#crow dividers

[popmilky]

hiii i rrly love your icebear pfp he is such a mood

anyway

could you maybe do a crow/raven banner?

I'd like to use it :)

thank you! i hope you like these, they were so much fun to make!

please like/reblog if you use! credit is appreciated! requests: open buy me a ☕?

[random-twst-things]

Mc/Y/N/Yuu, holding a bat after P.E: I'm not going to school tomorrow

Crowley, looking between Mc/Y/N/Yuu and the bat: And why is that perfect?

Mc/Y/N/Yuu: Because I fucking hate this school and it's unbearable workload (Crowley's workload)

Crowley: Understandable- Have a good day! And tomorrow! 😃

Mc/Y/N/Yuu, swinging the bat around: I better 🫵🏽

Crowley: ....😄

Dividers by/from @/cafekitsune

[gemini-tenshakha]

TKATB SPOILERS

Idk if anyone has figured this out / found it already but if you input either Crowe/Sol's last name as your own in the part where you can input your name.

So basically if you input 'Brugmansia' as your last name, Sol says:

"I..."

"Haha..."

"In a hurry aren't we?"

"I'd love to share the same last name with you..."

"But I need you to remember."

While if you input 'Ichabod' as your last name, Crowe says:

*chuckles*

"I'm flattered... That you see me in that way."

"A dream come true nonetheless..."

"Ahh..."

"But this isn't how our story starts... Didn't it?"

If you're wondering what it says for the other characters it's just:

"Oh?"

"What a naughty little thing you are."

"You can't use [Claire/Sugimoto/Oogami/ Helianthus/Sitrus], little lamb."

"This isn't how fate works."

[screamingcrows]

Welcome to Zandicktober's masterlist and slight information! I'll be adding links to every drabble and the polls as they're posted. A link to this post has been added to my main masterlist!

Again; keep in mind that while some of these have suggestive themes and are various degrees of explicit, they will not all be pleasantly framed. This is an event about putting a fictional guy in Situations™️, some of them will be uncomfortable.

Risse and Petal, I appreciate you two so much for helping me get enough ideas for this

I will do my very best to add all relevant warnings on individual posts as 'cw thing' and 'nsfw' or 'dark content' on this list as I add entries. Day 26 has reader described with breasts, otherwise neutral. Please block #zandicktober if you want to avoid my daily posting. Masterlist under the cut

Do the titles say anything about the content? You'll know soon enough.

Thirty minutes

Dignity

Light

A new person

Drops

Predator - Chosen to become a full fic

Poll One

Solutions

Fall

Take a chance

Unnecessary expenses

Predicament

Study break - Chosen to become a full fic

Poll Two

Lingering

Hush

Science rizz - Chosen to become a full fic

Experiment

Coarse and gets everywhere

[Deleted this one - there's nothing today]

Poll Three

Nectar - Chosen to become a full fic

Tinkering

Field trip

Peep - Chosen to become a full fic

Mutual interest

History

Poll Four

Ideas

Enough

Surprise!

[hiro-h0taru]

CROWE(Jericho) ICHABOD

This is just a rough sketch of Crowe that I drew :^

(Minor spoiler!)

(I'm still bawling my eyes after what happened in the bad ending)

Divider by: @cafekitsune

Fandom: The kid at the back by @fantasia-kitt

[brontios-helm]

Destiny 2: Crow And Cayde

[dasiesanddarkness]

do you think leigh used 30 million kruge so she could split it among haskell and the crows really easily

[animatedglittergraphics-n-more]

crow/raven dividers

source▪️base: 1,2 / 3,4 / 5▪️f2u w cr

requested by anon - hi anon 😊 i wasn't able to find any blinkies

[k1ssyoursister]

Hi it's me again. I was wondering if you could do a Raven (bird) style please and thank you

hi!! sorry for the super super late response... I've had a lot of things going on. here are a few, when I get more time I can make more for you, just leave a comment and/or make another ask to remind me.

have a good evening <3 Don't forget to reblog, like, and credit (❀˙ᵕ˙)

[arisenreborn]

Dragon’s Dogma 2 Ask Game!

I regret to inform you all... I made another thing. <3 I tried to avoid some of the questions from my template, but there might be some overlap of the more basic questions that felt weird not to include. (I tried so many times for this list to continue the numbers instead of breaking them up and starting over but I've finally given up I'm so sorry, so clarify by section when asking <3)

THE ARISEN - 

Whether they remember or not, where are they from? 

What is their favorite and least favorite part of being the Arisen?

Do they ever get their memory back; if they do, does that change how they interact with the narrative, and if they don’t how do they feel about that loss?

THE PAWN - 

What is their inclination, and what about them (if anything) might set them apart from others of their inclination?

Do they act any differently around other Arisen across the Rift?

