#closely follows the events of the game..with a few twists

[bahbahhh]

A princess on the run, a missing hero, and the sword they share.

Princess Zelda might not be the hero Hyrule needs, but right now, she’s all it’s got. And besides, she’s talking to the real one through a magic sword, and she’s got the healing power of the stars, and a pretty decent disguise. That’s all you really need, right? It’s not like the fate of the world rests on her shoulders. She’s just got to mend a couple rifts and find Link. How hard can that be?

a @zelinktines story / rated T / during EoW / zelink

cw: language and violence

story beta-read by the amazing @mistresslrigtar

chapter 1 “ordinary house” excerpt:

Something coiled unpleasantly in her belly. Heat crept up her neck and behind her ears, causing her pulse to beat like a war drum. She'd felt this way inside that crystal cage. Helpless. Forced to do nothing but wait to be rescued for a week while the blue monster deliberated what to do with her. And then the swordsman—Link, she learned his name from the villagers—had come along and still she could do nothing but watch. Watch him fight, her fate in the hands of a person she didn't even know! At least he'd looked like a hero. Brave and fast and strong…until a rift yawned open under his feet and gobbled him up, too. A goner, for sure.

read the rest on Ao3 - next chapter coming 2/2!

[cynthiav06]

I have been living with this headcanon/brainrot about Athena (both from Epic the Musical and pjo) for a long while and a warning for the faint of heart, you know what read it anyway cause it haunts me , so everyone else has to be haunted by it too, cause I am petty like that.

Most people might be aware of the myth that Athena sprung from Zeus's head fully formed and in battle armor, but a few might not know the preceding myth, so here's a quick recap:

Zeus married the titaness Metis, who was the titaness of wise counsel, wisdom, and planning. She was also Athena's mother. Metis was his advisor, both an indispensable aid and threat to him, given her power and cunning. But it's no Greek mythology without a son overthrowing the father archetype haunting the narrative. There was a similar prophecy about Metis's second child being so powerful that he would overthrow Zeus. Mind you Metis was pregnant with Athena when the following events transpire:

Zeus being Zeus, paranoid and power hungry, the King of the Gods and the God of "Justice" manipulates Metis into playing a shape-shifting game and when Metis turned into a fly , he swallowed her whole. [I know Greek patriarchs have a thing for eating their children or spouses pregnant with said children. Runs in the family, apparently]

Mind you in Greek myths, swallowed children, or in this case, swallowed wife pregnant with said child stay alive for a good amount of time even inside someone else's organs. So Metis gives birth to Athena inside Zeus's head and raises her there. She teaches her warfare and strategy until Metis herself eventually dies, i.e., her essence fades. Knowing what she must do to not meet the same fate, Athena hammers on Zeus's skull from the inside to escape. Everyone knows the rest of the myth.

But imagine Athena's first lesson being that the man she calls her father is the one who killed her mother and almost killed Athena herself by swallowing Metis so she must do everything in her power to survive and avoid that fate by staying on his good side. To try and fit in this twisted family of immortals, half of who hate her existence and half who are indifferent to him. So she does exactly that.

Think of Athena asking to be a Virgin Goddess from learning of what comes of marriage with gods.

Now, the continuation of Athena's myth is that she goes to Atlantis to train with the sea nymphs. There she makes her first ever friend and someone she comes to dearly love, Pallas. Greek myths being allergic to happy endings, one day when Pallas and Athena are sparring as they do a bit more seriously this time; Zeus being a nosy bastard decides to spy in just when Pallas is about to land a finishing blow on Athena. Thinking she might kill his daughter, he kills Pallas by blasting her with his lightning. Athena, being heartbroken , Zeus gave her Aegis as an apology. The continuation of this is that Athena adopts the namesake Pallas Athena and even carves a statue in likeness of her friend called Palladium and then more.

But think of Athena heartbroken and bitter as the Goddess of Wisdom learns her second lesson, then she must abandon all personal relations and sentiment before her father ends it for her in one way or another. For Pallas was the first true relation in her life after her mother.

Keep in mind that Pallas is Poseidon's granddaughter through his firstborn son and heir Triton. This is the point that sparks eternal enmity between Athena and Poseidon, and all those who come after will suffer in the wake of this tragedy.

So Athena chooses to remain alone and without a friend to avoid such a situation. Imagine Athena being hurt, especially brutally, when Odysseus says: "Since you claim you are so much wiser, why's your life spent all alone? You're alone!"

Because that's exactly it. Athena is wise. She knows the consequence of endearing herself to someone again so she stays alone to avoid such a thing and yet coming from someone who is so close to being her first friend in a long time, hurt and enraged she leaves.

Now, when finally Athena comes to terms with her friendship with Odysseus she finds yet again that her father Zeus struck him and his crew in a similar fashion to Pallas , yet again ripping her only friend away from her .

He is not dead yet, and Athena isn't about to let that happen. This time, she fights against Zeus, risks her life and position of being the favorite, and her survival method all because she can't bear to see Odysseus die.

Think of the agonizing fate of Athena, repeatedly being traumatized by her father yet having to do his bidding and stay on his good side to survive and live not for herself for she lives in misery but for the people who suffered for died for their association with her. In her eyes, she must suffer tenfold for letting this happen thrice, for all eternity under the man who so wretchedly ruined her life.

[afyrian]

☀️🏠 + post brazil shoyo please !! any format

hope uve been good <3 waited on the event since u posted about it im so excited to see what u write

sunburn soulmates hinata shoyo x fem!reader (fluff) synopsis: sunburn + next door neighbor word count: 720 warnings: sunburns masterlist

   rapid knocking rattles the paintings by your front door, your apartment walls thin and weak. your eyebrows furrow curiously at the extreme noise. it takes you a few seconds, but you can recognize the rapid knocking, the heaviness of each knock attributed to one person. it has the same melody every time, even if it’s unintentional on his behalf. 

  you shake your head, smiling to yourself, wondering what your next door neighbor needed. tying the string within your shorts a little tighter, you open the front door, eyes peering at the man in front of you. there your neighbor stands, his skin a deep pink color and some tan lines around his eyes, "shoyo? what happened?"

  the obvious answer pops into your head, but with how burnt he is, it's hard to wonder how this could've happened to him, "we had some beach volleyball games today. do you think you could help me with some aloe vera?"

  "sho.. this looks terrible!" you bring your hand up to your cheek, covering some of your mouth as you shake your head, "i mean i can help, but shoyo this is absolutely terrible! and dangerous, gosh you really have to worry about this kind of stuff!"

  he waddles into your apartment, careful not to bump anything in the fear of feeling the painful sting. you purse your lips as you watch him make his way over to your couch, sitting on your floor in front of it. very rarely has he come over for help like this. however, in those few times, you still found yourselves giving it a certain routine. his legs are crossed, waiting patiently for your help.

  following him over, he hands the bottle of aloe vera to you, it nearly empty from his accidental burns. "your concerns are absolutely valid! we were just out for so long and forgot to check the time," shoyo frowns away from you, yet you feel like you can hear it in his voice. 

  even if neither of you have said it, he always feel bad whenever you worry for him. the anxiety in his heart building equally with yours, not for his own health, but for you. for the stress that he unintentionally causes within you. 

  "next time set a reminder or an alarm or something!! doctor's orders," you dump some of the aloe vera into your hand, stamping it onto his back in different places, trying to get it spaced evenly.

  "ma'am yes ma'am, i'll even call you every time i reapply just so it keeps me accountable," he looks back at you, wincing a little as his neck twists with his head, a smile still somehow making its way to his face, "if you're okay with that, that is."

  you roll your eyes to yourself, leaning forward to spread it across his back. he turns back around before he can see it, unable to see your reaction. however, he can tell that you won't say to no to him, not in a million years you'd say no to him. and he's correct, you mentally preparing yourself to take him off of do not disturb. 

  "yeah it is, you know it is sho. besides, i like having you as my neighbor. you're dependable, kind hearted," you run your hands up his neck, just barely feeling the short hairs right under his hairline. 

  goosebumps run up his back and you can see him shiver a little. the aloe vera creates a cool coating on his skin, rivaling that of the heat that the sun added to his epidermis. "you do? well then i'll have to stick around for a little while longer. plus it seems that msby black jackals is looking for players," he mentions, indicating that he wouldn't be moving back to argentina anytime soon. 

 "you'd stay for little old me?" you question, running your hands down his sides, nearly finished covering his back with aloe vera. 

  "yeah, yeah, i'd stay for little ol’ you," he turns to look at you, unaware of how close you are to him now, nearly off the couch as you lean forward. 

  you stare into his brown eyes, unable to look away from them. there's always been something about your next door neighbor that you couldn't quite escape. particularly the love that he feels for you.

a/n: i’ve been great!! thanks for this prompt, i loved it <33 and i hope i did your idea justice!

[imsadstuff]

A Royal Romance - Teaser 1

Author Note: So, as promised, I am putting out the first teaser for this fic, read it, like it, and comment if you want to be added to the tag list. Let me know of all of your thoughts, feelings and even suggestions. Please note that this is just a small part of the fic, if it looks like it's a normal meet cute romance, it is not, it's a twisted royal romance.

Genre: Romance, Angst, Love Triangle, lots and lots of romance

Warnings: Mentions of smoking and drinking

Link to my masterlist if you want to check out my other stuff : here

“Congratulations!!!” Mingyu hollers as he sees Jungkook right before going on stage. The two friends hug each other, first time tonight when Jungkook greets someone comfortably. They met ages ago, in high school and even tho Mingyu is a high-profile model, they’ve stayed close.

“I’m so nervous I may throw up” Jungkook mutters to his friend as he adjusts his suit, it’s right at that moment that there’s a loud commotion, and all the sudden, the press if focused elsewhere.

The two men silently try and focus in on the cause of it all, their eyes stay fixed as a woman with a glamorous golden dress and her shiny hair come into focus. She isn’t just any other woman, she’s princess ___, and that just makes Jungkook more nauseous.

“She’s beautiful isn’t she” Mingyu mutters as the men continue to shamelessly stare as the princess walks closer to the event.

“Breathtaking” Jungkook can feel a few cameras on himself too, but he can’t help but look away. Everything about her grabs his attention, her smile, the flowy hair, the dress.

“Okay, she’s coming closer, I’ll go and smile for the cameras and see you inside” Mingyu leaves with one final tap on his friends back while Jungkook stays turned around, waiting for the princess to come closer. He contemplates if he should walk closer to greet here, and Han is tapping is shoulder before he decides.

“The royal protocol is you bow first, and the formal greeting is your royal highness and ma’am after that, go on, walk to her” Han instructs and Jungkook follows, suddenly right in front of her. He bows like instructed and so does she, ___ looks at her expectantly, and suddenly Jungkook’s forgotten how to speak.

“Congratulations Mr Jeon, now I haven’t played video games ever, but people in my office love playing yours after hours” ___ takes the lead and Jungkook can’t help but smile widely.

“Thank you, your royal highness, hopefully, the people in your office like this one as well” he says as they walk to the stage, at a very glacial stage.

“Oh don’t start with the your royal highness, call me ___, please” ___ says with a small smile, picking up her dress ever so slightly to walk better, the heels are definitely taxing.

“I’m not going to do that, my assistant may actually shoot me if I don’t follow the royal protocol, he’s briefed me on it a hundred times since your RSVP’d” Jungkook jokes and ___ can’t help be a bit charmed by his toothy smile.

“Oh, I don’t want to be the reason you get shot, on a very important day for you after all” the two of them have totally stopped by the stage for this conversation, disregarding all the cameras.

“He’s quite strict, right now, he’s probably accounting all the extra time we’ve taken up to talk and adjust the timeline for the rest of the event” Jungkook jokes, despite how nervous he is, he doesn’t want the princess thinking he’s not funny.

“Oh well, not to make his job too hard, I’ll go on stage and be pretty before you get into more trouble” ___ says as she takes a step back, but still not moving. He eyes go from his big bright eyes, to his many ear piercings, to his folded over shirt collar. Her instincts tell her to just reach and straighten it, but she smiles and indicates to it, suddenly all aware of the cameras.

Jungkook shyly nods as he fixes her collar, looking back at her. “Thank you for this, and coming here” “Thank you for inviting me, and come find me inside” she says as she walks away.

Han had been feeling breathless all day, he’s been working towards this for this last three months, and that was just the event. He thought he would almost faint the moment Jungkook misspoke during the presentation, but to his relief, his boss just laughed and continued on. As Jungkook gets off the stage, done with the formalities of it all, the dinner is served and he feels like he can finally breath again.

“Where am I seated for the dinner?” Jungkook asks as he unbuttons his suit jacket, if it were up to him, he would have removed it all together.

“With your family,” Han says as he leads Jungkook to the assigned table, they stop every now and then as people congratulate him.

“I’ll go and see my parents, but if you could find me a table on the princesses table, she asked me to come find her” Jungkook speaks with a small smile, when up on stage, he could see her very clearly in her golden dress, she listened very intently for someone who doesn’t play video games.

“I’ll see, Mingyu has been keeping her company so I’ll move him or ask her safety officer to move to the next table” the thought of Mingyu chatting her up suddenly has Jungkook a bit bothered, but before he can think more of it, his mother engulfs him in a warm hug.

“Have you taken your medicine?” Jungkook asks his father as the first course is being served. Han texted him that moving anyone is not possible right now, he’ll have to come and find her once dinner is over.

“I did, you need to stop worrying about me, and celebrate your success today” his father says with a gentle tap to his hand. Jungkook worries, constantly worries after the minor stroke his father had a few months ago.

His brother is busy talking to his wife, so are his parents and the sudden quite at the table forces Jungkook to look around. He sees a room full of the most important people to his and his country as they continue to chat away, the room is full of voices and constant sound of cutlery.

He sees his senior team as they discuss something, he sees a table full of influencers as they continue to be on their phone, the table full of his investors among the many tables around him. But he’s looking for one specific one that he just can’t spot yet.

“Who are you looking for?” Nari, his sister-in-law asks as the dessert is served. On a normal day, Jungkook would absolutely be attacking this dessert, but he just doesn’t have the appetite today.

“Princess ___” Jungkook answers honestly, he’s known Nari for years now, she’s not someone he can lie too. Nari giggles as she turns around in her seat, trying to spot the princess and she immediately does.

“She is quite dazzling, very royal. She doesn’t attend events like these, how did you even manage to invite her?” Nari asks as she takes a bite of tiramisu. Jungkook smiles as he thinking back to a letter that Han explained over a month ago.

“Her office was the one that reached out actually, she sent a royal letter to congratulate us on our success and new adventure. Han was completely puzzled about what to do, I mean what does one even do when a royal princess tells you that your business has been making tremendous waves in the market. So, to reciprocate, we sent her an invite to the event, knowing full well she won’t say yes, but to our surprise she did” Jungkook explains taking a bite himself too, and he would have regretted if he didn’t taste this tiramisu.

“Wow, that’s all you sent, an invite-“ “With flowers” Jungkook had picked out the hydrangeas himself, they were in season.

“I’m speaking at a college tomorrow, it’s a panel about a complicated topic that basically means how important it is for women to be in higher education” ___ shares with her new friend Kim Mingyu. Tonight she’s seated with Mingyu on one side and Namjoon on the other, there are other business people on the table that she hasn’t bother to talk to much. They had disappeared after dinner to socialize themselves.

“Wow, you’re getting your masters right?” Mingyu asks as he takes a sip of his champagne, now that the dinner is done, there’s a more causal feel in the banquet room, with free-flowing drinks and talk.

“Yes, that reminds me that I have to meet one of my professors about some study material he’s assigned” ___ shares as she nurses her second gin and tonic of the night. Her new friend chuckles before he drowns his drink entirely.

“I never went to college, I was scouted during high school. It happened at a game room that Jungkook and I were leaving. Jungkook was scouted too, but he had his eyes set on Seoul University” Mingyu shares and flashes of Jungkook in his double-breasted jacket and crinkling eyes as he smiles come back to her.

“That’s where I’m speaking tomorrow, Mr Jeon’s alma matter” “Mr Jeon?” a voice booms from behind them, its Jungkook with two drinks in his hand.

“Namjoon scoot over, let Mr Jeon sit” ___ nudges her security officer who has a very straight face that scares Jungkook, he just smiles shyly as he takes the seat next to the princess.

“No Mr Jeon, just Jungkook your royal highness” “Well, that can only happen when it’s ___ instead of your royal highness Mr Jeon” Mingyu watches this banter and in a blink of a second, it’s almost like he’s invisible, not that he’s complaining. He’s observed his best friend look at the princess with stars in his eyes all evening, still Mingyu isn’t sure it’s being he’s enchanted by her or because she’s a princess.

“Actually no, it has to be your royal highness or ma’am for him, there’s way too much press here for him to address you casually” Namjoon interjects and ___ has truly never gotten over Namjoon being the straight man.

“You see ma’am, you come with rules that I just can’t look past, now I’m afraid he’s going to shoot me” Jungkook jokes taking a double take to the very muscular man to his other side, a man who can definitely take him down.

“But I am younger than you, ma’am makes me feel middle aged” ___ complains as she reaches over for one of the glasses of champagne Jungkook brought over. She’s breaking the two-drink rule tonight.

“Ma’am is for respect, your royal highness you are third in line to the royal throne” Namjoon interjects again and ___ wants to reach over and punch him, but she knows it’s only going to hurt her.

“Can we step away for a moment, for a smoke maybe” ___ asks Jungkook and he’s immediately pushing his chair back to stand up while Namjoon mutters a no.

