#chapter two has arrived XD

[xknivesandpensx]

Like Pieces of a Puzzle

Chapter 2

Summary: What if Harry wasn't the only extra student called upon to participate in the Triwizard Tournament? Far from the most popular candidate, Draco not only has to take on the trials but also deal with his unexpected feelings for Hermione. Will he be able to face the challenges as well as follow his heart?

Chapter length will vary. I'll be referencing both the books and movie versions. Some things from what I've previously written will be mentioned, all of which you can find here.

And for those who asked to be tagged: @dayane245love

The Triwizard Tournament was about the only thing anyone talked about for the rest of the evening. An overabundance of excitement filled the common room, many in awe of the competition. The age limit held scattered complaints, most loudly by Fred and George, but the rest of the students entertained themselves by attempting to guess the student likely to be chosen from Hogwarts.

Any remarks concerning their new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher rose every so often, seeming to float in the background, wondering if he’d manage to stick around longer than one year.

Hermione bypassed the discussions and sat on one of the large red armchairs nearest to the fire. The flickering flames warmed her up some. Eyes filled with tiredness, she debated on heading straight to bed, like the majority had done, yet no matter the temptation of being tucked away under her covers, she insisted on remaining awake.

During the feast, she purposely prevented even the smallest glance in Draco’s direction, which proved to be difficult because he sat in her peripheral vision. The temptation faded a degree after finding out house-elves worked in the kitchens.

The very idea of them forced into labor without proper wages or vacation time through her into a minor outrage. The wonderful array of food before her suddenly lost its appeal and Hermione refused to eat another bite.

Her stomach felt empty, nevertheless the knowledge of the injustice kept any complaints from leaving her lips. If just to distract herself she turned her attention to the conversation happening a few steps from where she sat.

“Cedric, probably,” Harry mentioned, answering Seamus after he tossed the question out of who he thought would enter. “I heard him saying he’s going to put his name in the cup. I think he holds a pretty good chance.”

“If grades come into the equation, he’s a rather good student and a prefect,” Hermione added in agreement. Of course, other possibilities remained, seeing as no explanation of how or why the goblet chose certain people became part of Dumbledore’s speech.

“Plus, he’s handsome.” Lavender practically giggled as she and Parvati passed by. “And tall too. The way his eyes glisten in the sunlight, I can stare at him for hours.”

Ron missed the slight glance she made in his direction, oblivious to her attempt to get a reaction, seeing as his focus never left Hermione. “Probably why you think he’ll be picked, isn’t it?”

Slightly taken aback from the insinuation, she gave him a pointed look. As if she’d be so shallow. Hermione couldn’t deny Cedric held an attractive air about himself as well as a good heart. Last year during the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff Quidditch match he immediately offered to replay the game after realizing Harry fell off his broom thanks to the Dementors showing up.

But no one seemed to reel in her attention quite as promptly as Draco, the single person she had trouble keeping her thoughts away from.

“I don’t see how that has anything to do with it,” Hermione replied, noticing the silence, as if everyone stood awaiting her reply. “Besides, I don’t like people simply based on their looks.”

“Then I must have been imagining you swooning over Lockhart. You even knew his favorite color.” Ron scrunched his nose upon the memory, not overly fond of the professor from the start.

She felt the slightest touch of a blush, the whole ordeal somewhat embarrassing. Reflecting on her minor crush by herself differed from being called out on it. His claim filled her with a thin layer of indignation. “That was ages ago and I certainly didn’t swoon.”

“Are you kidding, all the girls had a thing for him.” Fred came over, arms crossing over the top of Hermione’s chair. “What a mess of a year. Couldn’t teach us anything useful either.”

“Even our own mother went all red in the face around him. Humiliating, really.” George added, head shaking in the process. “Who cares about him in a time like this anyway? We’ve got to figure out how to get past the barrier.”

“I think it’s a good thing they raised the age limit.” Hermione knew otherwise many of her classmates wouldn’t think twice about entering, heedlessly ignoring the stated dangers. “What do you think you’ll possibly come up with that Dumbledore hasn’t already thought of?”

“Oh, Hermione, you have such little faith in our creativity.” Fred patted her lightly on the shoulder, unaffected by her brow raised in skepticism. “He may be smart but mark my words, by the time people start putting their names in, a foolproof plan will be in motion.”

“I’m sure it’ll be brilliant,” Harry said, his sarcasm vaguely detectable, despite his curiosity. “I’m rather happy sitting in the crowd watching the excitement for a change.” Of course, the matter of his scar burning and his dreams still left a haunting concern.

If only Sirius would get back to him quicker. Both Ron and Hermione were anxious about the contents of the letter as well, yet no sign of Hedwig.

“It’s all rubbish. Why shouldn’t Fred and I get a fair opportunity,” George complained before taking note of his sister approaching. “You’re on our side, aren’t’ you, Ginny? I know Ron is. Now if Percy was still here, we’d never get any peace and quiet about it.”

“I actually agree with Hermione,” she replied, trying to avoid catching Harry’s gaze, if merely to ensure she didn’t lose her ability to speak. “You’d both get yourselves killed. If Mom ever found out what you’re trying to do, she’d probably send a dozen Howlers.”

“So much for family encouragement. Come on, George, we have work to do.” The twins walked off, heading up the flight of stairs to the boy’s dormitory, already whispering back and forth to one another.

Hermione turned her observation back to the fire, feeling out of sorts again. The moment on the train kept coming to mind. To Draco. He was prideful in the most infuriating way. But as he so thoroughly voiced his arrogance, he revealed himself to fall rapidly into anger, however, ready to run at the smallest sight of endangerment.

A few snowballs cutting across the air seemingly from nowhere would scare anyone off and he did run away swiftly after she hit him in the face. Though if Lucius indeed abused him, a part of her felt bad over the whole ordeal, not that she forgave him for being the reason Buckbeak nearly got beheaded.

He held some favorable traits, though none of which even he’d concede to. Instead, he preferred to echo his father’s views, taking them on as his own. Or maybe he truly believed in the hierarchy of bloodlines. Hermione couldn’t pretend to know more than he allowed.

Yet she liked him, her heart too vulnerable to forgo the tempting awareness of her emotions, which became irritating as they appeared to intensify rather than diminish over the years.

“Is something the matter?” Harry asked, the first to notice she stopped participating in their banter. “You’re spacing out again.”

“You did the same at the feast too. Don’t tell me you’re thinking about those house-elves again.” Ron’s face took on a slightly annoyed grimace, tired of the topic already.

Hermione let out a breath, allowing herself to go along per that specific focal point, unable to admit the real reason. “And why shouldn’t I? Honestly, I’m surprised neither of you are on my side about this. Eating food by those forced into employment. What they’re put through, it’s absolutely vile.”

“For the last time. They enjoy working,” Ron loudly announced, ears turning pink after he noticed a few people glancing in his direction.

“I’m sure they’re treated loads better at Hogwarts than Dobby with the Malfoy family. Besides, you can’t starve yourself in protest, that won’t do them any good.” Harry knew what it felt like to be deprived of food, he couldn’t imagine choosing to do so.

“I’ve got some leftover corned beef sandwiches if you want them,” Ginny offered, having eaten one of the three Molly packed for her. After Hermione nodded in eagerness, she took off to get them.

“You’ve got to be hungry if you’re willing to eat those,” Ron said, looking put off. Despite repeating his dislike of them, his mother still handed them off before heading to the station.

Hermione rolled her eyes at the comment, much preferring to take the leftovers. She’d care about breakfast in the morning and so forth. No matter her swirling thoughts of Draco, something had to be done for the house-elves. They deserved proper compensation, just as anyone who worked.

Her worry also extended to Harry.

The urge to ask if he was okay quickly died upon her lips, realizing within placing the question put too much at risk. Simply talking openly about his troubles rather defeated the purpose of keeping it a secret. So, she watched instead, as he rubbed his eyes, glasses momentarily sent askew.

He felt her silent inspecion, able to surmise her train of thought. And while his mind continued to circle Voldemort, his exhaustion started to win out. A yawn escaped, providing ample reason to fall onto a soft, inviting mattress, hopefully drifting into a dreamless sleep. “I think I’m going to head to bed. See you in the morning.”

Hermione gave a short wave. Ron soon followed in after him, passing Ginny on the way. She graciously took the sandwiches, enjoying the salty taste of the meat. Finally, her stomach started to feel a level of satisfaction, no longer growling in want of food.

Ginny tarried for a few minutes as her friend ate, waiting until they were the only two remaining in the common room. She sat near the dying embers. A single log remained aflame, able to provide a blaze of heat.

“Did you happen to notice if Harry was watching Cho during the feast?” Ginny asked in a small voice, after taking a moment to further reflect, hoping maybe she misread his interest.

Hermione swallowed her last bite before sitting on the ground next to Ginny. “He never said anything to me about her. But it’s not really something we talk about. Ron might know, then again perhaps not.”

After all, she remained taciturn, disinclined to talk about her fondness towards a certain blond.

Cho Chang stood out, making her hard not to notice. She was an exceptionally pretty Ravenclaw girl with long, shiny dark hair and a beautiful smile. She came off a tad shy regardless of being surrounded by many friends. There were evident justifications why Harry may find his attention drawn to her.

Hermione knew she had a crush on Harry for quite a while now, they’ve spoke about it at length. Yet because she was Ron’s younger sister, Ginny assumed he thought of her as the same.

“It’s okay,” Ginny finally said, attempting to put a bit of mirth in her light smile. She lifted her hands and outstretched her palms towards the fire. “I mean it’s not really okay, but I get it… Is it silly to hope someday he’ll look at me differently?”

“No, of course not. It’s hardly your fault he can’t see how wonderful you are.” Hermione squeezed her arm in a reassuring matter prior to bringing her knees to her chest. “Boys are stupid that way. Unable to comprehend what’s right in front of them. Or in some cases, so brash it’s almost senseless to think they deserve your consideration at all, especially when they make it evident loathing one another is the only thing you can share.”

Although Ginny’s heart lingered in a worn sort of pain, she tilted her head at the last sentence she spoke. Wondering, if not for the first time, as they never really got into the topic in regards to Hermione (perhaps she even avoided in means of listening rather than indulging her own feelings), if she liked anyone.

“That’s oddly specific.” Ginny turned to fully face her, seeing no more than Hermione’s profile as she kept her eyes forward. “Are you talking about anybody in particular?”

Hermione felt her words get stuck in her throat. She considered disclosing the information to Ginny in the past. Nonetheless, a spare moment never really seemed to make itself available and in the off chance it had, her resolve to do as such vanished in an instant.

Telling Ron and Harry barely registered as an option. Neither held the capability of understanding given their shared animosity. What a shock she’d conjure. They’ve both turned on her for trivial reasons in the past, telling McGonagall about the Firebolt in case of jinxes being one. She feared the degree would be much worse if the truth of her emotions were to be known.

A little more guarded this time (in spite the attempt to loosen her reserve), Hermione gave a minor nod. She expected it possible to console herself if met with derision, not as if she suspected Ginny to be of that nature. Maybe she sought no more than an understanding. Some empathy in a matter not many fathomed a possibility.

“Promise you won’t tell anyone. No one can know.” Apprehension clung to her voice, but Hermione forced herself to press on after Ginny promised. “It’s Draco.”

The two words came out in a hushed whisper, Ginny almost didn’t hear it. “Draco Malfoy?” she repeated in question, all the while trying to absorb the information. “The person who calls you horrible names and constantly goes out of his way to make things difficult for everyone? Why?”

A fair thing to ask. Why indeed.

“It’s hard to explain. Probably because I don’t quite get it myself. It’s so pointless too.” Hermione got to her feet, suddenly struck by nervous energy. “There’s just something about him. Something beyond the surface. You know how it is when you’re around Harry. The jolt you feel, how it somehow turns your brain off. A single moment and you’re ready to fall apart… It’s horribly painful yet at the same time it fills you with a warmth like no other, constantly tossing you between wanting to run away as fast as you can and letting every sensation wash over you.”

Ginny got up as well, taking Hermione’s hands in hers. “Trust me, I know it all too well, but listen. If it were anyone else, I’d be right by your side. He’s still a Malfoy no matter which way you look at it, but I don’t suppose you have any idea if he feels the same?”

“No, I can’t imagine it’s possible.” She blinked away the tears forming, giving her head a shake before pulling away. “I hold no expectations, nor should I. But I can’t turn off my feelings. It doesn’t work quite that easily. What am I supposed to do?”

Although aware of her parents and siblings’ hostility in regards to the Malfoy family, not unjustly placed, as well as her own strife, Ginny pondered a few options, coming to a single conclusion in means of helping themselves. “You and I are going to make a deal. If someone else comes along, provided we deem them worthy, we give them a chance. Even if we like other people, there’s no harm in it.”

“As if anyone would notice me.” No one had in the past. Her classmates thought her to be a know-it-all and she certainly didn’t believe herself to be very pretty. Hermione knew her persistence grated others, even the two she considered the closest.

The mere idea of another boy maintaining a romantic interest once getting to know her, seemed outlandishly unrealistic.

“You do know Cormac McLaggen has a thing for you, right?” The clueless expression appearing hardly surprised her. “Not that you should give him a moment’s thought. He’s rather unpleasant to be around.”

“I’ve noticed as much, not that we’ve really spoken,” Hermione replied. “I’d prefer if he keep it to himself.” She mulled over the suggestion, honestly doubting Draco could be pushed aside for another. “I suppose there’s no harm in trying. If it were to happen. But I won’t make any promises on this idea of yours working.”

“We won’t know until we try.” Ginny shrugged and they shook on it regardless. Only in her third year, her hope went out for Hermione more, wishing to aid in dispelling her troubles.

“Come on, let’s get some sleep. We can talk more tomorrow.” She headed for the stairs, Ginny trailing behind. It felt as if an immeasurable weight lifted from her shoulders, finally breaking her silence on her long-held secret.

And there was a kind of compassion and relief in such a friendship. Ginny hadn’t berated or chastised her admission. The bewilderment came off expectedly. However, concern pooled in her blue eyes, the yearn to be of some use evident.

Still, hesitation lingered, tugging at her chest. Draco practically stole her affections the moment they met one another and by no means was he releasing them, no matter how unaware he may be of it. If someone came along, she knew, try as she might, her heart wouldn’t fully let them in.

[curatoroffiction]

What You’ve Hidden Part 2

This is a continuation of a story I started writing in response to a post made here. (Which is where you’ll find Part 1 of this story) This is based off of @underqualified-human’s post on their “? Yuu AU” concept, and was really fun to write! I definitely love harassing Crowley. I know I write a lot of anti-Crowley propaganda, but I fuckin’ love his character. He’s such a slimeball and I love it. XD Storytime stops before Idia’s chapter because it hasn’t been released to the English version yet.

----- Story is reader-insert, gender-neutral, and is also a continuation of an existing chunk of story I already wrote. The boys discuss how much they really know the Ramshackle Prefect. That is, until the prefect arrives on the scene and begins to explain themself.

----- The conversation quickly moved from a lighthearted conversation about the Ramshackle prefect to a cautious journey embarking through the group's delicate notions of trust.

"I don't buy it - ___ can't lie. They're too honest." Ruggie shrugs. He's never seen you lie in a way that mattered. You were always so straightforward with him and everyone else in Savannaclaw, even when it probably would've benefitted you to lie. "They're not a goody two-shoes, but they sure aren't about to pull off a scheme."

Jamil on the other hand is now rethinking everything he knows about you. "On the contrary, I've found them to be quite.. Crafty, when they needed to be." He shakes his head thinking back to how you so easily would sneak out of containment prior to his overblot. How you could escape and even collect help. He starts connecting the dots on how you always seem to know just where to look or who to talk to in order to collect help. One could say it's fate, but it was hard for him to believe in fate after meeting you.

"... They *are* capable of lying.. Lying well, at that.." Riddle murmurs, not comfortable with the conversation's route, but incapable of stopping himself from treading into these waters as people talk more about it. "When Ace and Deuce want something kept hidden, they're very good at hiding things from people." His brow furrows as he thinks on the last dorm inspection.

"Well that at least tells us they're loyal to their friends!" Kalim smiles big, refusing to fret. "And that's all I need to know to enjoy their company."

"Are they loyal to their friends? Or are they just loyal to their resources?" Azul once again steers the conversation into the depths.

"Friends! If they were just looking for power, they wouldn't have helped Ace and Deuce when they got in trouble with you, right?" Kalim cocks his head to the side, looking to Azul with genuine confusion. It wasn't hard to imagine what motivated you in his eyes.

"Mmm.. I'm not so sure about that." Jade starts delving into this thought exercise. "Through those two, ___ got a chance to interact with Riddle, which dragged him into their scuffle with Leona - Which was the primary reason it wasn't a disaster. Leona helped with Azul, Azul helped with Jamil, Jamil helped with Vil, and so on..." Many of the dormleaders had never heard of the intertwining threads of their interactions with the prefect, or how perfectly it all seemed to meld together.

This starts to garner some genuine concern, causing even Malleus and Kalim to think on the coincidental nature. It's a little too perfect.

The guys are quiet as they feel themselves consumed with the idea that you might actually be a complete stranger. Someone who has come so close to them all, snaking your way in with ulterior motives. However, they each process the concept very differently.

Riddle just flat out refuses to believe it. He thinks Azul's being paranoid and that you'd have no real reason to lie to him. And even if his overblot put you off from him, you'd have no real reason to lie to Ace and Deuce. No, Azul's the one being paranoid here, and he won't get dragged down with it.

Trey feels like it's a nonsense consideration. Even if you weren't genuine when you first met everyone here, you surely warmed up with time - Isn't that just how being a social person works? No one puts all their cards out on the table without reason. He's got no reason to doubt you.

Leona on the other hand, lets his mind dance on the edge of the idea. He'd seen firsthand how you can change your tune if you need or want to. You're not above forcing people's hands, but.. You also don't really subscribe to the "Work smarter not harder" mantra that it really takes to scheme. You put too much effort into the things you do to be someone who isn't, on some level, genuine. Still, he underestimated you once, and doesn't make mistakes like that twice.

Ruggie on the other OTHER hand figures there's no reason to worry. Hell, he's fake as hell when he wants to be. As far as he's concerned, everyone's got a grift, and it'd be nice to hear you had one too. Even if your friendship was founded on a lie, he doesn't care. You've never treated him like he owed you, and you saved his life from Leona lashing out at him. As far as he's concerned, that makes you someone worthy of respect at the least.

Jade himself doesn't really care either which way. He likes you and is amused by you, but whether you value him as a friend or not matters very little to him. If he wants to deal with you, he will. He doesn't need an invitation or prior rapport. Still, he likes to think he knows you well. Even if he doesn't know your real name, he knows how to poke and prod you to get desired responses, and at the end of the day, isn't that enough?

Kalim's bothered by the prospect. He shakes his head outright refusing to even consider a world where you were disingenuous. Still, his mind thinks on Jamil. Someone he's held dear to his heart since he was a very young child was able to fool him and use him and control him. ... He doesn't like the idea that there could be secrets you keep from him. Still, if you do have secrets, maybe there's a good reason for it. Maybe you're afraid? Or you just need a safe place to open up? Maybe he just needs to be a better friend.

Jamil furrows his brow in thought. He'd overlooked you once, only to be surprised, and much like Leona, he doesn't make that mistake twice. But unlike Leona, he has to care as far as Kalim's wellbeing is concerned. He doesn't think you'd ever do anything to hurt Kalim, considering you once tracked him down to give him treasure that Kalim tried to sneak to you. If you were in it for the money, you'd have never done that. Plus, there were plenty of times that you could have hurt Kalim by now and you didn't. If you were some kind of physical threat, you'd have struck by now. But if it's a power grab, what kind of power triumphs over money?

Vil's not intensely bothered by the idea of you using every tool in your arsenal to collect strength. If you really were so quietly calculated, it'd be something to applaude. A fake smile here, a warm grin there, you're bound to make useful connections. It's no surprise to him that you were able to make useful connections that echoed forward. He finds himself annoyed with Azul's persistence on the matter, figuring that Azul himself has been bothered by this and is now trying to make it everyone else's problem. People often try to project their insecurities onto the people around them.

Rook on the other hand is delighted at the prospect. If you suddenly showed yourself to have a side that even he couldn't see coming, what a rush that would give! Maybe he should poke and prod you more. Maybe he needs to test the waters and see what really makes you tick? People often let the most real facets of themselves surface under pressure..

Idia already had like 20 fears centered around dealing with people going into this conversation - Most of which had to do with them lying to him already. This machiavelean web of social warfare that Azul is painting just gives him a headache. It's like when the business man thinks he's onto something in boardgame club and just won't relent. Idia may not have a high social self esteem, but he knows Azul well enough to not let this get under his skin. At least, that's what he tells himself. It's hard to not be bothered by the idea, but he won't get taken for one of Azul's wild rides.