If they were infected with the Dragonsplague, are there any specific ways they would act differently? 

ARISEN & PAWN -

How would you describe their relationship?

For each of them - Who is their favorite and least favorite NPC?

What is a special or secret talent they each have?

Is there any topic they’ll avoid - romance, death, family, etc.?

What are they most afraid of? And what is their greatest hope, or dream? 

Do they have any particular quirks or habits? 

What are their least favorite enemies to fight?

What is their favorite: animal, color, flower?

Do they have any pet peeves? 

What is their preferred vocation and what drew them to it?

Are there any specific or unique items they carry with them?

What are their monikers, and do they have a special meaning or story behind them?

How do they both generally regard guest pawns? 

What do they bond most over?

Do they have a favorite place in the world; be it a town or a particular area or view they’re fond of?

What is the “silliest” order VS what is the “worst” order your Arisen has given your Pawn? (These things potentially don’t have to be separate.)

WORLD & STORY -

Do they have any pre-existing relationships with any particular NPCs from before the start of the game? Has becoming the Arisen changed those relationships?

Which of the four residences is their most preferred, and is there a particular reason why? Do you have any headcanons about the layout and how it’s decorated? Or: Do they have alternative living quarters (a family home, sleeping at inns all the time, etc.)?

Regardless of whether you adhere to the in-game counter or not, how long do you think their journey took? Did they book it with a sense of urgency, or did things get drawn out - and why? 

Whether they’d still be together or separate - What kind of life would they be living if they were not Arisen and Pawn, but NPCs?

What does the ending and its aftermath look like for them? 

MISCELLANY & AU - 

What would be their favorite show or movie?

If they lived in our world, what would they do for a living?

What would be their go-to fast food order?

What kind of videos would they watch on Youtube?

What is an AU setting they would thrive in, or you’d otherwise enjoy subjecting them to?

What would be their idea of a perfect date or hangout?

What’s that one random fact about them you want to yell about?

Share a theme song for each of them.

[cxrrodedcoffin]

some shit quality gifs of one of my favorite scenes from the crow (2024) bc i’m not patient enough to wait for a good quality file of it lol

[lu-dao-writes]

— PERSONA; TKaTB

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ you had a debt to pay, and working multiple jobs while also trying to keep up with your studies just isn’t going to cut it. but you know what they say though: sex sells. 𓂃 ࣪˖ ִֶָ𐀔

Drabbles

✿꫶⃨ mr. spider

there’s a spider in your room. watching.

✿꫶⃨ mr. 222

your very first encounter with mr. soulmate.

𑁍ࠬܓ i’ve wanted to do this idea the moment i played the game, and I also want to practice with horror. this is extremely nsfw, and absolutely no minors should be viewing this. the creator of the game is fantasia-kitt!

[qin-qin16]

[Subtle carrion trio but its majority Reaper x Crow (birdtale sans), Dust is only mentioned, fluff because my liege is allergic to it, implied bird court (of course), some inspiration from here] 

It was selfish to walk through a place so alive, like this vast, green field, teeming with insects and small animals. And there he was, leaving behind traces with his deadly footprints— a line of oval pairs, each larger than his bare feet, devoid of any grass that once filled the space he crossed. Now, only patches of infertile, dark, dead earth trailed after him.

For a moment, the entity halted—the ground beneath his feet slightly sinking, dying with his innocent touch. He laughs deeply, seeming to find amusement in the faint rustling of wings that echoed behind his figure.

"Oh? How interesting," Reaper smiled beneath his hood, his bony lips curling across his face as the sound of footsteps grew closer, "I wasn't expecting a visit from one of my little birds." He hummed, finally turning to face his guest.

A skeleton, like him; shorter, with broader bones, and a beautiful pair of black wings decorating his back. And two eye sockets staring back at him, with small white dots, slightly dilated by his presence. Reaper couldn’t help but let out another chuckle.

"To what do I owe the honor of your unexpected visit, little bird?" His fingers lightly brushed his own mouth, gliding over his nonexistent lips as he awaited a response; he was patient, especially with his beautiful messengers.

Sans, Crow, as the god liked to call him, let his gaze drop to the ground — shy, trembling in front of the figure before him. His wings fluttered anxiously, and his hands slipped back into the pockets of his fluffy coat. Even though he wasn't the type of god to feel emotions, Reaper could still see how unsettled his little bird was. The reason? Only his messenger could explain.

Crow kept his head lowered, one hand fidgeting restlessly inside his pocket. Finally, after a forced cough, the monster began to speak.

"Apologies for interrupting your stroll, Host of Many..." His eyes briefly lifted, searching for the empty voids of Reaper’s gaze, only to be lost in the darkness within his hood. "I’ve come to deliver... a report from my last mission." His teeth trembled into a smile, almost forced onto his face.

