#cinders writes

[indycinders]

Pure smut cause my uterus is trying to kill me.

Maybe a bit of praise kinks in there? Jealousy? Idk it's Caleb lmao. Enjoy.

P.S. not canon to their actual story in my head, maybe it's a dream Caleb had, who knows uvu Also obviously pre-explosion era.

Edit: forgot to add the title aaaaa

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"Above the Clouds"

“It was nice of your roommates to give us some time alone,” Cinders remarked as she walked over to Caleb and sat down between his legs, a towel on her head and wearing one of Caleb's old shirts over a pair of shorts.

They'd been coming back from a festival in the park when it started raining, both of them running to his dorm unable to stop themselves from getting soaked to the bone. Caleb urged Cinders to take a shower first so she wouldn't get sick, and while she was doing so, he negotiated with his roommates to leave. He was out fifty bucks, but that was nothing compared to the silence and solitude of a night in with her.

He wouldn't have to worry about any of them making suggestive comments towards her, or flirting with her. Nope, she was all his for the night.

“Yeah, they have a thing they're going to tonight,” he said, grabbing her by the hips and scooting her closer. He reached for the towel around her head and started drying her hair as she settled in and turned her attention to the small TV in his room. He had one of her favorite shows playing.

When he was done drying her hair, he picked up the brush and began pulling it through the unbelievably soft burgundy strands. He could smell the shampoo wafting up to his nose and he felt that familiar ache in his lower abdomen. The tips of his ears burned as he shifted slightly.

“A thing?” she echoed. “I didn't ruin your hangout plans with your friends, did I?”

Cinders tilted her head back enough to just barely see Caleb above her. He smiled at how adorable she was and shook his head quickly. “No, no. I'm not into what they do anyway,” he reassured her, nudging her head back into place.

“Really?” she hummed, her tone skeptical. “Gideon says differently.”

He felt his eye twitch. “Since when did you speak with Gideon?” Enough to refer to him so casually, too.

“Oh, it was a bit earlier when I was waiting for you,” she explained. “Do… do you know if he has a girlfriend?”

His hand gripped the brush handle tightly and he had to make an effort to keep his motions gentle and soft and not fueled by his irritation. “Uh, I don't know. Why? Do you like him?” he winced, noticing his tone sounding a bit demanding.

Cinders shrugged, shifting in her seat between his thighs, still watching the show on the TV. “Mm, I don't know. He asked for my number earlier. Guess I just want to make sure I'm not giving it to some player,” she laughed a little.

Caleb's breath caught in his throat, his heart pounding in his chest. No, this wasn't right. She wasn't supposed to get interested in anyone. Before he could stop himself, he put the brush down and pulled her flush against his chest, his arms wrapping around her waist.

“Oof!” Cinders let out a surprised huff of air, wiggling in his arms but it was clear Caleb wasn't going to let go. “Caleb…?”

“You can't-” he choked out, clearing his throat. He buried his face in the crook of her neck, breathing her in and trying to compose himself. “You're not allowed to date my friends.”

“Caleb-” she squirmed again but he only tightened his hold.

“I'm serious, pipsqueak. No. You've gone this long without seeing anyone, why now?” his voice was strained and off-sounding.

“I-I don't know, I was just wondering,” she mumbled, feeling her face heat up. The way he was holding her like he was afraid to let go felt different. “I won't date any of your friends, Cal, okay?”

“No one,” he mumbled, nuzzling into her neck. His hands slipped under his shirt that she wore, feeling her soft stomach. He felt her shiver but she stilled under his touch. His lips curled into a smirk against her neck. “No one should be able to hold you like this. Touch you like this.”

One of his hands caressed upward, his calloused fingertips brushing against the soft underside of her breasts. He could feel the goosebumps rising to the surface of her skin. His other hand slid underneath the loose shorts she wore, his fingers brushing against the coarse yet soft trimmed hair on her mound.

“C-Caleb, what-?” Cinders sucked in a breath as his long fingers stroked the outside of her lips, sending tingles straight to her core and igniting that delicious burning sensation.

“It should be me, Kit,” he murmured, his nose nuzzling aside her hair to get at her neck. “The one touching you like this. Showing you how to feel good. The only one you think of like this…”

His mouth pressed hot kisses against her neck. He felt Cinders lean back against him, tilting her head to the side and letting him continue. He took it as her consent, his left hand squeezing and teasing her breasts and nipples, eliciting sweet little whimpers and gasps from her plush lips.

It wasn't until the index finger of his right hand slipped between her moistened folds, gently stroking along her slit until he circled his finger around that precious little nerve bundle, that she let out anything resembling a moan.

And Jesus Christ it went straight to his cock, throbbing and aching against the fabric of his pajama pants. He groaned and sank his teeth into the crook of her neck, sucking a mark into her pale skin. “My sweet little pipsqueak,” he nibbled on her earlobe. “Keep making those noises for me, okay? I'm going to help you feel good, honey.”

Cinders bit her lip and nodded, relaxing back into him some more. His hand splayed across her chest, holding her to his own, while his other hand continued to swirl around her clit and tease her entrance. When he started inserting his finger inside of her, her knees bent and she tried to close her legs at the intrusion.

Caleb used his Evol to force them apart again, spreading her wide. He even pulled her shorts off the rest of the way. “Caleb,” Cinders whined, turning her head to glare at him.

“Tell me no,” he said, his eyes half-lidded as he continued to slowly finger her. “Say the word and I'll stop, Kitty.”

Her eyes studied him for a moment, her face flushing as her body responded to his touch. “I want it,” she practically whined instead, panting a little.

His cock twitched almost violently against her ass when he heard her say that. “Everything or just this?” he nibbled along her jaw, working his finger in and out of her slowly, getting her used to the feeling.

She let out another moan when he inserted a second finger, unable to move her legs due to his Evol, so her hands moved up behind her, grabbing his shoulders. “E-everything,” her voice was breathy and shaking. “I want everything.”

Caleb could feel her nails digging into his skin, groaning softly. He bit her again, sucking another harsh mark into her skin. She was his, and he'd leave a reminder for her and everyone else. “Good girl,” he murmured.

The pace of his fingers pumping in and out of her steadily increased, and she squirmed against him, the melody of her pleasure lifting into the air around them. The TV show was forgotten. Only they existed in this room, this moment.

“Ahh, fuck,” Caleb groaned again, unable to take the throbbing ache any longer. “Kit, do you think you're ready for me?”

“Mhm,” she panted.

He didn't need any more confirmation before he lifted her up, freed himself from his pants, and guided himself to her entrance. His thick head was already seeping with precum, eager to delve deep inside of her.

“Tell me to stop if it hurts,” he grunted through clenched teeth, holding himself back from just ramming up into her.

“Okay.”

A guttural moan bubbled up from his chest as he began lowering her slowly onto his cock, her folds stretching and squeezing around him. When he hit resistance, he took his time, working himself in and out of her. He was gentle, he was sweet, kissing her and whispering sweet praises.

Caleb knew it was her first time. It was his, too. And he wanted her to feel good, and loved, and everything that he felt about her. “Good girl, doing so well for me, aren't you, Kit?” he crooned softly, nuzzling his face against hers.

“You coulda told me you were fuckin’ huge,” she huffed, pouting. Her hands were on his thighs, helping to hold herself up.

He chuckled and kissed her cheek. “Where's the fun in that?” he teased. “You're taking me well, anyway.”

“You're so crude,” she mumbled.

“And who's the one that said she wanted everything?” he retorted playfully.

He worked past the barrier, earning a slight whimper of pain from her. “Shh, babygirl, I've got you,” he kissed her cheek, jaw, down her neck, whispering praises in between.

“I'm okay,” she whimpered softly, her hips shifting, wanting to keep going. This staying still business was only driving her insane.

“Ready? Just relax and let me do it,” he rested his chin on her shoulder. “Let me know if you want to change anything.”

Cinders nodded. With his hands on her hips, he began to set a steady rhythm between them, guiding her and rocking his own hips up into her. His own sounds of pleasure mixed with hers. Soon, he wrapped an arm around her waist, holding her to him while his other hand slipped down.

He almost came just from feeling his own cock inside of her with his fingers. He slowed down a bit, wanting to savor the moment, and found her little nub of pleasure again. He rubbed at her clit and continued rutting up into her.

“Caleb- haaa- please, I need more,” Cinders begged. “Faster.”

He obeyed her demand, thrusting into her quicker, sinking his cock deep within her and moaning at the way she squeezed around him so fucking deliciously. “God, you feel so good, Kitty,” he panted. “Just like I imagined. Better even.”

The squelching noises from their mixed juices, along with their cries of passion, could only be described as perverted. “Cal- please- I need-” Cinders whimpered and panted, unable to complete a coherent sentence.

But he knew what she meant. Caleb's fingers on her clit applied more pressure, rubbing circles and driving her closer to that sweet peak. He shifted their position, lifting her with him as he bent her over the coffee table, fucking into her with more purpose.