Ortho's only bothered by this line of conversation because it implies that you could lie in a way that tricks his censors - And that just isn't like you at all! But any attempt to protect your good name is just met with Azul shrugging and saying 'Anything is possible, I suppose.'

Malleus is the only one who is really torn asunder by this conversation. At first, he was offended that anyone could think that way about you, being your fiercest protector in the matter, but then it hit him that you've always been a bit weird. You've never been scared of him - Was that an act? How could he ever really know? He knew he wasn't just a means to an end, but he had no clue if you befriended him genuinely or not. Did you really not know who he was when you met? Or was that a ploy? Whatever the case could be, he's gutted at the idea that you could be anything less than a friend.

Lilia isn't bothered by the idea. He pretends to be someone he isn't all the time. It's good fun! Even people who've spent their lives hiding their true selves in favor of a false self give away truths. He is, however, bothered by the dark look on Malleus' face coupled by the thunder of the rolling clouds outside. "I mean, everyone has something to hide, don't they, Azul?" His tone is more pointed, as though he'd uncover Azul's secrets for all to see if he answers incorrectly.

A shiver runs down Azul's spine at Lilia's sharper gaze, surprising him with the reaction. ".... Yes, but when someone knows all of our secrets, shouldn't we get to know at least SOME of their's?" He looks to the others to back him up, but isn't getting much help.

He can't be the only one bothered by this, right?

---

The group is deep in thought when you arrive. You step into the room and all eyes are on you. Grim gulps from your shoulder, looking at all the staring eyes. Even he can't ignore the palpable energy of the room. ".. Did we miss somethin'?" He asks tentatively.

Azul takes the lead, snaking his way beside you with a big smile. "Of course not! We were just discussing how we don't seem to know anything about you, ___. Tell us about yourself?"

You take a glance around the room, which seems to confirm Azul's claim that the room is waiting for you to talk about yourself. "...." You blink. ".. What do you wanna know?"

"Well, your name, where's it come from? What's it mean? Tell us about it."

Your eyes narrow as you look at the businessman, who laughs off your suspicions. With Azul, there's always an angle. They must've had a bet about your name. Your eyes relax as you look around the room of your friends. Riddle looks annoyed with the octopus man. Trey gives a quiet shrug like 'I dunno why this guy is being weird'. Leona looks more annoyed with Azul than he does with you, but Ruggie seems interested in hearing you explain your answer. Azul is frevently awaiting an answer, Jade making his biggest creepiest smile to the side as his eyes won't budge from you. Kalim looks somewhere between distressed and excited. Jamil looks like he's trying his hardest to look indifferent, but you know by the way he glances at you that he's invested in your answer.

Vil actually moves to shoo Azul away from your shoulder as he takes over the conversation. "Azul's been 'kind' enough to express that we don't know much about you or where you came from. You came here so abruptly, and you had so little to your name in ways of protection. It's still an amazing mystery to us as to how you adapted so well." Quite the improv actor, Vil smoothly transitions you into the conversation with the grace of a socialite. While he's not bothered by the idea of you being cunning and cutthroat, he IS bothered by the idea that Azul might slip up and make it appear as though the entire group is worried. Besides, any chance to get to know you better is a gift.

Rook smiles delightedly as Vil takes over. If there's anything you're hiding, they'll surely be able to sense it. "Ah yes, Trickster, you fascinate with how otherworldly you are! Please tell us more about yourself. How DID you acclimate so well?"

Idia feels sick to his stomach. More social nonsense is piling up. And on the one day Ortho convinced him to come in-person to one of these meetings. He can't just check out and play a game as things are heating up, so he's stuck just looking visually awkward and avoiding your gaze. Ortho looks determined, but happy to see you. He waved when you first came in, which signaled everyone that you were there in the first place. Now that things are getting weird, he's just excited to have a chance to monitor your vitals while you're under questioning, so he can prove to the others that you're not lying.

If you're lying, he'll know.

Malleus looks like he's stuck in his own head and upset over something. Deep in thought - When he finally looks to you, his eyes melt a little and the storm temporarily relaxes. Lilia's more concerned with how strong Malleus' reaction to this than whatever you could possibly hide from them. He does find it amusing that he could scare Azul with just a judgemental glance though, and files that away as something fun to do if the young octopus man's antics cause Malleus or you grief. He's got thousands of years of judgemental dad looks stashed away for such an occasion.

"Well, uh.." You're not sure what question to answer, so you just answer Vil's because he's less creepy about it. "I just did what I could to survive. I'm as surprised as anyone that I've been able to last this long." And it's true - Everything you've done has been on the fly. Ever since arriving in Wonderland, you've found yourself in increasingly strange circumstances. You shrug, sorry that you don't have a better answer.

"But surely, you must have had something - Skills you've relied on, plans you've laid out. Things that helped you survive through the messes you've encountered?" This time, it's Rook speaking up, trying to coax more out of you.

"Not really, no. I showed up and had a flaming monster thrown at me, I held him up by the scruff of his neck and Crowley dubbed me as his handler. I was given a job as a janitor, and I'd have done it just fine, but Grim wasn't having it and threw a fit. We got in trouble for it and got a bigger workload with Ace. Then he dragged Deuce into the mess and we all got expelled.." You recount your first week here at Night Raven College.

No one ever really heard the story of what happened when you got here before.

You were a janitor? Crowley didn't let you be a student? But you came through the mirror! You couldn't even go home! The frustration of the fear that you're anything but genuine slowly bubbles away as they begin to find themselves annoyed with Crowley and his handling of the situation.

"If I got expelled, Crowley was gonna throw me out, and I had nothing, so I had to do what he told me to in order to stick around. We went to the mines, fought an overblot monster that seemed ancient, and got a magestone to replace the one we broke. From there, I was pretty ride or die for Ace and Deuce." You shrug.

Azul isn't having it though. "That explains why you got involved when they had trouble with Riddle, by why did you get involved when Savanaclaw was scheming?" He won't forget that you've somehow endeared everyone here to you.

"Crowley showed up at my door and told me to figure out why students were getting hurt. When I told him 'Nah', he blackmailed me with my food budget."

The room's stunned to silence.

".... Crowley.. *blackmailed* you?" Riddle's the first to speak up, and he's appalled and pissed. That whole ordeal was incredibly dangerous! He knew Crowley was slimy from time to time, but you didn't even have magic! That goes against several regulations!

"With your food budget no less.." Trey looks disturbed. Ruggie's big grin from earlier is gone.

You shrugged once again, desensitized to the idea. "I didn't want to get involved, but then I had to."

None of them can sense a lie off of you, but they're all listening attentively. They need to know more. How do the threads of fate connect you to them?

"What about after that? You didn't really need to help Ace and Deuce when Azul's plans came to fruition." Jade now speaks up, curious. "Surely, if you were scraping to survive at that point, it would have been easier to just ignore and let them fall to their own stupidity. It would even be a great lesson for them, yes?"

"I wasn't gonna get involved that time either - You're right, they deserved a lesson. Even Grim got in trouble there, but I was so tired at that point."

"So what happened??" Kalim asks eagerly, moving closer to listen, like his ears can't hear you if he can't see you well enough.

"Crowley again. Said faculty couldn't get involved because Azul wasn't technically breaking any rules, and he needed the problem fixed. Once again, I told him no and he threatened my housing security."

Malleus' eyes narrow. The storm outside is slowly building again, but this time for a very different reason. Azul feels sheepish. At every turn, you were being threatened and forced into involving yourself in the lives of the other students. So then why were you still so friendly? Ortho's eyes have gotten frustrated at the idea of what you're telling them. He's visibly upset. Rook is stone silent as you have every ounce of his attention.

"And with Jamil..?" Ruggie jabs a thumb in the direction of the long-haired boy from the sands.

"Crowley told me I had to keep the school's heating running while everyone was away, and I barely was able to remind him to get me food for the winter break. Even then, he held it as a reward I had to earn. He gave me a cellphone in case there was an emergency, but the damn thing was on the worst possible plan, and he never picked up when I called him. Kalim invited us to the dorm for a feast, and Grim and I were so hungry that I decided to let him treat us. When we got there, we got roped into everything.."

"But you escaped. You could have just stayed away at that point." Jamil finally speaks up, remembering the events. He's embarrassed by his actions, but he needs to know why you came back.

You throw a thumb towards Azul. "Yeah, but I only escaped because I accidentally flew the magic carpet into Octavinelle, and Azul made me take him back because he had his own agenda. I didn't wanna be indebted to him for the damage the carpet did, and I didn't trust him enough to return the carpet safely, so I begrudgingly obliged and got roped into bullshit again."

Azul looks embarrassed as once again the attention's all on him. This conversation is more exposing him for his shady bullshit than you for yours.

Luckily, he's saved by Vil speaking up once again; "With my.. incident - You were pushed into it by Crowley again, yes?"

"Yeah. Your troupe needed a place to stay, and my dorm was the only one equipped for it. I wanted to stay as far out of your way as possible, but it was kind of impossible when I was named as the manager and you knew where I slept. You whipped everyone into shape, and even pushed me to do my best, lest I find my snacks.. uh.."

"Tampered with as punishment." Jamil nods, remembering the spell Vil had been using. You were in a tough situation, and once again you made the call that allowed you your best chance of survival.

---

Before you can explain anything further, a familiar voice can be heard.

---

"Hello my gracious students! Thank you all for coming to this meeting!" Crowley has finally arrived. Half an hour late. He opens his eyes from his delight to find several people staring at him with malice. He blinks and gulps down his nerves. "... I seem to have missed something." ----- If you like stories like this, check out the rest of my collection in my Masterlist on my profile, or check out my stuff on AO3! https://archiveofourown.org/users/CuratorOfFiction

[flightfoot]

any fic recs featuring polyamory?

Oh yeah, definitely!

---

Herbs And Steam by @liiinerle

Juleka le Flor Blef, nature witch from near the forest of Couffaine, arrives at Eiffel Castle so she can partake in the Queen's Trials - a contest to determine the strongest witch in all of France. She wants to prove the strength of her magic, but when she arrives, her attention is quickly distracted by two very interesting women: Kagami, the princess, who seems to act nothing like a princess should; and Marinette, the blacksmith, who has created a magic all her own through metal, steam, and ingenuity. Juleka is immediately besotted with both of them, and needs to work extra hard to focus on her magic. Juleka also soon becomes aware that there is stronger magic at Eiffel castle than she had expected. For one thing, there's a tree in the courtyard put there years ago by a witch whose powers seem to surpass hers; for another, there's Alya la Pluvie Versaunt, who must be the most powerful mage Juleka has ever met...

Unusual poly here, there aren't a lot of Juleka/Kagami/Marinette fics! I love the world here, getting to see all these different witches honing their craft, and Juleka making friends with many of them - though especially the nonwitches Kagami and Marinette, of course XD. If you like some femslash or a good fantasy AU, this fic should scratch that itch!

---

Each Hum And Click by @echo-has-queries

Kagami thought her understandably high standards for a match in marriage would mean she could avoid being paired with a man by her mother. That she could keep perfecting her flying-machine skills and eventually take over her mother’s place in leading the Tsurugi steam engine manufacturing company without having to defer to a man. She would have thought that when her mother told her to test the Agreste boy as a marriage match she had been kidding - if her mother ever kid. But she was serious and there truly was no fault to be found with Gabriel Agreste's son - except for the small detail of course, that he was not human. So Kagami must turn to the only fine mechanic she knows in Paris to find a solution to this new dilemma. But perhaps the dilemma could turn out to be the solution itself. Written for the AU Roulette Challenge 2024 with the prompt: Steampunk AU

So this fic is entirely from Kagami's POV, and it is a treat! It's an Adrigaminette fic, which you slowly figure out from reading the fic, if you didn't check the tags - Kagami may have tried not to like Adrien, but he grew on her regardless, and then a few chapters in you find out about hers and Marinette's failed relationship. I loved slowly finding out why the two of them broke up, when there are clearly still strong feelings between them, and how it ties into Kagami's character arc and the overall themes of the story: standing up for yourself, breaking free from those who would control you, and forging your own path.

---

All Of Them? Every Single One? by @liiinerle

It turns out that Marinette loves a lot more people than she’d initially thought.

This is hilarious and adorable. Tikki lays out how Marinette has a crush on basically every girl she’s met - and even girls she doesn’t know are girls yet XD. 

---

Spin the Bottle by @kasienda

When the bottle cap comes to a stop dead center on Nino, Adrien’s both relieved and somehow more anxious. His first kiss - not his actual first kiss, but still kinda his first kiss - the first kiss he will remember, will be with someone he deeply cares about. But Adrien also cares what Nino thinks of him, so what if he’s a terrible kisser? Nino offers him a reassuring smile, and he relaxes. Adrien glances at Alya for permission, and she just shoos him towards Nino. Adrien turns to Nino, leaning closer. If his stomach had been squirming before, it now feels like a half dozen Kwamis have taken up residence in his gut. But Adrien doesn’t hesitate. He blocks out the presence of all of his friends watching, and instead focuses on Nino - like Nino is a stage partner in a photoshoot. Except kissing Nino is nothing like a photoshoot. … Adrien kisses Nino in a game of Spin the Bottle, and then neither can stop thinking about it. Alya really likes how flustered her boyfriend is by all this. Marinette though, can’t handle it and keeps running away.

This is a great Alya X Adrien X Nino X Marinette poly fic! I love them all talking out their feelings and realizing new things about themselves. Alya’s instrumental and bringing everyone together, though she, herself, is also nervous about confessing to her longstanding crush XD

---

Three’s company by @torvalvt

Kagami has been doing her best for years to ignore her feelings for her friends. It doesn’t help that Adrien and Marinette insist on spending as much time as possible with her, even going so far as inviting her along on their dates together. If only the affection she felt for them wouldn’t get in the way of their relationship. Because it is growing harder and harder to tamp down her feelings with how close they are getting to her.

This is adorable. Adrien and Marinette really want Kagami to join their relationship and she just doesn’t dare hope for it. If you want some adorable Adrigaminette from Kagami’s perspective, I recommend checking this fic out!

---

Chat Noir Cataclyms Hawk Moth's Balls by @a-flaming-idiot

It's what it says on the tin; Chat Noir castrates his unaware father. And at the same time, Gabriel hits a high C to shatter glass, Nathalie realizes she wasted her life, Chloe accidentally outs herself, Adrien becomes homeless, there are no more secret identities, Tikki thinks she's funny, Nino and Alya take what's their's, and Chloe finally respects another human being. And a partridge in a pear tree~

So this is a fun little crackfic! Lots of jokes and absurd scenarios, you're likely to giggle at least a few times (and hopefully several times) while reading this.

---

(let me paint my skin) with your love by starnoir

Adrien blushes, looking down at his lap as his hair falls back over his nape. He shifts in his seat and finds Marinette staring at him with a sweet soft smile, and Adrien returns it. He reaches out his free hand to place on Alya and Marinette's desk, and they both latch onto it. Marinette's fingertips rest atop his own, and the green of her skin seems to glow. Alya's hand finds his wrist, rubbing small circles into his skin. "We love you, Adrien, whether your soul-marks show it or not," Nino decides, leaning back as Alya's free hand knocks off his cap and curls her fingers in his hair, the little bit that he'd begun to grow out. Adrien feels his eyes threaten to bubble over with tears, and it's just so much in one moment. Nino's knuckles on his, Marinette's fingers on his, Alya's slow circles massaged into his wrist as her hand rests on her side. "Thanks guys," he chokes, "I love you all too." And their colors seem to glow, and so do their cheeks. Or, a sweet wholesome soulmate-soulmark au about Adrien finding love after being forced to hide how big his heart was for so long.

---

Getting The Gang Together by @mikauzoran

When Nino and Alya witness Ladybug and Chat Noir detransforming, they come up with a scheme to win over their crushes and create the OT4 they’ve always dreamed of.

---

The Quartet's Duet by timeandpace_lord

In which Kagami and Luka attempt to get two idiots to fall in love. Instead, four idiots realize they were already in love. Based a lot on Determination and Wishmaker specifically. ~~~ It was only a matter of time, he told himself. Sooner or later they’d stumble into the same secret he had and realize they were made for each other. And if they needed a helping hand to get there, a conductor for the symphony of their lives together, he was more than happy to take on that role. Kagami nodded firmly. She’d known that Marinette was Adrien’s true target from the beginning, but it had taken longer for her to get over her own jealousy and realize that the other girl was also the correct target. Now that she no longer had blinders on, it was obvious the two were meant to be together. If she could help them realize it, so much the better.

---

Vanilla Valentine by @talkstoself

When Adrien’s first attempt at baking Valentine Cookies for Marinette goes horribly wrong, Luka steps in to help. There’s no way this could possibly go wrong… right?

---

The Mid-Autumn Moon by AlpakaAlex

Kagami wants to do something for Marinette, but does not know whether she might be overstepping a line.

---

Worthwhile Distractions by @coffebanana

As much as Kagami loves her partners, there are some things she prefers to deal with on her own. So it's a little annoying that they won't stop fretting over her injured ankle, something she very much has under control. But when it turns out that maybe Marinette and Adrien were right that she should have taken things easy, she knows she's lucky to have them both by her side. Even if sometimes that's not so easy to admit to.

---

Blossoming by pepsiisokay

It starts with a bouquet. It ends with one too. A series of moments in which Kagami, Adrien, and Marinette realize they might just be perfect for each other.

---

Hold Me By Both Hands by @angelofthequeers

“I know he said never to take you back,” Plagg mutters. “But he’d change his tune if he knew.” He looks Adrien straight in the eye and, more serious than Adrien’s ever seen him before, says, “There’s someone you gotta meet. He’s been looking for that book for ages.” How differently might the events of season 2 have gone if Adrien had also known of Master Fu from the start?

---

sunblind by @asukiess

Adrien's newfound hobby of drawing leads to learning just how important friendship is to him. Also, he's extremely innocent.

[d34dlysinner]

Mammon is the sweetest devil known in Hell and I will not elaborate further (to avoid spoilers for ppl who haven’t reached Chapter 3 yet)

Can I request a fluff scenario of a very tired MC (Gender Neutral if you want) who has too many devil friends and very little social battery (they like me fr fr) and is very tired by the time they meets up with Mammon again and another scenario where it’s MC who finds a Mammon who missed MC a lot after a day without MC on his side aka these two cuddling and adoring each other on their downtime.

I thank you (in advance) for the meal

Thank you for the asks!! xD

MINORS DNI

When you're drained:

When Mammon sees MC walking to his room there are 2 things he can think off.

1: MC forgot something and came back for it.

2: MC is going to relax in their room.

Based on how drained you looked and how you seemed to almost avoid others around you, he assumed it would be the latter thought that would be correct. He would open the door to your room and watch as you were curled up on your bed.

"Were the others too much for you?", he asked softly. He made his way to your side after closing the door behind him.

He assumed that you said "yes" since it seemed like you didn't have the energy to respond in any way. He sighed as he pushed away the hair from your face and laid down next to you.

He understood that you wanted a break, but he did want to keep you company. He rested with you in silence.

When he missed you:

He was very easy to read as he starts thinking about how he misses you. At times he uses his authority to get you at his side. It can be hectic, but it's fast.

Other times he allows you to do what you want and he'll just be stuck wondering when you will return.

Today, he heard about your arrival in Tartaros. He wasted no time to get alone with you as he picks you up and walks towards his room or office with you in his arms. It can be embarrassing for you since he never stops groping your ass and since you're a grown adult being carried like royalty.

He would either place you on his lap or lie down with you. Kneading his favourite spot on his s/o whenever he can.

He knows that he said that he's yours, but in his mind he hopes that you're his too.

[desperate-daydream]

can I request Seth Clearwater x male reader

where male reader is Bella younger brother Seth age but he phases and becomes a shifter and nobody knows how or why Seth and male reader imprint on each other and just being cute and wholesome with each other but Jacob is giving male reader a hard time saying thing like Bella should have been to phase and if did she imprint on me and ECT but Seth put stop to that put Jacob in his place after he make male reader cry

🍎 Twilight

❀ Seth Clearwater x male (shifter) reader ⚣︎

A/N: thanks for the request and sorry for the long wait, I had a terrible writers block until today and then I just wrote the whole thing in one go XD, and I know ugh, self promo but I have a twilight story on Ao3 with the main being Bella’s twin and Jake imprinting on him (maybe some of you will like that too even if it’s not that similar to this story) (that’s also why it felt so weird to write Jake so mean XD I basically just finished a chapter from that story before writing this one, but I hope you like it)

tags/warnings: set in eclipse (aka the movie where Jake is kinda toxic), Jake is mean and has some issues, reader is Bella’s younger brother, also I wanted Bella to be a good sister, reader is a shifter and imprints on Seth

here‘s the link to the story on my Ao3:

so that’s what imprinting feels like

“What happened?!”, Bella came jumping out of her car. Jacob had called her as soon as possible when Paul and Embry had found you in the middle of the forest. You had been scared - not just because there had been two giant wolves in front of you but also because you had just shifted into one too. They had managed to calm you down enough until Sam arrived. He had brought spare clothes from one of their “emergency supplies” that you put on after shifting back. Then they guided you to Jacob’s place. They had thought it would be the best idea since you had technically also grown up together with Bella although now you didn’t really have anything to do with each other anymore. And he was able to call Bella who had rushed over as fast as possible when she had processed what Jake told her. While waiting the other four wolves had already told you the essentialities of being a shifter and basically destroyed your whole world-perception. 