With a sigh, Reaper motioned for Crow to continue, leaving behind traces of dead earth as the small raven followed — purposefully stepping on the path the entity had left.

“Murder returned your gifts, Your Excellency; he claimed they were a…” Crow swallowed, as if reconsidering the words he was about to say, “…a waste.”

As common as it was for the gifts to be returned, the raven couldn’t help but feel his soul throb uncomfortably in his chest, the magic pulsing in his ribs in distress as Reaper remained silent.

"Is that so?" The god mused, his voice devoid of anger, sounding more curious about the outcome than upset with it. "Perhaps I should give my dear mortal something more useful then, something that will satisfy his demanding desires." And once again, that deep laugh.

The winged one seemed amused by the stubbornness of his favorite mortal — always returning the stones and precious gems that Reaper carefully selected, each one chosen with affection by the immortal.

“If I may continue, Ruler of the dead,” Crow interrupted hastily, his wings rustling behind him. With a subtle gesture from Reaper, he spoke again. “What should I do with the returned gifts?” His voice came out quieter than expected, whispered with a hint of concern in the faux tongue.

“Keep them.” The god couldn’t help but hear the pause in his messenger’s breath, the hesitation in his wings — he caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, seeing them ruffled, growing larger with every stutter from the small raven.

“Your Excellency? Are you certain?” The mortal had even stopped following him, gazing  down at the palm of his hand with uncertain white little dots.

Scattered in his hand, small shimmering stones, each one more colorful than the last — some oval, others more angular and square, but all equally beautiful. Crow’s eyes shone just from looking at the jewels, mesmerized by their gleaming allure.

Reaper hummed once more, turning fully toward Crow and slowly walking in his direction — his feet hovering just above the ground, careful not to touch any life that had yet to be reaped.

"It doesn’t make sense to keep a gift given by myself, don’t you think, little bird?" He touched one of the crystals; his claw slid carefully across the smooth surface, not just to avoid scratching the flawless stone, but also out of hesitation to touch his most precious raven — the one who trembled slightly at his sudden proximity, his eyes unfocused as they stared into the darkness of his hood. "Besides..."

"I have to pamper my favorite raven for such fine work." The velvety words echoed inside Crow’s skull, and as quickly as his god had approached, he began to walk again, allowing the edge of his robe to gently brush against the bare phalanges of the skeleton.

It was almost as if Reaper's very hands had touched him.

"Th-That’s a very generous decision, Host of Many." Gratitude poured from his teeth; his wings fluttered again, stubbornly trying to shield part of his body from the god’s empty eyes — perhaps out of shyness? Shame for receiving a discarded gift?

No. Maybe it was because Crow had never received anything from the god before, other than compliments — nothing physical; nothing that would remind him of the god after his departures.

"I appreciate your gratitude," Reaper’s whispered voice interrupted the small raven's thoughts once again. "If you like, you can even decorate your precious nest with them."

A brief glimpse of Reaper's teasing smile appeared beneath the shadows, resting on his face like a crescent moon, growing wider as his messenger let out a sharp, surprised chirp at the suggestion.

Still, Crow couldn’t stop thinking about the idea, even after he had tucked the stones back into his pocket, already imagining his nest filled with the winged one’s gifts — a lasting reminder of his service to Death.

@what-have-i-unleashed come hate my art :D

[dysfunctionaldogdude]

Fictokin Emojis!!

Strikethrough names are friends/mutuals ONLY

❤️🐺 - Aaron Lycan [Aaron]

❤️‍🔥🐦‍⬛ - Anthony J Crowley [Crowley/AJC]

🩵⚠️ - Bill Cipher [Will]

🧡🐱 - Catra [Catra]

💚🤡 - Joker [Jokes]

🧡🐾 - Logan Howlett/Wolverine [Logan/Wolf]

💚🧊 - Loki Laufeyson/Odinson [Loki]*

❤️‍🩹🪽 - Lucifer Morningstar [Lucifer/Star]**

💛👤 - Oz Yellow [Oz/Ozzie]

🖤🦔 - Shadow The Hedgehog [Shads]

🤎🌕 - Remus Lupin [Remus/Moony]

💜🦄 - Twilight Sparkle [Twi]

🫀🦌 - Will Graham [Wilhem/Will]

I'm an agere please kink dni and everyone be aware of things tagged with 💝🐾 which is when I'm regressed [Little Age: 7]

Things tagged with 💿👾 is when I feel digital !![DO NOT REFER TO ME AS PHYSICAL WHEN TAG IS ACTIVE - WILL GLITCH OUT]!!

I'll do something with my shifts sometime - I'm always shifted as something so feel free to ask what I currently am!