“I know- what you need, babygirl,” he grunted with his efforts. He shifted his angle and suddenly she cried out the moment he hit that sweet spot inside of her.

She clenched around him so tightly, there was no hope for him. He let out another moan, deep from within his chest, his hips jerking and stuttering as his hands moved to clench her hips, pulling her back against him. “Ah, fuck, Cinders-!” he gasped her name.

She was boneless and feeling like jelly on the table as he pumped his hips forward, fucking his warm cum deeper inside of her, hitting her sweet spot and overstimulating them both. With a soft groan, he finally pulled himself free and collapsed over her, resting his weight on her back.

“Kitty,” he murmured after a few seconds of catching his breath. He lifted his hand and brushed her hair to the side to look at her face. “Are you okay?”

��Mmm,” she hummed, her eyes opening part way to look at him. She smiled a little. “I'm good, bunny.”

Jesus, that silly nickname of hers that he absolutely loved went right to his dick and he could already feel himself getting hard again. But he didn't want to push her too much tonight. “C’mon,” he got to his feet, fixing himself before lifted her into his arms. Caleb planted a sweet kiss on her forehead. “We need another shower.”

[duplicityvn]

O B S E S S I O N :: 30 Fics in 30 Days

11387 / 30000 words. 38% done!

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This challenge is something I made based off the 30k November challenge. I plan on writing one short story per day every day of November, and since I know I'll probably blow past the 30k mark, I changed the name.

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"Obsession" is a look into the mind of 'Griffin', how his thoughts work, and what he feels for Y/N.

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WC: 869 (shorter fic) :: CW: general yandere tendencies/thoughts

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He could see you through the window of the café, working and chatting with that co-worker of yours. That awful, pathetic snake of a man that couldn’t stop staring at you every time you turned your back. His fists clenched in the pockets of his sweater as he continued to observe.

He was sitting on a bench across the street, his eyes trained on you through the window. There was no way you wouldn’t be his. He just had to play his cards right, get you to trust him, get you to rely on him. To not need anyone else other than him.

He glanced around the empty street again before subtly lifting his camera, zooming in on you in a way that was practiced. Clearly, he’d done this before. He’d done it almost every day since the day he first walked into the café, when he saw your bright welcoming smile and heard your voice. A melody to his ears.

He was just taking pictures for your scrapbook, that was all. Pictures that you’ll put in an album together, showing off his devotion and love to you. Your future children together will appreciate it, won’t they? Or, even if you didn’t want children, it would be something to look back on. Something to remember.

Because his love was always going to be one hell of a memory.

He felt the phone in his pocket buzz, pulling it out eagerly only to be met with a message that made him clench his jaw tightly.

Alex: Where are you? I thought you were coming today.

Of course, they would reach out to him, now of all times. Interrupting his time with you—even if you didn’t know it, this was your time together. Where he was watching over you, protecting you, mentally filing away every little touch and look that snake gave you.

He was only trying to protect you! You can’t see the evil that you work with. How could you? That snake’s manipulation rivaled his own. He was scared that your co-worker would have you wrapped around his stupid little finger in no time if you weren’t careful enough.

Christ, already he had to save you from him. Walking behind you and accidentally bumping into you. Those chance meetings? They weren’t chance, little owl.

He ignored the text and shoved the phone back into his pocket, looking up at the café again. He was wearing a hooded sweater, not his usual style, but then again… You only saw what he wanted you to see. You weren’t ready to see him yet, no.

You’d be scared if he wasn’t so charming and friendly with you. You couldn’t handle the dark miasma swirling inside of him, not yet, no. Not until you were truly his.

He’d planned so much for you together. Everything from the way you met, to the way you’ll get married in the near-future. Because he’ll have you loving him so much, you wouldn’t know what to do without him. You wouldn’t be able to stand not having him near you. Not having him by your side, protecting you, reminding you how precious and delicate you really were. What a sweet little bird you were, his Pidge.

His eyes zeroed in on the way that snake orchestrated bumping into you, accidentally burning you with black coffee. How dare he harm you, even if for a chance to take care of you. He didn’t love you, Pidge.

Of course he didn’t.

Not like he did. He would never harm you, little owl, not ever. He wouldn’t plan these stupid little moments that cause you physical harm in order just to have your attention for two fucking seconds.

His hands curled into tight fists, his fingers digging into the skin of his palms painfully. That pain was a reminder for him to keep calm, keep his cool and definitely do not storm into the café right now. That wouldn’t do.

That would give him away. You weren’t ready for him, pigeon. You weren’t ready to see just how much he loved and c h e r i s h e d you.

The snake, however, was already on thin ice. He’d know soon enough. He’d know that you belong to him. That he already claimed you long before this asshole showed up.

His phone buzzed once more and he let out a noise of frustration, pulling it out of his pocket again. As much as he wanted to ignore it, there was only one other person worthy of his attention other than you. Sorry, Pidge. He had family obligations.

Alex: Seriously?? I really needed you today, man. I’m already having a tough time.

He bit his lip, drawing blood. Now he was conflicted. On one hand, he needed to stay here and make sure the snake didn’t bite you when he wasn’t supposed to. On the other hand, he did make previous plans.

He glanced up again and located you coming from the back room, a bandage around your hand and your co-worker walking behind you with a self-satisfied smile. What a fucking prick.

He sighed when he looked at his messages again.

He’d see you again soon.

Don’t you worry about that.

[indycinders]

Couldn't help but write this after reading your fic mwehehe.

Yan!Sylus x Reader

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"Precious Jewel", a continuation

“Now, isn't this nice, sweetie?” Sylus crooned softly.

He knelt beside the clawfoot tub, your favorite of course. He knew all your favorites, and had transformed his base into something you would love. Or… come to love, anyway. You just had to get over this silly stubborn streak of yours.

You didn't say anything as you continued sitting hunched over, trying to keep most of your figure hidden underneath the luxurious bubbles and rose petals. Only the best for his sweet kitten, after all.

He hummed softly in a broken melody that tickled at the far reaches of your mind, as if it were something you'd heard before. A long time ago, maybe? You could feel his large hands gently washing your back with a soft cloth.

“Is the water warm enough, darling?” he asked.

You gave a jerky nod, not really wanting to move or say anything. He didn't mind. Usually after these little escape attempts of yours, you were more closed off and despondent. You'll come around.

You always do.

“What did we learn tonight?” he continued talking, and you could hear that infliction in his tone, that subtle change. That little dip in his voice that said ‘I’m in charge here.’

“N-not to run,” you stammered out. You were shaking, but it wasn't because you were cold.

“Run from whom, sweetie? Be specific,” he chided softly. His hands moved to your hair, soaking it with a cup and gently starting to wash it.

You took a breath in but it did nothing to steady your nerves. “Not to run f-from my… my owner,” you mumbled.

“Good kitten,” he praised lovingly, leaning over to give your soapy forehead a kiss. “And why is that?”

“Because you will always find me.”

“Because I will always find you.”

The way he repeated your words in that tone made you shut your eyes and clench your hands tighter under the water. He resumed humming, seemingly disinterested in talking anymore, and continued to bathe you.

Once he was done, he began draining the water and helped you out of the tub. Sylus wrapped one of his large and plush bath towels around your frame and easily lifted you up in his arms, beginning to walk back to his bedroom.

“Now, my sweet obedient kitten, let's have a talk about how you're going to apologize to me.”

Hide and Seek: A yandere Sylus Fic

A Yan!Sylus x reader fic.

Cw: Kiddnaping, forced entrapment

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???: Kitten~

???: Where did you go? Have you found yourself in trouble, yet again?

His voice is a soft purr and you can hear the crunch of footsteps approaching. 

You cover your mouth, trying to catch your breath while remaining hidden, actively avoiding jostling the bell attached to the collar fastened to your neck.

You would've removed it, but you need a special key in order to do so.

Of course that's what Sylus intended.

He never wanted his precious little “kitten” getting out and escaping.

You close your eyes, tears pricking at the corners.

Don't let him find me. Don't let him find me.

Sylus: It's dangerous outside, especially in the N109 Zone. 

Sylus: Just come back home with me and I'll keep you safe and protected. 

You shift, tensing up as you hear him approaching, your heart slamming against your rib cage. 

This backwards alleyway can only keep you concealed for so long. 

Sylus no doubt knows you didn't get very far considering as soon as you managed to break out of his property, he gave chase, alerted by that damned crow of his.

You don't see mephisto, but you hear the flap of mechanical wings.

He's no doubt scouting the area, searching for your location in order to give Sylus your whereabouts.

This entire area is full of surveillance. 

You're like a trapped animal.

His pet “kitten.”

???: We shouldn't play hide and seek in such a terrible place, sweetie. 

The purr on his lips turns visceral and you can tell he's starting to get agitated by your lack of compliance. 

You hear his footsteps pause just outside the open mouth of the alleyway you're heading in and your body starts to tremble, praying that he won't investigate further.

I'm not here. I'm not here. 