As nice and caring as he had always been, Billy stayed by your side. You had gained a better relationship to Jacob’s dad than to Jacob himself. Especially since you still spent a little bit more time with your dad and therefore also Billy - even if it was just watching a game in your living room. 

Bella came straight to you, only sparring Jake a sideways glance as she was too focused on you. 

“Hey”, her voice was quiet and soft, “oh god, you’re shivering.” She placed her arms around you and pulled you closer. You hadn’t even noticed it until she said it. 

“Just a bit much right now.”

“I know. Let’s go home so you can rest a little, mh?” You nodded. 

“Wait, we still have so much to do now”, Jake said persistently, “You have to tell Charlie too. And what if he shifts again and hurts you?”

Bella now turned completely to him. “You can still do all of this tomorrow. He needs to sleep right now.” 

Jake wanted to start again: “But what if-”

“Jake, let it be for now.” 

That’s all she said before getting up with you and walking to her truck together. 

“How did this happen?”, she asked on the drive home.

“I don’t know.” You put up your legs and put your arms around them even though you felt way too warm. 

“I wasn’t feeling good and wanted to take a walk because it usually helps but then.. I don’t know.”

You big sister sighed and looked at you shortly before focusing back on the road. “Let’s worry about it tomorrow. It’s getting late and you seem tired.”

You only nodded while your eyelids already dropped. 

When you arrived you walked straight to your room and the moment your head touched your pillow you were gone. 

— 

“We’ll do it step for step”, you stood next to Sam who would teach you today how to control your shifting so you would hopefully not hurt anybody around you or yourself - not to mention keeping the secret of the pack. 

What he didn’t tell you then was that they’ve had a discussion just yesterday after Bella had picked you up whether or not they should officially include you in the pack since you were a new and special case. In the end they came to the conclusion that you would need and deserve the help and guide the others could give you. He also didn’t tell you that Jacob seemed a bit too disapproving of this new situation and that he guessed it had something to do with the thoughts he had heard from him that were once again centered on none other than your own sister. 

“Okay”, you nodded; also to convince yourself that everything would be okay. 

“Also, you’re not the only young member, don’t worry. Seth Clearwater, he is your age and has also shifted. You will meet him later at the fire.” 

You had already agreed to come when he and Billy had invited you and Bella to come. Bella had added another dimension to this whole situation when she had told you about the Cullens and the vampire that was going after her. She had calmed you a bit when she reassured that she was as good as always protected by either the vampire family of her boyfriend or the wolves. 

For the rest of the day you tried to shift on command and Sam and his fiancée Emily gave you a few tips on how to control your anger. 

Then you went to the fire where you saw your sister again who immediately asked you how it worked. You still stood a bit away from the others as you told her about your training when you heard a voice. It was directed at Jake so didn’t turn around until the person came to a halt at Jacob’s side.

“Hey man, I saved you some burgers but if you don’t hurry Paul will-” 

The boy stopped in the middle of his sentence when you turned around and your eyes met. Your first thought was: “Holy shit, he’s cute”. Your second one was: “So that’s what imprinting feels like”. And your third was once again: “Holy shit.”

Butterflies started fluttering in your stomach and the heat rose to your cheeks as you looked at the boy in front of you with wide eyes who still hadn’t closed his mouth. 

To your luck Sam and Emily were still next to you and immediately understood what was happening. Sam suppressed a chuckle and introduced you to each other.

“(Y/N), this is Seth, the boy I told you about today. Seth, this is our newest pack-member, (Y/N).”  

You saw his mouth form your name before he stuttered out a “hi”. 

You willed your body to move again and said “hi” back just as stuttery. 

“Uh-uhm..”, Seth started and was once again saved by Emily. “Why don’t we go to the others already.” 

You nodded and then followed the other boy your age closely. What you didn’t notice was the pissed expression that had appeared on Jacob’s face. All of you was focused on Seth.

You sat next to each other and soon the gossip made it’s round so soon after Billy was finished with telling the first legend everyone knew what just happened. 

Leah, who Seth had introduced as his older sister, looked at you with narrowed eyes but didn’t do anything else. 

Throughout the evening your hands had brushed together a few times which had sparked the fluttering in your stomach everytime. And you had probably inched even closer together after some time too. 

It was a bit awkward at first but it didn’t change the fact that you felt comfortable sitting next to him while listening and laughing with the others. 

You were sad when saying goodbye but then Seth gave you his number and asked you to meet up tomorrow which you had agreed to almost too enthusiastically to not be embarrassed. It didn’t help that Bella giggled the entire ride home about her baby-brother having a crush. 

“Naw, you grow up so fast.”

“Ughhhhhh, please stop.”

Bella laughed while pulling into their driveway: “Never, that’s my job as your sister.”

“You’re horrible”, you said drily while she just continued giggling. 

But then she changed the mood quickly. “You decided to tell dad tomorrow, right?”

“Yeah.. Billy and Sam are gonna be there too to answer questions. I’m still not the best at wolf-knowledge.”

“Mhm, it’ll be okay, don’t worry too much. If you want I can be there too.”

You nodded and earned yourself a short side-hug from Bella before you went to your rooms. 

—

You were close to emotional exhaustion after the conversation with your dad but it had a good outcome. Afterwards Edward picked up Bella and you went to meet up with Seth. Sam and Billy were so nice to take you with them to the Black’s home from where you would go to Seth. 

Billy went inside while you waved at him and went to go. 

But shortly before you arrived someone came to stand in your way. It was Jacob. And he didn’t seem to want to talk to you in a friendly way. 

You still tried to be nice; he was like Bella’s best friend so you really didn’t want to make him dislike you more than he apparently already did. 

“Why?!” 

You were perplexed when he almost spat it at you. You also didn’t have a chance to respond; he just continued talking.

“Why was it YOU?! Why did YOU shift?! It should’ve been Bella if anyone else were to shift at all! But no! It was YOU! If it had been Bella then she could imprint on me! But it was you! It doesn’t even make sense! Why would nature want YOU to be one of us?! You’re unable to do anything! You’re weak! And now you’re just supposed to protect others?! To protect Bella?! Hah!”

His accusations that in the end didn’t even really make sense but still hurt carried on. You didn’t actually hear anymore what he said. You were about to cry and just wanted to coil into yourself but at the same time you had to suppress the anger rising in you. Your whole body shook from the exhausting try to hold yourself together. A few tears escaped your eyes and Jacob was still not done, probably just repeating himself by now but that didn’t change the fact that he was more than angry. 

“Jacob! Stop!”, before you could register anything else a person appeared between you and the other. You felt relief wash over you immediately when you saw that it was Seth. 

“How dare you scream at him like that! Accusing him of being the source of your stupid self-centered problems! How dare you make him cry! Don’t you ever even come too close to him again!” 

Jake seemed to want to say something more but Seth turned to you, took your hand into his and gently pulled you with him. You only noticed that you were still shaking when Seth stopped after arriving at a clearing and pulled you into his arms. You couldn’t stop the tears from flowing and Seth pulled you closer while you clutched his shirt in your hands. 

After you calmed down you whispered a “thank you” against his neck where you had hid your face. 

“Of course”, he whispered back, “nobody is allowed to talk to or about you like that. Nobody." His arms tightened around you again and you felt his face hide in your neck this time. You smiled when you noticed him taking a deep whiff of your scent and then place a kiss there.

[plzfeedmebread]

What Do I Tell My Friends Family? Pt. 2

word count: 4662

Pairing: Recom! Miles! Quaritch x Female! Sully! Na'vi! Reader Tags/Warnings: Non-con, slight torture mentioned, smut, blow job, mouth fucking, threats of violence, Dead Dove Do Not Eat, NSFW, degradation, dark themes, hurt no comfort Author's Notes: Aye yo wtf, this was suppose to be a one-shot! XD Some have asked for a continuation, so I have provided! Wanted to get this out on Valentines Day, though that has since passed here. Would have been out sooner but, Cyclone Gabrielle had other plans! Anyway please enjoy. Might make a part 3 for something softer. Apologies for any grammatical errors!

<previous chapter> | 2 | <next chapter>

*by clicking keep reading you understood the contents there within*

Pain.

That is the first thing that you register; a dull throb to the back of your head. You grown at the feeling. Slowly do your eyes flutter open, the sting of light assaults you.

When finally do you adjust to the brightness, you take stock of your surroundings.

White.

The walls. The ceiling. The floor. Where the fuck are you?

You realise you are on the floor. You move to sit up, but you find your hands are bound tight behind you. So it with great effort you that manage to push yourself up into a sitting position, back pressed against the wall behind you.

You gaze around the room. In the centre there is a thick metal table. No chairs. To your left, a bed that would be far too small for your frame. Clearly you are in a human facility. But you do not recognise this interior to be that of Hell’s Gate.

Shit.

Despite the painful throb, you attempt to recount your steps up until this point.

---

Your siblings; Eywa bless them all, but by the Great Mother did they infuriate you. For some unfathomable reason, the little entourage, sans Neteyam, thought to disobey the rules and explore the old battle site. There they happened upon a group of Avatars, decked out in full gear, carrying ARs.

Lo’ak calls it in. Father instructed him to retreat.

You arrived at eclipse, alongside your parents and Neteyam, leaving him with the ikran. You find your siblings captured and in the clutches of these Avatars. There would be no way to rescue them without bloodshed.

Your mother lets loose the first arrow, a clean headshot, and all hell breaks loose in a hail of gunfire. In the scuffle you manage to find Kiri and Spider, leading them away as fast as you can.

But an explosion goes off behind all of you, and though you and Kiri keep balance, you see Spider fall. The two of you yell out to him. Without so much as a second thought, you dove. You clutched his body to yours, wrapping yourself around him as the two of you fell, lessening the impact it would have on him, hoping you have protected his mask.

You hit your head on several tree branches on the way down. With a painful thud you land on the ground. There is a loud ringing in your ear. You think you can hear Spider’s muffled voice yelling your name, screaming perhaps. You can’t concentrate. There is only pain. There is only the ringing.

You faintly register the feeling of being lifted. There is a light, blinding in your eyes, coming from the skies. Then darkness. Nothingness.

Then, you woke up here.

---

It stands to reason then, that you were captured by those Avatars. Fuck.

But where was Spider?!

Panicked, you hoist yourself onto wobbly legs, looking around the room you search, but he is not here. You pull on the bindings in frustration, but it is of little use; they are wound tight.

You turn around and are met with your own reflection. You notice your head’s been wrapped in some gauze; you must’ve hit your head pretty hard. You look at the bindings on your wrist, orange, ones you haven’t seen before. A nice new gift from the Sky People.

Suddenly your ears pick up a soft swoosh of a sound, and the door behind you opens.

Too afraid to turn around you stare at the doorway through the reflection.

One of the Avatar men stalks in, bending as he does to get through the doorway.

By Eywa’s grace, he is tall. Taller than your father, your surmise. Bigger too. Probably not a fight you would win easily, if it all. Especially with your injured head and bound wrists.

“Ah, you’re finally awake.” He says as he approaches you. You turn then, slowly, to face the man. You decide to play nice, for now at least. No need to get hurt even more. Lure the enemy in, strike when they least expect.

You look up to meet his gaze head on, and freeze.

---

That face.

That damned face.

You’re sure you know that damnable face.

But it is not possible. The man you know of, are thinking of, is most assuredly dead. For real dead. You’ve seen his remains, trapped in that machine in the old battle site. You dared not to touch it; afraid it would have disturbed his spirit somehow.

Oh Eywa, his spirit…

How long has it been since you last saw him? Three years? Something close to that you think. You would never forget that evening, that desperate evening, when you approached him. Threw yourself at him. And he caved. Oh sweet Eywa, he had caved.

You knew what you did was wrong. Guilt had eaten away at you in the days that followed. You knew exactly who he was. You knew of his crimes. Yet you did it anyway. Shameful. Disgusting. Monster-fucker, you bitterly thought.

The two of you never really broached the topic of his past. He had given you his name, and it was enough. You told him who you were, and it was enough.

You hadn’t known how to explain the marks that marred your body. You claimed to have fallen off attempting a trick mid-flight. A weak excuse. You can see it in the eyes of your parents that they do not believe you. Your siblings too. But they instead teased you, convinced are they that you must have been with someone.

You decided then, that if you should see him again, you must apologise, it was a mistake, shall never happen again, and to never speak to one another going forward.

It takes two weeks then, for a re-emergence of a shared dream.

You had been psyching yourself up for the encounter.

Except the moment your eyes meet, there is such an unbelievable swell in your chest, an almost immediate heat in your loins. You are beyond smitten.

You let yourself be lost in the feeling.

Days turn to weeks. Weeks to months. And every few days, you found yourself back in his company. Back in his arms. Sometimes, he in yours. And you love it. Guilt be damned you love the attention. The two of you figure that your body must reflect whatever happens to your soul in this Space.

He, tries, to be more mindful of the marks he leaves; but your people already wear next to nothing as it is, so it is a bit of a challenge. You don’t mind though, not anymore. Not after this long. It fills you with confidence, to know you are wanted so deeply, so readily, always.

You find you are able to walk pass those boys who had rejected you with a huff, a flick of the hair. Show them that they are unneeded, and that you have found someone else.

But such a time is not to last. Your family began to pester you; your parents especially. Father is Clan Leader; this you cannot forget. So for his eldest, his daughter, to have some sort of secret lover, he is not exactly keen on. They beg and plead, asking for you to tell them who it is. If this boy, ‘Ha! Boy…’, has accepted you, then they can arrange for him to be your future mate, recognise your future relationship in the clan. Make it official as it were.

You were relucted, obviously. How can you explain to them that you were having, relations, with what is undoubtedly their worst enemy, but also that it wasn’t happening in the real world?

Just when you were slowly coming around to the idea of confessing…it stopped.

Just like that.

No warning. Just complete, nothingness.

When a week had gone by with no Quaritch, you thought nothing of it.

But weeks turn to months. One month becomes two. Two becomes four.

And on the eve of the sixth month, you break. You break down, alone under the Spirit Tree. You connected to Eywa, sobbing, begging, pleading, questioning. ‘Why? Why now?’ If it was so wholly wrong, why put you two together?

You are met with silence.

Months then, turned to years. You never do tell your parents, or your siblings. Your apparent mood change at the seventh months leads them to believe things didn’t work out. It had been months since they saw you with marks in suspicious places. You are grateful they never bring it up though; but you can tell in they walk on egg shells around you that they know.

This goes on for about another few months before all returns to normal.

You miss him, of course. He had been your first love you think. Accepting your body as those boys did not. A freak to them you were. Big breasted and wide hipped. But to him—

“Ahh, you’re all freaks to me darlin’. ‘Sides, if you were human, with a body like that? Pssh, men wouldn’t be able to keep their hands off ye. Lord knows I can’t,” he had winked at you when he said that. That’s when you knew there was no way you could possibly stay away from this man.

But Eywa had other plans it seemed.

“You still with me darlin’?” Your reminiscing is brought to a hastened end by the man before you. He stands just before you, waving a hand in front of your face.

Shit. How long were you staring off into nothing remembering things?

You blink rapidly, then cast your eyes downward. You are far too overwhelmed to look this man in the eye.

“What do you want, Demon?” The last part you spit with venom. You don’t know who this is, but you hate him. Hate that he looks so damn close to your human.

“Ah, so you do speak English…” He takes a step back, crosses his arms and regards you with keen interested. “That was some nasty fall back there. Had the science pukes patch ya up real nice.” You don’t say anything in response.

“Spider tells me you were protecting him. Awfully nice of ya, considering he’s human. Stands to reason then, that I shall return that kindness. Be nice and all that. All you gotta do, is tell me what I wanna know.” He roughly grabs your face in one hand, forcing you to look up at him.

“Where is Jake Sully?”

“As if I would betray my family so easily, Demon! You will get nothing from me!” You all but yell angrily at him. Baring your teeth as threateningly as you can muster.

“Now-now sweetheart, there’s no need to play hard to get. We can do this the easy way. Or the hard way. Your choice. As I said, I’ll be nice. Once. Then I won’t.”

Fear.

Fear bursts through you. You look up at this man, this Demon, this monster and plead with your eyes.

“Please…don’t hurt me…Do not ask this of me…”

Loyalty, even in the face of danger. He admires that. But the soft approach, he’ll save for Spider. His not-son. For you though, savage daughter of that fucking traitor Jake Sully, he’s decided on a not so nice approach.

---

You don’t know how long you’ve been here. Hours? Days? Weeks? Time has all but blurred together. You have not seen the outside in so long. Have not felt the sun upon your skin. It is torture. But nothing, truly nothing, compares to that awful machine.

It pulls at your mind, the digging, cutting, searching. The feeling of a thousand metal spiders clawing into your flesh. Yet you do not yield. You think only of the forest. Of tall trees and swinging vines. Of running through the under brush at night when the world is aglow. You force your mind to think of Hells Gate. Of the scientists. Of the many humans you see mulling around.

Each time your screams fall on deaf ears, begging for the pain to stop. Each time you are brought to tears. Only when you start bleeding from your nose are you let free, returned to that awful white room. They don’t bother cuffing you anymore. You simply lay on the floor weeping to yourself till you fall unconscious.

You’re not sure how long you can keep it up. Sooner or later, you will inevitably think of the Hallelujah Mountains, of High Camp.

And where was Spider? Oh Eywa you hope he’s okay. If they put him in that same machine, you vow you would kill them all. Every. Last. Human. Avatar. Whatever. Anything breathing in this forsaken place was dead fucking meat.

Again you weep for him. You hope was safe and not scared and alone. You prayed to Eywa that they treated him with a modicum of decency, at least for being human. You move yourself and the oxygen mask they gave you into the soft bed, small as it was, a better comfort than the floor. You cry yourself to sleep.

---

It’s frustrating, Quaritch thinks. It’s been about a week, and still they have come up short. Even with Spider riding along, no progress has been made. It was difficult to even get him to agree to come a long. He had insisted on seeing you, outright refusing to cooperate otherwise. It was only when Quaritch had not to subtly threatened to return him to the science pukes that he relented. Still he demanded to at least know you were safe.

It took little effort to lie to the boy. You were technically safe, so long as they didn’t keep you in that machine longer than you could handle. You had a place to rest. Water and food were given to you. A mask too. By all accounts you were still living and breathing. Close enough to safe.

But you. Stubborn, obstinate, infuriating you. They had yet to break you. Their fancy expensive machine failing them at every turn. Quaritch stares at you on the monitors before him. He can hear you weep. Another failed round. He’s clutching his mug tightly. The General will be on his ass if he doesn’t produce results soon. He’s not exactly her biggest fan either. She’s got an arrogance about her that rubs him the wrong way.

It’s your fault, he thinks, as he stares you. Your fault, that progress has come to a standstill. It pisses him off. If you at least gave them something, anything, this would be a whole lot easier. He slams his mug down, anger bristling his nerves, ire ever growing.

“Turn off the monitors. Me and that hostile are gonna have ourselves, a little chat.”

“Sir…?”

“JUST. DO IT.” The human beside him jumps at his tone, hastily turning off the feed as commanded.

“Now don’t go turning that back on till I return. Trust me, I’ll know.” He fixes the man with a stern look before storming off to your holding cell.

---

You awake with a start at the sound of the door opening. You see the Demon step in, then touch the something beside the door. It makes a noise, and you are more than certain he’s locked it. Your stomach drops.

Quaritch looks up at the cameras, making sure there is no red light to indicate it being on. Satisfied, he turns to you once more.

“You know sweetheart. I gotta give it to ya, I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long.” He says, taking slow leisurely steps towards you. You bring your knees to your chest, pushing yourself as far back as you can until your met with the cold wall.

“But this can all go away. No more machine. I can get you outta here. All you gotta do is give me what I want.”

“I will give you nothing! Demon!” You hiss at him, but it is for show. You are scared, trapped with this man in a place you can’t escape. Too weak to fight properly. Without thinking, you spit at him, landing your saliva on his chest. Oh, he doesn’t like that.

“One of these days sweetheart, that mouth of yours is gonna get you in a world of trouble.” A frown adorns his face as he says this, looking at the offending wet patch before drawing his eyes back to meet yours.

“Starting today.” In a flash he’s on you, roughly grabbing your queue at the base. You yelp in both surprise and pain, hands automatically clawing at his wrists. He pulls you off the wall to the edge of the bed. He stands before you. He yanks your head back, pulling your face upward.