Tag List - @soblavk @livingkoalaface @solastica

[valentinachatte]

I'm back and i brought an new OC to this blog :3

Meet Arwen Traime, my Twisted wonderland oc

This is some basic information about her

Template by Ai_kan1

Under the cut will be more fun fact about her

All these questions is made by Miriaocs

1. Name: Arwen Traim

- Arwen means a noble maiden, very beautiful, or muse, all three meanings are suitable for Arwen

-Traime Mainly made from Tremaine

- Rook calls Arwen Dame de la pluie, which means Lady of the Rain, which is a nickname people often use (because when Arwen appears, it often rains). Rook also calls Arwen Reine de la pluie

- Floyd calls Arwen stingray-senpai (Akaei-senpai). The reason is because Floyd realizes her danger despite her gentle appearance, but the real reason is because of her ponytail. The stingray looks gentle so I chose that nickname :)))

2. Inpso: Arwen was inspired by Lady Tremaine, when I first learned about the game I also wanted to create an OC, and decided to choose Lady Tremaine without looking at the cast... and then when i finally play the game and saw saw professor Trein, at that time I almost finished building Arwen and couldn't bear to leave her 😅

3. Age/Bday: She is 18 years old. Birthday is on May 20, close to Silver and Deuce's birthday

4. Dorm: Dorm leader of Celfam, when I created her I created her dorm myself. Dorm Celfam is based on Lady Tremaine's flexibility . Arwen is flexible, and knows how to make people do what she wants but is also cold like Lady Tremaine. Currently, she lives with Lucasta (vice dorm leader, who is based on Lucifer), the two are close friends

5. Class: Arwen is in class 3C with Vil and Lucasta. Vil and Arwen talk quite well. Studied together for 3 years

6. Height: Arwen is 1m75 tall, weighs 50kg

7. Hair/Eyes color: Gray-blue hair with white highlights. Two-colored eyes but few people notice because the two eye colors are close together, one eye is jade green, and one eye is emerald green

8. Homeland: Homeland is in the Vault of Memory (imagination country that i created). No one in the cast is from the same hometown as Obv, she knew Kalim and Idia before coming to NRC because her family was familiar with the Asim and Shroud families

9. Club: Didn't join the club because she was too busy with work and because of health issues

10. Subject:

Best Subject: History of magic, Arwen is extremely good at this subject because she is a diplomat and has to remember all the big and small events.

Worst subject: Physical education (make her run 3m and she faints).

She gets along well with Mr. Trein and often asks Mr. Trein to learn more about historical events. Physical education is unavoidable

11. Hobby: She likes sightseeing, especially places with water like waterfalls or lakes, once at the lake near the ruins she met Malleus there, and from then on the two of them often went sightseeing together

12. Pet peeve: chewing makes a sound, she is super annoyed with that. she will glare at the person if they do it near her

13. Food: likes strong flavors because her taste buds are very bad. She has no preference for food, but will not eat poorly prepared dishes. Often shares with Lucasta (Lucista gets it herself)

14. Talent: Excellent diplomacy, very good at talking

15. Unique Magic: "Back to your place"

- Arwen's special magic allows her to control others according to her command (not hypnosis but direct manipulation)

- Incantation: -"heed my words and follow my command, Back to your place"- changed from the sentence - "Cinderella will be put in her place." Lady Tremaine's

- Weakness: very corrosive to the user, the biggest loophole is that you have to know the name of the person you want to use it on before you can use it + the person you want to use it on is too much stronger, it will cost a lot of magic (which can lead to her death, will be explained in the backstory)

16. Quote: -" People may enter and exit our lives, and while it can be difficult to say goodbye, it's a natural part of our journey."- she said to Malleus when talking about her illness, not long after that he Overblot

17. Personality:

- on the outside, she is mature, gentle, kind, and delicate and loves peace but always gives off a very distant feeling. Arwen is considered one of the gentlest dorm leaders (after Kalim ofc) but is still a dorm leader, a trustworthy senior.

- truth is Arwen is always jealous of the people around her, extremely distant from everyone (except Lucasta), cold, cruel, and will do anything to achieve her goals (even harming herself and others). Secretly has a superiority complex, in her heart she always looks down on those she thinks are inferior

- But Arwen is just a child who was forced to grow up too early, living in meaningless compliments but never received any true love or affection, the guilt that she bears. She also struggles with PTSD and Depression . (more will be in the backstory)

School uniform and dorm uniform

Countdown poster

She also appears in Glorious masquerade as an SSR card this is the card that i draw for her

The ref of the outfit is here

[yuurei20]

Is it possible to find almost every single beta/old design for the twst characters?

Hello hello! Thank you for this question!

Maybe not at this time! :>

I think that maybe the only beta/old designs that we have been offered were at the official Twisted Wonderland exhibition! (The video showing them seems to have disappeared from the Disney Games YouTube channel.)

Yana has sometimes mentioned earlier incarnations of the characters (Epel's glasses/personality, Jade's punk style, Kalim's familiar), but the closest thing we might have to early visuals at the moment is in the design note, which includes rejected design details from events!

Edit: forgot to mention, there are also a few sketches in the Magical Archives Game Guide! That is where information about beta-Riddle, beta-Cater, etc, comes from, translated here.

When the Design Note was released Yana tweeted the following:

"A collection of seasonal event design guide materials. There are actually a lot of base drawings and rough drafts that are not included here, but for this first book we are just publishing the designs that made it to the final game and trial-and-error ideas that got very close to inclusion.

It would be fun to publish a junk notebook of all the rejected drafts one day.

Everything included here was almost entirely drawn by myself and two staff members alone, so I flip through and think, 'Wow, we sure drew a lot of pictures", as I soak in the memories. I'm so glad they were able to become a book."

If a "Junk Note" is ever released, maybe it will include these beta designs? 👀 It is exciting to think about!

[ashensgrotto]

Weren't You Aware, Angelfish?

Characters: Yandere!Azul x GN! Reader

Summary: You think it's a game, but it's much more than that…

Word Count: 3k

Author's Notes: A little background on this one; I actually really got into the Octavinelle Trio when the Little Mermaid event (which ran during third week of May in 2023) was going on following the live action film being released in theaters. At the time, I was also about midway through the "Merchant of the Depths" and was laughing at myself for the irony of participating in an event that matched the story I was reading. And I even received Azul’s SSR dorm card in the mirror summoning as well. 

Either way, I had come across a few head cannons and short stories of if the characters were actually aware of themselves being in a game and thought I'd take my own spin on it with Azul (I know there's a lot of these ones for this character - but you have to admit, the guy's got style).

Warnings: Obsession/manipulative behaviors, some bullying elements, self-aware

***This one is a softer Yandere than what I've done recently***

***

"Oh, hey guys."

Azul blinked in surprise as a pair of (e/c) eyes peered out at him and the twins from under strands of (h/c).

It was the Ramshackle dorm prefect - and yet it wasn't.

Azul knew that he, among many others, were mere characters in a game called "Twisted Wonderland" - a battle simulation game that followed the stories of seven famous villains from a strange land called "Disney." The main character of the game was a character by the name of "Yuu," but each player had selected to choose a different name for their character depending upon their preferences and personalities - though Azul could never be certain if it was their real name or not.

This one just happened to go by the name (Y/C).

(Y/C) had appeared before them around a month ago, Azul had remembered a droning voice on speakers as the player before them shifted on a seat of metal, thier eyes looking towards the screen then away again before they closed the game. The other characters had been confused by it - usually a player would stay for a bit and work on the stories or do lessons when they first started. (Y/C), however, was shifty and nervous - they reminded Azul of a mouse that scuttled across the floors of the Ramshackle dorm, constantly stopping and looking around before continuing on its way. 

However, as things progressed, Azul quickly learned that (Y/C) was indeed a diligent player. 

He would hear them laugh at Ace and Deuce’s antics, mumble under their breath when they knew something was going to happen, and gap at each of the overblots as they happened. Azul quickly became interested in the player, moving to the front scenes as his turn to take the spotlight appeared. As they worked through his story, he found them to be… well, quite like him. They were crafty and cunning, all smiles and false confidence - a show they put on when they weren't alone. People fell for their charms like prey to an angular fish, their bright light luring them in until they snapped them up as per their job required. However, they struck good bargains with them - something that Azul had… never invested in.

Now, there was a special event that he and the tweels would be a part of - a special event for a revised film inspired by the life of the Great Sea Witch.

Azul looked on as (Y/C) shifted through the cards in thier possession, having selected Floyd first. They had received his dorm card about two weeks prior to the event, their excitement to raise its stats apparent in the forefront of thier mind. They filled the class, selecting Jade’s ceremonial robes card as well as Azul’s ceremonial robes card along with Cater and Rook's dorm uniform cards before heading into the class with Floyd with Azul watching on in curiosity.

"Something on your mind, Azul?" Jade asked him from his doorway, "You seemed to be watching our magicless prefect a bit more than normal."

Azul regarded his vicewarden with an arched brow, "Jade, I have no idea what you are talking about."

Jade smiled, his teeth peering out from behind his lips, “Azul, forgive me, but if I didn’t know any better… I’d say you were jealous.”

“Jealous?” Azul scoffed with a wave of his hand, “Who said anything of the sort?”

Jade crossed an arm around his middle as his other arm rested on top, his forefinger and thumb stroking his chin in thought, “Not that it makes any difference, but I’ve noticed you’ve been keeping quite a close eye on our player - quite the character, are they not?”

Azul shrugged, “I suppose so…”

“I bet you haven’t given a thought to knowing them outside of the game, though.”

Azul turned at the comment, his sea green eyes glowing with mischief as a tell-tale smile formed across his lips, “My dear Jade, have you and Floyd been up to something?”

Jade smiled in agreement, “Of course we have… would you like to hear?”

“I would indeed. Tell me what you know.”

Jade uncrossed his arms and folded his hands into his pockets, “Our player has only been playing for about a month, as you know well - and has obviously cleared three books of our game within that time frame. They like a good gamble here and there, but they understand when there’s a time for fun and a time for work - something you should learn in my opinion.”

“Yes, yes,” Azul waved his hand, “Whom is their current favorite?”

“It varies from day to day - though (Y/C)’s profile indicates that it is currently Malleus Draconia,” Jade answered, “However, based on their world… they do have a fascination for sea creatures.”

Azul frowned, “Their world?”

Jade nodded, “Every so often we’re given a glimpse of the player’s real world - their reality. (Y/C) currently lives with an ailing father and a mother that is trying to hold everything together. They’re a full time student in what they call ‘high school’ and works at a family restaurant part time as a waitress. They like spending time on social media, reading when not with us, and does a bit of sewing from my understanding.”

Azul rubbed his chin in thought, “Do they… play other games?”

“Several - (Y/C) has a very high social media presence and has been gaining followers over the course of several years, speciallizing in strategic battle games and, apparently, even romance games,” Jade answered, “However… (Y/C)’s very shy and keeps to themselves quite a bit. From my understanding, they’re not exactly… well-liked by the other students at the school they attend. (Y/C) often eats alone and prefers the company of fictional characters or those online to those in their world.”

“Not well-liked? (Y/C)’s well-liked here!” Azul answered in confusion.

“Perhaps, but we all eventually become attached to our player - they’re the star of their own story here, after all,” Jade agreed, “And (Y/C)’s practically the same in their world - kind, supporting, caring… but is an outcast.”

“Care to explain why?”

Jade shakes his head, “I wish I could tell you, Azul - but even I am not certain why that is.”

Azul squeezed his lips in thought before turning to Jade, “Is there a way we can dig into more about our player?”

“There might be something within the profile, but a chance at looking into the outside world? That is a one in a million chance of happening. I was given a glance when (Y/C) was using me for a battle - but it was very short. The rest of the information I gathered was from other characters - specifically Cater who has been with them the longest. You know how he will speak for a chance at gaining more followers.”

Azul chuckled with a smile, “Excellent work, Jade. For the time being, I’d like to find out as much as you can about our player - Floyd, if he’s in the mood, will probably want to know more about ��shrimpy’ as well, get him in on the search too. Though, I suppose we can only do what we can for right now…”

***

In the days that followed, (Y/C) was consistently in the Octorio’s presence. As they met each requirement the Octavinelle Training Camp event gave them, (Y/C) beat every battle they were given and took in the rewards with vigor; their method was simple - they finished all of Floyd’s tasks before closing the game, reopening it the following day with fresh eyes and ready for the challenges that awaited them and selected Jade as their next partner. Azul watched from the sidelines as each task was completed and battle won; it was strange to hear how (Y/C) would always keep the trio together, Azul stuck in between the tweels as they switched spots. However - Azul couldn’t be completely disappointed in them; after all, (Y/C) did invite him to attend each lesson with them and the tweels. 

So why was it so hard for him to not feel this… jealous anger that was slowly rising with him? It wasn't like they were anything interesting - the only thing they had in common, maybe, was the fact that (Y/C) was business-minded - even for a high schooler. 

Azul pinched the bridge of his nose as cards of various characters floated across the screen; Floyd... Vil... Epel... Malleus... Trey... All of them appeared across the screen over and over like turbulant waves on the shorelines - yet none of them were of him. (Y/C) flipped through the cards again, their (e/c) eyes hard with determination.

"One last roll," Azul heard them say, "I have enough for a chance encounter - please let it be one I don't have."

The music played as the dark mirror appeared again, "Bearer of dark powers, I call thee forth!"

Azul could practically feel (Y/C) vibrating with anticipation as clacks echoed in the small area that was their bedroom. Jade... Floyd... Vil... Sebek... Idia... Malleus... Lilia... Rook...

"You're so lucky to have met a compassionate person like me..."

Azul's voice stuck in his throat as (Y/C) squealed in delight, "AZUL! Oh my GOD! I have your CARD!"

And indeed they had gotten it - Azul's SSR dorm card flashed across the screen with the octomer perched in a leather chair, Jade and Floyd just behind him with the sea witch's familiar mirror in the background. Azul was vibrating with excitement - at long last, he was now in the spotlight, appearing before (Y/C) in his finely dressed dorm uniform. The octomer was beside himself with excitement as (Y/C) clicked back on the homescreen, scrolling through their cards and smiling as they found the newest addition.

"Azul..." they whispered so softly, "I'm so excited... I wasn't expecting this... not in the slightest. I hope that I don't disappoint - I'll get this leveled up and we'll work together, you and me."

'You could never disappoint me, angelfish,' Azul wanted to say as he felt something pull him to the front of the screen. He now stood in Ramshackle Dorm, front and center as the eyes of (Y/C) looked upon him, thier features brightening.

"Thank you so much, Azul," they grinned, a look of sheer awe and excitement taking root across their face, "I'm so glad to add you to the team."

***

The event ended far too quickly for Azul's liking, meaning that he could no longer work with his player one-on-one - at least until the next training camp. For now, Azul was content to use his days watching his player as he peered into their normal everyday life. 

Jade had not been lying when he told Azul about (Y/C)’s busy schedule - they awoke every morning at six on the nose, dressed and readied themselves for school - helping their mom with a few simple chores before heading out the door. (Y/C) was an intriguing student, using common sense to answer their professors’ questions and asking more in return - though Azul could hear snickering in the background and soft insults that were directed at his player. (Y/C) sat alone at lunch, the game open in front of them as they nibbled on a sandwich - keeping thier promise to level up Azul's card as they doodled in the notebook beside them. A few times, they would have a set of headphones in and would hum along with the music that would come through the speakers - making Azul strain to hear them. After school, (Y/C) would head over to one of the local restaraunts, changing into their work uniform and began the grunging job of serving guests. Azul listened as the clientel would call them over - some pleasant, others not so much; though he was surprised by (Y/C) ways of handling them, giving their best award-winning smile and working their way into their hearts to the point that they couldn't take it or dropped the subject entirely.

Day in and day out, Azul was there and listened to everything everyone told them; week after week, he saw the light slowly begin to fade from their eyes...

And by the time summer had come, (Y/C) was struggling - mentally and emotionally. Gone was the happy-go-lucky teen that Azul had slowly become attatched to, in their place was a saddened and heavy-burdened individual that sought the comfort of loniness - fictional characters were their only friends now.

One night, (Y/C) perched on their bed after a particularly rough day at work. Azul had seen one of the customers - another student that was prone to bullying (Y/C) in class - trip them while they were carrying a pot of hot soup to bring to the salad bar; regardless if it was intentional or unintentional, (Y/C) could have been seriously injured - burned from how hot the liquid was. Then, (Y/C)’s boss degraded them - telling them that if they weren't so stupid and watched where they were going, none of this would've happened; even though it was clearly not (Y/C)’s fault. When they got home, (Y/C)’s mother had to rush their father off to the hospital - something about his ailment suddenly turning for the worse and making (Y/C) now worried sick about their father's health - no longer caring about the injury they sustained and the pain they felt within. 

(Y/C) tapped the screen of the game, opening up and laying their phone against a box that sat on the bedside table, watching as Azul greeted them in his normal fashion.

"Helping people is what I live for. As housewarden, I will do everything to support my students," Azul smiled in greeting.

"I wish the same could be said for me," (Y/C) sighed, laying their head against the pillow as the music of the Mostro Lounge filled the background of the bedroom.

"Hm? And why do you think I wouldn't support you, angelfish?"

(Y/C) turned to look at their phone as Azul smiled. They rubbed thier face for a moment before muttering, "I must be more tired than I thought. I thought you just said something."

"I did, angelfish," Azul's voice came loud and clear as (Y/C)s' eyes widened, "I said, 'Why do you think I wouldn't support you?'"

(Y/C) blinked, "Y-you... talked. You can talk?"

"Of course I can talk," Azul answered, resting his hands on his hips in disappointment, "What makes you think that I wouldn't? We've talked before, after all."