???: You're no longer a street cat, but have you returned to your old habits?

He's coming closer.

Your worst fears have come true, Sylus never one to leave any stone unturned. 

Go away.

But he doesn't listen.

Crunch.

Crunch.

Crunch.

His footsteps are so close you feel like you can almost hear his breathing and you clench your jaw shut so your teeth don't rattle or capture his attention.

Sylus: Oh, kitten. Did you really think you could escape from me?

There's a sudden bang and your breath hitches.

Light peers in through the dumpster and you remain as still as possible, hoping that your camouflage works, your body submerged under a few trash bags.

It smells disgusting here, like rotten banana peels and spoiled milk. 

You see Sylus wrinkle his nose in disgust. 

He slams the lid back shut and you hear the retreat of footsteps echoing as he continues his search elsewhere. 

Did he really leave? Did he not notice me?

Maybe the stench also did you a favor in causing him not to linger, but you wait a few more minutes, allowing them to pass by while you try to drum up your next plan of action.

When you think the coast is clear, you sit up and peek out from underneath the lid.

He's gone.

Breathing a sigh of relief you climb out and pluck some pieces of garbage off your shoulder as you slip towards the opening of the alleyway. 

You peer around the corner.

Good. He's nowhere in sight. Now if I can just—

A wrist grabs yours and you're hauled backwards, your heart lodging in your throat as you're pulled against a hard chest, a cuff link appearing around that same wrist as your evol tangles with that of another. 

You: No!

You're voice is a scream and you try fighting but the arm around your waist is like a band of steel.

You tilt your head back, your entire body shaking as crimson eyes stare down at you, a smug grin tugging at the white haired man's lips. 

Sylus: Found you, kitten~. 

[taddymason]

Face to Face

[fahye]

novella announcement: Cinder House

CINDER HOUSE: a Cinderella retelling, a ghost story, a queer romance (of course), a novella. Coming to you in October next year.

US preorder links here, others to come!

Alt text for the book copy below the cut:

Ella is a haunting.

Murdered at sixteen, her ghost is furiously trapped in her father's house, invisible to everyone except her stepmother and stepsisters.

Even when she discovers how to untether herself from her prison, there are limits. She cannot be seen or heard by the living people who surround her. Her family must never learn she is able to leave. And at the stroke of every midnight, she finds herself back on the staircase where she died.

Until she forges a wary friendship with a fairy charm-seller, and makes a bargain for three nights of almost-living freedom. Freedom that means she can finally be seen. Danced with. Touched.

You think you know Ella's story: the ball, the magical shoes, the handsome prince.

You're halfway right, and all-the-way wrong.

[misstrashchan]

I know people have picked up on the board game scene in RWBY V2 Episode 2 (Welcome to Beacon) as foreshadowing the events of the show, but for funsies I want to take a stab at how it foreshadows the general arcs of each four kingdoms myself.

So we have Blake playing as the Kingdom of Vale, and she's completely unaware of the events of the game unfolding and not really paying attention, clearly distracted.

"Alright Blake, it's your turn!"

"Huh? Sorry, what am I doing?"

"You're playing as Vale, trying to conquer the four kingdoms of Remnant!"

"...Right."

The Vale arc is the first three volumes of RWBY, where all our protagonists are at Beacon, but during that time, much like Blake during the game, they're unaware of the larger conflict with Salem, and aren't actively participating in the war at that point. They are ignorant and reactive instead of active. However it's ironic that Blake plays as Vale, since the reason she's not paying attention to the game and seems distracted is because, out of all the main characters in the Vale arc, she is the one most concerned about being kept in the dark and that they're ignorant as to what's really going on.

Blake: I just, I don't understand how everyone can be so calm.

Ruby: (approaching Blake) You're still thinking about Torchwick?

Blake: Torchwick, the White Fang, all of it! Something big is happening and no one is doing anything about it!

She also leaves the game during her turn, much like how she runs away after the FoB and the end of the Vale arc.

"Right. Well, I think I'm done playing, actually"

Yang is playing as Mistral, and she's the most savvy and knowledgeable (hah) player, winning many rounds of the game, teaching Weiss how to play, and has the other players falling into her trap cards.

"Heh, pretty sneaky sis, but you just activated my trap card!"

There's two ways this can be interpreted, with how the Mistral arc (volumes 4-6) is when our protagonists start to gather more knowledge and awarenesses of themselves and the world. It's also in Mistral that our heroes have their most decisive victory so far. It's fitting to have Yang playing as Mistral then, since during the Mistral arc she's the one who who learns from Tai to fight smarter, and to question the authority figures around her from Raven, and after confronting her in the vault is the one who retrives the relic of knowledge.

But, most of the losses our heroes experience are because of Cinder, who is from Mistral, and them falling into her own "trap cards" with the Fall of Beacon being orchestrated by her, killing Pyrrha and Ozpin. And in Atlas the same, with her manipulating Ironwood, undermining the heroes plans to evacuate everyone from Atlas, and killing Penny. She often finds ways to trick and exploit others, and is most dangerous when overlooked and underestimated, like falling into a trap.

Which brings me to Ruby playing as Atlas, where Ruby and Yang have this exchange after Yang's trap card is activated by Ruby:

"Giant Nevermore! If I roll a seven or higher, fatal feathers will slice your fleet in two!

"But! If you roll lower a six or lower, the Nevermore will turn on your own forces!"

"That's just a chance I'm willing to take"

In the Atlas arc (volumes 7-9) the theme of trust and taking risks is very prevalent. Like the move Yang makes in the game it is a risky one, that could end badly for her, but it is one worth taking nonetheless. They take the risk of trusting Ironwood but he ends up turning on our heroes. Oscar takes a risk trusting Hazel and Ozpin, as well as Emerald later on being accepted into their group, and it ends up working out for them. Ruby takes a risky chance in sending a message out to all of Remnant and evacuating Atlas, which saves a lot of people, but they still lose some, including Penny, a dear friend of Ruby's.

"Noooooo! My fearless soldiers!"

"Eh, most of them were probably androids anyways"

"Goodbye my friends... you will be avenged!"

Ruby acts distraught when losing her turn in the game as Atlas, expressing anguish over losing her friends who are described as androids by Yang, just like how Ruby is incredibly depressed and broken after the Fall of Atlas in V9, mourning the loss of Penny, who was both a sentient android and Ruby's friend. (I do wonder if Ruby's comment on avenging her friends might be foreshadowing for her wanting to avenge Penny's death in the future, like how Jaune tried to 1v1 Cinder in V5 to avenge Pyrrha, but I think it's too soon to say)

As a sidenote the fact it is a Nevemore in this turn that has a chance of turning on Yang or helping her is interesting, as it puts me in mind of two characters who can turn into ravens/crows, like the bird and poem Nevermore is associated with. It could pertain to Raven, someone who turns on Yang in v5 during the battle of Haven, but appears to help her and her friends in the V9 epilogue. It could also be about Qrow and his semblance, since during the Atlas arc it begins to evolve so that it is not simply a bad luck semblance, but one that can generate good luck too. In other words he can affect whether the chances are in people's favour or not.

After defeating Ruby (Atlas) Yang says this:

Yang: Not until I draw my rewards! Which are double this round thanks to the Mistral Trade Route!

Ruby: Bah!

Yang: Oh, and what's this? The Smugglers of Wind Path?

Ruby: Bah! Bah, I say!

Yang: I say, it looks like I'm taking two cards in my hand!

After the Fall of Atlas Cinder retrives not one but two relics for Salem, and with Atlas falling into Mantle, two kingdoms are destroyed in one fell swoop.

Then it's Weiss's turn. Weiss is playing as Vacuo, but has no idea how to play the game. Yang takes it upon herself to teach Weiss how to play and what she can do to win the game:

Yang: Well, Weiss, it's your turn.

Weiss: I have... absolutely no idea what's going on.

Yang: (Yang slides up beside her and puts her hand on her shoulder.) Look, it's easy! You're playing as Vacuo which means that all Vacuo-based cards come with a bonus.

Weiss: That sounds dumb.

Yang: See, you've got Sandstorm, Desert Scavenge... Oh, oh! (She pulls up a card to show Weiss.) Resourceful Raider! See, now you can take Ruby's discarded Air Fleet—

Ruby: (crying) Nooo!

Yang: —and put it in your hand!

We know from the end of V9 that what remains of the airfleet of Atlas, as well as the airfleet of Mistral and Vale, have all flocked to Vacuo's defence. What remains of the kingdom of Atlas, the airfleet, but most importantly the people, have now fled to Vacuo and are trying to make a home there.

Yang continues to give Weiss advice on how to win the game to Weiss, building her up, until Weiss starts to get arrogant, believing she's going to win the whole game and is the one in control:

Yang: And since Vacuo warriors have an endurance against Natural-based hazards, you can use Sandstorm to disable my ground forces and simultaneously infiltrate my kingdom! (Yang points a finger at Weiss.) Just know that I will not forget this declaration of war.

Weiss: And that means...