*Dietykins as well - ☀️🛐 - **ONLY Dietykins

[/\________________________/\]

Will make a new intropost - It'll be neater and include more stuff about me and less junk lol

-Navigation-

#dysfunc art (Art tag)

#hannimals (Hannibal fan comic)

#vampyr!hannibal (Vampyr AU Hannibal)

#our collective autism synced (Hannibal trending)

-Other blogs-

[Reworking blogs won't be available until new intro post]

-My name & Pronouns-

Pronouns.cc

[Won't be updated until new intropost]

-What I do-

I create anything artistic basically. From drawing to music. I'm the founder of EstuFAWN Studios (@estufawn-studios) which makes VN, IFs, and Books.

I'm a fan of horror, psychology, biology, and slice-of-lifes [Not exclusive]. Some media I enjoy is Hannibal (TV), Good Omens, Merlin BBC, and Deadplate.

I take commissions and plan to put a commission board up sometime -> Most of my services will be free except high time and effort comms.

I do struggle with my mental health quite a bit so comms can be delayed because of that and due to the fact I am busy suddenly a lot. -> This doesn't just include comms I'm struggling to find proper therapy along with managing a world made for nuerotypicals so I disappear for weeks sometimes because I just don't have the energy

-A bit about me-

I was born and raised in the south in the US.

I'm only diagnosed with ADHD and AD, but I show signs of other neurodivergencies and mental disorders. Most are undiagnosed due to personal reasons.

I'm a Therian and Otherkin - Not a furry exactly (label doesn’t fit) - My theriotypes are Red Wolf, Axis Deer, Carrion Crow/Raven, All Leopards, and Lion. Cryptid Otherkin (NOT SPECIFYING)

-My Projects-

[Fanfictions]

SIDE WIP: Hannimals (NBC Hannibal Comic)

YET TO START: Hannibal Mini Comics (NBC Hannibal mini comic collection)

WIP(On Ao3): All of the 'Mermaids' have Sharp Teeth (NBC Hannibal Mermaid Fanfic) 17+

COMPLETED(On Ao3): Silk Sheets (NBC Hannibal Short Fanfic) 17+

HIATUS (On Ao3): Choreomania [Choreo!Omens] (Good Omens fanfic) 17+

YET TO START: Once Upon an Omens [Upon!Omens] (OUAT+Good Omens+Merlin) 14+

<Original works>

[Games]

MAIN WIP (@estufawn-studios): Ethereal (Dating sim) 16+

HIATUS (@estufawn-studios): Happy Days (ACOTCI Horror dating sim) 17+

[Books]

HIATUS (@estufawn-studios): Chew Before Swallow! (Sci-fi) 14+

HIATUS (@estufawn-studios): The Guide to the Universe (Guide for EstuFAWN Universes)

[Extra]

YET TO START: A Collection of the Clincally Insane "ACOTCI" (Horror and Gore) 17+

\-> A Collection of Horror/Thriller games about Clincally Insane couples and their stories.

[Rating meanings]

12+ (Light language, slight innuendo)

14+ (Mild language, light gore, innuendo)

16+ (Langauge, triggering content(abuse) light sexual content, mild gore)

17+ (Language, triggering content(SA&Rape mention), sexual content, gore)

\-> Not all of the 17+ will have sexual content most of them are rated for gore and triggering content

[screamingcrows]

Ceteris paribus - Dottore x reader

Note: Shhh it's almost 2am... This is.. yeah, this is something that's for sure. I'll uhh spread Aspergillus niger in your home if you use this for ai or similar. Tags: Dottore x fem!reader, afab reader, smut, porn with plot, plot with porn?, angst, teyvat speculation if you squint (don't), 4.5k Ceteris paribus - 'if everything else remains the same' Minors DNI

Faintly glowing nilotpala lotuses floated like stars, dotting the vast abyss of water. The sight you made among them had proclamations of divinity weighing on his tongue. Bathed in pale moonlight, your beauty was not something to be examined and explained, as much as the urge remained present, but rather a phenomena to simply enjoy.

Zandik found your form to hold his gaze hostage; not that he would willingly turn his head away even if he could. Glittering droplets gathered and trailed down your skin, mapping out a canvas of stars that he would soon enough pluck from your body and immortalize in the sky. Replacements would be needed after all, and what better substitute than something as beautiful as the natural patterns and grooves of the human body?

Standing by the edge of the dark pool of water, the thought of seeing it open up and swallow you whole wasn't too far-fetched. Already, countless leaves had drifted through the air and, upon touching the surface, been pulled under by some unseen force.

Or by curious fish.

Seeing you there alone made him wish for a heart to flutter, hands already undoing the straps of his outfit despite earlier proclamation of only following to keep watch. What harm could there be in letting himself - letting you both - have one last certain indulgence?

There was a flicker of doubt in his mind, would it be a more favorable outcome if you were to disappear into the abyss for that moment? Though every prediction and every piece of information that had been painstakingly gathered pointed towards the burning itself being harmless, there were always pesky variables and inevitable outliers.