“You don’t wanna talk? Fine. Let’s put that mouth of yours to good use then, shall we?” The grips your queue tighter, the searing pain lights your nerves once more and you hiss at the feeling. Tears threatening at the edge of your eyes.

You catch movement on the edge of your gaze. With horror you realise what he is doing. He’s unbuckling his pants.

‘Oh no no no, please, Great Mother NO! Not this! Anything but this!’ Your prayer is futile as you watch him pull out his half-hardened cock.

Quaritch didn’t think he’d find your fear so arousing. But that pleading look you give him every time he sees you, he can’t help the bolt of electricity that shoots through him. Even now he can see the fear in your eyes, he can see you know what’s about to happen, and he reveals in the power he has over you. Doesn’t help that you’ve been walking around in that get-up of yours.

He noticed you, that first time he walked into this cell. You definitely were a half-breed, with those five fingers and toes. Even more so did he notice the swell of your breasts, the expansion of your hips. From the images he’s seen on the data pads, you are clearly not like the rest of your kin. Your portions are almost too human.  He’s not sure if it’s this new body, or the memories of the man he’s emulating, but God damn he can’t help himself.

The frustration of it all, topped off with your stubbornness to cooperate, stagnating their operation too boot, has all been building up. He’s just about had enough. This is all your fault. Seems to reason that you should be the one to fix it, he figures.

Before you can even begin to beg, he pulls out a knife, bringing the sharp blade to where he has your queue in his hand.

“Don’t get any funny ideas darling. One wrong move, and it’s bye-bye Eywa. Understood?” Tears silently fall from your eyes; you nod when you feel him loosen his grip ever so lightly. Seeing those tears sends a pleasurable throb to the tip of his dick.

“Good girl.” He lets your head fall forward properly facing him, he shuffles closer, his legs hitting the side of the bed.

“Now, do you need to be told what to do, or do you already know?”

Of course you know. You spent an almost immeasurable amount of time with your beloved human. He showed you things you never dreamed of, touched you in ways your imagination could never suffice. But now those memories were to be tainted, forever marred by the actions of this Demon. Your hesitation is noted, and met with displeasure.

“I ain’t got all day sweetheart.”

With renewed tears you sit on your knees, and take him in one hand.

---

Slowly you pump, up and down, from base to tip. It doesn’t take long for him to harden. The sight of your tears dripping onto your exposed chest spurring him on.

He’s massive, you realise. You’re sure Na’vi men aren’t meant to be this well-endowed. You’re almost certain actually, from the stories you shared with you by your friends.

He is thick too; your fingers barely touch when encircled around him. He hums with pleasure, tightening his grip on your queue ever so slightly.

You squeeze tighter, pumping his cock with more force. You hear him suck in a breath.

He brings the knife away from your queue to your mouth.

“Open.” He commands, and you obey. “Wider.” He sticks the knife inside carefully, pressing the flat side of the blade onto your tongue. The cold metal tastes awful, making your mouth water. He uses his thumb to pull one side of your mouth away, examining.

The sight alone causes a shudder through his core. You peering up at him, tears in your eyes, tongue flat, mouth pulled open, drool falling freely. Oh yes, he could get used to this.

He removes the knife from your mouth, back to your queue.

“Use that pretty little mouth of yours darling.”

Your lips tremble at the thought of that massive thing in your mouth. But what choice do you have really? Your lifeline is in his hand; quite literally in fact.

He moves your head closer, loosening his grip to give you some leeway. “Watch those teeth darlin’” he warns as you lean closer still.

Slowly you open your mouth, and give his tip an experimental lick. You hear the Demon suck in a breath through his teeth when he does this. You lick his tip again, then take the hold head into your mouth.

The Demon exhales audibly.

You swirl your tongue around the tip, opening your mouth slightly to ease the motion, all the while pumping his cock with your hand to spread your saliva.

“Hnnn—fuck. Keep going darlin’…” The Demon praises you. Once you deem him sufficiently lubricated, you stick out your tongue and proceed to take more of his cock into your mouth. You stop half way before pulling back. You bring your head back down halfway, meeting your hand that pumps him from base to midway.

You set a slow place, squeezing him as hard as you can with your hand. You can hear his laboured breath as you suck his cock with practiced movements.

“You’ve done this before have you? Fucking whore…Bet you got men just lined up back home—!!!” His words come to abrupt halt, followed by a gasp, when you remove your hand from his cock and plunge the whole length into your mouth. He wasn’t expecting that.

You feel the tip of his dick stroke pass the base of your tongue and tease the inside of your neck. Though you’ve ever sucked any other cock other than your beloved, back when you were still relative to his size, he was sure to show you how to take his cock without chocking. Seems those lessons shall serve you well.

You pull back, tracing the vein on the side of his dick with your tongue. You bring his tip to your lips and swirl your tongue around it hastily, before sucking the whole length back down your throat.

“Ffffuuuuuck—” the Demon all but moans loudly, hips sway slightly.

He throws the knife to the floor suddenly, wraps your queue around one wrist, the grabs both sides of your head in his hands.

He starts fucking you like that, holding your head still and he pumps into your throat with reckless abandon. He unashamedly moans, feeling the soft smooth slick of your tongue graze his dick, while his tip meets the inner walls of your throat.

You don’t expect him to go so fast, the intrusion at such a speed shocks you, and you gag unintentionally. This doesn’t deter him at all though, seems to spur him on further. Faster he fucks you, powerful muscles clenched tight as he drives his hard cock down your bruising throat. Each time he can see the imprint of his dick push on your throat and it sends a jolt of pleasure through him.

You look up then, glistening eyes brimming with tears, nose running slightly. Your hands hold onto his wrists for balance. His face is contorted into one of inexplicable pleasure. Eyes half lidded, glazed over, mouth agape, he moans loudly without shame. He’s so close. He can feel it. He’s teetering on that precipice of release. He just needs a little bit more.

One hand leaves your head. He reaches to your shoulder to grab the lines of fabric there. With one powerful pull the threads break, beads and other small trinkets go flying about the room.

You make some kind of shocked noise around his cock; the vibrations send pleasurable waves all throughout.

“Aaaaahhh—fuck yes baby that’s it! Let me see you play with those pretty tits of yours! Come on now!” He yells as he brings his hand back to your head, holding you still once more, resuming his brutal pace.

Timidly you bring your hands to your now openly exposed breasts. You cup yourself in each hand, squeezing gently, you start to massage yourself in lazy circles. You moan around his cock without thinking, the feeling of playing yourself sending a small jolt of pleasure to your pussy.

“Come on baby, come on yes that’s it, you’re such a good girl for me, my fucking little savage whore! Just a little more!”

You move to pinch your nipples as you press your tits together, and you moan a muffled scream at the pleasure lighting your nerves.

That does it for him. With one final powerful thrust into your throat, he cums. Hard. You feel the thick streams of his seed coat the inner walls of your throat. He pulls back and thrusts back in a few more times, filling your mouth with his hot sticky cum.

He holds your head to the base of his cock, your nose pressed against his groin.

“Swallow it baby…Don’t waste a single drop now.” You swallow, drinking deep. You give his cock a couple hard sucks, making sure you drink every last drop. Slowly you pull your head back, his dick comes out with a pop. You open your mouth and stick out your tongue out of habit. Quaritch would always inspect your mouth like this, make sure you were a good girl and didn’t waste his gift to you.

The Demon smirks down at you, his breathing laboured. He sees your tail flick behind you, only then does he notice his also swaying behind him with reckless abandon. He releases your queue then. You almost weep at the relief that floods you. Without a word he puts his semi-soften cock back in his pants, collects his knife and secures it back in place. He gives himself a once over before turning to face you once more.

You’re still sitting on your knees. There’s a thick blush from your tits, up your neck, and splayed beautifully across your cheeks. You’re looking up at him with glistening eyes, apprehension on your face, clearly unsure of what is so happen now.

He clears his throat.

“I suggest, you think ‘bout cooperating. Next time, I might not be so nice.” He leaves without another word. You’re almost shocked by the hastened retreat. When the door shuts behind him, you release the breath you didn’t realise you were holding.

You immediately bring your braid to you front and hold it tight to your chest. You’re crying is renewed tenfold. To lose one’s queue is a fate worse than death. You’ve heard the horror stories. The pain, the fire, the seizures. It is an unsightly thing. And survival is not guaranteed. Even then, what sort of life could you really have, without your connection? Without being about to make tsaheylu? You continue to cry as you rock back on forth, tail wrapping around you in distress.

You swallow your excess saliva, still tasting that Demon’s cum on your tongue.

Without him here, looming over you with the threat of danger, you come to realise an awful thing.

He tastes just like Quaritch.

You all but scream in frustration as you cry even harder.

---

Tag List: @drinking-tea-and-be-obsessed, @lvangel98, @rsclopez, @onlyreadz @manymaria111, @kristeen31xxx

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[etoilesombre]

Fic Master List

I got tired of having to decide which fic post to keep pinned, so I made this. Proper summaries, tags and warnings all on AO3.

Black Sails

Another Way - Silverflint, E, 29,399 words, complete. Dubcon! But in a very old-school fanfic trope fuck or die way. It diverges from the scene where they get captured taking the warship. They do work through everything in the aftermath, and the end is very sweet actually.

By Faith of my Body - Silverflintmadi in various combinations, but emphasis on the flintmadi relationship. E, Chapter 1/4 posted. Flint and Madi bond over books, the weight of leadership, and being in love with John Silver. FealtySub!Flint, shameless use of literature for my own nefarious purposes, and so much pining.

Another Troy to Burn - Series. Silverflint longfic series, my special precious baby and literally the first thing I ever wrote. It's canon where they're fucking the whole time but it doesn't change anything. There is a moodboard (thanks @jaynovz) and also a playlist.

A Composite Unity - E, 20,366 words, complete. The first two seasons, Flint pov. He is not having a great time.

The Salt and the Sea - E, 60,495 words, complete. Set during the season 2-3 break, how Silver decided to stay and what happened with the gold. He is also not having a great time.

It Only Made Me Real- E, chapters 4/? posted. Silver adjusting to his role as quartermaster, Flint being Flint during the raids. I swear upon everything holy that I WILL finish this series if its the last thing I do, but, it has been on hiatus for a while.

for to fight the cold - Silverflint, E, 11,283 words, complete. Flint arrives to rescue Silver while he is still being held captive on the beach after the failed attack on Nassau. The cathartic murder of Israel Hands, followed by angst, caretaking, and a sexual tension filled camping trip.

If It Was You - Silverflint, E, 17,430 words, complete. Free use gangbang porn that got out of control and also grew a lot of feelings. The boys spend the night in port on a mission. There is only one bed. Flint freaks out and makes questionable choices, Silver walks in on the whole thing, they have to work through it. Cathartic happy ending. The very Most dirty talk.

I'll Carry You Home Tonight - Silverflint, E, 6,604 words, complete. This one is just porn. Season 3-4 break, the guys are newly in a relationship, they get Pirate Date Night. It's working title was 'impact play and 5 phases of ass stuff'.

Kinkmeme-Verse - Series of prompt fills for 2024 Black Sails kinkmeme. I wrote the first two, saw the prompt for the third, and had a Vision of how they could all be connected, so here we are.

As a Boy - James Flint|McGraw/Admiral Hennessey, E, 5,121 words, complete. Young James McGraw is caught with a boy, and punished. Big content warning for CSA, which I tried to treat seriously.

Pressure - Silverflint, E, 4,504 words, complete. More watersports are we all shocked? This is kind of the ultimate expression of that, but really its an exploration of pain and grief and healing through BDSM.

Make Sail for the Dawn - Silverflint, E, 12,504 words, complete. Flint uses submission as catharsis amidst his grief and pain over Miranda, but Silver accidentally reminds him of past history, which he then has to confront. They work through it, because Silver really has to do everything on this ship, including being his captain's therapist. Also Flint gets fucked with his pistol. Just by the way. This is the one prompter hated! Go see for yourself if it is, in fact, Too Awful For Kinkmeme XD.

long as amber of ember glows - Silverflint, E, 7,933 words, complete. If 3.10 ended the way it should have. There are love confessions, and they fuck on the gold. No literally, on it. It's very sweet honestly.

Our Feast is But Beginning - Series. Silverflint Cookingverse! Flint teaches Silver to cook.

Spit-Roasted - M, 5,821 words, complete. The one where Flint shows Silver how to roast a pig. It's canon! Flint is very weird about sex.

Gentille Alouette - E, 11,618 words, complete. Late night cooking dates on the Walrus, continuing intense sexual tension, Flint is basically edging himself. He sure is a way.

Princes of the New World - E, 38,145 words, complete. This one got a little out of hand, it has many things in it, including lots of hurt comfort and caretaking, the guys finally getting together and also not hiding their relationship, some intense gender vibes (Silver gets to be a pampered pretty princess) and yes, even some cooking.

Our Shadows That Are Bold - Silverflint, E, 4,912 words, complete. Dom Silver. The first little iteration of fealty sub Flint, he sure has some feelings about Silver coming into his own as king.

So We Begin - Silverflint, E, 4,038 words, complete. 3.7 missing scene fic that is exactly what you would expect after stomp stomp and the "how good it feels" conversation.

The Soft Animal of Your Body - Silverflint, E, 3,398 words, complete. The watersports one. Yep sure is, omorashi style, with a good side of hurt comfort stuff and also Flint telling a weird dirty story. Set during warship recovery time. This is basically an outtake of longfic because it doesn't quite work there but wouldn't leave my brain.

the sound that you found for me - T, background silverflintmadi, but its really about Silver and Betsy the cat. Yep. 5,699 words, complete. Kittenfic!! Written for the Beach Blanket Black Sails Ficfest, the prompt was 'Betsy has kittens and Silver wants to keep them on Maroon Island.' It's really about Silver and trauma and there are sad parts but nothing bad happens to any cats and there is a happy ending.

stitched with its color - G, silverflintmadi sort of, 1,344 words, complete. The conversation where Madi tells Flint that Silver is alive.

Such Terrible Hungers - E, Flintvane, 3,357 words, complete. Instead of fuck buddies, they're fuck enemies. Fight sex and Flint angst, that's basically the fic.

to pull me from myself again - E, Silverflint, 7,419 words, complete. Written in response to a Tumblr prompt asking for s1 dynamics softe silverflint, Silver's first time with a man. That is indeed it, that's the fic

What Lies Beneath - E, Silverflint, 3 chapters, complete. 11,031 words. Demon Flint AU! Basically make the demon in Flint literal. Silver is fascinated of course.

The Fetch Phillips Archives (aka Luke Arnold's books, go read them!)

announcing your place in the family of things - E, Fetch/Satyr, 6,865 words, complete. The first creature Fetch meets when he leaves the human city is that unnamed Satyr, and that feels like a conscious choice to me. Coulda said 'faun' and we wouldn't be here Luke. Anyway monsterfucking, but in a lovely way.

The Exorcist (tv)

The Smoke of Their Torment - M, Marcus/Tomas, 572 words, complete. A snippet of Marcus angst and pining and also jerking off in a shared hotel room there may be more someday.

The X-Files

Whatever You Can Still Betray - E, Mulder/Krycek, Chapter 1/? posted. Set in vague early season five, sometime between Redux and Patient X. Mulder chases a case across the world to a secret Russian facility in Chechnya, and right into the hands of Alex Krycek. Krycek has problems of his own, but believes his interests and Mulder's might be aligned. When disaster strikes, they have to rely on each other to survive.

[kiwinatorwaffles]

I found This is About a Stuffed Bird bc of you and its one of my favorite fics ever. Do you by chance have more suggestions?

hermitcraft/mcyt fic recs? :0 let's go!!

i get a lot of my fic recs from other friends since i don't really go out and search on my own all too much for this fandom. but there are lots of great works out here! i will be listing out some of my favorites :3 mostly hc but a couple general mcyt ones that i think are an excellent read no matter what. all of the fics i'm listing will be genfic without ships!

also i just realized a lot of my bookmarks are grian-centric which is funny i guess because i am admittedly quite picky about content of my other favorites and grian just tends to have the most content in the fanbase. hope that'll be alright

(i hope some of my friends and mutuals don't mind me tagging them for their works)

hermitcraft longfics:

the last days of the free angel of carrows by @theminecraftbee - loved stuffed bird? here's another great longfic by second! this one is about joe and cleo in an urban fantasy mystery setting. again, second writes our beloved hermits into an captivating au!

leaping and hopping on a moonshadow by @lunarblazes - a fantasy au by luna my beloved! pearl suddenly gains magical powers and goes on a quest to find her long-lost friend grian who might know what's happening to her. she meets a lot of familiar faces along the way!

Recall by @redwinterroses - hey, i was the artist for this one! :D mumbo goes missing, so grian and scar search for him. they find that grumbot has been up to some... things along the way. the fic isn't finished but i think the chapters red put out is worth a read if you don't mind leaving off on a cliffhanger because it really is super interesting

dramaturgy by wormcity - a universe where gem and pearl join in a season 7 that was never finished. mumbo became the mayor, but the turf war went so very wrong afterwards. admittedly i have not finished reading this yet because ummm short on time xD but it's super interesting with a lot of layers of drama(turgy hahaha)!

hermitcraft short fics/oneshots:

for trying. by @autistic-evil-xisuma - a stuffed bird universe oneshot of x and xisuma during their lab days. great if you want to be sad over the doomed brothers again :D

the wheels on the bus by sparxwrites - a hilarious post-s8 oneshot about grian being a little shit towards the watchers. one of the first fics i've read from this fandom and i still love it

a body is an object by ruffboi - grian is a mimic, and pearl's arrival in s8 shakes him up. she hasn't seen him in a while and is quite upset to learn that the grian she knew died a long time ago. a great read for familial connections and conflict of friendships!

Goatman and the Rift by TheDepressedCanary - doc's eldritch powers start acting up when the rift appears. what shenanigans will ensue?

other mcyt fics/crossovers:

late at night, when the stars don't look quite right by @lunarblazes - an excellent empires s1 and hermitcraft crossover longfic, where grian lands into the server and is discovered by pearl! very great worldbuilding and relationships, i especially love the dynamic between gri and pearl and pearl and gem :D

every new discovery is just a reminder by amaranthinecanicular - grian begins pulling alternate versions of the hermits from the life series into the server. he does save a lot of them, but at what cost? it does end on a cliffhanger but this is genuinely one of the most captivating oneshots i've ever read... argghhh

The Fair and the Brave and the Good by @slashmagpie - an afterlife smp longfic centered around the shelby, scott, and sausage. i have never watched afterlife smp before in my LIFE and this is still one of my favorite pieces of literature ever. the characters and worldbuilding is impeccable and perfect if you like something dark with themes of hope and renewal.

Two Can Keep a Secret (If One of Them is Red) by anonymous secretmcblog - a 3L oneshot! ren suspects grian has stockholm syndrome with his pact to stay with scar, but his expectations are wrong. a truly excellent read and one of them first fics i've read! i still go back to reread it from time to time

dog at the door by fluffy_papaya & iamsolarflare - a longfic where doc and ren take a trip on a van on their way to s8. ren, however, is not quite himself, and doc has to learn to befriend the red king.

devil town is colder in the summertime by @bananasofthorns - a oneshot from a 100hsmp/life series d&d au! team BEST ventures into a cursed evil fucked up forest. uh oh.

Interview with the Aftermath by @ranchersrevenge (wanderlasts) - the last life contestants are invited for an interview. the responses vary greatly.

stars, smoke, and stolen car keys by wormcity - a 100hsmp modern au oneshot where grian, scar, and joel go on a hike. it doesn't go quite as they expected.

the beehive state by amaranthinecanicular - a dsmp oneshot after wilbur moves to utah. tommy visits him, and the two reconnect. i have to say i stopped following dsmp a long time ago but this fic made me BAWL. i don't even think you need to know any of the characters that well to really enjoy just how amazing the writing itself is

Can't Go Back (This Time) by @duckmumbo (musicaltvbooks) - soup group goes end raiding and accientally finds themselves in afterlife smp. nothing goes wrong, surely! also admittedly i havent finished reading this either but roy i swear i will. this is a great read nevertheless and the soup group dynamic is impeccable!