Ruby: You're just three moves away from conquering Remnant!

But then Yang turns on Weiss, activating her trap card, and Vacuo loses.

Since this is may be foreshadowing for the Vacuo arc that we haven't seen yet, I can only speculate what this might mean.

...But judging from the V9 extended epilogue and the books, my best guess would be that if Yang/Mistral is meant to be in part Cinder/Salem and their forces, then Weiss as Vacuo is in part the Crown. In the extended epilogue Jax and Gillian appear to be recieving help from Tyrian and Mercury, meaning Salem has decided to recruit them to her cause.

The Crown wants to restore the Vacuoan monarchy and detest outsiders, especially Atlesians. They do however wish to protect Vacuo from the same forces that destroyed Beacon, aka Salem, and so they are likely going to be manipulated like Weiss is by Yang in the game, being offered aid and giving them advice on how they can win and achieve their objectives, making them believe they can "conquer Remnant", only for them to realise later they were being tricked and used.

"Once again, Vacuo had been isolated from the conflict raging throughout Remnant—only this time it was an opportunity. With the global CCT network disabled, Vale in ruin, Haven leaderless, and Atlas closed off, Vacuo was theirs for the taking. This was likely their last, best chance for a generation. And it was their only hope to defend Vacuo against whomever had been targeting the other kingdoms. In likelihood they had written off Vacuo, like everyone else did, but if they tried to move against the Crown, they would have an unpleasant surprise.

Vacuo wouldn't break this time around."

Weiss: (Weiss stands and a thunder clap accompanies Weiss' overjoyed psychotic laughter.) Y-yes! Fear the almighty power of my forces! Cower as they pillage your homes and weep as they take your children from your very arms!

Yang: Trap card... (Yang's arm appears holding the card.)

Weiss: Huh?

Yang: (Yang shuffles the pieces on the board, Weiss' pieces disappearing in a puff of smoke.) Your armies have been destroyed.

Weiss: (Weiss slumps in her chair, cries and whines.) I hate this game of emotions we play!

Weiss as Vacuo may lose to Yang after realising they've been tricked, but is offered comfort afterwards by Ruby who relates to her losses and empathises with her, which is interesting since Ruby plays as Atlas. So I'm predicting at the end of the Vacuo arc they'll experience somewhat of a loss, whether that's the Crown, our heroes, or likely both, but Atlas will give support to Vacuo and the two kingdoms will come together to heal and ultimately work together, making steps to overcome their tense history with one another.

"Stay strong Weiss we'll make it through this together!"

"Shut up, don't touch me! "

...Which does make Weiss specifically playing as Vacuo especially intriguing, as she is the SDC heiress from Atlas, and Vacuo is a kingdom that has suffered the most in being exploited and colonized for it's natural resources by Atlas. From the epilogue it seems like the Schnees are being confronted directly with all the harm that has been caused by their family and kingdom, so I wouldn't be surprised if Weiss recieves a certain amount of focus during the Vacuo arc in deciding what her legacy as an Atlesian and heiress to the Schnee name will be. Moving forward to make amends, maybe inspiring the citizens of Atlas/Mantle to come together with Vacuo so they can all help and support one another, instead of isolating themselves and suffering alone.

Jaune offers to plays Weiss's hand for a turn also, with Weiss refusing:

Jaune: (Begging with both hands folded together.) Come on, let me play your hand for a turn!

Weiss: I'm not trusting you with the good citizens of Vacuo!

Which is reminiscent of how Vacuo is mistrustful of outsiders, as we've seen in After the Fall and Before the Dawn books.

Yang follows up to say that Weiss attacked her own forces, which could reference the infighting in Vacuo, especially with the Crown.

Weiss: Besides, this game requires a certain level of tactical cunning that I seriously doubt that you possess.

Yang: Uhh, you attacked your own naval fleet two turns ago. (Weiss makes an annoyed sound.)

Overall Weiss as Vacuo recieves the most help as any player during their turn, being taught how to play by Yang, offered comfort by Ruby after losing, and Jaune wanting to help her by playing her hand for a turn. This seems to fit with both how all kingdoms have flocked to Vacuo's aid in response to Ruby's message, but also Weiss as a character, who starts out "the loneliest of them all" but gradually opens up and warms up to other people. The crux of her arc being looking outside herself and at the people around her, relating to their struggles and coming to support them and being supported by them leads to her better understanding herself and becoming stronger for it... Which is kind of what the Kingdom of Vacuo needs to learn too!

Following this is Blake's turn as Vale, which I covered at the start of this post, but that's not the end of Vale's turn. We don't actually see it, but we know the aftermath of the game is this:

Yang: Ugh, we should have never let him play!

Ruby: You're just mad cuz' the new guy beat you!

Blake leaves the game during her turn as Vale, and presumably the "new guy" which is likely Neptune, who they'd just been introduced too, takes over her hand as Vale and wins the game of Remnant overall, even beating Yang and her trap cards. This is likely the endgame of RWBY itself, our heroes return to Vale after the Vacuo arc during the last volume for the final stand, where they win.

How and what that victory will look like I don't know, as we don't see the last turn of the game, so yet again this is even more vaguer speculation. Neptune doesn't really have much plot significance so I can't think there's any meaning to that except that he's a minor foil to Jaune, and the line of it being "a new guy" that wins, so maybe someone who recently joins our heroes side in the final act of the story, possibly Mercury or Cinder.

[indycinders]

REPOST I POSTED TO THE WRONG BLOG HAHAH

*sees this*

...

*SIGHS*

══⋆★⋆ ════════ ⋆★⋆ ════════ ⋆★⋆ ════════ ⋆★⋆ ══

Outlaw!Harper belongs to @campwillowpeak

Bounty Hunter!Cyprian belongs to me~

No CW :: SFW :: 1,311 words

Title: Toe the Line

══⋆★⋆ ════════ ⋆★⋆ ════════ ⋆★⋆ ════════ ⋆★⋆ ══

The hot sun of mid-morning beat down as Cyprian urged his stallion, Quicksilver, to continue on. He’d been on the hunt all night since he’d received a tip from one of his favorite drunkards at Emerald Gorge’s saloon. The horse slowed its pace as it trotted up the incline of the canyon.

“Whoa,” Cyprian pulled back on the reins just enough for Quicksilver to stop. The dappled Appaloosa kicked at the ground as he dismounted.

Cyprian walked up to the edge, pulling out his binoculars and crawled forward, keeping low. He put them over his eyes, peering through them. There was a gentle breeze kicking up loose red dirt, causing small clouds to obscure his vision. But then he saw the white smoke of a late night campfire dying out. There was a bedroll, and the familiar golden Dutch Warmblood.

Only such a large horse would be able to carry a man like Harper.

Cyprian grinned, shuffling backwards until he was out of sight and then he stood up. He walked over to his horse and pulled a carrot out of the saddlebag, feeding it to him. “Stay up here, boy, okay? I’ll whistle for you.”

The horse blew air through its nose in response and chewed the carrot. Cyprian turned and looked for a way down the canyon. It wasn’t too far of a way to go, but it still took some time to make his way down a narrow path while trying to be quiet.

Once he was down on the ground and approaching the camp, he realized that the bedroll on the ground was empty. He looked around for the horse and didn’t see it either. Just as an uneasy feeling settled in his chest and he moved his hand to his hip where his revolver was, he heard that familiar voice from behind him.

“Lookin’ for me, Caro Mio?”

Cyprian whipped around, almost losing his hat in the process. There, atop the large horse was the tall frame of the infamous outlaw, Harper. Wanted in seven states for arson and bank robberies.

The black-haired main grinned, flashing sharp teeth down at the other. “Miss me that badly, eh?”

The Dutch Warmblood snorted and kicked up dirt, causing Cyprian to take an uncertain step back. He drew his revolver and pointed it at Harper.

“Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Harper,” Cyprian warned.

“What if I want it hard?” the outlaw winked and grinned again.

Cyprian’s thumb pulled back the hammer on the gun. “I’m serious! Get off the horse and surrender now.”

“Oh, Caro Mio, I am serious, too.” Harper’s boots touched the flank of the horse softly and it started walking in a wide arc around Cyprian, who turned with it, keeping his gun steady and aimed on Harper. “But I can’t allow myself to be hanged. I’m having too much fun.”

“Harper…”

The outlaw winked at him again before quickly tapping the horse and taking off. Cyprian cursed under his breath and holstered his gun, putting two fingers in his mouth and whistling for Quicksilver. His horse found its own way down and Cyprian jumped on, spurring it forward to chase after Harper.

The Appaloosa was faster than the Warmblood, being a smaller and more agile horse. Plus with the way Cyprian had trained him from a foal, it was used to these chases. Once he saw Harper some twenty odd yards ahead of him, he kept a steady pace behind him.

When they started nearing the long train bridge, he saw Harper hop off the horse and send it away. Cyprian, wary of the sudden change in the man, slowed to a trot before hopping off his horse as well. Quicksilver stayed behind, kicking the ground, amped up from the chase.