"Y-yes... but that was scripted," (Y/C) rubbed their face again, "I must be dreaming - just some fantastical thing because of the stress and anger I've been experiencing lately."

"(Y/N), come now, you know that's not true."

"H-how do... you know my name?"

"I've been keeping an eye on you for some time, (Y/N)," Azul answered, "I know all about you - what you like and dislike, what your biggest fears and regrets are and what you wish for most in the world. I can offer that, you know."

"Offer what?" (Y/N) rubbed their face then, "Wait a minute... why am I even discussing this with you? You're a character in a game and I live in the real world - there's no way this is happening either - this is just the rambling of a stressed out lonely teenager who gets enjoyment out of playing a game and reading fanfictions."

"I assure you, this is no dream," Azul answered, "And you're not going to get rid of me that easily either."

(Y/N) frowned, "What do you mean? What did you do?"

"Simply enough - I hacked this phone," Azul admitted, "It took a bit to figure out the workings of it, but now you won't be able to do anything unless I give you my permission to do so."

"You... what?!" (Y/N) glared at Azul, "This is my only form of communication! My only way to be someone! I use this for school! Work! Why would you do that?"

"I admire your ability and drive, angelfish, I really do," Azul smiled wickedly, "However - 'real life,' as you call it, is keeping you from me. You were hurt today and have been stepped on over and over like a piece of gum on your school's cemented sidewalks. What I am willing to offer you, in exchange for your undivided attention that is, will allow you complete freedom from the outside world. You will never have to experience that sort of degration and torement again."

"And what about my friends? My family?" (Y/N) askes, "You think I'll sign my name on a contract of yours so willingly?"

"You did the first time around."

"That was scripted!"

"Angelfish," Azul's tone turned dark, "You really have no say in this. I know your family is struggling so I'll modify the contract, only for your sake though. As for your 'friends,' you really have none in that world - I have been with you for the past two months, constantly watching you and, yes, protecting you. You might not see it now, but you will in due time - besides we're the same age, are we not?"

"Close... maybe," (Y/N) admits.

"Then, what's the problem?" Azul folded his arms across his chest, "Sign the contract - and I will give you everything your heart desires."

The screen shifted as a familiar golden hue appeared on the screen.

"Here's the deal, Angelfish," Azul's voice appeared in the background, "In exchange for your undivided attention, I will grant you - and your family - the funds needed to help you both financially and comfort.  You and family will want for nothing and I will provide support you your ailing father. You will belong to me completely, and when such a time arrives that the two of us are old enough, we will be married."

(Y/N) looked over the contract on the screen, biting her lip.

"And you promise I will be able to stay with my family? Still see them when I want to?"

"Yes - it would be improper for the two of us to live together as I will need time to prepare for that event. However, you will not be able to tell anyone about this arrangement - unless you wish to lose your voice in the process."

"N-no thank you."

(Y/N) could practically see Azul's grinning features, "Then, Angelfish mine... sign on the dotted line. Let's embark on this new adventure... together, just you and me."

[dazaiosamuwifeandlover16]

____________A strangeer among them____________

Chapter 2

______________A Game of Fate________________

You woke up with a jolt, feeling disoriented. The events of the past few days were too surreal to be real, yet you couldn’t shake the feeling that you were trapped in some twisted version of a dream. As you rubbed your eyes and tried to sit up, something caught your attention—something... strange.

A black screen, like an ethereal display, hovered in front of you, its edges glowing faintly with golden light that seemed to shimmer like the sun itself. It was unlike anything you’d ever seen before, its presence unnerving yet mesmerizing. The text on the screen seemed to pulse with each beat of your heart.

[SYSTEM ACTIVATED]

"Welcome to the game, player. You have been chosen for a task."

The words were cold, mechanical, yet somehow personal. You blinked in confusion, trying to process what you were seeing. Was this some kind of hallucination?

The system continued, as if it had no patience for your confusion:

"Go to the street and stop whatever is going to happen.

If you refuse, death awaits you.

If you accept, you will gain 100 points and a special gift.

The choice is yours."

Your stomach turned as you stared at the screen. The message was absurd—death? Points? What kind of game was this? But... was there even a choice? You didn’t want to risk the alternative.

“Okay...” you muttered, a shiver running down your spine. “I’ll do it.”

[You have chosen to accept the task.]

The system flashed a golden glow, and a small notification appeared:

"100 points granted. Special gift unlocked."

You were about to say something, but a strange sensation washed over you. It felt as though you were being pulled toward something. As if an invisible force was guiding your every step. Without thinking, you got up, your body moving almost instinctively, and walked toward the street the system had pointed you to.

The city was still, the early morning fog curling around the cobblestones. But then, you heard it—a child’s scream, cutting through the silence like a knife.

Instinctively, you ran toward the sound, your heart racing. When you rounded the corner, you saw a small boy, no older than seven or eight, struggling in the grasp of a rough-looking man. The man’s hand was clamped over the child’s mouth, pulling him toward a dark alley.

Without thinking, you rushed forward, your body moving faster than you thought possible. You grabbed the man’s arm, pulling it off the child. “Let him go!” you shouted.

The man turned, his face twisted in anger. “What’s this? Another foolish girl thinking she can stop me?”

But before he could retaliate, you tugged the boy away, shouting for him to run. The man lunged toward you, but you were already darting down the street, the child following closely behind. Your heart pounded in your chest as you ran, adrenaline fueling your every step.

Just as you thought you were safe, a shout rang out behind you. The man was chasing you, but something felt different—he was slower. You realized that your speed had somehow increased, your legs moving faster than you’d ever experienced before.

As you reached a corner and ducked into an alley, you could hear the man’s footsteps fade into the distance. You turned to check on the boy, who was panting with fear. His wide eyes locked onto yours, his breath coming in ragged gasps.

“You saved me...” he whispered, his voice trembling. “Thank you. I don’t know what would’ve happened if you hadn’t come.”

You smiled softly and placed a hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay. You’re safe now.”

Just as you were about to comfort him further, the system’s voice chimed in again, echoing in your mind:

"Task completed. 100 points awarded."

A new notification appeared on the screen in front of you, and you couldn’t help but read it:

**"You have completed the task successfully. You may now use your 100 points to improve one of the following:

1. IQ

2. IE (Emotional Intelligence)

3. Strange (Unusual abilities)

4. Beauty

5. Speed

6. Perception"**

You stared at the options, your mind racing. You were still trying to process everything, but you couldn’t ignore the possibilities.

Before you could make a decision, you whispered to the system, “How did I get here?”

But the screen stayed blank, the golden glow flickering slightly before it disappeared entirely.

A strange noise, like a phone ringing, broke the silence. You jumped and looked down to find your phone—your real phone—lying on the ground in front of you, its screen lighting up with a notification.

Confused and uncertain, you reached for it, your hands shaking as you picked it up.

The screen flickered, and an unfamiliar message appeared:

"Welcome to the world Stay alert, your journey has just begun."

The words burned into your mind as you stared at the phone, your mind racing with questions, and your heart pounding with fear and curiosity. What was happening to you? What kind of game had you been thrown into?

_______________________________________________

The boy had long since fled . his foot step fading into the distance.

the weight of the system’s message still heavy in your mind. Prevent the theft. You had no idea what that meant or how you were supposed to stop it, but you didn’t have time to dwell on that. The air was thick with an unsettling stillness, and you felt as though the world was holding its breath.

The system’s voice reverberated in your mind once again, calm and emotionless.

"Task initiated. Objective: Prevent the theft. Time limit: 10 minutes."

Your pulse quickened. Theft? How? The voice of the system didn’t offer any answers, only cold commands. But the strangest thing was happening. As you tried to think, to plan, a sensation crawled down your spine—the unmistakable feeling that someone was watching you.

You turned, scanning the streets. The buildings loomed over you, their windows dark and empty, but you couldn’t shake the oppressive feeling that eyes were following your every movement. A cold shiver ran down your neck. There was someone here, someone unseen. You couldn’t explain it, but you knew it with a certainty that made your skin crawl.

A low hum filled the air, and you blinked in surprise as the system’s voice sounded again, cutting through the silence.

"You must act quickly. The theft will occur soon. You have no time to waste."

You began walking, but your every step felt heavy, as though the very streets themselves were conspiring against you. The alleys stretched longer than they should have, and the fog seemed to thicken with each passing second. You had no plan, no strategy. How was a single woman supposed to stop a thief?

But then, you saw him.

A man, cloaked in dark clothes, moving stealthily through the mist. He carried something—a small, ornate chest clutched tightly in his hands, as if it were the most valuable thing in the world. Your heart raced. This is it. This is the theft.

You instinctively moved toward him, but doubt gnawed at your mind. What could you do? You were just an ordinary woman in an unfamiliar world. Your thoughts raced, but all you had was the feeling that you had no choice but to act.

The man noticed you, his eyes briefly flicking over to where you stood. For a moment, he hesitated. Then, without a word, he quickened his pace, moving toward a narrow alley as if to disappear into the shadows.

You couldn’t let him get away.

The system’s voice spoke again, a hint of urgency this time.

"Time is running out. You must stop him. Failure will result in penalty."

Fear clutched at your chest, but you forced yourself to move. You couldn’t fail—not when your life was on the line.

Without thinking, you sprinted after him, adrenaline coursing through your veins. As you turned the corner into the alley, you saw him standing at the end, a smirk curling on his lips. He knew you were following him.

You were close now, so close you could feel the heat of the chest in his arms. But what could you possibly do? You were just a woman—no weapons, no training. He was stronger, faster, and far more prepared for this moment than you were.

But you didn’t have time to doubt yourself. The moment had come. You had to act.

You lunged.

In that instant, you could hear the system’s voice, almost like a whisper in your ear: "Speed activated. Task critical."

A surge of energy flooded your body, propelling you forward with a speed that felt unnatural. Your hands shot out, grabbing the man’s arm before he could react. His eyes widened in surprise as you wrenched the chest from his grip. The force of your movement knocked him off balance, and he stumbled back, momentarily stunned.

He recovered quickly, but you had the chest now—its weight strange and foreign in your hands. For a brief moment, you stared at it, the intricate patterns carved into its surface gleaming in the dim light. It felt important—too important for someone like you to be holding.

“You won’t get away with this,” you said, voice shaking with both fear and determination.

The thief’s eyes narrowed, and he sneered. “A woman like you? What do you think you’re going to do with that?”

But before you could answer, a voice from behind you cut through the air, cold and steady.

“You’re not as invisible as you think.”

You froze, the words like ice settling in your stomach. Slowly, you turned, and there—standing in the shadows—was a man. His presence was unsettling, like a predator waiting for its prey. He was tall, his features sharp, his hair catching the faint light. His eyes were locked on you, studying you with an intensity that made your skin prickle.

He wasn’t just watching you. He was reading you—his gaze dissecting every movement, every twitch of your body. You felt exposed, as if he could see every hidden thought inside your mind.

“You... you’re not just anyone,” he said softly, stepping closer. “You’re different. I can see it in your eyes.”

You instinctively took a step back, clutching the chest tighter in your hands. What was this? Was this part of the game too?

Before you could react, the thief, still recovering from his shock, cursed and dashed for the shadows. He was retreating, but the man—the observer—was already moving. His eyes were trained on you as he closed the distance between you in seconds.

But as he reached out, a strange force seemed to ripple through the air, and you felt a surge of energy that wasn’t your own. You pushed back, startled, and the man faltered, momentarily caught off guard.

Your pulse pounded in your ears. The system’s voice echoed again in your mind, its tone almost mocking.

"Task completed. 100 points awarded. You have proven yourself useful... for now."

The screen flashed before you, and once again, the options appeared:

"You have earned 100 points. Choose how to allocate them wisely."

But you didn’t have time to think about the points. The man’s gaze was fixed on you, and there was something chilling about the way he looked at you. It wasn’t just curiosity—it was like he knew something about you, something you didn’t.

“You’re not from here, are you?” he asked, his voice low, almost a whisper. "I can see it... you're not like the rest of them."

You swallowed hard, the weight of his words sinking into your chest. This wasn’t just about the game anymore. There was something far darker, far more dangerous lurking in the shadows. And he was a part of it.

With a final glance at you, the man turned and disappeared into the mist, his figure vanishing like a ghost.

You stood there in the alley, the chest still clutched in your hands, feeling the weight of the mystery press down on you. The game had only just begun.

_______________________________________________

[lucyfloyenworkshop]

Awakening the Dragon : Malleus Draconia Overblot Theme

It's been now one year since Diasomnia Arc, “Ruler of the Abyss“ began...

There so many things, too many topics that I wish to talk and write about. About the tribute to Eyvind Earle's art in the esthetics and ambiance of Briar Valley. About the connections between the Arc narrative and its inspirations. About Night Faeries folk and Silver Owl Knights. About Silver, Malleus, Lilia and all the others characters... For tonight I will write down about Malleus Draconia's Overblot Theme.

When the Diasomnia Arc pre-trailer was released, some notes of Overblot Malleus's theme can be heard. The complet musictrack had been finaly revealed during the first fight against Malleus. Even with the few notes in the pre-trailer, this music really give goosebumps. It is dark, eerie, dangerous and yet graceful and noble.

Diasomnia’s Chapter is an intense turmoil of emotions and, after all that happened in the Main Story so far, I realized that Malleus Overblot's theme not just represent the Arc's climax like it had being the case for the six previous Chapter. Not just only about an epic battle music, but also about a character.

[Beware : the following post content some spoilers for Chapter 7 : Ruler of the Abyss]

Featuring song and music

There is something about Malleus and music.

In his personal data, it's say that his “talent“ is stringed instruments's practice (ref. Twisted Wonderland : Magical Archives and in game data). According to his close relatives, such as Sebek during “Harveston's Kelkkarotu“ event, Malleus appear to be a really talented musician. And yet that aspect of Malleus wasn't fully explored in the Main, Events and Personals Stories. That was just a fun fact about Malleus's hobbies outside school or his daily royal duties.

Then came the performance of Malleus longside Idia and Azul during the Symphorium in the Halloween event Glorious Mascarade : Crimson Flowers and Bell of Salvation.

It's could be logical since Diasomnia Arc and Mascrade's events released their preview trailers around the same time. But nothing could make us suspected how much deep of that aspect of Malleus's character design is important. Not just as for characterization but also a tribute from Sleeping Beauty.

But to go with Chapter 7 and the Overblot's theme, let's return to the Symphorium, during its preparation as presented in Malleus's Mascaquerade Dress Personal Story [link]. Glorious Mascarade's iconic song Let My Wish Resound ( Twst wiki's traduction [link] ), is the gift of Night Raven College's students to the invitation for Night Bell College's Symphonium and its three main singer featuring Azul Ashengrotto, Idia Shroud and of course Malleus Draconia. In Malleus's Personnal Story, the trio are gather in Diasomnia Lounge for practicing. Both Idia and Azul (and even Lilia), are amaze about Malleus's singing skills. Not just because of his tense practicing, even outside his royal education as confirm Lilia to Idia. If Let My Wish Resound had a special signification for Malleus and his character (his desire and fear about connect with the Outside World and meeting other peoples), the fact that such song, and by extension the music, resound deep within Malleus.

In Chapter 7, that particular bond between Malleus and music/song is once again up under the lightspot, and even become an major element of the narrative. Just after he took his Overblot's form and cast [Fea of Maleficent] on everyone, Malleus start to humming a lullaby. The medley is the one of Once upon a Dream, Sleeping Beauty's famous and iconic song. There is many things that need to be discussed about that familiar medley and Malleus's story and personal journey and I will in the futur write a proper and complet review about. For now, we can notice that reference make not only as a tribute to the original animated pictures movie but also to Malleus's paradoxe as a character in that very sequence, and, even if it is more subtle, in the rest of the story. Indeed he is now a Dark Fea Lord, becoming in a way Maleficient just like Riddle with the Queen of Heart or Vil with the Beautiful Queen. And yet there is that lullaby medley, that medley which took after Princess Aurora's song. Malleus is depicted as both Light and Darkness, an impression that can be found in his Overblot theme.

The Choir and the Cello, picturing a story

There is two main musical elements in Overblot Malleus' track. The Choir and the Cello.

If is true that in the previous Overblot’s theme, a kinda choir is used in the medley, but its seems to have for fonction to put some extra more tension in the music like we can see in many soundtrack from cinema or video-game, but in the others Overbolt's theme, the choirs doesn't lead the medley. The instrumental instruments does.

But that was before Vil's Overblot and Mascarade Event’s theme, where the chorus and choir became the main leading of the music. In a kinda latin language with Dies Irea's leitmotif, choir become the medley's core and identity.

In popular culture, the choir is generally used as reference to Medieval Age’s music and its esthetics, real or dreamed . From Historical productions such as in Kingdom of Heaven (a Historical Movie setting during the early years of the Crusades) to Fantasy realms Lord of the Rings’s trilogy, we can tell that kinda of music had a special power to increase emotions and ambiance in a song.

In Overblot Malleus's theme, the choir became an extension of the Dragon-Fea’s power and personality. Giving to his character so much strength and presence, just like with Davy Jones's organ and it make a tribute to Sleeping Beauty’s soundtrack. One of the particularity of this Classic Disney Animation Picture, it's one of the very few movie from Disney's Silver Age, than doesn't have song like we see it in Cinderella or in Alice in Wonderland. As explained by cinema historian, Charles Solomo, in the documentary Picture Perfect: The Making of Sleeping Beauty [link], those kind of “Broadway like song“ doesn't fit to that world made of the gorgeous detailed background designed by Eyvind Earl or the music score inspired by Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty Ballet. Only songs in the movie are Once upon a Dream and choirs. Theses ones can be found in several track in the score. One of them, “Aurora's Return/Maleficent's Evil Spell“, is in my opinion, one of most powerful and representative of that directive for Sleeping Beauty's music. At one point of track a eerie and dark voice can be heard and as its materialize Maleficent's presence when Aurora is hypnotize by the curse.