TommyInnit's unbeatable method of avoiding sudden death by eneliii - on the train of dsmp fics, this is the superhero au longfic that inspired my own hc superhero au, vdhau. it's a lot of funny shenanigans with tommy and his friends. the fic does take a dark turn at the end, but that can be skipped entirely (as said by eneli herself) if you just want the wholesome aspects.

if you don't mind a little self promo, here are some of my fics!

it takes two to play (the game of mutual secrecy) - the aforementioned hermitcraft hero au. this installment is centered around xisuma and evil x as brothers resolving their issues through hero work and solving the mystery of welsknight's disappearance :D there are other works that are set in the same universe if you're interested for more!

how to form the ultimate besties dynamic: an unreliable tutorial by hypnotizd - a oneshot! hypno is a warlock who goes treasure hunting under the sea. he meets a guardian who later becomes his unlikely friend.

smoke and mirrors, the hunt perseveres - grian's arrival in empires s2 unwittingly brings the watchers' suspicions with him. cue jimmy freaking out and a lot of shenanigans.

ballad of etho’s lab - my newest installment! a oneshot about etho's storied life as the redstone god.

i'm also currently working on the sequel to the game of mutual secrecy and a new (well not exactly new since i made concept art for it) au called private detective gem tasey! these will likely be released sometime late january or february. have fun with these fic recs! i haven't been reading as much lately but i hope ill be able to find more if anyone else asks in the future. cheers!

edit: the fics are out! here they are!

hiding in plain sight (the meaning of trust) - sequel to the hermitcraft hero au! it follows an escaped lab rat trying to acquaint themselves with human society while avoiding suspicion and making friends with familiar faces from tgms ;D

private detective gem tasey: a rotten mystery in london - a hermitcraft detective au where gem gets hired for a case that spirals completely into drama and politics!

[pluralsword]

hey y'all! we just finished a voice dub of one of our favorite issues of IDW1 especially for Arcee's (trans) narrative and arcs, and also it just has a really good plot of 'post-war' intrigue, and is the issue that introduced Aileron to the continuity, and Arcee's initial feelings towards her and newly arrived Camiens (after Windblade, Nautica, and Chromia, though her perspective probably applies to them too especially after the idealism she saw in Combiner Hunters), here you go :3 :

In this issue of Transformers' IDW1/IDW2005, "The Transgressors" (written by John Barber, edited by Carlos Guzman, Art by Andrew Griffith, colors by Josh Perez, letters by Tom B. Long), turmoil is afoot on Cybertron. The estranged brotherhood of Tracks & Needlenose is put to the test once more while Needlenose & the Decepticons allied with Galvatron vie for support from the ones in Iacon, tensely crossing paths with Way of Flame proselytizing Camiens Aileron, Sterling, & Swift who (currently) believe Optimus Prime to be a living god. Second in command of Autobots on Earth, Arcee, who provides the interior narration of this issue, continues her visit to Cybertron (after the Combiner Hunters one-shot) & is not particularly pleased with the current events, seeing the unrest & unhappiness of Decepticons whose dreams of conquest are easy to rekindle & the deification of her commander. She worries for the lost colony newcomers while struggling with taking a look back at her past from a tense exchange with Tracks, & the tumult that follows brings her to the governing halls of High Chancellor Starscream, elected leader of Cybertron who seems to be having a one-sided conversation with someone no one but he can see… & she pushes him to face the fact his authoritarianism will be his & Cybertron's undoing by bringing her conflict with one of the secret police to his doorstep. In the aftermath, wrangling wtih personal loss in the past & the bright hope she saw on the faces of the visiting Camiens, she resolves to make sure they never end up with the same pile of trouble & old wounds Cybertronians carry on average, much less herself…

Can't believe we're one of the first to voice dub Aileron! XD more than one of us definitely got a kick out of that.

"The Transformers" is an exclusive property of Hasbro. This video and the system who put together (us) & uploaded it make no claim therein to "The Transformers", (hence, the removal of nearly all of the dialogue from comic bubbles), & thus release this non-commercially with no monetary gain to be had (also some sounds from freesound.org credited at the end are only available on a non-commerical license).

This was video was just done to bring to life with sound a comic issue from the IDW1/IDW2005 run if for no other reason than for people who have struggled to read comics as text to be able to experience the story another way.CW Limb loss, minor robogore, occasional loud sound effects for typical transformer violence.

This dub for the sake of visual impact to the reader during Arcee's final pages of narration in this issue, draws on one panel each from The Transformers: Robots in Disguise #Annual 2012, "Primus: All Good Things", The Transformers: More than Meets the Eye #26, "No Exit: Dark Cybertron Chapter 6", & The Transformers: Lost Light #1, "Dissolution Part 1: Some Other Cybertron" to show people from Arcee's past she was close to she knows or thinks are dead. Hardhead & Anode (& of course, Lug is present even though it's not established in The Transformers: Optimus Prime #25, "Post" if Arcee knew her, it was just easier to show the situation where Arcee thought Anode died by including her, & to be honest given how close the two transfem Conjunx Endura treasure hunters are we struggle to believe that Anode wouldn't have at least mentioned her to Arcee at all), & two people who betrayed her long ago, Jhiaxus (among other things by not listening to her desires for her gender affirming surgery & putting her through unnecessary procedures to conform to rigid ideals & then abandoning her including to the side effects, with a frame she sought help from Anode with & has since iterated away from across reformats of her own parameters) & Galvatron, who became estranged from her in his love of hierarchy and pursuit of power, getting deeply involved in the cause of imperial progress of the differing schemes of Nova Prime, Jhiaxus, & Shockwave before fully going his own way as a warrior ruler seeking to conquer after Dark Cybertron.

While Arcee was not actually present for the 'death' of Anode nor the death of Lug in 1516 CE (don't worry she gets resurrected by her wife & Kaput) & Hardhead in 2014 CE (no such luck), she was aware of both events, and while her friendship with & medical trust for Anode was not intended when this was written (Anode had yet to even appear in canon, MTMTE was still going), "Transgressors" is easily read in that context, as you just heard. It's all in the reasons & emotions you ascribe to Arcee's words from your knowledge and understanding of her story when you read it.

Endless thanks to the people who keep freesound.org alive & well, & a special thank you to our (as in our system's) friends & loved ones who supported the endeavour of doing this dub, & to everyone else who loves EXRID / Robots in Disguise 2012 + Dark Cybertron + Transformers (2014) + Transformers: Optimus Prime + Transformers: Unicron & trans gal (or parallel assemblage) alien robots be they transformers or other dear mechanoids!

[bloopitynoot]

Reading SVSSS: Chapter 17

For those who don't know, I am reading SVSSS for the first time and sharing my thoughts!

If you have not read it, there will be spoilers! Consider this a warning.

Also- if you want to follow along, I am aiming to post updates daily. You can find all the posts in the tag bloopitynoot reads SVSSS. You can also check out the intro post for context on my read.

It's been a weekend!

I went to a wedding this weekend and my partner and I were on toddler babysitting duty. I naively thought I would be able to read a few chapters, but babies move fast yall. This was the only chapter I was able to read the entire time we were away.

I didn't even have a hot drink when I read it :'( But I did have this baby claim my lap (meet Winston).

Anyways- let's get into the chapter!!

ofc we start off this chapter with him waking up yet again with Tianlang-Jun. p113

Oh god, wait is the army marching to get rid of the sects with SQQ in their presence? Is this another way to frame SQQ?? Why would he just be with this army? p113

oh fuck, SQQ's arm. That's so rough oh no, the flowers really are growing. p114

and the means to take care of it is equally terrible. he has to BURN IT OFF. p115

Why is Luo Binghe's dad like this LOOOOL Him asking if SQQ fucked (Dual cultivated with) his son. pp116-117

LOOOOOOOOOOOOL Tianlang-jun humming the epic love ballad to SQQ. this man really is shipping these two hard. What a total weirdo (in the best of ways). p117

wait. he wants to MERGE two realms? How tf do you even do that? wouldnt that like fuck with spacetime or something? p119

Oof what a horrible sounding relationship that was between Tianlang-jun and Su Xiyan. I hope we learn more about these two because it is really a bizarre dynamic they had. I feel like this guy just fetishizes humans p121

ooo! How did Luo Binghe arrive here? bro just shows up in the middle of a war camp. is it a dream? Either way LOL we have yet another absolutely wild kiss pp122-123

AND THEN SQQ not even being mad about Luo Binghe force kissing him- instead being mad that Luo Binghe gave Tianlang-jun Xin Mo LOL p123

Why is Luo Binghe so stupid XD not a thought in that boys head about consequences or anything. Like my dude, there is about to be an entire war and you seem to not give a shit. pp124-125

RIP hahahahaha hiding luo binghe in his bed p125

and Luo Binghe being Big Mad about ZZL "coming in while Shizun is sleeping" p125

NOT THE MISUNDERSTANDING. "we agreed on this" " agreed on what??" p126

OMG this scene is an entire comedy of errors LOL we have SQQ sitting on Luo Binghe on his bed with ZZL there. p129

OMG NOW TIANLANG-JUN IS THERE. He thinks ZZL and SQQ are fucking but that SQQ is also fucking his son. This guy must fully think SQQ is the biggest man whore. p131

AND NOW HE'S IN THE CUCK CHAIR BYE. "I don't mind, continue." p133

Tianlang-jun is having an entire conversation with SQQ while Luo Binghe is hidden beside/underneath just trying not to murder Zhuzhi-lang. p134 This is WILD.

Liu Qingge is actually going to get himself killed at this rate. He couldn't beat Luo Binghe the lesser demon, and here he is openly challenging Tianlang-jun. p136

oh no! so it was zhuzhi-lang who killed Gongyi Xiao :( p142

Liu Qingge "are you together?" SQQ: "it's complicated" p144

Wait- what's wrong with Luo Binghe? pp149-150

oh god. is Liu Qingge concerned for SQQ's virtue XD Is this going to be another "SQQ is a slut" rumour- like is someone going to see the three of them go into a room together? Though I am here for the SQQ is not actually a hoe but becomes the universes biggest rumoured hoe agenda. p152

Luo Binghe- I'm paying and - oh no- I only have enough for 2 rooms p153

SQQ forcing the two of them to have a room together while he takes his own. Just totally leaving them to fight one another about it XD p154

"Yes, Shen Qingqiu insisted he was still straight!" p155 okay buddy I believe you

SO many notifications form the system! threshold exceeded for satisfaction points, "high energy ahead", satisfaction point report monthly (LOL I presume he is going to have one hell of a shock when he sees). pp156-157

Knock Knock Knock

WHO IS IT THO?

[shesjustanothergeek]

His Love

|Aegon II Targaryen x Fem!Reader|

Part Ten

Master List of Series

Summary: Being a bastard born in the slums of Flea Bottom was all you were known for. Not the streak of white you had in your dark hair, the violet ring around your pupils, or how your sharp tongue and skills with the blade resembled your father, Daemon Targaryen. You were just a bastard, nothing more, but to him, to Aegon Targaryen, you were everything. You were his love.

Author's Note: You would laugh when I tell y'all the hours I spent trying to study High Valyrian and make sure I used proper grammar. Because, like... who does that?? I still don't think I used correct grammar and sentence structure, but who's going to know? This chapter takes place over a few years. I wanted to clarify that ahead of time in case of any questions. I also wanted to say that the woman depicted in the cover art is not necessarily what I imagine the main character to look like. She has black hair like her mother, and she's not conventionally skinny. She has a semi-muscular but broad body due to her training, and her eyes are as described. Other than that, the MC can be whatever you picture. xD ANYWAYS... Thank you so much for your continued support as we embark on this journey together. It means so much to me.

Chapter Warnings: Gaslight, gatekeep, girl boss, time jumps, italics equal High Valyrian when speaking.

"I survive off the idea that one day my rage will be witnessed by the men who poisoned me with it in the first place." - Maya G. Wolf, Being A Woman.

Prince Daemon was excited when you arrived at Dragonstone. He dreamed of having a son of his own. One to train and spar with. Though he loved Baela and Rhaena, they were not encouraged to take up the sword, nor did they want to. Rhaenyra's sons, Jacaerys and Lucerys, were trained in swordsmanship but were less committed than Daemon would have preferred. They had much heavier things to worry about, like ruling entire kingdoms.

You were the only child in Dragonstone with no future prospects. You had no claims to land. None would be passed down to you as everything was already set to your father's true-born daughters. It did not matter if you were the eldest and held the most seniority. You were a bastard, and bastards were nothing but a stain on noble houses. You were lucky even to be allowed into the same wing as your father's family.

Even though you were a smudge on the Targaryen name, the Targaryens treated you as anything but and welcomed you with open arms and hearts. You were hesitant, at first, to accept their love, only clinging to a man you shared a slither of a connection with.

It became Daemon's project to integrate you into the family. It was what gave him joy in the never-ending days tucked away at Dragonstone. Furious at the world and everything around her, he transformed an angry girl into a warrior.

He saw you reborn through his gruesome training, sand melted and forged into glass. The lessons he taught began to shine through as time progressed. You eventually viewed those curly-mop-headed boys as your brothers and Rhaenyra, your mother. The family became the most important thing to you, your love for each stored close within your heart. You all were that each other had.

You had heard the rumors that plagued Rhaenyra and her children concerning their lineage. It was surprising how much people would let slip around the "bastard of Daemon Targaryen." You could not help but feel a sense of empathy for them. You needed to protect one another from the world, from the cruel whispers that trailed not too far behind each of you.

But if one of your brothers decided to pull your hair one more time when you weren't paying attention... the Stranger would have two more souls to guide.

***

You and Daemon had developed a routine here on the sandy beaches of Dragonstone.

You would run in the morning when the sun had not risen yet, and the wind still held the same damp, nightly chill in the air. He would send you around the inner grounds of the castle, then up and down the many rocky and steep hills leading to Dragonmont, and finally, around the beaches, where he would begin your proper training.

"A warmup," he would call it as you vomited on the shore, panting like a dog the first dozen times you did it.

He pushed you, sometimes too far, you thought, when you screamed, exhausted with tears in your eyes. Daemon would always say the same thing every time you nearly gave up.

"When you are at your lowest, stand back up, and spit in the face of your enemy. They will not take pity when they see your weakness. They will kill you. Do not let them get the chance." You could not argue with his logic, your pride beginning to mirror his over time. Weakness was never an option for a bastard in the House of the Dragon.

Within years, your limbs were not the soft linear sticking of bone they once were but toned, strong, and sturdy from the many bags of grain you carried. Your body no longer reflected the malnourished peasant girl but a warrior, the likes of which no one had seen since Queen Visenya.

***

"Tell me again, Maester Gerardys, of the dragons here on this island," you asked sweetly, resting your jaw on your palm.

You wanted to hear about something other than the hierarchy and the politics of the North, your mind entirely elsewhere. You knew that if you batted your lashes enough, the Maester would forget about today's lesson.

"Well, Princess, we have had many over the years, but currently, there are your family's dragons. Caraxes, ridden by your father. Syrax by your mother. Vermax by your younger brother Prince Jacaerys, and Arrax by the second youngest, Prince Lucerys." You nodded along, seeming to care about the claimed dragons honestly.

"I heard rumors from the servants of several unclaimed dragons. Ones that steal the common folk's livestock and another that is so silver that it blends into the sea mist. What of those?" You pouted your lips slightly when you talked, leaning forward in your palm.

"Ah, yes. There are wild dragons that reside on the island. Some are in the cliffs overlooking the port, Dragonmont, or in other hidden caves where we cannot find them." You smirked slightly, appearing to have no ulterior motives in the conversation. "There are three riderless dragons. Seasmoke, which belonged to the late Lord Laenor Velaryon, Silverwing, who belonged to Queen Alysanne, Vermithor, who belonged to Jaehaerys Targaryen, your second Great Grandsire. Vermithor resides inside the Dragonmont and has a large body of bronze. They called him the Bronze Fury, and oh, was he a sight to see in the skies! The way the sun would shine on his scales was magnificent!"

Maester Gerardys shook his head, smiling to himself and getting rid of the memory of the beautiful beast. "There are three wild dragons which have been attempted to be claimed, but none have ever succeeded. They are nasty, those three. And should you ever come across them, run in the other direction."

He began to turn back around, beginning to continue the lesson from before. You couldn't let him finish; you still had many more questions.

"What do those wild dragons look like," you quickly asked, almost showing a worrying amount of enthusiasm.

The Maester swallowed, returning to you as you display your best puppy dog eyes. You knew they were his greatest weakness—the brown orbs reflected in the candlelight, the small ring of violet shining around your pupil.

"Gods, be good," he whispered, clasping his hands behind his back.

"The first is Grey Ghost, the one you heard the servants talking about. He has a pale coloring to his scale and almost becomes invisible when he flies within the sea mist. He does not bother the smallfolk much, leaving for long periods. The second is Sheepstealer. He is a real nuisance to the smallfolk, always snatching any mutton he can wrap his teeth around from here to Driftmark and Wendwater. " You nodded along, urging him to keep talking until you had every drop of knowledge one could obtain.

"The worst one, Princess, is Cannibal. He is said to be as black as coal and has green eyes that would scare the most battle-hardened of men. He is the largest of all three wild dragons and by far the most dangerous, feasting on his fellow species. His den is said to be covered in the bones of those who have attempted to claim him."

Maester Garardys was worried he might have scared the poor Princess with the discussion of the fearsome dragons, but when he looked at your face, your features showed no fear. You had a slight grin gracing your flushed skin, your eyes bright, and your mind hanging onto every word he said.

"Where does Cannibal reside, Maester?" You questioned eagerly, forgetting yourself.

He squinted his eyes momentarily, unsure if he should give you the answer considering your demeanor. "He resides in the back of the Dragonmont on the eastern side." He began to turn away but stopped, feeling uneasy. "Princess, why do you have a sudden interest in the dragons here on the island? We had a lesson on them barely a fortnight ago, and if you do not mind me saying, you seemed somewhat disinterested in it."

Your smile did not falter momentarily, a lie quickly finding its way onto your tongue.

"I had decided to do some extra reading on my family's history in my spare time and was somewhat confused about which dragon was where, who rode what, and what they looked like. There is so much for me to learn," you fidgeted in your seat, wringing your hands, "and my brothers have such an advantage on me with having you as their teacher for their whole life... I feel very inadequate compared to them."

Maester Garardys gave you a pitying look that made your blood boil as you continued your defeated expression. "Oh, Princess, do not be too hard on yourself," he cooed. "This is not a traditional education that women like yourself get, but your father insisted you be taught the same as your brothers. I will remember for the next lesson to take more time with you."

"Thank you, Maester Garardys," you said, feigning bashfulness as your nails dug into your palms. The urge to jump over the wooden table that separated you and punch that soft-hearted look off his face was strong, but you held fest, continuing the doltish girl act. "If it would not be too much, ser, could you please not tell my father about what we discussed? I do not want him to think I am incapable of doing what he assigned me."

"Of course, Princess," he smiled kindly as if he was talking to some simple-minded fool and not a growing woman with the compacity to understand simple subjects.

Finally, he returned to the original lesson, speaking slower than before and explaining things in more detail than you thought necessary. You swallowed the anger threatening to spill past your lips as you adjust your posture.

You would show him. You would show all who thought the same as him how wrong they were about you. You were not to be spoken down to and underestimated, and you would make sure anyone who did would live to regret it. You were not some peasant girl with a fancy title; you were a Targaryen. You are the firstborn of Daemon Targaryen, the brother of the King, the husband of the heir to the Iron Throne, and they would do well to remember that.

***

You only had a few hours before someone would realize you were gone. You had told Rhaenyra that you were nursing a severe headache after your training with Daemon today and could not participate in your daily embroidery lesson for the afternoon. She, of course, understood, knowing how her uncle could be if left on his own with a sword and a weaker opponent.

There was only a slightly guilty feeling in your chest as you lied to her.

Years of the gruesome time your father had put you through paid off as you snuck past countless guards and servants, using the hidden passages within Dragonstone's walls to escape. There were no maps of the caverns inside Dragonmont, which left you nothing but the information Maester Garardys gave you and your instincts to guide you.

The first half was easy, you told yourself. You only needed to sneak inside Syrax's lair and steal an egg. Daemon had come boasting not too long ago about how the she-dragon had laid a new clutch of eggs, a sign that his "Targaryen seed was strong" and your mother was surely with child again. You felt bad that you could be taking a dragon away from one of your future siblings, but you only needed one, nothing more. Indeed they would survive if you just took one.

Syrax was nowhere to be found as you silently crept into her den, placing the torch you had for light in an empty holder. You sighed in relief as you gazed upon six eggs laid on a pile of sand she had made, a nest to keep them warm. Plenty would be left. You smiled as you stuffed an egg inside your satchel, positioning it with your other supplies.

The low rumble of heavy steps shook the ground, signaling that Syrax was most likely returning from where ever she was, and you needed to get the Seven Hells out of there. You cursed the Gods for this unfortunate timing, snatching your torch and scrambling out of the cave and in the opposite direction of the cold-blooded animal.

You ran further into the darkened caves, the idiotic nature of your plans finally coming to fruition as you realized you were lost. You could feel the panic beginning to rise in your chest, your breathing speeding up. Tears pricked at your eyes, and you stumbled, dropping your only light source and tearing the seam of your dress as you fell onto the rocky ground. You cried out in pain, your body forcing the tears to fall against your will as you wiped at your face.

"You will not be weak," you said, echoing along the warm stone. "You are not weak," you gritted out again, digging your palms into your eye sockets.