He put his hand on his revolver again as he approached the outlaw, who was standing a few yards away from the railroad tracks, staring down at the river below the bridge. “You screwed yourself, Harper. Come on, now, don’t be stupid.”

The man didn’t move, just glanced over his shoulder.

“You jump from that height, you’ll die. You know that.” Cyprian called as he inched forward.

“Are you worried about me, Caro Mio?” Harper asked. He extended his arms out at his sides, as if he were spreading long wings.

Cyprian’s heart pounded in his throat and as Harper leaned forward, he jumped and grabbed onto the back of the man’s jacket, pulling him away from the ledge. They tumbled backward into the dirt. In the distance, there was a train whistle.

Cyprian scrambled around, trying to get a hold on Harper’s wrists in the ensuing scuffle. However, he somehow ended up on his back, staring up at the outlaw, with his wrists pinned behind his head. Harper laughed softly, leaning down to whisper in his ear, “I’m still gettin’ the best of you, Caro Mio.”

“Fuck you, Harper.”

“Is that an offer?”

“Get off me!”

He complied and let go of Cyprian’s wrists, standing up and brushing the dust off his pants and coat. As the blue-haired man stood up as well, he could see a train approaching. Cyprian went to grab his hat off the ground but Harper beat him to it.

Clenching his jaw, he said, “Give it back.”

“Or what?” Harper teased. “You’ll shoot me?”

Cyprian put his hand on his hip and realized his gun was missing. When he looked back at the man taller than him by a few inches, he saw him twirling the damned thing around one of his long fingers. “You know, for a bounty hunter, you’re not that observant,” Harper chuckled.

“So, what happens now?” Cyprian asked, sighing. He glanced at the train behind Harper. “You’re expecting me to just let you go?”

Harper’s deep blue eyes flashed in excitement. “I have a better offer, actually.”

“What’s that?”

“Come with me.”

Cyprian’s resounding laugh was more like a bark full of bitterness. “Ha!”

“You hurt me, Cyprian,” Harper pouted. “Is it that bad of a proposition?”

“I’ve been chasing you for years, now, Harper. What makes you think that I want to join you?” Cyprian asked, his voice filled with venom. Harper took a few steps forward, Cyprian’s hat in one hand and his gun in the other. “In all these years, all these attempts I’ve given you, not once have you had the guts to go through with it.”

He was standing so close now, their chests were almost touching. Cyprian could feel Harper’s breath on his face while he spoke. “Why is that, Caro Mio?”

“I-I—“ Cyprian struggled to make a coherent sentence.

The hand with his hat raised up and placed it back on his head, tilting it back. Without warning, Cyprian felt Harper’s mouth meet his in a startlingly deep kiss. He found his hands reaching up to grab his jacket, but instead of pulling away, he pulled him closer. He felt Harper smile against his lips.

Suddenly Harper pulled away. His hand had untied the red bandana from around Cyprian’s neck and he clutched it in his hand. “I’ll return it when you find me again, Caro Mio. Take care.”

Cyprian watched stunned as Harper continued walking backwards towards the tracks. The train was so close now, almost off the bridge. Cyprian shouted and almost jumped forward as Harper raised a hand and grabbed onto one of the car handles and hopped on.

In a flash, he was gone. Cyprian stared as the tall man waved his bandana at him like a taunting flag. He reached up and covered his mouth, remembering the feel of his lips. His hand brushed his hips and he noticed that Harper had returned his gun as well.

“That son of a bitch,” Cyprian sighed and watched until the train disappeared. Then he whistled for Quicksilver and started trotting after it.

OK BUT WHAT IF

WHAT IF

HARPER IS THE OUTLAW AND CM IS THE BOUNTY HUNTER??

[chemicalcindercat]

Tim follows Bruce's rules perfectly. In this way, perhaps, he can be better than his predecessors. He knows from observation that Jason liked to ignore the rules and argue with Bruce, and he can guess from what he knows about Dick that he was the same. Tim can’t afford to ask questions, or argue with Bruce, or break the rules. He has to be perfect. Too much is riding on it. If he messes this up and gets Robin taken away from him, he doesn’t know what will happen to Bruce. If he’ll slip back into his old ways and walk along the edge between life and death.

Because the thing is, Bruce is getting better. He’s not the same Batman he used to be; he buried a piece of himself six feet under with Jason’s body, and Tim doesn’t think he’ll ever get it back. Still, Bruce’s decisions in the field become more logical, and he can recognize when to go home and tend to his wounds now. He even invites Tim to stay for dinner after patrol once, but Tim knows a courtesy invite when he sees one, and politely declines. 

Outside of the suit, Bruce keeps himself at a distance at all times, and Tim is grateful for it. It certainly makes it easier to remember that this is nothing more than a business partnership. 

Dick is a little harder to keep away from. The older boy has a way of making Tim feel relaxed and safe around him that he’s never experienced before. Dick’s smiles make him feel warm inside, and Tim knows that the laid-back personality and dad jokes are a front that he puts on, yet he still can’t help but look forward to Dick’s visits to Gotham. He almost feels like an older brother, but Tim scratches that thought out of his brain the second it crosses his mind.

He realizes abruptly that he’s gotten too comfortable with Dick, and forces himself to withdraw. He keeps an eye out for the little things that tell what Dick is really feeling, like the flash of sadness in his gaze that he quickly hides whenever Tim does something that reminds him a little too much of his lost baby brother, or the way he freezes up any time he has physical contact with Tim while he’s in the Robin suit, or how he holds his breath for a fracture of a second whenever Tim is even slightly in danger. Tim learns to look for these signs, and holds them like barbs around his heart to prevent himself from overstepping.

Surprisingly, Tim finds it the hardest to keep himself from growing attached to Alfred. The butler is more compassionate than Tim ever could have expected, and it gets increasingly harder to keep him at a distance. He’s kind, and caring, and says exactly what’s on his mind (it’s very amusing to witness him put Bruce in his place and stay perfectly polite while doing so).

Tim pretends not to notice the way Alfred checks him for injuries after every patrol (with a med-kit waiting just in case), and sneaks extra protein bars into the various pockets of his suit whenever Tim gets low, and always has a steaming mug of the best hot cocoa in the world waiting after the particularly grueling patrols. Tim knows better than to accept Bruce’s pity-invites to dinner, but he’d never waste a mug of Alfred’s hot cocoa. (As long as he drinks it quickly he’s not overstaying his welcome, he justifies it to himself.) He ignores the sad looks Alfred gives him when Tim makes excuses to rush home straight after patrol rather than hanging out, or when he easily brushes off the older man’s concerns regarding his dark eye-bags and alarming coffee intake.

He keeps them at a distance at all times. They don’t want you, he tells himself, they need you. And that’s enough. It has to be. He can’t get attached to them because he doesn’t deserve to have a relationship with any of them; he hasn’t earned it. And if (when) being Robin gets him killed, they won’t be hindered by the inconvenience. 

Tim knows he isn’t the best option for Robin, and some days that fact looms over his head more than others. He isn’t even a good Robin, anyone would have been better than Tim. He’s still actively fighting against brain fog every day, and he has to write things down constantly so that he won’t forget them, and sometimes at 3:00AM when he’s trying to finish his case notes and on his fourth coffee the sleep deprivation and migraines just feel like too much.

When it gets really bad, he reminds himself that nobody else stepped up. 

He might not be a good Robin, but he’s the only Robin that Gotham has right now.

So he sucks it up and finishes his case notes. He ignores the headaches and exhaustion and goes to school the next day anyways. He doesn’t bother Bruce or Alfred with the minor injuries that come from patrol. He stitches himself up at home and tries not to get blood on his mother’s expensive rugs. 

When it feels like too much, he keeps going, because there is no other option.

[Excerpt from chapter two of Blue Pills and Scattered Dreams.]

[obligatoryjauneblog]

MK Intros: Arcfall / RK!Jaune v. Cinder

RK!Jaune: Cinder...

Cinder: Ah yes... you... And you are?

RK!Jaune: Your judgement.

-

RK!Jaune: A lifetime with nothing to do but imagine the ways I would kill you.

Cinder: Careful now, you sound like you belong on my side.

RK!Jaune: I do what needs to be done.

-

RK!Jaune: Is this the Ever After playing it's tricks on me again?

Cinder: I assure you, you schizophrenic, I'm real.

RK!Jaune: Good.

- Bonus -

Jaune: So, loser gets to top?

Cinder: As always

Jaune: Just promise not to lose on purpose this time.

[pilot-boi]

So I know this is probably a really out of date question.

What are your headcanons for Jinder after they get out of the ever after?

If you already did this, sorry, and disregard

AFTER Jinder gets out of the Ever After?