Both part of the thrill and a curse, the world rarely operated precisely within the expectations of theory.

Zandik had no doubt that he would survive both the torching and the resulting onslaught, but you? A mourning flower, watered by adversity and flourishing despite it, resilient to a fault and yet just as delicate and fleeting as all purely organic life.

There were many things that he was happy to put to rest with the old world, but he would not let you be one.

His thoughts shifted with his position, body having gradually grown accustomed to the cool water that lapped around his ankles, he took a few tentative steps further into the lake. The bottom sloped gently, but he knew better than to charge forward without first feeling around for any sudden drops. A moment of tension as something passed between his calves was replaced with a frown upon seeing your amused expression.

Privacy was impossible with you, even if he was currently the one invading your swim.

"I thought you used to come here all the time," a scoff left his lips at your bubbly voice, warmth spreading to his ears, "has it been so long already that you've forgotten about all the dangerous creatures?"

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest, his continued advance sending little waves through the water until he eventually lowered himself fully, relishing the familiar cradle of cool water. In Snezhnaya, the water was ill equipped for any type of leisurely bathing. Aside from the obvious frozen state of the vast majority, it had a sharp quality to it, as though frost resided in each droplet, prepared to bite the minute it touched something foreign.

"What a sharp tongue, careful it doesn't get you in trouble."

Maintaining the same air of superiority proved difficult when every stroke of his arms had water splashing, keenly aware of his tousled hair and the gradual increase in how much of it clung to his face. Seeing you barely suppressing a laugh, Zandik dove beneath the surface, body cutting through the darkness with practiced finesse.

It didn't exactly wash away the turmoil as part of him had dared to hope, but at least it was quiet with the constant press of water against his ears. Floating further ahead was your form, the curvature of your legs outlined by what little light pierced through as they kicked to keep you steady.

Getting close enough to touch, capture a priced catch, he surfaced again, relishing the spray of water from both his hair and your ensuing flailing. The change stung his eyes for a moment before he rubbed away lingering water, keeping the other arm wrapped firmly around your waist.

Always a skittish thing, it was a wonder you'd willingly chosen to stay so close. Not just chosen, he supposed, as you turned in his grasp and reached to wrap around his shoulders, allowing your warmth to seep into his mangled body, you'd insisted on staying against all reason.

Even now, with the false veil hanging by a thread and threatening to crush everything under the weight of its fall, you still steadied the hand holding the scissors. A small smile tugged at his lips, desire stirring to life, when your plush legs wrapped themselves securely around his waist.

Clearly aware of the effect, you seemingly took extra care to 'adjust' the positioning of your hips, intention so apparent that it only served to make his blood run a little hotter. Especially with how your ankles locked to squeeze him further. Clever little devil.

He couldn't help but purr in turn, lamenting the lack of leverage from being bereft of solid ground beneath his feet, "You are far too good," but that could be fixed, "maybe I should start calling you my little lotus?"

The tremble of your chest as you suppressed a giggle was nothing short of elating, palms continuing to languidly rub your sides. Even soaked, your natural scent still reached his nose upon nuzzling against the crook of your neck, crisp as Dawn's apples with an undertone of something a little more heavy.

"And what brought this on?"

"Because," he pressed his lips to the nape of your neck, tightening his hold enough to hopefully make a point, "you've started to smell like them from bathing here every night," his lips parted in a grin at your mumbled proclamation of his status as a 'creep', "and most importantly, you're much like my personal little nilotpala lotus."

With a clear goal in mind, and ignoring your whined protests and delightfully flushed face, bringing you back to solid ground was no difficult task, not even with how you were draped around him. The towels and blanket you'd brought were already neatly laid out where grass started to sprout, as though you'd been expecting this outcome from the beginning.

Perhaps he was somewhat predictable, the notion sending a foreign burst of warmth through him.

Your voice broke the comfortable silence, characteristic impatience for his antics shining through, "you're just not going to elaborate on the comparison?"

Still, you clung to him like some fragile animal, forcing him to carefully balance as he sat down, smirking at little at the perfectly presented opportunity to squeeze your rear in the process.

"And rob you of the joy of solving a mystery?" Zandik merely chuckled at the sting of your palm connecting with his chest, "I was only waiting for you to ask."

"But no long history lessons," your fingers spread out atop his chest, gently pushing him to lay back as if to dangle a reward for expediting the explanation.

"There are several reasons as to why the comparison is fitting," he lowered his voice, hands moving to caress your hips once he'd gotten comfortable on the makeshift pillow of clothes, "one of which being the direct similarity of your softness to that of its petals."

Zandik couldn't resist the urge to chuckle at how you rolled your eyes, a small pinch to your flank bringing your attention back.