You yanked your arms away, readying to push yourself up and continue your quest as you opened your eyes. Standing over you in the dim lighting was a creature as black as night, its scales reflecting off your lost torch as a rush of hot air wafted your cheeks. Cannibal's piercing green eyes stared back at you, his pupils dilating as he scanned your frightened form.

Quickly, you moved to create a safe enough distance between you and the beast, wincing as you noticed the blood dripping down your shin. He tilted his head at you, seeming confused to see such a small and pathetic thing so far back into Dragonmont as he stepped closer. You grabbed the egg faster than Cannibal could move and placed it between you and the dragon, offering peace between two isolated individuals. He proceeded instantly, walking over to your discarded torch and consuming the egg in one bite, bits of shell flinging across the cave floor.

The fallen torch illuminated his body over top of the light. Rows of black horns protruded along his head and neck, teeth the size of your forearm glistening with yolk. His feet had shiny black claws that could slice a man in half. He was not the majestic creature that songs were sung about. He was a monster. A monster you would scare a child with so that they would come home on time.

No one would think you were weak with a dragon such as him by your side. They would all cower away as the Bastard Princess sat atop her Cannibal dragon. It was divine fate that brought you to this moment, face to face with the most dangerous dragon in all the realm. A creature that many men had tried to claim, but all failed, their bones scattered across his den. 

You were no man.

Courage filled your limbs as you stepped closer to him, your chin held high as you took about another item you had brought. You had stolen pork legs on your way to the caverns, the kitchen maids too preoccupied with other tasks to see a cloaked figure hiding amongst the shadows. You took a deep breath, holding the first leg out as Cannibal's nostrils flared at the smell.

"Dohaerās (serve)," you commanded, and the dragon stared, unmoving. "Māzīs naejot (come forward)," you tried, insecurity creeping into your mind when he did not move. "Māzīs," you repeated, with more force, still holding the pig leg before you. "Māzīs naejot issa (come to me)," you barked.

You knew this would take some time, but surely, waiving a piece of raw meat in front of a dragon named Cannibal would yield quicker results. Still, he ignored you, his head lowering to the ground as he sniffed it, beginning to lick it.

"What in the Seven Hells are you doing?" You questioned, exasperated as you stepped closer to him.

At speed too quick for a dragon of his size, his head snapped up, his green eyes becoming black as a low growl came from his chest, looking as if he would charge at any second; you threw the leg and retreated. Once again, he swallowed it in one bite, returning to the same spot on the ground.

You looked closer, forcing your eyes to adjust in the darkness as you realized that was the spot where you fell, seeing the dried blood. Your body was faster than your mind, swiftly finding the dagger Daemon had gifted you for your first name day with him and cutting your hand, smearing your blood on the raw meat. Finally, did you have Cannibal's full attention, his nostrils flaring as he smelled the air.

You steeled yourself again, holding the pork out.

"Māzīs (come)," you demanded proudly. He snarled, the sound booming inside your ears as you repeated yourself.

You could sense his anger at this tiny creature believing she could command him, and when you repeated a third time, his patience wore thin. Cannibal inhaled, his throat grumbling as you saw him lift his head and open his mouth. You were not an idiot. You knew what came next, seeing it countless times with Caraxes, but with nowhere to run, you stared at the bright orange flames.

***

The sound of clinking silverware and laughter echoed in the dining hall of Dragonstone, even with one less member of the family. Jace had butchered a Valerian pronunciation, Rhaenyra attempting to stifle her laughter, and even Damon chuckling in amusement. Everything was going normal, each person blissfully unaware of the Princess deep inside Dragonmont.

"Mother," Luke spoke during a lull in the conversation, "could I bring sister some dinner?" No one had seen you since high noon, not wanting to bother you while being ill.

"I am sure she would love that, sweet boy," she said gently. Rhaenyra smiled, nodding to Luke and motioning him to come in for a quick kiss before going to your chambers. He proceeded on the usual route to your apartments but stopped short as he looked down at the plate the servants had prepared for you. 

Luke knew how much you loved sweets, sneaking him and Jace under the rouse of them wanting something in the kitchens and not you. Both boys would always play along with whatever schemes their rebellious half-sister thought of for the day. Either racing across the halls and seeing who was the fastest, playing with wooden swords inside the castle, or putting pins on her Septa's chair if she was a "particular cunt" that day.

Lucerys went down the small passage leading to the kitchens rounding the corner with your plate of cooling food still in his hands as he surveyed the freshly baked trays of pastries. He could not decide which ones you would like more. Sadly, nothing with apples was made.

"Could I help ya' young prince?" An older woman asked, her gown a drab grey woolen color and a white bonnet on her head.

"Oh yes," the young boy answered, slightly startled by her sudden presence. "My sister is not feeling well this evening, and I wanted to bring her some dessert to help her recover."

The woman hummed, nodding in agreement as she missed tying off her stained apron. "That's a mighty fine idea, my prince. May I help ye' in yer selection?"

"Oh, yes," he repeated, "her favorite is apples, but I cannot seem to find anything with some."

"Ah. Apples are not in season at the moment, so our imports of them have been scarce, but I'll see what I can do for the young Miss. I am sure we'll have some somewhere."

The woman began her search for the fruit wandering off into small rooms and digging through random barrels until she found what she was looking for. "Do you know what the lady prefers?" She questioned as she began to rinse the red fruit.

"I believe she likes something called apple muse. I think that is how she called it," he said, unsure. The woman nodded again and smiled as she gathered some bowls, pitchers, and utensils.

"She's a girl after me own heart," the lady commented, peeling the apples. "We eat this all the time for dessert, and it's very easy. I'll be done faster than a crow's fly."

Luke smiled and sat on a stool to watch the woman work, picturing your joyful face when he brought you the food.

***

Luke finally reached your grand oak doors, knocking with his free hand. You were not feeling good, so he knocked again and opened the door, calling out your name. You did not answer, which he wasn't surprised about. He still had the same grin, excited and happy to do something nice for his sister.

"I have brought you some dinner," he said gleefully. "It is your favorite. I even had one of the servants make you some Apple Muse." Still, you did not answer as Lucerys moved further into your apartments.

Your seamstress hid hints of the Targaryen crest throughout the different items in your entry room. Black and red decorated every fabric with curtains to match. Leather-bound books and armor were thrown haphazardly on velvet chairs and benches. No doubt you had told your maids you would clean it up later.

He figured you would be in your bed chambers, knocking again on a smaller door as he entered. He nearly dropped the plate he had put some much heart into when he saw your empty bed, the sheets undisturbed from when they were made early this morning.

Swiftly, he sat the food onto a nearby stand, ringing the bell for your maids. Within moments three women came up, surprised to see the young Prince Lucerys instead of their Princess. They all bowed, one readying to speak before she was cut off.

"Where is my sister," he asked quickly.

"We are not sure, Your Grace. She has not returned since her bath after training," the one he believed was called Edith said.

"How do you mean? She must be here," he denied, panicked. She told my mother she was retiring in the evening due to a headache."

The three girls looked at each other, each bewildered and confused. "I am sorry, Your Grace, but we have not seen her since then."

Luke nodded curtly, hurrying out of your rooms and back to the dining hall, his red pants swishing with each step. He would catch the rest of his family leaving if he were fast.

He ran past servant after servant, dodging some carrying stacks of linen, some with brooms and dusters, and others he bumped into without apologizing. Luke felt betrayal in his chest, his heart cracking into pieces as his eyes began to water. His young mind went to the worst possibilities, remembering how you told him of the terrible punishment to your former Aunt and handmaid for trying to abduct you. Perhaps someone else from your old life attempted it again? That would be the only reason you would lie.

How could you leave them? They were your family. They loved you. He loved you.

He sprinted blindly, wiping at his eyes as he ran into a warm body, instantly recognizing the floral smell.

"My sweet boy, what is the matter?" Rhaenyra asked kindly, stroking her second son's curly hair.

"It's Sissy," he cried, reverting to the old name he called you before Jace teased him. "She is not in her rooms, and-and none of her maids have seen her!"

"Calm, Lucerys. Take a deep breath and tell me again," Rhaenyra said calmly, with a nurturing, motherly tone.

"I went to give Sissy her food, but she is not in her rooms, and her servants said they have not seen her! I think they took her! Like before," Luke cried into his mother's thick skirts.

"Why do you think she was taken, Lucerys? Perhaps she is just along the beaches resting as she as done before?" Luke couldn't argue with her reasoning, but he still could not help but feel a sense of worry. She gave him a wry smile, looking over to her husband, who had a concentrated look on his face, his eyebrows creased.

Before Daemon or Rhaenyra could think of their next move, a Kingsguard ran toward them, their polished armor clanking.

"Princess," he nodded to Rhaenyra, still out of breath. "Prince Daemon. We believe in having spotted the young Princess on the eastern cliffs of Dragonmont," the knight known as Ser Steffon paused, glancing at the floor momentarily before looking back at Daemon, "naked and riding a dragon."

Rhaenyra's eyes widened in shock, covering her mouth as she went to grab her husband's hand. He took it without hesitance, squeezing it reassuringly as he pulled her closer. Jace and Luke both made disgusted faces at the mention of their sister without clothes, their true maturity showing no matter how righteous they tried to act.

"I will mount Caraxes," Daemon declared, his voice becoming what he used in war. "Gather serval knights, Ser Steffon, and alert the Dragonkeepers."

"I will go with you, father," Jacaerys interjected, puffing his chest out proudly.

"No," he said with finality, "Vermax is still not fully grown, and you do not have proper control over him yet. It would be too dangerous."

"But-" Jace pleaded before Daemon cut him off with a wave of his hand, rushing to his dragon. Jace stepped back dejectedly, nodding his head as his eyes fell to the floor.

***

The wind tore through your hair, ripping it out of its pinned style. Water leaked from your eyes as Cannibal flew through the skies at lightning speed. You held onto the horns on his back for dear life, your palms sliding as he did a sharp turn. The air was freezing on your bare skin, but the adrenaline pumping through your veins kept you warm.

The black dragon had been soaring wildly through the orange skies, accelerating to altitudes where you thought you might lose consciousness before he suddenly dipped back down. You had forgotten the commands you had memorized in High Valyrian, more focused on not falling to your death and having your family find your crushed, naked dead body.

Your mind was still reeling from the fact that you were alive. Cannibal had bathed you in his dragon fire, burned every inch of clothing on your body, and even melted the dagger your father had gifted you. But you were alive. You were still alive. A dragon had breathed its fire on you, and you lived. You had only heard fables of something like this happening. You did not believe it yourself. Experiencing the contents of myths and legends was not something you thought possible.

Suddenly, Cannibal made a sharp turn causing your body to slip to one side and dangle as he righted himself. He was a wild and untamed beast, possessing the stamina of a Dornish sand steed and taking you to places you did not want him to go. You knew if you did not gain control of him soon, everything would be for naught as he brought you close to the blue waters of the Narrow Sea, his spiked wings cutting through.

"Dohaerās (serve)," you shouted over the wind whistling in your ears, but Cannibal did not listen. "Dohaeragon aōha kipagīros (Serve your rider)!" As if he was trying to defy you, he started to ascend, his body a near verticle line as he flew towards the sky.

You realized you could not direct him from where you were sitting, making the split-second decision to use the horns along his spine as a ladder to reach his head. He began to straighten out, acting as if he was just going to glide across the fluffy yellow-tinted clouds, but then, he suddenly dipped, descending to the water below at blinding speeds. You were sure you felt like an insect crawling on his back, pesky and annoying as it moved just before you could swat it.

You grabbed the horns on his skull, leaning all your weight backward to stop your fast descent. Cannibal released a thundering roar, furious that someone would try to control him as he shifted to his side, his wings pointing above and below. You grabbed the horns on his skull, leaning all your weight backward to stop your fast descent. You captured the horns on his skull, leaning all your weight backward to stop your rapid decline. You held steadfast, shifting your weight in the opposite direction he went. He repeated the same tactic, moving too much into your opposing grip and rocking you back and forth.

"Nyke emagon claimed ao, zaldrīzes. Nyke aōha kipagīros, se ao līs dohaeragon issa lest īlon both morghūljagon! (I have claimed you, dragon. I am your rider, and you must serve me lest we both die!)" You screamed into the air, counteracting his next attempt to shake you off.

A piercing screech cut through the skies, both you and Cannibal turning your heads to where it came from. You had no doubt who it was. Your family had most likely discovered your absence and decided to send your father after you. Fear rushed over you as you saw the Blood Wyrm cut his way through the clouds, its skin a terrifying granite of red and black, your father's lean body sitting atop it.

Cannibal moved to turn and face Caraxes, known to have a deep aversion to other dragons; he no doubt would try to kill him and your father in the process.

"Daor (No)," you bellowed as you countered his attempt, jerking his head in the opposite direction. "Udrāzmī ao rȳbagon naejot issa (You obey my commands)." You leaned down into what you assumed was his ear, "Tegon, sir (Land, now)."

Cannibal slowed. You could sense he was thinking, debating whether or not he would win a fight against a battle-hardened dragon, and if he did win, would he even be worth the kill?

By an act of divine intervention, he moved, descending at slower speeds than he had before, succumbing to the power of a tiny girl. He landed on the southern shores, his breath releasing small puffs of smoke. 

Cannibal lowered his head, which startled you, but you tried not to let him see as you climbed off the dragon. Your hand slid along his neck feeling his blood pulsing in his throat as your eyes locked onto one another. You wanted to thank him for letting you be the one to break him but could not find the proper word. He let out a low sound, not quite a purr, but you knew he could sense how you felt as he turned away, his green eyes blinking slowly.

Your father and his dragon landed on the same beach, far enough away that Cannibal wouldn't feel threatened but still too close for his liking. He didn't recognize Daemon as a threat as he walked towards you carrying something in his arms.

You had prepared yourself for his harsh words before you even set foot inside Dragonmont. Nothing he could say would make you falter. You slinked out from behind Cannibal's large body, your chin held high and your hands clasped behind you proudly.

"You are naked," he said blandly, scanning your body with a judgemental smirk.

You gasped, all your mental preparation from before crumbling as you remembered your current attire, attempting to cover your body. Daemon laughed, throwing the bundle he had in his arms toward you. You raised your eyebrows at the pair of brown trousers with a shirt to match, questioning if that was really what he wanted you to wear.

"Come," he motioned his head, and you followed. "You have claimed a dragon in which there is much to learn. Though I am happy," he spoke leisurely, kicking the sand with his boots, "your mother is not. I suspect you will deal with a great tongue-lashing once we return to the castle."

You sighed through your nose, the sound blending into the folding waves on the shore, pursing your lips as you nodded. "It is easier to seek forgiveness than ask for permission," you quipped, pulling up the pants he had given you.

He laughed softly, smiling as you struggled to keep up with him in clothes two times your size.

In truth, Daemon was still shaken. The moment that Lucerys had come running back from your rooms with tears in his eyes he panicked, his mind going to the worst places imaginable. He did not believe you would go willingly if someone from your past life had managed to sneak their way onto Dragonstone. He knew you had found comfort in your current life. Your indulgences for the finer aspects told him all he needed to know, but he could still sense the reservations whenever Rhaenyra would display an array of gowns when a Lord arrived. Though they may have been small, the habits of your old life were still there. He just didn't know how much was left.

Despite how terrified he was near moments ago, Daemon displayed nothing of the sort. Laughing and teasing his dragon rider daughter as you walked toward the castle. He was giddy that there was another aspect he could add to your daily training and could barely contain his excitement of eventually seeing your frustrated face when things didn't go as you wanted.

It was another challenge he could guide you through as your father, doing what his mother did for him and making up for the years he did not know of your existence. How he wished he could return to the past and change things. So many things...

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I hope y'all enjoyed this chapter! I feel like it was pretty controversial for me to choose the Cannibal as the reader's dragon, but out of all the options that she had, I feel like this resembles her the most. I'm sorry about the no Aegon, but we gotta bring some juice to the story. Some meat and potatoes, if you will.

The main character I created is strong. She's raw, visceral, the feeling of triumph when you cross the finish line and win the race. She's the rage you have bottled up throughout your entire life from everyone telling you to contain your emotions, act a certain way, and accept the wrong you have been a victim of. And Cannibal is the only dragon I feel canonically embodies the same fucking rage and power the reader has.

Well, I may have given you too much info on the reader that you could figure out on your own as you read.

I also wanted to say that, canonically, the Targaryen's are not fire proof. We've seen them get burnt to death by dragon fire and just regular fire. The MC only survived because she inadvertently used blood magic and sacrificed a dragon egg. So, sadly, she is not fire proof. She's just lucky. It would be cool if the Targaryen's were tho!

Tagged Peeps: @zeennnnnnn, @malfoytargaryen, @targaryencore, @justasmallbean, @alexandra-001, @buckysmainhxe-deactivated202303, @omgsuperstarg, @sommornyte, @minttea07, @silverslive, @unclecrunkle, @prettykinkysoul, @duesobabe, @djlexi, @ynbutbetter, @honestlykat, @graykageyama, @legolas017, @iiamthehybrid, @brezzybfan,@dd122004dd, @ladybug0095, @millies0bsimp, @kalfilit, @sheislonelyalways, @tempt-ress, @bellameshipper, @minttea07, @trikigirl271, @esposadomd, @buckylahey, @justarandomflowerchildofthenight, @partypoison00, @please-buckme, @pastelorangeskies, @joliettes, @existential-echo, @iiamthehybrid, @priyajoyy, @valaenatargaryensdragon, @merovingianprincess, @rachelnicolee,@sunny-boy-06 

[naffeclipse]

*Arrives at Internet Explorer Speed*

Hey guys! Those new chapter of Lack of Light, am I right??!

FDKHKFGH Sorry I needed to make a silly entrance back in your inbox Naff XD

But aaaaaa I finally came back to read these and I'm here with a brand new comment!! For the two chapters I was missing no less! :D

So let's get to it!

Ok so first off I don't know if I'm just looking too much into it but I read this line: "You rely on your eyes to adjust to the darkness" from th first paragraph and it just felt significant to the rest of the chapter, you know? Very literal but metaphorical at the same time!

And oooh something I definitely have to praise in this is the amazing description of the anguish through all the physical sensations that the reader is going through. I think I've mentioned before that when I read reader inserts I don't truly put my real self in the story but rather try to imagine it through the main characters eyes, but wow did I feel this one. The way you detail all those physical effects that anxiety has on the body, beautifully described through images and comparisons, just made it seem so very real. I basically could almost feel them myself, just remembering times when I had definitely experienced something similar, even if the causes were different! I will always applaud your descriptions, Naff! Makes me want to take notes!

And AAAAAAA I gotta say that I absolutely love how just, hrrrr, I'm struggling to find the words to describe it, but I would say how there's a clear parallel between what both Reader and Eclipse are going through?

Because ok, first of all, is the matter of hiding right? Reader seems to be trying to hide (kind of like Eclipse does his true self), but through a mask instead of blindness. Even through previous encounters they have tried to present themselves a very specific way. The unshakable one. Unaffected by everything, at least in a way that goes beyond mild funny venting. And it feels like something they force themselves to do in their daily life, beyond the forest. It's just they're so used to doing it, that it became a part of how they perceive themselves and failing to do so feels to them like they're showing a part of themselves that is intolerable. And aaaaa then Eclipse also because clearly he must have enough experience having met other humans to know that even those that dared stay after learning of his presence ran away after seeing him. So both hide and hide while they wish for more and hate themselves for it, and might even think they don't deserve it.

(Sidenote: I love this description: "The mysterious being who exists in pure darkness, cast by the sun and the moon." Obviously because it references his name (be it a solar or lunar eclipse), but also because it reminds of his strange nature. Because an Eclipse is an event! A phenomenon that is not exactly a natural object, but something that can only be seen under the right conditions!)

And oooh speaking about Eclipse and hiding, I just love the contrast between Eclipse's darkness coming from being unseen vs the darkness born from emptiness. Because Reader so far hasn't been daring at all in pushing to see him, because they fear the latter. Eclipse's nature is intimidating, and it's often said that we fear not the darkness itself, but what we might find in it. But here it's the contrary! Both Reader and Eclipse fear that potential emptiness. They have found company in each other thanks to the darkness, but should something go wrong (pushing too much or scaring the other one away), they would find themselves staring into the void and nothing else.)

And that exactly leads into the doubts about what the other thinks once they've revealed themselves! And it's so interesting how they fear so intensely that the "flaw" they see in themselves, which are kinda opposite, is what will make the other regret meeting them. Like for Reader is that vulnerability, that inability to be perfect about everything that hits them in their daily life and dealing easily with it. They fear their "weakness" will disgust a great being as Eclipse. And for Eclipse is fearing that his form, great, strange, intimidating, monstrous, is what will leave him without his dear one. His very nature enough to drive them away. When in reality, it's likely those very things that made them initially appealing to the other! The Reader a precious little creature, that despite not having horns or sharp teeth lives their daily life bravely (enough to befriend a shadowy being). And Eclipse, a fascinating and fearsome creature, that despite it all demonstrates he's gentle and kind and capable of becoming that friend that provides the most comfort in Reader's life!