Well first of all, we need to establish what happens to them IN the Ever After. And heads up, this REALLY really got away from me

Jaune and Cinder’s souls never mesh, even when trapped in one body for decades. They each hate themselves and each other too much to truly sync (which then rebounds back on itself and makes it all worse)

Jaune hates Cinder and himself for killing Penny, for killing Pyrrha. Cinder hates Jaune for trapping her here, for helping Winter steal the powers, for getting in her way. They hate each other, and they hate themselves. With that much bad energy trapped in “one” head, it’s really a wonder they dont destroy themselves long before RWBY lands

The worst part, for Cinder, is the sorrow she can feel from Jaune’s ocean of a soul. Not for himself, for her. Even though she can feel his hatred, she can also feel how his soul can’t help but try to heal her

The worst part, for Jaune, is the terror he can feel from Cinder’s tattered remains of a soul. Terror at being trapped, and worst of all terror at the lack of control she has in this situation (The Grimm arm is missing. Will it come back if they unfuse? Can her soul handle the strain of that?) Even though he can feel her rage, he can also feel that Cinder has been terrified every day of her life

So they never truly mesh. Jaune’s soul keeps her trapped to protect the Afterans (and to protect her) Cinder’s soul clings to his to harness his Aura (and to protect herself)

Phenomal power, more Aura than any person to walk Remnant and nitro boosted Maiden powers on top of that. But their minds are fractured. Two souls were never meant to be trapped together for this long. The Wildfire Knight is truly a volatile force

Mentally, Jaune and Cinder actually come to an accords of sorts (twenty years of absorbing the thoughts and fears of another person will do that). The stepping stone for them for not battling in their minds constantly was their realization that they both want the same thing: To leave the Ever After

And eventually they do. There’s shenanigans along the way (I can’t recap all of V9 in this post, it would take too long)

When Ruby runs, Jinder is the first to find her

Their anger compounded against itself and they screamed at their friend-nemesis. Jaune’s guilt makes them stand, Cinder’s determination makes them move. The Maiden powers speed them after Weiss Schnee (Why did she stay? Why does she care?) They reach her, pass her, and dive into a dilapidated mansion

(Why did they dive between the Cat’s claws and Ruby’s unprotected chest? Why did they curl around the girl’s battered, screaming form and shield them from the Mad Hatter’s onslaught? Why didn’t they move faster? Why did they care? Why did it take this long to do something right with their life?)

Jinder finds themself standing in front of the Blacksmith

A Young Explorer left her knife for them. A shining blade to cut through the rusted chains binding two souls together. And for the first time in decades, Jaune and Cinder are alone in their heads

It’s not ascension. Not really. It’s more like rebirth

Jaune got to be the hero he wanted to be, but realized that he ran from the person he wanted to be along the way. Cinder got to be strong as she wanted to be, but realized that she was blinded by fear along the way

Jaune chooses to love. Cinder chooses to hope

When they open their eyes, they’re both as they remember before falling into the Ever After plus a few changes

Jaune has white streaks in his hair, and his leg is now missing as Jinder’s was. A humming white and gold prosthetic attaches in its place, melding so seamlessly that he can’t tell where flesh ends and synthetics begin. He can feel the fabric of his jeans, the pressure of his boots, even the warmth of his socks. He doesn’t know why he’s surprised. The Blacksmith forges people, a false leg must be easy as breathing to her

Cinder has hair streaks of her own, and she definitely doesn’t choke up when she sees that the Grimm arm is gone, she’s free. Wait, but something is different. She blinks, waves a hand in front of her face, blinks again, moves her head back and forth, and only then realizes that she has both eyes. A smooth glowing orb like a coal sits in her eye socket, surrounded by scar tissue like a starburst

They appear beside the Blacksmith’s forge together. Separate, but together. Yang, Blake, and Weiss are all immediately on guard when Cinder appears, but Ruby seems strangely at ease

Of course. She’s the only one among them who knows how liberating this feels

They’re apart now. They no longer feel another presence in their heads. They no longer feel a weight draining their soul, crushing their minds

Jaune and the others gather in front of the portal, and Weiss takes Jaune’s hand, interlocking their fingers and smiling up at him. Cinder rolls her eyes when he starts to cry and wraps the heiress in a hug. If there’s been one constant, it has been Jaune’s over emotionality

What she doesn’t expect is for Weiss to offer her other hand to Cinder, in a way that’s clear this is no accident, this is a deliberate decision. A snowflake trusting a fire not to burn it

Schnee’s blue eyes are ice cold, but somehow they’re warmer than Salem’s fire-red ones have ever been. She’s shorter than Cinder, slight, small, but somehow she’s a rock to the knight clutching her hand. Cinder remembers how easy it was to skewer her like a butterfly to a board. She also remembers how Jaune felt watching that happen.

Jaune is still holding the heiress’s other hand, and for once Cinder doesn’t scoff at the open expression on his face. He trusts her. He trusts her. Somehow, despite everything, despite the pain she’s brought him that she can still feel in the recesses of her mind, Jaune Arc trusts her

And Jaune Arc trusts Weiss Schnee. And Cinder lets the hope she chose guide her decision. She will not let fear take any more of her than it already has

Cinder takes Weiss’s hand, her real human hand touching another person for the first time in decades. Weiss’s face is impassive, but she seems proud, somehow. A first step. Why does she feel like she’s lighter than air?

The portal blazes in front of them.

Jaune and Cinder stand separated, apart, but held together. They’re really here. They never dared to believe it would happen, even as they fought day and night to get here

They’re finally going home. To love and hope, and fight and die. But that’s what being human is. And somehow, despite falling through worlds and fractured minds, they might actually get a chance to do the one thing they both agreed upon

Jaune and Cinder will live

[indycinders]

Flightless

Well I wrote another fic BAHA o(-( Caleb's taken over my mind. Think I might make this canon towards Cinders' story since it's pretty mild uwu

Themes: Jealousy, Longing

WC: 920 :: CW: None

LADS Master List

Caleb finally got back to his dorm room and sat down on his bed, leaning over to start taking off his boots. He had his cellphone trapped between his ear and shoulder, listening to the dial tone ringing. After a few more rings than usual, he finally heard the voice he'd been missing for the last few days.

“Mm, hello?” Cinders’ voice sounded adorably sleepy and he could hear shifting on her side of the call. The rustling of fabric as she moved around in bed made him smile.

“Hey, pipsqueak,” he said softly, his usual boisterous tone mellowed out since he obviously woke her up. “Sorry for the late call. Did I wake you?”

“Yeah but it's okay!” Cinders said quickly, as if wanting to reassure him. “I tried to stay up and wait… but I guess I fell asleep.”

He chuckled as he removed one boot and worked on the lacing of the other. “Wouldn't be the first time. I got in a little late from training. Anyway, how was your night? It was senior prom, right? Did what's-his-face treat you well?”

He heard her snort and shift around some more. He could just imagine her rubbing her eyes and trying to wake up to talk to him. “You mean Trevor? I guess Granny didn't tell you. He bailed on me.”

Caleb stopped in the middle of pulling off his other boot, his heart sinking to his stomach. She had been stood up? And he wasn't there to comfort her, or to even take her to the dance himself. “Well, shit,” he scoffed. “I'm sorry, Kitty. Are you okay? Do I need to kick his ass when I come home next weekend?”

Hearing her laugh made him feel a tiny bit better. “No, no. It's not his fault, he was super sick. And I'm fine,” she explained, her voice sounding pretty normal.

Usually he could tell when ‘fine’ meant ‘definitely not okay’ but this time was harder than usual. “Did you just stay home with Gran, then?” he asked, standing up and beginning to pull off his flight jumpsuit.

“No, I still went. Remember Zayne? He was in town and stopped by for a visit and Granny told him about it,” she told him, and he could hear her moving around again. “He offered to take me since he's in town for a few days before going back to his school.”

“You had Zayne take you?” Caleb felt that familiar twist in his stomach, the feeling of jealousy flaring up inside like a rusted knife.

“Yeah,” she laughed a little. “It was kind of awkward but we had fun. Everyone was jealous that a college boy was dancing with me.”

The rest of his training clothes was practically torn off his body as his irritation built up. “I see,” he struggled to keep his tone neutral. “You had fun, though?”

“Yeah! He took me out for ice cream after the dance. Did you know he had such a sweet tooth?” she giggled and he clenched his fist at his side.

“Do you like him?” he demanded. Caleb winced, cursing himself. Why did he have to be like this? She was allowed to date whoever she wanted.

He didn't feel this way when she mentioned going with Trevor. Was it Zayne? Or the fact that he was older than her? He ran a hand through his hair.

Cinders shifted again on the other side. “Yeah, of course. You like him, too. We were all friends, remember? You two just had to go and grow up and leave me.”

She was joking but her words sliced through him. “Yeah, I guess,” he sighed. He decided not to push it. “Next time, will you call me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Whenever you need someone for something. I don't care what it is. Someone to watch movies with, someone to dance with, someone to take you to an appointment,” Caleb sat on his bed again, clutching the apple pendant around his neck. “I want to be the first person you think of when you need someone.”

He knew he was laying it on pretty thick, but he didn't care. He was lonely, and he missed her. She was graduating in a few weeks and he couldn't even be there to fill in for the dance like he should have been.