Those choir segments supporting the narrative and characterizing each protagonists. Just like it's happen with Malleus's Overblot theme !

In Malleus's Overblot theme, alongside the choir, the second main leading instrument is the cello. The using of that particular string instruments in the track make a easter egg to both Malleus’s personal talents as to Diasomnia Dorm's music theme.

Cello, as other stringed instruments, are very often used in movie, video-game or musical composition because of a rich palette of tones and sounds that those musicals instruments can create and so increase emotions. Notes created by cellos are know to be rich and deep, and how depending how it played, it can express joy and light ambiance as epic, nostalgic world, mysteries or tension and terror.

The slight presence electric guitar (recurring in the Overblot music track) give an extra sensation of danger and tension in the medley, but without shadowing the leading of the chorus and the cello. It sound like lightings bolts, and each time the electric guitar is heard it increase choir's powers in the narrative of the medley with attacking notes. Giving the feeling that we are caught into a storm.

Conjuring the Dragon

As we start listening Malleus Overblot's theme, we fall into some dark or gothic fey world, more that Diasomnia Dorm's. Despite the presence of a electric guitar sound, the music had the same feels as Maleficent's themes from Sleeping Beauty. In fact the very first notes are very similars or at least sharing the same tones than some of Maleficent's leitmotif in “Aurora's Return/Maleficent's Evil Spell“ or in her music entrance.

The musictrack is divise in five segments. First, it start with a very aery voice sound, as we can found in mysterious or dark music track and then the storms began, leading by the choir. With the cello and the electric guitar, its give at that moment (and is reinforce in game by the image of Malleus in his Overblot form), that we are facing some kind of powerful Lord or a Dark Dragon. Malleus had a very complex personality and as far we know, at his core, ins't a evil character. But he is a Dragon-Fea and he had dark powers. If someone put in danger the persons he will care about (friends, family...), he will riposte with all his might and once of thoses times where Malleus's powers are show as dangerous and dark because its are beyond mortal understanding and standard, not as evil. It's true that consequences of some Malleus's actions are terrifying because of his non-human nature and can show him as the Dragon, the most dangerous foe of tales and legends, as the storm parts of the Overblot music despict it.

And at the middle of the music track, just between the two storms part, for a brief moment a calm, noble music segment is played. Its the same medley than the rest of the track but the tone is completely different as tone and ambience from what had been previously heard, even if there is still a certain tension in it. In fact Malleus Overblot's theme where there is a such calm. Yes it's true that in Leona Overblot's theme there is a kinda of “pause“ in the music but the same amount of epic tension. It's sound like if the character taking a short break, checking if everyone is is okay before return to battle. In Malleus's if we got same general medley but the music tale an other aspect of that character, of that Dragon, at the opposite of the Dark Dragon previously depicted. In that segment, the cello leading the music instead of the choir which became calm like lamentation, giving a powerful, melancholic and noble ambiance to the music before the storm restart and end once again on the eerie voice and notes.

That melancholic noble music caught in the storm show all the balance between light and dark that Malleus carries with him during his personal journey. Give him an aura of nobility and danger as we can found it in the Malzeno's theme or Elder Dragons ( Amatsu, Alatreon or Shagaru Magala) from Monster Hunter for exemple.

Right at the beginning and at the end of the track we got some slight but clear notes of piano. Like cello, that chordophone instrument (musical instrument that use both stringed and percussion (ref, Britanica)), can create intense and emotional ambience. It's true that I wished to heard some organ note in that music track, which could fit to the medieval gothic leitmotif of Diasmonia Dorm but I think it would change the characterization of Malleus in the music track. Organs are, in popular cultures and soundtracks very very bond to the figure of the Evil Lords such as Ganondorf in Ocarina of Time or Dracula in his many adaptations from movies to video-games or it played by shady antagonists like Davy Jones or Erik, the Phantom of the Opera. Even there it's cannon that Malleus know to play organs (Endless Halloween event), it's a piano. To listen those cold and sad notes, featuring a eerie voice, as opening and ending of Malleus Overblot's music theme, give us the ton of the music but also of the character it depicts. In plus to reinforce the feeling of melancholy, its contrast with the storms that reign in most of the track. Like the calm noble leitmotif, the piano show the “softer“, tragic and lonely side of Malleus beyond his dangerous and scaring first apparence and nature as a Dragon and a Dark Fea.

As I was writing that post, I discover that during the battle between the Knight of Dawn and Maleonora, Malleus's Mother, the Overblot can be heard and that discovery make more deeper to Malleus. Making it more personal to Malleus than it's already etablished in the music itself. Far more than I originally suspected.

During the last showdown between the Knight and Maleonora ant their tragic ending, the use of the Overblot's theme don't make that scene feels like one of Maleficient in the original picture or only reflecting the way the Humans sees Maleonora. As a dark witch, a monster.

The Overblot's theme show her as royal princess, a Crown-Heir and a mother that will do everything in her power to protect her people, the persons she love and her child. Between him and his mother there is big similarities, and not just physical. Malleus had indeed inherited some of Maleonora's traits, but in his heart and his general personality, Malleus is more close to his father Lord Revan, as it's confirmed by Lilia.

"Just like his father, he is a kind person who ins't able to be ruthless“ "(Episode 7 Ruler of the Abbys Part 6, chapter 99)

At the end, that Overblot's theme not just a dungeon's final boss theme or a musical representation of the Arc's aesthetic.

Even more than Diasomnia bgm, this is Malleus Draconia's Theme. Not just his Overblot. His theme, as character, like we discover in both Diasomnia's trailer and Twisted Wonderland's Story. That music score give us more clues about who Malleus really is.

That music can be seen as the refection of Malleus's complex personality. Noble and benevolent, fierce and powerful ..

Both the Greatest Foe than the Devoted Protector.

Thank you for reading this review/analysis about Malleus. I hope you enjoyed it :-)

Lucy Floyen

Musictrack link : [Twisted Wonderland BGM - Overblot Malleus] (Soundcloud)

[notbadforafailedvessel]

Alcina/Neko!Reader - Part II

Part I

Now that I think about, I could have cut this part in three... because this ended up being incredibly long! But whatever, enjoy it all at once, hehe.

Your presence in Castle Dimitrescu became quite the adventure.

Alcina soon discovers that as long as she was with you, you walked as a human, but if you were wandering on your own (which she clarified you were free to do because it wouldn't be fair to keep you around with nothing to do while she worked), you preferred to turn your hands and feet into paws to move as an animal since in that way, you were nimbler. And since you still weren't familiarized with the place, it was handier.

The first challenge you encounter is with Alcina's daughters.

They aren't happy with having to share their mother's attention with you and they made it fairly obvious.

Alcina never told them you were out of limits, wanting to test your abilities.

To you, she simply said that you do whatever you need to do to protect yourself. Knowing that if you managed to reach any of them or vice versa, you wouldn't cause any real damage beyond their pride.

The girls would never admit it, but they were impressed by your agility and deep down, they enjoyed and had fun with your chases.

Their worst mischief ocurrs when they lure you towards the cellar in their fly form, where they locked you into the darkness, which wasn't really a problem to you since you could see in it, making you aware that the place is filled with monsters like the one that attacked you on your arrival.

Completely ignorant to how important that room was to the lady of the castle, you jumped from barrel to barrel carelessly, kicking many of them towards the floor as you dodged the monsters to take a proper position to attack them, only noticing the spilled liquid that came from them when you slipped in a puddle but it doesn't stops you from recovering quickly to continue with the battle.

Alcina, during a break from work, tunes your heartbeat, standing in the next second when she realizes how accelerated it is, followed by a commotion.

When she finds her daughters cackling in front of the cellar's door, Alcina knows that nothing good could come from it. Growling at them to move, she heads to the cellar.

You feel proud of yourself when the lights turn on and you can witness your achievement, having got rid of the monsters on your own. However, your smile disappears when you see how discontent Alcina looks.

Despite knowing it wasn't your fault, Alcina feels the rage taking her over after watching all the wasted product. In a few long strides she reaches you, taking you by the back of your neck like a cat, lifting you up effortlessly.

You shrink into yourself, immediately reading the mood, trying to become smaller, trembling when she turns her head to you, her features twisted in anger.

It's tempting to retaliate, but despite her wrathful fog, Alcina perceives you trembling with fear, your big eyes widened with distress, shining with unshed tears. And for the first time, such image doesn't suits her well.

She takes a deep breath with closed eyes to calm a bit, and cradles you in your arms in the next second. She waits a moment in that position, trying to give you some sense of security before setting in motion without letting you go.

The girls are waiting outside, almost expectant to see some kind of drama, but Alcina pretends nothing happened, giving them the order to clean up the mess and go find new maidens to recover the losses.

In silence, she takes you to her chamber, placing you at the end of the bed, standing on the edge. You are still tense, unsure what to expect and the silence doesn't do anything to soothe your nerves.

You fidget with your tail. "My Lady, I-"

"Quiet, pet," she silences you with a soft tone. "I can't blame you for this." She holds you by the chin so you look at her. "But after this unfortunate event, I shall make clear that the cellar is now forbidden for you and my daughters' games. I will let them know about this new rule too."

You nod earnestly. "Understood, my Lady."

For a beat she remains serious but then she chuckles. "Time to get you clean, pet." You imagine a bath is coming your way, but with a gloved finger she collects some of the bloodwine in your arm and then put it in her mouth, moaning appreciatively. The sensual act makes you blush. "I can't let this go to waste."

Alcina doesn't asks for consent, at least not verbally. She keeps your eyes on your face, reading your expressions as she undresses you slowly, giving you the time to stop her.

You are not naive to not understand her intentions but you don't even consider to put a stop to it. The most time you spend with her, the most you crave from her.

Once you are naked, she leans down to lick you clean, starting on your neck and working her way down your body, avoiding any part that would make the act sexual instead of simply intimate.

Nonetheless, it makes you tremble with desire, reason why she wraps an arm around your waist when she notices your legs wobble.

Finishing with your body, she puts her free hand on your neck, her fingers on your jaw so she can move your head as it suits her as she licks the bloodwine on your face.

She takes advantage of your gasps to slid her tongue inside your mouth, brushing yours fleetingly as she press her lips against yours.

The contact barely lasts a second but it's enough to add more impact to your already stimulated body. Lightheaded, you wonder if this was some sort of punishment even when she claimed she couldn't blame you for what happened.

Chuckling at your disarranged state, Alcina takes you in her arms once again, finally taking you to the bathroom to bathe you properly.

Alcina lived in a constant state of tenderness and flusteredness because of you.

Luckily for you, her affection for you it's stronger and she only resorts to scolding you or making clear that you can't do whatever it pleases you.

Like she will once this dinner it's over.

You had been invited to join the meals of your Lady and her daughters since the very first day and today wasn't the exception but this time you did something you have never done.

You feel sleepy, due to an exhaustive chasing with the girls that lasted several hours and the food only highlighted such state.

Mother and daughters fall into conversation, Alcina happily listening to the girls' affairs.

You get off the chair, rubbing your eyes to then turn your hands and feet, sitting on your butt with bended legs on the floor next to Alcina's chair, keeping one arm extended in front of you while licking your other paw to groom yourself.

It doesn't take long to feel Alcina's hand on your head, making you push your against her hand enthusiastically.

Her ministrations aren't helpful for your sleepy state and you can only think in the comfort she provides, the warmth that would surround you if you were closer to her.

Without thinking, you hop into her lap, fleetingly nuzzling your face in her neck before lying down in a curled up position, your purring reaching every corner of the room, completely unaware of the women's reactions.

Alcina looks down at you speechless, the hand with which she had been caressing you, hovering idly.

In other circumstances ─ more precisely, in the presence of the Lords and Mother Miranda ─ she would have reacted very different, and the outcome wouldn't have been pleasing for neither of you.

Thankfully, this time she can be reckless. But a serious conversation with you is bound to happen once you wake up.

Alcina cradles your head softly, her thumb brushing one of your ears, making her smile subtly when you smile in your sleep.

Gazing up while her hand rests protectively on the side you had been hurt months ago, she finds her daughters smiling like the cat who ate the canary, and she channels her Lady Dimitrescu persona for a second. "Not a single word." Afterwards, she clears her throat, taking a sip of her wine regally and smiles softly. "Continue, sweet Bela."

You wake up hours later, Alcina's lap no longer your resting place but you are still lying in a comfortable and soft spot, and when you open your eyes, your eyes find your Lady next to you on her bed, leaning against the headboard, reading a book.

"Have you rested well, pet?" She places the book on the nightstand and the glasses she was wearing on top of the book.

You cover your face with your paws while you stretch, then yawn. "Yes, my Lady." Though you scoot towards her with the intention to fall asleep again.

A hand on your shoulder stops you, making you pout and look up with a disgruntled expression.

"There's something I need to speak with you, pet. Something important and that can't wait."

You worry, wondering what could you have done to upset your lady, your mind already overworking with possible scenarios of your dismissal.

"Easy, pet." She shifts to her side to face you, resting on her arm. "Technically, you haven't done anything wrong. But what occurred in the dinner room can't happen again."

You frown, not understanding. If you haven't done anything wrong, why it couldn't happen again?

"At least not whenever it pleases you. You have known Mother Miranda and the other Lords. I have an image to maintain in front of them."

You still remember the day as it had happened yesterday. Your Lady had told you about them before their arrival and after finding out Mother Miranda was a scientist, you wanted to go hide in a room and come out until they were gone.

Alcina warned you to behave, and it had requiere a huge effort not to react in anyway when the leader entered the castle. You were scared and wondered why you had to be there even when Alcina explained that it was better to introduce you than trying to keep a secret from Mother Miranda.

Since your experience with scientists wasn't a good one, you were expecting to be taken away to be studied even when Alcina tried to reassured you that that wouldn't happen.

And your Lady had been right. Mother Miranda had looked at your way once, scrutinizing you up and down as if she was scanning you, capable to find out right in that moment that you weren't fitting for whatever she needed, and she had let out a snort afterwards, making a mocking comment to Alcina about what a good mother she was for getting a kitten for her daughters.

It hurt your pride but she never looked your way after that time, so only for that reason you were able to let it go.

"Do you understand, pet?" There was an edge on her tone, not appreciating having to fish for a response.

"Yes, my Lady." You gazed up. "I would never do that in front of them. I would never do anything to embarrass you," you promised, wanting to be a good thing for her and not a nuisance. "But-" you trailed off, hesitating.

"Speak your mind, pet." Her words might be slightly harsh but she was caressing your jaw with the back of her index finger softly.

"But what about when it's only you and I, my Lady, could I-?"

Alcina ponders for a moment. "Only when I'm not working and you have to wait until I allow you to do it."

You have mixed feelings about it. On one hand, you want to be selfish and take what you want whenever you want to as your nature whispers you to do and what usually gets you in troubles. On the other, you had never known about sincere care and interest for you until you meet your Lady, and you know that's something you won't risk losing.

You nod. "All right, my Lady." You smile and feel your heart fluttering when Alcina grins back at you.

"What a good pet." She buries her face in the crook of you neck, nuzzling your jaw with her head, acting as if she was a cat. She brushes your neck with her lips. "Such a good pet."

You close your eyes when you feel her teeth scraping your skin, knowing what's coming, letting out a whimper when she sinks them in.

Drinking slowly from you, savouring you, Alcina rolls over you, careful not to put all her weight on you, but enough for you to feel a satisfying pressure.

You grasp your Lady's shoulders, digging your claws for her to feel but without breaking her skin, dragging a moan from the woman.

"Mine." She grunts against your neck, making you shiver due to the vibration and the possessiveness she exuded.

Sitting on the couch in Alcina's office with your limbs and tail tucked under your body, resembling a loaf of bread, you stare at the maid who enters after knocking on the door to deliver a package until she leaves the two of you alone once again, hurrying to get out after making quick eye contact with you.

The staff was no longer very fond of you after the day you attacked one of the maids, taking away her life to rip her heart out to gift it to your Lady.

Alcina doesn't react at the box placed on her desk until hours later, once she's done with her work, when you are sleeping lightly. She smiles smugly after opening it.

"Come here, sweet pet."

Despite you are waking up, you are quick and nimble to stand up, transforming your paws to hands and feet, hurrying to your Lady's side. You wait next to her chair, looking up at her expectantly and when she pats her lap with one hand, you climb to straddle her happily.

She strokes your cheek, triggering your purring. "I have a gift for you."

You look down when she presents you the box she's holding for you to see, gasping in awe at the leather choker with the Dimitrescu crest resting proudly in the middle.

You reach out to touch it reverently with your fingertips. "For me?" you ask skeptically, not used to such gestures despite it wasn't the first time your Lady gave you something. Since your arrival, your wardrobe had increased thanks to her. But somehow you knew this was different, and much more valuable.

Alcina hums, taking the choker out of the box, leaving the latter on the desk. "I want you to have something that will always remind you of who you belong to. More importantly, to remind everyone who sets their eyes on you... who you belong to." She puts the choker in your neck, capable to close the clasp without looking at it. A pleasant sensation washing her over at the result.

You follow her hands until she's done with the task, raising your head to look at her. "I-I belong to you, my Lady?" you ask with wonder.

