lot of your essence because the tension in the room was still high but you somehow were still able to calm some of them, especially Thena. You turned to the goddess warrior and found her smile at you gratefully. You only nodded.

“Ikaris.” Kingo said as he made a move to follow.

“Don’t run after him—Kingo—You guys,” Phastos sighed.

You walked over to him and touched his arm. “They’ll be back, Phastos. Maybe they just needed to process this bit of information.”

The man nodded at you.

“If anything, I know the Uni-Mind would work. Maybe you can start on it while they’re out talking. I’ll keep watch of danger.”

Phastos smiled at you. “Thank you, Y/N.”

You smiled at him and pulled away, checking up on everyone who had remained. Thena and Gilgamesh had gone to their weapons room. Sersi had gone off to follow Ikaris. Kingo had now come back with a sulking Sprite and he had tried to cheer her up to no avail. You tried again with your powers but somehow, she was resistant to it. Druig and Makkari were talking on one side of Phastos’s lab, possibly flirting, and they seemed oblivious to everything and everyone around them. It was close to peaceful as it could be in a time like this one.

“Oh my god! Makkari!”

You all turned to Phastos and to the red spots on the globe. He waved his hand and took Makkari’s hand in his, passing her a miniature of the sphere.

“Find the point of emergence.” Phastos said and in a blink, Makkari was gone.

Ikaris entered the lab, wearing his battle suit. You frowned. Phastos wasn’t finished with the Uni-Mind yet and the others weren’t wearing their battle suits.

“What—”

Beams shot out from his eyes as he destroyed Phastos’s Uni-Mind. Everyone looked at him, stunned.

“Boss! What are you doing!” Kingo exclaimed.

You flew to Ikaris, holding out your hands against his chest to stop him. “Ikaris, what—”

“He lied to us,” Sersi said as she arrived to help Phastos back up to his feet.

“What?” You looked at the man you loved, palming his cheek. You brought your powers to your palm as you tried easing the hardness of his face. He remained impassive… and robotic.

“He already knew about the Emergence,” Sersi told the group.

[cressthebest]

Art Heist, Baby! thoughts pt. 10

chapter 28:

this is the heist chapter, so i’m just gonna make it its own post. it will be too long otherwise

1. james thinks that falling in love with regulus is the most exciting thing he’s ever done- more so than the literal heist. they’re so in love

2. hell yeaaaah babey! they even have the clothes sharing trope. regulus looks so small in james’ big t-shirt. fuck yeah

3. they’re all nervous and getting tea in the kitchen <3 they all get along and love each other. do NONE of them have melatonin tho??? babes, medically force yourself to sleep atp

4. peter swears barty’s snoring is so loud there is two people in there. 👀 evan perhaps??

5. i love mary and lily’s friendship so much. like, i love their background friendship in this fic so much. like, i cannot even use words to express how much i love it

6. remus and james fell in love with stars and it’s the most important thing about the heist to them. wait. hold up. i just.

7. “Anyone would be lucky to marry you, James Potter. Plus, I didn’t really think Regulus was the wear your t-shirt, fall asleep in your lap, dance on countertops, type either and yet, here he is.” sobbing. literally sobbing.

8. remus and james being best freinds in this fic instead of the typical sirius and james freindship is healing in ways i didn’t think would need healing. i am healed. they are forever going to be in each others lives.

9. sirius and james matching 😭😭😭. but it also raises the question of what the others are wearing. jeans and blouses? night clothes? leggings?

10. tensions are so high. i feel like i need to be clutching my pearls and holding my breath. this is so stressful. i’m so worried something will go horribly wrong. so stressed

11. i’m also concerned why they are worried about fingerprints but aren’t wearing gloves

12. oh good, they’re wearing gloves actually

13. i love that part of the way sirius’ has his pure blood character show in here is by the way he can tell the price, quality, painter, and style of a painting just by looking at it

14. i love that after the first wolfstar kiss remus got back to james and told him everything. and i love that sirius and james are bringing this up during the heist when their LITERAL LIVES ARE ON THE LINE

15. oh shit there’s footsteps. i’m so worried for sirius and james

16. thank FUCKING GOD THEY ALL MADE IT OUT ALIVE AND UNSCATHED AND SAFE OH GOD I WAS SO SCARED OH MY GODDDDDD

17. still getting a bit of a rosekiller vibe here…

18. shit fuck no shit fuck shit fuck shit fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck shit shit shit fuck fuck fuck fuck shit shit shit fuck fuck fuck fuck shit shit shit fuck shit fuck holy fucking shit there’s police and sirens and holy fucking shit shit shit. stop no, i had such high hopes

19. oh no james thinking that sirius tipped the police off. (but i’m getting a bit of a feeling that this will be parallel to the peter betrayal moments in canon)

20. (not barty letting out a maniacal laugh during a fucking car chase. he’s not helping the sociopath claims)

21. not pandora playing the euphemia card.

22. also, once again, i would like to make a callback to my previous thoughts on point number 18. still thinking that. very worried.

23. god, not james saying i love you to regulus while the police have opened fire on him. i’m so worried. god.

24. it will be fine tho. there’s 10 chapters left. and james isn’t the one who dies. i will be fine.

25. james was shot 😳

26. and they’re all on the plane. they survived. end of chapter. thank fucking god.

[saucerfulofsins]

I was tagged by @fleurylankinen to post 9 books I want to read in 2022.

1. Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. I've had this book for such a long time and never even started it. Now the plague is hopefully on its end I want to finally give it a proper shot.

2. Le Chant d'Achille by Madeline Miller. Honestly though I've read the Song of Achilles before and this one is more of a "French language goals I hope to achieve this year" than "I haven't read this before".

3. Go Tell It on the Mountain by James Baldwin. I've read Giovanni's Room a couple of times and also some of his poetry, and I love his writing. Part of me actively trying to incorporate more POC authors in my reading list.

4. It Parfum by Patrick Süskind, a Frisian translation of the German Das Parfum. This is another book I've read before (in the English translation) and am using for language practise.

5. Irish Fairy Tales by Kieran Fanning. I specifically got this one for bedtime reading, it's a pretty low key children's book but contains a bunch of Irish myths. I have not done any bedtime reading aside from some fic.

6. Les Jeux Sont Faits by Jean-Paul Sartre. More French practise except I'm actually already reading it, lol. Give me that existential dread babey!

7. Take Your Eye Off The Puck by Greg Wyshynski. Because for all that I've been watching hockey for a while now, the rules are difficult and this book is comedy gold.

8. Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett. Because I keep seeing it referenced and it sounds cool and yet I've never read it. Pretty sure I've two Norton anthologies of literature that include it (in English), too.

9. Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. Had to read a few chapters for a course I took last semester and I was absolutely blown away by his powerful use of language. God damn.

I am tagging: @t-eminence @bagelhagel @bowlbirds @quemadrid and anyone else who'd like to!