It was impossible to resist the urge to gently chide, "Let me finish; but more than anything, they are, supposedly, a reminder from a bygone time. Every night they bloom in remembrance of their past before chaos erupted, yet they continue to persist in the present," a small roll of your hips had a pleasant tingle spread across his skin, "and, I do believe you bring luck as well."

That earned a huff and a kiss.

The stars above came into focus when his head dropped back fully, the feeling of your slick folds rubbing against his hard dick freeing a sound of contentment from his chest. Always so good to him, your labia was already slick with arousal when a shuddering gasp left you. Zandik's eyes fluttered open too late to catch your expression, determination fueling the exact repeat of the motion, dragging your along the veins of his cock until your nub caught against the head and your lips parted around a sigh.

You molded so perfectly against him, thighs shaping against his hipbones, his fingers sinking into the meat of your rear with perfect resistance, your walls practically trying to suck him in. Oh he needed so much more, to taste your essence, take you apart and let you do the same. He needed the weight of your breast in his palm and the softness of your lips contrasting his.

Plans and ideas swirled with ferocity, his own breath growing heavier and the sky practically spinning above, he'd barely noticed the frenzy with which he dragged your hips back and forth. A choked moan reached his ears, a sweet cacophony of your voice and his, mixing when determination set your eyes ablaze and a greedy jerk of your hips your cunt stretch around his gorged tip.

Despite having indulged far more over the years than his schedule should have allowed, the tight fit never failed to steal the air from his lungs. Now, it seemed you'd stolen the ability to breathe itself. White static danced in the corners of his eyes, sharp teeth digging into his own lip to stall the release that threatened to crash over him.

In a show of rare mercy, you passed down the opportunity to gather dirt to blackmail him with later, your thumbs rubbing along his collarbones. The smile you wore was enchanting, tranquility soon following and drowning out his body's cries for release.

Determined not to let the inherent uncertainty of the future rush this, Zandik closed his eyes while slowly guiding you to be fully seated. The little mewls that vanished into the night deserved to be etched in stone and preserved for the next eternity. When your hips rolled the first time, smooth skin still a little wet as it dragged against his hips, it was nothing short of exquisite, unity of both the simplest and most complex character.

The definition of a meaningful connection had shifted from what brought resources and opportunity to something horrendously intangible over the years, the shift pinpointed to a single variable entering his life. A pesky thing, not entirely unlike an infection in how it seemed insistent on wrestling control of his body and mind.

Pleasure built steadily once you'd adjusted, clearly eager from how you'd barely given yourself a moment of respite before lifting yourself back up. Liquid fire spread anew through his veins with every brush of your fingertips, soft as laying in a bed of flowers on the first day of summer. It wouldn't be long before that might be feasible.

Like a man compelled, his fingers moved to tangle in your hair, feeling a smile tug at his lips when your hips stuttered - he would make a snarky comment about it tomorrow. Though the fantasy of your petulant expression and flushed cheeks had anticipation mix with pleasure, right now, the thought consuming the vast majority of his mind was far more primal in nature.

Lost to the present moment, Zandik finally allowed himself to assist your eager movements, occasionally peering into your hazy eyes with no regard for posterity. You were squeezing him perfectly, walls clamping around him whenever he would pull the slightest away.

"Easy darling, save your strength for tomorrow," he brought your wrist to his lips, sucking gently where veins ran just beneath the skin.

A slow thrust had your thighs tightening around his waist, back arching deliciously and inviting Zandik to push himself up, wrapping his lips around a soft breast. The sounds that spilled unabashedly from your lips were downright sinful in their purity.

It was only later, in the afterglow left behind, that he realized how much tension seemed to have left his body during the act, manifested instead as blooming marks on your hips and little bites along your neck. You were presumable caught in the same state of lightness if how your fingers flexed experimentally.

Caught in the shifting leaves, Zandik only noticed your words when they were accompanied by your teeth nipping at his chest, surprised by the worry etched onto your expression. "Do you have faith in all our preparations?"

Understanding ran almost as deep as the bitterness that spread across his tongue, "Faith? What a preposterous notion for the occasion. I trust in myself, in our plans and their inevitable success. Every possible variable above minuscule importance has been carefully monitored for centuries and accounted for."

He hated how, even with arrogance coating his words, you still squeezed his hand a little tighter. Still pressed your body a little closer to soothe.

It made his voice weaker, vulnerable almost, and he hated that it was so far out of his control. "Destroying comes naturally, but what will happen when the thrones fall and the skies collapse has always eluded me. I dedicated myself to seeking beyond the limits to the rules of this world, I know the extent of possibility, but once that has been shattered? Once the rules I know exactly how to subvert have been-"

"We'll figure it out, together," your breath was the first sun of spring, "a new set of rules means plenty of tests to conduct."

A rough chuckle left his lips, even while he could feel the tremble of your body, you attempted to brighten the horizon.