Alcina grins intimidatingly though you know it's not aimed to you. "Of course, pet. My pet. I got you first, you are mine." She wraps her hand around your neck, squeezing softly, not to hurt but as if she was looking to leave the choker's mark on your skin. "You are mine to look after. Mine to touch. Mine to kiss. Mine to taste. Mine to possess. Mine to do every single thing I want... isn't that right?" She wasn't asking due to uncertainty, simply because she wanted you to voice your surrender to her.

You gulp, momentarily closing your eyes as your body arches towards hers. Alcina's laugh make your ears flutter at the divine sound, and you are overjoyed when she wraps her arm around your waist, soothing your desperation to be closer when she pressed your front against hers, your hands finding her shoulders.

"Yes..." you whisper, your voice trembling but with your next words your tone is louder and firmer. "Yours, my Lady, ever only yours." Your hands slide towards her neck, your fingertips ghosting her jaw.

Alcina raises an eyebrow, almost like she was reading your mind and daring you to do what you wanted to do. And despite knowing there could be consequences for acting before your Lady approved it, you couldn't deny that you enjoyed her punishments because it usually meant keeping you at her side all day, doing things to keep her in a good mood or spend all day aroused.

Even when you were the brattiest and she resorted into something physical and you had trouble sitting comfortably, you never felt unsafe or scared because Alcina carefully keeps an eye on you to be conscious of your limits.

But so far she has never crossed a line, giving you comfort and reassurance afterwards; and you took pleasure in the soreness her hands left in your body, which you considered another way to mark you even when not always it was visible.

So you dare to hold her face in her hands, tilting her head as if you truly could have some control over her. She growls as if annoyed but she smirks before you press your lips against hers.

"I'm yours as much as you are mine, my Lady," you claim conceitedly.

Alcina doesn't denies it. She can't, knowing you are aware because you thrive on all the attention she gives you, noticing how different it is from the one she gives to others. Nonetheless, she narrows her eyes, golden eyes shining with only one purpose.

And when she grabs your ass with her free hand, squeezing it, you know the next following days, every time you sit down, you are going to be reminded of your cheekiness.

But when Alcina kisses you again, taking total control of you with her tongue and lips, you are more than clear that you wouldn't have it any other way.

[crystillyzed]

at the rainbow's end // mysta rias

pairing: mysta rias x gn!reader

word count: 4.1k

genre: fluff, staff!reader, mutual pining, wingman elira

content warning(s): swearing, unedited

summary:

After nearly a year of hearing each other's voice, you finally meet him.

a/n: this was originally going to be released as my 100 follower celebration since i hit that a while back and to make up for the lack of event since i don’t have the time to host one. but with mysta’s graduation this past weekend, i didn’t want to keep this in my drafts since i’ve been working on this for like practically a year now.

this fox-dog man means so much to me, even though i can’t really catch his streams due to timezone differences, but he means So Much to me. i got back into writing because of luxiem, but he and shu were the ones who got me back into the swing of writing which is amazing bc i love writing. i just lost all the motivation to do so until i found them last year. even though he’s no longer in niji anymore or mysta anymore, i will keep writing for him. in fact, i actually have like 3 or so mysta works in the drafts lol

and speaking of writing, this is the first long fic i’ve written in 3-4 years. i’m considering crossposting this onto my ao3 as an alternative access to read longer fics bc ik how tumblr is poopy with loading long text posts. i’m a bit rusty when it comes to writing long fics, but i hope you’ll be able to enjoy this as much as i enjoyed writing this 🧡

links: luxiem m.l || main m.l || ao3 ver (if tumblr dies)

You twist your head from your phone back towards your monitor, displaying the Discord window showing your current private call with your blue dragon friend.

“Mysta’s WHAT?”

“Yeah, he’s coming along on the trip,” Elira laughed. “You didn’t know?”

“Apparent-ly! What the hell!! Luca, that motherfucker, I’m gonna beat his ass when I see him!”

She howls with laughter as you ramble on and on about how Luca told you everything about their planned trip but didn’t tell you about Mysta’s planned involvement. Once you’re done, she takes many deep breaths to calm down. “You should come with us! It’s gonna be fun. And, you’ll get to see him again.~”

You can’t really see each other’s faces, considering you’re both in a voice call. But god damn, you can hear the eyebrow wiggle in her teasing tone.

“I can’t,” you groaned, “I have finals when you’re there. As much as I wanna skip it, I really need to pass.”

“Damn, you can’t even get a referral from staff to get you here for a business meeting? Unlucky.”

“Can’t even do that anyway. I already told my professor that my trip’s been canceled, so now I have to take it.”

Though you’re not a liver for the company, you are, however, a staff member for the company. Specifically one of the staff in charge of promotions. Of course, you mainly focus on promoting EN and sometimes the other two now-merged branches. In fact, that’s how you got close to some of the livers.

As one of the staff promoters, you have to speak with the associated livers about PR stream offers and their convention appearance invites. Since you’ve been interacting with the livers the most, you’ve become friends with a few of them. Some namely Elira and Mysta.

Honestly, it’s not that you play favorites with the livers. You try your best to keep your relationships professional with them. But your bond with a specific fox-like man says otherwise.

You see, Mysta has been a joy to be around with. Although you haven’t met him in person yet, you have played some multiplayer games with him. Sometimes you check out the EN Minecraft server to see if the installed mods are working properly. Weirdly enough, almost every time you visit the server, Mysta is online. In fact, that’s how your not-so-business relationship started.

When you first entered the server, after double checking if no one was streaming at the scheduled hour, he was the first person you met. You thought you would run into Selen, Pomu, or perhaps Uki during your visit, but you were pleasantly surprised at his sudden appearance. Luckily, he was kind enough to show you around the server while teaching you some mods. With, of course, the trademark Mysta Rias experience packaged with sexual innuendos and teasing about. Well, except he didn’t go completely sexual considering it was your first time meeting him. He has some decency.

After that, you’ve run into him almost every time you visit the Minecraft server. Every visit eventually turned into hangouts, just you two (and sometimes another liver) chatting and building projects in-game. Soon enough, you and Mysta started to play other games together. You both played games such as Overwatch, Clubhouse, and sometimes League if you felt like torturing yourself for some reason.

Obviously, you had to keep the professionalism on both sides somehow. Your fellow staff members, especially some livers, noticed your close bond with the detective. So they usually send you to his DMs to discuss about any promotion offers involving him. Whenever you have your cameras on for a meeting, he somehow always flusters you with sudden flirtatious marks or something of the sort mid-conversation.

“Hello? Helloooooooo? Is someone there??”

Elira’s voice yoinks you out of your thoughts. Oh god, were you spacing out this entire time? How embarassing.

You clear your throat then respond as if you weren’t thinking of someone just now, “S-sorry, did you say something?”

“Oh my god. It’s that bad,” she mindlessly mutters.

Blink blink. “Huh?”

“Nothing,” she quickly retaliates. With a slight hum, she speaks again, “Since you’re gonna be stuck in hell… Want me to get you something? Like a souvenir or a limited edition thing? I literally have your address, man.”

Oh right, she does. Sometimes you and Elira send gifts to each other like figurines or plushies at random times.

“Nah, I’m good. Thanks for the offer, man.”

“Are you sure? I mean, I’ll still probably send some pics buuut… Y’know… Just saying…”

There she goes again, doing that thing where she wiggles her eyebrows even though you can’t see her fucking face right now. Goddamn it, why did you tell her about your… thing with Mysta? You should’ve known that she’s NOT going to let it go.

You groan, “Just. Just surprise me.”

“That’s so vague! Do you know what that means?”

“Yeah? So? Surprise me.”

“Man… You have no idea how much power you just gave me.” She cackles for the next few seconds, making you start regretting your decision. “Okay, I’ll surprise you. Just don’t forget you asked me to, alright? And no complaining!”

“Okay, alright, fine! I won’t complain! Jeez… Now get to bed, nerd, you have a flight tomorrow.”

“Sheesh, what are you, my mom?” You both chuckle at her remark. “Okieee~ I’ll go pass out now, I guess. Good night!”

“Good night, Ewiwa. Have a safe trip.”

And you both leave call. Well, maybe you should get to sleep too. It’s getting super late, after all.

—

Mysta stares at Elira across the table in disbelief. “Finals? Of all times? Bruh…”

“Haha, yeah! Super uncool and lame and not something I have to worry about soon,” his penguin colleague beside him laughs with a dreadfully crazed look in her eyes. She anxiously reaches out for her soda and starts drinking rapidly.

“Wh— it’s not like I can control it or anything. Shit happens!”

“I know, it’s just…” he drawls off as his gaze lowers to the table. Admittedly, it’s difficult for him to hide his expression. So naturally, the two girls noticed his disappointment. Elira and Petra awkwardly look at each other, then to him, then back at each other.

“Hey, it’s okay, Mysta,” Petra says as she pats his back. “You can always see them next time! Like Nijifest!”

The dragon nods, “Yeah! Or you could see them the next time you take a break. Like going on another vacation or something.”

“If I have enough money for it,” he sighed. But he gives them a small smile to appreciate their attempts to soothe him.

Petra frowns. “If? Mysta, you’re literally one of the top livers in EN, like? Hello? Mr. One Million?”

“But I still don’t know when that’s gonna happen. Might as well be in a year or maybe like half a year or something.”

Elira’s eyes narrow. She quietly listens to their conversation, or bickering at this point, while taking some occasional sips of her drink.

For the past practically a year, Elira’s been one of the victims to both of your hopeless gushing.

She already knew about your friendship since you’ve talked a lot about it before. She knows the stupid hijinks and drunken confessions that you and Mysta told her about off stream. Her eyes closes as a confused thought crosses her mind, Seriously, how are you two not dating already?

Of course, she’s quite aware that the rest of Luxiem are both of your victims. Hell, when Elira’s alone with the other boys, it’s usually them talking about how astonishing that you and Mysta aren’t together. Sometimes, they make bets on who’s going to confess first. It’s obvious!

Even with the two going back and forth, practically becoming one with the background, she closes her eyes and hums in thought. Finals should be finished next week, she mused. Her visible eye opens as she takes a glance at the ashy haired male. But he’s been so busy lately that they haven’t spoken with each other…

The entire EN branch had a full schedule for the past few months. In fact, their schedule was so full that sometimes the livers couldn’t make their own streaming schedules nor stream in general. Mysta, of course, was no exception. As one of the most popular livers in EN, he’s one of the most busiest people she’s ever known. On top of that, you too have been busy recently too. You haven’t been able to hang out with him as of late despite being a staff member yourself. Life really likes to fuck anyone over, doesn’t it?

She could tell that you two haven’t been able to find the time to talk with each other. The staff picked up many projects that practically almost everyone is unavailable, and you were one of said unavailable members. The only times the livers could contact you was through Slack or by email for business inquiries. But things should be slightly slowing down, for now that is.

Although, it would be nice to have you two meet each other once at the same time, even if it’s a coincidental encounter.

Wait a minute…

A devious smirk lifts her lips, her eyes glinting with mischief in mind. She chuckles to herself as she entertains the thought. Hell, it even looks kinda creepy to the other patrons. ESPECIALLY to her coworkers who’s now staring at her with confusion and a hint of fear.

“…Elira? Are you okay?” Petra asked the dragon.

“Hm?” She blinks out of her thoughts as the penguin’s voice pulls her back into reality. Elira stares at her and Mysta, who also looks a bit dumbfounded, before grinning at them. “Oh, don’t worry about it. Just thought of something.”

Blink blink. “Like what?” Mysta asked this time.

Again, she lets out a chuckle and flicks her wrist to wave off the concern. “Like I said! Don’t worry about it! Y’all will see it eventually.”

Soon enough, the waitress arrives with their orders. Elira turns to face her and helps her with the food. On the other side of the table, the two livers tilt their heads in confusion and eventually give each other an unknowing look as the table is served.

—

You lie in bed snuggled underneath your covers, but the lights are still on as you scroll through Twitter on your phone.

It’s been about a couple weeks since your call with Elira. She’s been sending you updates, videos, and pictures of the group’s adventures in Japan. Sometimes, she’d call you before going to bed to tell you what happened during the trip in case it was a story she couldn’t explain over text. Of course, there were times when another liver like Reimu and Nina would join in the call and give you the tea. As much as you wished you wanted to be there while dying in exams, you felt warm as you saw the livers enjoying themselves on their vacation.

Then, you noticed how fast the month flew by. Eventually, it was time for the livers to fly home and say goodbye for a while. They all had different flights, obviously, but there was a specific person who didn’t leave the country yet.

You were looking on Twitter while watching the members’ story time streams on a pop-up viewer. Although, you didn’t see Mysta’s waiting room or tweet indicating his return to streaming yet.

Suddenly, you remembered why.

“He wants to stay back for a bit,” Elira answered over the sound of her packing. “Dunno why, but I don’t blame him. He was in Japan for work last time.”

That he was. Though disappointing it is that you can’t hang with him for a while longer, at least he’s having fun.

“Oh, remember the thing I asked you about?”

She asked you something? When?

“What thing?” You asked.

“Uh… The souvenir thing?”

Oh shit, you forgot about that. And apparently, she noticed your forgetfulness as indicated by her laughter.

“I got you something,” Elira continued, “but I’ll send it to you when I get back.”

“Why not now? You can just ask headquarters to send it to me.”

“It’s not something in a box though.”

You blinked in confusion, unanswering.

On the other end of the line, you heard her chuckle, “You’ll see.”

Your brief conversation did, in fact, make you scared. Although it’s Elira, your local dependable dragon, sometimes she can be as unpredictable as… well… the rest of Nijisanji. Not just EN, but Nijisanji in general. Remember that one time you watched her stream where she suddenly jumped into a hole in that Forest collab? Yeah…

Now, some time has passed since the trip and she’s been home for about almost a week. It’s something not in a box, right? So what’s taking her so long? Is it digital? Or did she fuck up somewhere with the delivery?

Currently, you’ve been juggling schoolwork, personal work, and work-work. Needless to say, it’s been a stressful time, especially around this type of year. Seriously, why is everyone so goddamn busy around this time? Idle thoughts aside, you’ve also been anxiously waiting for Elira’s souvenir. For the past week, you’d constantly check your phone and your PC for any email or DM from Slack and Discord with Elira’s name attached to it. Every time you get DM’ed or emailed, it’s always been another liver or staff member whose name doesn’t start with Elira and end with Pendora.

But hey, at least you got funny memes from Luca and Mysta in the mean time!

Honestly, at this point, you might as well just give up. Maybe she did run into issues, or she just forgot.

You let out a sigh as you refreshed your feed for the umpteenth time tonight, accompanied by the ghost’s voice eminating through your speakers. Yet suddenly, a notification banner from Discord slides down onto the screen.

Elira Pendora

SURPRISE!!!!

Oh.

Huh.

So she didn’t forget??

Confused yet astonished at the same time, you pull down your notifications bar and tap on the DM to see what she sent.

As the iconic Discord logo pops up on your screen, it eventually loads your conversation with Elira. When you look past your previous chat, a message larger than it should be fills about a third of your screen.

A plane ticket to London next week. Seat number and all. And most notably, it has your name.

…

“HUH?”

You frantically tap on the textbox and type.

You

GIRL

WHAGT THE FUCK IS THIS

Elira Pendora

your souvenir! ☺️

You

WDYM SOUVENIR THATS NOT EVEN RELATED TO JAPAN??? 😭😭😭😭

also

HOW DID YUO GET MY NUMBER??? AND MY EMAIL????? :monkas:

Elira Pendora

I had to pull a few strings with staff

just normal coworker things

You

:thonk:

“normal”

Elira Pendora

but like you should go!!!

I didn’t go through all that just for you to not see him

and you really needed a break so 😎

You

??????

but hes Still in japan?????

Elira Pendora

yeah but he’s flying back home next week

I asked him earlier and had to like try to figure out how to get you to meet him at the same time

or like

around the same time 😌

You

man idk if i should thank you or yell at you

Elira Pendora

LMAO EITHER WORKS IT’S OKAY MAN

better get ready!!!

You

wait what about the hotel

Elira Pendora

what hotel? ☺️

i’m sure he wouldn’t mind letting you stay for a few days tbh

and yes I will also pay for your return trip

You

BUT YOUR LEN FUNDS……

Elira Pendora

I KNOW 😭😭😭

but it’s worth it! go get your man bitch!!

but :thonk:

I think I’ll try to pass out now since I have something scheduled tomorrow soooo

GOOD NIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!

You

gn ewiwa :D

Well! Looks like you have a trip to prepare for.

—

The gray haired detective lounged comfortably in the AirBnB’s living room, resting on the sofa as he scrolled through Twitter. He let out a chuckle here and there, sometimes full on laughing whenever a funny meme popped up on his timeline.

“Meesta!” Elira called out to him from the kitchen island.

He turned around to look at the unusually giddy dragon. Confused, he asked, “What’s up?”

“When are you heading back?”

“Uh…” Pulling out his phone, he quickly went through his gallery to find a screenshot of his ticket. Once he found it, he examined the ticket for its boarding time and date then put it away. “In like a couple or so weeks. I thought I told you?”

“I don’t think you did,” she answered.

She motioned him to give her the device, or at least show her the screen. Of course, he complied. Though insane she is, he does have immense respect for her and Lazulight. Mysta stood up from his seat and approached her. Once in the kitchen area, he flipped his phone towards her, letting her singular visible eye take a peek.

Elira hummed as she inspected the ticket details then pulled back. “Cool. Thanks man!”

She walked away from the kitchen, carrying a glass of water upstairs leaving him even more confused.

It’s been three weeks since his unusual encounter with Elira. He sits idly at a bench by a luggage conveyor in the airport, waiting for his bags to unload from the plane. While waiting, he leans back into his seat and lets out an exhausted sigh. Luckily, no one is seated beside him, so he could just take up all the space on this uncomfortable bench. Still, he couldn’t help but reminisce onto their conversation.