“Oh,” she said, sounding surprised. He could picture her cute face blushing at the blunt way he said that. “Yeah, I'll call.” Her tone had softened and he closed his eyes.

“... I'm glad you had fun, even if it didn't go how you wanted,” he said. “I'm sorry I wasn't there.”

“Cal, you don't need to apologize for something like that,” her voice was amused with a hint of fondness. “But thank you. How was your night? You got back late, so I bet it was busy?”

Caleb took a deep breath, feeling that green-eyed monster inside of him go back into hiding. He laid back on his bed, keeping his eyes closed and imagining she was lying next to him, looking at him with those pretty mismatched eyes of hers. “Yeah, it was a little hectic,” he said.

Even if he couldn't be there for things like a senior dance, he found solace in the fact that even someone like Zayne couldn't just call Cinders at midnight and talk for hours about anything and everything. He stroked the pendant with his thumb as they fell into their usual banter and conversation.

[the-elegant-necromancer]

Who says magic has rules? Part 2

Part 1 here

Cinder finds herself in a plain white space all alone.

Cinder: Hello? Where am I? Did I actually die?

Phyrra: Hello again

Cinder: What! But, oh Im really dead this time?

Phyrra: Not exactly, I mean you're close. Its nice to see you.

Cinder: What? So if Im not dead why the hell am I seeing you?

Phyrra: Well its complicated. You took the maiden powers when you weren't supposed to. so there are some bits left over.

Cinder: Bits what bits?

Phyrra: Well me for starters

Cinder: So if Im not dead then what the hell! I can't just stay here, he's out there trying to heal me and its going to get him killed!

Phyrra: Calm down, time moves different here.

Cinder: Don't you tell me to be calm, that fool is going to get himself killed over me and I will NOT allow that!

Phyrra: Well that answers a few of my questions. *starts laugh warmly*

Cinder: What questions! What are you talking about.

Phyrra: Take good care of him for me okay? Oh and you're going to have to teach him how to use the maiden powers... or hm, what should we call it?

Cinder: Wait, so, I was right? *Smugly smiling*

Phyrra: Eh... fifty-fifty

Cinder: Wait what does THAT mean? Stop being so vague!

Phyrra: Sorry, thats all Im really allowed to say. Just be gentle with his heart okay? He's going to need you.

Cinder: *Wakes up taking a harsh breath before coughing*

Jaune: Firelight! Oh you're okay, I though I lost you for a minute.

Cinder: I think you did... *still coughing roughly trying to catch her breath*

Jaune: I'm just glad you're okay.

Cinder: You have Phyrra to thank for that... and this....

Jaune: Wait you saw her!? And for wha- Mrph!

Cinder: *Kissing him hard slipping the man a little tongue before pulling away slowly* That.

Jaune: Oh... wow, okay... wait why do I feel, weird?

Cinder: *Smiling smugly* Turns out I WAS right, or in a manner. Turns out maidens are supposed to have guardians. I just made you mine.

Jaune: Wait! What does that even mean?

Cinder: It means that you can use the same power I can, as long as Im alive that is.

Jaune: Why didn't Ozpin ever say anything about that? Seems like a huge oversight!

Cinder: Ask the old man once we're out of here. Right now *starts to stand looking at where her wound used to be* We should go, there is a passage not far from here.

Jaune: Alright but you're going to have to tell me how these powers work... its not like you gave me a user manual with that kiss.

Cinder: You're clever, you'll figure it out.

Jaune: Uh huh... so anything else I should know about being your guardian knight?

Cinder: No idea, but if I come close to dying again Ill ask Phyrra to explain it.

Jaune: Just great.

[cinderswrites]

Frayed ::

one

The morning light hit her face at just the right angle through the shabby curtain hanging above her window. She blinked away the sleep lingering in her heavy eyelids as she turned uncomfortably on the dingy cot, squeaking the springs as she moved and kicking up a new cloud of dust. No matter how much she cleaned and scrubbed the small room, the dust never seemed to leave.

She stared at the wall with disdain in her eyes, briefly wondering if she’d ever get a happy morning again in her life. Only a few years ago was she waking to her mother’s singing voice, the smell of sweet syrups and freshly baked bread permeating through the whole house, sleeping in a bed so comfy it felt like a sin to leave it at all. She counted the seconds until the knock she dreaded so well would come to make sure she was awake.

It came, sounding like ten hammers against the wood door, rattling the poor thing against its frame. “Wake up!” the sharp bark of her stepmother’s voice came through muffled.

She took a deep breath, mulling over the possible punishments if she didn’t move. After a few seconds, she threw back the tattered blanket and sat up, gathering her lengthy brown waves into a blue ribbon. The ribbon was one of the only things the stepmonster allowed her to keep from her mother. It was a cornflower blue, striking against her hair color, and embroidered with similar colored thread in a vintage yet still stylish floral pattern. It wasn’t any old ribbon, the ones people used for gifts and such, it was made specifically for her and her hair. Exchanging her night dress for her work dress, she pulled on too-small shoes and answered the door. Only a minute or so had passed when her stepmother called for her, but by the look on her face, it might as well have been an hour. “About time,” Thelma sniffed indignantly, doing that thing where she curled her upper lip as she examined the young woman. “Breakfast was due five minutes ago. Inexcusable!”

“Good morning to you as well,” Rhea said under her breath as she shouldered past the rather portly older woman.

“Get to it, then!” Her high pitched squeal could win a pig sound alike contest, Rhea thought.

Heading for the kitchen, she pulled off a ragged apron from a hook on the wall and threw it over her head, tying it over her equally as ragged work dress. New clothes were a luxury for her these days as well. She washed her hands in the kitchen sink, getting to work. She hummed under her breath as she broke and fried eggs, bacon and toasted days-old bread. Four plates were dished up and handed to the maid who waited patiently for her to finish. The rest of the food which consisted of the hard crusted end of the loaf, half an egg, and grits from the bacon was dished onto a smaller plate. She took the scraps and sat on a milk crate just outside the kitchen door.

She wasn’t allowed to eat with the family anymore. Not since the time she was fifteen and made Thelma’s omelet mostly out of eggshells and cracked pepper. The woman’s mouth was spewing drops of blood everywhere as she bellowed with such a force that turned her fat cheeks purple and made the vein that ran across her eyebrow and forehead pop with such a ferocity, Rhea almost wanted to poke at it. Her father couldn’t even calm his wife after that day. Much like with everything else that happened since he remarried, he would tell Rhea, “If you wouldn’t provoke her so much, you wouldn’t be punished so severely. It’s out of my hands, Rhea.”

She lost her room, her wardrobe, her privileges, and her life so far. The only thing she held onto was her steadfast stubbornness and the dignity of being the daughter of her mother, a cherished and well-liked woman named Flora. Flora was akin to a soft breeze through the cotton trees, the sound of their stiff leaves rattling in the wind, the lazy bob of a dandelion on a summer day. A lovely woman that cared deeply for her community, her marriage, and mostly her daughter. The day she died, a dark raincloud was cast over the Fisher Manor and still hadn’t lifted.

The day Rhea met Thelma and her daughters, that raincloud turned into a monsoon. She was drowning every day she lived under the same roof as them, even more so now that she was nearing twenty and still hadn’t sought higher education or a husband. The people around her neighborhood knew the circumstances, of course. Thelma worked her to the bone cooking and cleaning and tending to everyone but herself, keeping her busy and too tired to care about much else. Everyone else didn’t know that the Fisher family had another daughter.

The crust of bread she nibbled at turned her whole mouth dry and left a sour taste as she realized it’d only been six years so far since her mother passed. Her father married quickly so she wouldn’t be long without a “maternal figure” around, as he put it. The bitter treatment started almost immediately when he wasn’t looking, which spurred on the rebellion in her heart. First from Thelma, then from Scarlett. Her stepsister, a year or so older than her, with a face like a frog: big dark eyes and a wide mouth that always sported her signature red—scarlet—lipstick, treated her like the bottom of the barrel servant she thought Rhea was. She had unruly straw-colored hair and a nose that resembled her mother’s: upturned and flat, like a pig’s.

The youngest daughter of Thelma, Alice, was a tiny thing. Pale and fragile with hair like a spider’s web, fine and wispy. She was only two when she came with her mother and sister. Rhea never treated her unfairly, and she grew to be resentful of her mother and older sister. For an eight year old, she played her part well, but did her best to make things easy on Rhea. They were close like sisters should be. Henri Jr., her actual half-brother, had been born three years ago, and was a quiet and easy child, similar to Alice. He observed everything with his doe-like brown eyes, and he had a tuft of dark hair, the same color as their father’s. A fine little gentleman in his own right, he had his fair share of rough days. Most of the time, he preferred the company of Alice and Rhea, rarely crying for his mother or father. Rhea wondered if he even knew his father, as he’d been absent more in recent years after the birth.