Ooooh I just adore how two very different beings, with way more differences than similarities, still have this experience in common. That fear and uncertainty about letting themselves be known, because past experience has thought them it's unwise, and yet they find relief from that terrible all-consuming anxiety when they let themselves trust that this time it will be different and that it is worth it, even if it is raw, to open up and let the right person in.

Now for Mothman Moon!

Just starting and the Reader is already turning the headlights on and off repeatedly jfhdsgkh Prime conditions for Mothman sightings! XD

Oooh I love how you build up the paranoia! Different situations, but it makes me think when it's late at night and for whatever reason you need to go out in a hallway of your home and you gotta reassure yourself that no, there's nothing lurking in the shadows of your home, be an adult and walk calmly jghdkfsj The feeling of being exposed and on edge is so very well achieved! But also all the little hints, like the raven falling quiet. And that instinctual feeling of being watched! Related to all this, I adore this line: "Your optimism slips in the slightest before you yank it back up by the throat and continue marching along." I felt that in my soul fkijhdfgkñjh

Aaaa I love how everything falls quiet at the flapping of wings! Everything knows to be quiet and freeze. And I love Reader is part of that everything. Like they are connected to the forest around them by virtue of not wanting to draw attention to themselves, something they share with all the creatures around.

And oooooo such a spooky sight when we finally get a glimpse of him!! Kinda gave me the urge to hold my breath as well as I read! Just the sight of the glowing red eyes coming from a shadow within the fog would paralyze anyone for sure! And then gjhfdkg poor Reader just shifts horror flavor from Creature-in-the-forest-that-could-kill-me to Stranger-Danger. Pick your poison and all that XD But man that instinct does seriously kick in when a stranger gives us bad vibes huh?

(As a sidenote, I love how you've given the different readers between chapters different responses to fear! Like the first chapter with Sun had Fight if I remember correctly, then the second chapter had Fawn, which I think it's trying to please to prevent from being harmed, even if the fear wasn't so much of Eclipse but of abandonment, and in this one we have Freeze! Which we see twice when Moon first appears and then when the car races towards them!)

Oh. My gosh??? The fact that Moon is just able to take on a car that's going full speed though?? Damn! And oooh he was not happy. He does not appreciate assholes/downright murderers in this area. (Btw I can't help but think that he did in fact break that second light slower on purpose to seem more menacing fjkhdaskjh)

Aaaa it's fascinating how he seems so perplexed by the Reader's response to everything that just happened! Like he doesn't quite understand the freeze response. It's something animals do as well, but I'm guessing if it doesn't work then most would ultimately run from the danger. It's probably the first instance of this he has encountered! And poor reader seems to just be very badly affected by it, physically as well as mentally judging by the lightheadedness.

(sidenote: "He looms, his wings flaring out beside him in magnificent flares of warnings and death." Me, helpless DCA simp, vivid image of the majestic view in my head: Um yes, hi, hello? 👉👈 GFÑLKDJHGÑLJ)

And aaaaa I loved the flight scene! I myself am pretty scared of heights so I likely would have screamed gkjhfdksj but! I love that we continue the theme of braving a bit of the fear to discover something wonderful! Despite my fear of heights I've always imagined how wonderful it would be to have wings and this scene just striked me as something terrifying yet beautiful because it really is an experience that Reader wouldn't get anywhere else! And despite the polarizing feelings of fear and safety just warring inside of them, the wonder was just so tangible as Moon carried them through the air!

And ooo I find it so interesting how he refers to multiple things as the "lights", which from his perspective must be the most notable characteristic of the stuff that emanates it! It's clear he's familiar with cars, and likely has witnessed what happens when one hits a living thing. And the light of the gas station tells him that it's a place humans go to. So he knows it's not just lights, but he still seems to perceive it as their most important characteristic. Aaaa I'm so curious about what the world looks like to him because of this!

And ough it's so sweet he keeps watch over them as they go trying to get the help they need. It seems to me he finds them really intriguing and the fact that he gave them his name could mean he hopes it will not be their last meeting!

And that's that!

Aaaaaa everytime I come back to your writing I keep being taken by surprise by how well you manage to make the reader immerse themselves in the story! Your descriptions are so vivid and your use of the language so *chef kiss*! Everytime I'm just dying to know what's the word that follows the previous one, what will happen, and when that tasty tension you build so well will reach it's snapping point! This little series was a delight to read and a very nice journey into what fear and darkness means to different people. And of course, meeting some very strange and fascinating creatures that make the unknown not as bad as it seemed <3

Thanks for this delicious chapters Naff! It's always a delight reading what you make! 

(Sorry if something is phrased weirdly btw, it’s kinda late as I’m writing this fgkjhdsk)

AHHH CHAOTIK! HI, HELLO! WELCOME BACK!!! I'm so glad to see you in my inbox again!!

Oh, I am rattling you so hard right now! I live for your analysis and I especially love that you caught how much Eclipse and Y/N complement and contrast each other—the same fears but different reasons. They are dear ones, your honor!!!

And Moon! My Mothman!Moon! He's so much fun to write! I'm really glad you enjoy his spooky entrance and his descriptions!

Also, with the readers, that's so funny that it changes from Fight, Fawn, and Freeze! I meant for Mothman's Y/N to freeze but I also think it's neat to explore different responses to fear, so I'm happy that stood out!

(He did break the second car light slowly—he's so dramatic lol)

He does have a different view of the world due to lights—humans have lights. Humans drive with them, live with them, and are afraid without them. Lights are just as foreign as those humans! But he does have a particular interest in Y/N—they were almost hit by the lights themselves. It's now every time he sees that, but he was curious from how they froze to how they were terrified yet in awe of flying. He even finds them cute but doesn't expect to see them again! But Y/N has plans of venturing back to the words with the mothman hehe

Gah, thank you so much, Chaotik! I love how in-depth you go and reading your thoughts makes my day, babe! <3

[mikaharuka]

Most Recent Releases!

Heyo y'all! It's been forever since I last posted about anything here on Tumblr, so... here I am, with a handful of links to my most recent fics! There are a couple of different fandoms (Twilight/Life and Death, FE3H, Madoka Magica, and Ace Attorney) and a couple of different ships (slash and femslash alike), but I had fun writing them all!

(Side note - the final fic on this list, Seduction of the Phoenix Bride just revealed today for the Mitsunaru Day 2024 Exchange!)

[Also, tagging just to remind y'all that I'm still on this weird site XD - @udaberriwrites @mrsmungus @sliebman10 @tsunderesalty @axolotlsupremacyowo @fattybattysblog @bleepbloopbotz @narcissasdaffodil @oceangirl24 @danceswithdarkspawn @hylianjo @lena-hills @bees-and-sunshine @kayedium-writes @aleksandriel @0nelittlebirdtoldme @sergeantneko @four-white-trees @precambrian-sea-pancake @evelinessa @argyleheir alongside many others!]

Danza de las Flores || Twilight, Life and Death Mature || 1500 words || Carine Cullen/Bella Swan (F/F)

Bella swings by Edythe's house to get some help with dancing, only to run into her long-time crush and Edythe's older sister, Carine. Fortunately for her, Carine is very willing to help her out. [Inspired by my musings on a swapped version of my Verse!]

Semper Felidae || Twilight, Life and Death Mature || 3000 words || Carlisle Cullen/Beau Swan (M/M)

From the fall of his beloved Adrian to the return of the curious and all-too-familiar Beauregard, Carlisle and his feline companion, Orion, have borne witness to it all. [A prelude to Apricity from Carlisle's POV, set in my overarching Winter Light Verse]

Febris Amatoria || Twilight, Life and Death Explicit || 1800 words (so far) || Carlisle Cullen/Beau Swan (M/M)

The evolution of Beau's and Carlisle's relationship and intimacy over time, captured through a series of erotic moments set in the Winter Light Verse. [Side note, I finally released chapter 3]

The Sun, Moon, and Stars || Twilight, Life and Death Mature || 900 words || Carine Cullen/Edythe Cullen (F/F)

To Edythe Masen, Doctor Carine Cullen was everything- her sun, her moon, and her stars.

In Draconic Harmony || Fire Emblem Three Houses (FE3H) Mature || 900 words || Dorothea Arnault/Edelgard von Hresvelg (F/F)

After spotting her two advisors sharing a quiet moment together, Edelgard decides to sneak away for an intimate moment of her own.

The Die is Cast || Puella Magi Madoka Magica Mature || 900 words || Akemi Homura/Kaname Madoka (F/F)

The stage, home to Homura's arduous journey, has seen many tragic curtain calls, until an unexpected element enters stage right.

Ruthless Seduction || Ace Attorney (Gyakuten Saiban) Explicit || 1500 words || Miles Edgeworth/Phoenix Wright (M/M)

Miles Edgeworth, prosecutor and magic user, is working a late night at the office when his vampiric partner, Phoenix Wright, decides to swings by. Phoenix is determined to make his partner take a break from his work... except it comes around to bite him in a rather pleasurable way and both of them enjoy the outcome.

Seduction of the Phoenix Bride || Ace Attorney (Gyakuten Saiban) Explicit || 7600 words || Miles Edgeworth/Phoenix Wright (M/M)

After receiving a strange black invitation in the mail one day, Phoenix and Maya take the plunge and meet their client, Lady Franziska von Karma, who asks them to deliver some important paperwork to her brother, Lord Miles Edgeworth. When they arrive at his manor, Phoenix is faced with an overwhelming rush of new, yet strangely familiar sensations and memories, along with some odd circumstances and fantastical dreams as he slowly unravels the mystery.

[s-creations]

Excavation - Chapter 2

Now that everything's calmed down slightly, Daisy explains why she's there. Mainly looking for the heroes' help in solving a problem that's coming from deep in one of her Kingdom's temples.

The group divides into two parts: One to solve the temple issue while the other tries to convince the Desert King to join forces against Bowser.

To everyone's surprise, it doesn't quite go according to plan.

Fandom: Super Mario & Releated Fandoms Rating: Teen and UP Audiences Relationship: Mario & Luigi & Wario & Waluigi Additional Tags: Pretty Much Everyone's Here, Named OCs - Freeform, world building, lore building, sometimes in the most painful way, Treasure Hunting, another mural to worry about, Mentions of Blood, we have a lot of people opening up in this one, cursing, heavy cursing, like I haven't used this heavy of cursing for this story for quite a while.

Special shout-out to @cantankerouscanuck for dropping a lot of DK lore and world building on me. Much appreciated!

Now, who's ready for some Waluigi angst! It is time. XD

The group traveling to the crumbling temple was larger than Mario had expected. It hadn’t just been him, Wario, Daisy, and Polterpup. There was a large entourage of bi-pedal mice, carrying supplies ranging from blankets and tents to cooking supplies to no doubt create the feast Wario was expecting. All distributed between three covered carriages that moved away from the large castle. All sitting in silence as they traveled along the golden sand. 

Once arrived, Daisy set about making sure everything was set up. Shouting orders on what needs to go where with far rougher authority compared to Peach. 

Mario and Wario, with Polterpup trotting behind, pulled away from the group to get a good look at the front entrance. Or, what remained of it. The once no doubt grand entrance was now blocked by a large pile of rubble. There was a small opening near the top. Large enough for the mice beings to fit through. For them, there would have to be some shifting, but they could get it to work. 

Wario looked over when Mario let out a slow sigh, “You doing okay over there?”

“Yeah,” Mario answered quickly, “Yeah, it’s just… Underground has some unpleasant memories.” 

“Fair. But you have a good handle on your Firebrand now. I doubt we’ll have an issue. I doubt you’ll have an issue.”

“Yeah…”

Wario frowned softly, but wasn’t able to push the issue as Daisy joined them.

“So, you two ready?” the desert princess asked. 

“Yes.” Mario answered quickly.

“I have a few more questions, if that’s okay.” Wario asked.

To which Daisy nods and replies with, “Go ahead.”

“What are we expected to see in there?”

“From what we can tell, the disturbance is coming from deep within the temple. And I mean deep . We never had any tunnels or pathways that went that far down before. Now, it’s become sort of a mining operation. Just trying to get out as much ground out and setting up a railing system to travel down quickly.”

“Has anyone in this kingdom mined before?” Mario asked. 

“Ah, no… But they did their best?” Daisy offered weakly.

Wario, however, didn’t look that impressed. “No wonder this has become such a nightmare for you. There are probably more death traps than anything else in that place.”

“You’re still going to help though, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, just wanted to know what we’re going to see inside there.” Wario shuffled the bag further onto his shoulder as he faced the entrance again. “Alright Mini-Me, let’s get in there and get this fixed.”

Mario gave a small, hopefully reassuring, smile to Daisy before following Wario. The desert princess watched on as the brothers shifted a few more rocks around, expanded the entrance, and climbed in. Polterpup only phased through once the other two made their way in. Daisy let out a tight breath when they disappeared. 

“Good luck you two…”

The entrance to the cavern was a weird feeling of cold mixed with damp, Mario unable to place how that feeling was being created. Current area they were walking through was a long hallway with compressed stone walls holding carved images and words. Some areas cracked and crumbling away. Mario’s fire seemed to cast deeper shadows over it all. Polterpup led the way, allowing their body to illuminate more on what Wario’s held light and Mario’s fire couldn’t.  

All peering around in silence as they made their way further in. The hallway eventually opened up into a large, domed room. What was normally a place for congregation and prayer had been sloppily converted into a mining operation, as Daisy warned. The altar seemed to be the only place that had been left alone, with dozens of carved holes seeming to appear at random. All disappearing into the ground so far that Mario wasn’t able to see the ending. Each holding their own set of railings that followed along the carved paths. 

“Wow, this is shitty work.” Wario commented as he gently tapped on the railing. Eyes traveling to each of the laid tracks that disappeared into the darkened areas. 

“How bad?” Mario looked back. 

“Eh, bad, not terrible? I mean, we’ll survive if that’s what you’re asking. We’ll just need to make sure we don’t hit these or else we’re going to have a rocky time… I was just expecting a path down, not this. This is way more dangerous than I previously thought.” 

“How many rails do you think they have laid down?”

“No idea. A lot, from what I’m seeing here. But if they’re being really desperate, who knows how many they’ve actually laid down. Between these quakes and this quick job, I don’t know how stable this place really is.” 

Both looked away hearing something squeak. Watching as Polterpup pushed a car forward. Pausing when they just reached the opening, sitting down to look back at the other two. Panting happily. With a shared nod, Mario and Wario joined at the cart. The fire wielder picked up the spectral pup before climbing in. Sitting near the front to allow Wario room to jump into after he pushed them forward. 

Tossing the bag and a few more tools in, Wario let out a grunt as he pushed everything forward. Leaping in at the last second, settling down as the cart tilted downwards. 

They followed along a carved out tunnel, flickering lights lining the walls. All of them flashing by, eventually smearing by as the cart picked up speed. Mario and Wario bending down into the cart as the wind rushed past them. Holding onto their respected hats to keep them from flying away.

The tunnel, far too soon, fell away, the tracks now seeming to hover open a large pit. Both risked leaning over to see if they could find the bottom. Only for everything to disappear into the darkness. If the depth of the pit wasn’t enough of a worry, they'd received their answer with how many tracks had been laid down. 

It was clear it wasn’t just the temple entrance that had the tracks. It seemed any direction that could reach this area was utilized. From every direction the tracks appear, twisting and turning together as they all descend into the depths. Even tracks that went the same direction the group was traveling along didn’t seem to be limited to where they’d come from. 

“There really was no rhyme or reason to any of this!” Wario called out in disbelief as he looked around. “They just went crazy with this.”

“I’d hate to ask, was this temple in operation before this?” Mario asked.

“I really hope not.”

“Guess we can’t focus on that for now. We’ll just have to ride this until we reach the ending. …Do we have any ideas on how we’re going to stop this thing?”

“How about we put a pin in that when we reach that problem.” Wario frowned. There was a sinking sensation in their stomachs as the cart started to dip down further. The tracks seemed to press closer together as they went along.

“They really had no idea what they were looking for,” Mario said, worriedly. “We’re not going to have that issue…are we?”

Wario gave an assured shake of his head. “No way, we have better tools for the job. Trust me, this coaster of craziness we’ll be the worse of our-”

Both tensed when Polterpup let out a low, warning growl. Focusing on the other entrances, teeth bared and their hackles raised. 

“Polterpup?” Mario carefully rested a hand on the spectral pup. “What’s wrong? What do you-”

“Avast, ye landlubbers!”

The call echoed through the carved cavern that was followed by a number of other cries and cheers. As attention was turned behind them, the duo found at least twenty if not more other carts following after them. Traveling along rails that had not been from the temple entrance. Each cart filled with two or three bi-pedal lizard being. Mario mentally commented they looked like crocodiles. Yellow eyes narrowed on Wario and Mario’s cart, mouths filled with rows of sharp teeth were pulled back into a wide smile. Waving either guns or swords in hands. Bags of Bob-ombs just barely peeking out. 

The clart closest to the duo was only carrying one creature, but was by far the largest out of them all. Body showed a number of scars that stood out against the leather tan skin. Eyes of vivid green seeming to shine out from the heavy shadow casted by the pirate hat he was wearing.

“What the-”

“Are you fucking kidding me!” Wario’s cry of disbelief drowned out Mario’s question. The other looked furious at the yellow lizard that was drawing closer. “What the hell are you doing here!?”

“If it isn’t me ol’ treasure huntin’ partner!” the lizard replied with a laugh. “Did ye really think ye’d never see Kaptain Skurvy again?”

“It was a desperate plea to Grambi, to be honest.”

“Ah, ye wound me.”

“Wait, you know him?” Mario asked. 

Wario replied back with an annoyed growl. “Unfortunately.”

“Now, now, don’t ye be sour,” Skurvy called out, almost alongside their cart. “Ye seem to be doin’ well. Even got yerself a new, wee little partner. A weird lookin’ one, ta be honest.”

Mario pouted at that. “A little rude.”

He didn’t fight back when Wario pulled him away. The older brother pulled out a familiar hammer, with a foot on the edge of the cart as he pointed it at the lizard. “What are you doing here Skurvy.”

“That be Kaptain Skurvy to ye, traitor.” Was growled out.

“Like hell I would call you that. Now what do you want!”

“Do ye think ye little dessert princess is the only one interested by whatever be lying in this sinkin’ ship? We just be on a job. Ain’t that right boys?” Skurvy waved a hand back to the rest of his crew, who replied back with a happy cheer.

“What the hell does your crazy king want with this kingdom?” Wario’s furry turned to genuine worry, causing Mario to panic further. 

Skurvy’s jovial attitude suddenly switched off at the question. “Bold of ye to assume who we’d be workin’ for.”

“What else am I supposed to say? That’s who you were working for before-”

“Enough of this!” The scaly captain pulls his own sword free. Pointing it into the air before drawing it down directly to Wario. “I ain’t here to be takin’ trips down memory lane. I’ll offer the two-”

Polterpup barked.

“Pardon, the three of ye one chance to walk away quietly. Or else my crew will have to deal with ye personally. What do ye say? Peaceful partin’?”

Wario let out a laugh before swinging his hammer back. “When have you known me to back down, you salty dog?”

“So be it. Knock them off!” 

Wario and Mario faulted when the rails suddenly rocked, the motion quickly followed by an explosion. Both turning back to find their path back crumbling away into the darkness. Those closest to the brothers preparing another Bob-ombs to be thrown over. One waiting to light while the other waited to hand an unlit one. 

Mario was up on the ledge without a second thought. A deep red fireball in hand that was launched to the cart he could reach. Aiming specifically for the pile of the unlit explosives. There was a momentary cry of panic. First directed at the fireball being tossed their way then to the lit Bob-ombs. Said lizards jumping out from the cart before it exploded. 

“Ye didn’t tell me ye new partner came with party tricks!” Skurvy called out, glaring at the larger brother. “What else ye hidin’ from me?”

“Shove off you!” Wario called back. Pulling Mario back into the cart to allow himself room for a full swing. The head of the hammer launches a lit Bob-omb back to its sender. Another cart going down. 

Letting out a growl, Skurvy leaned over the edge of his car. Foot over the lip while his sword was lowered to his hip. Clearly intended to jump into the brother’s cart. Only to be stopped when a spectral pup seemingly popped out of nowhere. Skurvy letting out a cry of surprise as he attempted to swat Polterpup away. 

“Ye annoyin’ pest!”’

“Polterpup!” Mario called out in worry. 

The cart dangerously shifted once more, but no explosion followed this time. Instead, parts of the rails started to fall away. Not just from the brother’s line, as all rails started to crumble. Those in the carts only able to watch in horror as their companions started to fall into the awaiting darkness.

“What’s going on?” Mario frantically asked. 