Was she planning something? Was she just curious? What was she cooking?

Now, he’s back in the dreaded land of England, land of the beloathed. He pulls out his phone and immediately checks Discord. The EN server is lively as always, everyone’s practically home but the sense of energy radiates from the screen despite being digital. Like any other liver, he hops in the conversation a bit, sometimes memeing around with the others in the general channel.

Although, he noticed that your icon hasn’t appeared at least once since he landed. He was even paying attention to the top left corner of his screen for a red dot indicating your message. Normally, you’d send him a meme or something to see while he’s asleep or busy. But strangely enough, you haven’t yet. Maybe he should send you something? Or maybe call?

Mysta continues to catch up and reflect on the livers’ vacation in Japan on the server, his attention eventually caught by a familiar bag on the conveyor.

Welp. Looks like he’ll call you later.

—

Thank god Elira had the brain cells to make sure your flight isn’t after his own. Of course, she had to take in account about the flight times since you’re both literally across the globe from each other going to London. To avoid missing him right after landing, you were booked super early into the morning. But sometimes, there’s a possibility that you might be too early when he lands. And, unfortunately, that seems to be the case.

“He lands around midnight,” Elira told you on phone prior to checking in. “So you should be a biiiit early.”

Yeah, by like, 2 hours.

Man, what the hell are you supposed to do for two whole hours? Well, at least you have your phone AND your luggage. You could even people watch in the lobby. But that’s 2 hours!

What’s even more fucked up is that you can’t really use your phone unless you find the wifi. But airport wifi is kinda shitty, especially in England of all places. Talk about a British debuff.

You let out a heavy sigh and collapse into your seat. Napping is out of the question, even though you’re still kind of tired from the flight. Don’t wanna risk missing him by a smidgen, of course. So you ended up roaming around the airport for a while, getting yourself some drinks and snacks to keep you occupied while waiting for your friend. Luckily there were plenty of places to lounge while waiting, so you found a place to sit and enjoy your haul of snacks while waiting.

You did get to connect to the public wifi to look at some memes, but again, it’s the airport wifi. With how slow your phone’s been loading, you eventually disconnect yourself from the wifi after moments of mindless scrolling.

But then you realized something.

You have absolutely no idea what gate he’s in.

Panicked, you scramble to pick up your bags from your side and stand up. Shit, did Elira tell you what airline he took? God, having data in another country would be so helpful. There’s absolutely no way you’re gonna reconnect to the public wifi, it’s too damn slow! If you did have data, you’d look back to your DMs and scrub through your brief conversation from last night.

With a quick glance at your phone, the clock flashes briefly on the screen. 9:20pm, that means his flight’s arriving in less than an hour. Oh shit.

Immediately, you pace briskly throughout the terminals. As you scrounge through the crowds just to take a good look at the terminals, you ask staff for international flights from Japan along the way to help narrow down as much as possible. Throughout the search, you occasionally checked the clock on your phone. 9:40? Shit, his flight should be here now or soon.

“Mysta!” You suddenly shout, passerbys looking at you strangely as you start calling for his name. Your luggage rolls and bumps against the crevices of the floor, bags jostling as you promptly continue your search throughout the terminals. “Mysta Rias!”

Meanwhile, in the same area…

An ashy gray haired man stands in front of the carousel, waiting for the rest of his bags to drop onto the conveyor belt. He pulls out his phone from his pocket, taking a quick glance at his notifications and Discord. His mouth lowers into a frown, his brows furrowing in worry as he notices the lack of notifications from you. Did they really fall asleep?

Clink-clang!

Sunset kissed eyes shift towards the carousel at the sound. Spotting his luggage on the conveyor belt, he walks over to his revolving baggage and lifts them onto the ground. Maybe he’ll shoot you a dm later when he gets home. The handle on his large case clicks as he pulls it up, soon dragging it on its wheels behind him as he heads towards the direction of the exit.

You continue running and searching for him, frantically calling his name throughout the terminal. Your head turns left and right as you look into the surrounding late night crowd, your gaze briefly analyzing each arrival for any hint of his gray hair or his tallness. As you remain standing in the middle of the hall, looking for him, you see a tall man wearing small shades on the bridge of his nose. Gray side hairs framing his face sway into the air as he lugs his bags from the baggage claim and towards the nearest exit.

Without a second thought, your feet starts moving towards him. “Mysta—“ you call. “Mysta!”

After seconds and minutes of searching for him, calling his name and pushing through the crowd as you chase after him. Just a little more…!

“MYSTA!”

And finally… Finally, you see him.

With a clear shout of his name, the gray haired man halts.

Bewildered, he looks left and right until he turns around to see you panting. His heart stopped as he stares at you astonishly. The ambience of the crowd and muffled intercom speakers drowned out as he zoned onto you.

He looked at you.

The person standing just centimeters away from him.

The person who he thought was someone he’d never meet face to face ever.

The person who helped him find a reason to keep going even in the darkest of times.

It felt like hours just staring at each other. It didn’t even feel like there was an ocean of people swarming about and passing by. Without a second thought, Mysta slowly approaches you as if he were to scare you off. As if he didn’t want to wake up, if he is dreaming.

As he gets closer and closer, you didn’t make a move. No, you merely stared at him with wonder and excitement im your eyes.

You both stood across each other, only a few centimeters apart. He blinks several times, even pinching his wrists to disprove his thoughts. But he felt a stinging pain on each part.

An airy huff somewhat resembling a laugh escapes from him. Relief washes over him, and he whispers with a smile, “…Hi.”

You smile back.

“Hi.”

[captainremmington-13]

A Lady Made of Snow

DISCLAIMER: I don’t own The Hunger Games franchise, the images above, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, or any of the characters in this fic other than Bellova.

SUMMARY: An unexpected rebel attack leaves both Coriolanus and Bellova in the hospital. But it seems that nothing, not even a close encounter with death, can keep them from butting heads.

Warnings: spoilers for TBOSAS, mentions of death, mentions of explosions, injury, cursing, overall just some dark stuff (it’s the Hunger Games franchise so that’s sorta a given)

A/n: I am using a combination of the movie and book version of the events that occur in this chapter.

Adorning a brand-new black suit and sleek black heels, Bellova stood at the front of homeroom. As they had been ordered to stand in alphabetical order, she and Coriolanus ended up side-by-side. 

He looked nervous. She figured it was because he had to open the ceremony by singing the national anthem. She hadn’t heard him sing in years, not since they were young children. Back then, he sounded truly awful. She hoped for his sake he’d improved since then.

After a quick briefing of the ceremony’s schedule by Professor Satryia Click, Bellova took her place in the stands with the other attendees. She quickly wished Coriolanus good luck as he made his way towards the stage, and sat down with the other Academy students. 

Coriolanus’s performance of the national anthem went smoothly. President Ravinstill gave a brief speech commemorating Arachne, and signaled for the funeral procession to begin.

First came the honor guard of Peacekeepers, marching in perfect harmony with the drums. Then, Bellova heard the crowd around her gasp in disgust as a truck pulled a flat bed along behind it, where the remaining tributes were shackled to the floor. The body of Arachne’s killer hung from a hook above them, like a person executed by hanging. 

Bellova felt her stomach twist unpleasantly at the sight of the corpse, but didn’t look away. She’d seen plenty of dead people in her lifetime, it wasn’t anything new.  

After the tributes came Arachne’s coffin, which was elaborately decorated with flowers. Then came a chariot pulling Arachne’s parents, who looked uneasy about this whole affair. The chariot stopped in front of the podium, where Dr. Gaul was waiting to speak.

"Arachne Crane, we, your fellow citizens of Panem, vow that your death will not be in vain. When one of ours is hit, we hit back twice as hard. The Hunger Games will go forward, with more energy and commitment than ever before, as we add your name to the long list of the innocent who died defending a righteous and just land. Your friends, family, and fellow citizens salute you and dedicate the Tenth Hunger Games to your memory.”

Bellova thought it was a dramatic statement to make, but agreed that Arachne was innocent. Bratty and arrogant, sure, but not deserving of her violent end. 

The funeral procession passed a few moments later, and the crowd began to disperse. Bellova followed the other Academy students to the cafeteria, hoping that a nice meal would dull some of the grief lingering on her conscience.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Can you climb?”

Velvereen shook her head. “Not very well. But I can try.”

Bellova pursed her lips, trying not to seem too disappointed. The arena’s best hiding spots seemed to be above ground, and it would be impossible to reach them without climbing.

As she and her tribute walked around the arena, she kept subconsciously glancing over at a certain blonde boy. He was far too close to the little songbird girl. They seemed to be bantering cheerfully, which was insane given where they were standing. 

‘She’ll be gone soon,’ Bellova reminded herself. ‘She’ll die in the arena, and you’ll never have to see her and Coryo together again.’

“Bellova?” Velvereen asked, trying to get her mentor’s attention.

“Huh?” Bellova said, confused. Then, she remembered what she was there to do. She had to stop worrying about the little songbird, and focus on helping her own tribute. “Oh yes, I’m sorry.” Bellova looked over at Coriolanus again, and noticed that there were some piles of rubble near where he stood “Let’s go over there and check for other good hiding places, okay?” 

Velvereen nodded. They took a couple steps towards Coriolanus and Lucy Gray. 

Then, the world erupted into flame.

Bellova yelled in terror as the bombs exploded around her, knocking down tributes, peacekeepers, and mentors alike. She scrambled to her feet, running away from the sound of the blasts. 

A Peacekeeper knocked into her hard while running for his life, sending her flying to the ground. She felt her ribs slam the pavement, eliciting an agonized scream from her lips. Somehow, she got to her feet again, racing towards a section of the arena where the bars had been blown away. 

Bellova was just a few feet from safety when she lost consciousness, crumpling to the ground as Velvereen stood triumphantly over her body.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hushed voices and the sound of beeping pulled Bellova from her unconscious state slowly. 

Her eyes fluttered open, squinting shut as the harsh hospital light attacked her pupils. She could tell she’d been hooked up to morphling by the dull throb in her left arm. 

“She’s awake,” someone said.

“Oh thank god,” another voice said quietly. 

There was some more mundane chatter, and then she felt someone grasp her hand gently. 

When she opened her eyes fully, she saw Sejanus standing next to her bed, his hand on top of hers. 

“Sejanus?” she murmured, her head swimming from her injury and the drugs.

“Hey, Bellova,” the boy said, smiling weakly. “Glad to see that you made it.  A couple nights ago, we weren’t too sure you would.”

Bellova’s eyes narrowed. “What the hell have I missed?”

Sejanus, who was soon joined by Lysistrata Vickers, filled Bellova in on what had happened. Coriolanus and a few other mentors besides herself were in the hospital. Six tributes were confirmed dead, including Velvereen.

Bellova’s brow furrowed. “What happened to her?”

Sejanus sighed. “She hit you upside the head with a rock before trying to make a run for it. She was shot before she could escape.”

Bellova’s fists clenched. “That bitch. After all I did to try to help her, she tried to murder me? Barbaric.”

Sejanus winced. Clearly, the morphling was wearing off. “Yeah, well…there were other casualties. The Ring twins.”

Bellova sat up, trying to ignore the nausea that followed instantly. “That’s not true. It couldn’t be.” 

“Lay back down, miss,” a nurse said, stepping into the room and past Sejanus. “You need to rest your head.”

Bellova scowled at her. “Don’t tell me what to do.”

“She’s a nurse, Bellova,” Lysistrata said. “Please listen, it’s for your own good.”

Bellova reluctantly laid back down, allowing the nurse to refill her supply of morphling and inject more sleeping serum into her arm. “So…Didi and Pollo are dead?”

Sejanus nodded. Bellova’s eyes immediately filled with tears, and she grasped Sejanus’s hand tighter. “Oh god,” she said, squeezing her eyes shut. “That’s…I-I can’t believe it.” 

“I know,” Sejanus murmured. “I can’t either.” 

Bellova sniffled. “H-How’s Coryo?”

“He’s alright,” Sejanus said. “He’s resting. He got a mild concussion, some burns, and some bruises, but otherwise he’s just fine.”

“Good,” Bellova whispered, the serum beginning to take effect. “That’s good.”

“You should go to sleep, Bellova,” Lysistrata insisted. “It’ll help you heal.”

Bellova hummed in agreement. “Will you visit me again? Let me know what I’ve missed?”

Sejanus nodded. “We will, I promise.”

With that, Bellova drifted off again, dreaming that Coriolanus had come to visit her, holding a pretty red rose and wearing an equally gorgeous smile. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

On Monday evening, Bellova sat on her hospital bed, reading a book that Sejanus had dropped off. She was set to be released the following morning if her symptoms continues to subside. Her head injury had mostly healed, but it was still rather sore.

There was a sudden knocking at the door. 

“Come in,” Bellova said, closing her book.

Her primary nurse, Elsbeth, peeked her head through the doorway. “You have a visitor, Miss Bellova.”

“Send them in,” she said. Elsbeth nodded, and opened the door completely. She stepped aside to reveal Coriolanus, who was indeed holding a rose. But instead of a vibrant red blossom, it was the purest shade of black Bellova had ever seen.

Elsbeth shut the door behind him, leaving the two students alone. 

Coriolanus placed the rose on the table next to Bellova’s bed. “My Grandma’am only successfully grows a few black roses each year. I was able to convince her to prune this one for you.”

Bellova picked it up, examining the macabre plant. “It’s lovely. But it’s the kind of flower you’d see at a funeral.”

He shrugged. “It felt fitting, giving that you could’ve died.”

She winced. “Thanks for reminding me. Be honest, though: would you really care that much if I had?”

Coriolanus sighed. “Do you really think I despise you that much?”

“I don’t know, Coryo,” Bellova said, looking away from him. “We fight, we insult each other, we compete constantly. But when we aren’t, we get along quite well.”

“Most of the time, you’re the reason that we end up arguing.”

She rolled her eyes. “Sure, but only because you say something insufferable.” 

He huffed. “Please just answer my question.”

“No, I don’t think you hate me. But our personalities clash in some rather ugly ways. However, if we actually try to work around it, we could get along swimmingly.”

Coriolanus smiles slightly. “I agree.”

Bellova puts her book on her bedside table. “Now, what really brings you here?”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

“I know that’s not all that’s on your mind, Coryo. You wouldn’t have come here bearing gifts otherwise.”

Coriolanus sighed and sat on a chair next to the bed. “I did want to discuss something with you. Your tribute, Velvereen, is dead, meaning you’re out of the running for the Plinth Prize and technically no longer a mentor.“

Bellova nodded. “True. I still plan to act similar to one while the Games are occurring, though. I want to observe how it works from the lenses of a mentor, even if I don’t have a tribute to represent.”

“Right,” Coriolanus said. “However, it means you’ll be significantly less busy than the rest. So, I was wondering if you’d be willing to aid me in helping Lucy Gray while she’s in the arena. She needs all the support she can get, especially after being hurt by the rebel bombing. I know Highbottom wouldn’t approve of it, but if we keep our collaboration secret, I think it could really help Lucy Gray’s chances in the arena.”

Bellova just stared at him blankly. 

He opened his mouth to continue, but was abruptly interrupted by a harsh laugh. 

“Are you being fucking serious?” Bellova asked, the angry glint in her eyes sending a cold shock down Coriolanus’s neck. “You think I have any interest in helping some little district rat? It’s bad enough that you care about her, why the fuck would any effort into aiding her survival?”

Coriolanus scowled. “Because it would increase my odds of winning. And I don’t care about her, I care about the Plinth Prize.”

“Sure,” Bellova sneered. “That’s why you held her hand at the Zoo, and why you visit her during any free time you have, and why you gave her a rose, and-“

“Oh, shut up!” Coriolanus snapped, standing up quickly. “I only did those things to earn her trust!”

“You’re such a bad liar, Snow,” Bellova said, smirking. “Look, you do whatever you want with her, it’s your reputation on the line. But I’m not tarnishing mine by associating so closely with district filth.”

Coriolanus loomed over her, his hands balled into fists. “You won’t even consider it?”

She shook her head, her smirk growing as she saw Coriolanus’s face flush with anger. “I won’t lift a damn finger to help your songbird.”

“Fine, I don’t need your help. You’d just slow me down anyways.”

Bellova laughed without humor. “What happened to trying to get along?”

Coriolanus gave her a cold stare, and swept out of the hospital room without saying another word. 

Bellova watched him go, anger forming a pit in her stomach. She was utterly furious that Coriolanus was doing so much for Lucy Gray. She’d be dead in five seconds once the Games began.

His only real hope at winning the Plinth Prize was to make her a sensation before her blood went cold. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“Bellova! What are you doing down here?” 

The girl in question smiled at Persephone Price, who greeted her with a warm hug. “I got approval to survey the Games with the others. Even though my bitch of a tribute is dead, I figured it would be fun to see what you all do to aid yours.”

Persephone smiled. “That makes sense. Gosh, I’m just glad to see you standing and well.” 

Bellova patted her shoulder. “Thank you.” 

She headed towards where the rest of the mentors were, and spotted Coriolanus sitting next to Sejanus, who looked anxious. Marcus, his tribute, hadn’t been found yet. For all they knew, he was still loose and roaming the Capitol streets.

Bellova walked over to Sejanus, tapping him on the shoulder.

“Oh, hey,” he said, smiling weakly. “How are you feeling?”

“Better,” she replied. “The constant headache I’ve had since I regained consciousness is dimming slowly. The doctors said I’ll make a full recovery.”

Sejanus nodded. “I’m glad to hear it.” 