Henri Sr., she thought dismally, a man who had once been full of life and honor, now whittled down to nothing short of a workhorse. He had gained quite a bit of weight in his middle age, probably from eating food from the town’s inn so often. He was what was called a port master, the man that oversaw the comings and goings of the docks and what was brought in. He worked his way up to that position from a humble dockworker, around the time he first met her mother. He was well known in town, as well as by the royal family who had their own personal fleet of ships almost permanently docked these days. According to Rhea’s little wallflower, Alice had said that he’d been coming home less and less these weeks, apparently busy with securing trade routes with neighboring kingdoms.

Of all the hurt she’d faced since the funeral, seeing her father become someone she no longer recognized hurt most of all. A fluttering of wings from a bird flying away and the squeaky creak of the kitchen door’s hinge brought Rhea back to the present. She set her plate of food down on the ground as she turned to see Alice peeking out the door, searching for her. The little girl’s brilliantly blue eyes settled on her and the happiness that washed over her features brought a warmth to Rhea’s chest. “There you are!” the girl said happily but quietly. She stepped out barefoot, closing the door behind her.

Alice eyed the plate of food when she walked closer. “You should eat more, you know. It’s not healthy.”

Rhea shrugged but nodded, “I know. I’m just not very hungry this morning.”

“Well, I’ve got good news for you!” Alice grinned, teetering back on her heels playfully.

“Divorce?”

Alice wrinkled her nose, “No!”

“Right, right, because you’ll lose the best sister ever,” Rhea said jokingly.

The little girl nodded affirmatively, giving her a glare. “I know it’s bad, but it’s only Mother and Scarlett, right? Soon, Henri Jr. will be on our side, too! We’ll outnumber the lot of them!”

Rhea tilted her head back in a laugh, “Of course, of course, how could I forget? Anyway, what’s this news of yours?”

“Good news, Rhea. It’s great, actually,” Alice continued to put off the actual news as she paced around, pretending to look serious.

“Honestly can’t believe that you’re not sitting on the edge of that milk crate, begging me for details.”

Rhea rolled her eyes, chuckling, “Alright, out with it, Ali.” She knew using the fond nickname she had for her little sister usually broke the ruse.

Alice giggled and finally turned to face her, “Okay, okay,” she held up her hands in surrender, “so you know how Father’s been away a lot?” Rhea nodded.

“Well, as it so happens, he’s been working extra hard to take us on a vacation!” the little girl grinned, clapping her hands together. “Well, actually, it’s a work trip. But he wants to brings us with, and we’ll be staying at that fancy inn in Silverwater.”

“Silverwater? That’s quite far.” Rhea turned her eyes skyward for a moment, trying to remember where on her father’s maps that was.

“That’s at least two days one way on a ship. I don’t imagine I’ll be going, though?”

When she looked back at Alice, she noticed the girl looked sullen, “I tried to get them to bring you along. Mother said over her dead body, and Father said until you learn to act like a proper young lady, you won’t be going anywhere. Besides, they said they need someone here to help Portia with keeping the house in shape.”

“It’s okay. I don’t like ships all that much anyway,” Rhea lied, knowing that the memories of her last sea trip were beginning to fade since they were so long ago. She knew she loved the smell of the ocean and the breeze running through her thick hair.

“You’ll be without us for a while, I think. At least a week.” Alice left the unsaid lingering between them.

Rhea caught on to the weight of her words. One week without the hovering, and the overbearing, and the insults. One week of peace and quiet to do whatever she pleased, since she knew Portia didn’t need any help. That woman was capable of running her own military group, let alone an empty house. Rhea reached out to take the girl’s hands, squeezing them softly, “You’ve just given me the best news I’ve had in a while, Alice. Thank you!”

Alice smiled and shimmied a little in happiness, “Make the most of it!”

“I will.”

[freddycartr]

i saw a post saying why a reader loved sjm is because her female characters don’t work out to be skinny, but to be strong so i thought i’d provide an alternative list filled with actual good authors/and badass (mostly women of color) characters who are fucking strong no matter what body type they have:

• helene acquilla - ember in the ashes by sabaa tahir

• linh cinder & scarlet benoit - the lunar chronicles by marissa meyer

• nova artino - renegades by marissa meyer

• inej ghafa and nina zenik - six of crows by leigh bardugo

• esbar uq-nara and tunuva melim (aka my best fucking middle aged lesbians who are warriors) - a day of fallen night

• anoor and sylah - the ending fire trilogy by saara el-arifi

• eadaz uq-nara - a priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon

• glorian shieldheart - a day of fallen night by samantha shannon

• tane - the priory of the orange tree by samantha shannon

• paige mahoney - the bone season by samantha shannon

• lila bard - a darker shade of magic by ve schwab

• sorasa sarn - realm breaker by victoria aveyard

[as-nodt-ghostwriter]

RWBY: Bedtime — Cinder Fall / Male Reader

content warning ⚠️ — NSFW oneshot (18+ only, you’ve been warned)

requested by anonymous — “Cinder Fall with Male Reader whose prone to wet dreams and humping in his sleep.”

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —

You and Cinder went back to your sleeping quarters after that intense meeting with Salem and that inner circle of hers.

You want to stick by your partner’s goal in her becoming stronger, but you feel like you’re walking on eggshells with the likes of Tyrian and Hazel. It’s making you anxious and you haven’t gotten the best sleep in a long while.

It was hard enough that Salem’s lair had “bedrooms” that looked straight out of a Lovecraftian nightmare.

You always had trouble with sleep. The nightmare lair just made things worse. You also struggle with a high libido since you were a teenager and it’s never stopped since. Cinder never saw you less, surprisingly.

Although Cinder was still dealing with her injuries and self respect taken from her when her eyes was injured after the Grimm incident, Cinder found herself drawn to wanting to be more clingy and emotional when around you. She could be as stoned faced and passive demeanor by day, but in private when it’s just you two, she wants to jump at the chance of undressing you with her eyes.

Your eyes would drift off to sleep as you dreamed of some…nice things.

Always starting with you and Cinder on a simple innocent date. Well as simple and innocent of being partners with a criminal goes.

Everything in the dream feels nice and warm. Cinder is beautiful and drop dead gorgeous as she always is. In your dreams, Cinder feels much more sweeter and clingy, holding onto you like her life depends on it. Showing more of a sweet sensitive side to her as she pours out her heart to you.

The rug is pulled under you when Cinder mentions the idea of bringing in a third to the mix. Your dream self is always taken aback.

“What could she mean???”

In a stereotypical but quick manner, Cinder admits she wants to have three ways with you. It’s always either with Neo most of the time.

You’re self conscious always saw Emerald as a friend so she was never seen. Although depending on how bad your libido was that day, your brain didn’t care. You just wanted your dream to feature you fucking your girlfriend with another beautiful woman.

In reality, your body jerked upward, and craved feeling something to rub up against.

Your body instinctively turned behind Cinder’s backside as you two always spooned privately. Your crouch slowly grinded into Cinder’s ass.

Cinder wasn’t much of a deep sleeper and awoke to the feeling off being pushed.

She felt groggily for a bit but that went away soon after as your thrusted your clothed crouch into her.

Don’t take it lightly, Cinder still has a high view of herself and believes you should be grateful and thanking her for letting you see her through and through. The black haired maiden still believes she’s the one keeping score. She allowed you to let her have your way with her during bedtime.

Yes, it’s all her idea.

The way she gasped and bit her lip when she felt your hard cock on her backside when you both spooned that night.

The way her thighs clenched together to keep her wet pussy from further soaking through her panties and bedsheets.

They way she instinctively rolled her hips back to feel the tip of your cock as it was leaking with precum.

You could remember your wet dreams feel more real as Cinder grind her ass on your crouch.

You woke up with cold sweats as you found yourself dry humping your girlfriend. The first night you caught yourself doing it, you apologized profusely but Cinder clicked her tongue and told you to not stop.

She demanded that you fulfill your obligations and just fuck her into the mattress till she came all over your cock. You already started it. Why stop now when she’s already soaking through her panties.

Fuck it was unbelievably hot the way she called the shots as you fucked her pussy hard, pining her head into the mattress just as she liked and wanted.

Cinder was on cloud nine as she had her ass up when you were fucking her brains out. Fuck she loved every minute of it!

You couldn’t believe your girlfriend let you fuck her as long as you wanted every night. Such a sweet girlfriend, such a caring girlfriend, so nice and cute of her to have your thrust your cock into her in and out of her pussy. Maybe Cinder had some repressed libido she kept to seem dangerous and cunning on the outside. Kills two birds with one stone in the long run. Cinder loved milking your cock every night and you get to have much better sleep after fucking her.

Having sex with Cinder afterwards, you always forget what your wet dream was in the first place. Post nut clarity was very real after Cinder had milked your cock dry. Her pussy was tight and slick that it felt like your soul was being drained everytime.

Ever since that one particular night, you and Cinder fuck like rabbits during those quiet late nights.

[taddymason]

and then she proceeds to kill people

(reference from a panel of jjk chapter 89)