“The problem I said would happen if we damaged these railings!” Wario answered. “These structures were never sound and they’re not holding up to these attacks, we’re all going down!”

The stunned realization was pushed aside as their rails falling away started to catch up. Wario pulled Mario close and compressed them both into the cart as best he could. Their cart soon started to free fall down. The other was only able to watch as Polterpup looked on with worry. Skurvy’s cart followed along soon enough. The rest of the crew either cried out in worry as their captain fell away or screaming as they also headed towards the depths. 

_____________________________

In one of the many provided guest rooms, Toadsworth, Peach and Waluigi were resting on a long, plush sofa. Peach sat up while the lanky brother flopped out until he took up most of the space. The princess sitting between Waluigi and her caretaker. With Toadsworth looking unhappy with how close he was to Waluigi. Even with Peach acting as a barrier. 

All watched as Luigi nervously paced the length of the room, mumbling to himself as he stared at the ground. The younger twin eventually stopped in front of the other three. Clapping his hands together before properly facing them. 

“So…what’s the plan of attack?” Luigi asked with a nervous smile.

“You were the one who pulled us in here. I thought you were the mastermind.” Waluigi answered. 

“I was also hoping for some help.”

“Monazite will need to be the first person we talk to,” Peach started. “She’s very caring and would certainly understand our mission. She may already be on our side. But it’ll be good to know where she truly lies on all of this.”

Waluigi shifted to sit up a little more. “But, she’s also not our main concern here.”

“Toadsworth, what’s your insight as to why Olivine pulled away so long ago?” Luigi asked Peach.

The elder Toad shook his  head. “It’s the simple story of King Olivine believing that King Matsutake was not using his power and time wisely. While I understand Olivine’s position, considering Bowser’s threat was growing faster than we expected, Queen Dahlia was growing ill during the same time. Our King was more worried and focused on his wife. Olivine did not take this well and claimed that Matsutake was focusing on the wrong thing. Leaving to be out of the ‘damage zone’, if I’m recalling the words correctly. Anything further than that, we’ll need to talk to Daisy, if you wish to skirt around approaching Olivine for a few hours more.”

“Oh, I very much doubt that,” Waluigi huffed. “Daddy dearest clearly hasn’t been upfront with what’s been going on.”

Luigi sighed weaky, “Then how do we break down the wall when we don’t have the appropriate tools to do so?”

“Get more people to help out.”

The group couldn’t help but jump when the bedroom door was knocked upon. Peach calling out  ‘Come in’, with said door opening and Dew poking her head in.

“Pardon for the interruption,” Dew spoke softly. “But Queen Monazite is asking for an audience.”

Peach stood, offering a smile. “Of course. We were actually about to ask your queen for the same. Would you be kind enough to-”

“A-Apologies princess. But the queen has specifically asked for Waluigi to join her. Alone.”

The atmosphere in the room shifted to a weird feeling. Luigi sharply turned, eyes wide, as he looked bewildered at the lanky brother. Toadsworth’s eyes narrowed on Waluigi while Peach’s face turned to an overly worried expression. All clearly confused by this request. 

Even Waluigi’s eyes widened hearing his name, breaking away from his bored demeanor. Blinking a few times as it all settled into his brain before slowly standing. “Ah…are you sure you didn’t mishear? I mean, she could have mumbled something at the beginning before saying Luigi’s name. You know, one of the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom?”

Dew gently shook her head. “No, she asked for you. No mumbling occurred.”

“...Okay, well…” Waluigi straightened his cup. “I guess, lead the way.”

“Waluigi-” Luigi faltered when the other raised his hand. 

“It’s fine, I’ll be fine. Lead the way, Dew.”

Without a look back, Waluigi left the guest room, following the bi-pedal mouse. Led away from those areas marked for guests and the citizens who asked for an audience, towards the rooms saved for the royals. Grand bedrooms, ballrooms, and dining areas, Waluigi did his best to not grumble under his breath. A bubble of bitterness expanded in his chest seeing how yet another portion of the 1% lived. 

As they turned the corner to a more private area of the castle, the plain walls changed to bursts of colors. Nothing but swirls of hues that calmed Waluigi’s silent grips to the building. 

“Beautiful, aren’t they?” Dew beamned. 

“Do they mean anything?”

The mouse shook her head, “Not that we’re aware of, especially out here anyway. The rooms that line these halls do hold murals, but we’re only able to guess what it all means. Those stories have been lost to the ages, unfortunately.”

Dew stopped before another archway. Turning to Waluigi and offering a bow. “Queen Monazite awaits you inside.”

“Yeah, thanks.” Waluigi replied back quietly. Side stepping around the mouse to walk in.

It was a small tea room. Big enough to hold two rather comfortable looking chairs with a small table situated between them. Which held a tray with tea and some interesting and tasty looking treats. Monazite stood from the chair she’d claimed to greet Waluigi, who was standing in the archway.

The lanky brother offered a short nod with a quiet, “Your highness.”

“Hello, Waluigi, I’m so glad you could join me. Would you care for a seat?”

“Suppose I will…” Waluigi walked further into the room. A flash of vibrancy appeared from the corner of his eye. Looking back to find the entire wall filled with a mosaic mural. 

What stood out first were seven yellow sprites that look like small sons. All placed around the archway and starting the wall being divided by the same number. Each section depicted a different area that Waluigi had never seen before. Framing all of it, decorating the edge of the wall, were tendrils of shadows that were encroaching in on the scenes. Uncomfortably familiar sparks of green appeared on occasion that mixed in with the shadows. 

Waluigi’s brows furrowed in worry.

“An interesting little piece, isn’t it?” Monazite casually commented as she joined him.

“Kind of creepy…and a little on the head with its depictions.” Waluigi reached out to run his hand over the sprite floating in the desert portion of said mural. “This is the Desert Kingdom. I’m pretty sure that’s the Sarasaland castle in the background.”

“That appears to be true.”

The brother looked over, “So, what does it mean?”

Monazite let out a small sigh, “We’re unsure. We can pull some information from what we can see. It’s an understanding that our kingdom holds one of these yellow sprites. But we’re unsure where it is, what it does, or where else these sprites are located. Even the tendrils of shadows are a mystery to us.”

“Joy…” Waluigi grumbled. Making a mental note of how there was another mural for them to worry over. 

He twitched nervously when a hand was placed on his shoulder. Monazite offered a warm smile as she gently pulled Waluigi away.

“Why don’t we put this away for a moment. I asked for you to join me so that we could have a polite but private discussion.”

“Oh, right, sure…” Waluigi tentatively sat down in the unclaimed chair while Monazite sat down in her previously claimed seat. 

The queen took a few minutes to pour a cup of tea for each of them. Filled with a deep red liquid, leaving a little bit of room left over for one. Said cup was handed over to Waluigi. With Monazite gesturing over the container of milk, honey, and sugar. 

“I wasn’t sure how you preferred your drink.”

“Thank, um, this is fine.” Lifting the cup up tentatively from the saucer, Waluigi took a small sip. Eyes widening in pleasant surprise of the taste that washed over his tongue. A look he quickly formed back into a neutral one when he realized Monazite was watching him.

“It’s good.”

“That’s wonderful to hear. Have as much as you want, I can always make more. No issues there.”

Waluigi raised a brow at that, “You…make it?”

“Of course, it’s a family recipe. A long standing tradition to share with new guests.”

The brother let out a low hum as he took another sip.

“You don’t seem to believe me.” The queen laughed softly. 

“I just didn’t think that those of royalties would stoop so low as to dirty their hands.” Waluigi bit his tongue when the words slipped out of his mouth. Focusing on his cup as he tried to sink into the chair. 

Monazite slowly nodded as she nursed her own cup. “That is understandable. After all, the rich do love to flaunt their possessions without much work on their end, don’t they?”

There was another round of laughter from Monazite while Waluigi could only chuckle weakly. Gently dabbing a finger to the corner of her eye, the queen continued. “But truly wealthy people know better than to rely on gold and jewels to be fulfilled. That feeling only arrives when you work for your worth in an honorable way. Getting your hands dirty just means you’ve created physical proof of what you’ve built.” 

Waluigi nodded slowly. “Yeah…sure. Um, not to cut to the chase suddenly. But why did you request a meeting with me?”

“Well, I was hoping to have a private conversation with the person who broke my daughter’s heart.”

Hot tea through the nose was not a fun feeling.

Waluigi took the offered cloth thankfully as he tried to clear his throat by coughing out the remaining liquid. Quickly wiping the sprayed tea away from his face, covering his mouth with the same cloth. Allowing himself a moment to take a few deep breaths. Only lowering his hands when he’d controlled his breathing once more.

“...I don’t know what you could be referring to…”

“Mmm, clearly.” Monazite said easily as she took her own sip.

Waluigi nervously pulled at the napkin, the silence stretching on until he blurted out, “How did you know?”

“You think I’m unaware of what goes on in my daughter’s life?”

“If you're so observant, why didn’t you know where she went before?”

“I had a hunch as to where she went.”

“And what do you mean ‘broke her heart’?”

“Well, with the way she screamed in rage after you both broke up, I assumed you two had been dating. I’m also assuming that you broke it off. Otherwise, Daisy would not have been that upset. A little bitter, sure, but not breaking things in her room upset. And would you believe me if I told you she was even further hurt upon hearing that you suddenly just disappeared in the middle of the night.” 

“Trust me, she’s made me very aware of that.” Waluigi mumbleed weakly. Rubbing his arm where a large bruise was still forming. 

“So, what caused such a shift in your life?”

“What?” He looked up in surprise. He’d been expecting harsh words, not a ‘soul-searching’ question.

Monazite placed her cup down to focus on Waluigi. “I will not sit here and say I understand your motives or what you were going through at the time to cause such a change. But to come to such a rash decision overnight. Leave everything behind without a word to anyone where you were going and why…” 

“You were clearly holding onto something that just…broke that evening. I’m also sure that you’ve never shared your reasoning as to why, close connections make it hard to be honest. Meaning you’ve been stewing on your own over all of this.”

“And what, you’re going to help me make all of this better?” Waluigi snapped. 

The previous nerves were falling away, quickly being replaced with anger. The sudden change caused a rush that got Waluigi to stand up as his face burned. The queen made no move to defend or worry over this reaction. Staying still as her hands rested gently in her lap with a neutral look on her face. Remaining as such as Waluigi continued. 

“You have the comfort of judging me while sitting in your ivory tower. I’m sorry I hurt Daisy, I am. But maybe I wasn’t as emotionally stable to deal with all of that. Maybe I was embarrassed to think over how I was supposed to keep a princess interested in me. Maybe I woke up late that night in a cold sweat realizing how I had done nothing with my life and that was killing me.”

“Maybe I’m pissed that I was poor and associated with being a troublemaker because our father was a fucking liar. That I had hoped and prayed that I would be able to stand above that as I grew older but was never given the chance. How Wario and I just wanted to fucking help so we could be seen in a better light. Only for that resulting in people not trusting us. And we were sick and tired of being belittled. Maybe that’s why we started to act out, why not! Why not play the role everyone just expected us to be!”

“But no, let’s just chalk it up to how we were raised! That has to be the problem, right? Being told grandeur lies that our father told, making us think that he was someone to look up to. All of that just amounts to him just leaving and having our mom die by a broken heart. Maybe that’s just something that runs in the family, yeah? Hurting people and just leaving without a word. At least I came back!” 

“Is it bad that I wanted to go someplace where no one knew who I was? It is fucking wrong that I wanted to try to make a name for myself that didn’t involve people glancing my way with raised brows and whispers? I wanted to make a new start, I wanted to be more than just my family name, I wanted to be more than my father. But I guess that’s just too much to ask for, isn’t it!”

Waluigi’s fast pacing stilled as he turned to glare Monazite down. Who still hadn’t moved, watching it all with calmed features.

“You know what, fuck you, let’s just turn this script around. What don’t we judge your character, yeah? For someone trying to ‘care’ about her daughter, you sure have been missing a lot from anything involving Daisy. Or even anything about your fucking kingdom! Never seen you once until I got here. Always saw the king. Stuck up king who crawls away when his feelings get a little bruised. Why don’t you go pick him apart, huh? You married him, why don’t you deal with that baggage to make him realize that maybe ignoring a friend wasn’t the best idea while his wife was dying.” 

“Why don’t you use your fucking title of ‘queen’ to actually do something!”

Breathing heavily, Waluigi felt his shoulders and ears slowly drop and it dawned on him what he’d just said. Flinching away when Monazite finally moved, the queen now stood up from her chair. The anger felt only a few seconds before now cooling into actual fear. Waluigi mentally berating himself for cursing and flinging accusations at the queen . This was not going to the plan they had. Then again, Peach or Luigi were supposed to have this talk. How were they supposed to recover the damage Waluigi had just made?

The frantic thoughts were silenced when arms were gently wrapped around him. Tencing, his own arms stuck straight at his sides as he felt slim fingers gently stroke through his hair that they could reach. 

“My people are quite literally part of the desert,” Monazite spoke softly. “My form and self only remain when I’m able to connect with the very sand that I came from. Leaving the desert could cause my demise. This is why I’ve never left my home. I do wish I could travel, but I’m fearful that it’s not possible.”

“As for my silence, my words are spoken by my husband. I’m here to offer him support and my view on situations. Do you think I’ve not berated him for how he easily left his friend’s side? Especially at such a horrible time. I know my husband hurts himself for the actions he’d done during that time. He hides his shame by staying here. Tucking himself away so no one can see him. Until he can remove himself from his indignity, Olivine will suffer in silence. Nothing I say will change that.” 

“...It’s just stupid fucking egos, yeah?” Waluigi mumbled weakly, slowly melting into the hold, his throat becoming tight. 

“I suppose so… But I do hope you lot will put my husband in his place. Grambi knows he needs someone besides myself to show him what this world is heading towards…” Monazite gently pulled Waluigi back. Tilting his chin up so they could look at each other properly. The queen silently noted, with wide eyes that held such exhaustion and ears drooped down, how young Waluigi looked at this moment. 

Not a bitter adult, but now a lost child.

“It’s unfair how the children have to suffer the mistakes of their parents. Such a weight should not be placed on their shoulders…but who else could tell adults how stupid they truly are.”

Waluigi let out a weak huff, doing his best to keep himself collected. Unhappy that his vision became blurring, deep breathing returned as he tried to look away. Jaw clenched as a final attempt to hold it all in fell away as a hand gently cupped his cheek. 

“Other’s actions have such a way to harm without knowing, don’t they?”

The only reply was a choked sob that Waluigi attempted to cover it up, a hand reaching up to rub under his nose. More than happy to sink back into the motherly warmth that he’d not felt in years. His own arms reached up to wrap around the queen and he buried into her dress. Monazite hummed softly as she placed a hand on the back of the other’s head, her other arm wrapping around Waluigi tightly.

Toadsworth stood just outside of the archway in the chilled hallway. Brow furrowed in thoughts and worry. Eventually turning away and back down the hall towards the guest bedrooms. 

[aiura-stan]

1-2, I am here for you!

Another whopping post, the very next day, you say?? How far ahead exactly did you write these?!? Well, you see. The smoke alarm in my house went off at four am on Sunday.

And so it begins! Kurumi is so sweet, making Saiki some kindergartner bento.

Ah, Kusuo. If only you knew how things would change… alas. That’s Aiura’s power. Hehe.

I like how Kusuo is like, yeah, I was totally the self indulgent guy I described in the beginning. In kindergarten though.

Also, Kuniharu has a blog?? What does he post about on there… maybe his model building hobby?

I find it interesting that people kicked up a fuss about it and Kusuo’s very mature kindergartener response was NOT to simply brainwash the world into accepting psychic powers as normal. I guess his mom told him not to or something.

Nendou is the only person who can sneak up on Saiki… and the explanation of this is changed from “his thoughts are at the same speed as his speech” to “he doesn’t have any thoughts at all” which is… interesting. I personally like the speed of speech explanation better; it makes more sense to me. But that would also mean that Saiki would in fact be able to hear his thoughts from afar. (Like Akechi, who also thinks at the same rate as he speaks and says practically everything he is thinking.) He’s a little different in that sometimes, like in the chapter where he plays against Kusuo. He doesn’t say what is on his mind immediately if he’s otherwise engaged. Whereas Nendou just says whatever whenever. He’s the kind of guy who would be really loud in a movie theater.

XD always been one of my favorite gags. Nendou wouldn’t know what CPR is, of course.

Love that Saiki’s response to Takahashi complaining that people will spread rumors about him that he’s gay is essentially ‘You aren’t hot enough for that’

Here Saiki just uses body language to suggest that they check his temperature. I also notice he doesn’t directly talk to people very often. It makes me wonder if he can, in fact, telepathically talk to people, or if it’s just a function of his hypnosis, allowing people to interpret his thoughts based on the general gist of the idea + what they expect him to be saying. I always assumed it was a mix of these three things: body language first and foremost, low level hypnosis second, and direct telepathy third, for when he really needs someone to know exactly what he’s saying… but based on the amount of misunderstandings, couldn’t it be just the first two? We shall see as I continue to read the series. It’s just one of the things that I am always wondering about in the Saikiverse. I know I say this a lot... maybe by the end of this reread I'll have a more solid theory.

I do wonder how his time at the hospital went. He avoids hospitals normally, since his biometric readouts wouldn’t be normal I guess? And Kuusuke ends up being his stand-in doctor. But I’m guessing that he would simply teleport away before the ambulance arrived. How he tricked the paramedic, who knows. Maybe he used the nana-shaped object to erase his memory.

Alright, the end of 1-2💫

[ladyhindsight]

sorry to bring up character ages in tid again, but i wanted to run a theory by you about something i discovered.

in chapter 1 of clockwork princess, tessa is being fitted for her wedding dress and she says this: “he would look so young. they were both so young. tessa new it was unusual to marry at seventeen and eighteen, but they were racing a clock.”

clockwork princess takes place in september/october (i think??) of 1878, and their wedding was supposed to be in december. what i’m thinking that tessa must be older than what cc has told us (in both the family tree and the “new” canon she established with the 10th anni of ca). based on the quote, we can probably assume that tessa is either already seventeen when clockwork princess starts, or will be turning seventeen sometime between then and december. which assumes jem’s birthday is somewhere in there as well. so will and jem being born in 1860 is probably correct, but tessa was probably born in 1861.

Bottom line: cc can’t even keep her own canon straight XD. im gonna try to write my own time line to try to make sense of it sigjdnd.

Waait a minute. Wow.

So, yes. Tessa's birthday is said to be January 28, 1862. Clockwork Princess takes place from October to December, which means Tessa is sixteen and turns seventeen in January 1879, which is still a couple months away from the supposed wedding.

I guess they didn't have any confirmed dates of birth before the 10th anniversary edition of Clockwork Angel, just the birth years, but I found this part with Charlotte and Jem in Clockwork Princess, chapter 13 "The Mind Has Mountains":

You are still a child, Charlotte wanted to say, but she did not. He was only a few weeks short of his eighteenth birthday, after all, when Shadowhunters became adults, and if when she looked at him she still saw the dark-haired little boy who had arrived from Shanghai clutching his violin, his eyes huge in his pale face, that did not mean he had not grown up.

Which, of course, goes along with the whole

“Yes, though Charlotte’s rather fallen off in tutoring us lately, as you might imagine,” said Will. “One either has a tutor or one is schooled in Idris—that is, until you attain your majority at eighteen. Which will be soon, thankfully, for the both of us.” “Which one of you is older?” “Jem,” said Will, and “I am,” said Jem, at the same time. They laughed in unison as well, and Will added, “Only by three months, though.”

part in Clockwork Prince which takes place from July to August, but the rest of what was previously discussed gives the idea that they both have already turned seventeen in 1878, especially when juxtaposed with Gabriel's and Nate's ages and the rest.

Otherwise it does work that Will is born in late December and Jem's birthday is in November, other than that whole mess with being "three months" apart in age. But the language is weird, Tessa won't be marrying at seventeen no matter what, though Jem' would've recently turned eighteen.

Will telling Cecily that:

“You can’t be married, Cecily! You’re only fifteen! When I get married, I’ll be eighteen! An adult!”

Will turning eighteen a week or so after that Christmas when he proposed to Tessa works in that context as well. Though they apparently married two years later in March 3, 1880, according to the bonus content.

Though not exactly on topic, I want to point out that in said bonus content, Will thinks that "It wasn’t strictly a Shadowhunter wedding, because Tessa wasn’t strictly a Shadowhunter. But Will had decided to wear wedding gear anyway, because he was going to be the head of the London Institute, and his children would be Shadowhunters" though, at least according to the comic, James' conception was such a surprise because they didn't know if Tessa as a warlock could have children. And James was born in 1886, six years after the wedding.

Anyway, it's still a bit of a mess because, though some parts do fit, other parts of the text seem to have been written in another frame of reference in any case.

The timeline idea sounds fantastic!