Bellova took a seat in a spare chair that was set in between Coriolanus and Sejanus. She glanced at the blonde boy out of the corner of her eye. He looked nervous. Not as nervous as Sejanus, but definitely still anxious. 

Bellova silently hoped his worry was about the Plinth Prize and not Lucy Gray. If he pulled any more strings for her, she would be forced to punch him until his pretty face was bruised and bleeding.

Within a few minutes, the broadcast of the Games had begun. Lucky Flickerman began his commentary, which quickly became annoying in Bellova’s opinion. He had always thought he was funnier than he actually was.

The cameras showed the tributes taking their places in the arena. Most of them looked downright terrified, while some looked eager to fight. 

Bellova found herself losing focus, and stared up at the ceiling aimlessly. She really should’ve brought a snack to the event. A bowl of assorted chocolates would be lovely right about now. 

Her focus was snapped back to the television screen when people around her start gasping in horror.

Her eyes widened as the cameras panned to Sejanus’s tribute, dangling from the ceiling of the arena, barely hanging on to his life.

✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊ ❆ ‧ ₊ ⊹˚✧ ‧˚₊

TAGLIST: @daenerysqueenofhearts, @squidscottjeans, @euphemiaamillais, @gracieroxzy

Author’s Note: Thank you for reading! This chapter was super long and really fun to write. The story will only continue to be more exciting as it progresses! Let me know if you want to be tagged in the comments below!

[reunionatdawn]

My Analysis of the Best Paired Endings in 3H (Part 2: Dimitri/Byleth)

Despite the popularity of some of Dimitri's M/M ships, he seemed to be a typical heterosexual man to me. However, his straightness was actually part of what made his character so interesting, ironically. He spent his youth absorbed in masculine activities like hunting, training, and practicing with the sword.

He was willing to TRY and take Sylvain's advice to pick up girls. But he was very inexperienced with women. Chivalry definitely promotes homoromantic social bonding among men. And perhaps because of that very male-dominated culture he grew up in, he deeply yearned for a relationship with a woman.

The tagline for the game was, "Sweet memories twisted by time's cruel hand". Dimitri's feelings for his stepsister may have been only puppy love, but it was his first time emotionally connecting with a girl. It was one of his sweetest memories. That was why Edelgard's betrayal hurt him so deeply. The emotional core of AM is Byleth taking the spot in Dimitri's heart that Edelgard once held.

The developers did not want to write an entirely different script just to accommodate male Byleth. So, they just took out the Goddess Tower scene, S-Support, and paired ending. The loss of which are a huge detriment to the integrity of the story. Dimileth is just as "canon" as its counterpart Edeleth. I don't even think AM's story or Dimitri's redemption make sense unless there was a romantic connection between those two. Dimitri's Goddess Tower event even foreshadows that specific scene, proving that the moment Byleth reached out her hand was written with romantic undertones.

Byleth being female is an integral part of the story of AM. If Byleth represented the divine masculine in CF, then it follows that she represented the divine feminine in AM. She was a vessel for the soul of the goddess, but more importantly she was a human who could directly intervene in the world and support people with her own flesh and blood.

Dimileth is often criticized for being a simple "fixing the bad boy" straight girl fantasy. But it's less cliche than people give it credit for. Byleth and Dimitri are an interesting blend of masculine and feminine qualities. Byleth is a silent protagonist, but I could tell that Dimitri enjoyed her dry sarcastic sense of humor. She was not a typical healer or pegasus knight like most FE love interests, but a deadly mercenary. She was meant to be similar to Glenn, which is why Felix sees her as his rival.

She serves the role of being Dimitri's sword and shield and stood at his side and protected him during the final battle, filling the knightly role Glenn would have if he had survived (and the role Felix serves in Hopes). She was the Seiros to his Wilhelm. Dimitri is one of the very few male characters that Byleth will give her mother's ring to when she proposes. Yes, it is a woman's ring that Dimitri wears. In fact, Dimitri's whole character arc is about rediscovering and embracing the softer feminine qualities he had as a young boy.

The Professor taught Dimitri how to live. In AG, Dimitri told Shez that from the moment he was born, he never felt like his life belonged to himself. He overworked himself because it was the only way he knew how to live. After Duscur he lost everyone, including his best friend, and his life belonged to their ghosts. The only time he could imagine being happy was upon his death, having devoted his life to forming a peaceful kingdom full of joyful citizens. He yearned for someone to stand by his side and give him a reason to live for himself.

I've seen many people online criticize Dimileth because they say Dimitri already had plenty of people that he was close to in his life and his non-Byleth relationships should have played the biggest role in his redemption. But I disagree. The story made it quite clear that Dimitri's support system was totally inadequate for his emotional needs and could not have pulled him from the abyss.

He was not actually all that close to his childhood friends, even before the Tragedy of Duscur, and he did not confide in them about what he was feeling. He said Rodrigue was the only person outside the castle he was close to. Rodrigue obviously cared for him, but he had not seen Dimitri in two years prior to the academy. Dimitri and Dedue shared a very powerful bond. Losing Dedue was the cause of Dimitri’s initial descent into savagery. But Dedue still insisted on being his vassal instead of his friend and equal.

Felix was obligated to fill the role due to his bloodline, but he did not WANT to be the person Dimitri unburdened his heart to. He was constantly irritable and losing his patience in Azure Gleam. Glenn was one of the ghosts who shadowed Dimitri's every move. And Felix said that since Glenn's death, "his memory has followed me around like a shadow." He hated acting as his brother's replacement. In their AG A-Support, it seemed like he was pretending to like the idea of being the right-hand man because of how dependent Dimitri was on him. We see a direct parallel of that scene in AM where Dimitri is hallucinating in the chapel. While Felix certainly felt compassion for him, he was very eager to foist the role of confidant onto Byleth.

Without anyone to lean on, Dimitri acts pretty monstrous. For five years, he tortured and killed people brutally, as if they were not even human. He threatened to kill Randolph's friends and remove his eyeballs before killing him and we can probably assume that he actually did that sort of thing to his other victims. I related so well with Felix because I felt the exact same mix of disgust and pity towards him.

I didn't ship Dimileth because I self-inserted onto Byleth and I wanted to marry him. I just wanted Byleth to accept him. And I don't find it difficult to believe that she would. Because before she was the stand-in for the goddess, she was the Ashen Demon who cut people down with no emotion. She only began to smile when she started teaching his class. He offered his shoulder to lean on when she lost Jeralt, something the other two house leaders didn't do.

The main ideological conflict between Edelgard and Dimitri was how much they are willing to compromise and accept the unacceptable. Dimitri seemed to understand that Edelgard had legitimate issues with the Church of Seiros as well as the existing world order. But he thought that total destruction of that system would require too much sacrifice. It was an interesting moral quandary.

And honestly, there was no easy answer. In an ideal world, there would be no false religion and no such thing as nobility, period. Even most of the nobles in the cast would have been happier to just be regular people. AM certainly doesn't end in a utopia or anything (although it's less status quo than AG). It was about the characters compromising and making concessions with an inherently unjust system because perhaps taking innocent human life is wrong even if it's for a just cause.

The Crest of Blaiddyd is associated with Strength. The Strength Tarot card is the Major Arcana of inner strength. It represents mastering raw emotions in order to bring calm to yourself or a situation. Dimitri was born on the winter solstice making him a Sagittarius, which is a masculine fire sign symbolized by a centaur. The horse portion of the Sagittarius symbol is unruly, relentless, beastly, and strong. The human portion is wisdom-seeking and rational. Dimitri's character arc was about overcoming his anger and hatred and becoming the wise "Savior King" who could reach out his hand to his mortal enemy.

Byleth & Dimitri The marriage of the newly appointed Archbishop, Byleth, and Dimitri, who officially ascended to the throne of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, further delighted the people amidst the celebrations of the end of the war. Continuously seeking a better future for Fódlan, they pursued their ideals, gradually reforming the traditional political systems and the structure of the Church. They upheld their roles as leaders of the Church and the state, engaging in intense debates at times. However, when they went on long rides or hunting trips alone together, they wore not the faces of the Archbishop and the King, but those of an ordinary, loving couple.

JRPGs are known for "killing god". AM ends not with you destroying the church but becoming its leader. The people of Fódlan paid lip service to the goddess, but they actually revered Nemesis and the 10 Elites. So much so that Rhea had no choice but to refer to them as heroes and Crests as gifts from the goddess. Fódlan is a patriarchal land. Faerghus especially so.

With Fódlan unified under Faerghus, Byleth acts as the divine feminine force who will change that society from the inside out, just as she did her husband. Is rulership by a benevolent monarch and a matriarchal pope a good enough ending? Well, that's for the player to decide. But I found it to be the best ending, both for Fódlan and for Dimitri and Byleth themselves.

[sunstone-smiles]

The Crying Game, With a Twist

Author’s note: Merry Christmas / Happy Holidays everyone! And happy holidays to @cutesmokes! I’m your Secret Squealing Santa! 🎁 It was a pleasure writing this fic for you and writing for the characters of Elemental for the first time! Naturally, I rewatched the movie for research purposes, so I hope did them justice! I hope you enjoy!

Once again, a big thank you to @hypahticklish / @squealing-santa for hosting the event! Now on to the fic!

Series: Elemental

Characters: Wade and Ember

Word count: 2,700

Provided prompt: [Elemental: Ember and Wade (More of tactics but yeah -) kisses/ raspberries/cheer up/games]

Summary: After a slight baking incident involving an attempt at making fire food, Wade becomes disappointed that he didn’t make kol-nuts properly, despite his efforts. However, Ember finds a way to cheer him up with a round of the crying game that has a few different rules than how he remembers it. 

_ _ _

A surprising wave of heat engulfs Ember as she walks through the apartment door. Smokey air, yet with a pleasant aroma like the burning logs of a fireplace, fuels her senses. She closes the door behind her and moves further into the apartment, following with her eyes an airborne trail of smoke coming from the kitchen. A familiar figure stands behind the counter.

Ember places her bag on a nearby table, her gaze fixated on the kitchen. “Wade?”

“Ember!” Wade jumps and juggles a tray between his hands to keep it from falling. He regains control of the tray and slides it on the burners of the stove. “Sorry, I didn’t see you come in.”

“You seem to be busy,” she says cheerfully. She then catches a glimpse of a second tray on the counter. Charred spheres, stacked in the shape of a small pyramid, are on the tray. On closer inspection, many of the balls are lopsided, but Ember recognizes the look of the rounded snacks anywhere.

Ember points to the tray. “Are you making kol-nuts?” a smile grows as she asks.

“Yep! Or…trying to anyway,” Wade replies with a bashful shrug. He positions himself in front of the stove, where a pile of logs awaits him. “That last batch came out a little toasty,” he says over his shoulder, “but don’t worry! This next one should be perfect.” 

Wade picks up a pair of metal tongs. He grabs both ends of a log with the tool, dips the log into the open flame of the stove’s burner, then begins the attempt of crushing the log into a rounded shape with the cooking utensil. 

Usually, kol-nuts are made with the bare hands of those that can control their own flames. However, for a water person like Wade who’s missing those elemental expertise, he needs assistance from tools that can help him handle the flames and the compression process of the logs, hence the use of the tongs. 

“I think I’ve got the technique down,” Wade mentions. Everything moves smoothly as he starts to crush the log between the grip of the tongs, but the closer he compresses the log towards the desired shape, the more difficult it becomes. His momentum begins to stall. He squeezes the handle of the utensil as far as it’ll move together, even adding his second hand to gain more force. Despite his efforts, the kol-nut does not compress into a perfect ball.

Wade nervously laughs over his shoulder and releases the lopsided kol-nut on the nearby tray. He grabs another log with the tongs, dips it into the fire, and tries again. He clearly struggles.

Ember tries to peek over at his work, “Wade-”

“All good here!” Wade reveals a second nervous laugh and misshapes another kol-nut. He places it on the tray then picks up the pace with the other logs, partially in a panic. He squeezes each of the logs one by one, distorting their shape and placing them on the tray like a well-oiled machine with a malfunction in its production.

“Wade-” 

“Everything’s fine! Totally fine!” He drops the last kol-nut on the tray, picks up the sheet, then spins around to show Ember the finished product. 

“See!” he breathes heavily, “Kol-nuts!” his face shows a false smile. His facade of an expression falters the more he looks at the charred piles of failure in front of him. The corners of his mouth finally drop in defeat. 

“Burnt…hard…and completely the wrong shape,” he slides the tray on the counter and his head droops. He shuffles his way to the sink to throw the tongs in with a metal clang. As he does this, Wade’s mouth quivers and he starts to cry. Ember quickly goes around the kitchen counter.

“Oh, Wade. Don’t cry,” she grabs his hands. She reaches up and tilts his face towards her, showing him a soft smile to say that it’s going to be alright. 

Wade sniffles. He wipes away tears with the back of his hand. “I know, I’m sorry.” Another stream of tears replaces the ones he had wiped away. “It’s just that, I wanted this to be special.” 

Ember reassures him, “Wade, you even making the effort to bake them is special.”

“But I wanted the kol-nuts to be perfect,” Wade stares at her with tear-filled eyes before another stream of his sorrows runs across both of his cheeks.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Ember takes his arm and leads him to the couch. She gently plops him down on the (fireproof) cushions and sits next to him. “Take it from me, making kol-nuts for the first time is hard, not to mention how difficult it can be to control the consistency of the flame. Sure, they might be a little lopsided, but they didn’t come out so bad.” She pauses to smile. “Plus, I don’t mind them well-done with a bit of extra char.”

Wade lets out a chuckle at that. 

“See,” Ember wipes another tear from his eye. She wraps her hands around his neck to soothingly rub across the back of it. “So there’s nothing to be upset about.” 

Wade chuckles again.

“What?” Ember giggles too, “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing,” Wade says with a third chuckle and squishes his neck to his shoulders. He gently grabs one of Ember’s wrists that was rubbing the back of his neck. “Your fingers are tickling me.”

“Oh, sorry,” Ember releases a soft laugh of her own. She pulls back her hands, but notices that Wade’s face still has a hint of a crestfallen expression. A mischievous idea pops into Ember’s thoughts.

“Hey, I know what will cheer you right up,” Ember switches the subject. “How about a round of the crying game?” 

“Really?” Wade tilts his head at her. “But I was just crying a minute ago,” he gestures to the kitchen as if to provide context to his statement. “Any mention of my attempted kol-nuts and you would easily win.” His back slumps forward.

“Ah, but I’m talking about a different version of the crying game.”

Wade straightens up a bit. “A different version?”

“Yep. Instead of trying to make someone cry tears that are sad, the other player’s goal is to make their opponent cry tears of joy.”

Wade laughs. “Where did you come up with this?”

“Just now,” Ember replies with a grin. “So what do you say? Want to play?”

Wade perks up a little more. He shows Ember a soft smile. “Okay.” His eyes scan around the room in search of something. “But don’t we still need a timer?”

“Nope!” Ember leaps for him and tackles him into the cushions.

“E-Ember!?” Wade exclaims. “This isn’t part of the ga-ahahame!” Wade’s sentence suddenly overflows with giggles when Ember starts tickling the upper half of his torso, where his ribs would be if he had them. 

“It is now,” she says with a smug look. 

“Ohoho, I see how you’re trying to win!” Wade squirms backwards to reach the arm of the couch. “Well, game ohohon!”

Ember grins. With the game in full swing, Ember darts her hands to his sides, causing Wade to bark out a laugh. He quickly slaps both of his hands over his mouth, letting out a snort. Through the clear water of his hands, Ember watches as the corners of Wade’s mouth twitch upwards the longer he attempts to contain his laughter, nearly boiling over with giggles like a tea kettle. 

“Trying to hold in your laughter, huh?” Ember smirks from above him. “Not on my watch!” She dives her hands into Wade’s underarms, resulting in him clamping his arms down with another jolt of laughter.

“Ehehehember!” He successfully eases his laughter down to a giggle, purposely controlling himself from exploding into tears of joy. 

“Yes Wade? Is there a problem?” Ember says with a smirk laced in her words.

“P-Prohohoblem? Nohohope! No problem at ahahall!” Wade snickers through his sentence. He kicks himself back further on the arm of the couch and tries to curl himself up. Any attempt to keep himself from bursting into a tsunami of laughter. He can feel the drop of a single joyful tear start to form.

“Really? Because it looks to me like you’re about to lose the crying game,” Ember teases, seeing that she’s reaching closer to victory. The playful, yet competitive spirit burns up inside her.

Wade tries his best to feign an unfazed demeanor. “Noho way! I’m nowhere close to cryi–ING!” Wade leaps like a large wave crashing into the ocean when Ember scribbles at the center of his belly. The dam containing Wade’s laughter finally crumbles and a flood of the joyous sound pours from Wade.

“Gotcha now, Wade!” Ember exclaims, clawing at his tummy with one hand while the other lies on his chest to pin him down. “Caught you by surprise didn’t I?”

“Surprihihihise is an understatement! Hahahaha!” Wade wiggles. He takes some lighthearted shoves at Ember and her hands.

“Well, I don’t see those happy tears yet! So time for a second surprise!” In less than a second, Ember takes a deep breath and presses her lips to Wade’s stomach to give him a big, tickly raspberry.

The squeal that comes from Wade is nearly high enough to shatter glass. The combination of heated air from Ember’s fire sends an extra tickly reaction across Wade’s entire stomach of water, like the bubbles of carbonation surging across his entire torso.

“Ehehehehember!!!” Wade screeches with laughter, kicking his legs in front of her. His expression lights up with a smile even wider than before, one that nearly takes up his entire face. Tears of mirth finally spill across his face like two waterfalls. Ember smiles with success, and for good measure, provides him with a few more raspberries across his tummy.