This was unbearable.

How long had it been? Half an hour? Forty minutes? It didn't matter, it was too long. Especially for something as routine as fetching him some damned materials from the storage room.

And not even the one at the other end of the palace! No, it was literally thirty-two steps from the doors to his laboratory to the storage. At least with his own gait, and granted, he had a taller frame than most but-

Again. It didn't matter.

And why was it so warm in the laboratory? Dottore wiped a gloved hand across his brow, near growling at the realization that now he'd have to change them.

Why was everything falling apart? Of course it had to be today of all days.

"Do I have to do everything around here?"

The words were rough in his throat, more of a snarl even to his own ears, but it had the desired effect, countless of heads rising from their work to peer at him.

It took exactly three beats of his mechanically enhanced heart for them to turn their gazes away, frustration bubbling in his throat. Who did they think they were to so blatantly ignore him?

Dottore rolled his shoulders back, making certain that his heels would click obnoxiously against the hard stone floors during his patrol around the room.

It was a plan in two steps. At least it was when it was boiled down to the most basic division.

The old world would burn. The Crimson Moon would supply the necessary spark, quite possibly eager to exact vengeance on the offending power that claimed her sisters. The branches they'd stolen had been engulfed with a vigor not replicated by presenting the flames with any other material.

Glass crashed to the ground and was crushed under the steel toe of his boot. It was a redundant piece anyway. Production and research on Delusions had been halted a few months ago, stocks being enough to supply their troops and a decent amount in reserve.

Once the threads of fate had been severed, the remains of the Third Descender would be used to tether a new possibility. Insignificant by themselves, they would pose no threat, but with all seven in their hands, the oppressor would be sealed away.

The light wasn't searing his eyes today, perhaps they'd finally been replaced with something less intrusive than the glaring whites.

There would be nothing written on the pages that came after.

Just a few more tests.

Papers scattered with a flick of his wrist, clearing out space for the the leatherbound tome in his hands. Old drawings fell from between the pages, things Dottore hadn't seen in decades. Perhaps even longer.

Someone was screaming again. It took a moment for his mind to tune properly in to the sound, a pang of something coursing through him as his own voice rang through the room. Everything seemed to tremble beneath his wrath, even his hands were shaking.

The gloves were black leather, not dotted red with blood.

He hadn't slept for a week had he?

Resigned to the fate of needing to change his gloves anyway, rubbing at the stubble that grew on his chin was a necessary comfort. Just a little longer and all of his work would come to fruition.

Dottore could practically taste the sweetness of your lips. How he yearned to stand beside you and warm his hands by the fire.

Just a little longer and-

-maybe that imbecile of a subordinate would return with his supplies.

His head snapped up when something creaked. Despite several people milling about, it was eerily quiet.

Someone else should have already confirmed the concentration of the isolate, but with how dull everyone seemed as of late, it might be wise to asses it himself. He'd have to do a dilution series, and how many cuvettes would he need?

A curse left Dottore's lips at the same time his hands slammed onto the table. Those were in storage as well weren't they?

His eyes flickered around, pushing away the frustrating shadow in his periphery, a few more days and he'd have time to properly look at whatever had his mask malfunctioning.

The laboratory should be properly insulated, any outside interference was unwanted in a controlled environment such as this.

How many days were left before their plans would be set into motion was a blurred memory, something he would need to check soon.

Nothing seemed remiss in the little village, the sight of children playing with a single kite making your chest feel entirely too tight. The sun continued to shine, clothes already out to dry while the adults tended the gardens nearby. It might be more fitting to call them fields, there was little regard for private property these days, and sharing had proven far easier when the same people had aided in constructing homes, no matter how simple.

Flowers had started blooming as well, their scent a desperately needed change from the smoke that had choked the skies for weeks. With gravel crunching beneath your feet, the unease that coursed through your veins was momentarily stifled.

By all means, Teyvat was at peace.

Though you were on amicable terms with the inhabitants here, they eyed you warily, with varying degrees of pity in their eyes whenever you came to trade. Zandik himself refrained entirely from going, and everyone seemed content to keep him out of sight. Most had come to understand that there was nothing malicious about your partner, but you couldn't blame them for not forgetting the past.

It was an agreeable arrangement, much better than either of you had dared to hope. A small cot in what remained of the forest of what had been Sumeru, a peaceful existence with the sounds of nature providing the backdrop.

Pantalone had settled in the ruins of Liyue, Capitano had perished, Columbina disappeared with Arlecchino… Of all the harbingers, you were grateful for the fate that had been bestowed on your Zandik.

Even if-

A small hand tugging on your skirt nearly startled you, looking down to see an expression of concern etched onto the face of a young boy. With the skies clearing, his skin was already looking far better than last you saw him.