“Nohohohot ag-AIN!” Wade arcs his back and pushes at Ember’s head.

“Again?” Ember teases. “If you insist!” she says and delivers another raspberry on his stomach, making Wade squeal.

“I GIHIHIHIVE! Yohohohou win!” Wade squirms from side to side to protect his tummy, until he rolls right off the couch. 

Ember perches herself on the cushions, looking down at her partner with a giggle. “You good, Wade?”

The man of water flips himself over like a seashell being turned over in the sand. Giggles still trickle from his system, even as he sits himself up.

“That was evil,” Wade jokes as he wipes a leftover tear of joy from his eye.

“Sorry Wade, but I had to cheer you up somehow and those are the rules of the game,” she shrugs with a smile. Ember turns to lift herself off the couch, “You also got me fired up with the competition–Whoa!” Ember falls back to the couch from Wade wrapping his arms around her in a hug.

“Hold on a second,” Wade says as he pulls Ember tighter into his arms. “You had your turn at the crying game,” his voice rings with innocent mischief. “Now it’s my turn.”

Ember gasps. She tries to pull herself out of his hug, only to realize that her arms are pinned to her sides. She nervously giggles, “Uh sorry! But that version of the crying game only has one round so–Eeek!” 

Ember cuts herself off with a squeak when Wade plants tickly kisses to the back of her neck. An abundance of giggles and squeaks from Ember follow as Wade continues providing her neck with kisses.

“Wahahade!” Ember giggles and squirms in his hug. She lets out another high squeak when Wade blows a raspberry into the side of her neck, returning the favor. Ember tries to twist her head and squeeze her neck to her shoulders as squeaky laughter pours from her like melted glass. With another effective raspberry to her neck, Ember attempts to pull herself from his grasp. 

“Not so fast, Ember!” Wade tightens his hug, now changing tactics and using his hands wrapped around her to scribble at her sides. 

Ember unleashes a squeal and tugs herself forward to escape. Wade loosens his hold and the forward momentum causes Ember to plop face first into the cushions. With her arms free, Ember quickly tries to launch herself over the side of the couch, but Wade catches her by her sides and squeezes her torso. 

Ember releases another adorable squeal and sinks her head into the cushions to hide her face. Wade chuckles, skittering his fingers up and down Ember’s sides. “Aww, that squeak was so cute.”

Ember lifts up her head to throw her voice behind her. “Quiet yohohohou! It was nohohot cute!” she attempts to deny it. Feeling fingers nearing her underarms, Ember curls herself up into a ball and rolls over onto her back, now facing Wade. She grabs at Wade’s hands and flails her limbs while a bright smile lights up her already illuminated face of fire. Her eyes are squeezed shut and an eruption of laughter flows from her like lava. An amber-colored tear forms at the corner of her eye, like dew about to drip from a flower.

Wade notices the liquid gem below her eye. “Aha! A tear of joy! I win!” Wade pulls away in victory, allowing Ember the chance to relax. She lies flat on the cushions with a hand on her middle, taking heavy breaths like a train burning coal to keep pushing up a steep mountain. But instead of stream releasing from an engine, residual giggles release from Ember with each exhale. 

Wade lends her a gentle hand to help her sit up. “Are you alright?”

“Hehe, yeah,” Ember wipes away the tear of fire from her eye. “Looks like we’re both winners of the crying game this time.”

Wade giggles. His eyes catch sight of his baked snacks still sitting on the counter. “At least one thing ended in a win today,” he mentions. “What are we going to do with the kol-nuts? Throw them out? Ah, but that would be such a waste.”

Ember places a hand to her chin, thinking. An idea clicks, and she speaks up before Wade can start crying sad tears again. “I’ve got an idea. Watch this.” 

Ember lifts herself up to go to the kitchen. She grabs two mugs from the cabinet, milk from the fridge, and a box of chocolate powder from the pantry. With the same effortless speed she uses to make her glass art, Ember pours some milk into the mugs, heats them up quick by grabbing the bottom of the cup with her fiery hands to skip using the stove, drops a spoonful of cocoa powder into each, stirs, then places two of Wade’s homemade kol-nuts into both.

“Ta-da,” Ember grabs the mugs and heads to the couch to hand one to Wade. “Kol-nut hot chocolate. Try it.”

Ember passes a mug to him. Cautiously, Wade takes it. He looks at the liquid, then takes a sip. He smacks his lips together. “Hey, this is really good.”

“And it was made with your kol-nuts.” Ember soaks the kol-nut in her own drink like a cookie dunked in milk. She plucks the treat from her mug and takes a bite, now that the rock-hard form has become softer, then finishes her mouthful. “The flavor isn’t bad! Not as good as mine of course, but not bad!”

Wade bounces with an airy laugh. “Thanks Ember.”

“What are you thanking me for?” she takes a seat next to him. “You made them. So, thank you for making them.”

“No, not about that. About you cheering me up.”

“Oh,” Ember smiles as she hears his words. “Of course Wade. You’re welcome.”

Wade takes another sip of his hot chocolate. “Things are better when we work together, huh?”

“Yeah,” Ember nods. “Meaning next time, I’ll help you with making kol-nuts to get the batch just right.”

Wade chuckles. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.” He returns a softened expression and holds out his glass towards her. “Cheers.”

“Cheers,” Ember repeats and clinks her glass to his. She leans forward to give him a kiss. For the rest of the night, the two sit and enjoy their hot chocolate—made specially with the combined elements of each other's assistance.

[irisbleufic]

Post-Halloween momentum continues. There are now 10 chapters out of a definitive 12 posted. Set in 1973. One random misdirect during Daniel’s encounter with Louis at Polynesian Mary’s, and the entire night’s events change drastically for Daniel and Armand (and the future changes for everyone). Reckless gremlins, everyone involved.

Open Your Mouth (2024-10-25)

Test the Theory (2024-10-26)

Twist the Blade (2024-10-28)

Pretend It's Me (2024-10-28)

Trust Without Limits (2024-10-30)

Ask Me Anything (2024-11-01)

Follow Your Dreams (2024-11-02)

Spend Your Silver (2024-11-03)

Come With Me (2024-11-03)

That's the Test (NEW, 2024-11-05)

TEASER:

“It was only built a few years ago,” Armand says as they pause in front of the garage.  “Model home.  Louis wasn’t so fond of it, too far from the city, he said, but…”  He turns, staring out over the houses, the town, the marina and the boats far below them.  “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”

Daniel swallows.  I’d give you this in a heartbeat, he wants to say.  I’d give you the fucking world without making you feel like you didn’t deserve it.

“Dunno what his problem is,” he manages, clearing his throat.  “It’s perfect.”

Armand nods, leading Daniel up the sloping brick walkway to the front door.

Louis must have heard them outside, because he’s there to open the door before Armand can even ring the bell.  He opens it and stands aside for them to pass through, polite and grave.  He doesn’t spare Armand much of a glance, but he looks Daniel appraisingly up and down.

“You’re tougher than you look, aren’t you, boy,” Louis says, pleased as he closes the door.

[misshoneyimhome]

Really just fluff, and having a family. Maybe being there for him at a tough loss?

Request: Can you write for John Tavares again?

And ofc I can babe 🤍 Though I know this is a bit short, it's just a lot of family fluff with our all-time favourite captain 🤗

I hope you enjoy it 😘

Tropes & Warnings; John Tavares x reader, family fluff; no hard warnings; mention of nudity;

Word count: 2.3K

Taglist; @couldawouldashoulda50; @findapenny; @justwanderingbutneverlost; @cixrosie;

・✶ ｡ﾟ

Always I John Tavares 🖋️🌺

As John Tavares stood in the doorway, arms crossed and a smile playing on his lips, he took in the wonderful view before him: you, resting in his bed after a night of pleasure, your skin glowing in the morning sunlight filtering through the curtains, while your bare breasts rose and fell slowly, with your pink nipples standing out with excitement.

Vivid memories of the night filled John's mind as he couldn't help but admire your beauty and the wonderful intimacy you'd shared. He recalled the laughter, the whispers, the way you melted into each other's arms, and every touch, every kiss was imprinted in his memory, a testament to the deep connection you both shared.

He cherished these quiet moments, rare instances where he could simply be himself, free from the pressures of his career. And something as simple as watching you sleep, so peaceful and content, filled him with a profound sense of happiness. The way your hair spread across the pillow, the slight curve of your lips as you dreamed—it all made his heart swell with love.

John stood quietly, careful not to wake you, as he leaned against the doorframe, reflecting on how much his life had changed since you’d walked into it. Meeting you had been unexpected, but it was a twist of fate he would never want to undo, as you brought a light into his life; a joy he hadn't realised he was missing.

_

You hadn’t been part of the plan at all. From the moment you entered his life, you were only meant to be just fun and games, another parent he could chat with over a glass of wine after hours. Someone he could spend time with alone, far away from his hectic career and his worries of being a good father. You were simply meant to be a friend, someone he could lean on and have casual talks with once in a while, whenever he needed it. 

However, as it turned out, you quickly became so much more. 

As a young parent with your five-year-old son, Emmet, you captured his heart, mind, and soul almost instantly, and there was no chance he’d let it be a one-time meeting.

And how else would the two of you have met if not at a hockey event, where the captain had showcased his skills and chatted with young hockey enthusiasts, including your son?

What started as a friendly chat between two adults soon turned into grabbing coffees together, then a quick dinner out, followed by a few more dinners in. And before long, you were intertwined in each other’s lives, your children playing together, watching movies, and going on trips as something that looked close to a family.

It hadn’t been the plan.

John was newly divorced; and though nothing dramatic had happened, it had left him as a part-time father of three young, adorable children. 

Meanwhile, you were alone with Emmet, your perfect little result of a night with someone you thought was close to the love of your life.

You had been a young adult in your early twenties, believing in fairy tales of love, yet you quickly discovered that when seriousness and responsibilities pressed on, you only had yourself to count on. Well, yourself and your grandmother—a woman who’d stood by your side at every moment when your career-driven parents didn’t have time for you or your wild-child sister. So, with your grandmother by your side, you grew into a strong and independent woman. And as you had moved to the bustling city of Toronto, far away from any family troubles, you had found your home.

And then you met John – a man you never thought you'd fall so hard in love with.

He was the captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs —a highly driven athlete with an incredible career behind him, and even more years ahead; something your parents’ busy schedules had always made you avoid in a man.

However, from the moment his teammate had encouraged him, almost insisted, to ask you out for coffee, completely catching you off guard, you were intrigued. There was just something about his calm, almost nervous yet charming demeanour, beyond the confident hockey player, that drew you in.

And as your first dates had been filled with laughter and deep conversations, you quickly realised that John was unlike anyone you'd ever met. He was attentive, kind, and despite his hectic schedule, he truly made an effort in finding time for you. Moreover, the way he bonded with Emmet almost instantly, treating him like his own, warmed your heart more than anything.

It was no secret that having a child from a young age had often kept you from dating. However, with John, there were just no need to worry – no insecurities or discomfort in his company. He was simply so understanding, being a single parent himself, so you never had to doubt if the fact you had a son would scare him off.

Then fast forward three years; you now had the most wonderful family of four children brought together, and a man by your side whom you loved so deeply and vice versa. Your lives had merged in a way that felt so natural and close to perfect, and while John's children had become Emmet's siblings, your home was filled with the joyful chaos of a big, loving hockey family.

Every day brought new adventures, from weekend outings to quiet evenings at home. You treasured the simple moments—cooking dinner together, helping with homework, and even the bedtime stories that had become a nightly routine. John's presence had simply brought a sense of wholeness to your life that you hadn't realised was missing.

And your love for him only grew deeper with each passing day. He was not only an incredible partner but also an amazing father in the way he balanced his career and family life – it was nothing short of impressive. Despite the demands of being a professional athlete, including training, games, diets, and public appearances with his charity foundation, he was always there for you and the kids, providing support and love in every way possible. Just like you did with him. 

Looking back, it was clear that meeting John was a twist of fate that changed everything for the better. You had built a beautiful life together, one filled with love, laughter, and endless possibilities. And every night, as you lay in bed, wrapped in his arms, you knew that no matter what challenges lay ahead, you would face them together, as a family.

_

As John kept his eyes on your naked, peacefully sleeping form, he heard the soft hum of chill music acting as your alarm. And while he continued to watch, you began to stir gently, slowly opening your eyes as you woke up.

Then seeing you press the snooze button; his smile slowly grew a little wider. "Good morning, sunshine" John said warmly, a light chuckle escaping him as he savoured the slow morning pace. 

"Morning," you replied tiredly, stretching lazily, and smiling at him. "How long have you been standing there?"

"Long enough," he simply teased, before slowly moving to sit beside you on the bed and leaning down to kiss you gently. "I just love watching you."

You couldn’t help but chuckle softly, the sound mingling with the morning air. "Hmm, last night was amazing," you said, tracing patterns on his arm with your fingers, your eyes studying his handsome features.

"It really was," he agreed, his eyes sparkling. "But every moment with you is amazing."

John was always smooth with his sweet comments, making you blush at his words and feeling warmth spread through you. "And the kids?"

"Still asleep," he merely replied, still wearing a timid grin. "We've got a little time to ourselves."

The two of you sat there for a while, enjoying the quiet morning, feeling your bond grow stronger with each passing moment. It was sometimes hard to believe how life had brought you together in the most unexpected ways, and now, here you were, a family united by love and shared dreams.

However, as blissful the morning had been, equally as disappointing the afternoon turned out to be. It was simply one of those times, that turned out to be a day where John's career took an emotional toll on all of you.

The buzz of the arena was electric, the atmosphere thick with anticipation as the game against the Rangers got underway. You sat in the stands, surrounded by the children, each wearing their Leafs jerseys, cheering loudly for John and the team. Emmet sat beside you, eyes wide with excitement, while John's children were equally enthusiastic, their faces painted in team colours, as they watched their father fight on the ice. 

The game was intense, with every play and pass charged with energy, however, as the minutes ticked by, it only became clear that it wasn’t going to be a good night for the Leafs. The Rangers were relentless, and despite John’s and the team’s best efforts, the game ended in a 5-1 loss.

Naturally, the children were disappointed, though they tried their best to keep their spirits up. You had always encouraged them to stay positive, reminding them that every team has its bad days. After all, being a fan means supporting the team through thick and thin.

So, after the final whistle sounded, you then gathered the children and made your way to the players’ area to meet John with your greatest support. The mood was sombre, with the players visibly dejected as they filed out of the locker room. And when John finally emerged, he looked tired as expected, the weight of the loss evident in his expression.

“Daddy!” Jace then shouted as he ran to him, wrapping his small arms around his father’s legs, while the other children followed, surrounding him with hugs and words of encouragement.

John couldn’t help but smile as he crouched down, embracing them all as well. “Hey guys,” he said, his voice a mix of exhaustion and warmth. “Thanks for coming to the game.”

Emmet then stepped forward, holding up a handmade sign that read, “We Love You, Johnny!” in big, colourful letters, and John’s face immediately softened at the sight, a small smile breaking through his fatigue.

You too walked over and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Tough game, honey,” you said softly, flashing him a gentle smile.

“Yeah,” John merely sighed, standing up to meet your eyes. “It was rough out there.”

You then placed a soft kiss on his cheek before you softly assured him, “you did your best, love. We’re so proud of you, no matter what.”

John embraced you once more, planting a tender kiss on your lips. And in that moment, the noise of the arena simply melted away, leaving just the two of you immersed in each other's presence, finding solace amid the chaos of the world.

"Thank you for being here," he murmured, exhaling deeply. "I needed this. I needed you."

Pulling back slightly to meet his gaze, your eyes locked in a tender exchange as you parted your lips to respond. "Always."

It was a moment where John didn't question why he had fallen for you, why he had welcomed you into his life. You were simply the perfect companion, offering unwavering support and positivity that lifted his spirits every single day, despite the challenges.

However, the sweet moment was then interrupted by Jace's voice. "Come on, daddy! Let's go home."

John couldn't help but chuckle, glancing down at his beloved children before seeking your agreement.

"He's right - let's head home. The kids are hungry, and I promised them pizza."

A small laugh escaped John's lips, relieving some of the tension. "Pizza sounds perfect."

After gathering the children, you then all made your way to the car, and following the intense game against the Rangers, the journey home echoed with nothing but chatter and laughter, the match already a distant memory as excitement for pizza filled the air. And upon arriving back at the house, the kids eagerly devoured their dinner, and the evening unfolded in the usual chaos of family life. To your relief, John seemed to relax quickly, the comfort of home and the presence of his loved ones soothing the sting of the loss.

Later that night, after tucking the children into bed, you and John then settled together on the couch, each with a glass of wine in hand, simply enjoying the quiet ambiance. The living room was tranquil, a stark contrast to earlier events, as you nestled close to each other, the bio fireplace casting a soothing glow.

With John's arm gently around your shoulder and your head resting on his chest, you felt the rhythm of his breathing. It was a comfortable silence, understanding that words were unnecessary, as the simple act of being together brought John peace.

Yet, there was something he wanted to express, something he had said many times before but never tired of saying.

"You know," John began, his hand finding yours, "no matter how tough things get, having you and the kids here makes it all worthwhile."

You couldn’t help but smile, leaning into him a little more, feeling your breathing sync with his. "We're a team, John. We'll get through anything together."

He tenderly kissed your forehead, a silent pledge of the unbreakable bond between you. "I know. I'm just grateful that you're by my side."

You tilted your head slightly, meeting his gaze once more with soft eyes. "Always."

Through all the challenges, all the setbacks, you were each other's rock. And that was more than sufficient.