Several other children were huddled around the open space, all shuffling their feet nervously and evidently trying their best not to stare. With time, they'd hopefully forget what they'd seen and never have to cower like this.

"I heard him last night," there was a fair bit of caution in his voice, and you tried to smile reassuringly over your thundering heart, "he went that way… I think…"

Your feet ached from making haste through the dense undergrowth, hands scratched up from the countless times you'd tripped on a loose stone or hidden root. It was ridiculous to get so worked up, he'd been the Second Harbinger, strength to go up against the divine, and he'd won.

But he hadn't been home since yesterday, and that alone had spectral insects crawling beneath your skin and your hearth threatening to flee your chest. Would he come home this time?

Mindless swatting at mostly imaginary insects did nothing to dissipate the fog of anxiety that hung around you. The boy had confirmed your suspicion, unknowingly having pointed towards one of the old underground workshops.

It could be a coincidence of course. Zandik could be sitting bare-footed in a stream just a little further ahead, pulling in brightly colored axe marlins to supply your meals. He could have gotten so absorbed that he'd lost track of time and opted to camp outside rather than stumble through a dark forest.

You were fully aware that it was wishful thinking.

How many times you'd trudged this way was uncertain, fingers skimming the edges of stone that marked an upper corner of the facility. Signs had been put up where the ground had opened up into the complex to avoid anyone carelessly falling in. A knot formed in the pit of your stomach, the sounds of glass shattering reaching your ears from below.

Rubble was scattered in the hallways and opportunistic vines and roots had begun spilling into the vast network. The complex had been abandoned long before the final confrontation with Celestia, a time capsule from when Zandik himself stayed in Sumeru to conduct preliminary studies on the power of dreams and forbidden knowledge. From what you understood, it had served The Doctor and his pursuits well,

It made the air heavy with misplaced gratitude and relief.

Stone knocked against your back as you stumbled aside, startled a sharp pang followed by metallic clatter. Still with your heart in your throat, you staggered forward through the haze of tears clouding your vision.

"Why doesn't it work? It has to work. It should work. Everything is right. It's all correct- I just have to finish it- the deadline!" Another crash, the glass shards no sharper than his continued shouts, "There's so little time left I have to-"

Sparse sunlight filtered through and illuminated the ruins of what must have been a laboratory in its prime. You forced your lungs to work despite how every breath seared your throat. The tentative call of his name gave no result.

Zandik was hunched over a slanted desk, one wooden leg broken and threatening to give out. A few metallic tables were scattered around the room, two of them pushed against a wall as if to block out something. Every cupboard had been opened and the contents of several emptied onto the floor. How much was the work of Zandik, you wondered.

"Why won't anyone listen to me? Don't any of you know how to do your jobs properly? Get me those damn supplies or I'll-" two and a half vial clinked together with every restless knock of his fist against the table, "I'll tie a rope around your waist, throw you into the abyss, and dissect whatever I can pull back out!"

Another breath, hands trembling as they reached for him, fully anticipating the way his body jerked and twisted. It didn't make it any less upsetting.

Zandik sneered when your hands cupped stubbled cheeks, and for a moment you wondered if he'd bite like a rabid beast. You nearly choked on a sob at seeing the crudely folded paper that covered the top of his face, holes haphazardly torn to allow him to see. His hair was dirty and tangled, his clothes in no better state.

Soothing shushes left your lips in a steady stream, thumbs continuing to pet his skin and rub the dust from rubble away, thankful that the artificial lights were long broken. His shirt could be mended and washed.

"Zandik, I need you to-"

He howled like a wounded beast, thrashing when you pushed away his paper mask, "Don't call me that! Useless- useless, you're all useless!"

Even disoriented, his grip was iron when his fingers locked around your arms. Tears were running down your cheeks, ignoring the blood that dripped from where his nails had pierced skin. Still, you refused to let go of his face.

"Zandik please.. look around you.. it's over, we- you did it.. let's go home.."

For a moment, the fog seemed to clear a little from his eyes as they flickered back and forth, taking in the scenery anew. A shiver ran through him, hands letting up their grip on your arms in favour of gently feeling along them, confirming your existence.

Irminsul had burned and people's memories had been the price. None more affected than the man who'd held the torch.

It had yet to be determined what exactly had happened to Zandik, resources weren't abundant enough to prioritize anything but survival. And even if they were, he'd barely had a moment lucid enough to properly process your sobbed attempts at explanation.

Perhaps he hadn't been woven into the new tapestry of fate, or maybe his grandest achievement, his beloved eyes in time, had tethered him more firmly to the old threads rather than freeing him. More than once, his hands had held your head close to his chest, just as they did now, and shushed cries that he would never grasp the cause of.

"It will all get better my lotus," your heart already clenched, desperate cries begging to freeze time in place before he continued with his hushed words, "…just a little longer and we'll all be free…"

[toothlesssoul]